conor610

How long did you roast the peppers for? Did you do it in an oven or over flame?

Check out Lush, which has two locations on the north side. Small, but an eclectic selection of wine and spirits.

Hit up the Miss Worcester Diner while you're in town. Worcester was the place where basically all the classic diners were manufactured.

*edit to remove screwy quote formatting* It seems to me that sous-vide is more of a combination of low-temperature poaching and braising, right? I mean, Alton in his poaching episode and in his first book talks about poaching with the liquid at the desired end temperature. I understand, of course, that this will not be a braise because of the liquid actually being in contact with the protein, but for things like chicken or fish, which would get a short sous-vide anyway, I'd imagine there isn't much difference in terms of texture, at least. Flavor penetration, etc, is of course a different matter. But hey, without the vacuum, no worries about botulism!

In Italy, there is a McDonald's pork sandwich called the "McPink." It was never actually available; anytime I passed a McDonald's in a train station or something, there was a decal reading "In Vacanza" across the picture. Does anyone know if the McPink is just a McRib for Italians?

Can't believe no one has mentioned my very favorite restaurant in the city: Taverna dei Mercanti, in Piazza dei Mercanti in Trastevere. Probably the best grilled meats I've ever had--the salsiccia is particularly wonderful. Just get the griglia mista; you can't go wrong with a selection that usually includes the salsiccia, some kind of beef, pork, and/or lamb, and quail or squab, depending on what they have fresh that night. Plus, the atmosphere is unbeatable; it feels very medieval, with torches illuminating the outdoor seating area and wooden beams criscrossing the dining rooms. They have great pizza as well (though Remo in Testaccio is my choice for best pizza in Rome), and best of all, there is no pasta on the menu. It's a great break for when you get tired (yeah, right) of carbonara, all'amatriciana, arrabiatta, etc. Plus, it's close to a number of great bars, including my personal favorite, Molly Malone's--though that place has gone downhill a bit since Andrea sold it in 2003. Still a good spot for a Guinness, though.

I'm such a noob. Last night, Blackbird, $240 incl. 2 cocktails, 1 bottle of wine, 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts. But it was the best meal I've ever had. And on a teacher's salary, probably the best I'll have for quite a while-- unless I luck into Alinea rezzies somehow. Then, all bets are off.

I'm a huge fan of amari ("bitters," but not the kind you add a dash of to a cocktail), my favorite being Averna. Cynar is good, too. Also, look for Mirto, which is a Sardinian liqueur made from blueberries.

Well, between my girlfriend and me, we had the scallops, sweetbreads, arctic char, pork belly, milk chocolate cremaux, and beignet with fig. All were good; all apart from the char were excellent; the pork belly was the best dish I've ever had. The service was impeccable, including a brilliant wine recommendation (2003 Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris) from our waiter, Ivar, that went perfectly with all four savory dishes. The best meal of my life, so far. Also, Wylie Dufresne was there, having dinner at the bar in sneakers and a t-shirt. Gotta love random sightings like that.

I'm going for the first time tomorrow. Apart from the pork belly, which I hear is a can't-miss, what should I get?

You put your first one in a cold pan? I've always heard you should heat the pan 'til water dances on it, then do the cooking. Eliminates the problem. And, he sheepishly admits, I spray Pam on the pan between each pancake. Works like a charm.

You need to get the pan screaming hot. Additionally, don't move the piece of meat/fish/chicken for a few minutes. You want at least enough time to get a nice crust. After the crust is formed, you'll be able to move/flip the piece no problem. ← Or, just make a pan sauce. Deglaze with a little cognac, flame it, reduce it with some cream, add a shot of raw cognac right at the end, and you've got just about the yummiest sauce known to man: the classic sauce for steak au poivre. As stolen from Alton.