[FoodTV Canada]

They show Chef at Home on Fine Living in the US. I see there's a lot more episodes than what I've seen. I hope they show them over here, too.

My wife loves this show, and I like it too. We respectfully refer to him as Dork Chef, mostly because he's like us. But it's nice to watch a trained cook make simple stuff for the family.

Not that I'd mind watching a show about Alinea every day either...

[Food Terms We Loathe/Misuse]

The word 'Supper' used to describe an evening meal conjures images of dry meat, sloshy overcooked vegetables from a can served with floury gravy and probably on a plate that is sectioned into different compartments.

Dinner sounds much nicer.

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Couldn't disagree more. They didn't call what you described a TV Supper!

To me, supper is something I rarely have anymore. It reminds me of my grandmother's house on Saturday nights. Fried catfish, pot roast, okra, beans, and tomatoes from the garden, fresh biscuits and sweet tea.

Dinner back then was what you ate around noon.

[Pig Testicles]

This is all well and good, but is there a good vegan substitute?

[Ordering fresh-roasted coffee]

I live in Chicago and buy quite frequently from Intelligentsia. I used to walk in and ask which beans were roasted today or yesterday....and every time they'd tell me that I certainly wouldn't be able to tell the difference between beans roasted today or ones roasted 5 days earlier. I'm not convinced of that just yet, but in any case I don't think is going to be a vastly different taste from beans that are roasted within the week.

There are a lot of threads on egullet about home roasting.

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You wouldn't be able to tell much difference unless it were espresso. The thing is, if you buy 5 day old coffee and don't use it in a week, you'll notice the difference more readily.

[Emeril Gone On FoodTV]

[wd-50 2004 - 2007]

Also, saying that El Bulli doesn't put flavor first is factually inaccurate. In fact, what Adria intends to do is MAXIMIZE pure flavors by using these new techniques. The pea ravioli is a perfect example. It's peas wrapped in peas. Keller does the same thing with his soups, giving you the utter essence of a carrot or turnip, but he puts it in a bowl, or espresso cup as the case may me.

Anyway, there's plenty of places to get a traditional meal. If you dislike something new, at least consider the possibility that it may be something you have to bring yourself to understand. Using a music comparison again...I think about John Coltrane.

If you played some of his music to an inexperienced listener, it might sound like nonsensical cacophony. But if you allow yourself to spend time with it, like all great art, it will reveal things to you and enrich you far more than having music like Corrine Bailey Rae or the like spoonfed to you. That music is fine, but it doesn't require the listener to bring anything of themselves to the experience. But if you spend time with Stravinsky or Coltrane, it will give much more to you as a result of your investment.

Food is no different. Most people wouldn't dream of eating a dirty fungus that a dog or pig rooted out of the ground. But those in the know understand the beauty of it.

[wd-50 2004 - 2007]

I get a little weary when people get overly critical of Adria's disciples. I read once where someone stormed out of Trio after the third course because she "just wanted a steak." Maybe that was in Ruhlman's book.

Anyway, we'll have to see where this kind of thing takes cooking in the future. It may be just a cool phase, or it may lead to things that change the way we all eat one day. I look at it like music.

In jazz, for instance, people tried a lot of things in the 60's and 70's to experiment with the form. Some of it was successful, but much of it was not. Given time, it became clear which was which.

I feel the same about Adria. Dufresne and Achatz. Bottom line is, the food tastes great and is made by experts.

[Peet's at Stop & Shop]

I just don't trust buying coffee from a supermarket. There's no roast date on the bags, ans even though I like Peet's, it doesn't matter how good the coffee once was if it's over two weeks old by the time it arrives on the shelves.

I highly recommend checking out Intelligentsit and Metropolis in Chicago, Stumptown in Portland, and the amazing Vivace in Seattle.

[PID'ing a Rancilio 'Miss Silvia']

I have the PID, but can't seem to get my shots as good as they should be.

I'd love some help on this...