Lyle

***bump*** Naff, daft, or trash, I've some non-ironic nor post-modern-experiamental fondue in a pot and I have a question that's, believe it or not, related to cooking...sort of. We made a too-large pot of beer based cheddar-emmental fondue which was so delicious it's now sitting in our fridge and is the consistency of grainy rubber. Now I've made this mistake of quantity before and have seldom been able to re-liquify the concoction without it separating into pink fat and nuclear orange paste. My plan this time is to cube the "rubber" for ease of stirring and whisk it over very low heat. Will this work? How could I keep this from separating?

BTW, I ordered the same dish from the same restaurant last night. I believe the first promfret I received earlier in the week either had a retarded growth cycle, was heavily "trimmed", or was not a promfret. The fish I recieved last night was wider and had proper fromfret fins, at least judging by pictures. It also had a much stronger taste (good). Edit: spelleringing

I've passed more fish storys than I could ever count.

Yes, promfret fish it is. Must be a typo. Last night curiosity fried the fish as I got a to-go order of this dish. The fish was very small, like a large brim. It tasted very much of perch, with oddly crispy eyeballs. Quite good indeed. Thanks.

Apparantly it's not on Earth as everything on Earth is, by law, documented by the Gods of Google. Not this. I was perusing the menu of my local Thai joint that we plan on eating at tomorrow and, as it's a revised menu, I discovered the new entree of whole fried promet fish. The telephone conversation with the restaurant was hindered by certain language barriers and I got no answers. I've lost all faith in my Googillian religion since it can't answer this deep philisophical question. What is a promet fish and how would it enjoy being fried? Edited for a sense of tense.

Simply curious, are shwarma and other dishes utilizing vertically spit roasted meat relatively common in Paris as they are in, say, Bavaria?

A poor chart on iodine contained in common food. I don't think iodine intake is much of an issue in wealthy countries. I know I take in more than my share. Another reason I'm sure most here don't need iodized salt.

Welcome FoodForThought. Your post was very bold.

Does anybody else eat Campbell's cream of tomato filled with crumbled saltines? Am I the weired one?

You probably won't be disappointed by either but it is a very personal choice. I do like both brasserie/bistro and haute cuisine experiences and I would try to do both rather than focus on just one. Good french cuisine is available at all levels in Paris, from brasserie to haute cuisine. Yes, sorry to be unclear. I was speaking specifically of haute 2-3 star cuisine. Several lunches to sample chefs or one or two all-out dinners. I'll wear the bistros out, trust me. Allow me to change the formula. Would one expect a similar experience at a Parisian 2-3 star for dinner as one would recieve at ADNY? That would really help my decision making process.

Why would you want to do this? Most wooden peels are glued planks, and I would think that would lead to a risk of breakage. I've never had a problem with dough transfer from a peel. I've only had a problem removing my relatively wet dough from the counter. Also, since most wooden peels are glued, don't soak them! They will warp. I've never seen a metal peel and, being more conductive, I'd think it would be more likely for the dough to stick. Is it Teflon coated, or the like?

I think there's a very good reason why Jeffrey Steingarten has focussed his attention in Paris on modern bistrots rather than the maccarooned monsters. Heh, I almost mentioned Steingarten in my previous post. And you don't sound dogmatic at all. I completely agree with the philolophy your posts seem to suggest to me on various boards. As I said, I plan on taking great advantage of various bistros and brasseries, as well as your wonderful website. I may have overstated our financial plight. Less always seems far less when one once had more or far more. We could afford to eat a meal a day at a three star and not have to harvest any of my organs. I just don't find it prudent. But I would very much value the experience of a three star meal, or two three star meals. I didn't mean to downplay that. That said, would I be better served breaking the bank (not really) on a single meal or two, or testing lunch cuisines? Note at the better restaurants in NY, I almost always eat lunch and, if it is successful, then secure dinner reservations. Edioted for Claridioty

Well, they are by definition nonessential. And I never said I wasn't interested in wine. I in fact am, although I will gladly admit I've alot of education about it to come to me. I suppose I was not clear or providing context. I am very concerned about the atmosphere and the service. However, at that level, I don't find myself contemplating sitting on a picnic table. At the higher level, I take for granted that the atmosphere will be acceptable (it doesn't have to be grand) as will the service. I didn't say impeccable, I said acceptable. To me. At this level, since we aren't eating off a buffet, all I am concerned about is the food. Sorry to be unclear.

Or even butter. They really do make wonderful leftovers, as it appears you've discovered.

Thanks for that winemike, Bux, and Steven. I'm actually in a peculiar and lucky position, and once I formulate our dining itenerary, I'll start a new thread. Although we are significantly less wealthy than we were even six months ago, yesterday we discovered a method to fly to Paris for free and stay in the 9th for eight days for slightly less than a three star meal served to a single diner. Therefore, we are able to concentrate our limited resources on dining. I'd love to take Eurostar to London to go to the new Globe (per my wife's profession), visit provencial France, return to Innsbruk, etc. Nope, due to our situation, we're stuck ( ) in Paris. It's alot more expensive now paying for cars, a mortgage, and a wife ( ) than it was in college. Nevermind. That's for another thread. Thanks for the responses. Another question: would one suggest pooling our "fine dinind" resources on a single meal at a three star, or perhaps spreading it out over two-three lunches allowing me to taste more chefs' cuisines? What do you think would be more, er, worthy? A bit of background. I'm relatively well dined in the US, not interested in atmosphere, and not terribly interested in the theatrics of service. I'm just there to taste the food.

Oh...I guess I didn't read your first post carefully enough. Milk. Please, milk...and possibly a dash of creame. My mother used an ungodly amount of butter and they were some of the creamiest grits I've ever had. Simply fresh milk and butter. How much butter did you add?

I always use parchment, but in a pinch last year I baked a salmon (I think) over couscous in foil. The fish came out fine but, not surprisingly, the couscous had a metallic tinge to it. Of course, we could always graduate to cryovac bags.

I think grits are supposed to be a relatively neutral base for pretty much anything. Sure, I put cheese and tabascoesque sauce in mine. But isn't pasta pretty much tasteless? Oddly, few just eat plain pasta.

It's odd, but even spending almost four months of my life in Europe, I've spent less than two days in Paris . I will be in a similar situation to Snoopy64 in July. Dining at a few one stars, taking great advantage of bistros, and one (possibly two) three star experiences. Simply for budgeting reasons, what could two people expect to pay with reasonable wine service at these places that Steven mentioned? (exclude ADPA, unless you believe it is markedly better than ADNY. Is it?) Oh, and I'm there for the food. Period.

http://www.motorestaurant.com/

Dallas: Steak, and since it was apparantly first successfully marketed here, the stweet cakey corn dog. Although, outside of the State Fair, I couldn't tell you where to get one.

Just to note the obvious, these tomato salsas freeze well. I found that out some time ago when I got my ratios all wrong, adjusted with more tomato...ended up with a half-gallon of the stuff. I suppose I could have been philanthropic and gifted it so some neighbors. Nah.

Operation USO care packages http://www.usometrodc.org/care.html Actually, this link to Winds of Change has a nice consolidated list of ways one can help soldiers from a variety of nations.

Fascinating series BigboyDan. Thanks.

My partner and I have our tickets as well, but they are in April--when you post about where you went to eat, please slip in a mini-review of the show Everybody's got the right to be hungryyyyyy Everybody's got the right to eeeeeeeat before the show please set your sail to Grand Sichuan and fill your pail Just order Sichuan and not.... Cantoneeeeessssseeee Ediot: an idiot I am. I can't post real good. And to add that Victor Garber rocks.