vice

I'm on it: picked up a piece of beef chuck for sugo; storm coming into California this weekend. Lasagne will be made following Marcella. Chris, judging by the meat combo, is that the Batali bolognese? Did you go ricotta instead of bechamel or both?

I've definitely changed some folks' opinions on certain foods, but I'd guess all of these instances stem from the fact that their only prior exposure had been to poorly prepared examples. It's rather difficult to say, when converting others at least, if they've ever actually had a well made example of the offending item.

Really? I was under the impression that strict labeling regulations would make that a big no-no (maybe not in Louisiana?).

Beyond gum and ango, what are some of the other possibilities you've experimented with?

Another vote for the Grizzly here. Regarding the material of the stuffer tubes, I've been satisfied thus far with the standard plastic offerings, but haven't used any stainless ones. My advice is to give it a go with the plastic first, get the hang of things, then pick up stainless later if you're dissatisfied. At the outset, $60 is probably money better spent on a few batches of sausage.

I haven't yet, Scott (I went for the Salami Crespone instead, indulging a desire for some nice winter spice action while the weather still warranted it), but it's on the agenda for this weekend. Any thoughts on his ratios based on the recipes you've tried?

It would undoubtedly be gin, but the fact that Smart & Final has handles of Beefeater for a mere $22 means that particular staple lasts longer than spirits I have to buy by the fifth. Rye is the obvious second, but I split duties between Old Overholt and Rittenhouse* so even that category is buffered slightly against the mighty thirst. *sadly unavailable in my area for the foreseeable future; dear god what am I going to do...

Yeah, same exact thing happened to me. I just went with the whole of one bunch, but I don't recall the weight. The prominent flavors were duck and garlic. I'm not sure how much more sage I'd want before it becomes too prominent.

Thanks, Chris! I see you've gone the no-starter route a la the Ruhlman recipe (Grigson too? I don't have her books). Do you know roughly what the pH has dropped to for the two batches you've made so far?

I keep coming back to that photo. How 'bout the whole recipe, Chris?

When I see racks of beef ribs in a grocery store, more often than not they've had most of the meat between the bones carved away. I assumed they use the trim for stew meat or grinding. Why a customer would want what amounts to a second-use rack is beyond me though.

A while back I had a killer Hemingway with an aged JM rhum at Nopa. Give that a shot.

I'm going to put on my opinionated hat for a second (apologies...) Super Rica takes a lot of heat. Undoubtedly that's partly because it gets a lot of hype, but I think part of it is also due to poor ordering. Don't order bare bones pork or steak tacos and expect them to be revelatory. They're not here or nearly anywhere. Unfortunately, I find the Super Rica Especial, more or less their signature dish, likewise underwhelming. But the freshly made tortillas are fantastic, so if the right nibbles find their way in there it's a great experience. Get the chorizo especial and the rajas. Enjoy. The Hungry Cat gets a lot of props for their cocktails. I can't concur. Their menu is promising, but in execution they make a caricature of the market-driven, fruit-forward Californian style. The spirit in any given drink is buried underneath fruit and sugar so far as to be unrecognizable. Plus, lemon juice and no Peychaud's in a Sazerac? Some might say interpretation, I say unforgivable. Their seafood is spotty, but I've had some of the best sea urchin of my life there. For a while they were doing a frisee salad with lardons, urchin and a poached quail egg. You more or less dressed the greens yourself with urchin, runny yolk and vinaigrette. Absolutely exceptional. If you go and urchins are on the menu, they're a must. German food: the proprietors of Brummis are very gracious hosts, but I find the food far surpassed by that at Dutch Gardens. It might be slightly less traditional, but much better executed. And while I'm usually the last to harp on ambiance (especially if the food makes up for a lack thereof), these two establishments couldn't be more different with respect to decor. Brummis is a sterile white-walled, tile-floored tomb. Dutch Gardens is a rustic, kitschy space with the option of pleasant outdoor seating. As for fine-dining, Santa Barbara's options are depressingly few, ranging from conservative to derivative. The most intriguing menus I've come across are at Julienne and Square One. Also notable, Le Petit Valentin is a nice romantic spot that does French classics and bistro fare quite well. So if I were spending three days in town, here's what I would consider: lunch Lily's Taqueria: tacos only. dirt cheap but really good. again stray from the ordinary - think head, cheek, tongue. Super Rica: chorizo especial, rajas Dutch Gardens (closed Sunday): schnitzel, bratwurst, potato salad, beer and plenty of it, chocolate cake! Cold Springs Tavern (Sunday only): tri-tip sandwich. Up in the mountains, live music, beautiful views on the drive up and down. dinner Le Petit Valentin Julienne Square One Hungry Cat Foodwise, breakfasts are undistinguished enough to sleep through, though there are a couple options with nice views if you're so inclined.

Glad it fit the bill, Chris. Are you leaving it running all the time to hit that humidity?

Lucky's in nearby Montecito for steak. For your other nights, I've been hearing really good things about Julienne, but be aware they're closed Monday and Tuesday.

How would you suggest the consumer obtain raw milk? A ban on its sale is effectively a ban on its consumption. I can't fit a dairy cow in my apartment.

Perhaps whoever owned them originally kept the bourbon ones and ditched the rest because he/she didn't care for rye or scotch?

I couldn't help but notice this quote: after reading Sam Sifton's review of Maialino this week: Well, which one is it gentleman?

Here's a report by Paul Clarke for Imbibe a few months ago.

I came across a recipe at Len Poli's site yesterday (pdf).

I've never understood the appeal of asparagus, in season or not (can't say that I can tell much of a difference). The texture of broccoli florets on the roof of my mouth weirds me out.

Does anyone have any experience with Soldeica? Beltramos carries it for $19 (and $34 for the acholado) and I was wondering if they were good buys at those prices.

Oh yeah, I remember that too. I considered it when I was shopping around, but opted for one of the pricier, more flexible models. At some point, I'd like to move up to a bigger chamber and then may need to humidify rather than dehumidify.

Chris, I'm using this humidity controller along with the dehumidifier I linked to above. There isn't a probe like with the temperature controllers many people use - you'll need to place the control unit inside the chamber. My set up is more or less like jmolinari's here except I haven't installed a passthrough for the hygrostat and dehumidifier power cords - I just run them out the door.

I do it at the end, and often times I find that it's crisped up fine during the long and low cooking so I don't even bother with a final blast