Ron Johnson

I really like Alton because of the manner in which he addresses a specific ingredient and breaks it down analytically through its chemistry, anthropology, and agricultural history. I am one of those guys that hates a recipe. I like to know why things work. Once you understand technique and the fundamentals you no longer have to rely on recipes. You can let taste be your guide. This is why I like Alton.

In the new Babbo cookbook, Steve Rooney (aka Roones, the Roonester, et al.), receives an acknowledgment as a food stylist. Could it be true that this man possesses some skill besides drooling and giggling alongside Mario?

SPQR, you lost me when you said Ready Set Cook! was a good show.

I liked Barcelona a helluva lot also.

I am still working on that manifesto. It will be published in a three volume set with footnotes and appendices.

Based on Curtis Aikens' girth, I would assume that he is a cheese-atarian rather than a vegetarian.

Keep the froglegs. Forget the chicken. If it were not for people like you, every menu would look the same. Best of luck to you.

Is this served warm or cold? Obviously, it is not part of the southern foods repertoire.

Brilliant work! I am hooked. Cooking school has always been a dream of mine as well. These installments may push me over the edge.

Mourvedre is used much more prominently in Provence and Languedoc than it is in wines of the southern Rhone valley such as Cote du Rhone, which are primarily grenache and maybe some syrah. I commend you on your appreciation of Mourvedre. Some are put off by its tendency to have a robust and somewhat barnyardy nose reminiscent of brettanomyces infection. However, I find the "funky" aspect of this grape quite charming and rustic. It has been my experience that barnyard or animal smells from Languedoc wines are more correctly traced to the high percentage of mourvedre in the blend than the actual presence of brett. I realize that you asked for recommendations specifically from Provence, but I recommend that you broaden the search to include Languedoc. There you will find that mourvedre dominates many of the wines and is often blended with grenache and syrah resulting in a tremendous wine. Even better, most of these wines are extremely affordable. I would look for wines from Corbieres and Fougeres, especially those imported by Kermit Lynch. As an aside, I feel that the last few vintages of Domaine Tempier have been rather uninspiring. Tempier has also seen fit to raise its prices substantially over the last five years. Pibarnon produces and equal Bandol to Tempier at almost half the price.

At the lake for the weekend, so that meant cooking on the grill. (1) Lamb chops marinated in EVOO, garlic, rosemary, and peppercorns. Grilled quickly, served medium rare with grilled white corn, sliced tomatoes. (2) Salmon fillets crusted with paste of minced fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley, chives), ground pepper, paprika, cayenne, sea salt, lemon, and EVOO. Grilled to medium/medium rare. Served with grilled white corn, organic salad greens dressed in dijon, EVOO, shallots, and black pepper. (3) Whole hen butterflied. Under skin paste of butter and herbs. On skin dry rub of paprika, dry herbs, garlic, black pepper, sea salt. Placed breast down over extremely hot coals until skin is seared crisp, then turned over and placed on other side of the grill away from the coals, draped with slices of country ham and allowed to roast for about 40 minutes over indirect heat. Served with potatoes layer in foil with salt and pepper and butter, organic salad greens dressed as above, and crusty bread. The country ham was just crisped at the end of the roasting period and was delicious with the chicken meat. It was by far the most flavorful and juicy chicken that I have ever prepared.

Steve, they have covered regional Kentucky cuisine, but never Louisville to my knowledge. We have a local freelance food writer who is a friend of mine. They ran a small piece she submitted in the latest issue on a BBQ restaurant in Louisville. Maybe it is time for me to step up to the plate and submit my own piece on rolled oysters to Saveur. Of course, the research is going to be tough, eating rolled oysters at all those places, especially Mazzoni's!

Is this why Tommy was asking so many questions on what constitutes insider trading over on the Martha Stewart thread?

I don't mind it when Saveur does it because covering regional food is their schtick. Whether is fried chicken and country ham in Kentucky, pizza in New Haven or Americana gems like the hamburger, I don't feel this is a departure for that magazine. On the other hand, I do know what you mean.

Wilfrid, It is difficult for me to get too excited about any wine, the flavor of which has been compared to retsina. I hope that this was an off bottle of white rioja. It should never taste of kerosene and pine needles.

Oh dear. I think I have been there. It is Jackson, TN? However, I engaged in no camping.

Tommy drives locomotives? That is so cool.

Agreed Wilfrid, however, Alton Brown is also informative but does not drool.

DO NOT CROWD THE PAN! That is about the only advice that I can give. If you do, you will steam, not saute, your morels, and you will ruin them.

calvados is even better than cognac; apple aroma adds something magical to morels... Thanks Helena. Guess what I will be making this weekend?

If you can't beat 'em . . . join 'em.

(1) Braise in buerre fondue with asparagus (Tom Colicchio) (2) Saute in EVOO with garlic, shallot and thyme serve in fettucine (3) Lasagna of morels, bechamel, fresh ricotta, bel paese, parmigiano reggiano, and quail eggs. (4) Fresh pasta tagliatelle with morels in cognac, demi-glace, cream reduction. (5) Large morels filled with gorgonzola, dressed with EVOO and sea salt, run under the broiler and garnish with tomato concasse. (6) Sauteed morels in omelette with scallions and chevre We have had a ton of morels in our market this year, and the above is a list of some of the things that I have done with them so far.

OK, here is the deal: In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Out Alton Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David Rosengarten Iron Chef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ready, Set, Cook! Mario Batali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Flay (the studio show) Nigella. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Moulton Emeril Lagasse . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .Emeril Lagasse Tony Bourdain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keith Famie Tyler Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Flay (Foodnation show) Gordon Elliot is so excruciately painful to watch that I have never seen more than a couple minutes of the show. I'd like to see a show where Gordon knocks on a door in New York city and a very angry and slightly inebriated Tony Bourdain answers, grabs Gordo by the scruff of the neck, and . . . well use your imagination.

Oh, please, please, please say that you are joking.

I have often found amberjack to have problems with parasites in the flesh. As you enjoyed sashimi, I am guessing that you did not find any such offending organisms when you cleaned your fish.