maggiethecat

Andie: thanks for the update. Nick: I've always wondered if those gizmos work How cool is it that they do, and like you, I can't believe the plasticy thing penetrates the shell. If I see one on sale somewhere I'll buy one. But do I really want less drama in my life? Oh yeah, right!

I guess "lambs to the slaughter" makes it a culinary post. Damn you, Joe, you made me cry.

Andie, that article gives me furiously to think. Like you, I'm up gor any new thinking about eggs.

One word: Vichyssoise, cool, or warm leek and potato soup.

House made gimlet, without the Rose's.

You mean, men other than men like, ummm, Bourdain? I think that there is a salient difference to be noted here. Bourdain is the sort of guy who will make a bunch of arrogant, elitist and condescending remarks about something, and then follow it up with something like: "But what do I know? At this point I'm a washed-up douchebag former cook who lucked into a career as a douchebag TV personality, and I just had two hot dogs for lunch." This kind of self-effacing humor is a big part of what makes people like him. In saying the things he says and following them up that way, he's not putting himself in the position of being an "elevated personage" whom everyone should aspire to emulate. ← Perfect, Sam. Bourdain's backed down on many of his blustering positions -- like Emeril, and fesses up when he's been a douchebag. I'm not sure how he feels about Alice, (and neither am I) but when the smoke clears in ten years, or thirty, I'll be interested to see what effect her views have made on the food zeitgeist. (Bourdain: Back in the day I and friends had dinner and drinks with him. Perfect intelligent gentleman. He well knows the advantages of being a poseur.)

That speaks volumes for why she drives some people crazy, I'd say. ← Mr. Rogers went for the heart. In comparison Alice Waters goes for the jugular, or perhaps a parochial school nun dragging you along by the ear. But on a personal note, if not for her I never would have learned long-forgotten skills of making ice cream and sausage from scratch. ← Hmmmmm. I like your concept of Alice being a knuckle-whacking nun. I think you may have put your finger perfectly on the reason for the backlash. But I'm gonna hang my neck out over the cutting board once again: As a woman, I think a lot of the reason for the backlash is not because of the God-sent message, but because it's being delivered by a middle-aged woman in a beret, kinda like Sister Immaculata, if Alice had taken orders -- unlikely, given her amatory past. I like your personal note too. If I had a wad of bucks, Trotter's might not be my first Chicago restaurant choice, but his Lime Caramel Ice Cream recipe continues to rock my world. As I said a mile up topic, a famous guy chef would have been lauded for the things Alice is doing. Everyone gives Oliver, White, Brown, Ramsey Hugh Whoozit the benefit of the doubt. I believe that if Alice Waters was a man we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Todd: It was a pleasure and an honor to work with you at Daily Gullet. All best for whatever's up next in your life.

It's a given that being the "Times' food critic is no piece of gateau: just read Mimi Sheraton's and Ruth Reichel's memoirs. I live in Chicago, a town that per capita can give NYC a run for its money in the restaurant scene, but we've had no critic as engaging and as good a writer as Frank Bruni. In fact, I've become a Frank Fan. So, not being a New Yorker, I'm going to move past the anonymity and starry issues that you guys are so passionate about, and ask: Who do you think would be a worthy replacement for Bruni? I'm interested. A lot. I suspect that even a Jehovah/ McPhee /Escoffier blend wouldn't pass muster.

We've chatted about this subject for years and our opinion is that we can make better, cheaper, yummier cat food fit for man or beast cheaper than buying the little cans. It could be really good. Since our Abys died, our domestic shorthairs have lowmarket taste: they prefer the canned Iams to our house made Seafood Supper. We've contemplated our desolate old age, and one of the cheeriest things we've got going for us is that we can cook dinner cheaper than buying catfood.

162,740 -- more or less.

Joseph, Dear: I've read you long enough to get the breadth of your writing skill and the length of your history. May I say that I've laughed harder over this piece than anything by anyone I've read in ages? And "suburbiest" has officially entered the Maggie Lexicon. Thanks.

Indiana is indeed a culinary anomaly -- a Northern State that is really a border state. Th culinary thing there is fascinating: Marcia Adams has covered the Amish North. Someone else should think about the mid -state and Border South. I'm so impressed by all the food you've described and taken pix of, but I have to admit that Honey Drenched Pigs in Blankies is an idea whose time has come.

You see, on this topic Alice Waters has won, hands down, and I hope she grins tomorrow when she dons her beret. She's stirred up controversy and smart thinking about her issues and mission. I am in no way an Alice acolyte. But however I might want to take the messenger to Chipotle for lunch and force her to eat the pretty damn good Ontario hydroponic tomato I had in my salad tonight, and try to explain the ways I can't hold to her message... I won't kill the Messenger. This topic has expanded debate and understanding about the issues she stands for. I'll never sign up for the Alice Brigade, but her influence is undeniable and mostly sensible and positive. Edited to add: There is no way I'd ever spend 10 bucks in a restaurant for a plum, no matter how great the plum and how high-minded its place on the menu.

I thought the point Steven made was that "real" Italian chefs did the testing. OK, uber pasta maestros: If you have access to a TJs, spend a buck and report back.

I'm sure there are factors aplenty in both cooking and tasting pasta, and I'm interested in everyone's opinion. What makes me giggle is the outright assumption here that TJ's couldn't possibly be the winner.

I made Cream Biscuits for the first time yesterday night, inspired by Sara Moulton. I consider myself a biscuit maven, and these are right up there with the finest. Easy too. The cream provides both the fat and the liquid. The oven's at 425. Whisk together: 2 c. flour 1 T baking powder salt (I added chopped chives) Stir in a cup, more or less of heavy cream, enough so that you can form a ball with your hands. Knead it a couple of times to incorporate everything. Pat or roll out, cut the biscuits and put them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about twenty minutes, or until they're pale gold. Break out the butter . As I remember, Sara said she learned the recipe from James Beard.

McGee's "Times" piece made me wistful and weepy, because it took me back to my twenties, when I let mandarin segments dry out on my old fashioned Chicago steam-heat radiator, a la MFK, and made my yog in exactly the the way he described. I wrapped the bowl in a couple of towels and set the big bowl on the radiator. I've owned a couple of yogurt makers since then, but the towel-wrapped bowl method rules. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?

Doc, that's a great list of books on the subject. I don't want to seem dumb or irreverent or specious here, given the great posts on this topic, but in my heart of hearts I believe it's just because it tastes good, and it's been documented thoroughly.

Exactly as Andrew said. They put the cracker into Cracker Barrel -- sexist, racist and homophobic. I seem to remember a story about a new store opening, and a gay rights group interviewing en masse for FOH jobs. They were hired because they had solid experience. At the opening they all came out as gay and got their asses fired. I understand the chain has been making efforts, but they'll never get a thin dime from me, even though I like the food.

That sounds amazing, Chris, but I'm with Peter. You need some cream in there. (Fiddleheads. Sigh.)

I feel sad that I can't eat at Cracker Barrel (or shop at Wally World) because of their rotten employment practices. Yes, I vote with my feet. I'm sad because I like their food, and there's always a Cracker Barrel every third exit across Michigan. Edited to add: Yeah, that would be a great place to switch out books on tape!

Sure, sometimes Alice annoys me, as do, on occasion, Michael Pollan, Marcella Hazan, Paul Krugman and the Dalai Lama. Thing is, she's right about many things, and that should be good enough.

The smell is everything. If they smell off, toss them. If they smell fresh eat them up.

My husband made custom cabinets for us, which include a couple of deep drawers for lids and such. In Real World, we just shove them in the drawers and scrabble about for the lids and pray we'll find them. Usually, we do. At least they're in one of two drawers. I'm not capable of better organization.