Nick

Beans, we've got something we can agree on. Varmint was excellent when he said two days ago, "People, please let's get this back on topic. We have a couple of articulate and thoughtful reviews of CT here. Focus on those. Otherwise, the big boys will have to close the thread. Thank you."

Well, Rachel and Jason, you've sure gotten some rec's here. Hope you keep us up to date when you get there. Just by chance an old friend of mine, a Maine lobsterman, stopped by the other day. People (organizations) fly him around the country to shuck oysters at different gatherings every once in awhile. He's been down to NO and said he had a good time on Bourbon St. But then, Bimbo Carter's idea of a good time might be different than yours. He and Bourdain would probably get along just fine. Anyhow, have fun and keep us posted. (This is a good thread.)

Wise words from the master. Let's take them to heart.

Well Beans, I was trying to make a little peace. Since you chose not to take it that way, you know what you can do.

Beside feed "gaminess" can come from hanging the deer too long when the weather is too warm. It's gotta be cold.

Emily - I agree. That was a fine piece of writing. This whole thread would be much better if it contained only Adam's original post and yours.

Beans, I was responding to Bux' post which was, as I remember, in response to one of mine. So with you jumping in and heading for my throat, I got a little hot. I continue to fail to see the merit of so many here jumping on Adam's original post of his experience at CT. At the least, people could have disagreed with his assessment with a lighter heart and some humor. I got a PM today from a member which in part said, "I can't believe what a bunch of snotty, elitist nonsense has been posted." I have to agree. We at egullet should do better when a new young member makes such a good first post. If you're still smarting over me noting that you're just a bartender, keep in mind that I'm just a steelworker - one of the best in the country in some regards, but nonetheless just a steelworker.

Beans, I was writing to Bux. We have our little go-arounds from time to time and this is one of them. I'll stand by what I wrote and if Bux disagrees (or agrees) maybe I'll write back. You're riding a pretty high horse for bein' a bartender. What I eat? Right now beans, goat, poultry, greens, etc. Pretty much gave up eating out except where food comes before "the dining experience." Edit: Got to add to what I'm eating; ...and pretty much what I'll be eating all winter: squash, carrots, potatoes, onions, turnips, apples, and deer meat - as well as fish.

Here in the northeast a "gamey" flavor usually comes from poor summer eating and the deer browsing on hemlock boughs. The "backstrap" or tenderloin is so good that it's a shame to eat it all at once. Slice it about 3/8" thick and quickly fry in butter. Makes for great breakfasts. The hind quarters have lots of great meat if you cut them up right. Lay one on a table and with a sharp knive follow your instincts as to how to cut it up (this assumes some knowledge of what makes a good cut of meat.) Quite a bit of the meat from a well cut-up hind quarter is every bit as good as the tenderloin. Most of the rest is excellent in chili's, stews, braises, etc. As others have noted above, lay off the heavy seasoning so you get the taste of the deer meat. I like deer "hamburger" more than sausage. There's too much opportunity to over-season sausage and lose the deer flavor. When making the hamburger add some pork to provide fat.

Bux, I do not begrudge you the right to enjoy haute cuisine, but I do take issue with the superior attitude you have displayed in reference to young Adam's visit to CT. Your writing (and that of some others) has been disgraceful and borders on the obnoxious. I thoroughly enjoyed his account and it's really too bad that you and others piled onto this young person with all your writing denouncing him. Good for him that he's had the balls to stand up to this in good spirit. As to the rest, I'm sure that I would have enjoyed going out to eat with your father. He sounds much like mine who loved to cook and eat and I do miss him when I'm having a good meal - as well as at other times. Fine dining and good food should go hand-in-hand. It's unfortunate that this isn't so much the case these days.

Bux, even though most of your posts here have had the attitude of a snob with a capital S, I think what you have written about your father comes close to correctly defining the situation. There is good food and there is "fine" dining. I much prefer the former everytime. Adam, keep it up. I thought your "review" was great.

Best thing to do is use your eyes and learn to recognize good meat. Learn what a good piece of chuck looks like, a good strip or porterhouse or T-bone - a good T-bone is better than a mediocre porterhouse. Same with pork - look for pink rather than red - and make sure there's some nice white fat around the outside. The only thing better than crispy pork fat is the duck fat right under a crispy skin. Just my humble opinion.

I had pretty good luck. I'm now a confirmed lover of goat meat. Sweet. Different. Next time I think I'm going to do a braise with apples and onions. Thanks.

I just ate and it came out great even though I braised it a little too long. Started out putting lots of salt and ground pepper on the goat and let it sit while I sliced and chopped the mirepoix. Then I seared the meat in evoo all around to a good brown. I took it out and put in the mirepoix and sauted, then sweated. When that was ready I added red wine, then more red wine, and then more until I thought it was right and started reducing it. Then a mess of diced garlic. Cooked it down a bit more and put put in a can of beef broth (should have used less.)Then Iadded oregano to taste and put the meat in. Then into the oven at 325F where it cooked for an hour. Then I added chunks of red potatoes, carrot, and sweet onion and cooked it for another hour. That's where I let it go too long. I didn't check it like I should have. Goat is great. It's the different red meat. Sweeter than others. I'm going to do this some more. As I was cooking I was thinking I bet this braise would be good with apples and onions. Now, I'm pretty sure that would be good. Klink, what you suggested is something I'll also try. Just didn't have the balls to try it the first time around. Edited to add beef broth and oregano.

Fifi, That's a good idea. Lots of garlic sounds good. Maybe rosemary (or oregano) too. I've been on an oregano kick lately.

As I just posted over at Mr. Cutlets' Q&A, I just took a two pound boneless goat shoulder out of the freezer to cook tonight. I've never had goat before and am looking for ideas. All my friends have said, "Goat! You're going to eat goat?!!" Well, our neighbors to the south as well as those in the Middle East seem to like goat so I thought I should give it a try. This is a good piece of meat raised at Nezinscot Farm here in Maine who also raise the best free range chickens around. Any ideas? Otherwise I'm going to braise it with mire poix and red wine. Thanks.

Sounds like Varmint's getting ready for next year's.

Well... I just took a boneless goat shoulder out of the freezer which I am hoping to cook tonight. I've never had nor cooked goat before so since Jimmy has brought this to our attention, Mr. Cutlets, do you have any suggestions? I haven't weighed it (wait, I will weigh it) - it's as I thought, about two pounds. My present plan is to braise it. Mire poix, a little red wine, etc. But, maybe you have a better idea - which I would appreciate. This is a good piece of goat meat from Nezinscot Farm. (I'll be putting this up on the cooking forum, but if you've got some ideas I'll be listening.) Thanks

It's how you'll be known henceforth.

Hey Tommy! When are you going to tell us about your trip to Italy?

Are you Howard Hughes' daughter? What is this business of being afraid of "double-dipping" and "germ infested saliva"? Do your dining companions all have exotic diseases that can be transmitted by "double-dipping"? Have you never shared a common glass or bottle with friends? Or even strangers? It did say that the double dipper had a cold. I'd be a little put out myself. It did say the group had "a longstanding rule of no double dipping." While perhaps the person with the cold should have refrained (or had her own bowl), the "germ infested saliva" did remind me of Howard Hughes.

Are you Howard Hughes' daughter? What is this business of being afraid of "double-dipping" and "germ infested saliva"? Do your dining companions all have exotic diseases that can be transmitted by "double-dipping"? Have you never shared a common glass or bottle with friends? Or even strangers?

I figured after putting down the DC so much in my last post that we were there on a Tuesday about 7:30 in case that makes a difference. When we walked in there was only one other couple there - so it wasn't like the help was rushed. By the time we left awhile later the place was was filled. agnolottigirl, I almost tried Monica's after Bw's rec. But, I was after funky and got it. On the train down from Maine Susie and I were talking about the DC and Monica's and a guy in the seat behind us said they were both good - and said the Cafe Vittoria was great for coffee. (I actually went over there since the DC didn't have any restrooms and I had to take a piss and the guy at DC said to go there since they, Cafe Vittoria, owned the space DC is in. Maybe if we go to Boston again we'll try Al Dentes. I did notice after leaving the DC that the Florentina(?) was filled to capacity. The kitchen door was open to the sidewalk and they were humping in that kitchen. Slicing, dicing, and cooking. Must have been four at least on the line. Who knows? Susie and I don't travel much, but the roundtrip train from Maine is only $40 apiece, hotel's another buck fifty for two, then eating and walking around. Maybe we'll try it again as a real vacation. (This time we were town so Susie and her daughters could testify at the federal IRS court so it wasn't exactly a sightseeing trip.) Nick

Thanks for the replies. Bigwino I should have made it a little more clear about the family thing. I was there with Susie and her three daughters. The three daughters decided they didn't want to go but Susie stuck with me and we went to the Daily Catch. After your first reply, I'd done a search and found all kinds of mainly good words for the DC. Everyone had raved about the calamari and since they were out of shrimp for the diavolo, I went for the Calamari platter and Susie went for some fish. We started by splitting a salad which was pretty good - the dressing was very good. I also got an ap of the stuffed clams which I thought were quite good. (The stuffed clams are almost raw and when Susie tried one she thought it tasted "off" so I ate that one as well as the rest. Maybe that's why I got the shits after getting back to the hotel - but they tasted good on the way down.) The calamari platter had calamari salad, a calamari meatball, deep-fried calamari rings, and french fries. The salad was basically raw calamari with a dressing. The dressing was very good and the calamari good. (They have their dressing down.) I ate about half the meatball. I would have rather had a good Italian meatball. The deep-fried was nothing to write home about. It wasn't all that tender and had little to no flavor. I ate about half that too as I don't like leaving such a full plate, but I sure as hell wasn't going to take any back to the hotel. It just wasn't that good and cold it wouldn't have been any better. The french fries were great, but the dressing from the calamari salad ran into them and made them all soggy if they weren't eaten immediatey. Maybe another disappointment was after Bw's rec reading a review that said in part, "...As is par for the course with many Italian restaurants in Boston's North End, The Daily Catch is family owned (and uses family held Sicilian recipes) which greatly adds to its character..." (I lived in Boston from '63-'68 and knew and liked a few people from the North End - a couple of them were driven around in big, black Cadillacs) so I was looking forward to a real family place. So, walking in and seeing two guys running the place that sure weren't Italian and one Italian guy who was washing dishes wasn't what I was expecting. Plus, they sure as hell weren't all that friendly. Pretty much, "What do you want to eat, sit down." Maybe they were Asians. Whatever they were, they need a good kick in the ass for a place that has gotten some good reviews for being friendly. Italian people are friendly - these guys were assholes. We didn't go in there with an attitude. Oh, Susie's fish wasn't all that good either. Maybe we're just spoiled coming from Maine when it comes to seafood. Bigwino, you've gotta go back there. Maybe it's just me.

Potato doughnuts.