howard88

I have eaten carbonara in Italy, pretty damn good. I have made it myself sometimes with heavy cream, usually without. It is such a comforting, tasteful dish and gastro888 you're post and pictures have me wanting to make some carbonara tonite.

I cook meat and poultry low and slow often. I can understand the process if the meat is room temperature or maybe cool. I just do not see how frozen meat put in a 140 degree F oven will not decompose.

I'm no chemist but I have to say; if you put a frozen pork belly or any meat product in the oven at 140 degrees F, you would be driven out of the kitchen by the smell of decomposing meat!

Does anyone out there in egullet land have ideas, techniques for a broccoli gratin? I have a couple of pounds and would love to gratin them.

Love that calamari and order it out as often as its on a menu. Also prepare calamari at home when the urge is strong.

I also love liver and onions with a side of mashed potatos and gravy. I prepare this at home whenever the urge hits me. While I enjoy chicken and calves liver, my favorite is beef liver. Liver and onions is arguably the dish I order most from a diner.

What a party it was. The seaweed and chicken appetizer outstanding. Loved the variety of all of the dumplings. The fish, the duck, the chicken, the soup, wow it was all so good. The egulleters and company at our table was the best. Smiles, great food and conversation and oh yeah the wine and pumpkin beer made for a terrific new years celebration. China 46 truly puts out some of the best food you can eat with chopsticks. Thanks to Rachel and Jason for another great gathering. What a pleasure to spend time with people I have seen before and new faces I hope to see again. Howard

I cannot tolerate bay leaves, don't like rosemary, fennel or any liquorice tasting herb only raw, not cooked as a seasoning. I love cilantro, my mother says it tastes like soap to her.

My nomination goes to Maruca's on the boardwalk at Seaside Heights. It is as close to perfection as you can get for thin absolutely perfectly balanced pizza. It is as close to the outstanding pizza served up in Naples.

I use chop sticks for regular american fare at home whenever the mood hits me. I just think all types of Aisian food tastes better when using chop sticks and maybe its a psychological problem for some, but when there are no chopsticks available to eat Chinese food, I get uncomfortable and rather not eat with a fork. I spent a couple of weeks in Thailand and the Thai people seem to focus on the spoon as their major utensil. I have always been accomodated when I request chop sticks throughout Thailand.

elswinger: As an adult, do you serve your mother the fat from pork and steak? Damn thats one I never heard before. My mother (and I love her dearly) confided in me as an adult. When she wanted to get me pissed as a child she would anounce "Howard, we're have dairy tonite", which was bananas and cream with bread and butter. I wanted her standard fare which was half a plate of mashed potatos and gravy, a meat offering and vegetables. I know why I am so food obsessed as an adult but I kind of like it.

I have one that brings me back to age 7. My friend Douglas and I would go biking and his grandmother would send us off with jelly sandwiches with the bread slathered in butter. Wow was it good. Haven't had it in decades, but ya know, I think its time.

MicBacchus There is a Golden Skillet in Hackettstown, NJ. They don't offer chicken livers, (if they did,I would try them) but the fried chicken, particularly the thighs are unbelievable tastey. WC cheeseburgers ring my bell. Italian hot dogs ala Jimmy Buffs ring it also. Home cooking, there is nothing as quick and vile as placing a quarter pound of muenster with the orange rind in a microwave until melted. You have the saltiest, stringiest, flavorful glob of cheese best eaten at midnight watching t.v.

I cook pork loin roast, (the cut which is boneless with a fat cap on top), at 275 degrees to 130. Pull it out and it goes to 140 which makes a juicy succulent result. For your cut, Fifi knows what she is talking about. You want the fat and collagen to break down and bathe the roast. Yo Dave, sounds like you're campaigning for Altons job.

I'm with Jake on the Saltines with butter.

I enjoy most if not all salt water fish, for some strange taste reason I cannot get close to any fresh water fish. The fish I eat most often is salmon. The fish I like the most are Sea Bream, Turbot, and Blue fish. All in all I guess for the most part I like a stronger flavored fish compared with fish like flounder or sole.

What a good show. Gordon Ramsey provides us with analysis of what is wrong with the kitchen and establishment, while tasting the food, observing the staff, crititically looking at chef skills and lack thereof. He teaches and trains and cooks and follows up on his makeovers. All with a sense of humor and brash reality presentation. Can you imagine Gorden teaming with Tony B.? What a fuckin show that would be.

The TOE JAM CAFE The BONER KABOB HOUSE

I spend a lot of time in the Highlands sailing and looking for good food. Do you have an address for Richards?

Shouldn't this post be in "Adventures in Eating"

Hunan and An American Grill

Curlz When I make soups of this type (root vegs), aside from the addition of cream, white diced turnips in various amounts will either add another dimension of flavor or predominate the mixture. Let your taste buds be your guide.

Spread em wide buffet & Fish Fry Sit on a Happy Face 24 hour Diner Tony: I'd like to get some of you smokin, my man.

I watched The Food Channel continuously from the begining. I rarely tune in now. Simply it sucks. Yes, Alton is good. Yes, Emeril has been overexposed for years. What I am watching now is the FINE channel on satellite, with Chicarelo, Ming et.a. I am watching Lidia and Jaques on PBS, and what I consider a really good one on BBC, where a chef takes on a restaurant in distress and tries to make the kitchen a success. I would tell you the name of the show but at my tender age of 40 something I just cannot come up with it. It is really good and I am sure someone younger knows the name. I will probably tune in to Iron Chef America but the bottom line for me is (excuse or don't the language), but the Food Network has turned to shit.

Onions and garlic on the saute. It's just a fine comfort fragrance.