patrickamory

The green stuff is indeed tomalley, and it's the liver more or less (though it apparently also functions as the pancreas). Since it serves as the organ of detoxification for the lobster just as it does for us, it can be less safe to eat if the lobster was harvested from waters where there is large presence of toxins. Given the thousands of miles that many lobsters traverse, it's most likely that it has, at some point in its life, ingested toxins such as PCBs. That said, it's absolutely delicious! Consume in moderation.

Distinct lack of comment from British people in this thread

I've only ever seen the coral after it's been cooked, hence my thinking it's red

Thanks everyone. Feels like it will be a Lodge or I'll spring for the All-Clad. (I'd really prefer an old well-seasoned Griswold to a Lodge, but they are currently going on eBay for as much as the All-Clads!)

Standard operating practice when I lived in England. An American friend noticed the same thing in Scotland. May be Northern European / hard water related.

It appears that the red unfertilized eggs (coral) are legal to take and eat, while the black fertilized eggs are not.

I'm looking to buy a non-enameled Dutch oven for recipes where a sear, fond or caramelization is necessary before the braise. I have two Le Creusets which are fantastic for everything but the processes listed above - currently I do the sear and the fond in a large All-Clad saute pan and decant the contents after deglazing into one of the Le Creusets for the long, slow portion (especially if it's going in the oven, or if the contents of the stew or chili are particularly large. I'd much rather do the job all in the same pan. The logical choice would be an All-Clad, but they seem to start at about $250 which is more than I want to spend. I've considered cast-iron, but that rules out most dishes with tomatoes. Is there a reasonable substitute for an oven-safe All-Clad Dutch oven or large deep pot out there for the purpose of long, slow & low braises? Or am I cheaping out on a critical piece of kitchen ware? All recommendations greatly appreciated.

Agreed on Lotus of Siam and Redfarm - both huge disappointments. Kin Shop I think has gone downhill, which is a pity because I had a truly terrific meal there six months ago. Dieterle's attention may be on his Brooklyn location now. Why must chefs always expand? (Rhetorical question.) I greatly enjoyed Ciano as well. Great food, terrific wine selection. And a much cosier atmosphere than Beppe. Zabb Elee I've posted about elsewhere - it certainly has its moments, but I don't think I've been able to order a well-balanced meal there yet. I can imagine that John Dory Oyster Bar was a nightmare. I had an unexpectedly nice meal at the Breslin though - helped by the fact that I DJ'd at the Ace that night so staff may have treated me better than anonymous walk-ins (in itself inexcusable but a reality at scene places I'm afraid). Ushiwakamaru I find to be surprisingly good for table service and the set meals (especially the nigiri plate), but the one time I ordered omakase at the sushi bar I was less than impressed. We may not have had the main chef - I will certainly give it another try, because these things can vary enormously. The rest of my list: Diner - never fails to satisfy, and frequently to amaze - the quality of both the ingredients and the preparations. If only they took reservations! The whole no-reservation thing in Williamsburg is annoying. Fette Sau - the best barbecue in NYC in my opinion. That said, the no-reservation policy here is even harder to deal with, due to the ridiculous system of trying to get a table and get food at the same time, resulting in many people sitting and not eating while many others are circling holding trays of hot BBQ trying to pounce on table openings. A true duh moment in restaurant creation. That said the meat and pickles are unbelievable. Totto for ramen on 52nd and 9th - yet another place you can't reserve, and I waited nearly an hour on a summer Sunday at 6 PM. But at least you expect that for ramen, and the red miso was off the chart delicious. Raoul's - a standby for me for years. Probably my favorite steak frites in the city. Prune - absolutely a standby, seconded. To the extent I actually think it's taken for granted - if this were a new restaurant, it would be even more packed. L'Entrecote le Relais de Venise - rapidly becoming a standby for us. Cheap, unusual and very tasty. And I love places where there's no menu (cf. Marchi, Peter Luger (effectively), etc.) Palm - the original one - you do have to order very carefully, I recommend the double strip for two (it can serve three), medium rare, and ask them to slice it in the kitchen. One of my favorite NYC spots. Vandaag - I'm really happy about the renaissance of Northern European cooking in the city, and Vandaag does not pull any punches - plenty of sour, pickled and gin-friendly foods here. (Disappointed to hear that Aamanns Copenhagen will be revising the flavors of their smørrebrød "for American tastes," which I take to mean less bitter and more sweet.) Momofuku Ssäm Bar - I continue to love this restaurant, and am glad that others have decided it's over because it's that much easier to get in. The pork buns of course, but also the country hams with red eye mayonnaise, the pickles, the lamb belly, the fish, the various changing specials on the menu. Masten Lake - Another Williamsburg place, this one from the Roberta's people (which I still haven't been to) - on one visit shortly after they opened I though it was excellent - the cheese plate with chili sauce, the rock shrimp, the beans, the bread, the pasta - all superb & unusual. Very much a small plate type restaurant where you share, but they don't stint on the portions. They were just right. Il Buco - the ultimate standby, if you're lucky enough to get a reservation.

Bruce, is that kheema with spinach from Madhur Jaffrey?

Query for rancho gordo. The beans have now arrived (and look amazing - I can't wait to try them). I was interested to note on the accompanying card that you recommend soaking the beans. Does that mean you don't believe in Russ Parsons' no-soak method? Or simply that this is a viable alternative? I've had plenty of luck using his method with supermarket beans, but I don't want to waste these ones if soaking is a must.

I think the yen is particularly strong now against the dollar... it may have even risen since I made my post. 77.8 JPY to 1 USD today according to xe.com. When I visited the country it was 126 to the dollar.

A lot of red Burgundy, especially from the Cote de Nuits, has this characteristic. More specifically, it can be called barnyard or even manure-y. A famous British wine write, Anthony Hanson, reportedly wrote, "Great Burgundy smells like shit," though I haven't been able to find this quotation in any of his books that I own.

Incredible story. That definitely sounds like a market to avoid... [edit: I always think of Southern California as food paradise, a place where you can get just about any ingredient, fresh & superb...]

Andie, really! I'm surprised. I don't think I've ever met a goose I didn't like. Mind you, when we lived in Boston, my dad used to get the Christmas goose from Savenor's. And I think every goose I've made here in New York has come from Ottomanelli or Florence Meat Market. Last Christmas, my sister-in-law bought a heritage goose from a farm near her outside of Albany. It's possible that none of these geese bear any resemblance to the domestic goose of which you speak. We always cook them via the James Beard method - I think from 'Delights and Prejudices' - with prune and sausage stuffing.

Heartily agreed - goose is fantastic, way better than turkey and much easier to cook. In fact, it's hard to go wrong. I've never encountered anyone who didn't enjoy it. I believe the rendered fat will keep in the fridge for months - no need to freeze it. The goose will produce cups of it. Unlike duck, the goose releases most of its fat in the roasting process - you won't have that extra layer remaining between skin and meat, for better or worse.

It's amazing for those small tasks!

Well at least in New York, this place is incredible: http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-della-mozzarella-italian-deli-bronx As good as what I've had in the south of Italy, a few yards from where the buffalo were roaming. I have no idea whether they are using fresh milk or Polly-O cheese curds, and I don't care. In a pinch, Joe's Dairy in the Village. All this said, it would be interesting to learn whether either of these two places uses milk or cheese curds

There used to be a terrific restaurant in the West Village with a female sushi chef - Taka. Hakata Tonton occupies that space now.

Try Richard Olney's lamb ragout from the French Menu Cookbook. Something simple - roasted or grilled meat. Enjoy! It should be incredible.

Arghhhh! Left my copy of issue 2 on the plane. I'd only read the corrections comic strip

This thread just made me register at Rancho Gordo and order a pound of pinto beans and a pound of Good Mother Stollard beans. I shall report on results. (I usually dried Goyas from the local supermarket here in NYC.)

So Chef, when are we getting the milling post? Eager anticipation here.

Oh man yes. All those dishes looked wonderful. And I couldn't agree more with Celeste about the photo of the exterior. Classic Rome - I was transported immediately And - I hate the term "plating" almost as much as doing it, but those dishes are beautifully and naturally presented without any preciousness. Away with the squirt bottles!

There's a butter shortage in Norway??

Romantic I assume? Location? Cuisine? New or old school? Dressy or not? Quiet or celebratory/loud or in-between? Give us some parameters!