weinoo

Well played sir The thread is digressing into nitpicking. Actually, that's how it started. After all, what are annoyances other than nitpicking?

Nina Simonds' Asian Noodles (Deliciously Simple Dishes to Twirl, Slurp and Savor) should fit the bill. All the basics, with description of various types of noodles, how to use and cook them, recipes, etc.

You know what I'd like? How about the wine/wait person to ask me, the customer, whether I'd like to refill my glass on my own. That would be a step forward.

What would you prefer they do? How about wine/wait persons constantly topping off one's glass in the hopes of selling more wine?

But you already did . The most important thing to know is that Italians will argue about food and the way it should be/is prepared, no matter if they're from the north, south, east or west. As a matter of fact, they will argue even in the same household!

Let's find out. Now, back to the topic at hand...no matter where you live in this country (USA), there are bound to be local ingredients. Cooking with those can, in my opinion, only make your cooking more "Italian."

In another topic discussing Italian food vs. Italian-American food, this came up. What is the origin of the term "Sunday gravy" for what is essentially a tomato based sauce? And where did it start?

How can you say tasting menus are over, when places like Eleven Madison, Brooklyn Fare, Atera et. al. are impossible to get into, and offer only tasting menus? By the way, not that I disagree with you on your final point (and isn't Pok Pok a pain in the ass to get into as well?).

In a piece near and dear to my heart in this past week's NY Times, Mark Bittman takes on the snooty trappings of not only fancy, high-end restaurants with exorbitant tasting menus, but loud music, uncomfortable chairs and long lines to dine in places just because they're so hip you can't miss them. Starting off with some humor I can relate to: Then, who wouldn't love this... Speaking of the above, one of our favorite restaurants in DC (Dino's) has all sorts of snacks ready for you, if you dine at the bar. Continuing to take 'em down a notch... And what likes is right up my alley too... Is he right? Do you have the same complaints as he does? And - do you have a local joint where you can get just what you're looking for?

Yes, great point.

At this point in our evolution, I don't agree with this at all. Great olive oil is available everywhere, be it from Italy, Spain, Turkey, California et.al. The tomatoes in my farmer's market this summer are amazing. And I'll put the fresh seafood I cook with (Maine lobsters, Peconic Bay scallops and Long Island littlenecks being just 3 quick examples) up against the best stuff from anywhere. As Marcella, Giuliano and Mario taught all of us Italophiles early on, the dish is about the pasta; anything else is condiment.

They look tinned and the tin looks like it's in pretty good shape. They kinda look like older Mauviels. $150 would be a great deal. There are a few places that do retinning: East Coast Retinning Metal Man Restoration Rocky Mountain Retinning Atlantic Retinning and so on.

Here's another bit of advice: leave "the wife" home when shopping for the kitchen, especially if you do the cooking.

You and I are pretty much on the same page, Scoop.

Those two are probably also eating some pharmaceutical brownies. Awesome.

Eight Mile Creek, an Australian restaurant on Mulberry Street, has kangaroo available as a standard menu item. Gordon Ramsey usually has venison in one way, shape or form, and I'm sure it can be found around town at various places. Elk, not so much.

I've always had great meals at Michael's Genuine and at Michelle Bernstein's Michy's.. Whether they're considered "fine dining" or not is another story. There is also a very nice Sardinian restaurant way down the beach, called, amazingly enough, Sardinia Ristorante.

You know, the cast iron isn't that important. But the enameled pieces you want and you'll be fine. That Tramontina stuff mentioned above is a great bargain and works just fine.

Until you drop them.

I doubt it. The food would taste lousy and people would oversalt at the table. Food properly salted in the kitchen is the right way to go. What?! I'm insulted. Hold on while I grab a bag of pretzels... Exactly.

In a move as public relations' related as it is health related, the NY Times reports that Boston Market has removed salt shakers from its restaurant tables... As someone with slightly high blood-pressure (well controlled by some old line medicine), I feel that there is most likely a link between sodium and high blood pressure, and there's plenty of proof about the link between high blood pressure and various other health issues. So I think it's a good move for these companies to proactively attempt to do certain health-positive things to their food. What about you?

Those people might've had a few "helpers" in the kitchens, but I'll bet they weren't serving 36 hour short ribs with horseradish foam.

No problem...you're welcome. The key is to make sure whatever pots and pans and knives you buy feel good in your hands. I find the handles on newer All-Clad stuff to be a giant step down from the handles of a decade or more ago. Looking more closely at BB&B's web site, I'd actually get this bigger Mauviel roaster for only a few dollars more. Some of this might only be available on the web. I'm sure that the credit and coupons can be used to order online as well.

Yes, as I posted above...Mauviel and Sitram.

I find a lot of it to be overpriced, made in China crap.