weinoo

Yes, I definitely buy jarred and canned stuff from Taiwan. And Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, for instance. But I have changed my stance on buying from PRC and try very hard not to.

Yep. I've never said it was logical, just the way I roll, I guess. I pick and choose the restaurants I dine at, and what I order, fairly carefully; basically based on turnover and what I perceive to be the quality of the preparation. But I have stopped stocking my pantry with certain goods that may indeed be used at those restaurants.

A blanket ban on buying products to use in my home kitchen is easier than picking or choosing what I think might be OK. Yet I still go to plenty of Chinese restaurants, send lots of people to Chinese restaurants and order in from plenty of Chinese restaurants. I recently wrote of my love for Peking Duck House. So xenophobic, no...sorry.

Oh, go ahead, buy one. It'll look really nice next to your Sous Vide Supreme, and you're already roasting your own beans. Think of it as a gift to yourself for the great job you did on the blog this past week.

I waIk through Chinatown every day. It factually stinks . A lot of the stuff in Chinatown, not surprisingly, comes from China. I won't buy it. Simple as that.

I agree and do the same as you. I avoid all seafood from there as well, and farmed shrimp in general.

I'm working on mine - and since I've never eaten at El Bulli, it'll take a while. Yours?

I think it's more about a change of texture than a change of flavor (provided you're starting with a perfectly ripe tomato). The breakdown of cells probably starts happening after a couple of days and then the flesh turns mealy. Refrigerating a day or two is probably doing no harm. As for flavor, I can't imagine an ice cold tomato tasting better than one just brought in warm from the vine. Of course, if the tomato is not fully ripe, it is not going to get any riper in the fridge...I think that's a well proven fact, even by people with science degrees. In this heat we're experiencing right now, if the tomato I bring home from the farmer's market is in excellent condition, it will still last a few days on the counter. It's once they get bumped and bruised that bad things start happening - pretty much the same with all fruits. But you gotta remember, these things grow in the heat and they can probably deal with 110 degree days (on the vine) better than most of us would.

Pizza is on their lunch menu...we had one.

Also, in SF, we had a great lunch at Cotogna - wood-fired oven pizza and wood-fired oven lots of other stuff.

Do like I do - tell 'em you don't "carry" vodka. Offer to make them another drink and if they don't like it, pour it down the drain (or your own gullet). I can't you how many of my neighbors come over (girlies too) and ASK for Manhattans.

Oh please. Every single "girlie" that has claimed to not like "booze" has easily consumed Manhattans, Algonquins, margaritas, daiquiris, sidecars, Pegu Clubs and on and on, once I've brought them out of my kitchen. Otherwise, open a bottle of Rose and be done with it.

And every now and then, even one of us city folk (when you have a friend with a backyard in Brooklyn) can smoke up some decent ribs on a good old fashioned Weber kettle ...

Have you ever tried just lime juice and soda water with the gin - that's a rickey and they're really great and refreshing!

Sort of reminding me of a great drink we had last night at Clover Club; The Prizefighter Smash - Antica, Fernet Branca, lemon juice, simple and mint.

Often, or for about half the week, I'm at home while my wife is in another city - doing the people's work. And often during that time alone, I like to have a cocktail. Usually, a Manhattan, Negroni, Martini or some variant thereof (e.g. a Perfect Manhattan, a Fitty-Fitty, etc.) Couple of questions, then. Do you have a drink when you're at home alone? What's your favorite cocktail if the answer to the above is yes?

I've also been drinking Lillet, rocks, with fresh squeezed lime juice, topped off with seltzer. An once again, using Aperol instead of Campari, Americanos might be nice.

Martinis, Manhattans, almost Negronis (Aperol in lieu of Campari), Sidecars, Daiquiris.

A branch of the restaurant has also recently opened in the Flatiron District - 15 W 21st St. Haven't seen any reviews yet.

Yes.

Those look pretty cool. I'm wondering if there are any other kitchen tasks they could be used for?

I don't think it tastes better - I like Skippy.

Yes to Ayada. Quite excellent.

Any of the red-cooked dishes; I particularly like red-cooked pork (using shoulder).

Drunken chicken is served cold. Which is a perfect Make ahead dish!