BigboyDan

One only goes to Mi Tierra with friends for the fun of it. There are, in fact, dozen of San Antonio Tex-Mex places that do food much better - but it's just so much fun to go to Produce Row, walk around and end up at Mi Tierra at 3:30am.

From what I've seen, the need for the cafe has been somewhat replaced by the tabac - the French version of a convenience/general/hangout type store.

They are French fries cooked in animal fat. In Paris there is a version of these, served at various bistros, where they are sauteed in animal fat (duck or lard usually) after being par-boiled in safflower oil. The most famous offering is at Au Moulin a Vent (Chez Henri) in the 5eme. The potato of choice in Paris is the bintje (in America, the Russet) and they are now cubed rather than left in a string shape (to draw a distinction between the two). It's in the American South where one can find, though rarely, potatos cooked in lard. In America, the shape of the fry determines the name: string shaped are french fries; cubed are home fries; and the circle-cut are southern fried potatos.

Good Grief! Here in AUSTIN, TEXAS, we avoid sides in order to save belly room for more meat. Now, for lunch, some places offer "a plate": one or two meats with two sides. Those sides consist of pinto beans and potato salad. That's it. You get free onion slices, pickle slices, picked jalapenos, and bread slices. You can down that with beer (never at lunch), iced-tea, soadies (Coke, Dr. Pepper, Root Beer, Big Red, or Sprite); and finish with fruit cobler or banana puddin'.

Only HALF of what has been posted above is correct - try again.

Wow! Wild Boar was considered a nation destination restaurant. Too bad.

Trevor, Tower is now 61 years-old, he's finished cooking in a commercial kitchen. He lives in New York and writes. The last thing that I read from him was an article in Food & Wine in 2005.

One thing to always consider: the raw materials that are found in a Las Vegas "French" kitchen can never match that which is found in Paris, no matter the chef. "Hey, Joel/Guy/Alain/Daniel, come to Vegas, you guys will make a killing..."

Grilled Pacific salmon, king crab, shitake mushrooms: I would not think very Italian Italian, Kent. Sorta' like San Francisco Italian, which is fine. Also, as always, thanks for the photos... As far as Kevin Ascolese, he's making burgers in Colorado ski country with a couple of former Brinker alumni: Where are they now?; third item.

I worked in Pierre's kitchen for six months in 2003 (I was a "substitute" for a Sous who had an extended medical issue). They consider photos from patrons to be a bit self-important and "over-the-top", especially distracting when flash bulbs are involved. There are plenty of photos in Pierre's books...

Treat cilantro as you would basil. If you need to cut it up in advance, just leave it out in a bowl uncovered, it will dry out, but not much. It will get black stored in a bag or in the fridge, as the humidity will be high.

The switch to the euro has raised prices in France across all products, interesting really. The real power is in Frankfurt now... As far as wine is concerned, I know darn well that one can find great wines in the Americas, especially Cabernets. But, check out the depth of 95+ Bordeaux vintages over the last twenty-five years, the over-all quality of French wines has never been better.

Tell you what, I'll drink French, y'all can drink Chilean.

New York. Writing mainly. You might contact his publisher: Story.

Austin Bake House on Manchaca, pancakes; The Frisco Shop has been doing it for a long time, on Burnet; the Austin Diner, 5408 Burnet Rd., good biscuts; Nau Drug Store, 1115 W. Lynn, with its lunch counter; The Kitchen Door, kolaches, homemade breads, salads; Austin Water Tank, Broccoli Rice Casserole - mmmmmn; the Little Country Diner in Spicewood; and, of course, Threadgill's and Hill's Cafe.

In 2004: total US crop vegetable and fruit output was $279 billion, in California, $23 billion. Here's a good page for raw numbers concerning vegetables: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/data-sets/specialty/89011/ What's amazing is that with all that production, the US still NEEDS to import many basic food items (of course, the US exports veggies and fruits too)... still, ONE THIRD of all vegetables and fruits consumed in the US are imported. The killer: total US vegetable and fruit production is down 10% from 1997 to 2004; http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/vgs/Jun04/vgs303.pdf Sources: www.USDA.gov

russ, You might want to re-look a those vegetables production numbers that you offered. Here in Austin, we can buy almost all vegetables, fruits, and nuts grown in-state, except those that require a certain amount of freeze days (apples, plums, chestnuts, etc.)... HEB (a large regional grocer) buys local (all across the product range), because in many cases it's cheaper. ------------------------------------------------- Whole Foods has too few stores in any one market to make buying local cost effective, and, they only service a small percentage of all grocery goers. In Austin we have three WFs and 25 HEB's.

Vodka always taste like they distilled it from potatos, or sumpin'. Sheesh...

The Riedel "O" glassware is marketed towards midlevel restaurants and bars who don't want the expense of the "Vinum" line. The "O" is dirt cheap, and it doesn't have a stem to break.

http://www.swissdiamond.com/ You're welcome.

Marx may be on his way, but to obtain three stars... well, he may have to move on to a larger stage...

She's gonna' starve.

Ding! Ding! Ding! docbrite has it right. Here in Austin we get Whole Foods shoved up our noses (usually by a granola-stoned-pierced-I-hate-my-parents-chick), so much so, that many simply don't shop there. A lot choose Central Market, owned by HEB, or Fiesta Market where you can get a live chicken's neck rung right in front of you...

Yep. Still scheduled to open on June, 21, 2006. Craft is slated to be similar to the one in New York, Tom Colicchio is supposed to be there to open...

I learned when I was a sixteen year-old dishwasher that they can, "ask you to do it", "demand that you do it', or fire you, " if you don't do it" - but you don't have to do it. With that being said, the worst job that I accepted was to dish//prep/cook/clean/, all at the same time. I needed the money, and after that first paycheck... whoosh, I was gone.