stefanyb

Josh, With truffle oil, its been my experience, you either love it or hate it. I adore it and use it in the following recipes: Mushroom risotto Any pasta with vegetables dish Eggs especially those dishes prepared with mushrooms I'm sure there are others but thats the list that comes to mind.

Ruth, Oh yeah, sure. I wasn't born yesterday, as you already know. But if anonymity is what you want, no problem.

How did I miss this? I am really slipping. Next you'll tell me your real name isn't Tommy but Ruth Reichl (although I don't know about her music expertise).

Liza, Other than the fact that its from goats, how would you compare Coach Farms yogurt to Ronnybrook? Also, wouldn't you consider Coach Farms artisanal?

Pardon my French but it should be "nom d'eGullet". Now that sounds better and pretty cute, I might add.

Now wait a minute. Are there two Sietsema's who are restaurant reviewers? Thomas and Robert?

J. Believe it or not there is a site called Fennelpollen.com Whoda thunk?

It is a Tuscan "ristaurante" on the east side of Sixth Ave, (pardon, Ave. of the Americas to all you out-of-towners out there) between Bleeker and Houston. Da Silva or something llike that. Walking south on Sixth, it is the last restaurant before a playgound. It was tasty. So was the linguine vongole. Da Silvano, silly. Its only the biggest scene going and the most celebrity-haunted place around.

as my father always told guests: "ring the doorbell with your elbows". this was a humorous, but effective way of getting some less-than-clued-in people to bring something when invited to our house. actually, it was my friend's dad who said that. but it sounds better if i say it was mine. Your father said "Tsk, tsk, tsk, that Tommy. What am I going to do with him? He just wants to get by on his charm and good looks and sit in front of that computer all day and laugh to himself. He was so much better off when he was watching Schoolhouse Rock!"

Steve, (do you think all of the Plotnicks that I have known were originally Plotnicki?) Anyway, here is another larger issue. I'm telling you, there are innumerable people who feel deep in their souls that a hamburger made from supermarket chopped meat can make a hamburger every bit as good as ground Kobi beef that was flown in from Tokyo an hour ago (if there is such a thing). I honestly think that in many cases they really cannot tell the difference. I once had a conversation with my father-in-law about the fact that he felt no one could tell the difference in a blind taste test between butter and margarine! I run into this all the time in art. I've had to respond to friends who think they can or their child can produce abstract paintings that are equal to those of the modern masters. What can I say to them? Of course, you are in a worse predicament if you have to eat the Pathmark hamburgers. I can get away with just shaking my head and moving on. Some people just don't have an appreciation for certain things. In a particular subject area probably all of us are philistines. We just don't understand, see, taste, smell, hear, etc. subtle differences in some areas. How should we feel about this? Its pretty tricky, me thinks. Should we pick our friends by how attuned they are to our passions? Food and dining and entertaining are all integral parts of friendship and relationships. Is Pathmark chopped meat an insult ? I don't know. All I know is that anyone invited to your place is pretty lucky.

Jinmyo, yes, joy, well put. Somehow I think we're back to generosity, especially of spirit. Like you.

1.I always say "cheapness is pervasive". It informs all of a person's behavior and relationships. So, its not the dinner, its all parts of the friendship. Thats the problem. People who are cheap are cheap with their emotions as well as their money. Therefore, its a much larger issue. 2. "people who do not know how to reciprocate". I don't quite get this. 3.The entertaining part I totally get. Hosts in a restaurant- what does this take other than money? If there isn't money, well that brings us back to entertaining which, I agree can seem overwhelming and way too much effort for some people. People like to feel competent at what they do as well as appreciated. If you, Steve, entertain in the way you describe, I can see someone not wanting to reciprocate by entertaining you in their home. You just do it too well. What's needed is generosity on all levels by both parties, thats pervasive too.

Jay, My gut reaction to your predicament is that your friends are so impressed with how they are treated when in your home that they can't even imagine how they could reciprocate in kind. I have actually been in that situation. If entertaining is not something that you like to do, it becomes a huge undertaking. Of course, thats not a very good excuse and they should reciprocate in any way they can. Personally, I think you should actually have a conversation with them. If the results are bad, well then, so be it. If you don't approach them in attack mode you may end up with a stronger relationship. Either way I don't see that you lose. Obviously you are not happy being with them as it stands now anyway. Just my two cents. SB PS Tell them how much you like eGullet and that they should check it out

stellabella, I'm really touched by your response. Its so nice to have a community, even a virtual one, where people can be on the same wavelength. If you need anything while in NYC, please don't hesitate to ask. SB

Since 1988 I have spent my birthday eating for 12 solid hours. I also do not give any consideration to possible nausea, amount of calories or fat, or anything at all other than the pure pleasure of eating anything and everything I want for 12 hours straight. I do not stop at all. I make mental notes for the entire year. Sometimes I prepare some dishes myself. Other times I buy treats from various specialty stores. One year I ended off this blowout with a malted at EJ's and nearly gave back the entire day's effort. I usually start the day with bacon and hotdogs and finish with icecream and whipped cream. I have to confess that I always get a can of Reddi-Whip to squirt down my throat(no remarks here!) Also, I don't spend a lot of time in restaurants because I only want to eat small amounts of all the great things I have planned and a restaurant is usually too limiting and "eats" up my time. The idea that every minute can be another moment of pleasure and it never stops for the whole time is exciting all by itself. My whole family does this with me but doesn't eat the whole time. The togetherness makes it even more special. What are your birthday traditions around food? (Liza, you started me thinking about this).

Rachel, Don't worry. It'll be whatever the participants make of it. We will cull the dishes from everyone's own list. Some will be exotic and others will be someone's personal fave. The more diverse, the more fun. It'll be a menu beyond compare, I'm sure.

Nina: There is a standard kitchen with all the usual acoutrements. Rachel: I think messenger for the lists. Tommy: Oh you tease!

i would like to bring the following: dazzling wit. charming personality. good looks. Mr T. If you attend you couldn't help but bring those things May I take that as a yes?

Rachel, I'm thinking that participants would submit a short list of what they might like to bring and we will coordinate a menu from the lists. I think that its always good to have people come with something they do well, it makes for a better event. Of course, any suggestions about procedure are welcome. Glad to have you aboard. SB

I really don't want to be the one to make all the decisions but my instinct tells me that if there is an outpouring of interest by eGulleteers then we would want to limit it to members since seating is limited. Lets see what happens.

Rosie: I definitely will keep you posted if the date changes. Cabrales: What luck! I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something to bring whether it be food or something else, no matter. Liza: Monk fish liver is a fave of mine! Does this mean the date is good for you?

Who of you out there would be interested in a Pot Luck Dinner that will be held somewhere in lower Manhattan? (we think we have a place) Sunday, June 2nd around 5:00 We can begin here to hash out various details in order to get a sense of the reponse but eventually interested parties will need to messenger B. Edulis or Stefanyb for the specifics and to reserve a spot. The place we have in mind can only accommodate 12-20 people, so.......

Don't worry T. I'm honored to be addressed thusly by you. I'm sure its a sign of endearment (if not don't tell me). This is beginning to sound like Sally Field's Oscar acceptance speech. The acrylimide reference has to do with ( I think it was Sandra Levine's post, correction it was Helena Sarin's post)the business of cancer-causing chemicals (acrylimide) produced when starches are heated to high temperatures, such as french fries and even in bread, as it is baked to at least 350 degrees. I was just wondering what temperature something that is steamed is cooked at and whether corn that is grilled would have the same problem as french fries. Actually, I'm still wondering.

My recollection is that older dinner plates were more soup bowl-like than our current dinnerware plates are. Therefore, whatever the motivation, and I'm sure you're onto something, this is not a new phenomenon but a return to an older style of dishware.

Last night I was one member of a table for eight at Artisanal. We actually had a fine time and the food was top notch. However, I arrived to the news that Peter, the maitre de fromage, had left for Scotland and would not be returning. The idea that Max McCalman is the maitre de fromage is ridiculous. Perhaps he does the ordering but I happen to know that he has walked through the door of Artisinal only about a dozen times. Our table decided upon a twelve cheese plate as our final course. We all had differing ideas about which cheeses we wanted and I have to say most of us were not especially knowledgable about how and what to order. The place was quite busy. The young man who was sent to our table to discuss with us our preferences was over-taxed and possibly over his head. The plate came and it really was pretty pedestrian. Certainly not bad, but i could have gone to Murrays and come home with a more interesting selection. Needless to say I am saddened. As a further note, our waiter didn't seem to know much about the menu in general, either. Any knowledgable cheese people out there in need of a job, get yourself over to Artisanal- they need your help. (moderator please change title to Artisanal last night- maitre de fromage-less)