JAZ

I find it interesting that much of the best food journalism is appearing in non-food related magazines like Atlantic Monthly ("Frankenfood"). And don't forget that Fast Food Nation first appeared in Rolling Stone. I know you're not a fan of Gastronomica, but at least it has potential, even if it hasn't quite lived up to it. For instance, it often has some good historical pieces. But one point, which Ms. O'Neill only skirts, is that most people don't want to read that sort of food writing. Most people need some escapism, and for many, food is it. They want to dream about being Nigella (or being with her); they want to look at Jacques Torres' chocolate creations or Thomas Keller's delicacies precisely because they're so out of reach, so far from everyday life. They want to experience Bourdain's travels vicariously (how many fans would actually trot out into the jungle to drink homemade liquor and eat snake hearts, even if the opportunity presented itself?). Ms. O'Neill describes the trend away from "news" stories and toward "foodie" stories in the press without really addressing the fact that journalists -- and all writers -- always face the choice of giving "the people" what they want and giving them what we think they need or should want. Even here at egullet, where, of course, the best and brightest congregate, look at the threads that generate the most replies. It's easy to bemoan the lack of "serious" food writing and the pandering to the "lowest common denominator," but just look. For every Rick Bayliss/Burger King thread, there are countless "best spills" or "worst use of condiments" threads. A serious article on genetically modified plants generates no responses, in comparison with over 300 for "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." And there's nothing wrong with that. We're social animals, and we tend to be interested in the topics that allow us to socialize (for a really interesting look at the phenomenon, read Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language by Robin Dunbar). Food is a big one, probably the biggest. I don't think the interest in food or the fact that this interest is so "superficial" is surprising at all. That's why I think the attempt to divorce food writing from that personal, "foodie" (in Ms. O'Neill's terms) level is not only doomed to failure but a mistake. The best food writing, I think, takes the reader beyond what she knows and makes her think about something new or different, but it keeps at least a trace of the personal, social element that food plays in our lives.

Beets. My Dad always had a big garden while I was growing up and always grew beets. I tried them a couple of different ways, but hated them. I didn't eat them for years. For some reason, I tried them a while back and now I adore them. And I deeply regret missing all those home grown beets I could have eaten back when I was a kid. Oh, and mayonnaise.

Twisted Mojito 1-1/2 oz jalapeno mint syrup (recipe below) 2 oz lime juice 3 oz club soda or seltzer Shake the syrup and lime juice over ice. Pour into an ice-filled hurricane or tall glass and top with club soda. Jalapeno Mint Syrup Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 2-3 sliced jalapeno peppers and leaves from one small bunch mint. Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (liquid should be slightly spicy but not overtly hot). Strain out the peppers and mint and add 1 cup sugar. Bring back to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, eGCI ( RG631 )

The Faux Margarita 1-1/4 oz chipotle orange syrup (recipe below) 2 oz lime juice 1/4 oz grapefruit juice 1 oz water Shake over ice and strain into chilled, salt-rimmed glass. Or pour over ice if desired. Chipotle orange syrup Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add 1 dried chipotle pepper and 2 strips dried orange peel (or fresh, if dried are not available). Cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (liquid should be slightly spicy but not overtly hot). Strain out the pepper and orange and add ¾ cup sugar. Bring back to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, eGCI ( RG630 )

Aviation 1-1/2 fl oz gin 1/2 fl oz maraschino liqueur 3/4 fl oz lemon juice Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Variation: use half vodka and half gin. Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG629 )

Daiquiri 2 oz white rum 3/4 oz lime juice 1/4 oz simple syrup Pour over ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Variation: Add a splash of grenadine (and use Bacardi rum) for the Bacardi cocktail. Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG628 )

Cosmopolitan 1-1/2 oz vodka 3/4 oz Cointreau, triple sec or curacao 1/2 oz fresh lime juice Splash cranberry juice Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. Variations: Try flavored vodkas for this drink: Orange, currant or lemon Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG627 )

Margarita 2 oz tequila 1 oz Cointreau, triple sec or curacao 1-1/2 oz fresh lime juice or half lime and half lemon juice Moisten the edge of a glass with lime juice or water and rim with salt. Pour ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into salt-rimmed cocktail glass or pour over new ice in a margarita or hurricane glass. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel. ( RG626 )

Manhattan 2-1/2 oz rye or bourbon whiskey 1/2 oz sweet vermouth Dash bitters Stir or shake gently with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry or a twist. Variations: Substitute dry vermouth for the sweet or use half and half (a perfect Manhattan). Rob Roy: Substitute blended scotch for the rye Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG625 )

Martini 2-1/2 oz gin 1/4 oz dry vermouth Pour into a glass filled with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. OR Pour into a shaker filled with ice. Shake gently and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or an olive. Variations: Vodka martini: Substitute vodka for the gin Perfect Martini: Use half dry and half sweet vermouth Dirty Martini: add a dash of olive brine Gibson: Garnish with a cocktail onion Keywords: Cocktail, eGCI ( RG624 )

Dave, the last couple of times I've brined meat (chicken thighs and pork tenderloin), I've then finished it with a jerk-style paste/marinade (more of a paste than a marinade) for a very short time -- about 20 minutes. Not that I did side-by-side comparisons, but it seemed to me that the flavors in the paste permeated the brined meat more than they did when I used the paste on untreated meat. Do you think that was just my imagination? Is there some reason for that to happen?

Thanks for the excerpt from your book. It sounds fascinating. This bit interests me: Obviously the "tasting menu" is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional menu. It seems to me that these multi course meals can easily "derail" and confuse or overwhelm the palate. How do chefs work to ensure that these menus cohere and flow smoothly from one plate to the next? And what are some other alternatives to the classic menu that Miller (or other chefs) use or suggest? Thanks so much for your time. I'm looking forward to your book.

The recent resurgence of this thread had me thinking of onion rings, so I made some a few days ago to go with a hanger steak. Although I love most any onion rings, my favorites are the very thin sort dusted in flour and seasonings (no batter). The problem I've always had is that they don't stay crisp, so it's tough to make several batches and try to serve them all at the same time. This time, though, I remembered reading something about not salting french fries until right before serving, because pre-salting them makes them soggy. I figured maybe that would work with onion rings too. So I began by soaking in beer and egg (I usually use milk but didn't have enough) and then tossing in a mixture of flour, ancho chili powder and a bit of cayenne. Fried them in small batches as usual. Drained them on a rack rather than paper towels (I discovered that trick a long time ago). Then I stuck them in a warm oven until the steak was done -- unfortunately, a bit of a timing problem had occurred. They waited for about 10 minutes or so from the time the last batch was done. I was not optimistic. But lo and behold, when I pulled them out of the oven (still on the rack), they were still as crisp and when they'd emerged from the oil. Success!

I generally braise beef in dark beer with onions, and those leftovers make wonderful sandwiches too.

I've never been a huge fan of beans, but I have had a few memorable dishes that have started to convert me. One was a typical Italian (or so I'm told) first course of grilled shrimp served over cannelli beans. In this particular rendition, the smokiness of the shrimp imbued the beans to result in a whole that was much greater than the sum of its parts. It's the first time I can remember that eating a dish with legumes made me want to cook them. The other transcendental legume experience was a mixed grill at Bay Wolf restaurant (in Oakland CA) served on a bed of small white beans. Now it's true that grilled quail, lamb and duck sausage would make anything underneath taste pretty good, but these beans were simply perfect. The texture was creamy; the taste, subtle. (I even bought the Bay Wolf cookbook hoping that the recipe would be in there, but no luck.) Does anyone know any tricks to get that creamy (not dry or chalky) texture in bean dishes?

Yes. That "vodka as white paint" line is straight out of Paul Harrington's book, as is the Jasmine, which, as I recall, is a Harrington original. (Jasmine) That aside, it's certainly refreshing to see interest revived in the classics. I've done that, and the bartenders have generally been good about it. But still, there's something really great about finding a bar where the bartenders already know how to make the classics and make them well. (Not to mention the fact that patrons don't always know the exact recipes of the drinks they like.) Those bars (and bartenders) are true treasures, few and far between though they may be.

Try this one: a drink I haven't named yet. You could make this with vodka instead of rum, as well.

Great class! Kristin, when you use sesame oil for sauteeing, do you use an oil from toasted seeds, as is common in Chinese dishes, or is it an untoasted type?

Some bars keep simple syrup on hand, but it's not something you can count on. Most bars will have bar sugar or superfine sugar, though, so you should be able to get a sweetened gimlet with fresh lime. Actually, a Slippery Nipple is something different: Irish Cream, Sambuca and (sometimes) brandy. Not being a fan of many sweet drinks, I'm hardly impartial about these. I do like good Irish Cream (especially homemade) on the rocks or in coffee after dinner, though.

One year after smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving, I used the carcass to make stock, and then used the meat scraps and stock to make mole. It was good. Really good.

For the past several years, I've tried to purchase meat from animals raised without hormones. I'm lucky to live near a couple of butchers shops that carry "natural" meats, but I'm not sure what, if any, rules apply to calling meats "natural." I assume that such meat comes from animals that were raised without hormones and without anitbiotics in their feed, but I've never known for sure. Are there regulations that have to be met in order to label meat "natural," and if so, what are they? Thanks for your time.

I drink gimlets at home, but rarely order them out for exactly that reason. I do like the taste of Rose's, but overdone, it's cloying, and it's so often overdone that I prefer making my own. It's even worse if the bar uses a cheap substitute instead of real Rose's. But to me, fresh lime and gin is just not a gimlet. It needs that hit of Rose's. That being said, there are very few other drinks where I think it works.

I use all of them. I cook recipes (exactly) from virtually none of them.

Roast a couple of red bell peppers. Meanwhile, saute a sliced onion slowly until caramelized. Seed, peel and coarsely chop the pepper. When the onion is done, add the pepper with a couple tablespoons of sherry and salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes and then let cool slightly. Pulse briefly in a food processor or with a stick blender (you want it chunky). Spread on crostini or bruschetta and top with shaved aged gouda. This is one of those combinations that's much greater than the sum of its parts.

The diet Cricket is great. I, too, generally disdain iced tea blends. However, a few months ago, I was at the store I used to frequent on my lunch break and desperate for a cold caffeine fix. The store was out of Diet Coke, my usual choice, but I spied the Cricket and decided to give it a try. Not as carbonated as Diet Coke and not as bitter. Not so much sweeter as "rounder" and more mellow. I didn't realize it was made with Splenda, but that might account for the lack of bitterness.