JAZ

Well, how would you account for the fairly universal preference for spiced food (using the more general definition of "spice" to include herbs, onions and chiles)?

If you're referring to the American Scientist theory, maybe I can clarify it a little. The authors of that article were not talking about the conscious reasons people have for using spices; the were talking about the ultimate reasons why people would have evolved to enjoy the taste of spices. In other words, they're not saying that people in hot climates knew that the spices acted as antimicrobial agents and used them specifically for that purpose. They're saying that because many spices do kill microbes, the people who used spices in their food (presumably because they liked spicy food) would survive longer and reproduce more successfully, so that over time, spice use would be selected for naturally.

Also called salicornia, samphire or glasswort (thank you, Elizabeth Schneider).

The two things I started out using citric acid for, before I started to actually cook with it, were acidulating water for atichokes and sliced fruit, and decalcifying my coffee maker. So it's a useful little product.

The American Scientist article addresses that (and other theories). Their point is that although some spices induce perspiration, most do not, and it's not just the ones that make us sweat that are used in warm climates.

The citric acid I have (McCormick-Shilling) is not really a powder -- it's more like little round pellets -- is that what you mean?

There was an article in American Sceintist a few years ago that put forth the argument that spice use developed to protect food from bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms. The authors studied spice use across various climates and found that in hotter climates, where food spoilage would be more of a problem, the food (especially meat dishes) tended to be more heavily spiced than in cooler climates, and that those cuisines tended to use the spices that were most effective at destroying the harmful bacteria. (The authors included herbs, chiles and members of the onion family as well.)

The "lever" types (Screwpull, Rabbit and the like) are easy and mostly work well. BUT, there are several parts that can break on them, and in the cheaper models, those parts usually do break. If you want to pay $130 for the origianl Screwpull (made by Le Creuset and guaranteed like all their products), you'll get something durable. If you buy the cheaper versions, you may run into problems. Keep in mind that these don't work very well on synthetic corks, and can't go through wax plugs without damaging the workings. The Screwpull "table" model (about $25) is nice for people who are unsure of their ability to insert the worm straight, as it contains a guide. It's virtually foolproof and I recommend it for novices. But a waiter's model is really the way to go, in my opinion. The "two-stage" models are really great, especially for those extra tight, stubborn corks.

After a homeward commute double the normal length due to some mysterious traffic event, I needed somthing like that. Thanks. Tremendous.

After the mention on the Prune restaurant thread of the roasted bone marrow with a parsley and caper salad (and the mention in Ivan's latest episode), I decided to try my hand at recreating it, even though I've never actually had it. We spread thje marrow on toasted slices of sweet batard with grated aged gouda sprinkled on one side. Served it with roasted new Yukon Gold potatoes tossed with some roasted garlic grapeseed oil and salt. No idea if I was close to the original version of the dish, but this was awfully good.

Interesting, and very well written (as always). Thanks for the information.

I have to say that although I would never buy something just because it looks good, I do care about what my cookware looks like. Since I work at a cookware store, I can get some good deals on some brands (plus quite a few free pieces from vendors through incentive programs or vendor demos). I've been getting Le Creuset (blue) for years and have quite a few pieces of that. Now I wish I could trade them all for the cool new "granite" color, but that's the way it goes. I clean them regularly with Le Creuset's cleaner, so they look pretty good. I have a couple of All Clad pieces (free) and one KitchenAid (ditto) but what I buy is Demeyere's Sirocco line. It's a clad construction like All Clad, but most of the pieces have a copper core rather than aluminum. Functionally I prefer it because a) I think the handles are more comfortable than All Clad and b) the handles are welded rather than riveted, so you don't have rivets inside the pan to collect gunk. Aesthetically, I just think they look cool. I try my hardest to keep them looking good (Bar Keepers Friend) but since they clean up pretty well, it's not too hard to do. I don't have any copper pieces, primarily because if I had them, I know I'd want to keep them in the original condition, and I don't want that particular headache.

I use phyllo quite a bit to wrap appetizers, and rarely stick with traditional Middle Eastern fillings. At my parties, you're as likely to bite into ham and Gruyere or smoked turkey and chipotle or mushrooms and brie as you would be to get spinach and feta in your phyllo triangle.

Damn, you know, you live in California long enough, and you forget that you can't buy wine and liquor in every little corner store in other states. Even my butcher shop has a small wine selection. Granted, I'm very used to this, but it doesn't seem to me that the ability of big stores to sell wine has lessened the number of dedicated wine stores. Within a 20 minute walk of my apartment, for example, are the afore-mentioned butcher shop, a mostly organic/healthy market that has a pretty decent wine selection, four "convenience" type corner markets that sell both wine and liquor, a Safeway (crappy selection, due to its location; some Safeways here have great wine selections), a Bell Market with a pretty good selection, four dedicated wine and spirits stores, and a Beverages and More (actually more than a 20 minute walk; more like a 15 minute bus ride for that one).

Definitely recycle. Or better yet, call your local library and see if they need any of your stash to fill out their subscriptions (people have a nasty habit of swiping magazines from libraries, or tearing out pages they want).

Just received a press release from GE on a new oven that's due for the market in September. This new "GEProfile ™ Oven" with "Innovection ™ Technology" combines thermal, convection and metal-safe microwave energies. Reading between the lines, I gather that the oven has pre-programmed settings for various food types (breads, roasts, baked potatoes, etc.) that combine the three types of heat energy to cook the foods fast but maintain the desirable moisture and crispness levels. Prices will range from about $2400 (single wall oven) to about $3900 (double wall oven), with range models available for about $2900. An accompanying reprint from Popular Science magazine gives the oven its "Grand Award Winner" designation, noting that in addition to cooking foods faster (a baked potato takes 17 minutes' turkeys roast at 5 minutes per pound), the oven retains the desirable results that come from slower cooking, so you get good browning and retain moisture. Here's my favorite intriguing quote from the press release: ..."these ovens also offer traditional cooking methods: baking, broiling, roasting, and true European convection. Addtional modes include defrost, warm, proof, self-clean, and help." This now has me wondering what kiind of help I can get from this oven. Advice on my wardrobe? Help with my finances? Suggestions about my love life? Now, that would be worth $3000.

Any time I 've made a port reduction, the recipe has called for another ingredient along with the port -- broth usually, or balsamic vinegar -- to give it some depth.

Thanks for the link. I do love Julian Barnes. But oh! culling the collection... one of the last times I moved I decided to try to do that and managed to get a stack of about 8 books that I thought I no longer wanted (it started out to be about 15, but I kept pulling books back out of the pile). I gave a couple or three to each of my sisters and a couple to a friend, and now I want almost all of them back, but I can't possibly ask, so I'll probably end up buying new copies. I have one additional rule about buying cook books though -- don't ever buy cook books when you're hungry.

I've been looking in food science books and none address this question. The closest I came was a comment in Russ Parson's book about oil for frying deteriorating when salt gets into it, but I don't know if that happens at room or refrigerator temp. My books tend to say you can store vinaigrettes for 2 weeks in the fridge, unless the call for fresh herbs or citrus juice, which of course shortens their lifespan significantly. But from what I've gathered, it's a matter of flavor, not of safety.

Hit the "grind" button on my burr grinder without having the cup in place to catch the coffee as it flies out.

Two more here.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Although I have not eaten at your restaurant, the descriptions I've read sound really interesting. The interplay of taste and texture is something that fascinates me, and it seems to me that your dishes make your customers think in new ways about food, which is a great thing. But I wonder if all the innovation and experimentation you and your staff do might make you lose sight of the primary purpose of food (i.e., sustenance and nourishment). Do you ever think your creations are so "out there" that your customers might feel that they are experiencing an art display rather than actually eating dinner? In other words, do you think that your innovation might ever become too intellectualized?

First, a technical point -- smoking impairs one's sense of smell, not the actual taste buds. But, of course, the two senses are so intertwined that an impairment of the sense of smell would definitely affect one's perception of flavor. I also know a lot of chefs who smoke -- some occasionally and some heavily -- and I find that they either like relatively spiced and salty foods, or they lean to the other side to the point that their food is noticeably undersalted. I'm not sure what the difference is. I do wonder, though, how much the smoking behavior derives from a basic oral fixation (no jokes, please). It seems to me that the two might go hand in hand, so that, in effect, those people who get a lot of satisfaction from oral stimulation turn to smoking but are also very gifted in blending tastes, flavors and textures, because, in a very real sense, it turns them on. So maybe the inhibition of a smoker's sense of smell is compensated for by his or her extra sensitivity toward the pleasures of the palate.

Anyone else ever wrapped a little prosciutto around the stalks before grilling or roasting? Pretty tasty. Another prosciutto idea is to spread a mixture of cream cheese and grated parmesan or asiago on a piece of prosciutto and wrap that around two or three stalks of blanched (till crisp-tender) and cooled asparagus. Then drizzle a balsamic vinaigrette over for a great first course. And I do still steam or blanch it when I'm serving it with hollandaise, which, cliche as it is, I still adore. Especially orange hollandaise.

One particularly nasty sounding restaurant is "Squat and Gobble" in San Francisco (I think it might be a local chain). Ick.