hjshorter

The Rockville stores are Maxim (on 355) and Kam Sam (on N. Washington St). Sorry I can't be of more assistance in SS - the only store I frequent in that area is the Thai market on Thayer.

Food Lion has White Lily flour and Duke's mayo. That's pretty much the only stuff I buy there.

That's what I was talking about - where the real money is.

How about getting publicity and making a buck off the ensuing controversy?

Excellent! It appears to be near the school supply shop I frequent. Will defnitely be checking it out. I was at that same Giant today and noticed all the managment types hanging around. Wonder what was going on?

They do a lot of features about whatever is in season - actually do they still have a little column about a particular in-season fruit or veggie? But, they don't tie the features to area farmer's markets. Maybe they should. And yes, the wet smooch for Palena's fry plate wasn't needed.

It's about time something good happened to the Food section. Perhaps this will inspire me to buy the paper again - at least on Wednesdays. Like what, Pontorno? They do run a front page story in the spring, when most of the markets are starting up. I almost never use their wine reporting as a buying guide and the panel idea seems misguided. Better to have one or two reviewers that readers can get to know - and can evaluate over time as to whether the reviewers taste meshes with their own.

I thought it was the alleged misreprentations in the book that provoked it?

Ah, the "Little Buckets"! They're gone?

Wait, how could a book review be objective? It's an opinion.

Potato chips. And fish sticks.

Good point. The hand-slapping incident came up in the context of this thread, though, so it's natural that it's getting the treatment. In the fullness of time perhaps the paticipants will get around to dissecting the rest of the book. Edit: forgot to add

How do you know that if you haven't read it? (Just to be clear, I have eaten at neither chef's establishment, and have no interest in being a "bootlicker" for either gentleman.)

I finally got my chance. I wound up running late for my 7:30 curtain last night (tenor Ian Bostridge, program of Schubert Lieder, for the curious ) and left my ticket at home requiring a trip to the box office to get a replacement. So, rather than try Notte Bianchi as planned I risked a meal at the bar at the Roof Terrace Restaurant. The two appetizers, while edible, were among the most haphazardly plated offerings I have ever had set in front of me and very poor value for the prices they are charging. The Roof Terrace year after year tries to present itself as a convenient fine dining destination. It's convenient if it's right before curtain and you have no other options, but that is the best that can be said of it. Baby beet salad arrived as a tangle of frisee next to chunks of quartered beets and a small wedge of nearly flavorless goat cheese. Beets and frisee were underdressed with a lackluster vinaigrette, and sprinkled with a few chives that added color rather than herbal sharpness. $12.00. When I compare it to the beet salad at Corduroy it makes me want to cry. Smoked Salmon with caper mayonnaise Four slices of smoked salmon, baby romaine dressed with not quite enough vinaigrette, and a blob of caper mayonnaise, slapped on a plate. $14.00. I have had better, tastier smoked salmon at Bagel City. The bread was spongy and full of sunflower and flax seeds and the unsalted butter was the right temperature but also flavorless - a theme for the whole meal. I drank a half bottle of Latour Puligny-Montrachet. Total bill $80 including tip. A ripoff, especially with far superior food two blocks away.

Whole Foods baguettes are terrible and I don't bother with any of their other varieties. And, some of their baked goods are now from the wholesale sucky Marvelous Market. Sutton/Balducci's sells an acceptable loaf, not great but not redolent of suckiness like the WF variety.

It depends. If they know their ass from their elbow in the kitchen there is usually something to do. If not, they can hang and talk and drink wine, but stay out of the way. We never clean up after dinner - we always drink and talk until much too late. And since the kitchen fairies never bother to show up to clean overnight, we deal with the aftermath in the morning.

Ah yes, A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Busboy.

What's the syndrome whereby some people are aroused by casual contact? That might account for some of these differences. I for one am not much bothered by casual touch from acquaintances and expect it in my family and circle of friends. As for service, I'm with Viva upthread:

Not sure how Bloom-like Mr Busboy is, although I confess to finding the thought enormously entertaining. I am reasonably certain that Brave Ulysses never does the dishes, at least not in any of the translations in my possession.

No no, not Hemingway. Too bleak. "Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee." Joyce? He must mention washing up in Ulysses, but it will take a bit to look something up.

Sounds like my house. I have a choice. I can either have a perfectly clean house, (and I will be the one doing the cleaning since I am married to the absent-minded professor with a million hobbies who doesn't notice clutter) or I can keep up with my reading. That's a no-brainer for me.

Eh, the creative part for me is not chopping the onions, herbs, garlic, etc., it's deciding how much to use, when to add them, whether it's done or needs more salt, pepper, vinegar, and so on.

Another casserole my mom made frequently was Chicken Tetrazzini from the old Fanny Farmer cookbook. Spaghetti, cooked chicken, sliced mushrooms, veloute with nutmeg and sherry added, prinkled with Parm and baked. Pretty good stuff and not out of a can.

"Busy Mother's Casserole" was called "Texas Hash" at our house. My recipe calls for browning the meat, sauteeing onions and green pepper, then combining both with uncooked rice, tomatoes and seasonings then baking until the rice is cooked. I might have to make it tonight and see if the kids like it.

Wait a sec...mustard? With pie?