nerissa

Jason, are you thinking of Gerolsteiner? My boyfriend and I are sparkling water whores. We buy cases of Pelligrino from Costco and at least 6 bottles of Gerolsteiner/Poland Spring a week. We also have a Brita filter. I used to be on a Evian kick, but now I prefer Poland Spring--but we buy Ice Mountain, and it is fine. I really hate Dasani--it's just tap water, and that water bottled by Pepsi. The name escapes me at the moment. I grew up on bottled water- the barreled kind, as lead was reported to be in the drinking system where I grew up.

Non-food: Just started The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand. I read The Hours in an hour. Food: am going to pick up again Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher. Started it this summer and forgot about it. There are lots of good books on this thread--makes me want to print it out and go to the bookstore, but for me, that's a very dangerous proposition.

I use Brown Cow yogurt containers, because that's what we eat. Great for stock, leftover soup, and dal. Until my sister intervened and made her buy a proper container, my mother used her Dannon container for scraps, peelings etc that needed to be taken to the compost maker. She kept a plate over it by the sink. Yeah--we get great clear doggie bag containers from the Japanese restaurant.

Saturday night: Celebrated Chinese new Years with friends--one friend is from Hong Kong. Home made Dumplings, poached chicken in a ginger broth, and barbequed pork , rice, steamed watercress and a dessert--balls individually filled with curd, peanuts, and sesames in a sugary broth. Pardon my ignorance, but I can't remember the name. Tonight: I roasted a chicken with lemon, herbs, and garlic. Roasted new red potatoes and carrots--splashed balsamic vinegar at the end. Divine.

Lately: baked with a miso mixture. I used the long skinny ones-- Japanese eggplants? I can't remember at the moment.

Jaymes: This may be a dumb question, but do you use gin in place of rice wine? Could it be substituted where sake is called for, e.g. a recipe for miso marinated cod (I have seen several versions: Nobu, Martha Steward adaptation to Nobu's, and Sally Scheidner). In non-Asian dishes, if you don't mind, do you use it reduce? Thanks. I am a V &T girl, myself, so I am not qualified to discuss the merits of one gin brand over another.

You are forgetting the Franzia 2003 blanc zin. I recall having a great zin by Barnswood but, I haven't been able to find it in the stores when I remember. The '00 Ravenswood is a great buy- I can find it for as little as $9. Ridge is great, but generally out of my price range.

I like to have a glass occasionally. When I was 14, my father gave me a Dow '77 Vintage port as a birthday present. How did he know I would like port? Needless to say, I had no concept of how great a gift it was. I opened it in May--for my boyfriend's birthday. After serving bittersweet chocolate cakes with espresso cream on a bed of raspberries for dessert from Gourmet, I set out celery, blue cheese, and walnuts. I have had the same vintage (different month) before and it was divine--I felt like I was drinking elegance. The 2000s got a great rating. I envy those who have the proper conditions to store port. Robin, those are great suggestions above about getting to know port-- I want to start cooking with it so having various bottles around would facilitate port glazed lamb...hmmmm. Thanks for the suggestions on 83's and 85s.

Any Port drinkers out there? I did a search and couldn't find anything. If I am duplicating another thread, please let me know. When did you first have your first sip of Port? Do you drink Port often? Or on special occasions? Do you drink Port with specific crowd/people only? Do you serve anything special? Any memorable bottles or nights?

Thank goodness "His Handsomeness" is so multi-talented--the piano, the cooking... and as the conclusion to your story demonstrates, certainly is resourceful. As they say in Charleston "When you have a lemon, make a vodka tonic."

That story is hilarious, Kristin. Your mother sounds like a trooper.

Hi Suvir and everyone, I hope everything is going well with you and your family. When I was a child, Northern indian food was an incredible treat. My favorite snack were pappadams--we stocked up on them whenever we got the chance. I never had eaten Southern indian food until I met my boyfriend. I still consider Indian cuisine one of the most complex out there-- I never get sick of it, which makes my bf's mother very happy I live in Chicago currently--actually tonight, we went to Devon on the far north side for dosas. I really enjoyed writing this response and reading everyone else. I believe this has been mentioned earlier, but I think this thread is entirely publishable. And I am sure there is more than enough talent among the coordinators and posters to get the work together. Perhaps a way to support egullet?

Once in college, when I was still living in the dorm, a friend and I decided to throw a dinner party. I had marinated chicken in tequila and lime juice, and had made a first course of yellow tomato sauce with capellini. As I was setting the table with pretty tulips, my friend was searing the chicken in the kitchen. The smoke alarm went off, but in the dorm, that was a nightly occurance. We didn't think it was because of us--kids smoking in the stairwell or a toaster. So we get a knock at our door and the Chicago Firemen come in to inspect. My immediate reaction was to offer them a glass of wine. "Nerissa!" My friend whispered. "You can't do that--they just got suspended for drinking on the job!" The fireman said no thank you, and were probably amused. I think I was written up, but I was moving out a month later. There is the famous story in our family of my grandmother back when my parents had first arrived to town after living in Mill Valley. My grandmother wanted to give them an introduction dinner party. She was a lousy cook--but my grandfather was a wonderful cook--he could do succession after succession of Grand Marnier soufflees. Anyway, my grandmother had frozen scrapple that she inserted into these enormous onions. Well, the scrapple didn't thaw, but the onions burned. The onions were impossible to cut and they kept springing off the table. It proved to be a great ice breaker and my parents made fast friends with the guests.

Usually I make my own yogurt- pretty easy, but you have to plan. Lately, we have been buying Brown Cow. And your starter becomes a valuable thing. I like brown cow because they don't skimp- cream at the top. I just checked my BC container for additives, and the only ingredients were Grade A Whole Milk and active cultures. There are a couple of other brands I see at Whole Foods-has a goat on the picture. 7 Star Farms? Whatever the name, it is pretty good.

Hopleaf is a boy-or at least has a wife. Anyway, would love to meet you too. Is awbrig really a bar in milwaukee, or I am just terribly naive?

How were the scones? I just got the book and so far have only made a chicken dish and was wondering what to try next.

This is one of my favorite bars of all time. I was actually wondering if the egulleteer Hopleaf ascribed her name to that place. I kind of wish Gourmet hadn't mentioned Hopleaf, as it may no longer be quiet. Last time I was there, they were in the process of expanding. How lucky your daughter was to have lived around the corner! It takes me forever to get from the other end of the city to get there.

Knew9, you beat me to this. When I lived by myself in high school (another story), I used a Crock Pot to make lentils and black beans. Recently, when I was home, my mother offered me her Crock Pot. The snob in me said "No thanks,Mummy." Now, after readinig Bittman's piece, I am reconsidering. His Crock Pot Cassoulet does look appealing in terms of easiness. Can anybody argue that there is an easier way to make a cassoulet?

This is probably the easiest way to introduce myself. Great thread! What was your family food culture when you were growing up? I grew up in Charleston, SC during the 80s/early90s: daughter of bohemian-preppies. Mother accomplished French cook; she is a "northerner". Daddy was more adventurous; he handled the oysters, the smoking of the meats, and cleaning of the dove/deer/quail. He grew up with servants and swore he would never have them in his own house. I used to go to my grandparent's for traditional 2 pm supper: gumbo and rice, usually. I also grew up in a time when the old rice culture was on its way out. Charleston is not the same place these days. My father's family worships rice. There is an old joke about what do the...nevermind. My parents threw a lot of parties, being in the arts business, and one of their close friends ran a vegetable distribution company for restaurants so we got to know chefs well and tried the "exotic" vegetables. My father and I used to go on bbq trips throughout South Carolina and Georgia when I was in my teens. Was meal time important? My parents firmly believed in eating with the children, no matter how exasperating. Was cooking important? Extremely. My parents are really into food as cures for health problems. (that and "have you been to the bathroom?" when you say you are not feeling well.) What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? Oh, absolutely. Still are. Physical. Who cooked in the family? My mother did day-to-day mostly, although my parents did and still do cook together. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? Pretty common, as Charleston has a big scene. Since my parents knew people in the business, we were always trying some Thai, Vietnamese, or some bbq joint. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? No. My parents also had the children serve and clear the table. As Suvir says above, it was a great education. We always had to sit with the grown-ups When did you get that first sip of wine? I was probably 16, though I had my first sip of beer with my father when I was 11.My parents also believed in teaching their daughters how to drink. Was there a pre-meal prayer? No. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? Yes- cheese/brocoli or spinach souflee, spahgetti, egg rolls, roast chicken, hamburgers, scrod, lamb chops, and steak. We ate a lot of rice. My father is very serious about how rice is cooked. The only way I could ever make my father truly angry as a child was if I opened the pot of rice before it was done. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? Pretty similar--in terms of the dinner parties where the goal is to over-serve wine, and attempting French basics. It's funny because my live with boyfriend is of Southern Indian descent and so our food heritage backgrounds are pretty dissimilar. But, we are both obsessed with eating and food--we share cooking and cleaning. Because of geography, I haven't be able to replicate all the seafood my parents served or the southern debauchery of shrimp and grits brunches.

Ooo, there are so many. This thread makes me think of one of my favorite hang-outs in DC, the Brickskellar. They have literally 1000s of beers from all over the world and the states. Their menu is the most extensive beer menu I have ever seen. top beers/breweries in no particular order: Abita turbo dog/purple haze. I had the latter in pitchers with crawfish in random bars in New Orleans in Feb, when it was so warm. Oh, lovely. There is a bar in Union Station that serves Turbo Dog on tap. I don't know why, but I prefer Abita beers on top. Off topic. Pilsner Urquell. My daddy introduced this to me a long time ago. Hacker-Schor (weiss) Summit Weiss Ale Czech-Var. Boddingtons--it comes in a can. Does this count? If faced with limited choices (i.e. Red Bull and Corona, and Sam Adams is available, I can always drink Sam--'old reliable.' I actually like their Summer Brew. For the Northeasters, is anyone familiar with Czech Rebel? You can buy it really cheaply--I have seen it in NY and PA. Speaking of PA, does anyone recall when Rolling Rock used to be a decent beer? My father bought it in the pony bottles and would always give me some as a child. Now I cannot drink the swill. Trust me, I know my swill.

Yesterday I made scones with coriander, orange zest, and currants. From Sally Schneider's "A New Way to Cook"--supposed to be lower in fat/cal than the average scone. But, who's counting? I'd like to olive bread-cannot stop eating the loaves we get at the bakery down the street.

I am pretty interested in this discussion as I have been subscribing to Gourmet for the last 3 years, I recently discontinued Martha Stewart Living, and I occasionally read Gastronomica. I was really disappointed to see that Gourmet did a dec. cookies issue. Please! I detest Bon Appetit for similiar reasons-- trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. All right, I will be fair-- I don't crave sweets, I crave the salty, bitter, and sour. I have found MSL recipes to be poorly written and trying too hard, sometimes. Last night, I was flipping through my F&W cookbook of 2000 recipes trying to come up with a menu for a dinner party, and I reminded of how good F&W can be. But, I will agree with people here- sometimes not very many recipes. Steve's ideas about a food oriented Atlantic Monthly/New Yorker are marvelous. Did anyone see the New Yorker's food issue they did this summer with an interview with Mario Batali and an article about NYC health inspectors. Fantastic writing.

9:30 is still around. They opened up a new one. Yuppified, but they bring good bands. Saw the Roots there several years ago.

I recently did something with chicken that I got from the NYtimes a while back. You marinate chicken pieces in yogurt, thyme, ginger, shallot, and lemon juice. Easy as pie. Bake. For London Broil, I like Guinness. My boyfriend argues that this is a poor use of Guinness. For pork and lamb, I usually make up dry rubs. We tend to use cardamom, ginger, garlic, fennel (in all forms). For white fish: hands down: miso.