nerissa

Very much Pro-Parnsips, and I vote. Also agree that they are under-rated. Sauteed with shallots and pancetta...yumm! I always throw them in when I make chicken soup. Agree that they are wonderful roasted with salt, thyme, and then splash some balsamic vinegar at the end. Divine. Slightly sweet flavor but crisp.

I think Marlene started a thread on this... maybe under roasting pan. I just tried searching under Marlene and roast and couldn't find it. Anyway, I know there was a thread somewhere. The NYTimes also did an article comparing roasting pans, AllClad and some copper pan were at the top in terms of price and quality, but the author did recommend a less expensive version. I think you may have to pay for the article. It was in the Dining Section. Sorry I can't give you more information.

Marinated and broiled chicken wings. Or if there will be a grill available at the party, ask if can borrow. Bring raw marinated wings and slap on grill. Or you can broil them ahead of time. Ah, mint juleps. God love that drink.

Parsnips, Proscuitto and Spinach Frittata Serves 8 as Hors d'oeuvreor 4 as Main Dish. The servings are approximate. This does warm or cold, and will last at least a day in the fridge. 2 T goat cheese (optional) 6 large eggs (can use egg whites only if preferred) 2 Parnsips, peeled and quartered in 1/4"-1/8" thick 1/4 lb Proscuitto, torn into small strips Olive Oil 10 oz Spinach, cleaned and stems removed if not using baby spinach 1 oz Pancetta, divided into small strips 2 Shallots, diced Heat a small amount of EVOO in heavy skillet. I add a little removed fat from the proscuitto as well. Add the pancetta, shallots and parnsips and saute, stirring until brown and cooked. Remove parnsips, shallots, and parnsips. Next, add proscuitto and fry slightly. Add spinach and allow to wilt, tossing to ensure that it is cooked evenly. Beat eggs. Add pancetta/shallots/parnsips and combine with spinach/proscuitto. Pour mixture into 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (or similiar oven proof pan), dotting with goat cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the middle is firm. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Breakfast, Main Dish, Brunch, Easy, Dinner, Vegetables ( RG453 )

Ah, summer after 2nd year....You gotta have a shaker to make a proper gimlet, and vodka is indeed my choice over gin (even though the original). Laziness though does allow you to mix 1 part Rose's Lime Juice with 3 part's vodka and ice using a spoon. My parents call them "silver bullets." I wasn't aware there were 2 different Rose Lime's Juice, though it has been a damn long time since I had one.

Re Valois. I have only been there once and I was scared, although my server (behind the sneeze plate) did look Robert De Niro's cousin and have a lovely 3 inch scar on his cheek. Denny's? you have to be kidding. Ugh. Overpriced. Lousy food with no soul.

Petrale sole, methinks. Yes, that's it. Thanks! I forgot the name instantly after grilling the fishguy.

Salonica, in Chicago, on the corner of E. 57th and S. Blackstone. I don't think I would have survived college (the University of Chicago) if were not for their Athenian omelet and fresh squeezed Oj. Years ago, 2 friends and I were there. One tried to order cereal and milk. Our waitress wouldn't let him--she said it was a rip-off. You get your bang for your buck, caring and competent waitresses, and a wonderfully diverse crowd. Fresser--where are you?

I have some friends in Ohio whose family owns a bar. Many years ago, they noticed an upsurge in gay attendance at the bar -- in part, they think, because they decided to do an upscale bar in an area that had mostly dives. This family is quite straight-laced in every sense of the word but has the good old real Midwestern value system of I-don't-give-a-damn-what-you-want-to-do-in-your-bedroom. So apparently one day a gay guy got picked on by some townies and the patriarch of the family stepped in and beat the crap out of him. From that day forward, they've owned a gay bar -- and they've been an extremely profitable establishment. Sometimes ethics and good business fit together nicely. Sound like good people.

A professor I took a class with, George Chauncy wrote a book about gays created their own social spaces in New York...it is a landmark book: Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940. I quote from his text: "And in the early 1930s a speakeasy on East Twenty-eight street seeking gay patronage noted suggestively that it was located in the 'Gay 20s.' Similarily, in 1951 the Cyrano Restaurant let gay men know they were welcome while revealing nothing to others by advertising itself as the place "Where the Gay Set Meet for Dinner."* *Before the term "gay" was only recognized within the subculture. Chicago has Boys Town-- I think a couple of the restaurants, but not all, might be understood as gay bars, though not as blatanly as Roscoes.

Boyfriend cooked some kind of sole, starts with a P, pan-roasted in a roll with an olive paste. Tomato, basil, and spinach on top. I made Middle Eastern Couscous with herbs de provence. (and washed the dishes).

For a friend's birthday party, I made coq a vin. Another friend said "Nerissa, the sauce is so good I want to drink it." My friend Ashley offered her a dollar to do so. And she did.

Toasted baguette or ciabatta. It is okay if it is 3 days old. Slather with water and toast. Viola@ Swirl olive oil on the plate (can be the one you use for cooking). Spoon a generous amount of good Hungarian paprika or Sweet rich Korean pepper. Salt. Dip and rib. Hmmm... that is my 11 pm snack.

Cheese curry? Blasphemy. I dunno, I think the Hungry Man breakfast ranks up there (Jinmyo's thread).

Thanks for the link. I have to agree with this, especially the ability to flawlessly open a bottle of champagne:

Ah yes. I should have mentioned the Babbo Cookbook, but I didn't-- how did it turn out? Awbrig-- erm haw... not what I meant, but oh well.

Mario Batali talks about them a lot...trying searching foodtv, or you can pull down his show (Molto Mario) and look there.

I am looking forward to visiting Burlington. I just sent in my acceptance to VLS. Eeks!

You have mentioned 2 of my most loathed magazines, Maxim and Bon Appetit. But, I do like MsRamsey's intersection of Sassy and Gourmet. I look forward to checking our you mag. Welcome.

My parents live in Northern VA so I am there often. I would love to join you guys on a tour of indian restaurants in Virginia. What about Maryland? Can I take you to Amma's Vegetarian on M street? BTW, you had me hooked as well.

Thanks for the link.

Blend strawberries, watermelon, ice, mint, and a little vodka (optional)

Snapper cooked en papiolote with ginger, shallots, soy, sherry vinegar, etc Stir fried boy choy Lundbergh brown rice--the one with the mixture of 10 different grains.

Rhea, I loved The Corrections. I actually found it funnier the 2nd time around. Each to his own, I suppose. I thought that Franzen really captured the Midwest well. Did you enjoy the foodie bits---the character Denise and her musings about dishes? That restaurant sound fantastic...and the garden coop that her lover did (I forget her name)....

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. and Atonement by Ian McEwan also, rereading occasional chapters from Paris To The Moon by Adam Gopnik Any scent hounds out there know of any new cookbooks coming out? I have memorized the titles and locations of the cookbooks at my local.