KatieLoeb

Jas: That wasn't directed at you. Heck - it probably wasn't really directed at anyone. More of a lob in the general direction of the naysayers, I guess. An attempt to tie up/comment upon the ramblings and salient points of the preceding few posts. It's late and I'm lacking clarity. My apologies.

Yeah but... Do you really want to have a place that's distinguished only by being "cheap"? That serves "unremarkable" wine simply because it's at the right price point?? Trust me fellas, I just tasted through virtually every bottle of Spanish wine that's available in PA and the two dozen or so bottles that made the cut were the best of the lot, I can promise you that. Many are not $6 bottles. A few are $8-10 bottles. The $6/glass Santa Julia Torrontes costs $7.99 +$1.50 per bottle shipping. That works out to $9.49/bottle. That's about a 31% cost at the low end of the list. I defy anyone to compare that cost to what other "comparable" establishments like The Four Seasons, Brasserie Perrier or even any of the Starr restaurants are charging for comparable wines and decry it as price gouging. And yes - the ingredients being used are very expensive. I personally witnessed inummumerable samples of anchovies and olives get tasted and rejected before the ones that made the cut were decided upon. Even the garnishes were taste tested repeatedly until the best source or recipe was determined. As I mentioned previously, Chef Garces is quite the perfectionist. But the end result is stellar food. The idea of Shola doing a Pretzels and Beer menu is highly amusing. I'm sure it would be great and a vast improvement over the last debacle resembling that in our fair city. Anyone remember Marcus Samuelsson's original "Global Street Foods" menu at Washington Square? Yikes! Now it seems that Chef Samuelsson AND the ill conceived menu are both gone. Pity, but it's what happens when you try to be too ambitious/ambiguous.

Tonight, whole wheat Penne with sauteed Broccoli Rabe, chopped olives and red pepper flakes. Lots of garlic in the sautee and lots of grated Pecorino at the end. It was very good.

I'm with Maggie on this one. Bubble tea is nasty. The "bubbles" at the bottom of the glass are the texture of mucus. Yech. It just spoils the tea for me. And if I wanted tapioca, I'd have tapioca pudding, a comfort food that makes me feel like a kid again. Milkshakes on the other hand can have ever so tiny pieces of fruit in them and make me very happy.

David: There's a Pernil Asado in the Carnes section of the menu that comes atop a white bean stew, a well as a roast suckling pig for 4 or more that is carved tableside and comes with several side dishes. The roast piglet has to be ordered in advance, but it is delicious as well. Works out to about $32/person but as I mentioned, it comes with roasted potatoes, white beans and spinach and garbanzo sides. Definitely a good deal for a full meal. There's a very cute statue of a pig right inside the doorway of the restaurant that is an hommage to the importance of pork in Spanish cuisine.

Kristin: I don't see why not. I'd try to make sure it's not all ground breast though, or it might be kind of dry at the end. One of the consistent comments/compliments I've always gotten about this recipe is that you totally can't tell that it's made from ground Turkey - it tastes just like beef chile, I think because of the chorizo and the smokiness the black beans add. Actually you could probably make your chili out of almost anything, and just use the spice paste part of my recipe. That's what really does it, but the overall result is always delicious too.

Fifi, you or anyone are welcome to try my award winning Turkey, black Bean and Chorizo chili recipe HERE. I'm afraid I won't have time this weekend to participate nor do I need a batch of chili that big for just little 'ol me. But it is quite tasty and always is a crowd pleaser.

I suspect if you walk in any restaurant with that attitude, you'll be a self-fulfilling prophecy. ← Money doesn't grow on trees for me. Thank you for the insightful comment however. ← Nor is there a money tree in my yard. I often wish there were however, no luck so far. But I realize that the menu prices in any establishment are what they are and either I don't go if I can't afford it (e.g Le Bec Fin or Morimoto) or only go for "special occasions" (Brunch at LaCroix or the Four Seasons) if that's what it comes down to. But I walk in expecting a pleasant overall experience and consider the ambiance, originality of the cuisine and service as part of the package. I do try not to be negative before I've even crossed the doorstep. That's all I was implying with my "insight". Not everyone has to order 10 plates per person. I suspect you'd be surprised by the number of items on the menu at Amada that might be more in your price range. A meal constructed of a Tortilla Espanola, a serving of sliced to order Serrano ham with bread and accoutrements and a fine draught beer or glass of sangria would probably run you about $20 (before tip) and be quite satifying as well as a mini vacation to an authentic Spanish tapas experience as you might have in Barcelona or Madrid. You ought to give the menu a look and see if you could cobble together a very pleasant meal for yourself within your budgetary guidelines. I believe it's totally possible if you're willing to approach with an open mind (and slightly open wallet!)

For the moment one each of Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. Priced at either $7 or $8/glass for a 3 oz. pour. Flight of any three of your choosing for $21. Smaller pour flights in the near future. My personal preference are for the Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. The really dry styles aren't my personal favorite and although Alvear and Domecq are both good producers, they aren't my cup of tea. Or sherry. The Osborne Pedro Ximenez is my personal money shot pairing with the Foie Gras a la Plancha tapa. The foie is quick seared on the plancha and then served on brioche French toast. The sweet sherry is like the maple syrup it needs to go with it. Stunningly delicious. Possibly the best pairing of any beverage and any tapa on the respective menus.

Mild mannered database manager by day. Bacon scholar and intrepid researcher by night. You 'da man.

I hadn't noticed this thread before either. Andie, I just have to say that I am endlessly impressed with your attention to detail, insistence on home made ingredients and fluency with all manner of cooking and baking. You are truly awe inspiring.

I'd wait a couple of weeks until the power is back in the Keys. From CNN it looks like they took a beating today with Wilma. Your analogy makes me think of gefilte fish as a delivery vehicle for horseradish.

I have tentative plans for dinner at Dmitri's tomorrow night. If I make it, I'll see if I can get the line cooks to reveal the secret. I always like to sit at the counter anyway...

Katie, whacking off that knob or severing those tendons down by the knob help eliminate that stringiness, greatly. ← Thanks for that tip, Susan. I'll definitely try that next time. I really love the taste of turkey legs (I'm a dark meat preferrer, although breast is nice for sandwiches) but the texture is a bit of a turnoff. What you're saying makes complete logical sense to me. The long slow "au vin" braise sounds like a good option too.

Very true, Sam. Sadly the new generation of bartenders have been raised making chilled shots of vodka or gin and calling them martinis or are well schooled in margaritas or mojitos because that's what the bar they worked at last was known for, but can't make a proper manhattan to save their lives. An Old Fashioned? Say What? I think it should be required to know at least the ingredients and preparation of a few of the classic old standards before you can move on to funkier concoctions. I don't care if you know how to make a Pink Squirrel, but damm it, you'd better reach for the bitters when you mix that Manhattan! And chill the glass ferchrissakes!

Moving away from Philly (and Dmitri's) is exactly what pushed me to try making it myself. I daresay I have been coming pretty close lately! edit: Katie, I became a huge fan of conch after living in florida. There was a tiny little Caribbean place near my grandparents' house that had the most amazing spicy conch chowder. Another sea creature that benefits from being frozen, actually... ← Behemoth: Sounds like the octopus experiments have been paying off! If it's even coming close to Dmitri's it has to be pretty good. I've had conch fritters in Florida too. I recall them being pretty tasty. The fritters that Carrot Top describes with the coconut milk and the mint-coriander dipping sauce sound divine!

Can one confit a turkey leg? I suppose you'd have to use duck fat, but it sounds like it has potential. Might keep it from having that stringy texture, too. Just a thought...

The $40 tapas tasting sounds doable, if it survives. Just hope I'm able to keep the wines under $20.... ← The $40 tapas tasting menu will undoubtedly survive. It's definitely something that the kitchen staff takes pride in and considers a major focus and value added attraction for the guests. The menus will change periodically as well. As for keeping the wine under $20, sangrias are $28/pitcher for approximately 5 glasses. The forty bottle list is ALL available by the glass and ranges from $6-20/glass with plenty of selections under $12. And of course if you have any questions about the wine list, all you have to do is ask.

I made a large batch of Potato-Leek soup over the weekend. No dairy at all, just lots of leeks, onions, and peeled Yukon Golds. Seasoned with a bit of thyme and rosemary. It's good on a dreary day like today.

Jeff aka Philadining has been Shola's de facto roommate and Constant Dining Guest of late, so we're just all busting on him because we're pea green with envy.

Aw shucks, Mike! You're too kind. I appreciate the props.

David: There's Pernil Asado calling your name, my friend... <Ahem> OK there's a vision I'm pretty sure no one is quite ready for, least of all me! And anyway, I'd probably bump my head on the hams hanging from the ceiling if I were to Flamenco on the bar. That's enough of that...

I suspect if you walk in any restaurant with that attitude, you'll be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I realize this is sort of late, but rather than a topping on pumpkin cheesecake, a caramel coating over the crust is the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. This trick was taught to me by the pastry chef at my very first restaurant job. 2 dozen Kraft caramels, wrapping removed. Place caramels into a pyrex measuring cup. Melt in microwave on medium power and pour over crust before pouring in the cheesecake batter. Voila! Instant layer of caramel under your cheesecake. Fabulously effortless. Works with any flavor cheesecake batter and the dark chocolate caramels work too.

Maple syrup in my chili recipe HERE I was taught this trick by Chef Robert DelGrande of Cafe Annie in Houston. He told me that something sweet like sugar, molasses, maple syrup or cane syrup would slow down the attack of the heat of the chiles. Damned if he wasn't right. The maple syrup makes the chile heat kind of sneak up instead of instantly severing the nerve endings in your mouth. Brilliant. I'll never make a recipe with chiles again that doesn't take that into consideration.