Andrew Fenton

It's sort of a shame that lambs are genuinely really, really cute, isn't it? That one looked adorable. Also, delicious. Mmmm, sweetbreads. As to the lungs: why not coratella con carciofi? Since you've still got the heart and the liver, you've all the makings right there. I'll confess, the lungs are my least favorite part of the dish, but I'll bet that this lamb would be superior to what I've had in the past.

Much as I enjoy fantasies about my REAL ULTIMATE INTERNET POWER, I suspect that eGullet posts have very little effect on a restaurant's bottom line. Certainly compared to the effect of a review in one of the local papers, it's gotta be tiny.

I did not try it, though maybe next time. I wasn't really out to demolish my mouth, but it's good to know that there's an option. Greg: any more specific recommendations at Oriental Restaurant? I'm always up for some good soup...

So it only took me, like, nine months to make another try at Cafe Diem... nine wasted months! Anyway, I had the bun bo hue dac biet (the waitress confirmed with me, asking "tendon?" Yes, tendon!) The broth is as good as everybody says it is- though not so spicy. I'm no he-man when it comes to spice, but this didn't raise much of a sweat. Still, rich and flavorful, the important things. Lots of meat, too; more meat than you get in most pho, I think. I'm not crazy about the thicker round noodles, but that's secondary. I'd head back to Cafe Diem any time.

Stovetop smoking is a great technique for lots of different foods; there are a couple of threads on it around. It's especially good for urbanites and apartment dwellers without the outdoor space for a big smoker. I don't know that Sur La Table product, but you might take a look at the Cameron smoker. It's half the price, and is larger: I can smoke a brisket or pork shoulder in mine, though it really works best for salmon or chicken.

This requires some equipment, so might not work for you, but chicken wings are ideal for a stovetop smoker. Apply a spice rub and let sit for a day or two, then smoke them for around 30 minutes. Finish them under the broiler to crisp them up. I've been cooking wings this way a lot; it's easy, neat, tasty, and healthier than deep-frying. The wings are pretty addictive.

Oh, I definitely take your point that "willing" and "able" are two very different things! What I'm saying is that there are very few Americans who will spend $25 on a quarter-pound of ham. Those who have the means, the education, the desire, etc., to do so are a pretty small subset of the population. I think that subset is an elite; not the elite, but one of many sorts of elites. That might be an unfortunate word in some ways, since people react poorly to it, but I do think it's accurate- and I can't off-hand think of a more appropriate word.

You're confusing "elite" with "elitist." I'm not saying (and I don't see Sterling saying) that people who spend $100/pound for jamon iberico are snobs: I know them, and they're not. But you're living in a fantasy world if you think that Americans from all walks of life are willing and able to spend that money on that product.

I didn't see anything in the article that suggested that Slow Foodies are poseurs, or that they are dishonest about their motives. It's all out there in the open: they're using the global market to protect culinary diversity. I do think that what has people upset is the word "elite." But Slow Food is, among other things, an elite movement. I mean, what else would you call people who pay $100 per pound for jamon iberico? I don't consider that an insult; it's just a fact.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "satire"; what is it satirizing? I mean, the description of Slow Food seems basically accurate to me: that sort of rules out satire right there. And as an assault-- or even satire-- on the movement, words like "myrmidon" are pretty weak sauce! Moreover, consider the final paragraph, which is frankly admiring of Slow Food: I'm not going to claim that the article is well-written-- as I said, it's snarky, which doesn't help Sterling's case-- but it doesn't strike me as at all unreasonable in its content.

The problem is that the author appears to have a problem with that! I don't get that. Can you point to examples?

It seems that most of the responses in this thread are to the tone of the article, which, I agree, is snarky and distracts from Sterling's argument. But that argument seems to me to be pretty straightforward: Slow Food has used the tools of globalization to allow producers of specialized, local foods to market their products to a global community of food lovers. To me, that doesn't seem like an "assault" on Slow Food; it seems like a pretty accurate (if superficial, I guess) description of how the organization has used globalized networks in ways that McDonald's or Monsanto never could. What's the problem?

it's not the terminal or montgomery county but first oriental supermarket down at 6th & washington carries frozen banana leaves. ... and that's where you'll have to get them; the RTM Thai place doesn't have banana leaves (I asked the other day.)

Maybe a more productive question would be, "can I regularly get a porchetta sandwich in Philly?" To which the answer is, I think, no; I've only seen them on special occasions, like at the Italian Market festival. Needless to say, I would be delighted to be proved wrong, because (heresy though it may be) I prefer that style of sandwich too.

Shrimp and grits are an odd dish. My understanding is that up until maybe 15-20 years ago they were a sub-regional dish and really hard to find; then all of a sudden in the 90s, they got haute and practically ubiquitous. My wife, the Savannah native, had never had them until the mid-90s. But we served them at our wedding; so go figure. Oh, and for another place in Philadelphia to get them, try the Geechee Girl Cafe. I haven't tried them there, but I'm certain they're good.

Definitely give George's a try. I haven't tried the BBQ veal (though I will, now), but have had a few other sandwiches, all of which were good. And they have tripe sandwiches! It's not like I want to eat a tripe sandwich every day, but it's nice to know that there's one available for me at a moment of need.

The White Dog has shrimp and grits on the menu. I'm not going to tread on the dangerous path of assessing authenticity, but it's tasty.

Pickles go well with barbecue because they make a good contrast with barbecue. While BBQ is hot, pickles are cool; while 'cue is rich, pickles are acidic; while the meat is tender, pickles are crispy and tender. Add in barbecue sauce and you get another contrast, between sweet sauce and sour pickles. Those contrasts are the genius of the combination.

Mamster, I've bought several for gifts at the new Fred Meyer in Ballard, and I think they're also at either Safeway or QFC. ← Special K~ You must be a fan. Tell us of your experience, please. ←

That was my first thought too. But they're not really in Port Richmond, are they?

According to the article, it'll be on the menu, so you're all set. Anyway, that's great news; I look forward to enjoying a few snackbar Bloody Marys this spring...

Ha! The next time somebody tries to tell you that fatty, salty, nitrite-laden foods are bad for your health, show them this article. Sausage saves lives, people! My only complaint is that they didn't say where they were going to eat. Somewhere in Port Richmond, so maybe they were looking for kielbasa?

I've never been touched by an Italian I didn't know; certainly not by a waiter. I don't think my experience is unusual, but I suppose it could be.

there is a perception by people other than in the USA that the greeting is not perhaps as sincere as it initially sounds. i.e it is not a prevailing social protocol elsewhere ← I think even in the USA, there isn't much sincerity in the phrase either. It is simply treated as an end piece to an encounter with someone you may or may not know. It is normally followed by a, "Thank you." or, "You, too." I think it is treated in the same vein as, "How are you today?" when asked by a complete stranger. Clearly this is not an invitation for me to vent all of my daily frustrations. ← There is no sincerity in the words; they are an example of phatic communion, that is, a phrase that's meaningless in itself, but is used to reinforce social bonds. Being bothered by the phrase is as silly as being bothered by "farewell" (no thanks!) or "adieu" (I'm an atheist!)

Glad you liked Sweet Potatoes! Any place that has a "green of the day" is my kinda joint. If you head back, try the catfish...