rlibkind

Dinic's made their long-awaited move within the Reading Terminal Market overnight to the former Harry Ochs location. But not without challenges involving the ovens. The staff found that one of the ovens simply wouldn't fit through the opening in the old counter. So out came the sledgehammer to create a suitable opening. "I almost cried," said Tom Nicolosi, proprietor of Dinic's. But that wasn't the end of the oven problems. Because of electrical box issues, the electric ovens wouldn't work at all, and the gas oven needs electricity to drive its fan. Undaunted -- and with assurances from the electrician that all would be well soon -- Nicolosi, son Joe (pictured above at the new stall this moring) and the rest of the crew still planned to be serving their sandwiches for lunch today.

Boston Globe is about two months behind the news. Maine papers had this in late October (see first item in this topic: 2,000 metric tonnes = about 4.4 million pounds).

I roasted one precisely that size last weekend. Browned exterior in roasting pan (no fat added), took about 12-15 minutes. Then roasted at 200F until probe reached 135F, took about 150 minutes, then rested under foil for about half an hour with minimal temp rise. Came out perfect rosy red (medium rare) throughout. But since wife prefers hers medium, not a success from her point of view. Next time I'll roast at 350F so ends are done more but center remains medium rare. It was a two-rib, five-pound nearly square roast prepped and tied by my butcher from a piece of Choice grade chuck-end prime rib that was marbled nearly like a good piece of Prime grade. Loin end may be a tad more tender but to my taste lacks the beefy flavor of chuck end.

It seems there are a few potential entrepreneurs interested in taking over the Spice Terminal. Paul Steinke, the Reading Terminal Market's general manager, reports there are three existing vendors and two outsiders who have expressed interest. In the meantime, Jonathan Best is widening its spice and herb selection. WiFi service, suspended since early fall when work on the Avenue D project displaced the market's office, came back on line last week. Good coverage in center court and the piano court (where the holiday train display has temporarily displaced seating), but spotty around the market's perimeter. The Fair Food Farmstand has added a new display case, fronting on the aisle, showcasing its cheese selection, making cheesemonger Paul Lawler very happy.

The cupboards are getting barer and barer at the Spice Terminal, and not just because bakers are grabbing spices for their Christmas cookies and cakes. The long-time proprietor of the Spice Terminal, Al Starzi, died about a year and a half ago. With the stall scheduled to move to a space under the market office later this winter as part of the Avenue D redesign project Starzi's family decided to shut down at the end of next month. Once the decision to close was made they stopped restocking the shelves. The Spice Terminal has been my go-to vendor for all sorts of seasonings, nuts, condiments and other special items for the nearly 30 years I've been a market regular. If I recall correctly, it was originally located on the Filbert Street side of the market before moving to center court with the mid-1980s renovation completed in connection with construction of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With the closing of the business the only vendor with a reasonable selection of similar merchandise in one space will be Jonathan Best, though some selected items are available at Salumeria, Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce, Iovine Brothers Produce and other stalls. It's possible these and other merchants may expand their offerings to take up the slack. The Spice Terminal also offered a decent selection of whole bean coffees as a competitor to Old City Coffee. RTM GM Paul Steinke would love to see someone continue the business, but that appears unlikely. Some of the Spice Terminal space will accommodate the relocated Flying Monkey Bakery, which will also take over Spataro's space when they move across the aisle where DiNic's now holds the fort. DiNic's hopes to open in mid to late-January in the former Harry Ochs stall. The remainder of the Spice Terminal space off center court is scheduled to be occupied by an as yet undetermined new merchant. Talks are continuing with Valley Shepherd Creamery to occupy space along the back wall of Avenue D. The New Jersey cheese-maker recently opened its new store in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood concurrent with the closing of its outlet in Manhattan. In the past Steinke said he has a waiting list of potential vendors waiting to open businesses at the RTM. A major reason for the Avenue D project is to create more leaseable space.

It's not Calvados because it's not Norman, heck it's not even French, but Lairds' 7-1/2 year old apple brandy tastes greatly of apple. I enjoy it at least as much as a young calvados ( I find the younger ones more apple-ly, the older ones akin to to traditional aged grape brandies.) Just avoid the applejack, which is a lesser brandy blended with neutral spirits. From America's first licensed distillery.

Before those sweet bell peppers top your roast pork sandwich at DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market, they've got to be prepped. Every morning Jun snaps out the cores before the peppers go into the oven with a light dressing of olive oil. Last week I had a hankering for one of Tommy's sandwiches and managed to order something other than the roast pork. Instead I opted for the brisket, which you should try. Tender and flavorful it's like beef done as pulled pork -- but even more succulent. I kept it simply topped with roasted hot peppers. Tommy's partner and son, Joe Nicolosi, says they won't be rushing to open their new location in the former Harry Ochs stall, because they want to make sure they do it right. They're aiming for mid-January, so they can have some shake-down time before the auto show crowds descend.

As winter nears the number of vendors dwindle at the Headhouse Square Farmers' Market operated by the Food Trust. But that negative can be a positive: producers who can't get in during the height of the season can get a space. That was the case yesterday for Stryker Farm of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, which raises heritage breed pigs and meat goats. Young farmer Nolan Thevenet is new to farming, but he's enthusiastic. Because I had picked up enough meat for the week at the Reading Terminal Saturday, I abstained from indulging in pure pigmeat from Nolan, but couldn't resist picking up some scrapple. Stryker Farms' scrapple, Nolan says, isn't made from innards like liver and heart, as is traditional, but from scrap meat, including jowls. Now, I have no objection to the innards in my scrapple, indeed, if you're going to keep it historic that's the way to go, adding a bit of livery savoriness. Still, I look forward to frying up a couple slices. The farm raises their pigs out of doors and lets them forage in the fields and woods, supplementing their diet in winter with barley and grass feed, not corn. Like many heritage pig farmers Stryker Farm uses a Tamworth cross (in this case with Hereford), though Nolan said he'd like to get some Berkshire into his piggies' bloodlines. Nolan plans to be at the final two Headhouse markets this season (the next two Sundays) and hopes to get a spot next season as well. Also during my Headhouse visit Sunday: With the season winding down, the offerings at Blooming Glen Farm's stall were slim today, but what they did have was choice, including these black radishes. When you find them in supermarkets, black radishes tend to be the size of bocci balls. They're good, but the smaller, freshly dug versions are superior. You can roast them like a turnip, but they're probably at their best raw. I like to grate mine and mix into soft sweet butter, then spread it on good pumpernickel or rye bread. But I've seen some salad recipes that look like they're worth trying. Most call for the radishes to be thinly sliced (a mandoline comes in handy), then tossed with apples or oranges, placed atop a bed of escarole or similar green, dressed with a simple vinaigrette. And the green tops can be treated like any other cooking green. We're at the tail end of the season for local persimmons, like these found at Culton Organics. The Fuyu variety can be eaten while still firm, but the Hachiya, which I prefer, must be allowed to ripen -- just shy of becoming rotten -- to be best enjoyed. I just lop off the stem end and dig in with a spoon, eating the gelatinous flesh like pudding.

You might want to try navel which is the classic cut for Jewish deli pastrami. Harder to find but a real butcher shop can easily order it for you.

The three-quart saucier is a very useful item, available for less than $200. Excellent for soups, sauces, braises, can go into oven, easy to clean. I'd avoid the non-sticks. Not that they're bad, they're just not as useful. And a stainless steel interior is not hard to clean (give him a can of Bartender's Friend, too, which makes cleaning a breeze).

There were apple varieties galore at the Headhouse Square farrmer's market yesterday at the three primary apple vendors: Three Springs Fruit Farm, Beechwood Orchards, and North Star Orchards. When it comes to antique (a.k.a. heirloom) varieties, North Star always has a few surprises. This week I picked up an apple I've been waiting for: the Newtown Pippin, pictured above. This is a green but sweet-tart apple native to the Mid-Atlantic region (it's named after Newtown, which is a neighborhood deep in the heart of Queens: perhaps you've crossed Newtown Creek while snailing along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway en route to a Phillies-Mets game. The beauty of the Newtown Pippin is its storage quality, indeed, this apple improves with age. North Star's Ike Kerschner said he picked his crop a month ago, but is only now bringing them to market because they weren't ready to eat then. But they'll get even better in a few months. Kept loosely bagged in the refrigerator these will make especially fine eating come January and February when most other apples will be well-passed peak flavor. Another interesting variety from North Star this week was the Reinette Simerenko, a tart Eastern European variety for a welcome change of taste. North Star has a fine web site that includes spot-on descriptions of their apple varieties. Golden Russet is yet another variety you are unlikely to find at the Acme, or even Wegman's. I bought some more this week from North Star. They are far from the classic red apple, but well worth seeking out, with a pear-like flavor and texture. Great with a good cheese, like Birchrun Hill's Fat Cat washed rind comestible. Over at Beechwood Orchards (they also have a website with apple descriptions worth consulting) Stayman Winesap and Northern Spy were my apples of choice. Both are older commercial varieties (19th century). Although either can be eaten either raw or cooked, I find the former tops for consuming fresh, the latter best for pies, tarts and other applications involving heat. Beechwood also had the original Winesap, which is a tad tarter than its Stayman offspring. I like it better for cooking than eating though it can be used either way. It's also a good "keeper" for two or three months. If you're into drying your own fruit, sliced Winesaps are ideal for schnitz. Three Springs Fruit Farm isn't into the antiques, but Ben Wenk and family still offer a nice selection of commercial varieties. I'm not a big fan of Honeycrisp (too one-dimensionally sweet to me taste), but it's a favorite among a lot of apple shoppers, and Three Springs has them as well as Staymans and other popular varieties. (And if you want a taste of summer through the winter, buy some of their canned peaches: delicious.) About apple storage: As mentioned earlier, I keep my Newtown Pippins in the fridge, along with all other apples. While some fruits improve with room temperature storage to come to proper ripeness, apples don't and will deteriorate. Keep them in the crisper either loose or very loosely bagged, allowing them to breath. If you like to eat your apple at room temperature, take them out no more than a day before you intend to consume them.

It's shakedown time for Molly Molloy's, the Iovine Brothers' production that replaced The Beer Garden off center court of the Reading Terminal Market. With the understanding that any new restaurant will have kinks to work out, and that I've only tried two breakfast items and one lunch dish, here are some early impressions. It seems that all restaurants are noisy these days -- one wishes Craig Laban's well-intentioned decibel critiques had more influence on interior designers -- and Molly Molloy's is no exception. It's louder at a table here, even when it's only one-third full, than the tables in center court. Both breakfast items I tried (taken out for enjoying in center court) were superb. The French Toast was cooked perfectly from good quality bread with a very slight background vanilla flavor (which of course was mostly overpowered by the maple syrup I ordered). Just as good was the scrapple: crispy exterior, creamy interior with the proper pork liver-y (but not overpowering) flavor. A few days later I ordered the Pumpkin Pancakes with fresh cheese, and here's where one of the kinks kicked in, though by no means impacting the quality and flavor of the food. It was about 15 minutes after the 8 a.m. opening and chef Bobby Fisher had yet to prepare the batter. Jim Iovine, who knows me, noticed this and came over to distract me from what would be less than lickety-split service. (To no avail; I had already spotted Bobby making batter and surmised there would be a delay.) Still, it only took about 15 minutes or so until my order was ready, and it was perfectly enjoyable, though the traditional pumpkin pie spice flavors were a bit too subtle; in the words of that New England Portuguese-Québécois chef transplanted to New Orleans, it could have been taken up a notch. Given the lack of spice the fresh cheese seemed unnecessary, though it would be more welcome if the pancakes had greater kick. I selected sausages as my accompanying meat and found them very banger-ish, which is a good thing. She Who Must Be Obeyed and I stopped by for lunch a week after opening, and we both agreed the starter we shared -- Butternut Squash Croquettes -- was the big hit. Although pricey (four golf balls for $4.50) they were perfectly fried, greaseless, crackly exterior and squashy interior. The plate could have used a bit more of the spiced pear butter, though. SWMBO ordered the hamburger ($10) which arrived as a substantial piece of meat and an even more substantial brioche bun. (I wish rolls served with burgers were more appropriately sized; I think London Grill has it right in using English muffins for their excellent burgers). She enjoyed it very much, and it had a great charcoal grill flavor. (I'm not sure if they have a charcoal grill, though the rib eye steak sandwich says it's "char-grilled".) Since she likes her burgers medium, and I'm a Pittsburgh-rare kind of guy, it was too well-done for me. The burger also seemed tightly packed; I think the grind should be more loosely packed for best flavor and mouth-feel. Still, a quality burger if not up there on the first level. We both thought the French fries were very good. I ordered the Braised Short Rib Pie ($6.50), but I didn't pay enough attention to the menu description: I thought I was going to get a pot pie. Instead what appeared on my plate, otherwise barren except for a Guinness reduction, were two empandas. Once I got over my misunderstanding of pie type, I was impressed by the quality of the pastry wrapper itself: thin, crunchy and greaseless: it was baked prior to service to cook through, then quickly deep-fried upon ordering. My only complaint (and others would consider this a merit) was all I could find was the shredded meat, but no carrots or onions. When I noted this to one of the managers he responded that he had another customer who complained of too many veggies and not enough meat. There was not a huge amount of meat inside, even considering the paucity of vegetables, but it was flavorful. The Guinness reduction as sauce (which prompted me to order a Guinness as my quaff) was a nice touch. The platter could have used some sort of vegetable side, though. While I went with the Guinness, SWMBO read the bar menu and immediately pounced upon the Juicy Pear ($10) among the specialty cocktail offerings: Blue Coat gin, pear nectar, ginger ale and lemon. Alas, though listed on the menu Molly Molloy's had yet to have any available after more than a week after opening; seems they hadn't made the necessary pear nectar, which they insist be made on premises rather than purchased. Good intensions. No execution. If they don't have it, it shouldn't be on the menu. I've yet to work my way through the extensive list of draft (24) and bottled (24) beers, but so long as they actually have them it's impressive. Perhaps Molly Molloy's will never be a destination beer bar (especially since it closes when the market does, 6 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday) like Monk's or any number of other tappies, but hop-heads won't be disappointed with offerings like Dogfish 60 Minute IPA, Stoudt's Scarlet Lady, Spaten Oktoberfest, Weyerbacher Winter Ale, Harpoon UFO, Ithaca Apricot Wheat, or Great Lakes Elliot Ness as well as the pedestrian macro-brews. Still, they could do better than O'Doul's for a non-alcohol offering (SWMBO suggested Kaliber from Guinness). All-in-all, Molly Molloy's offers plenty worth trying right now, and I expect that under the Iovine's management and Chef Fisher's talents it will only get better. I intend to work my way through the entire menu over time.

Is this something that Sonny D'Angelo might have? Doesn't show on website, but he might have it.

If you like these northern waters delicacy, there won't be nearly as much this season. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cut the catch for this season to 2,000 metric tons from last season's 4,000. Last season was cut short because the catch exceeded the prescried limit by 48 percent. Here's the Bangor Daily News report on the commission's action.

You are a fount of wisdom, John. I'll try it next spring, not too far from me. I always had the hot works at Syd's, so I've worked to do my best to replicate the hot relish. I found a 1:1 ratio of Wegman's plain dill relish and hoagie spread works.

Forgot about this old party fav: Heat equal parts cheap yellow mustard and currant jelly. It will smell quite pungent at first as the vinegar from the mustard evaporates, but this will subside. When melted and warm, add cocktail franks or cut up full size dogs. Serve when heated through in chafing dish with toothpicks.

As usual, John, a comprehensive, useful report. PS: I'm still finishing off the last of the 10 pounds of Syd's dogs I bought at Best this past spring.

I'm a classicist: German style franks steamed over kraut sautéed with onion. A couple of weeks ago I added unpasteurized, untreated apple cider for the steaming liquid. Good mustard, a beer and some rye bread complete the meal.

There are a number of False Morels, some of which cause no harm, some of which are carcinogenic, some of which bear liver toxins. 'Nuff said.

Plastic sheeting and temporary construction walls adorn the east end of the Reading Terminal Market as its renovation program builds steam. All cold storage has moved to the basement as work begins on two family bathrooms under the market's mezzanine management office. Once the new lavs are ready, temporary access changes to the men's room will be made so that work can begin on the new home for La Cucina at the Market. Meanwhile work is underway at DiNic 's new center court location in the former Harry Ochs space; owner Tom Nicolosi hopes for a late November opening. L. Halteman, which will shift west to take over the former flower vendor space, has positioned a new refrigerated display case there in anticipation of its move later this fall. One casualty of the renovations has been the market's free wi-fi service, which had to be temporarily shut when work started on its remodeled mezzanine offices. When the new office opens about mid-November a new and improved wi-fi system will be installed. Unrelated to the renovations, produce vendor O.K. Lee has gotten into the spirit by replacing its display tables. The finished wood displays are a significant visual improvement over the more rustic displays they replaced.

The Iovine's opened gastropub Molly Molloy's at the Reading Terminal Market this morning. Named after brothers Jim and Vinnie Iovine's mother, the pub replaces the considerably more downscale Beer Garden. The only detail to be resolved is whether customers can take beer into center court to enjoy with items bought from other market vendors. Jim Iovine told me their license allows them to sell beer for consumption in market seating areas, but they have yet to present their request to market management, which must also approve any such plan. Paul Steinke, the RTM's general manager, told me today that when the Iovines get around to making a formal request "it's a policy matter we have to deal with." Beyond operational issues, liability will be a key question, i.e., who's the responsible party for an alcohol-related incident outside of Molly Molloy's but within the market? Until that's resolved, you'll have to enjoy the craft beers offered by Molly Molloy's within the confines of the gastropub. Although beer sales are strictly on-premises for now, there is a take-out counter for food. I tried it for a late breakfast this morning and found chef Bobby Fisher's French toast with berry sauce quite good, accompanied by a sagey scrapple. While I was enjoying that at a center court table, Tom Nicolosi of DiNic's had an early lunch of something else with French in its name: onion soup; he noted with approval that it was made from homemade stock, not an institutional salt-based broth. No menu has been posted at the restaurant's website yet, but Menupages has one, even if they misspell its name. Hot sandwiches include braised oxtail, pork belly, rib eye, pulled chicken, and burgers. Irish beef stew, fish and chips, short ribs and chicken pot pies are among the entrees. And since the bar's focus is beer, there are wings. There isn't a lot of overlap on the menu with what's offered by other RTM lunch vendors, but of all the others the one most likely to be concerned would be the Down Home Diner, which also offers a large seating area independent of center court and similar foodie aspirations. My guess is that Molly Molloy's won't so much take away business from the Down Home Diner as grow its own volume. And if it gets permission to sell beer in plastic cups for travel to center court, it can only help other sandwich vendors (though their profitable soft drink sales may suffer).

Just got back to Philadelphia yesterday with some North Shore aquavit I scored during Midwest trip. Tried it, and while it won't replace Linie as my favorite which is easily available in U.S., it's a welcome change. Nice coridaner-carraway flavor with a citrus hint; could probably benefit from additional aging in the distillery's American oak.

It's not a mushroom guide (it's a novel), but I commend any would-be mushroom forager to read John Lanchester's "Debt To Pleasure".

This is what dogs are for.

Barclay Prime it was, and quite a nice meal. Malpeque oysters and rib steak for me, Caesar salad and small filet for her. We shared whipped potatoes, creamed spinach and sautéed mushrooms (all tasty, but all over-salted). She had bubbly rosé, I went for a single glass of red. Creme brulée cake for her, panna cotta for me. Coffee for both of us. The service was fine (I got a chuckle out of the knife service), the room pleasant, though still like every "designed" restaurant, too noisy. When your waiter offers a penlight to illuminate the menu, you know it's underlit (though he probably figured we're old f-rts and can't see, which is true enough). As for the meat itself, SWMBO enjoyed her filet and nearly finished the 8-ounce portion, which means she really did like it. Unlike me, she ordered a sauce, the au poive, and thought it superb. My rib steak was certainly tasty and cooked to order, but it was not the blowout steak I think a steakhouse should offer. Although they may technically be graded differently, the rib steaks I've gotten from Charlie Giunta at the RTM were just as beefy and well-marbled as the prime on my plate. The biggest difference is that Barclay Prime's broiler mavens are much more expert at cooking a steak than I am. (Since I only occasionally cook steak -- and the cut and consistency of the individual pieces of meat vary -- I don't always get it to the degree of doneness I'm seeking.) Bottom-line: Certainly good, they know how to cook steak, and priced to the market for this type of establishment. I was, however, expecting bigger beef flavor from the steak. I think I'd rather spend $250 on a dinner for two elsewhere in the future -- but this is more a reflection of my desire for more adventurous eating than any failure of Barclay Prime's. If you want a high-end steakhouse, this fits the bill.