rlibkind

What's called "cultured buttermilk" in most stores actually isn't what was originally called buttermilk. (See Harold McGee's opus on the science of food for a detailed explanation.) But it works. I have used the dry buttermilk, and it's okay, but I've found it more convenient to simply add a tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of lukewarm milk and let it sit for 10 minutes on the counter to coagulate, then use it as I would buttermilk. In baked goods, pancakes, etc., it's every bit as good as "cultured buttermilk" and a whole lot more convenient and less wasteful.

Maple syrup is, for all intents and purposes, a commodity. It is what it is and no processor, imho, does anything out of the ordinary that either enhances or detracts from the product. I mean, it's just sap from the sugar maple tree that's been boiled down to remove a certain percentage of water. What is different, as everyone else has mentioned, is the grade. If you want to taste maple, go for Grade B. In the case, if it's maple flavor you want, Grade A is less desireable than Grade B.

In Scotland, oats are the base of skirlie, which can be used as a meat stuffing or a savory pilaf-like accompaniment to meat and poultry dishes.

Had my homemade mushroom barley soup for dinner tonight. Yum! Buckwheat: Not really a grain (indeed, it has no gluten) but it's used like a grain. It's probably most familiar as buckwheat groats, a.k.a. kasha, an Eastern/Northern European and Jewish staple. (It's also what's used by the Japanese to make soba noodles, iirc.) In fact, I had kasha yesterday in the form of a store-bought kasha knish. Last week I made a meal out of it by topping it with a mushroom/onion gravy I concocted. The classic Jewish preparation is kasha varnischke (kasha and bow-tie egg noodles). Kasha ranges from "fine" to "medium" to "coarse" to "whole" granulation; unless you're using in in buckwheat pancakes, I'd go for the "whole".

Lunch! Great!

A little bit of Ironbound in Fairmount. Can't wait. Can use some caldo verde right about now.

Any Portuguese items?

More info, please! I'm behind Eastern State so don't go by 25th & Parrish often. In't that where Beato's Pizzeria was? (I used to send them over cans of anchovy because they didn't stock it: when I'd call in an order it would be "fish for Bob".)

I live in Fairmount (Art Museum area) and can't think of a single patisserie, not even close. Mugshot certainly doesn't count, nor does London. The only baking that gets done in the neighborhood is in the pizza establishments. Can't imagine that happening. Since RTM just signed up one high-end patisserie, Flying Monkey, to occupy the Braverman's space, I find it highly unlikely that management would allow a similar bakery in there to compete before Flying Monkey has a chance to establish itself. And even then I don't think they'd want a second patisserie.

I bet the meatballs were off that night! Didn't the waiter tell you order the sausage instead?

For satisfying meals under $25, what about Greek? Some of the steam table items can be quite tasty. I also think The Famous can fit the bill, so long as you don't ordered smoked fish. And nothing can be as satisfying as red gravy Italian. You can walk away fromf Ralph's or Villa di Roma after a plate of spaghetti and sausage or manicotti with a glass of cheap vino, including tip, for at least a few bucks less than your limit.

I think the problem some people might have with Ludwig's Garten is simply that they don't care for heartier German fare. A plate of wurst or a jagerschnitzel with cabbage is a wond'rous thing to me, as is a bacon-fat saturated Alsatian onion tart, but our aversion to all things fat these days stands in the way of enjoying these foods. This isn't great cusine, and it is one-dimensional, but it is tremendously satisfying, especially in a cold winter night.

I've even had homemade clam chowder made by friends Down East with belly (soft shell) clams.

Additional Northern Liberties observations: Once upon a time this was one of the centers of the city's commercial food industry (just look at all the meat hook rails). Very little remains. (A few caterers are still there, including Frog Commisary). When I first ventured to Northern Liberties nearly 20 years ago (my future spouse lived there) there were two bakeries: The Fiddler and Kaplan's. The Fiddler was a classic Jewish-style cake shop with outposts in the 'burbs; indeed, I was told it eventually morphed, under different ownership, into what is now the Classic Cake Shop, a small locally-owned chain. It is not, however, in Northern Liberties anymore. Kaplan's is still there on N. 3rd Street, primarily a baker of rye bread and assorted other rolls and Jewish-style bread products, though last time I stopped by (and it's been a few years) you could buy tea cakes (scones) and other sweet rolls at their retail corner outlet.

What Katie said -- the foot traffic just isn't there in Northern Liberties. She offers a very practical suggestion about staking out that neighborhood and comparing it to others. An observation: a high-end dessert consultant/caterer in town, Flying Monkey Patisserie, has decided to go the retail route and will be replacing one of the current purveyors at the Reading Terminal Market. This is an exceedingly high traffic location (center court, no less), though rents are below market. We'll see whether this sweet simian soars or sinks, though I think its chances are fairly good; other than limited offerings at one other vendor, Andros, there isn't much in the way of French patisserie; at the RTM it's either sfogliatele, shoo fly pie or the handful of solid but far from refined sweets at Le Bus or Metropolitan. (I believe baking will be done at another location, so Flying Monkey will have two rents due each month.)

It's no heavy duty restaurant model, mostly plastic, but my Zyliss works well.

There's been a Primo's for at least five years on 2000 block of Chestnut

Fla-vor: Been a couple of months since I drove by 17th & Green, but nothing's replaced Notredame. Just as I beat Philadining to the punch on Cuvee Notredame, Philadining beat me to recommending the RTM for lunch. I'll just add the following: Although the Pennsylvania Dutch Eating Place is a winner for breakfast, so is the Down Home Diner (and the latter's scrapple is better -- you can't visit Philadelphia without eaing scrapple for breakfast with your eggs). Also, Bassetts ice cream for desert before you take a nap. Just for comparison's sake, you might want to take lunch at the Famous to see how the sandwiches match up to Schwartz's or Ben's. It's at 4th & Bainbridge, about a 10-15 minute walk south of the historic district. I would imagine there's decent Asian in Montreal, but if you have a hankering for it visit Chinatown (centered at 10th & Race) for dim sum lunch. A lot of eGulleters, including me, enjoy Rangoon for Burmese fare, which is just a little different from the ordinary. If you want to spend some bucks, there's Susannah Foo for upscale fusion Chinoise, right on Restaurant Row near Le Bec Fin and Brasserie Perrier. You want oysters? Always a good selection at Sansom Street Oyster House (Sansom Street betweenb 15th and 16th). Good deal on blue points for happy hour. Does a good job on fried and broiled fish and other fish house staples. Try the snapper soup, which I would imagine you would not find in La Belle Provence. Glance through this board for multidinous discussions of Philadelphia's BYO restaurants, as highlighted by Philadining. in Center City Matyson is a good example of the genre, though the room tends to be noisy. For old-fashioned red-gravy Italian, try Villa di Roma, Ralph's or Marra's (excellent pizza at Marra's), all in South Philly. I haven't been there yet, but everyone here is raving about Amada for tapas, which opened late last year. In Center City there's Pasion for inventive South American, especially ceviche. I wouldn't reject Lacroix out of hand, especially for a wonderful, relaxing Sunday Brunch, just the right way to complete a weekend in town. Reservations highly recommended. Here's the eGullet discussion of Brunch at Lacroix complete with photos. If your sojourn here takes you to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, just a few blocks away can be found London Grill, the pluperfect neighborhood restaurant. Good food, carefully prepared, graciously served in pleasant surroundings. Enjoy your visit!

How long has it been since you dined in town, Furious? Cuvee Notre Dame has been out of business for about two or three years, ever since its proprietor, Michel Notredame, skippped town and rent payments in the dark of the night.

Oddly enough, I don't think of Pennsylvania when I think of "Coneys". The non-Coney Island "Coney" seems to be most prevalent in the Detroit metro area. They are truly nuts about them there. Holly, I think you'll just have to go the homemade route for your New England top sliced rolls. Pepperidge Farms makes and distributes them here (I've found them in the Cherry Hill Shop Rite and, I think, Klein's in the Philadelphian. From my adolescence I fondly recall the Nedicks hot dogs served in transpor hubs all over NYC. Great orange drink, decent hot dog, excellent mustard/relish, and New England rolls, iirc.

Re: Chicago hot dogs. Never understood why people would want to put fresh salad on top of their hot dog. Fermented cabbage, perhaps, but not fresh salad. The celery seed is a nice touch, though.

Mark Bittman offers one of my favs in 'How To Cook Everything..." for Brazilian style greens. Essentially coarsely chopped kale or collards. Heat a wok on high, add 1/4 c olive oil, when hot add lots of thin sliced garlic to taste (at least three or four cloves; six or seven would be better), a dash of red pepper flakes and salt and cook for only a minute. Then add greens and toss until it just starts to brown. If you like, splash with a little lemon juice or good vinegar immediately before removing.

From Philadelphia Department of Public Health's regulations governing food service establishments: "Hamburger patties and other ground meat products shall be heated to ensure that all parts of the product are heated to 155ºF (68.3ºC)." As Jason observed, such regulations tend to be within the purview of municipal or county governments, not state or national. And it is generally addressed through administrative regulations, not legislated ordinances or law.

Those strawberries I enjoyed so much were missing at Iovine's today. There were clamshell boxes of Florida berries priced at $2.49 for 16 ounces (looked like about a quart), but I passed them by. If someone tries them, let's have a report, please. Last gasp of the season for clementines ($6.99/box for California fruit) and Meyer lemons (2 for $1.49). I don't quite understand the fascination with the Meyer lemon; it lacks the pungency (acidity) which is why I like lemons and how I use them. I suppose in a couple of dishes it might make sense, but a lemon without the necessary level of acidity is just a citrus. Regular lemons selling 5/$1; limes 3/$1. Bargain fruits this week appear to be pomegranites ($1 apiece for smallish ones) and three red grapefruit for a buck (also smallish). Larger white and red grapefruit also available at, iirc, $0.89 and $1.49 apiece. Other citrus fruits included navel oranges (small Sunkists at 5/$1, larger California navels (the ones I bought last week which were very sweet) priced 3/$1. Florida juicers 5/$1. Half pint (5.6 oz) clamshells of imported blackberries were on the bargain rack at $1 apiece; when I tried them a couple weeks ago they were pretty tasteless. Green and red peppers both priced at $1.99/pound. Asian pears were prominently displayed up front for $1.29/pound. Don't know where they're from. Avocados $1 apiece, a little soft. Today's selection of bananas was pretty thin, but Iovine's does have bagged organic ones at 59 cents/pound; according to a recent issue of Consumer Reports, while it can make sense to buy some produce in its organic permutation, bananas aren't one of them. On the mushroom rack something you rarely see: fresh wood ears. $14.99/pound. Dinner this evening was cottage pie (a.k.a. shepherd's pie if you use lamb instead of beef) using Yukon A 'taters, 59-cents/pound. In addition to onion, carrots and celery, I added a leek purchased from Fair Food product ($2.50/pound). For meat, I asked went to Harry Ochs, but instead of buying the pre-ground sirloin, I got a pound of stew meat (very lean chuck pieces) and asked them to run it through the grinder just once (rather than twice, which is standard for ground beef). Reason: after quick browning I was going to slowly cook the meat with the veggies in liquid for more than an hour, which would create the necessary tenderness, but single-grinding would retain some "chew", which I like. If you're making chili or any meat pie from ground meat, this is technique worth trying. When I stopped by the Fair Food Project this afternoon, manager Ann Karlen was busy consuming some Capogiro chocolate hazelnut gelato. Since their freezer failed a couple weeks ago and the ice cream melted and refroze, they can't sell it. But the staff can eat it. As Ann remarked, "It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it." Jamison lamb is back in stock, and Ann anticipates they'll be getting deliveries monthly. It's pricey stuff, but looks very good. The lamb shanks, at $10/pound, sounds exorbitant, and they are, but they are the meatiest shanks I ever did see -- practically a little leg. Benuel Kaufman has back from a week off. Since he started opening year-round two or three years ago, he doesn't have any fresh produce from January until the first crops (and greenhouse tomatoes) come in. He does, however, still have that heavenly unpasteurized cider. Again, for posterity's sake, here's a photo of one of the vendor stalls whose lease is not being renewed, A. Halteman:

At Rich's urging in RTM thread, finally got to Carmen's for a late lunch today. Couldn't resist the sopresetta sandwich special, with aged provolone and sweet peppers. A straightforward sandwich that let the trinity of stuffing shine. And very good bread. (Liscio's? I saw boxes from them and Amoroso beside the stand.) For a true taste test and comparison with others, I'll have to try the Italian hoagie next time.