Elissa

Never will I forget how these most beloved of all Meal-Replacement Shakes were enhanced by the crisp pickled green beans a college chum added :yum: which doubled as stirrers if not consumed in a single bite following first sips. My other favorite Bloody was made by a fellow who tragically no longer tends bar at Fanelli's in SoHo I asked once what his trick was. He said that in Kubrick's film the Shining the bartender in that most eeeeerie ghost bar is making a Bloody Mary (in spite of it being called something else in the movie) and that after rewinding the scene a hundred or so times, he had the recipe down pat

The NY Times weighs in on the hijinx surrounding Mr. Parker and his French representative, Hanna Agostini.

and tana btw how does one wrangle an invite to the apple orchard roast? that's when i'd like to visit...

Thanks everyone for all the recs. And Tana Butler: what gorgeous sites you make! Between the gardens and squash flowers and Alice and Hawaii i feel as though I've been on holiday. I sent my friend the link to this thread (he's a surgeon in this thirties) so perhaps he'll take you up on your generous offer; however I promise that I will when I visit, and soon x p/s are you down for preprandial ashtanga?

Brian Young: please allow me to welcome you to eGullet and commend your taste in the same breath or in otherwords, concur.

For breakfast my favorite was the place on the other side of the train trax in Tuckahoe, not the Main Street cafe but the Italian cafe, dont remember the name, a fellow's name. They'd make me scrambled eggs with onions and a side of broccoli rabe sliced tomatos instead of potatos and a cuppa joe for $5! This IMO the hood's best diner.

Thanks Ian! As subscribers to hi-lo dicotemy (we both seek either great exquisite food or good lowly grub but gah to anything between) we'd also like recs for notable dives of any ethnicity... x

I am single and sans famille, so presumably likely quite unlike you, but quite thankful to have just escaped living several years in Bronxville. I liked the fresh air and quiet and space and light and trees, the park at the Bronx River is especially lovely, but for anything else I'd drive to town: town of course being NYC. There's a Gourmet Garage on Central Ave, though the Fairway on 125th may be closer? Aside from Bxville's excellent movie theater with arthouse films, I liked the fellow at the vaccuum shop who sharpens your knives for a song. The only other thing I can recommend anywhere close to Bxville is the sushi place in Tuckahoe where a young Burmese fellow named Sonny makes lapidary rolls and sashimi. Please tell him I say hi if you go. And do give his spicy octopus handroll a go. IMHO there is nothing worth eating in Bxville itself: avoid food at the "Italian Tapas" joint by the theater, though a glass of wine at the bar can be okay. Pan and Vino and Underhill's Crossing are both expensive and abominable. Couldn't even recommend a glass of wine at either establishment, as they both seem bent on giving customers the least quality for the most money. Tho once at Pan and Vino I did drink a bottle of Campaccio as an apperatif. I am not a fan of the deli on the corner either, the one with the mural: tho I suppose if you like potato salad with gallons of mayo, soggy pickles and Boar's Head salami, that's just the place for you. I heard that the Cup and Saucer Cafe, a most terrifying place across from the train station, has been bought and will be transformed into an establishment with Charm, but when I left that was yet to occur. In Mt. Vernon there's an Italian deli where you can get reggiano and some pretty good cured meats across from the supermarket. Further into Mt. Vernon there are ethnic shops with loads of Carribean and Brazilian goodies: fresh callaloo and scotch bonnets and the like, definitely worth exploring if not exactly sanitary. For a good sandwich without going to the city, once in a while I'd duck into the cute corner cafe in Scarsdale: smoked trout with avocado and arugula was my regular. And then of course you can visit Zachys. There be sure to seek out Alex Javadi. Which reminds me: on the otherside of the tracks in Scarsdale is one other good sushi place. I know this does not really address your question, but I dont eat bagels or take out chinese On the other hand, Kung Suh has another of their amazing Korean restaurants on Park Ave that I would definitely recommend. Good luck!

Green papaya salad. This has been my early dinner / late lunch two or three times a week since moving to Chinatown in May and I'm just praying I don't ruin it by eating it too much. Though I've sampled maybe 5 different GPSs in the hood, both Vietnamese and Thai, Nha Hang's is my undisputed favorite. The texture: soft and crunchy and crisp and light. The flavors: hot and cool, sour and the tinyest smidge of sweet. The peanuts and cilantro and chili oil! This to me is perfect food; if I have one at 4 that's pretty much all I need for the day. Usually they serve it with grilled beef on top, but actually that's superfluous. I would like watch and learn how they make it but have yet to ask. Mandalay, the Burmese restaurant up the road closed for renovations at the moment, has a ginger salad with the same capacity to enslave me. Luckily when they reopen (soon!) it will be for lunch and dinner...

A friend just moved to Santa Cruz and I was wondering which spots there one ought not miss. He likes Japanese, French, Italian, SE Asian and of course Californian Cuisine. Your recs heartily appreciated.

Batali looks cute in tights

And to think all this time I'd been dreaming of Italian superheroes flying around in grape capes CC: what does 'decidedly different' mean? Surely it cannot only refer to these two wines?

Does that mean that my beloved Tegolaia and Terrabianca and Le Pergole Torte are fake wine? I thought that these and other 'super' blends were created because winemakers didn't want to be forced to add the red and white varietals (was it malavasia and verdicchio?) winemakers were supposed to put in Chianti and Chianti Classico blends. Sometimes I find Chianti too acrid. It's been my sense that a dab of cab imparted structure and the room for sangiovese to unfold; that sangiovese in good SuperTuscans was a dancer a bit more agile on her toes. Have I been seduced by powdered tannins and de-acidification? Yes I'm aware that the Pergole is 100% Sangio, but I thought Super was what the Tuscan winemakers decided to call themselves after their refusal to have their blends mandated from above.

Does anyone have favorite Portuguese manorhouses in the north? Im trying to send two friends who like to hike to the Minho and Douro regions. Thanks

Last I was in Belem (1998) Dona Ana Maria had just opened the air conditioned El Otro, Av. Governador Jose Malcher 247, 091 223 1212. Hard to tell if she was more famous for her pato no tucupi, duck in a yellow sauce with manioc root juice and kale, or casquinha de caranqueijo: stuffed crab with coconut. Dont miss the manicoba either: bean and pork stew cooked for four days. Might find interesting things at Miako, Belem's haut rooftop sushi place, if it's still there: Rua 1 de Marco 76. Circulo Militar, where you can sit outside, has the breeziest view of the river and made a fine filhote salgado: some strange river fish in a spicy coco sauce, Praca Frei Catan Brandao. O Teatro also made all the wild river monsters with regional herbs and sauces: Av. Presidente Vargas 882. Amazon Star Tours 091 224 6244 was helpful to me booking travel in and around Belem. I'd imagine if you ask them about local river fish people and preps they'd have ideas. Could recommend a trip to Marajo and a stay at Fazenda Carmo Camara, 091 241 2202. Jurandir do Conceicau, who ran Pousada Bosque dos Aruas on Marajo, was an excellent cook. 91 223 0628 in Belem. In Manaus, the Canto da Peixada, a casual outside place, was rightfully famous for its tambaqui, Rua Emilio Moreira 1677, Centro. Rubber Opera House and Natural History Museum aside, the rest of Manaus I'd skip

Tucunare, pirarucu, tambaqui, and mero (which weigh up to 200 pounds): Lo, but these are odd fish indeed, all on view as I recall at Belem's Ver-o-Peso market. I'd bet that Dona Ana Maria of La em Casa in Belem would share with you the lo-down on how she prepares Brasil's fresh and saltwater fish. In the rivers we spied the odd pink dolphin. Sailing north from Recife to Venezuela, we were far out at sea when we passed where the Amazon's green waters emptied into the Atlantic's blue: but a mile from shore the sea was still river Green. Had the boat been glass-bottomed, surely we'd have experienced sealife as if from another planet. I remember wishing for one of those lush padded spherical James Bond submarines.

Aren't you a Bunuel fan?

japanese snacks in engrish

More Ronda pix: at an angle and across the gorge. A tower of Granada's Alhambra and an Andalucian avec chien

666? likely'd be best to quit while i'm ahead though doubt i will :muahaha:

my first post on this most intimidating thread.... lemon grass/ginger/garlic/cumin/tumeric/red pepper flake blend sauted alone then added whole pompano maybe 8 minutes; removed fish, added coconut milk and clams; reduced. returned fish to heat thru; served sauce over fish over rice sprinkled with cilantro/thai basil chop and toasted almond slivers water cress + cuke + radish + scallion salad papaya w/ lime dessert

Ronda by day and Ronda by night from my balcony at the Parador.

Dear Bong, Thanks, that sounds unbelievably good. Something I definitely want to try. But may I ask: how do you determine if mustard oil is good? The one I have on hand is KTC ("For massage only") produce of the UK. Cannot imagine it's exceptional, but did you ever hear of it? I bought it after reading someone (Madhur?) suggest mustard oil to finish dishes: a drop added at the end to bring all the flavors together. I always sorta wondered about the 'for massage only' bit but not too terribly much and was glad to read here that fears are unfounded. Or at least mostly unfounded. x

Here here Spartikus. Can't blame Spain for a less than vigourous exploration of its cellars. Spanish wine may not *all* be exceptional, but what is? Cavas (the $9 Sumarrocca I'll mention again) put Proseccos (in that range and much higher) to shame. Albarinos' flavor and character are more pronounced than many Italian whites' with voices more comedic than subtle. Basque whites aren't trying to be Burgundies or Friuli: here there's more angle but potentially as much breadth. Riberas can be gorgeously crafted, complex wines that match better with lamb than even Bordeaux. Something magic happened with the 1994 Riojas; I'd put several toe-to-toe with anything from Italy. Rioja is an intersting blend as well: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha grapes, these last the same Grenache as in the (Southern) Rhone. Occasionally you miss, it's true. Ordered the 1995 Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva Rioja the other night, having had many delicious bottles of the 1994 The discussion that preceeded the selection went quite like this thread. El: Spain doesn't make wines to compete with Italy. Yo: Surely you jest... So it was quite embarrassing when I thought the 95 pretty terrible indeed. We left it for the couple whose anniversary it was; she was pregnant and he was drunk, so perhaps enjoyed it. They'd shared glasses of Chassagne with us But to let bad bottles sour one's palate on Spain would be a loss. FWIW Stephen Tanzer left this in my inbox this morning: mucho informacion aqui: riojawine.com

Anyone like Patina?