Richard Kilgore

Never mind....

I liked Robb's piece and find nothing unusual about the negative review including the comment on the odd attire -- after all reviewers usually comment on the decor and ambience. I think, however, people are assuming some things that Patricia Sharpe was not necessarily saying in the brief piece linked above. She said she relied on their Houston reviewers and press releases. Okay, that's not so unusual in and of itself. Every media outlet gets releases and relying on them for an heads up about a new restaurant opening is no big deal. My reading of the situation is that part of the problem was waiting until the last minute to check them out. It's not clear (but it may be in the "Best New" piece in question) whether she visited each place on her final list, and whether she visited them three times. Three meals at one restaurant could account for a three day trip to West Texas. We don't know, do we? The larger and more puzzling question is how her views have been the opposite of other reviewers in this case and others. Best vs terrible is not subtle. Watery pasta and sweet gloppy red suauce is not subtle.

Thanks much Brooks. What are your favorite crawfish recipes? Anything I should look for in books on cooking crawfish?

Counterpoint, the publisher of Are You Really Going To Eat That? has provided five copies of Robb's book for distribution to some of those who contributed to the Q & A. In order to keep Robb and the publisher off the hook, I have chosen five of the many who contributed. The task of making this difficult and somewhat arbitrary decision was greatly simplified by the fact that so many already had bought the book and insisted that others have a chance to read it. Those selected for the book are: Dignan Chefrodrigo foodie52 Bruce Cole NewYorkTexan If each of you will PM me your mailing address, I will have the book shipped to you. Thanks again to everyone for making this an interesting Q & A. Richard

You don't have to buy a $30 bakers stone. Go to Home Depot or some such and get unglazed tile and line your bottom oven rack (or if a gas oven and it will fit - the floor of your oven). Cost, about 60 cents each and it will take 6 to 9 depending on the size of your oven. It will even out the temp in your oven some and also mitigate the steep temp drop when you open the oven door.

Okay, I've broadened the topic to include pastry shops. So now I can include the Chech Stop on I35. Your favorites?

Announcement New members of the Texas Food Media DIGEST Team: Austin: Foodie52 DFW: Raynickben Thanks for helping to continue and expand our tracking and reporting of interesting Texas food media articles, columns, reviews and recipes. Richard

Thanks to everyone for making this such a lively and interesting series of discussions over the past two weeks. Robb and the panel had a good week into this process before we came on-line for the Q & A. Additional thanks to Russ, Ellen and John for staying for the Q & A; your presence made it an even more stimulating week. And thanks to all the eGullet members who participated in the Q & A, asking questions and taking discussions in new directions and to greater depths.

Announcement New Members of the Texas Media DIGEST Team Foodie52 -- Austin Raynickben -- DFW Thanks to both members for helping us to continue and expand our DIGEST coverage. RK

Robb Walsh has been unavailable for a few days and will followup with his responses on Monday, February 16th.

One point that Russ made that we have zipped right pass, is that the risk is not only being overly positive about a friend chef's restaurant and food, but also being overly critical out of concern for guarding against the opposite. And then there is the question of what kind of "friend" we are talking about: a mutual admiration society; a social, business or professional aquaintance dubbed "friend"; or something closer to the range of deeper reciprocal relationships many people attach to the word friend, or what?

Ellen -- Thanks for your unique perspective. What about other fine travel writers in addition to Mr. Clemens -- many if not most who write about travel deal with food, farms, fishing, hunting, cooking and eating as part of that. All of such writing I would see as potentially relevant influences. Russ -- I think both the imitation and the embarrassment are a fairly common path for most writers. Imitation is a powerful way of learning as a step in developing your own style as a writer. Actually, it's common in most arts, crafts, sciences and other professions. You try on different voices, keep a little bit of this, throw out that, and end up with something that is you. John Whiting -- I asked in my first post, and still wonder, if you are aware of any other significant influences, in addition to John Thorne? And for everyone -- what about any influences from fiction and poetry?

On the D Magazine website, publisher Wick Allison links readers to eGullet and the Round Table and Q & A featuring Texas food writer Robb Walsh. Wick's comments are in the Frontburner, a D Mag editorial discussion forum. The current (February 2004) issue of D Magazine features heavy front page coverage of the Dallas food scene.

Robb -- I understand you're keeping el gato in the bag regarding your take on Chili, but what can you tell us about your next book, The Tex-Mex Cook Book?

Perhaps, but sounds more like a matter of changing fashions and styles. And the architectural setting you have to work within. Modern, bold, three story windows...it's still a "theme", just a "modern" one. It'll be seen as dated and without much indigenous character some day, too.

I'll be happy to forget the music metaphor. And since you are talking about what food writers are interested in when they visit you, well that makes perfect sense. What would be more natural. And as I said above, my interests are similar to yours, but there are still some points you make that I am puzzled about. For example, So what's your idea of what The Mansion at Turtle Creek (or any other "fine dining" restaurants), should look like? After all, it's in a mansion. And aren't "fine dining" places everywhere designed to look like whatever they look like. Even Conneticut Country Clubs were designed to look like what they look like on purpose. And a few people moved to Texas from other places like Conneticut, so maybe such a design looks familiar. People may like one "theme" (design) better than another, but....

Another "Yes!"

John Thorne -- you should have no problem signing on. Please email me at rkilgore@eGullet.com and I'll try to fix it. Edit to say: John T. -- it's fixed now. Please feel free to join in.

Robb -- During the Round Table, you said: While I agree that indigenous Texas foods are great and people who visit enjoy seeking them out, don't you think you're over stating your case a bit? After all, people do indeed come to Texas for classical music (the Dallas Symphony has one of the great music halls in the world) and art (the Kimbell and the Modern in Ft. Worth; the Dallas Museum of Art, the new Nasher Sculpture Garden -- with a Mansion at Turtle Creek outpost on the grounds, as well as The Meadows Museum -- largest collection of Spanish art outside Spain, all in Dallas; the Judd Museum in West Texas; and on and on). And Houston is not exactly bereft of "high brow" offerings that people travel to see, hear and do. There is enough interesting fine dining in the major cities to draw travelers, too. So even though I may prefer to seek out barbecue, or Tex-Mex, or steaks or the wide array of new ethnic offerings here, I don't find it necessary to ignore some of the fine chefs and restaurants in Texas that are getting national recognition.

During the Round Table Ellen Shapiro asked a question about great food & travel writers who had influenced Robb and the panel. Robb answered at some length, but said he could go on and on...so perhaps he will here. And we didn't get to hear from Ellen herself or Russ Parsons, so I hope you two will fill us in on those who have influenced you and in what ways. And John Whiting mentioned John Thorne, but any others you care to point out as important to you as key influences?

During the Round Table, Ellen Shapiro asked a question that we did not get to, but that I think is worth following up on. I am not sure what exactly classifies as "snobbish" and "non-snobbish", but I would include the food writing of the poet-novelist-screenwriter Jim Harrison (The Raw and the Cooked ) as part of a wave of new voices.

Chad -- I think that a distinctive quality of much of Robb's writing is not simply that it has "personality" or that he writes from a "personal" viewpoint in writing about food, but that he also captures something of the essence of specific people in their cultures. Some of the essays in Are You Really Going To Eat That? are not just fine food writing, but fine writing, period. I am thinking in particular of pieces like "Dinner at Darrington: The Dying Art of Black Southern Cooking", a poignant piece on a prison cook. Or "The Things We Still Carry", the candid views of young pizza-eating Vietnamese American college students in a Houston Vietnamese restaurant. And for making other cultural traditions his own in the most personal of ways, there is "Bread of the Dead".

Absolutely should not do that. Curiously my "grapes of wrath" has a heavy glass lid and works fine. It will have some condensation, but should not be spitting and flowing over. I noticed on Amazon that some buyers of the new Smarty-Pots complained that they ran too hot. I did not analyze the responses in detail, but a quick scan showed higher user ratings for the old style (High-Low) than the new style (Smart-Pots). Hope this works out.

We are pleased to have two-time James Beard Award winner Robb Walsh as our first eGullet Round Table featured guest. Our panel for this Round Table is composed of food and travel writers Russ Parsons, Ellen Shapiro and John Whiting. Richard Kilgore is moderator. Orientation to the Round Table Discussion: I asked Russ, Ellen and John to open the Round Table discussion with some introductory comments inspired by Robb's book Are You Really Going To Eat That?. Each panelist then raised one or more issues related to food and travel writing as grist for the mill. I anticipated a lively Round Table discussion on Robb’s book, as well as on good food and the opportunities and challenges for food writers everywhere, and ended up with that and much more -- one of the most fascinating discussions on food writing and its psychological, social and cultural implications we have had on eGullet. You will find the Round Table proceedings pinned and closed here at the top of this forum, with the Q & A running below. eGullet Member Q &A: Robb will be available for the usual eGullet member Q & A now that the Round Table is concluded. We will be taking questions starting Monday, February 9th, and Robb will respond throughout the week. The publisher, Counterpoint, is providing five copies of Are You Really Going To Eat That? for distribution to five members who participate in the Q & A. Please note that the Round Table is concluded -- pinned and closed. Nonethless, do feel free to ask new questions or to follow up on some aspect of the Round Table discussion using the Q & A actively running below the Round Table. (A moderator queue may be used, so your questions may not be posted until the moderator releases them.) Click here to go directly to the Round Table with Q & A. Guest and Panel Biographical Notes Robb Walsh has been described as “the Indiana Jones of food writers” by NPR’s Lianne Hanson. His most recent book is Are You Really Going To Eat That? a far-ranging collection of his food essays -- from eating durian in Thailand, searching for the ultimate cup of coffee in Jamaica and the hottest pepper sauce in Trinidad, and doing dutiful field research on truffles in the Perigord region of France and on Bresse chickens, to southern cooking, chicken-fried steak and introducing Jeffrey Steingarten to Houston barbecue. He is currently the restaurant critic for the Houston Press. Robb has been nominated for James Beard Awards multiple times for his magazine articles, newspaper series, restaurant reviews, and radio commentary on NPR. His book Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook: Recipes & Recollections from the Pit Bosses was nominated for a 2003 James Beard Cookbook Award in the Americana category. In additon, his Houston Press feature "Barbecue in Black and White: Carving the Racism Out of Texas Barbecue Mythology" won a Katie Award, a regional journalism prize, for feature writing in major market newspapers. For several years Robb wrote the Natural History Magazine column “A Matter of Taste”, which explored a wide range of issues in food history and science, as well as culinary anthropology. He also edited Chile Pepper Magazine and founded the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival, the largest hot sauce competition in the world. In addition, Robb was food editor of the Austin Chronicle , and he has contributed to numerous other publications. Robb’s past books include A Cowboy in the Kitchen: Recipes from Reata and Texas West of the Pecos, co-authored with Grady Spears; Nuevo Tex-Mex: Festive New Recipes from Just North of the Border, co-authored with David Garrido; and Traveling Jamaica With Knife, Fork & Spoon , co-authored with Jay McCarthy. His work also appears in Cornbread Nation 1: The Best of Southern Food Writing , as well as The Best Food Writing of 2001, 2002, and 2003. Robb's next book is The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos, due out in June 2004. The Panel: Russ Parsons is an award winning food columnist for the Los Angeles Times and author of the book How to Read a French Fry: And Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science. He contributes frequently to the eGullet discussion forums. Russ has been a journalist for more than 30 years, covering everything from high school football and professional rodeo to cops, courts and country music. He has been writing about food for 20 years, including more than a decade at The Times , where he has been food editor, managing editor, and deputy editor. Before coming to The Times , he was food editor at the Los Angeles Times Syndicate , food editor at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and food editor at the Albuquerque Tribune . Russ has won almost every major American food writing award, including the Association of Food Journalists, the James Beard Foundation, the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Bert Greene and the University of Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Award for consumer writing. How to Read a French Fry was a finalist for two Julia Child cookbook awards. Ellen R. Shapiro is an intrepid travel writer based in New York City. She is eGullet Forum Host, Adventures in Eating, and her recent eight-part series on her travels in Mongolia has become an instant eGullet classic. Ellen is the author of four books, including New York City With Kids and Shopping the North Carolina Furniture Outlets (Crown). Formerly Senior Editor of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine and "Off the Beaten Path" columnist for Conde Nast's Concierge.com , she has journeyed to the four corners of the globe in search of unusual destinations and unique travel experiences. She has written for major national travel publications about, among other things, wineries in South Africa, New Zealand, and British Columbia; trekking in the Nepal Himalayas; Michelin three-star dining in Europe; climbing Mount Kilimanjaro; SCUBA diving all over the world; journeying overland through Africa; archaeological digs in the Mideast; Southeast Asian cuisine and culture; cooperative camping in Alaska; and solo dining and travel for women. She is a PADI SCUBA Divemaster, nature photographer, and Sierra Club backpacking trip leader. John Whiting is an American who has lived in London since 1966. He is currently News Editor for Fine Food Digest, the trade journal of the Guild of Fine Food Retailers (UK). In addition, his website food essays have been a favorite of food lovers and writers such as John Thorne. A long-time eGullet member, John Whiting pops up frequently in the eGullet discussion forums. John’s working life has been equally devoted to words and to music. As a Writer, he regularly contributes articles about food, and diatribes on the state of the arts and society, to European and American publications. In 1997 he established the Diatribal Press, devoted to "entertainment for intelligent readers", and his publications include his travel/food journal, Through Darkest Gaul with Trencher and Tastevin. In addition, he was the joint recipient with Odaline de la Martinez of a Composer-Librettist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, resulting in an opera that was performed in New Orleans, London and California. As a sound designer, John has provided sound projection for the Kronos Quartet and dozens of symphony orchestras from Los Angeles to Leningrad. He also has collaborated with many major conductors including Sir Michael Tippett, Andre Previn, and Sir Simon Rattle. In his London studios, John produced pre-recorded performance tapes for Henri Pousseur, John Cage, Nigel Osborne, Luciano Berio, James Wood and other European and American composers. In addition, John has performed, taught and lectured in Germany, France and England. Richard Kilgore, Ph.D. is a Dallas-based psychologist and writer who consults to organizations on communication and development issues and provides psychotherapy and career development consultation to writers and other professionals. His book reviews and columns have appeared in major metropolitan newspapers and other publications. He is eGullet Forum Host, Texas. Click here to go directly to the Round Table with Q & A.

Thanks to everyone.