MatthewB

I'll agree with you on the Hershey's versus Valrhona thing. So, keep going. I'm wondering when we'll get to, as you put it, the style rather than sophistication juncture. And, more interestingly, how we got there!

tommy, Remember you're a beer supertaster. Edit: deleted stoopidity

What if the gap between the chocolates is narrowed? For example, between a Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar & a Valrhona "Le noir Amer" (bittersweet- 71% cocoa) bar for say, hot cocoa, . . . Which is the more sophisticated choice?

I wonder if "sophisticated palate" doesn't have two common meanings . . . 1. Breadth: Wide variety of taste experiences 2. Depth: Able to discern the "flavors" of a dish

I'd also vote for the seeds as the described pulp. My hunch is that the cream sauce is thick enough as to "hide" the seeds. (The seeds aren't really "seedy" anyway.)

Jinmyo, please play anyway!

Suzanne, since I always enjoy your posts, post away, please! Your choice!

I haven't seen this thread, but if it exists, please point me to it. Let's say you have to narrow your cookbook collection down to five titles. (Thus, "The Desert Island Collection." But this thought experiment assumes that you're not actually on a desert island since that might narrow your ingredients to the point that cookbooks would be superfluous.) Here's mine--at the moment . . . Bittman's How to Cook Everything Schneider's New Way to Cook Alford & Duguid's Hot Sour Salty Sweet Olney's Simple French Food Slater's Appetite Your Desert Island Collection?

With Vietnamese meals, I often do pickled bean sprouts. They go fast!

elyse, Wanna trade pies for jars?

Monday night Amuse boche: bottle of champagne Dinner: (all from Bittman's HTCE) Grilled pork tenderloin w/ mustard curry rub Grilled red & yellow bell peppers Grilled giant portabellas Mixed greens (dandelion, turnip, & Boston red) w/ vinaigrette Dessert: cantaloupe (out of season here but what the heck?) Edit: added salad

I'm with tissue! (That's not a smile, really. It's an open mouth. Shovel in the taters!)

FWIW . . . I was catching up on reading last night & I finally got around to the winter issue of Gastronomica. In which appears a review of Miguel Sanchez Romera's La cocian de los sentidos. The reviewer notes that Sanchez Romera writes quite a bit concerning food & memory. If anymore is interested (Spencer?), I could post a few short quotes. In any event, I interpret Grant's use of *smells*--such as the much-discussed pine--as attempts to evoke memory during the dining experience. I do not claim that Grant himself intends this. But I was struck while reading this review last night by the fact that memory is so central to Sanchez Romera's concerns. Grant, comments? And, has anyone read Sanchez Romera's book?

Very nice. Congrats Jason & Rachel! And thanks for finally posting the final pics.

Probably the Heartland to make some amends. *you* did it, not me. You're right. I'm going home now so I can have dinner in the Heartland. (And some wine, too, unless my allergies make that less than worth-while.) Cole Porter: "Everytime we say goodbye, I cry a little."

Probably the Heartland to make some amends.

Wednesday night: I was very lazy & went to the pantry . . . Linguine w/ olive oil, garlic, & anchovy sauce Bread Wine

Great. Now, Spencer is going avant-garde on us. What's next? FG going vegan?

Middle of next week would probably work fine. Let's see what we can coordinate as to compare results.

And probably a bit of my own wackiness. I think I'll reevaluate after I feel a bit better.

That helps. I've no "old" wine in my loft. All the good stuff goes to the wine cellar at my SO's. ( as long as we're SOs, I hate to think it'd ever be but I highly doubt it ) Thanks, Craig.

cdh, If a suitable answer doesn't arrive by next weekend (I'm out of town this weekend), I'd be willing to grill a rack of lamb to 130*F--according to my thermometers--and take pictures. You game for the same on your end?

I think I've a slight case of spring allergies so perhaps my palate is off. Anyway . . . There's construction going on nearby & my loft has been shaking due to the pounding over the last two weeks. Popped open a bottle of wine last night. Seems a little lighter in color with less body & less overall flavor. Popped open another bottle from a different case--same thing. Heat & humidity are definitely not the possible problems here. So, could this construction have induced enough vibration to turn my wine? :crosses fingers:

But McGee's numbers seem to indicate that there's not a big difference between the composition of beef & lamb. Am I missing something?

Your interpretation might be better. I was skimming more than reading. Thanks.