yvonne johnson

Well spotted Toby. And Suzanne, thanks yet again (and, no, Wilfrid....sorry...won't do!). Amazing it could all be a typo, the "baron". This is beginning to read like a mystery story. OK, Wilfrid, I'm in a good mood today. So like the Dodo in Wonderland, it'll be prize drams for everyone-- winners and pathetic losers alike --tonight. g.johnson is paying.

Suzanne F is way ahead. Thanks for the very specific information. Sorry, Wilfrid, you don't come close, but I'll keep in mind the possible etymology of baron. At least all of this shows that I wasn't a total mug for not comprehending all of Bourdain's instructions. So, do you think we'll ever come up with a definite answer on the baron? I did do a search and it appears Baron makes cooking appliances.

I thought I'd resurrect this thread. Fat Guy's mentioning the Freudian take on the french fry earlier today reminds me that I asked Bourdain--in his Q & A session--under the header of psychoanalysis (see there is a connection between Freud and the french fy!) about the perfect fry and he replied: "Fries? GPOD '70 count potatoes. Cut on a baron--battonet cut. BLANCHE first in 300 degree oil. Lay out on towel on sheet pan to cool and drain..Finish in 375 degree oil. Toss imediately in regular table salt." Bourdain didn't get round to elaborating, and my questions remain: 1. What are "GPOD '70 count potatoes"? 2. Also, what about a baron. (Is it a vegetable cutter like a Mandodline?) 3. What is battonet cut? Can someone help as I'm in pursuit of the perfect fry. And if you answer the above (correctly, of course) and attend the pub crawl tomorrow, I'll buy you a dram.

You're giving the impression I grill my sandwiches doused in alcohol. Only 1/4 teaspoon, not a pint! On the ham--Black forest, nothing special, from Jefferson Mkt, cut very thinly.

Portale doesn't give an explanation for the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of cognac. Maybe it just gives the mixture that extra umphhh.

Last night I made cream of asparagus soup (served hot, but will have chilled tonight) from Stephen Schmidt's "Master Recipes") Then Grilled (in fact sauteed) ham, smoked mozzarelle and onion sandwiches (you line the inside of the bread--in this case I used large Balthazar country loaf-- with mixture of mayo, ketchup & and a touch of cognac). From Alfred Portale's "Gotham Bar & Grill" . These sandwiches don't sound much but they are terrific. The above was more than enough in this weather. To drink: Marques de Gelida Cava

Here's the link http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/19/dining/19SHRO.html On Bradley's cooking: ""a perfectly cooked piece of brill" On Hill's cooking; "'perfectly cooked sole" Burros makes some fun of herself, "rereading my notes from the [Hill] meal I see the word 'perfect' scattered generously. There was a perfect and subtle sauce....perfectly cooked asparagus." Why wouldn't a good editor ask writer to tell reader what made these dishes perfect?

Are we talking about entrees? Just thought I'd throw that in and add to Wilfrid's definitions. In UK and Australia an entree is a starter. In USA, it refers to maincourse.

Like others, I watched female family members cook, but I've probably learned most from consort. Salt, salt, salt. This book I mentioned on the Classic cookbook thread: Stephen Schmidt's "Master Recipes: A new approach to the fundamentals of good cooking". He gives so very detailed instructions (nothing is taken for granted), it's as though he's inside the mind of the novice.

Thanks, tommy, on where not to go for this dish. Always as important as where to go. I'll be vistiting Hoboken soon. Huevos rancheros is a lovely dish done properly with accompanying refried beans and (as Bayless--of real fame, not of this site's personality disorder--points out) some fruit on the side. And as Steve P says (oh, boy I'm agreeing with him a lot lately), flour tortillas are more common in the north and corn in the south of Mexico. However, this is not true of Mexico City where I saw both in abundance.

I agree with tommy that being direct is a good thing (nod to waiter, stop hovering over us), but without wanting to detract from Suzanne F's enjoyment of GT, I'm in total agreement with Kikujiro: the service at GT is so overbearing it literally (yes, true) puts one off one's food. I think it was Robert Brown (and his wife) who summed it up. GT's service is aimed at putting at ease people who feel uncomfortable dining out.

Oh, dear, I forgot to say what it was. My most memorable Indian meal was had at my first ever visit to an Indian restaurant. This was in the mid-1960s. It coincided with my first trip on a plane (BEA to London), and first trip on the tube. This was when I was on vacation in London when I was around 8 or 9, and for lunch my parents and I went into a quiet Indian restaurant in Soho (I think). My father was stationed in Bombay during WWII for many years, and I grew up with him constantly raving about Indian food. I had a chicken dish. It was a big chicken breast, still on the bone, with lovely, red juices. I remember the waiters placing a napkin between my plate and tablecloth. I was determined that I was going to manage to cut this huge piece of meat on my own, and I probably was making a right mess of it. That was the first, and I've never looked back.

Sometimes, it's best not to ask too deep questions of the Times. As Miss J says, it seems to be "a super-simple sangria". However, as consort noted, it is more concenrated than sangria and therefore less refreshing as well as being pretty foul tasting. I don't get the name either. The article says, "The recipe simply substitutes red wine...for cachasca, the Brazilian spirit distilled from the juice of sugar cane".....and the drink "suggests the...caipirinha". By this logic, I can make a red-wine gin and tonic, by simply substituting red wine for the gin.

I was taken with the picture of the red-wine caipirinha in Sunday's NYTimes (Styles section-why I bother, I don't know). Theo is serving this drink which was created by one of their bar staff recently. 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 lime, cut into wedges 3 ounces red wine, Rioja was suggested, but I used Bordeaux. I paraphrase the short instructions: Take highball glass and mix the sugar and lime Fill glass with ice Add wine, stir Taste, then throw away.

Thank you for your reply. However, I'm very dumb. What are "GPOD '70 count potatoes"? Also, I don't know what a baron is. (Google reveals a cooking appliance manufacturer. Is it a vegetable cutter?) And, third, what is battonet cut? Oh, dear, and I do love my chips. (I agree, the double fry method is a must.) I hope Bourdain or others can fill me in.

Yes, there's a dish I remember.

I'll bring 4 to 6 bottles of whisky. And, to hell with the votes on the winner... let's just see who goes horizontal first. Blotto, that is. I won't go horizontal any other way. And at this do, tasting party, there'd better be no more talk of food and going horizontal for any reason other than passing out. My delicate nature cannot stomach the idea of two people making squelching noises. Most vile.

Pulling spaghetti form one's nose. Reminds me: One day, consort noticed something dangling from Malone's rear end. Consort pulled (when will this end?) and pulled. Out came enough string to make a trawler's net. Malone was a cat, by the way. And no injury noted.

A forty year old parrot that I was looking after for a few days bit me when I was feeding it. Does that count?

Wilfrid, The Woodchuck Raspberry Cider is emmm, let's put it this way, it's not vile, but it's not that nice either. It has the look of the granny smith, just a hint of green in the glass, but it has too much of a false-smelling perfume to it. I spotted it in D'Agostinos yesterday (the cashier didn't know what to charge, and arbitrarily punched in 68 cents per bottle, who knows if that's cheap or expensive) but glad I only bought 2 small bottles of the stuff. Magners can't be beat.

Peasant, 194 Elizabeth Street, 212-965-9511, had suckling pig on the menu a few months back. Frank DeCarlo knew what to do with the crackling. Going to Washington Park this Saturday. After stefany's, Aaron's and Steve's reports I'm very much looking forward to my dinner.

Sorry if I've missed this in your books. Often when people (actors, writers especially) say they don't want analysis, they say it'll take away their natural spontanaeity. Just wondered what your thoughts were about psychoanalytic theory and food, if any. Melanie Klein made a great deal about feeding and I guess when you think about it Freud did too-what with his childhood phases. [My reserve question was about making the perfect chip, french fry. You say you had a special person in LH just making them. How to make at home? ]

Priscilla, Your question, "Classic, or Most-Used?" is a good one, and it was at the back of my mind as I compiled my list. I see my list as including what I deem classics (they'll stand the test of time) which also happen to be well used in our kitchen. As for other very well-used books, I often use Sainsbury's (UK supermarket cookery) books--little, nicely designed paperbacks that went for 85 UK pennies years ago. I didn't include them despite one being written by Anton Mosimann, because there'll never be classic cookbooks.) I'm going to look out for the Good Cook. Thanks. In error I omitted Hazan from my list, but from her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking one can learn a lot.

Jaffrey (in Invitation to Indian Cooking) gives a recipe for sweetbreads (she doesn't say what kind to use) with fresh green corriander which sounds interesting, but I see there's no mention of liver, spleen, brains, kidneys. I consulted Balbir Singh and nothing there either.

Overlaps some of the above, and I may even be repeating myself, but here goes: We've got lots of David's books but David's French Provincial Cookery is the one most used--if it had nothing in it but the Creme Vichyssoise in it, it would be worth the money Child, Bertholle and Beck's Mastering the Art of French Cookery Vols I and II. The second authors often get forgotten, no? Jaffrey, Vegetarian and meat books Potale's Gotham Bar and Grill We've used Kasper's Splendid Table, but use Perla Meyers' Art of Seasonal Cooking much more Bayless & Bayless's Authentic Mexican Bayless' Mexico one plate at a time Jocasta Innes' The Pauper's Cookbook George Spunt's Step by Step Chinese Cookbook Prudhomme's Chef Paul P's Louisiana Kitchen. In this book is my favorite dish of all time (at least for the mo) Paneed chicken and fettucini Charmaine Solomon's Encycl of Asain Food. Best Vindaloo I've ever made at home, and a really, really informative book with good illustrations of tropical fruits and vegs Last but not least. Stephen Schmidt's "Master Recipes: A new approach to the fundamentals of good cooking". He gives very precise instructions (the most detailed I've come across), gives classic simple dish, say, roast chicken, then gives more detailed variations, eg., roast chicken with giblet and cream gravy. Also, (and why don't more cookery books do this?), it has two ribbons to use as page markers. How many times do you back and forth in cookery books, esp when using two recipes from same. [i'd also recommend Nigel Slater's books for learning to cook. "Real Food" is very simple, but the dishes so good.]