yvonne johnson

"Sweetbreads come in two varieties. The first is the thymus gland, also called the throat sweetbread orgorge in French. The second variety is the pancreas, also referred to as the stomach sweetbread or noix in French." I don't know how authoritative this site is: http://www.cheftalk.com/HTML/Education/pas.../sweetbrds.html

thom: so what's with the potential vested interest in Restaurant Bar and Grill?

Welcome, Mrs Woman. Where are you eating out? I'll chime in about north of the border, though my last time was in 2000.

I've never tasted one. If this is it http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/1594 I think I could appreciate it. Something like a martini with lime juice? As for this rendition, then this is a Screaming (Very Insane ) Viking '>http://www.bardrinks.com/drinks/drink.asp?id=5160267

Yes, the green arrow! And I see Hub-UK (#2) is posting here. Hub-UK needs to vote for us, too, now! Though, given we are the underdogs I see no reason for us to vote for them!

A Cook’s Tour starts tonight, Food Network, 10.30PM EST. http://www.foodtv.com/forums/fm-g1a/0,2347,,00.html#chats

So I didn't win? My slogan "Are you serious?" won't be "printed [on] postcards with witty statements involving the name of the vodka"? OK, mine didn't involve the full name "seriously" but it was a propos. Maybe this was a case of internet misinterpretation, but I was seriously putting forward a submission. Surely, jollyroger imports hasn't lost a sense of humor? This isn't the first time I've got into trouble because I've omitted the internet smiley face. I use it but have a deep down aversion to it as welll as the exclamation mark. OK, so my previous post now edited reads: _____ "Are you serious?" :) Now, that took 3.25 seconds, and I want the going rate for advertising consultants. :) And my bottle of vodka. Pronto...I'm serious! :) __________ But admit it. "Are you serious?" is far better than "Are you serious:)?"

Did I say that Hitchens’ liking Cafe Loup was meaningful? But then again everything about Hitchens is meaningful:). Thanks Steve and mikec for the clarification on Balthazar. It could be that the customers, even though they go for the scene, have discriminating tastes, no? As for Pastis, I agree with mikec that the food is decent there. I had great steak frites a wee while ago. In some ways P is more comfortable than B, because it’s less noisy. I'd happily return to both.

Interesting list. I agree wholeheartedly about your grade for AZ. As I've mentioned before (but it's worth re-stating, as if it's not improved people need their heads examined if they even consider going!), my meal there was the worst I had last year, if not in a decade. It even crossed my mind to write to Grimes as AZ is crying out for a re-assessment, in my view. Three stars! I agree, too, on Canteen and Café Loup. I read, though, that Café Loup is Christopher Hitchens’ (my favorite journalist's ) favorite NY watering hole, so it can’t be all bad....for drinks. As for Gotham, I’m not sure what’s happened to Portale. Any explanations? Gotham was top notch around 10 years ago. However, our last two dinners there were mediocre. (I have enjoyed a couple of ฤ lunches though.) I’m quite relieved to come across someone else who thinks USC is ordinary! It struck me as odd when I read on this site that Mayer reportedly said he’s not in the restaurant business but in the hospitality business. I think the emphasis at his restaurants is top heavy in the service department and I find the servers a little oily. Steve, I was a little puzzled by your comments on Balthazar: ”What can you say about Balthazar other than they serve better food than they have to.” Not sure I follow. (Edited by yvonne johnson at 6:31 pm on Jan. 7, 2002)

That's interesting, that the frying pudding business goes way back. We didn't make Christmas puddings for this last Christmas, but a few days ago I came across little Wilkins and Sons puddings going for ū.95 in D'Agostino's (a NY supermarket). They just needed steaming for 30 mins, and they were terrific. So fruity, with a nice weight to them. I see W & Sons have a web page By'>http://www.tiptree.com/tiptree/faq.html By the way, Sue Lawrence's Scots Cooking has lots of traditional recipes. Interestingly, the reviews are a lot more positive on the amazon.com site. That's no surprise...Americans tend to grade higher. Students here expect an A, whereas in UK we were ecstatic with a B-.http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec....4135065

If we're getting off the topic of GM, why not go for GN (Graham Norton) instead? I like No 1, The Aldwych, too. If my synapses are still in order, this building used to house the Holborn/Aldwych branch of my bank when I was a student. I spent my entire student grant on a superb stereo system, and was ever in debt. I kept telling the bank manager (one year older than me, he appeared) "Please be charitable, I'll pay you back one day! " "No", he says, "I charge you 5 pounds for letter sent today" (tho' I was standing in front of him). Happy conclusion is: Nat-West Bank ousted from building and I can now afford to sit and drink there! And back to GN: cheers Graham Norton with his kitty phone. He was there at No 1 Aldwych the night I was. I know, since I moved to the US I've become a pure sop. (Edited by yvonne johnson at 10:00 pm on Jan. 4, 2002) (Edited by yvonne johnson at 7:26 pm on Jan. 5, 2002)

There's a very funny skit (maybe French & Saunders) in which 2 chambermaids clean a hotel bathroom. Yes, you've got it, they scrub and wipe everything in there then, woops, nearly forget to clean the bathroom glasses. Same rags in hands, they wipe them last!

Interesting that this topic is under "Cooking" because that's what I do to them. I take a very big pan and boil sponges and dish-towels on the stove top. Care is needed in choosing detergent, as it must be non-sudsey. "Top job" or dishwasher powder works. And the smell? The apartment ends up smelling like my granny's house used to. But it's well worth it!

Blue Heron: At last, someone else! Still no tasting suggestions from the 2 Steves. Fat Guy: give washing your sponges a rest will you!:) We ended up keeping the Moet & Chandon White Star for New Year's Eve. Much preferable to the Domaine Chandon Napa Valley Brut NV, as expected. M&C was drier, more flavorful and the fizz seemed less harsh. I'm no wine buff, but there appears little to say on a champagne. Still wines have more qualities worthy of note. That said, champagnes/sparkling wines hit the spot especially at brunch as a reviver.

Interesting points. It was pure interest on my part. I've been to Tuscany and I don't remember the heavy-handedness with capers. I had a short conversation with the busy waiter who suggested that pizza that salty was "authentic". A funny aside: he said they'd named the salty pizza for Tony who works at the restaurant and who is a "real sourpuss"! On topics like authenticity, ethnicity, I'm reminded of the circular arguments on another board. If it's delicious, then that's that. Maybe I would try and appreciate the food more on learning that this is the way it’s prepared where it originated from. But maybe not; it might be information that did not influence my final judgement. Maybe I'll start a new thread.

Is this restaurant at 100 Allen (at Broome) 212/941-1818? It's not in Zagat which I use as a telephone directory.

I have some sympathy with Mao's and Steve's (Plotnicki's) views. I'd go even further and say Gramercy Tavern suffers from the same understatement, but it seems I'm in a very small camp. I had lunch at Craft last month and some of the dishes (sweetbreads, mushrooms, oysters and quail) were excellent. Others (potatoes, cauliflower) were OK, and the coffee was poor. And Fat Guy, I know what really good, fresh potatoes & cauliflower should taste like :). The above said, I'd like to return and give it another try. Wilfrid: Solo dining at Craft for lunch would be fine, I think. You don't need to order tons of dishes to enjoy the place. Oysters, salad, sweetbreads, and a vegetable maybe.

I did a bit of a double-take. Haven't we discussed "fries" before? If I get it, these aren't deep-fried chips/fries (as in fish and chip shop chips), these are potatoes shallow fried in frying pan. I associate them with diners. Aren't they similar to hash browns if they break up?

I've never been here, but, Tommy, are you referring to fillet steak en crout maybe? I like that kind of thing. Periyali does a very good salmon en crout.

"Are you serious?" Now, that took 3.25 seconds, and I want the going rate for advertising consultants. And my bottle of vodka. Pronto...I'm serious!

Col Legno 231 E 9th St, (b/w 2 & 3 Aves), 212/777-4650) is very good. Thanks for the tip, Pan. My husband and I, wanting something unfussy after the rich goose etc , headed out there tonight in the coldest night this year. They'd run out of the smoked fish salad, and our waiter suggested I try the artichoke starter that you had. My husband went for the mixed mushroom appetizer. Both were simple and satisfying. Next I had the Tony Pizza. I love anchovy and capers, but this was a bit top heavy in the caper dept. 100+ capers on my pizza? is this authentic? Anyway I liked it, but it was a bit much. My husband had the mixed grill most of which I tasted. Quail, chicken, sausage, pots. All were infused with a bit of rosemary, and moist. This place is so much better than Jarnac (I posted recently). J aspires to similar or more but is less successful in my opinion) We'll be going back.

Those pademelons look cute http://www.hgworld.com/images/tas/cradlemo.../apademelon.asp Food question: what do they taste like? Similar to kangaroo? PS The photos on hgworld are terrific. Make me want to visit Australia and Tasmania. And I had no idea Tasmania was as big as Ireland.

Thanks for the update, Roger. What a shame. We, too, went to his place on (lower) Broadway, New York, I guess around 1989. It was good, but it was SO loud. Noisy crowds and bands whose music sounded very, very bad.

Sounds wonderful. Count me and my husband, Glyn, in.

It's been years (around 10) since I visited New Orleans. What's happened to K-Paul's? I was looking through the thread and didn't see it. I liked Commander's Palace and Galatoire's, but my favorite was K-Paul's. (And I love some his recipes from his books.)