Pan

Strudel (retes) is very Hungarian, but I have no idea how complicated it is to make. The simplest dessert I can think of is gestenypure (chestnut puree), but that's not a pastry.

I think Post #201 is a closeup of rock sugar, white and brown.

To my mind and in my experience, Cuban and Mexican food are roughly as different as the cuisines of northern France and Campagna, Italy, if not more different. I realize that's an imprecise analogy, but I think it's generally pretty difficult to confuse one with the other.

I often stop at Moishe's, the kosher bakery around the corner, on my way to work. Here are some of the things I get: Black & whites Apple strudels Chocolate cigars Cinammon danishes Chocolate danishes Cheese danishes Poppy hamantashen Of course, I usually get one per trip. And occasionally, I get an onion roll, a bagel, or a bialy instead of something sweet. For gifts or when bringing sweets to dinner at a friend's or relative's place, I'll buy one or more of the larger strudels (walnut or poppy) or/and a cookie assortment.

Yum! If I'm ever in Atlanta, I want that for lunch!

I had a good patty there a few years ago but was reluctant to post about it, because I couldn't remember where it was on Flatbush and because of the passage of time. But a food-loving friend who's originally from Guyana and lives in Park Slope loves the place. [Edit: I'm not sure we're talking about the same place. The place I'm thinking of is near Grand Army Plaza.]

I'm unfamiliar with cultured butter. Does that mean it has some bacteria like acidophilus in it? How is it different from cream butter?

Where's Tower Isle?

Some of you are reminding me that I do eat felafel from time to time and do order fried calamari with some frequency when in Italian or Greek restaurants. Pan-fried seems to me a different animal, but I definitely like pan-fried dim sum items.

Because they're not deep fried.

Fried as in deep-fried, I presume? Well, considering that Chinese "stir-fry" is nearly always very briefly deep-fried and then put into a bath of water before sauce, etc. are added in New York Chinese restaurants, I guess I have fried food pretty often. Other than that, though, the main thing I think of is fish, and it's been quite some time since I've had a fried fish dish. I'm not averse to fried food, though I'm a bit careful about it from a digestion standpoint.

Nullo, I actually really dislike raw oysters. Yuck! And I've liked okra since probably the first time I had some.

Brooks, should we disqualify people who haven't even given the pod a chance? I don't think being squeamish is the same as trying something and not liking it. And in any case, okra doesn't have to come out mucilagineous. That depends on how it's cooked.

I haven't eaten it in Beijing, but you're right, if it's made properly (with mui, or sour plums) it can be excellent, entirely different to the awful stuff you get in the Sates with ketchup and canned pineapple. ← Hmm. . .I thought it was just vinegar and sugar that they were using.

And indeed, there is!

You've gotta try Sweet and Sour Pork in Beijing, and Congee Village makes a very worthwhile genuine-Chinese Beef and Chinese Broccoli Chow Mein here in New York.

Definitely do not get rambutan with brown skin. I've had generally good luck when the skin is red and shiny all around and the fruit is reasonably firm to a gentle touch (when such a touch was possible). I don't believe I've had your problem with rambutan skin. It's harder to peel than lychee for sure, and you can choose to use a knife instead of your bare fingers, but it's peelable either way. Strangely enough, I had some terrific rambutan in Beijing last August -- not once, but every time I bought it. Why were rambutan better in Beijing than Kuala Lumpur?!

Did Shiewie write a piece in a magazine? Please fill us in on the Haven issue, if it's on-topic.

They seem to use mostly "salad oil" in Chinatown, but I'm wondering if you could get a big quantity of peanut oil in A&C in Flushing, the Hong Kong Supermarket on Pike St. in Manhattan, etc. I don't guarantee anything, but I think that's the neighborhood that's most likely to have what you're looking for, unless you can deal directly with wholesalers.

I played a wedding reception there once. Yes, indeed, a beautiful old landmarked classic savings bank building. You wanna know something funny, though? The former bank vault was being used by the staff to store their uniforms!

I enjoyed a visit to Sattui a few years ago and bought a bottle of their Muscat wine, while my brother bought two bottles of their Johannisberg Riesling. I guess I'm glad we didn't have any sandwiches. . .

That's a great achievement and you deserve to toot your own horn.

Unless you have a professional reason why you can't afford to be seen criticizing a restaurant, I wish you would tell us which one you're talking about. If anything, the lack of identification could be seen to possibly imply disparagement of several other restaurants you don't mean to criticize.

I wish I had been there! Shiewie, what are the ingredients in Yue Sang? (Apologies if this was already addressed.)

I went there a long time ago and wasn't pleased -- but again, that was a long time (several years) ago.