Pan

I say "ass-a-fe-TID-uh." On your next trip, get some cinammon sticks. I'm not going to suggest what you make first. Your best bet is to decide what you want - Is it chicken? Is it eggplant? Lamb? Eggs? Fish? Spinach? Then, we can talk about suggestions.

Ron, I get the feeling you have a problem with Trader Joe's. Anything you want to talk about?

Robyn, as maddening as it can be to consider the possibility (and I really do find it maddening to go in with high expectations at a fine [and of course, expensive] restaurant and have them dashed), some of what you experienced could be luck of the draw. Have a look at this thread to get a feel for the great and very disappointing meals my family and I had within the same week at Michel Vignaud in Chablis, a Michelin 1-star restaurant (at the time we dined there, at any rate; I believe it still has one star, but I'm not sure).

Understood, but we can disagree without being disagreeable. I don't agree with the Zagat analogy. One person is making the decision of which quotes to include, and they ate with him. This isn't like picking the "wittiest" or "catchiest" of 100 "reviews" sent in to a central office.

I found the Pace review good and helpful. Someone who trusts Bruni's taste can use the review as a roadmap to what s/he thinks will be a good meal there. Note the caveats, but take them for what they are; he's trying to help diners who may follow him to Pace.

<<<Hanging my head>>> But...but...perhaps you ventured where locals fear to tread! ← Do you fear to tread to Terengganu? Never mind, we should talk about this further on "Elsewhere in Asia/Pacific."

Where are you from originally?

I agree with you, Victor, except for the idea that you don't have to wash iceberg lettuce...

I remember the days when iceberg lettuce was part of the daily salad. I also remember when my mother started buying red-leaf and dark green lettuce. My parents never looked back, and I started to enjoy eating lettuce! Perhaps iceberg may be good for some things, but salad is not one of them.

Robyn asks some interesting questions about star ratings in reference to her recent meal at Babbo. She questions whether a restaurant that she and some other people say is not great at secondi would merit a 3-star rating as a "great" Italian restaurant. Without prejudice to Babbo itself, I think that argument is highly meritorious. What do you all think?

Thanks. The crucial question: What class were you in?

I really enjoyed your blog, Anna! But what happened to your granddaughter?

Because a lot of New Yorkers aren't as sophisticated as you think. I, too, find it annoying.

Have fun!

Franci, what is a Morron? A Moor (as in Berber)?

Isn't there some dish named after Giaochino Rossini?

I may have missed it, but I haven't seen a mention of tamarind yet. I recommend getting the paste. And you should have fresh ginger, though powdered is useful for some recipes (I believe I remember correctly that some of Copeland Marks' Kashmiri recipes called for it).

I'm not sure if there really is such a thing. Instead, there's some kind of local food everywhere, much as there are local Malay specialties in different parts of the country, only more so (because China is so much bigger and has strong regional identities reflected in part in mutually unintelligible local spoken languages - the so-called "dialects"). My parents and brother all were sick after coming back from China (I wasn't), and I think all of us got at least minor intestinal problems at some point while we were there. Then again, we got those in Malaysia, too.

In the Babbo thread, Robyn made the following remark: I'm not sure I agree with that. Do you think all the 3-stars in New York would get even one Michelin star? (Leave out Spice Market in considering your answer, if you like.)

Robyn, I'm sorry you had a bad meal. I wouldn't agree that 3 NYT stars=1-2 Michelin stars, though. Or, at any rate, I'm not sure about it. I'll post a question about this in the Bruni thread.

Chinese food in Malaysia is marvelous, though, so don't feel too deprived! Plus, I can't believe airfare from Sepang is too expensive, and once you get there, you don't have to spend much.

Anne, I prefer pumpkin in savory or only mildly sweet foods than in real sweets. For pies and such, I prefer sweet potato. That's also a seasonal food, right? How about making sweet potato pie and other lovely confections and breads with sweet potato? Don't tell me you detest sweet potato, too!

That really is a shock! I'll bet she never does that again... Hang in there and let us know what happens.

Cafe Mogador? I really have no idea whether there's a substantial Moroccan community anywhere in New York. I get the idea that the Arab community around Atlantic Av. and Smith St. may be mostly Yemeni and Levantine. I can't think of any Moroccan restaurants in New York that are trying for 2 stars. And I doubt that you'll find a particular regional emphasis featured, though who I am to say whether that could be the case somewhere I haven't been to? I know it hasn't been true anyplace I _have_ been to.

My first trip to China was a bargain-basement trip paid for with savings from birthday checks and gig money. My second, I owe to my parents, who decided to make it a family trip. Sue-On, perhaps you could arrange a China tour for your band.