Pan

what's the implication there? That we're all wrong.

One of the best meals of my life was at an Indian restaurant my folks and I stumbled upon in Akasaka in 1975, which turned out to be associated with the Indian Embassy. For whatever it's worth.

Just don't eat celery, you two! No need to proselytize to those of us who like it.

True, but it was treated in the same way that 60% of the British are nominating themselves as Anglican at this point, not at all in the same way as pre-17th C. I'd love for you to elaborate on this (for example, how do you measure degrees of commitment to the Humoral System?). Perhaps you could do so in the Food and the Humoral System thread.

Yes, Robyn, sometimes an ingredient can taste good without any seasoning at all. And no, for what it's worth, I haven't heard the "politically correct" Peter and the Wolf, though that idea sounds either dumb or/and funny.

2nd Sevilla. have been eating there for 30 yrs. never consider anyplace else when going for Spanish. ???? : " Honorable mention: Florent (in the meatpacking district), for their absolutely wonderful ... , rillettes, and daily specials. " had the rlllettes, served as 2 scoops similar to an ice cream scoop, absolutely terrible, tasted like dog food!!! manager was very gracious. Who are you quoting about the "honorable mention," J? What are Sevilla's prices like? Do they make a good paella?

It's also possible their regular chef was off tonight. But I'd never order egg drop soup, wonton soup, or lo mein at Grand Sichuan. I'm figuring those are in either their "American Chinese" or "Cantonese" menus. At Grand Sichuan, only the Sichuan, Hunan (Mao's Cooking or whatever) and special menus (Dishes for the Prodigal Daughter, etc.) should be considered, with a Shanghainese soup OK as part of a larger meal. The American Chinese and Cantonese dishes are put there for the people who want the typical dishes available in every takeout place, not for those who are treating the restaurant as something special to appreciate on its own terms. Anyone who orders Typical Chinese-American Takeout Food at Grand Sichuan will have food that's of average Chinese-American Takeout Food quality.

Oh, and about Indian food: Before the arrival of chili, presumably a lot of black pepper was used. Ditto in Nusantara (Indonesia/Malaysia, et al.)

Adam, Humoral theory was pretty nearly universally accepted in the West through the 19th century at least.

No thank you. I'd rather not bore myself with tastelessness. Again, the key expression in your post is "to me." Chacun a son gout, n'est-ce pas?

Trish, how recently did you last eat there? 1999 is way too old to be reliable as an opinion about the current state of a restaurant.

More good stuff, Adam! I do think that whole black peppercorns can be very fiery indeed, however. It seems to me that it's chiefly the amounts of black pepper that cause haute cuisine not to be really fiery, though it can have some bite. Similarly, Cayenne pepper is used in haute cuisine dishes, but in moderation.

I like Carlovski and Jason's chili idea. A big pot of chili con carne and another big pot of vegetarian chili for those who don't eat meat. Have sides of baked (stuffed with cheddar cheese?) or french-fried or home-fried potatoes, salad, whatever. Most people like chili. If you're concerned that some people won't like it, you could always roast or fry - or, if you have the facilities, rotisserie barbecue - a bunch of chicken for those who'd prefer that. Ratatouille is also a good side - or, for vegetarians, main - and good corn on the cob is always appreciated.

Why don't you call them in advance of showing up, and see what they say? The place is small, though, FYI.

I believe I understand what Adam is trying to do, and I'm glad he's doing it. I just want additional clarifications on some points.

Good points again, Adam. But what do you mean by salt having no flavor? When you have salt by itself, you taste it, do you not? What flavor is it enhancing then? Also, I thought we had receptors for saltiness in our tongues.

Thanks, Adam. That recipe looks marvelous!

Good points, Adam. But aren't many of the ingredients in haute cuisine common, such as salt? Well, not exactly, because they can use fancy, expensive varieties, but isn't that also true of spices? Basically, I don't dispute your points one iota, but I also don't see why they have to continue to obtain, either, even based on the elitist logic that something "common" is per se low-class and therefore, "low" cuisine.

Robyn, if you prefer a small amount of spices and herbs, that's what you should have. But I don't think that makes your taste more refined than someone who prefers a more robust amount of spices and herbs. Oversalted food, though, is terrible.

Careful: I know you must not have meant to equate low-end with crap.

That makes a lot of sense, Chad.

I'll preface this by saying that roasted or otherwise cooked garlic doesn't have "fieryness." But moving on... Your description would make me think that haute cuisine is tasteless and wimpy, if I didn't know better. Fortunately, I know better. Tasteless food is incompetent. Haute cuisine in my admittedly limited experience is about wonderful ingredients with complementary sauces and, often, at its best, imaginative combinations of tastes, none of which overpowers another, but which can include strong tastes including spices like "fiery" black peppercorns. But is there such a thing as Italian alta cucina (?) that lacks large amounts of garlic? And would it be worth eating? The smell of garlic roasting in extra virgin olive oil is one of the greatest smells of them all.

Please clarify what you mean by "loose [lose?] the diner." Do you feel that way when you eat Thai food? Also, you're right about having a "cooling" course in between. That could be a really good concept in some inspired chef's hands: Alternating fiery and "cooling" courses.

What are laddus, Bague?

Good plan, but please post about Atkins in an appropriate thread. Also, if you could post a specific citation, that would be terrific.