alacarte

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Thanks for the mouth-watering description, Rosie. The key lime pie martini has fast become my favorite cocktail (so far I've tried it at RARE and at Link) but I've never seen it with the graham-cracker rim. Sounds fun.

thanks for all the lemon-thyme-infused thoughts. I went back & checked the recipe -- no description of how to infuse, it's just listed as a commonplace ingredient. Sigh. That's what I get for using Google as my personal recipe box.

Interesting.....are we spotting a new trend? Are either/both actually the rooster's "comb" or is it just a name for something else that maybe resembles one?

I'm intrigued too -- I've never sampled one. Maybe I'll try to make one for the Pie Potluck. I did a few google searches on "Vinegar Pie," and apparently there are quite a few variations. The filling ingredients usually include sugar, eggs, vinegar (usually but not always cider vinegar), lemon extract, zest, or liqueur, and water, sometimes butter or flour too. The pie crust usually is just the standard. I also found a "modern version" that includes sour cream, walnuts, raisins and spices (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves). I also found a version that calls for "lemon thyme rice vinegar" (now where the heck would I find that?), pecans, and vanilla extract instead of lemon extract.

Excellent report, thanks for sharing. Though I'm a little disappointed you didn't try the cock's combs, I was curious what that would be like.

you got it, Suzanne. And yes, you bet I'm coming to the pie potluck! I'd love to see that New Yorker article, it sounds fascinating.

I thought of the "pie potluck" this weekend. Was in the NY Public Library, where I found the most wonderful book, "Food and Drink in America" by Richard J. Hooker. I've got to call Kitchen Arts & Letters and see if I can score a copy, it's written very accessibly and appears to be quite thoroughly researched. A full chapter is devoted to the history of dessert, including an extended discussion on the phenomenon of pie in America:

so guys, how was it?

Lee Brothers Boiled Peanuts Catalogue click thru & check out the "Southern-food-of-the-month club." I see ham and greens, though no black-eyed peas. Would be neat to be able to send all three as a Southerner's "Happy New Year" package.

Suzanne, you're a sport to be organizing your own birthday party. now, who's bringing the cake?

1/3 works for me too.

By most accounts, the Upper East Side is East 60s to East 90s, Upper West Side is West 60s to West 90s. Central Park divides between East and West. I'm sure someone will rap my knuckles for not telling you to venture above the east/west 90s.

JJ, thanks for the report. These all are areas I've been meaning to spelunk around. Can you idiot-proof the expedition for this Manhattanite? In particular, which subway line/subway stop to take, which direction to walk after exiting the subway, any landmarks to note. Then, if the weather nudges up above freezing again, I'll be more likely to expand my B'klyn horizons. thanks!

Part of the Upper West Side experience is hitting Barney Greengrass for bagels, lox, etc. Don't go on Sunday AM though, unless you enjoy mob scenes.

As a Noo Yawka, I feel like I miss out on "local" food coverage because the NY Times tries to be all things to all people in all geographic areas, and misses most of what's local if it's not high-end or connected to a greater food trend. But for what it is, I do like the NYT food section. I read a handful of food sections (online) from other areas, plus of course the eG news digests: Boston Globe Chicago Tribune LA Times Washington Post The Detroit News -- no, I'm not from Detroit. But they have an excellent feature well for their food section. IMO, most local food sections are too heavy on the dining reviews (which are intrinsically, intensely local) and family-driven "things to eat/make with kids" to be of interest to readers outside of the immediate region.

Sounds like you guys had a blast! Tell me more about the Mayan Love Cookies...

thanks for the report -- it sounds like an interesting menu hmmm, the late schedule also sounds like a good way to improve the "buzz quotient"

Batali sure does love those whimsical animal names -- Spotted Pig, Le Zoo, Casa Mono (Monkey House) what's in that offal again?

Can anyone explain why it's important to use buckwheat flour? What would happen if standard bleached white flour were used -- would it be more like a pancake? Could other flours be substituted, like rye flour or even cornmeal? At a used book store, I picked up a great out-of-print paperback on Russian cooking. I noticed that buckwheat flour is also specified in the making of Russian blinis.

The Brasserie (upper East Side) L'Express (lower Park Ave, near 20th St) Cafe Deville (3rd Ave, near 13th St.)

Big E, you get extra points for the photo of the menu! thanks for the report -- and the heads-up that CM now is open to the rest of us plebes.

Do you mean Burger Joint? troublemaker

Nope. If we go will you come with us?

In our college dorm, we had no kitchen so we made grilled cheese a la radiator. You wrap bread, butter, and cheese inside tinfoil, place it on the radiator, and weight it with the textbook you were supposed to be using to study for your midterm. We also used the Beans method -- heating the iron to make grilled cheese, also very effective.