TrishCT

Since I write for a newspaper this caught me eye. From my perspective, editors are absolutely loathe to say "mea culpa." Oh they will pounce on everyone else's culpa....but they truly hate having to admit their own, it causes major embarrassment, shame and loss of credibility. I wonder if someone at the paper knew what was going on, turned a blind eye to it, and was forced to admit it before it was made public... Perhaps by some other source. That's usually a prime motivating factor in admitting culpa. The article hints that someone there knew about the quid pro quo. Although I commend the paper for coming clean now, it seems to be a saving face measure so the new critic can start fresh. It's a shame they didn't blow the whistle while Ripp was still in their employ...now THAT would have been a story.

...Or as we say in sitcomspeak -- The Bickersons. I missed the last 2 episodes since they were on Saturdays thank you for the synopsis, Ingrid!

Perhaps some of you beef experts can assist me... I've been to a churrascaria once, in Danbury, CT. Although the salad bar was extremely good, the meat I thought was just so-so, especially the beef. For one thing, it was almost always well done, and for another the cuts were kind of tough. Also, the sirloin looked unusual. It had a spiral-ovalish shape on the skewer, I was wondering if it was a different cut of beef than standard sirloin. I am strongly considering either Plataforma or Wolfgang's to take my (birthday boy) son and his pals to before our viewing of The Daily Show in a couple months. I figure teenage boys can consume mass quantities of food, so that favors Plataforma...on the other hand quality matters as far as I'm concerned and I'm the one footing the bill.

Trishnodamus predicts: It's last call for Rocco's 22nd. It will morph into a Chowdorowish eatery, and with a nod to Thomas Keller, will be called "Dirty Laundry, Per Se." Rocco will enjoy another 5 minutes of celebrity before his next big venture... a cooking show on the Food Network...not ala Melting Pot...more Roccocentric... Instead of "Bam" Rocco will coin the phrase "Boink." AND... Mamma and Rocco's aunt & uncle will open a family style italian joint specializing in meatballs and homemade pasta. Rocco will never visit it and will publicly declare he hates italian food. Ooops, sorry, he's already done that...

Jason, Avoid Woe-is-me Hop.

I think there is a typo... shouldn't there be a "k" rather than a "w" here...?

Is adding chocolate itself a possibility? Either grated or melted?

I just made MK's Rich White Cake this weekend (as the base for a Boston Cream Pie) and will post (with pics) in a day or so. I thought I might try the King Arthur one this week for a contrast.

Eatrustic, I look forward to seeing your pictures. Jan, I spoke with mother-in-law, and she agrees with Eatrustic. This recipe is for a 9 inch pie and does not double well. Sorry that wasn't clear in the original recipe. She thinks it was too much filling in one pie. Onward and upward rhubarb lovers!

Roux and others, To give a little background about the "cast" and their compensation I am enclosing links to two of my interviews on E-G from the first season of The Restaurant. Sadly, mama is the one saddled with the title of Executive Chef... Topher Goodman speaks Tad Carducci juggles

Wow Drew, that was a great write up! Thank you so much for sharing. The pix were interesting...they looked liked photorealist drawings.... I am sorry to hear that Julia is a little less spry. She and I share a birthday (different years) and I feel she is a special lady. I have The Apprenticein hard cover, and read it a year ago. What an interesting life Mr. Pepin has had.

Jan, What a shame, I've had that pie many times and the texture was always pleasantly creamy. I'll run the issue by my mother-in-law when I see her this weekend. She may even be making one...if so I'll take pictures.

If you decide to do an all rhubarb pie with tapioca as the thickening agent, on the back of the minute tapioca box is a chart that gives amounts of sugar and tapioca. Since the box's recipe calls for an equal ratio of strawberries to rhubarb, you can just double the amount of rhubarb called for, I reckon. I would use the recommended amount of sugar or less. I find the sugar amount listed is generally too high. Also consider trying the pastry cream or rhubarb cream versions mentioned in this thread because they give extra contrast to plain rhubarb.

Way cool... can you take pix and post them, please...?

Not really. Get the whole story here. Never would have thought it was marzipan... Those turkeys look like they have a roof on them. I give credit to the artistry. I rarely see any here.

From what I understand from Uzay's post, she didn't actually take a drink.

Nothing like a good rhubarb.... over rhubarb....

Texas Brownies When I was the Editor of the church cookbook, Yankee Peddler Fare, this was one recipe I received numerous submissions for. Very popular. I frost with ganache and garnish with pecans. It may not be what you are looking for but here goes: 2 c sugar 2 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 c butter 6 T cocoa 1 c water (or coffee) 1/2 c vegetable oil 1/3 c buttermilk 2 eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugar, flour and soda in large bowl. 2. Bring butter, cocoa, water, oil and buttermilk to a boil and pour over flour mixture. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. 3. Bake in greased and floured 11 x 17 inch sheet pan for 20-25 minutes. Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG1047 )

Texas Brownies When I was the Editor of the church cookbook, Yankee Peddler Fare, this was one recipe I received numerous submissions for. Very popular. I frost with ganache and garnish with pecans. It may not be what you are looking for but here goes: 2 c sugar 2 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 c butter 6 T cocoa 1 c water (or coffee) 1/2 c vegetable oil 1/3 c buttermilk 2 eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugar, flour and soda in large bowl. 2. Bring butter, cocoa, water, oil and buttermilk to a boil and pour over flour mixture. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. 3. Bake in greased and floured 11 x 17 inch sheet pan for 20-25 minutes. Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG1047 )

You get nothing but High Fives from me, GG! P.S. Your new avatar is too cute. Edited to add: I honestly think I could make a few converts out of the strawberry rhubarb hater/flour users with my strawberry rhubarb pie. Wish I could mail each of you a slice or two.

Chef's Theater was high concept, and with the musical numbers, conceptually seemed doomed. But I do like the idea of going to dinner, with a celebrity chef cooking demo. I personally would pay to see Jacques Pepin do that.

A Yankee treat. Rhubarb Cream Pie 3 cups sliced rhubarb (very small pieces) 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 Tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 beaten eggs 1 Tablesoon butter Crust for 2 crust pie 1. Place sliced rhubarb in pastry lined pie pan. 2. Blend sugar, flour and nutmeg. 3. Add beaten eggs to this mixture and beat until smooth. 4. Pour mixture over rhubarb and dot with the butter. 5. Cover with top crust and bake in a 425 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

Hi Alton, It's wonderful that you have decided to participate in a Q & A. Thanks to Chris for bringing you on-board! I conducted an interview with Michael Simon, who directed Iron Chef America. Hope you had an opportunity to read it on The Daily Gullet. I asked him about providing you with a partner like in the old series. He thought you did a great job, as did I... I just think your comments would have played off a straight man more effectively. Your comment about "happy" no longer being an issue for Bobby Flay's fish was especially funny. How did you like doing the show? Was it a ratings success? Is there a new series in the works? Would you be part of it? Would you like a counterpart? Before you took ill at the end of filming...did you feel it coming on? Was the show stressful? Did you sample any of the dishes? If so, how were they? What surprised you the most about the series? What would surprise us in the audience the most if we knew it? Thanks for your consideration, Trish Note from Moderator: Here is a link to Trish's Daily Gullet article: Pumping Iron Chef America.

Chromedome, your use of an egg is very similar to the yankee rhubarb cream pie.

With a nice batch of rhubarb in the garden I made a strawberry rhubarb pie the other day. I use the quick cooking minute tapioca as the thickener it keeps the color of the pie very bright and the texture is clean, not gummy. I also use tapioca in apple pies. Just my personal preference. My mother-in-law, the yankee cook, makes a rhubarb cream pie, which uses flour as a thickener (and no cream). It's a big hit with rhubarb purists. Let me know if you want the recipe. As for cooked strawberries...I agree I prefer fresh to cooked (but I do like strawberry rhubarb pie), that's why I make freezer strawberry jam rather than traditional cooked jam. The berries taste extremely fresh and the jam has great color to boot. Edit for Gah typos.