theakston

My understanding is that entrecôte and côte de boeuf come from the same piece, The muscle between 5th and the 11th rib. Entrecote is deboned, cote de boeuf is not. Faux fillet and Contre Fillet are interchangeable terms for the piece of meat on the lower spine below the ribs - the piece of the beef that is up against the fillet. This is the Sirloin although I've seen many restaurants in the USA serving both Entrecote and Ribeye as Sirloin. (Tbone is a slice of both Sirloin and Fillet).

It's not luck it's experience. Stick with it. Also, as you experienced, meats will continue to rise in temperature by a significant amount after you take them out of the oven, so you should factor that into your calculation. I only use thermometers for slow cooking on a barbecue (where I can't be sure of the temperature I am cooking at) and even then only for stuff you wouldn't want to eat underdone (chicken, turkey). Other than that timecharts and experience with the time / temperature works for me. Becoming overly dependent on thermometers prevents you from developing this experience.

Given that you have to be in Syros and Athens on those days. Paros and Naxos aren't bad choices. They are busy islands but you should be ahead of the real crowds. The "problem" with island hopping (but also part of the fun) is that you can wind up stuck somewhere that is difficult to move on to the next place from and have to scramble to find alternatives. Like I say this can be fun. If you have time. Sifnos and Milos are easy to get to from Athens and share the same ferry line, but you may find it difficult to get to Syros iwhout back tracking through Athens. Naxos and Paros have so many ferry connections that you won't have to worry about being stranded. Also if you don't like beaches I would not recommend Koufonissia as there is not a lot to do other than beach during the day. It really is a small island. A good site about the islands is: http://www.greektravel.com/index.html not the greatest food recommendations though (at least not on Sifnos) I think he has friends whose restaurants he likes to plug. You might want to consider a day trip to Delos for the sightseeing. It was considered a holy island and so it has no new development only a lot of ancient ruins. It's close to Mykonos but there are day trips from both Paros and Naxos. In both Paros and Naxos you may want to get a car or mopeds to explore (or take a bus tour). If the crowds are too much in Paros you could stay on the West side (Piso Lavadi) or on Anti Paros. Anti Paros has good seafood but not much to do during the day other than the beach. Gastronomically you shouldnt do too bad. Definitely check out the harbour in Naoussa in Paros for an ouzo and some octopus. There are some decent restaurant options in the port city of Parikia. Levantis is good. In Naxos as I said in my previous post Nikos is my favourite fish place. Enjoy. I wish I was going again this year.

Dupont Circle Italian: Al Taramisu is fun and friendly: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...798559&typeId=2 More upscale is Roberta Donna's place: Galileo and Laboratorio del Galileo: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...792558&typeId=2 http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...026895&typeId=2 In Adams Morgan I used to like I Matti - very reasonable but I think I heard that it was closing and being converted into something else Good non-italian in Adams Morgan is Cashions Eat Place (american) or Grill from Ipanema (Brazilian). I tend to give U street a miss. It's more club scene than food scene. If you can be persuaded into a different area downtown and a different cuisine, Cafe Atlantico is fantastic: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...796043&typeId=2 It's close to the MCI center and china town which has become as good a spot for night life and bars as the 3 places you mention. I'm glad to see a lot of posters here love this place too.

Was Thermador included in the obsessive research? What was the verdict?

Naxos is OK. My favourite place is Nikos - a seafood restaurant overlooking the main port. Simple grilled fish is the best. A much smaller island is Koufinisia - close to Naxos. This island supports a fishing community and has great seafood as a result: O Georgios overlooking the main port, or one of the fish Tavernas overlooking the fishing harbour- (Captain Nikolas I think?) are good. Another more accessible island ( and busier but not as busy as Naxos ) is Sifnos. A lot of Greeks vacation here and it has a reputation for good food. Try the taverna on Apakafto beach (next to the monastery of Chrysopigi) for lunch and for Dinner head to O Magnanas in Artemones or the restaurant in the Hotel Petali Village. Milos (further down the same island chain as Sifnos) also had good food, especially in the main town (plaka) and around the harbor (Adamas). Also good for lunch "Tarantella" near Provatas. On Mikonos there's a lot of disappointing touristy restaurants but we enjoyed the food at El Greco in the main town. We used to like Naoussa in Paros, especially the octopus grilling ouzeries by the harbour, but this place gets way to crowded in Summer.

Let the great Michael Jackson weigh in on this http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-001715.html Also, and I wonder if this is why this thread has been re-activated here, the James Beard Foundation recently saw fit to honor Fritz Maytag as their Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional. The following is from the story posted at World of Beer: Fritz Maytag, founder of San Francisco's pioneering craft brewery and head of the Anchor Distilling Company, was named the Hudson Valley Foie Gras Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional at the 2003 James Beard Foundation Awards handed out tonight in New York City. It is believed that this is the first time a personality so strongly identified with the brewing industry has been so honoured. So maybe the attitudes are finally changing so that beer will hopefully get more recognition as a valid gastronomic and cultural experience.

Reviewers who say anything is "to die for" should receive maximum assistance in acheiving this goal.

Duck Soup Inn on San Juan was the best meal I had in that area. Good beer at the Front Street Ale House. Get off the bikes for a bit and do some kayaking too!

Actually we Europeans are into Techno, Soccer and Cigarettes... and hitting.

Attempt to de-bone a lamb leg that is partially frozen. The numbing effect of the way-too-cold meat means that you don't, at first, realize that you are actually deboning your hand. OK I didn't do this myself but I had to take the guy who did to the hospital and boy did that mess up my car's upholstery.