docsconz

It took me awhile to compose my post so I missed yours until just now. I fully agree with what you are saying here. The glycemic index is important for controlling blood sugars. It also appears, however, that different things affect different people differently so it is important for each person to find what works best for him or herself.

It is a myth that diabetics can't have sugar. What is true is that having simple sugars by themselves will cause swift and high blood glucose spikes. This can be tempered by having sugary things along with fats, proteins and fiber. With these the absorption of sugars is delayed resulting in lower peaks. For this reason alone I like the growing popularity of savory desserts. For type I diabetics who have a strong understanding of the disease, adjustments can be made to manage blood sugar with insulin dosages to compensate for the occasional splurge. For type II's who aren't on insulin, sensible eating patterns are more important than what is specifically eaten. That being said, things that reduce the number of calories without effecting texture of flavor are most likely a good thing. Then again, no one really knows the long-term health effects (if any) of things like Splenda and its ilk. One problem for restaurants (at least higher end oriented restaurants) is that a perception of catering to health is not necessarily good for their health as currently, I believe, people, including myself, eschew standard nutritional wisdom for the pleasures of the table. Anything that appears to cut corners in this regard is suspect (rightly or wrongly) when it comes to those pleasures. This may and probably will change with time as these attitudes tend to cycle. Another aspect is that with ever-changing "recommendations" vis-a-vis nutrition, the whole science is suspect. My personal philosophy, which I learned from my parents, is anything in moderation. As far as the question of the increasing incidence of diabetes in our population, I don't think there is any simple answer. It is clearly a complex and multifactorial issue. It used to be that one could accurately predict who was likely to have adult-onset DM by their age, family history, body habitus and activity level. That is no longer the case as more and more of those with the disease defy conventional wisdom. People with Type II disease are now younger, thinner and fitter. Does nutrition play a role? Probably. Carbonated beverages have, I believe, been implicated, but it is difficult to be certain of that as well. The science here so far as I know remains quite muddy. What is clear, though is that this is becoming a huge problem with major public health and economic ramifications.

Nice summary. Thanks. I enjoyed the Eramo. It is pricey but nice. The food was good too. Which were your absolute favorites?

This would be a major bummer. Fortunately, I don't believe it is imminent.

Congratulations on the Smithsonian and the levitation! Any more details on the latter? Next time I am in Chicago there are two restaurants in particular I want to visit - Alinea and Moto. Keep it up and continued good luck.

The horror

And we'll certainly enjoy reveling in it! The party menu: Make Martha Proud Crudités with Honey Mustard and Raspberry Vinaigrette Dips Melt with You Nachos Who’s A Real Man Spinach Quiche We Don’t Need Another Hero Blackened Chicken Sandwiches Like Totally Southern California Rolls Toni Basil Tortellini Skewers Could The 80’s Be Any Cheesier Potato Skins Hungry Like the Wolf-gang Puck Pizzas Stay-Puft Marshmallow Fluft with Fruit The Decade of Decadence Chocolate Cakes Big Hair Raspberry Tarts Bananarama Daiquiris Strawberry Margaritas Like A Virgin Strawberry Margaritas Long Island Iced Tea Wine Coolers Mexican Beer with Lime Wedges Cherry Coke Flavored Mineral Waters Thanks again everyone for the help! ← An awesome lineup that really brings back memories, most of them great. I for one really enjoyed the 80's and still love the music from then and the music from today that emulates it. As for food, I much preefer today's culinary world. Have a great time!

I'm in the over 40 set and I like tasting menus and I do prefer to know what fish I'm eating as well as how it is prepared. I like variety so long as it is all quality. So much for that theory

Josep Puig makes a small production dry white at his Vinedas de Ithaca with the PX grape under the Odysseus label. This is a smaller production than his similar garnacha Blanco. The PX is very steely, minerally and quite delicious. I will quote his own description of it and then attempt a translation I remember the last name of the alleged German. It was Siemans. The legend has it that the Pedro Ximenez grape was brought to Spain by Peter Siemens and came to be called pedro Ximenez after him. I have no idea if this is really true or not, but the myth or legend or whatever one wants to call it makes more sense applied to PX than albarino at least as far as the naming angle goes I have been remiss in writing up our stellar visits to Vinedos de Ithaca and Masia Duch in the Priorato. I will attempt to do so when I get enough time. They were both superb visits.

When tasting his dry white wine made with Pedro Ximenez grapes, Josep Puig related a story that the origen of this grape was in fact German and that it may be a reisling clone. The name Pedro Ximenez is a Spanish form of the name of the person who brought the grape to Spain Peter ?. Unfortunately I don't remember the German last name he mentioned.

For similar quality and prepration? One can certainly eat well for less than that in NYC, but in my experience not with the same level of ingredients and technique as with Springwater. I have to admit that Springwater can be uneven, but when it is on it is really on. Even when it is not at its best, though I still find it to be a good value.

One possibility might be the Boqueria. kiosk Universal does very nice grilled seafood. Whether or not they would have them on any given day (or ever) is another question, although I bet they would.

Simon, Your menu makes me wish to return to try the dishes that I didn't get to when I was there. I would have loved to try the espardanyes in particular since I never got to try them on our trip. The tomaquet was indeed a fabulous dish. I would be very intrigued by the Bresse chicken as well, although I don't know if I could give up the cabrito. Any decisions as to where to next?

Great post, Marco. The photos are delightful and inspiring.

Simon, It ws great meeting you and thanks for the response. Given what I saw of the meticulousness of Can Fabes, I too doubt very much that any of us got sick from any of the ingredients being off in any way. What even raises the question at all is thenumber of us that got sick and the timing with which it happened. It started late that night and went through the next day and night. If it came from Can Fabes, my suspicion is that someone working there that day and handling some but not all of the food might have inadvertantly passed something on. It is not difficult to do and I do not hold the restaurant to be particularly at fault. I believe it was one of those things, but the circumstances were too strong to not make an association with the restaurant. Nevertheless, as I said earlier, I would suffer it again if I had to for the overall quality of the meal and the experience we had there.

I don't think so.

Glad you enjoyed it. Check out this thread for info on sous vide cooking. It is the "hottest" thing in high end restaurants right now. Yes, it is slow cooking, but more importantly it is slow cooking with the food sealed and cooked in a vacuum bag, reaching and staying at the intended temperature. White salmon are salmonthat eat squid instead of shrimp. It is the salmon's diet that determines the flesh color. This is why a lot of farmed salmon are fed coloring agents. While good, I thought that this ws the greatst weakness of my dinner at Per Se. Nice report. Thanks.

Do they serve cheese?

I haven't been myself recently, but an acquaintance went recently and reported that he and his wife were very underwhelmed. If it has slipped it is a shame, because it was one of the greats.

Moby, thanks for that excellent report. It and others such as FG's and Milla's spur my desire to dine there. How hungry were you when you started? Was bread an issue or was your fullness entirely the result of the quantity and richness of the meal?

It sounds good, but I am curious. What constitutes a "bonbon"of confit quail? Specifically, what makes it a bonbon in this instance?

Bravo! I would think that indigenous Italian varieties would have a lot to fear from nearby OGM crop plantings. While in theory genetic modification could instill "ideal" traits into plant genomes, it could also spread and ruin othewise fine varieties that don't need any "improvement".

This was actually not quite as intriguing as it sounds. It had a nice rich texture, but my recollection is that it was very subtly flavored. This was not one of the standouts of the meal IMO.

David, I'm looking forward to hearing more about this itinerary, both before and especially after.

Speaking of subjective reactions, The more artculate the post and the more I sense a member appreciates food, the more I am reminded of just how subjective our appreciation is. There's no disputing taste. I'm reminded by the description of the rice dish above and that Mrs. B always says her family used to fight over the "pegao" of crust of rice that forms in the caldero. It also brings to mind the arroz plancha at Ca'Sento in Valencia where the seafood rice was cooked on a griddle until a light skin formed. It was then scraped off the griddle so the skin wrapped around the rice and the whole mass fored a quenelle shape with a skin. ← Had the "scrapings" been the crusty rice that you described I believe I would have marvelled at my extraordinary fortune. Unfortunately it was a smaller portion with a bit less of the proteinaceous components than other platings. It was still good and on another day may have been marvellous. I think I was just feeling a bit short-changed. I don't doubt that this may have affected my view of the dish.