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NYC is about the last place I would ever want to do something like join a club like this even if the food were really good. There are too many other wonderful places to eat. For the same reason I would prefer not to get a vacation home. I would rather travel to a lot of different places than feel obligated to return to the same one time after time. I guess the real reason most people do join clubs like this is because they can.

My Japanese friends refrigerate their fine quality soy sauces (the small batch Y2000/litre stuff), but their everyday stuff stays in a cupboard. Someone on rec.food.cooking wrote to Kikkoman about this very topic and this was their reply. I also refrigerate soy sauce but that's because it takes me years to finish a bottle. Interesting answer and one that helps me rest just a little easier

No place listed here requires a necktie; in fact I'm not sure there are any restaurants left in the city that do. (Are there?) A few places require jackets for men, but I don't believe that's the case at Bouley, Picholine, or Union Sqaure Cafe. Places may not require a jacket and tie - but when you look at the pictures of the lunch places in the NYT this week - well I think most guys would feel out of place without a jacket and tie (except for media moguls from the west coast - and my husband isn't one of them!). Robyn This isn't necessarily true during the week and it is even less so on a weekend.

I wish I had the time to come up there for it.

Is Mix open for lunch on Saturdays?

Excellent article, Craig. Tokaji and Tokay Pinot Gris are amongst my favorite white wines. Tokaji is wonderful with very rich foods. I am less experienced with the Friulis, although your descriptions make me want to develop that experience. What is the aging potential of the Friulis?

My experience there last spring was wonderful with great presentation, variety of textures and flavors and superb service. I am disappointed to hear of your experience and hope it is not indicative of a falling off. I found their cuisine to be different, delicious and exciting.

Not me.

There is no way to avoid making some mistakes (unless you are very lucky) when purchasing wines and developing a sense of your palate. Whether you go by Parker or a local wine merchant, you'll need to calibrate your palate to theirs. While a lot of people bash Robert Parker because of the influence of his ratings, he is generally consistent with how he rates wines and therefore is useful whether you like what he likes or don't. My problem with WS is as posted above its inconsistency. I have no idea whether I will like a wine recommended by them or not.

Sounds like it was handled well all around. I think it was better for all concerned that you didn't put them on the spot regarding your pregnancy. While I think that any given individual is responsible for him or herself the courts don't always see it that way. Excellent description of your meal on the Trio thread. I can't wait o get there myself, although I'm not sure when I'll next be getting to Chicago.

The parking lot across the street costs almost as much as the meal. It is convenient, however.

For what it is worth, champagne bottles are a tad on the heavy side. Do you have anything in particular in mind? Given the exchange rate right now, there may not be too many great buys. I would suggest checking prices in Paris and comparing them to what you could find in the States. As for not declaring them, you would most likely get away with it, but if you were caught, there would be penalties. Anyone know what they would be? One suggestion for bringing things back is to bring along an empty suitcase or two with at least one being hard-shelle and then filling it with bubble-wrap or other packing materiels. I also find one and two gallon freezer bags useful.

The situation is even worse in Spain and Italy, which were real bargain grounds before they tied in with the Euro. Now there really aren't too many bargains to be had. I just got back from Catalunya in August and Italy in November. I limited my shopping to what was either very special or not readily available in the US. At this point, it hasn't stopped me from going over, but if it continues, I will either go less frequently or not at all. The one country I wish would join the EU and convert to the Euro is England. I remember back in 1999 London had NYC prices only they were in pounds!

Mariebelle in NYC also makes hot chocolate mixes that are excellent. They have a "Spicy" Hot chocolate in addition to the "Aztec" and others. These also make great chocolate pudding.

Cafe Pascual's in santa Fe uses Ibarra Mexican chocolate to make something similar, although I'm not sure they have chili powder in it. Antica Dolceria Bonajuto from Modica, Sicily makes little chocolates with peperoncini that are marvellous, although I cannot find them mentioned on their website. They are pictured, but apparently not offered for sale at Zingerman's. They do appear to be available at Nastasi Imports, although I know nothing of this merchant.The vanilla and cinammon chocolates are also wonderful and they are available at Zingerman's and Nastasi.

The dishes are certainly full-flavored, although not overtly spicy-hot.

This was my last bottle. I dug it up in my cellar and had it with roasted red bourbon turkey. The wine was still fruity and delicious, although I'm glad I found it as I don't think it would have gotten any better, The color was deep red with garnet around the edges. There was very little tannic pucker. The cherry fruit was still strong. This made a very nice match for the full-flavored heritage-breed turkey.

Woodburner, Thanks for the info.

Anyone know anything about the Messermeister Meridian Elite Meat Cleaver - 6" ?

This wine is drinking beautifully right now, although I don't see any need to rush it. It is sexy and subtle with all sorts of complexity, that my meager imagination can't adequately describe. I decanted it for about an hour or so before starting in on it. The color was still inky purple. To me the nose was full of violet and lavender. The flavor note showed nice fruit, soft tannins, good acidity and a lot of good earthiness to it with a nice, long finish. It went beautifully with the strip steak (I did pan-roast it), mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach (with garlic, NR bacon and pignoli) and sauteed oyster mushrooms as well as a cheese course with roblechon and epoisses that followed. I was gratified when my son told me it was his best birthday dinner ever. Of course, the setting on a cozy snowy evening with a warm fire in the fireplace didn't hurt either.

I wavered and opened the Chaves. I did it because I have a few more and I was curious. I'll post a separate WTN.

well, i suppose that depends on how we define the "american" kitchen. probably a lot different than when her big book was published--both in terms of who is american and what's in their kitchen. You are most certainly correct that the availability of a variety of ingredients is much gretaer in this country today than ever before due to a number of factors. The increased availability of all ingredients is certainly enhanced by a greater ability to convey quality ingredients around the world in a more timely and relatively economical way as well as the increased demand from both ethnic consumers and those of different ethnicities with broadening palates. Even with this, however, the supply of less traditionally mainstream ingredients really only remains high quality and economical (for most consumers) in major urban areas. While the internet has done wonders for the availability of a lot of food products, good, fresh produce remains one of the more elusive acquisitions. So while the situation is improving, it remains difficult to bring currently non-mainstream dishes into mainstream kitchens for most Americans. I find things to be somewhat better for us rural Americans in the summer, when I can work with area farmers to grow more unusual items that they can sell at farmer's markets. I have one farmer locally who has promised to grow shiso for me next summer. This is something I have never seen in any local markets. I guess that Julia's response is somewhat dated, and getting moreso with each passing year, but it is still not really off the mark for most American kitchens based upon what is generally available as well as the underlying cooking techniques that are most familiar. While a growing number of Americans are gaining experience with a variety of cooking techniques from around the world, most Americans who cook are probably still most familiar with western European based techniques (I'm not talking high-end French technique) such as grilling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, braising and sauteeing using most of the ingredients used by Ms. Child.

Mark, hanks for the response. The Hermitages are clearly the finest of the bunch. Fortunately, I will still have whatever I don't use tonight for future occasions. I guess the question I should have asked is which of these wines do you (or anyone else) think is closest to its peak. I was sort of leaning to the Rausan Segla, thinking that that is probably most ready to drink (other than the Rombauer). Any of these would probably go well with the food. I may use your recommendation regarding the steaks. In the past I've broiled them to good effect, but pan-roasting may be a better option. I'll sear them on the stove first then put them in convection roast at 400* for about 7 minutes or so, putting the parmagiano on top before putting them in the oven. I'll then saute some shallots and oyster mushrooms in the pan drippings while letting the steaks rest.

Today is my son's 14th b-day. He has asked me to cook him a steak dinner tonight with mashed potatoes. I will be broiling some nice dry-aged strip steaks with pepper and parmagiano on top and serving that with parmagiano mashed potatoes (his favorite) and spinach sauteed with garlic and a bit of bacon and pignoli. A cheese course with epoisses and raw-milk petite reblochon to follow. I generally like to open a bottle from the birth year on my children's birthdays. For this son the vintage is 1989. The bottles I'm considering for tonight include Rombauer Cab, Ch. Rausan-Segla, and two different Hermitages- Chave and Jaboulet's La Chapelle. The weather here is cold and snowy. Thoughts? Recommendations? I already took a little extra Pravachol

Well said.