phlawless

I wanted to thank you guys for all of your suggestions...we had a great time ( a little too great actually) and unfortunately didn't make it to as many places as we would have liked. Our week end went like this: friday: lunch at Momofuku, sweets at Chocolate Bar, beers at Spotted Pig, Tabla for dinner, then to Room for Dessert, Milk and Honey for drinks saturday: hangover breakfast at some corner diner I don't remember where, snacks at City Bakery, late lunch at Casa Mono, sweets at Cupcake Cafe, dinner at Jean Georges, drinks at Pegu sunday: major hangover brunch at Balthazar and snacked on Balthazar bakery goods till we flew home only bummer: we were so wasted by the time we left Jean Georges (cocktails, 4 bottles of wine, port) we couldn't appreciate Pegu. it was pretty loud and kinda crowded, not really what we were looking for. the apartment where we stayed was a shit hole right above Mercury Lounge... needless to say, I'm going to be catching up on sleep for the next few days.

Even though I have had some fine meals at Mag Grill, I am really looking forward to my first dinner this week end at Jean Georges.

also, any suggestions for afternoon snacks? (not sweet)

what about milk and honey? Is it impossible to get in? Do you need a number?

see that's the thing for me, I am a fervent fan of flavorless Bud-like beer. Hell, I even love Bud. For me, all I require from a beer is for it to be really cold, and to not compete with my food or my cigarette. Actually, the cigarette doesn't apply anymore...

I love the Stella!

PBR: Pabst Blue Ribbon cheapo blue collar beer that has become quite popular by said hipster crowd. see also: miller high life, olympia, and schafer

I'm curious...what is a NY hipster these days?

hipster meaning before I had my daughter I'd have a Stella Artois or a negroni and an organic American Spirit when I got home from work, my closet was equal parts vintage and H&M, and my iPod playlist included the likes of Built to Spill and Sonny Rollins.

sedate is okay, but we don't get to NYC often and would like a city experience without it being too...too... I don't know how to name it. Good music, not too trendy, maybe a little people watching, not too loud, also someplace to go grab a drink in the afternoon (outdoor seating? view?). Pegu is already in. Someone told me about Happy Endings, any good?

We're (3 mid-thirties, indie rock loving, former hipsters) heading to NYC this coming week end. Our meals are decided but we need some bar/club suggestions, daytime as well. Anyone?

I've been making my own yogurt for a few months now since I did my locavore challenge (and it's the only dairy my daughter will really eat) and I have great success with whole milk, fage starter, milk powder (it gives it a fantastic consistency for only incubating 6-7 hours) and a salton machine. I also drain the whey to avoid goopy results after 3 or so days. I didn't read through the whole thread, but I'm curious... would this work with soy milk?

So once a week I have to make eggs in a new way that I have never made before. Usually what happens is I have a bunch of vegetables to use up and no protein, or I am saving some meat/fish for another specific dish but I don't want to have just a veg plate so I cook up some eggs. It's always great, and I am always happy with the results. But I want to expand my egg-folio...I want some new ideas (ethnic?) or techniques that aren't conventional (omelets, salads, etc). I love making savory souffles, but I want more. Suggestions?

This seems to be where you are wrong, Bryan. From the response to this thread, it seems like many are indeed willing. You really aren't in any kind of position to 'advertise' what you are doing anyway, so why worry about getting the word out? You can't be investing large sums since you are reservation only. I would think your dontation system would cover the costs of preparing the food for exactly the number of people you are going to serve. The venue of egullet seems a perfect place to let in who you would want your core audience to be, right?

There is Lincoln Cafe in Mt. Vernon run by a good friend, Matt Steigerwald. He definitely is on the local/sustainable team, and his food is fantastic; like it says so here.

I would recommend something a little smaller, say Lantern in Chapel Hill. It's loyalty to seasonal goods and chef/co-owner Andrea Reusing's leadership of our Slow Food chapter will tap you into the local industry I think more than Fearrington. They tend to be heavy on catering/weddings and friends I know who have worked there have expressed disappointment with the verve of those who cook. To be fair, this was a few years ago and maybe things have changed. However, I am unsure of whether or not Lantern takes externs.

I think you might be underestimating the adventurousness of diners in this area. Of course, you aren't going to get anyone with a strip-mall dining preference beating down your door, but I think if you somehow find the right channels to tap into the 'foodie' community... and trust me, it's bigger and broader than you think... you will find many willing patrons. Will they be repeat customers? I don't know, but lots of my non-industry friends are game to new and exciting food concepts.

Also, if you are willing to make the trip: At the State fairgrounds in Raleigh there is a guy who sells restaurant flatware/place settings, etc that aren't anything that will win any design awards, but I have picked up a couple dozen Homer Laughlin 12" plates to use for large parties. He also has small wares like creamers/sugars and squeeze bottles, tongs...lots of other things. I seem to remember paying under $2 a plate, but this was a few years ago. It might be worth a look. I don't know about glassware however. Edited to add: He is only there on weekends during the flea market, which is getting ready to close in about a month for the State Fair.

Have you checked out Herndon on Roxboro? I know they won't have anything terribly high end, but they have your basic restaurant stock.

thanks so much for the info on Tabla...I'm heading to NYC in a couple of weeks and was considering stopping in...now I am really intrigued

I came up with peanut butter bacon truffles that were pretty amazing...

how did everything turn out?

Your idea of figs and stilton sounds delicious, but I wonder if it might be too heavy (and autumn-y) since the diner will just have had a cheese course and will be offered something substantial (most likely chocolate) as their dessert. I think integrating cheese would work, but I would go a tad lighter, using your same format but going with a fresh goat and possibly plums, or even nectarines. If you still wanted to go with nuts in your crust- almonds, walnuts, and even pistachios would work beautifully.

me too...I'm leaving on Sunday and will be in Kill Devil Hills...

Well... I never finished the dough. I neglected to mention that I also had a birthday cake for 60 that I had to finish and deliver today, and my daughter decided that she didn't want to nap. So, they dough WAY over fermented because I couldn't get to it. But, I am going to begin again Sunday night. You were right about the dough being too stiff, I will correct this. I don't have any contract baking to do next week, so I am determined to master this starter! Or at the very least, bake a loaf I can be proud of. Until then...