timothycdavis

The last time I was in there: Fried Chicken collards mashed potatoes appetizer of fried green tomato it was damn good. They do shuffle a hell of a lot of people in and out of there -- tourists, students, the ladies-who-lunch crowd -- so I can see that it might come across as inconsistent. That said, they're playing the whole Southern Card, obviously. And a lot of the visitors don't seem to be able to tell the difference. I think it depends on who's cooking.

As far as I've been able to tell, the only connection between Red Velvet Cake and the Waldorf is this oft-repeated "urban legend." Frankly, I'm not sure anyone knows for sure, but it's awful popular here. (edited for repetition)

Hello all... I'm doing a story for a travel mag on Southern Cakes (and/or cakes popular in this part of the country). Specifically, I was wondering if the great folks that frequent this site would mind offering up their favorite Southern restaurants serving these beauts: 1. red velvet cake 2. coconut cake 3. mississippi mud cake However, I'm also interested in any Southern cakes you may be fond of, and the restaurants that do the best job of serving them. Alternately, for those board-shy, you may contact me at timothy.davis@cln.com. thanks! Tim

I thought the tone was perfect. People don't often give the most honest answers when they are either coddled or scorned. I thought it good 'ol grade A journalism. All except for that shrunken head part. I love b-sprouts (and butter) as much as the next guy, but that was insane.

Epicure. Succinct, sophisticated. I likes.

For fall, any bean soup with a hearty sausage/bacon tilt to it gets me salivating.

"Conscious eater," maybe? I'm not sure there's a good answer for this. I think busboy put it nicely in his Vonnegutian (!) analysis. Keep it real, as the kids say -- enjoy whatever the hell you want to, and by all means explore at will -- but don't assume that you are anything other than just a hifalutin' hobbyist (culinary pros of course excepted). Of course, we all love collecting culinary knowledge and techniques and the like, but, to many in the outside world, we're just stamp collectors. er, philatelists.

I believe, in football parlance (ie, *not* soccer to our EuroReaders), this is what they term "piling on," no? (edited for a rather horrible misspelling...)

I'm afraid Steven is right. Now I have to settle for plain 'ol "exotic."

basically, the "table dancing" title was an attempt to mix the word table, with its food connotations, with something that would denote that the column would skip from topic to topic (thus the dancing). The stripping connotation was sort of a bonus. but it's just a title, really.

Little flat-knobbed drawer handles work well too, especially if you're in the kitchen and need quick beer relief. Make sure you live in a crap apartment, however.

Call me whatever you want, just don't call me a Harried Corporate Drone. The lady in the accompanying picture looks like she could use some food and/or sexual healing, and but quick.

Pay: It doesn't, but it's not the kind of place to go if you want to get rich, anyway. It's an academic journal, for people who like (ostensibly) academic, less glitzy/glamorous/hot-new-chef stories on food. Most of the writers are pretty with-it cats, though most have more credits in the journal/academic world than the write-for-pay world. That said, I'll definitely admit to liking some articles more than others. (I have a piece on -- no shit -- livermush coming out on there sometime soon, so I think they're trying take some cool chances from time to time..) Tim D. ( hoping he's in the "notable exception" category, and admiring Steven for name-dropping Toqueville)

I'm real late to this posting, but i'm always satisfied with a Highland Oatmeal Porter. It's a perfect winter beer.... http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/rate_resu...sults/811/6088/

Posting those pics to a hungry man is like showing the Playboy Channel to inmates. Zowie, those look good!

Maybe we should agree to disagree, and get on to some eatin'. I would offer that Mr. Shaw's hundreds of published articles (as well as my own) might give us some sort of insight into what is required in a certain type of article, and what isn't. I also understand some folks don't agree with that. That said, I'll gladly take someone's reservations and do a before-and-after rewrite of the column. (though I bet it'd remain almost completely the same. ) Again, I was, to a great extent, using Adria as a sort of focusing point/lightning rod (which seems to have worked). I could have easily used Mr. Achatz (whose food I hope to get to try soon). I meant no offense to anyone. I was just hoping to make a point (or two). (And maybe score a table -- Ferran, you still listening?) Mis más cordiales saludos, TCD

Speaking of food shows, has anyone seen the trailer or promo cassette for the new "Home Plate" show on Turner South? What's up with that show? Evidently, the premise is as follows: Home Plate Love fried catfish, hush puppies, and hash browns but hate the health risks? Chef Marvin Woods offers you down home dining with a healthy twist during this new Turner South Original Show. First of all, who'd want to eat that? Secondly, on the tape they sent me, my man was making lemon chicken over Ramen noodles (really!) Is this southern college cuisine, perhaps? At what segment of the South is this aimed? In the name of John Egerton, I hereby protest.

How on earth can you say this? I believe I would be the only one qualified to comment on whether or not it was "for an audience" or my opinion. Do you know how much I've gotten paid for anything eGullet has printed? Zero. I do it *solely* because they're my opinions. Otherwise, why bother? TCD

Clarissa Wright and Jennifer Paterson, I seem to recall. I'd forgotten all about them, but loved their humor and their passion (if not their food), cruising around Britian in the little side-car. Great stuff. Yes! Thanks. I've been racking my brain for an hour now. The food you could take or leave, but the (ornery) joy in which they did it was fun to watch. Plus, it was nice to see them talk smack about folks that didn't like butter and cream and red meat. To boot, they threw in one or two cheeky sexual euphemisms a show, which were inevitably snicker-worthy.

That must be a passionate, yet unrequited meal. Hell, Cohen's a bit like lyrical bourbon anyway. sorry about the repost re: the repast.

I like the loud rock music, anything upbeat. I cannot cook as well with some classical on in the background -- I just can't. for some reason, I can put up with talk radio. (Apologies if posted before).

That guy on QVC? In The Kitchen With Bob? That guy's not much of a cook. "but, we have this wonderful knife set today, and..." like: pepin, batali, the two fat older british ladies. (Dammit! What were their names! ixnay: Cooking at the CIA (this stuff should be like the governmental CIA, and stay secret).

This is good! "Uptown Danny Boulud and his midtown west posse are off the hook with what they are stuffing into burgers. Foie Gras, Ribs and shit have turned the lowly american peasant food into a limo ride to Harry Winston's with daddy's Black card" I love the "foie gras, ribs and shit." It reads very beatnik-cum-Easy Rawlins.

one man's "exercise in hyperbole and metaphor" is another man's "literature." not saying this is literature. Far from it. to docsconz, the "last article you will read (today)" was a knock at how many articles there indeed are. thus the "today." "Everyone is entitled to an opinion - original or not - I never said othewise. I was not criticizing the opinions of the author. My original post was meant to point out an irony of the article itself, since the point of it seemed to be praising Mr. Adria's utter originality and admonishment to "copying". " I'm just not sure how i might have written this, an opinion piece, then. I'm ultimately writing in admiration of him and his creative style. many folks on here,even,give adria all sorts of shit. I'm sure (maybe) one of them have eaten here. I think Adria -- and his message -- need to be listened to and even promoted more, especially in this conservative age. That's all. Adria is more of an inevitability, a sort of living archetype of what I think we need more of. My subsequent post was in response to the author's apparent sensitivity to my original post. Just making sure I understood you.=) And this response - what difference does it make whether the piece was social criticism or a restaurant review? Social Crit. means I don't have to eat there.=) I'm not judging his foams, but rather looking at what they might mean. I know that's obvious, but it's the simple answer. I have eaten great, adventurous food. In regards to the Jordan thing, I have played basketball. I know what the thing is like. I don't need Jordan dunking on my head to know he's a stud. It'd be cool, but would prolly cost as much as a meal at El Bulli.=) Steven, can you get us a table with Ferran to settle this once and for all?

I normally don't do this, but what the hey. to mise en place: i'd sure hope so. Secondly, I'll make sure I run it thru the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test next time. secondly, to docsconz: I wouldn't say I'm copying the *opinions* of anybody. Have you ever met Michael Jordan? Perhaps a Russell Crowe? Does one have to meet a person to have opinions on their importance in the grander scheme of things? Do you have opinions on things? Do they sometimes overlap other people's opinions and sometimes not? these are just opinions and observations, this stupid column. that is all. just like y'alls. the give and take makes the world a beautiful place, and i thank you for them. love, timothy (off to lunch on crow)