slkinsey

@SQC is my main hangout, because many of the people I work with are in that aria. Scott is a great guy. I have consistently found his place a good value for well-executed "upper-middle-brow" American bistro-type food. If I had known you were going I would have told you to drop my name and order one of the drinks the bartender and I came up with. The hot chocolate is deadly, isn't it? It's even better with a scoop of that bitter caramel ice cream in it.

Exactly. In this way it is kind of like "modern" or "modernist" art, which refer to works produced over a half century ago.

Speaking of which, I find that I like caffè Americano better than American-style drip coffee. Anyone else share this impression? I confess I have never tasted one. Should I give it a try Sam? Definitely... the next time you have the taste for a larger volume, more dilute kind of coffee (which isn't that often for me) give it a try instead of the usual drip or presspot method.

It might be, in which case that date is out. There is no football game on January 25. The Conference Championships are on January 18, and the Superbowl is on February 1.

No can do here. That's Burns' Night. We'll be wearing kilts, swilling scotch and eating haggis at our house.

Dude... no matter what, your Spanish skills are bound to be 100 times better than mine. The only thing I know how to say in Spanish is: ¿Dónde están los bacalaitos de Pepe? Needless to say, this really comes in handy whenever I need to locate Pepe's salt cod fritters.

Some interesting information here.

This is getting a little OT, but I have read that the older and more diversely-influenced a language is, the thicker the dictionary and the simpler the grammar. The English language, for example, has by far the thickest dictionary and quite simple grammar (the high incidence of irregulars notwithstanding). English is a very old language with many and diverse influences. Finnish, on the other hand, has a very thin dictionary and extremely complex grammar. Finnish is a relatively young language and has no identifiable external influences. I think this has something to do with the fact that young languages with relatively limited vocabularies need to have very complex grammar in order to convey all the complexities of meaning people would like to use. As languages age, individual words and expressions emerge that convey certain precise meanings without the need for complex grammatical constructions, and the grammar simplifies.

To spatchcock a chicken means that you split it open for roasting or cooking on a spit. Normally this means cutting out the backbone and spreading it out flat. After cutting out the backbone one may also remove the breastbone. As an alternative, it is possible to spatchcock by splitting the breastbone in half and spread the chicken open the other way.

What language is "cusina"? Yeah, its italian. My bad. Fuck it. Actually, it's neither. It's cucina (koo-CHEE-nah, not koo-SEE-nah), meaning "kitchen," "cooking" and "food." Cocina does indeed mean "cooking," "cookery" and "cuisine" (as well as "kitchen" and "stove"). I would also say that it is the appropriate Spanish equivalent of the French word cuisine, which also means "kitchen," "cookery," "cooking" and "food." The Spanish translation of "nouvelle cuisine" is indeed "nueva cocina." That said, I think FG's use of "avant-garde" makes a lot more sense.

Quinces can be a great addition to an apple pie or tarte tatin because of the great acidity. Just cut considerably thinner than the apple slices or pre-poach so everything cooks evenly.

Speaking of which, I find that I like caffè Americano better than American-style drip coffee. Anyone else share this impression?

That's an interesting question. I don't recall ever seeing "doppio" on the wall at an Italian coffee bar -- but, to be honest I can't say that I ever pay all that much attention.

It's also more like a small cup of super-strong coffee because it is almost universally over-extracted and thin in the US.

Okay, that was really amazing! I can't believe you had to work under the lights and pressure of television cameras, have celebrity-hogging relatives crowding the kitchen, have the electricity temporarily unplugged, etc. and still managed to keep your composure and turn out what sounds like a fabulous all-Iowa Thanksgiving dinner. If we had an eGullet award for Thanksgicing dinner, I would vote for you! Can't wait to hear about further meals.

And a long handle...

Yeah, what you need is one of those $600 La Pavoni's. 1920's technology. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...G/egulletcom-20 People say that the lever-style machines are actually capable of making the best shots, since the barista is in total control. But the learning curve is really steep.

There is no way you can make decent espresso with a steam toy machine. The water is too hot and the pressure is too low.

Why don't you give us a little taste of things to come by giving us an overview of your Thanksgiving? Weren't you the one who said you wanted to... well, shove Thanksgiving up your in-laws' a**?

The upcoming I-Roast from Hearthware looks pretty awesome. I have loved my Hearthware Precision over the years, and am seriously thinking of picking up an I-Roast when they become available. These specs sound especially interesting: This for <200 bucks.

Upon seeing this thread, the first thing that came bubbling up from the depths of memory was this little song to the tune of the Grand March from Gounod's Faust: My Uncle roasted a kangaroo, Gave me the gristly end to chew. Was that a very nice thing to do? To give me the gristly end of a kangaroo to chew. I guess what you're saying is that it isn't all that gristly?

Yea. Like I said, it is hard to say whether the Albarello was the "best" wine, but it certainly made a big impression. It was a little strange and funky, but I was into that.

I definitely prefer gin over vodka. Vodka I drink only iced from the freezer or occasionally as a neutral base for certain cocktails. Beyond that, though, I like high-end bourbon, rum and single malt scotch about equally. I am also a huge fan of grappa. I don't take any of these on ice except occasionally Booker's bourbon, which I have found to have the strength of flavor (and alcohol content) to withstand chilling. I probably make mixed drinks based on either gin or bourbon/rye about equally.

Here are the wines we had, along with the dishes they were served with: Assorted Crudités Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico, Viticoltori Nino Franco, NV – – – Kumamoto Oyster On The Half-Shell With Cucumber Granita Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lies, Cuvee Vielles Vignes, Domaine Clos des Briords, 2002 – – – Cauliflower Soup With Seared Diver Scallop And Curry Oil Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002 – – – Mixed Herb Salad With Shrimp Ceviche Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002 – – – Toasted Corn And Stilton Soufflé Sautéed Brussels Sprouts With Guanciale and Chive/Oregano Vinaigrette Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noellat, 2000 – – – Lemon-Thyme Sorbet Moscato d'Asti “Vigneto Biancospino,” Azienda Agricola Dante Rivetti, Piemonte, 2002 – – – Turkey Two Ways With Cornbread Dressing, Foie Gras And Black Truffle Carpaccio Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup “Le Rollier,” Domaine Mas Foulaquier, 2001 Sonoma Valley Red Wine “Albarello,” H. Coturri & Sons, 2001 All the wines worked very well, I thought. The most distinctive was definitely the last one, the Albarello. I'm not sure I'd say it was the best wine but it definitely made an impression, which is just what I was going for. Strange, big, deep, powerful over-ripe/late-harvest kinds of flavors... almost like red wine with balsamico tradizionale added.

It seems to be a split decision as to what people liked the best: Kathleen loved the raw oysters with cucumber granita. A few liked the pureed cauliflower soup with seared scallop and curry oil the best. Others liked the turkey two ways with cornbread dressing, foie gras and black truffle carpaccio the best. Me...? Hard to say. When you're the cook, I think you lose a little perspective. I was just happy to see every course get onto the table, and I felt that each one was equally successful in it own way. The only think I'd change is that the toasted corn/stilton souffles didn't have as much stilton flavor as I might have liked (bigger chunks next time?) and had a texture more like airy, puffy cornbread than eggy souffle. They were good, but not exactly what I was going for.