KNorthrup

How specific? My general practice is dark chocolate based desserts with ruby and nut based desserts with tawny. But we have a zillion pastry chef professional types who will be far more qualified.

Actually, Pambiche's German chocolate cake was the one dessert there that has disappointed me too, so maybe there's more to it than personal taste. Although we also did get the last slice. What happened to the Pambiche cookbook? There was supposed to be one. The best dessert I've had in Portland lately (and actually that's in the last 12 months or so) is the rice pudding spring roll at Saucebox. I always order dessert; it's just not usually memorable. Still haven't tried Fife. Keep hearing more and more reasons to go.

Re bastardized versions of carbonara, I see a lot of recipes in the US with peas or asparagus. I think that's inspired -- albeit subliminally -- by tuna noodle casserole. I had it once in a cafe in Liguria that garnished it with diced tomato. They were a bit defensive, since it wasn't traditional, but the reasoning was the acid countering the rich and they were correct about it working. Esp during very hot weather, which it was.

My understanding is that it's french for hanger steak.

Powell's just got in at least half a dozen titles. I have them all, so sharing that info. About $10 apiece. powells.com Apologies if I've mentioned this before, and more apologies for enabling, but one service they now offer is a daily email listing all used books received and added that day. Just used titles, not new. And you sign up by category and cookbooks is an option. So first dibs at everything. Note also that the daily list is, on average, about 120 titles. And no I don't work for them. Just a big fan of how easy they make collecting. One other caveat for folks getting inspired to start picking up the books. It's very very frustrating to be reading through the hardcovers and hit a great sounding recipe description or photo and discover it's only in the spiral section. Not to say you should pass up hardcovers when no corresponding spirals are immediately available, but it is a downside to the format.

Oh come on. No one can slack his jaw and say "whoa" more believably than Keanu.

What's most fascinating is that 'too fat' was because they didn't think they could find enough fat actors to maintain a consistent look. In Omaha NE some years back (hopefully someone on here can recall more details), a McD franchise went out of business and the restaurant that moved into the property named themselves Fallen Arches. Until the lawyers showed up.

So at what point do you think you'd need to make it TWO pigs?

Okay, these were beginner things, but warn your kids against them: -- making toffee and stirred with a rubber spatula (to better scrape down the sides). -- making toffee and we were out of butter so (all previous experience being cookies) substituted butter flavour crisco. -- making mocha cookies and knew brewed coffee was better than instant so ground up beans instead of using powder. mmm, crunchy. -- oh and forgetting to properly prep asparagus before turning it into cream-of soup and the whole family flossing their teeth with each bite. and that's when it was $12 a bunch and only available for about four weeks a year.

I second that. Now. Picked some up Wednesday and used it tonight to fry up some quasi-Japanese fish and cabbage cakes. Much better than Planter's. And I liked Planter's. Not cheap, though.

Oh dear. My mother was deep within Totem Park when she went into labour with my little brother. Lousy time for an invigorating walk. Yes, that New Archangel.

Trader Joe's Alaskan Halibut Roll. Probably to be followed by the cream cheese pastry (Eastern European, can't remember the name) bought for breakfast then completely forgotten.

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but what can people say about that one? I know he and his wife were well known for their love of food, it's not just a novelty thing. And a local bookstore has two copies -- $70 and $90. Worth it?

I use edamame instead of limas in succotash. My mother is still miffed at the sacrilige.

I like it in cole slaw. The cocktail sauce variation is a great idea. My first experience with sushi was picking up a tray of california rolls (hey -- it was alaska and more than ten years ago) from the supermarket deli and taking it back to my dorm room. I'm eternally grateful I was alone because I saw a blob of avocado that had fallen out and popped it in my mouth.

I can't believe no one seemed to mention salad Olivier, which can be addictive. Ditto mushroom salad, which is almost more like a pate. Fortunately, Portland (OR) has a significant Russian population, so we have a few restaurants and groceries. But if the original question was what Russian food has actually caught on in mainstream US, the answer is very little. I love the stuff. Maybe being born in New Archangel, the capital of Russian American, had a subliminal effect. And cookbook-wise, I'm another fan of Please to The Table.

Is that worthwhile? I've seen it but ignored it because wine habits have changed even more than food over the last 30 years.

Good point. That was a common variety when I was in Ireland last year. Does anyone ever see them for sale on this side of the pond or is it strictly a homemade thing?

There's a diner near my office that looks authentically 40s/50s because they haven't redecorated since then. At least that's the lore. Two horseshoe shaped counters. Very Woolworth's. They do a variation on the club sandwich with chicken salad (I can't believe there was no talk of the salad versions) instead of turkey. And on very fresh thick bread. A combination I like at home is chicken (not salad) with salami and that Stonewall Chicken martini mustard (vodka, vermouth, minced green olives).

I just completed my set the week before last (Middle East). It took about two years and I found them all in thrift stores and used bookstores. The spiral versions however, are far more difficult to track down. They're great for just reading cover to cover and I have good luck with the recipes as well. To tie back to two different earlier comments, the only slipcovered two-in-one volume I have is the Japanese. My mother donated it to the cause; I haven't seen that format for sale anywhere. Am now kicking around the idea of trying The Good Cook. Already miss the ongoing quest.

Eggs eggs eggs. Lunch and dinner. Wonderful things. Not least my father's sublime fried egg sandwich with ketchup and cheddar. I frequently do them up with Indian and Mexican type flavours but hadn't thought about Thai. But actually my favourite part of the article was the peanut oil recommendation. That's what I usually use (for the most traditional of reasons -- it's what my mother always used) but the grocery stores never seem to carry it now. But we do have an Uwajimaya. Mmmm. Pineapple sausages.

This is getting interesting in that I know I really do like most foods, but the more people post, the more I remember I dislike. Yikes. Oh and that's one more vote against licorice/anise/fennel and I have never ever liked potato chips but always seemed to be alone there so yay whomever that was. Love cloves. And cucumbers. Dislike all melons. I think that's a new one.

Mmmmm...paella. I know the Spain/Portugal volume of the Time-Life Foods of the World from the late 60s has a large section, maybe even a chapter, on paella and how it's one of those things where half a dozen villages/regions claim origination and authenticity and they're all different. Will try to post a summary when I get home tomorrow if the thread is still active.

Oh I've eaten that. And with my fingers to boot.

From my Danish great grandmother. Rhubarb Grod (the o should have a slash through it) Cook rhubarb with a little water until very soft. Wrap in cheesecloth or put in a strainer and let drip into pan. Discard pulp. Bring juice to gentle boil. Add sugar to taste and cornstarch to thicken. Remove from heat. Allow to stand and thicken further. Place in bowls while still warm. Pour on very cold cream. Some great memories of eating that in Anacortes WA.