Margo

I really love Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby's books. They may even have one called "How to Cook Meat." I (almost) literally cooked through "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun" when I went from vegetarian to omnivore about 10 years ago. What I like about their books is that 1) they explain clearly how to cook meat, and not just the most popular cuts, and 2) they use salsas, rubs, and side dishes extensively, to give you an idea of how to serve that meat--maybe the trickiest thing, I think, for former vegetarians.

I knew there must be, just didn't know where. Thank you. Larrylee, especially thanks for the beginner's guide to Chinatown.

Who knew--that's fabulous. And I haven't spent nearly enough time in Chinatown. I'll be combing through the posts. Thank you.

Sorry, but do you always already know what to order in whatever restaurant you walk into? Are you never that benighted innocent bystander who has no inside dope on what to order, but simply goes for what looks appealing based on the menu and what she has a taste for? Not having followed whatever discussion led to FG's topic opener here, I guess I'd call restaurant X pretty good, restaurant Y not so good if not downright bad, and restaurant Z a crapshoot. At least if X and Y are consistent, the diner has a chance of hitting the good dishes on a regular basis once she's identified them. That is, if she's hit the good dishes on the first visit and is inspired by them to want to come back. Restaurant Z is the worst of the lot, I think, because the diner really never knows what she'll get out of the kitchen. And I think we'd be right to be concerned for the innocent bystander. Even if I think she has poor taste.

Actually, $55 is supposed to cover three meals, believe it or not. Liquor isn't included in that--my school won't reimburse for a glass of wine with dinner. Puritans. And I'm not really tethered to midtown for dinner, since conference events end by about 7. Still, this is at least a half-serious query, and I wanted to get a perspective on dining options in NYC for those of moderate means. (And Megan, I see in your blog you'll be at the Cafe Sabarsky this week. That's definitely on the list of lunch options for me, too.)

Megan, you're an enabler! Because of course I have to go to MOMA anyway, research, you know.

Where would you go? My professional organization, the College Art Association, has its annual conference in New York next week, specifically 6th Ave. and 53rd St.. We're over-educated, underpaid professionals in the culture industry. Our taste for wine and interesting food exceeds what we can hope to be reimbursed by our home institutions. So where can I eat and imbibe without breaking the bank?

It's like an O. Henry story. Edited to add the comparative--I simply assumed it was a true story, and found it touching.

In Vermont you're allowed to take the unfinished bottle with you. I found that out after living here for six years, when I went to a restaurant where the menu informed you that you could. It definitely affected our decision of what to drink with our meal: normally, I'd just order a glass of wine, maybe two, and my husband the same. Knowing we didn't have to finish the bottle (hate to leave something to waste, you know), we upgraded to a more interesting wine than was available by the glass.

After you've turned over/stirred around all your braising short ribs with your tongs? Don't lick the tongs to see how the sauce is coming along. Ow.

Provenance is important--we have been happy with the Sabatier "au carbone" knives we've purchased from Professional Cutlery Direct in the past. They've since shifted focus from professional to "cooking enthusiast," as reflected in their catalogue name, but still carry the carbon knives. Re. Thiers. My husband and I literally planned a driving trip through France around a visit to Thiers, in 2001, thinking we'd hit the mother lode of Sabatier knives. My husband was optimistic about finding knives that were specialized in their appeal and wouldn't have found their way into US catalogues. It was a mixed experience. On the one hand, we visited a charming town with an informative museum about knife manufacturing. On the other, the retail opportunities were limited to penknives and the like, not the high quality cooks' tools we'd found easily accessible at home. We never did find the Sabatier factory in or around Thiers.

My dad's cousin, David Graves, has hives in New York City, and sells his honey at the greenmarkets. The Bee-Man

Antique store? Great source for all manner of un-pre-matched sets.

Me, too. Great variety--I really liked the piece on crime and gangsters. And it was fun reading the, um, expurgated story of his dinner at Masa with Ruhlman and Ripert, since the rough draft appeared here first.

This reminds me of the rabbit-capturing machine in Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Truth is stranger...

Lovely article. I'm sorry I came to Apple late--I just began noticing his by-line in the last couple of years. I'll have to do some trolling on Lexis-Nexis soon.

Fine Cooking had some good recipes in their winter 2006 issue (#75). One is maple-walnut, another honey-almond--both are terrific. They call for powdered milk in the mix, which I like, and I substitute wheat germ for the oat bran or whole wheat flour. I like to add sunflower seeds, too, and try different kinds of dried fruit instead of raisins. I grew up in the 70s with my mother making granola. Funny what comes around again.

Great challenge--what other "remote" locations are on tap? My cousin's (first) wedding was on Little Cranberry. Fewer than 200 guests at the reception, but come to think of it, they offered a buffet of breads, cheeses, and fruit. Nothing cooked on site!

The poutine with fois gras place is Au Pied de Cochon--I haven't been, but there's a thread around here someplace. My husband and I have liked the Auberge Bonaparte in the Old City--reasonable rates, attractive rooms, and double-whirlpool baths available. Have a great time!

Mac users are out of luck, however.

I feel as though I've had a brush with greatness, johnder. Terrace Bagels is where I go to pick up breakfast when I stay at my aunt and uncle's on 16th Street. Happy to know it has the eG seal of approval.

Ditto for the chilled gazpacho. My cousin had green gazpacho shots among the hors d'oeuvres for his wedding reception, with waiters circulating them on trays. The only (negligible, IMO) problem was where to put down the glass after you'd inhaled the soup. The shot glasses kind of piled up on the tables set for dinner.

I know! I know! Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, Learning from Las Vegas. Brilliant book. A duck is a structure whose architecture acts like a sign, telling you what the building does. Yes? On topic: There was a cheese store in New Hampshire, forget the town but near Lake Winnipesaukee, shaped like a wheel of Swiss: round, with a wedge taken out where the door was. Also in NH, this one in Wolfeboro, a cheese store called "The Loose Caboose" in, yup, a free-standing train caboose. (I guess the train reference is for you, too, Sandy.) Edited to add: the duck definition.

Sooo worth it, though. I have had only excellent experiences dealing with the people at Hatch Chile Express mentioned up-thread. The 14 pounds of chopped frozen green chile for $143. (shipping included) isn't a bad price, as these things go, and you can specify any mix of heat to experiment with. (The chiles are packed in 1-lb. zip-loc bags, with the name and heat level written on them.) Think of all the other things to try out--enchiladas, green chile stew, etc. And PS, another great green chile cheeseburger is near the Bosque del Apache bird sanctuary at the Owl Bar and Cafe in (I think) San Antonio, NM.

Ditto, ditto. This is a book I'd love to read. My best thoughts are with you and your crew, AB.