bloviatrix

I eat something similar, andiesenji .. pretzels with sour cream and cottage cheese mixed ... crunchy yet creamy! mmmm.. I also have a somewhat similar snack: Sour cream and onion potato chips dipped in lemon yogurt. It's the salty and the tart which I love. Plus you get the crunchy/creamy thing going on. :licks lips: Another good match is chocolate and basil.

Blovie caught Bruni's report on NY1. Bruni explained that he chose Ici because he wanted to show that there are quality places to eat in the outer boroughs. Plus, even though it's a neighborhood place it's a couple of blocks from BAM so other people might want to check it out. Blovie got the feeling that Bruni plans on reviewing more places like this in the future.

I bought ours at Williams-Sonoma about 18 months ago.

You have a Whirly Pop!! I love ours -- they make the best popcorn.

Aidan, are you aware how hip you are by having a mah jong group? My mil has a weekly game -- she tried to explain it to me but my head was spinning. Is there a typical menu or does it vary?

Since it's the 9 days and we're not eating meat I'm under orders to make 2 meat meals for shabbos. Right now I'm thinking of marinated london broil very rare on soba noodles and beans tossed with toasted sesame oil. Of course, it's only tuesday so I might change my mind.

It just so happens that my heavily highlighted copy sits right next to the computer? I've to re-visit the chapter. Thanks.

Nullo, you look fabulous. It's been a fun week. Thanks!

The vanishing bakery is one of my pet peeves. I live on the UWS of Manhattan which is orthodox jew central. You would think this community could support a kosher bakery (we had two, the last one closed 3 years ago) and we don't have one. It pisses me off. I always made a point of going there because I believe in supporting local retailers, but most many of the kosher food stores bring in baked goods from elsewhere and people would get their cakes at those places. And with Manhattan rents the way they are the bakery closed. (I knew the owner... the lack of community support was a sore point) As an aside for you Seinfeld watchers, the "marble rye" episode perportedly took place at this bakery. It was called Royale.

Russ, any possibility you can share you pie article with us?

I just realized that I forgot about one of my all-time favorite snacks that's only available in Israel. It's called Botnim Americayim which directly translates into American peanuts. Only, I have no idea what nut it is and they're covered in a sweet/savory crunchy candy shell. They're out of this world. Occasionally I can find a poor imitation of them imported but they're not as good.

I have 3 (out of close to 200). But I hope to increase that number.

I slice them thin and then saute in a butter/evoo combo. Maybe throw in a bit of garlic. Then, I add them to an egg and milk mixture, and place the dish in a water bath in a 350 oven to make zucchini flan. You can also make zucchini bread. Maybe someone can give you a recipe for them.

When I was a kid I would eat whole peanuts -- shell, red skin, and nut. The shells are pretty tasty. Roughage!! And no, I never got a tummy-ache.

Locust Grove had the squash blossoms one friday and I decided not to go for them that week. Since then, I haven't seen them at 97th street. I'm a simple girl -- I like dipping them in beer batter and deep-frying. I might have to make a trip down to Union Square on wednesday.

When I portion out pie dough I always pat/press it into rounds. Whenever your rolling out any dough its easiest to start with your dough patted into that shape so all your doing is following the shape as you roll. It's much harder to start with a round piece of dough and shape it into a rectangle ....... Rolling out your dough..........hum, it's possible that your over-thinking this(worrying too much) and freezing up instead of relaxing and rolling. Try to forget about the 45 degree turning for now. Instead think of each pass as flattening this round disk. It's going to stay in a round shape if your exerting even pressure and turning it as you flatten it. You want to check and see if your dough has accidently stuck to the table- so I lift up my dough and give it a little spin/turn and I probably toss a little more flour underneath it for insurance. I roll out again, lift and turn dough, roll again, lift and turn dough. etc... My crusts aren't always perfectly round, in fact thats pretty rare. Your in control, forcing your dough into this round shape. If it starts to go a stray don't be scared to cut off an area and patch in. Oh, also I find some rolling pins much harder (taking more skill to use then others) to use. I prefer a large heavy pin with ballbearing handles. I feel the pin does all the work I'm just there to guide it. The non handle shaped ones (many hosts on foodtv like to show off using these) are MUCH harder to use, or learn to use. It requires you to have even pressure and very coordinated left and right hands/arms. Frankly I think these pins became popular only because of foodtv. In days gone by people didn't have rolling pin choices. I'd guess someone picked up a round stick and made it work. Personally I think man invented a pin with ball bearings in the handle to make the work easier.........I don't care how fashionable a tapered pin is, I choose ease over fashion. Sinclair, thanks for all your advice. I'm beginning to think that I'm psyching myself out. The last few times I had to resort to pressing the dough in the tart pan because I got so frustrated. As you suggest, I start with a round of dough, but somehow it always end up breaking/splitting and turning into "the blob." The only other that comes to mind is that perhaps my dough is too cold? How long should I let the dough sit out for before beginning to roll out? Thanks!!

FWIW, I'm a New Yorker who sees approximately 35 plays a year (on, off and off-off b'way) and I prefer the London theater scene as well. In defense of NY, Broadway isn't where you'll see innovative work. It's too expensive to produce. You have to go to the smaller theaters it you want to see the good stuff. And when dealing with Broadway houses, the best work I've seen in the past six months has been put on by non-profit theater companies.

OK, I finally got to work... Chilled Curried Yellow Squash Soup w/Cilantro-Lime Drizzle (it's currently simmering. I'm going to have to place it in the freezer to get it chilled) Roasted Salmon with an Orange-Balsamic Vinagrette Green and Yellow Beans Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad Cherries for dessert.

Lucy, I'm reading J. Pepin's The Apprentice. As he talks about Lyons and the market I've been thinking about you.

Candle lighting is in approximately 4.5 hours. I have a kitchen full of raw ingredients, and I haven't done shit. All I know is that I'm making a chilled curried yellow squash soup. And I need to make a final trip to Fairway (I did a big shopping there yesterday). I really need to get my ass in gear.

Last weekend we actually left the borough of Manhattan and tried a dairy restaurant in Riverdale called The Corner Cafe. It's on Johnson Avenue. The place is a hole-in-wall, but it was quite good. I had one of the pasta specials which a fettucini with an eggplant and tomato cream sauce that was very flavorful (and a large portion). It came with a salad and the house dressing which was a tangy creamy cucumber (on the side). Prices were very reasonable. Dinner for 4 (no drinks or dessert) came to about $70. Blovie and I also got to Mike's Bistro over 4th of July weekend. We started with the gnocchi which were excellent. They came with with shredded braised duck and mushrooms. Although it was somewhat of a wintry dish, I enjoyed it. For the main course I went with the filet of beef which left me slightly underwhelmed -- I didn't find the meat flavorful enough. Plus it was served with braised cabbage, which again I found to be seasonally wrong. Blovie had the lamb shank, which he praised. I'm sure we'll go back.

Another thought just came to me. I make a chocolate sorbet. I might try a variation using the infused sugar syrup in order to layer the flavors. Emsny, can you explain further what you have in mind?

For storing basil, I stick it in a vase with water, cover the whole thing with a plastic bag and keep on the front of the top shelf in the refrigerator. It keeps for about 10 days that way.

I'm not doing anything too adventurous with it. Just infusing a sugar syrup and using it to make chocolate pepermint ice tea.

Today at 97th street: Chocolate Peppermint - Baldwin Farms Eggplants, yellow squash, green and yellow beans, basil, orange beefsteak tomatoes - Kernan Farms Red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, scallions - Bialas Farms Queen Anne cherries, gooseberries - Locust Grove