bloviatrix

It seems like Le Creuset fever is going around. I just off the phone with a friend of mine who announced she wants to get the 7 qt like I have. I'm not sure if it was my cooing about the lamb stew I made or the fact that this winter has been calling for long-simmered dishes that did her in.

One of my all-time favorite food related similes was when Selena Roberts, (NY Times) covering a Knicks playoff game, described Allan Houston as "curled around Dan Majerle as tightly as a stripe on a candy cane," I just loved the imagery. So, as I read the paper this morning, I came across another great line. This time in an article about eagles being spotted in Manhattan: Does anyone else have any favorites they care to share?

Now... if you are going to adulterate a perfectly good chili with beans , you really don't want them turning into mush. This is one place where a firm bean is called for. McGee also goes on to say that you can use this knowledge to keep beans at a particular texture when reheating or adding to another dish in a secondary cooking by making the new environment more acid. Wow. Fascinating stuff. I'm one of those who does use beans in my chili and I have noticed that they never get mushy. I never knew the science behind it. I think I need to buy a copy of McGee.

A couple of months ago, as I was doing my mise for chili, I discovered a colony of little wiggly things in my chili powder. The whole thing got dumped and I had to run out to the store to buy more. Which leads me to my suggestion -- don't just shake a container directly into your pot. 1) You never know what's crawling around in there and b) you run the risk of having the shaker cover and the entire contents of the jar fall into your pot. I save large yogurt containers and jars so if I have something liquidy to toss, I pour it into the container and toss down the garbage shute. I've been know to pour stuff into the toilet and flush (I've got those old, power-flush toilets).

Shabbat Dinner tonight will be: Chicken Soup w/matzah balls London Broil in a Rosemary-Honey-Soy Sauce marinade Bulgur Pilaf w/apricot and ginger Sweet Potato, steamed and tossed with a dijon-white wine vinagrette Dessert will be fruit and tea. Haven't decided what we'll drink

Is your family that warm and welcoming to all new residents of your neighborhood?

Here are some quotes from the Miller piece. Regarding the defunct Lespinasse: But, Miller also quotes the designer David Rockwell: Miller ends by pointing out thateven though not all off-street restaurants are duds, highlighting the success of ADNY, Hudson Cafeteria, and 44 at the Royalton, the odds are still against them.

Whoo-hoo!! Props to you!!

Blovie is still sick, so I made yet another pot of chicken soup (the 3rd pot in 7 days). Also, some lemon sole dredged in a flour/curry powder/garam masala mixture and pan-fried. And some pasta.

McDuff, that is absolutely gorgeous. Do you slice apples by hand? Using a mandoline? Or food processor?

It's not available online, but if you have a chance to read the new issue (Feb 2 cover) of The New York Observer, Bryan Miller writes an article titled Will New Yorkers Climb for Their Supper? Essentially he wonders whether we'll be willing to enter a building a take elevators to dine rather than walking into a restaurant right off the street.

I'm glad to see the nuts are given by weight. I was just commenting to Blovie that giving nuts by volume is a particular peeve of mine. I have yet to use the page through mechanism on Amazon but I'll try it.

I've been wanting to check out this book for awhile and I can't find it in any of the stores. What's up with that?

I'm making lamb stew in mine this weekend.

Considering your husband's experience earlier in the week, do they have food available?

My mom has those spikes, too. Usually, though, they just sit in the drawer. Do they cause the potato to dry out excessively where it makes contact with the skewer? Or is it just a matter of bringing the heat from the outside to the inside? My mom has those spikes as well. She claims the metal gets hot and radiates from the inside out rather than having the heat penetrate from outside in.

I think your definition of bleh supercedes what I do on a good day.

We go through about a dozen grapefruits a week in the winter months. Plus a lot of grapefruit juice. So, to me, it doesn't qualify as a strange craving. This week's strange craving for was mandel bread (jewish biscotti). I travelled down to the Lower East Side to pick some up. It was good.

I know nothing can replace mom's soothing advice and sympathy, but think of us as your virtual mom. You can whine all you want, and we'll understand. (I've been taking care of a sick spouse for a week, I've got lots of practice).

Home Dairy is gone? That place was an Ithaca institution. As for pet message, I once met a woman who specialized in thoroughbred massage. She worked on racehorses.

I remember when Cafe Decadence opened (does that make me old?). I never tasted that cookie though. Thanks for bringing back memories of Home Dairy. I used to love that place. We would buy birthday cakes there.

Go with bland foods. Applesauce always works. Stay away from caffeine (drink herbal tea). And soup, soup, and more soup. Feel better soon.

Stunning pictures. Your set table looks like a tableau from a home magazine. It's the perfect antidote to the snow outside my window. And the food looks amazing as well.

This has nothing to do with allergy or intolerance. I consume more than my share of dairy products, thank you. I just think it tastes and smells nasty. Why does everyone feel a need to belittle those of us who don't like it?

I will eat mozzerella, ricotta, cream cheese, marscarpone, and farmer cheese (baked farmer cheese, yum.) Under certain circumstances I will eat munster. I'm not a fan of cheese flavored chips. When Blovie wants a snack where he gets to eat the whole bag, he buys something cheese flavored. On rare occasions I will crave Nacho flavored chips, but if I sniff them, I get nauseated. I do eat pizza.