Toliver

Bon Appétit Magazine Digest – June 2005 “Here Comes Summer” The cover photo of a “Summer Steak Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing” is beautiful and appetizing. This month’s contributors: Cookbook author & Chef Bill Granger; Chef Mai Pham of Sacramento’s Lemon Grass Restaurant; Chef Cindy Wolf of Baltimore’s Charleston restaurant; Cookbook author & food & travel author Kasey Wilson is also the host of Vancouver radio’s “Best of Food and Wine”; James Beard Award winner Chef Alfred Portale. Bon Appétit has a test kitchen now that can be emailed at testkitchen@bonappetit.com. Starters – “Quick Bites from the World of Bon Appétit” by Hugh Garvey “The Great Alaska Morel Rush” - Thanks to big wildfires, Alaska has a bumper crop of morels this year. You can read about the harvest at www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn546.pdf. “Lobster Rolls Rock” - Lobster Rolls are the latest “in” thing this summer at restaurants across the country. “Fantastic Fruit” – Freaky fruit are coming to the produce section near you. Fruit like Rambutan, Dragon Fruit, Feijoa (aka pineapple guava) and Tamarillo. I believe eGullet has a discussion going on about “freaky fruit”. “Royale Wedding” – A brief look at some champagne cocktails matched to wedding themes. “The Techie Chef” – A look at Chef Grant Achatz and the new technologies used in his new restaurant “Alinea”. Again, eGullet is ahead of the curve with their front row seat on the genesis of this restaurant. “Paris – Chic Shops, Chic Eats” – Today’s hot Paris eateries are inside the hottest clothes shops. “Prêt-à-Por-Tea” – The Berkeley Hotel in London is serving desserts created by couture designers. “3 Questions for Linda Ellerbee” – A short Q&A with Linda who has a new book out, “Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table”. R.S.V.P. – Readers’ Favorite Restaurant Recipes Recipes: “King Crab Legs with Tequila-Citrus Butter” (Kenai Magic Lodge – Alaska); “Buttermilk Pancakes with Warm Apricot Preserves” (May Lake Camp – High Sierra Camps, Yosemite, California); “Loin of Lamb with Orange and Mint Sauce” (La Faisanderie – Dufftown, Boston, MA); “Mango Tarte Tatin” (Gerard’s – Maui, Hawai’i); “Fettuccine with Goat Cheese and Portobello Mushrooms” (Pastorale – Lakeville, Connecticut); “Fried Chicken with Poblano Mashed Potatoes and Chorizo-Thyme Gravy” (¡Cactus! – Seattle, WA). Entertaining – “Party Improv” Australian Chef Bill Granger sets a menu for 6 with this laid-back summer dinner party. Recipes: “Rice Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Mint and Lime”; “Five-Spice Spareribs with Hoisin-Honey Glaze”. Chef Granger also offers some tips on a simple dessert and cocktails, as well as a timetable. Wine & Spirits – “The Spirit of Mexico” by David Lansing David takes a look at the latest wave of ultra-premium tequilas and offers a list of “Ten to Try”. “Message in a Bottle” – A handblown leaded crystal decanter by Venetian glass manufacturer Salviati. www.fitzsu.com “Captain Cork” –Cruise ships now offers fine wines to go with their fine dining. Tasting Panel Report – “American Rosés” Snoqualmie Vineyards 2003 Cirque du Rosé, Columbia Valley ($7) Pedroncelli 2004 Zinfandel Rosé, Vintage Selection, Sonoma ($8) Bonny Doon Vineyard 2004 Vin Gris de Cigare, California ($11) Macari 2003 Rosé, North Fork of Long Island ($12) Garretson Wine Company 2004 The Celeidh, Paso Robles ($18) Tablas Creek Vineyard 2004 Rosé, Paso Robles ($27) At the Market – “White Nectarines” by Grace Jidoun Nectarines are in season and Michele Anna Jordan serves up some recipes that will help you enjoy the first bounty of summer. Recipes: “Butter Lettuce, White Nectarines and Blackberries in Parmesan Crisps”; “White Nectarine Galettes”; “Plank-Roasted Wild Salmon with White Nectarine-Serrano Salsa”. A brief sidebar offers some tips on how to select ripe nectarines and how to store them. Restaurants – “Hot Seat” – The Wynn Las Vegas Hotel. Restaurants – “Going Out” by Kasey Wilson As most eGullet members know, the restaurant scene in Vancouver is hotter than ever. Kasey takes a look at some highlights. Yaletown: Blue Water Café (Chef Frank Pabst); Rodney’s Oyster House; Coast (Chef Sean Riley) Crosstown: Chambar Belgian Restaurant (Chef Nico Schuermans) Granville Island: Go Fish South Granville: West (Chef David Hawksworth); Rangoli, a “sibling” of Vij’s; Cru (Chef Dana Reinhardt) Kitsilano: Feenie’s (Chef Rob Feenie) A side bar offers a look at a couple “tapanese” bars, Japanese tapas bars. “The Restaurant Reporter” by Tanya Wenman Steel Tanya has some suggestions on where to go to eat now. New York: Sapa (Chef Patricia Yeo), Aquavit’s new loacation (Chefs Håkan Swahn and Marcus Samuelsson); En Japanese Brasserie. London: Tom Aikens (Chef Tom Aikens); Rasoi Vineet Bhatia (Co-Owner & Chef Vineet Bhatia); Amaya; The Quilon (Chef Sriram Aylur) Los Angeles: The Hungry Cat (Chefs David Lentz & Suzanne Goin); Chameau (Chef Chagar). Denver & environs: Rioja; The Oven (Chef Brian Cauley); Frasca Food & Wine (Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson). A side bar offers a look at some Tokyo hotspots. Table & Home – “Present Perfect” by Laurie Glenn Buckle It’s a look at some table & cookware perfect for summer gifts. Bon Vivant – “What’s New. What’s Hot. What’s Good.” By Laurie Glenn Buckle Silk pajamas for wine lovers. www.closduval.com Fun polka dot porcelain dinnerware by Arzberg. www.tartontheweb.com A porcelain vase designed by Eva Zeisal from Nambé. www.nambe.com A olive oil hand wash and lotion set by L’Occitane. www.loccitane.com A Lucite “Ghost candelabra” by designer Jon Russell. www.momastore.org. Splurge-of-the-month: “Brittania” silver napkin rings by Asprey of England Silver-studded faux suede vase mats or runners. www.studiochic.com Finely crafter wood and metal pepper mills by Chiarugi. www.cooksshophere.com “First Taste of Summer” – by Alfred Portale Celebrate the change of season with a burst of fresh flavors with this menu for 8. Recipes: “Raspberry Lemonade Coolers”; “Herbed Goat Cheese Toasts with Black Olive Oil and Basil Puree”; “Lobster Salad with Potatoes, Avocado and Caviar”; “Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Roasted Rosemary-Honey Plums”; “Soft Parmesan Polenta”; “Fava Beans with Mint”; “Warm Cherry-Almond Tart”. “A Guide to Asian Greens” by Mai Pham Mai explains why greens play such an important part in Asian cooking. Recipes” “Sweet Potato Noodle Stir-Fry with Choy Sum and Shiitake Mushrooms”; “Roast Chicken Noodle Soup with Chrysanthemum”; “Summer Steak Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing” (Cover Recipe); “Shrimp Curry with Yu Choy and Kabocha Squash”; “Lemongrass Pork with Vietnamese Table Salad”; “Grilled Halibut with Tatsoi and Spicy Thai Chiles”. Throughout the article, side bars discuss the different Asian greens and herbs, as well as some suggestions for the well-stocked Asian pantry. “Soft-Shell Crab” by Cindy Wolf Cindy takes a look at this short-seasoned summer star and offers up a new take on the old favorite. Recipes: “Cornmeal-Crusted Soft-Shell Crab with Lemon Brown Butter”. A side bar offers tips for buying, storing and cooking soft-shell crab. “Dinner by Twilight” by Amy Sessler, Nina Elder with photos by Wyatt Counts With a little help from friends, a New York couple takes the food and fun outdoors. Recipes: “Minted Sugar Snap and Lima Bean Dip with Toasted Pita”; “Shrimp Fritters with Serrano-Coriander Vinegar”; “Grilled Chicken with Walnut-Pomegranate Sauce”; “Tomato, Cucumber and Green Pepper Chopped Salad”; “Carrots in Cumin Dressing”; “Orange-Cinnamon Rice Pilaf”; “Grilled Peaches and Apricots with Almond Crunch and Sweet Mascarpone”. There’s a side bar with a recipe for a pineapple-infused vodka martini. “Party Cakes” by Elizabeth Falkner with gorgeous photos by Mark Thomas Summer goes exotic with these fanciful dessert creations. The picture of the Persian Love Cake is wonderful. Recipes: “Persian Love Cake” (with organic sugared rose petals and pistachios for decoration); “Blueberry Hill Cupcakes”; “My Kind of Chocolate Birthday Cake” (a flourless chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and crunchy hazelnuts with a hint of orange). “Spellbound in Sweden” by Raphael Kadushin Raphael explores the land of the eternal Summer Day, with suggestions on where to stay, what to see and where to taste the best in Sweden restaurants. Recipe: “Braised Lamb with Red Wine, Coffee and Cardamom”. “Fast. Easy. Fresh – Quick dishes for every night cooking” Recipes: “Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri and Bell Peppers”; “Linguine with Steamed Cockles in Saffron-Tarragon Sauce”; “Apricot-Raspberry Pavlovas with Sliced Almonds”; “Farro Salad with Peas, Asparagus and Feta”; “Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cherry Chutney”; “Speedy Gazpacho”. “Too Busy to Cook? – Fast and Easy Favorites from Readers” From Alexis Watson in Irvine, CA: “Lemon Crème Brulee with Fresh Berries”; “Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons and Balsamic Dressing” From Leigh Vickery of Tyler, TX: “Spicy Grilled Shrimp: End Page Q&A with actress Aisha Tyler…she loves making cassoulet! There’s an interesting ad in this issue for McDonald’s new Apple & Walnut salad. It’s a two page pop-up ad with two coupons for the new salad. There’s another ad for a new line of Sargento’s pre-shredded cheeses with herbs & spices: Cheddar Salsa with Tomato & Jalapeño Peppers, Mozzarella & Asiago with Roasted Garlic and Mozzarella with Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil.

Wow! It looks like they have pre-made lasagnas and other dishes in the cooler. What was in the main case? It looks like some cheeses and sauces, too. Are those pans of pasta at the bottom? Never in my life have I ever seen a pasta shop. The things you learn and see on eGullet! Thanks for sharing this, CaliPoutine!

Here's a recipe for a make-your-own onion soup mix: "Scratch Recipe for Lipton Onion Soup Mix" It has pretty much what everyone else has suggested. The dry minced onion is also known as those dehydrated onion flakes you can buy in the grocery stores. I usually get the large canister from Costco since I use them alot in marinades.

Have you tried pluots? They're a cross between plums and apricots. The organic farmer in our local farmer's market usually has 3 or 4 different kinds when they are in season (should be soon!) and some are incredibly tasty. Last year he had some pluots that tasted like giant green grapes. They were amazingly good.

I recently read somewhere that apricots were known as the first fruit of summer. It may be too early at the moment but give it a couple weeks and I'm sure they'll be overflowing.

I bought a two-liter bottle of the Pepsi Lime yesterday. I was not that impressed. I thought the lime taste was, by far, too subdued. It might as well had been Pepsi Twist that I was drinking (it kept reminding me of that flavor). Perhaps they should just combine both brand lines and call it Pepsi Citrus. Or do as other posters have suggested and just add the lime yourself to regular or diet Pepsi. Also, though I am a fan of Diet Pepsi, I thought it tasted far too sweet. It could be possible that I got a bad batch/mix so I would be willing to try it again another time.

You've been approaching it from the wrong angle. Write one (excellent) column for each holiday and then re-run it as each respective holiday rolls around again, labeling it as that "cherised classic holiday essay". That should relieve some of the stress and get you a day off, too, if you work it right.

I have onion envy! I've seen nary a Vidalia this season in the local grocery stores and it's bummin' me out. I love carmelizing them, too (though most in the Onion Confit thread are of the "don't carmelize sweet onions" camp ). Oh, and you two need to throw a couple of "eh's" into your posts or I'm not going to believe you're in Canada.

Pretty sure they do. Yup they DO! ← Thanks for pointing this out, kitwilliams!

I noticed the same ingredient (the wood rosin stuff) in orange sodas and Squirt and had the same reaction as you. Namely I will worry about it less, thanks to eGullet. Anyone know if they make Diet Squirt? It's not on the shelves where I shop.

I concur. It's a great flavor. The only drawback is that it loses its flavor too quickly! Within the last year I'd started keeping the jumbo packs of Extra in my office because I'd get a flood of visits from coworkers asking if I had any gum. One positive side effect of chewing the sugarless gum is during my last visit at the dentist's office, the hygenist who was cleaning my teeth asked what I was doing differently since there was hardly any staining on my teeth. I didn't put two and two together until I left the dentist's office that the gum must have made the difference. Chew on!

Frings & the Bell Beefer...two fast food items I wish they would bring back. Frings were from Jack-in-the-Box. It was just a ingenious mix of french fries and onion rings in one bag. The best of both worlds. J-I-T-B has just brought back onion rings in my area so I can only hope Frings will make a comeback soon, as well. The Bell Beefer was from Taco Bell. It was basically a Sloppy Joe (aka Loose Meat sandwich) in a bun. It's doubtful they will ever return since it means they would have to bring back hamburger buns. They were simple and a great invention. But they did bring back the Enchirito so who knows... edited to clarify

I don't have the willpower to do this! One of the greatest pleasures in life is to cut a piece of hot-from-the-oven brownies while they're still in that not-yet-set-gooey-goodness state and enjoy them with an ice cold glass of milk or perhaps some vanilla ice cream. A friend visited once when I had just taken a batch of chocolate mint brownies out of the oven. We ate them while still hot and it was sinfully good. She often speaks about it in a wistful yet lustful manner. Life's too short to refrigerate brownies!

Yeah. Or "Frank-fort". ← DOH! Thanks for the corrected punchline. I need to get out more...

I worked with a guy from Kentucky whose favorites joke was to ask: "Loo-ee-vil? or "Loo-uh-vul"? How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky? So, the Rube (aka "me") replied "Loo-ee-vil"... to which the smart ass would reply, "That's funny. We always pronounce the capital of Kentucky as 'Hart-ford' "! Regarding this past dessert discussion, I'm assuming everything went well. From your pics and posts, it looks like you ended up doing great.

Rally's currently has 389 restaurants, mostly in the Midwest. ← Cool. Since I moved from Ohio to Illinois, all of the Rally's/Checker's that DID exist near where I lived all folded up and moved out of town. ← All the Rally's in this town closed up, too. Bummer. I liked their battered fries. The nearest one was converted into a Starbuck's and they really take advantage of that double drive-thru!

I concur with Alex. It's an awesome mill. In a pinch, you could always use your cast iron skillet to whack the peppercorns enough to crack 'em coarsely. Put the peppercorns in a plastic bag, lay them on your cutting board and whomp away with the skillet. A little noisy but a great way to vent if you've had a bad day.

Well, y'all know the kitchen will be making another appearance at the "Varmint's Pig Pickin' -- Part Deux, Labor Day Weekend 2005" which is only just about 4 months away. Click here for 41 pages of "Varmint's Pig Pickin', episode 1" I hope eG'er's who will be attending the Pig Pickin' of '05 will post in that disccusion their first-hand impressions of the new kitchen. That stove is just begging for a pot of "VD stew"!

The article didn't quite get the Bayless brouhaha right: They didn't mention why Bayless shilling for BK was such a big deal which was really the crux of the whole issue. The article also neglected to mention the Jamie Oliver-Heinz Baked Beans incident which is a prime example of a chef "selling out" (the money went to fund scholarships for his "15" students...but he still sold out).

How about a "Tomato Bread Salad with Herbs"? It's not exactly luau material but it is "Summery". It would feature tomatoes (which should be plentiful in the summer) and could be served at room temperature (don't refrigerate tomatoes!). Add the bread 15 minutes before serving and it's done. You could also add some cheese (mozzarella, feta or goat cheese) to the salad for that extra something special.

I've made the strawberry, the lemon and the orange cakes from "The Cake Mix Doctor" and they were all winners. Guess I'm in the "Mix" category when it comes to cakes. "Scratch" for brownies, though.

Add one more for me. I'd been looking for the out-of-print "Florence Lin's Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings and Breads". I searched the usual places (eBay, Amazon Used, etc) and found lots of used copies for quite a high price. Then recently, on a lark, I decided to Google it again and found it at Powell's for a mere pittance...and it's in almost perfect condition. Either they didn't care what the going market price was or they just didn't know what they had. So my tip for the day: Google, Google, Google...you never know when you'll find a treasure at a great price!

I just found out my niece and nephew will be traveling from Austin on a class trip with their high school band to attend the JazzFest. I am so freakin' jealous and look forward to reading about the event in the Louisiana forum!

I tried regular Coke with Lime this weekend and had a couple thoughts... I was surprised that the lime flavor was so subdued. I would have thought it would have been more pronounced like the lemon is in Pepsi Twist. The other thought I had was how similar it tasted to...wait for it...Pepsi's Holiday Spice! Has anyone else noticed the similarity? Does anyone have access to both colas for a side-by-side comparison (like a blind taste test)?

A similar discussion from another forum: "Favorite/Least Favorite Food "Celebrities", the best and the word"