Peter B Wolf

Steven, or is it Steve?, and Mrs. "Fat Guy"? How can you? Especially when your wife posts as Ellen Shapiro?. Well, it's your life. But for Burgers, this place in Bellevue Nebraska, just south of Omaha, on Galvin Road named "Stella's", has the best Burgers I have ever tasted. They have been in business since 1946, and yes are still there, although I last visited them in 1983. And then on when you reach? Arizona, in Mesa is the "China Gate Mesa Restaurant", General Manager and Exec. Chef Mr. Wan-Chung (called "Bill") Sy, is one who supports the "East meets West" concept. I was with him, and 13 other Chefs from all over the US, on a Culinary Arts Delegation tour to four European Countries in 1994. This was a trip sponsored by ACF/WACS and People to People Citizen Ambassador Program. Hope you and the Missus will enjoy the trip!

And I thought I mentioned all this "planking" in my comments a bit earlier!?

And I thought I mentioned all this "planking" in my comments a bit earlier!?

Steve, why do you want to try this "boiling lots of stuff" thing? Why not ask the Chaps that live under the Crown, they been accused of boiling everything to he... Or was it the wrong stuff they boiled?

Just wanting to let you know, it does not really matter if they are called Frankfurter, Wiener or Hot Dog, but there are many that are : "Pure bred Dogs, many are served on poor bread, others come with poured Mustard, some are pure beef, the ones I like are Haute Dogs"

I do not have a single "Non-stick" item in my house. "Lots of moisture" cooking gets done in a few Calphalon pots, plus my Casseroles, Sautoises and fry-pans are German "WMF" and Swiss "Fizzler", hardly any sticking ever. None have signs of burned on food or other. Oops, Sorry, my big mouth got in the way, got a small flat Crepe pan from Belgium, this is non-stick.

Live by the Motto: "Use Tomorrow's Leftovers Today". Plan, plan, plan. Blessed with plenty of freezer(s) space. Our house, bought two and one half years ago has a huge side-by-side Freez/fridge, plus full size 18' upright freezer in basement, and, believe this, I brought a reach-in chest freezer (220V) with me from Germany. Had plug installed. Everything is fine. Now, here is what goes in or is in: PARMIGIANO/REGGIANO, GRANA, PECORINO, all in 1/2 pound chunks, wrapped in "real" cheese paper (I "obtained" in Germany) and Zip-Locks. Tupperware pints and half-pints of Beef, Veal, Pork and Chicken stock. Two containers Mole Sauce, I made four months ago, two dozen individual boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts I bought at $1.15 a pound six months ago. A whole fresh Ham (22Lbs), skinned, boned, seasoned and tied by myself. The price was right ($ 0.78lb). Made a huge pan Lasagna, serves 12, we are only three, so that's "squared-out" and indiv. frozen. Some rendered Goosefat from Christmas. Assorted Dinner Rolls and a lot more space left over. Not to mention Stews, Ragouts and Gulyas. Left-overs from meals usually get used up quickly. If not, freezer! But all left-overs usually become something brand new (11 year olds do not like left-overs!) When it's new, she does not know. Luckyly I have control, Karen home-schools Katherine - I cook. But, my motto is "Use Tomorrow's Left-Overs Today", a former boss of mine instilled this into me, the saying is his. I adhere to it.

While chefing in Mass, (Shad run in the Connecticut), May was the season for it. We had it on the menu as: 1. Broiled Shad, 2. Shad stuffed with Roe, and 3. Roe only. Our fishmonger provided fully boned shad filet (and they do have a lot of bones, tiny ones), plus the roe as mentioned. Roe came as "pairs", approx. a total of 7 to 9 ounces. The broiled shad was served very simply with a bit of lemon juice and butter on it. The stuffed one was done by chopping briefly the roe with lemon juice Worchestershire sauce and parsley, filled in the boneless shad filet, and broiled. And the roe was wrapped into two slices of bacon, broiled and served on toast with Beurre maitre d'Hotel. A friend of mine provided me with a totally different recipe to eat shad. I like to share it with you all: Go to the Connecticut river bank, hang your line and sinker on a secured pole. Build a good fire, with birchwood only. When the shad bites, take him off the hook, bone him immediately (this you should have learned last year). Now get a clean one and a half inch thick birch plank, the length of the filleted fish, nail the creature to the board, lean onto a couple of sticks in the ground near the fire, face fleshy side toward fire and broil for at least 12 to 14 minutes. When done, throw the fish away and eat the board. In case of splinters, a Tokay Aszu softens the gullet.

Steve Plodnicki, What about Johannes Mario Simmel "Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein" from the late Fifties, early Sixties. I think it was translated?! And as the top(for me) guidebook, although my edition is from 1985, "The Hachette Guide to France" ISBN 0-394-72689-8

A very good friend of ours from India visited us last year for a week. She insisted to cook every day. Very happy to get authentic Indian food, especially since she even brought all necssary spices with her. We had a feast. As she left she gave me an Indian Cookbook (in English) to keep: "Mrs. Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery". What are your comments about this book?

Dweller, not so sure myself what that ment. But here is their phone # 617-369-3115, for the Restaurant, give 'em a buzz, I'm sure they will tell you, sorry.

Here are a few Breakfast/Brunch places straight out of my personal notebook. I did not do editing to well on this, so pardon the appearance Sasha Cafe & Bistro 55 Bromfield St., downtown Sunday brunch. The Blue Room, "international grill" located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. (617-494-9034). Museum of Fine Arts Restaurant, located on the second floor of MFA, offers an a la carte menu from 11:30 AM to 3 PM on Sundays. 11:30 seating only. Aujourd Hui at the Four Seasons Hotel (617-338-4400) Café Fleuri at the Hotel Meridien (617-451-1900). Turner Fisheries in the Westin Hotel (617-424-7425). Biba, Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay. (617-426-5684) Stephanie’s on Newbury (617-236-0990) The Hungry I (617-227-3524) on Charles Street Espresso: “Curious Liquids Café”, on Beacon St by the State House

Now, this is funny: during the first time in Paris for me, I simply tried to speak broken English with a French accent. Got me every where. I love doing that anyway, put the accent of the country you are in, onto any language you speak and they love you. You know, how actors speak in the movies when depicting another nationality, and try to speak English?! Could some times be troublesome, spoke English in Hells Kitchen in the late nineteenfifties with that "Kraut" JaaH! Good thing there was a cab.

This reminds me when I was in Romania in 1991, right after the Communist collaps. Going into one of their Department Store, no "s" they only had one, I was looking around on the first floor, and not seeing what I wanted, I asked " don't you have shirts here?" and the clerk said "No, here we have no pants, they have no shirts on the second floor"

Anduilles from (or in) France and Anduilles from New Orleans are two totally different species. Steven Shaw previously wrote something about that somewhere else. Also the best Morteau Sausage I ever obtained was in the town Morteau in Departement Doubs, and it was called "Jesus de Morteau", or simply "Jesus". I once obtained it here in the States in D.C. in a tiny French shop on Wisconsin Ave, 1800 block, Georgetown. Forgot the name. That was in 1984.

Well, Mr. Sceptic here again. The controversy about the differences / compliances between posters made me do it: look, look and you will find. Will it convince me? Not sure, but more postings will definately be created. With all the following nutrition information/claims made on this site: http://www.celtic-seasalt.com/celseasalan.html I am sure someone will comment?, Please.

New York Texan: got one for your collection. Tag on pillows: "Under penalty of the law, do not remove this label except by consumer" Can I remove this before I consume the pillow, and if not, what is the penalty. If I consume it, does it need salt? All fun aside, can we get back to the original post's comments?

Quoting Ron Johnson: “Junk food is not addictive in the sense that the drug nicotine is. Some people may not be able to control their consumption of junk food, but that is due to their own psychological disorders or impulse control problems.” First of all, “Nicotine” a drug, is part of Tobacco, and proven to be addictive. The part “……..ine”, another drug we are not aware of may be present in Junk Food, could also be addictive. This particular “part”, or within an additive in so called Junk or Fast Food, may need to be found. I think it is safe to make the statement, without generalizing, that the majority of obese people are known to consume larger amounts of this junk food, than people who are eating more food either made from scratch of natural products, and even foods cooked in restaurants using natural ingredients. Maybe I am totally wrong, but I also find that obesity is prevalent in minorities and people with lesser education. They also are the same people with most time spend in front of Television. And Television constantly warns of the effects of not properly eating, plus suggesting to exercise. So, is this not educating? But ofcourse for every one of those ads, there are three “…..food” ads. What scares me are the word(s) “Additives” on prepared and/or pre-prepared store bought food stuff. The term additive does not say ever what it really is. Could it be that a combination of say two additives, they themselves not being addictive, but in their nature by combination, creating a chemical reaction in our body after consumption, and now become addictive.? To quote Steven: “Perhaps there are food additives that can be found to be addictive. Perhaps there will be child plaintiffs, who will be found to be victims of advertising.” To paraphrase part of above quote: “. Some people may not be able to control their consumption of Cigarettes, but that is due to their own psychological disorders or impulse control problems.” Is that an excuse befitting people in the above third paragraph?

Mamster, Jewish Grandmothers never ever need face lifts

To Jaybee, “some informed opinions of where to get the best tasting beans to brew coffee at home” Well, I don’t know how well I qualify, and my humble (un)informed opinion is quite simple. I lived in Germany for the last 15 years and always enjoyed good coffee, and it was easy get. The coffee “stores”, very city has them, of large roasters like Tschibo or Eduscho, who are now one, sold well tasting high quality freshly roasted coffees. Super market coffees like “Jakob’s” or “Dallmayr” where just as good. Another brand was “Melitta.” And that brings me to the every day morning brew. “Melitta” brand coffee is available in the US in super markets, even here in Maine. Come in 23 ounce/652gr cans. We pay currently $ 6.45 per unit or $ 4.50 a pound. Being pampered from Europe about coffee – this brand is the closest to that taste. Not burned taste, sufficient acidity and full body. The amount to use for me is important. Don’t pay attention to scoops, spoons, measures or the phrase per cup. #1, what is a scoop, spoon, measure or whatever? Weigh your ground coffee by the amount you like for a particular amount of water in ounces. I am using 50-gram/1.75 oz. Per 700-ml/48 oz. Water. When you have that down pat, see how many of ‘your” scoops that is. And see how much that water amount will fill “your” pot/carafe. I use an ordinary โ drip coffee maker. I once checked the temp; it has been constant at 198F when brewing. When finished, I immediately remove my pot from the heated pad to a “tea-candle” type table stove “Stoevchen”. This pot of coffee gets drunk by us every Morning within about 45 min. Five “our size”cups for me and three for Karen. Prefer cups over mugs, the thinner the china the better the taste. (Imagining?) Another thing, we often, up to three times a week have also coffee in the afternoon (not with crumpets – but some type of cake), and we both sleep always well. Neither coffee nor Tea ever had the so-called effect on my wife or me. Any coffee that is! Has anyone experienced that also?

Recipes, touchy subject for me. No, I do not believe that anyone should omit or alter a preparation method of any recipe passed on to someone else. Especially when asked for the original one. By cooking for so many years as I have, assuming certain steps in the process can easily let me forget to maybe mention particular steps or the “order of the next one”. And then again, when reading recipes, you know the simple ones from any super market magazine rack publication, where basic steps are constantly repeated, I wonder what people are learning when learning to cook. Example to cook pasta: large amounts of water and salt in the water are recommended. After 75% of all American kids like their “noodles, spaghetti etc.” (And also eating them 2/3 times a week). Why do moms still have to read the recipe for the basic steps of cooking the pasta, and still do not understand the usage of salt? Excuses like the sauce is spicy enough do not make up for bland pasta. So when I give friends the recipe for my “Original Smoked and Fresh Salmon Lasagna”, do I have to mention the salting of the water portion? But if I don’t they complain afterward “ Mine did not come out like the one I tasted in your house. Do I have to be specific to mention, for instance, the brand name of the lasagna noodles, or it’s durum wheat content? Should I mention to not leave the pre-cooked pasta in it’s cooling water, as it will get soggy? Also, even as a professional, to follow someone else’s recipe is easy, but, and here is the “but”, exact duplication is nearly impossible. There are certain techniques, and quoting Robert (there is also a complexity or expertise problem involved), that may be the flick of the wrist, a pinch is not a pinch, and other problems like I always use “weights” as measurements vs. “by volume”. Some people will have a hard time to accurately convert – which they should not anyway. But, to get back to Robert’s question, about leaving things out or adding, or even leading astray is OUT!!! Something on a personal note. When I meet people, to whom I was not introduced previously, or just get to know them, and they learn about my work or profession, inadvertently will I be asked, “What is your favorite dish or favorite food you like to prepare?” I usually ask them, why do they ask, as they would not ask a plumber what his favorite toilet is, or an electrician if he deals better in watts or kilowatts. Do lawyers get asked about their favorite cases? Or writers about the font they use on their keyboard. Why me, Why me?

Thank you Jason, but as I thought, the Liederkranz I knew (late sixties) is all gone. Here is an interesting story, for what it is worth. http://www.hvmarketplace.com/monroecheesefestival/history.html

Reading older postings : you learn, or wake up to something. Jason, you posted 18 Aug 10:02, "McSorley's", and mentioned Liedenranz cheese plate, do you mean "Liederkranz", and is that cheese still available? Have not seen it in over 25 years.

Sandra, to quote you " Remember that professional coffee tasters judge the character of coffee at half-strength, because that shows all the coffee's flaws." This fully explains why all the coffees in the majority of places tastes so bad: They do not use enough gounds - and all the flaws of an already cheap product are coming out.

My wife, that's right she does the baking in this family, uses Cortlands, finely diced candied Ginger enhances. She also uses a brise dough, where a third of the flour is replaced by ground Hazelnuts. Julia Child's tip about the lemon juice is a must, plus in addition: a shot of Calvados to marinate in.