jaybee

I make a whole red snapper baked in salt. The cavity is stuffed with fresh lemon thyme, a little tarragon and a few strands of rosemary. (or other herbs that you may favor). The top of the fish is layered with thin round slices of lemon and more of the herbs. Place the fish in a shallow roasting pan with a layer of kosher salt on the botton about 1" deep. The whole shebang is covered completely with kosher salt (2 lbs for a 2-3 lb fish). Add 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water (replace any salt that may wash off and expose fish). Bake in 375 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes. Break off salt (which will be hard like clay) and carefully remove fish. Wipe off any salt that is on the skin or rinse under very hot water. The fish wil lbe very moist, and the flesh will be infused with the flavors of the herbs and lemon.

Or sorta like the pot roast platter after the main bit has been hacked over. Little shreds here and there in gravy, puctuated by a milky round eyeball or four.

Now I think I understand your comment on the China article.

My librabry will enjoy an expansion. Keep 'em coming.

Yes, I agreed with you on Mitchell on another thread. Gritty, wonderfully detailed stuff. I love the story of the rich old lady who used to visit the restaurant in the "old hotel" periodically. She was a Van Rennselaer (or some such Dutch family). Her family used to own most of downtown New York. Where might one find Arlott's writings? As regards, Tender at the Bone I enjoyed it a great deal. But her sequel was a big disappointment.

We're talking restaurants, not banks. Will you eat the money or the food?

So for you, the most expensive is the best? Or do you choose less than the best to eat free at the highest priced place?

And my first (and only) meal there was a ho-hummer.

Comparing Blue Hill with Japanese restaurants is like comparing pork loin with sea urchin. But then, sea urchin is pricier than pork loin, so it must be better. Making comparisons among restaurants on any scale except "if you had to divide ten (a hundred?) free meals among the following list of places, how many would you eat at each?" Then, eating enjoyment would be the only criteria in play (I think).

I was so taken with the idea of what I was eating that I overlooked the details. But for the record, the cows foot soup was sort of bland. I am not a sweetbreads connoisseur, so I could not find relative fault with them. The liver dishes were both knock out, and the kidneys were very good. yes this guy can really cook! I was impressed with his spicing and seasonings of each dish and with his command of the repertoire. I look forward to trying his conventional fare. On one level, the experience reminded me of eating at L'ami Louis when the old man was behind the stove. He didn't come out and sing the story of each dish as it was presented, but the food was as uniquely his own as was Ali's and the place is (was) as eccentric as Ali's (in a good way). I think a group of six or eight is ideal, as you can order lots of different dishes.

A blurb in Advertising Age reports that Nigella has teamed up with Charles Saatchi, (the advertising magnate and famed art collector) personally and professionally, and may become the next big thing, nipping at Martha Stewart's heels. Saatchi's ex-wife claims that Nigella stole her man.

Oh thank goodness, My 8/10 is not far from Steve's 7, 71/2. Phew. I think a 1* characterization is about right. My first meal there was "chef's choice" so we probably got the best that they could do that night. I'll ask for "chef's choice" again. Come to think of it, how many restaurants in this league will accomodate a diner if they tell the captain, please ask the chef to make a three (four, five) course meal for me?

Simon, thank you for that. Your experience at BH had many contrasts to our last one (obviously). The service couldn't have been more attentive and friendly. from the male captain to the waiters. The room, by the time we were seated (nearly 9:30), was less crowded, and our table (a banquette and two chairs in a corner) felt very intimate. As I did not need to dance the piss-waltz ( :laugh: ) and the loo (notice I speak British), was just around the corner from our table, this problem went unremarked. The duck breast...was it poached? Mine was and it was superb. On balance I gave the place an 8 of 10. We haven't heard from Grand Master Flash Plotnicki on our meal, so I would be curious for his evaluation. The desserts were less than orgasmic, which, for me, was the low point of the meal. Cabby dug into the cappucino mousse and cherries with relish (what flavor was it?), so hers must have been better.

My favorite "food" book is Blue Trout and Black Truffles by Joseph Wechsberg. It is irresistable. Ludvig Bemelmens wrote some beauties. Beer is one that comes to mind. What other writers (and titles) would you recommend in the league of Leibling, Fisher, Wechsberg, et. al? edited to remove "about food" which was redundant and nonsense.

Tommy didn't you know that (according to our friends "over there" these two things are synonymous? spqr: you are right, of course in your observation. RP has given you the underlying reason. $$$$$$. Gourmets and foodies make up a much smaller slice of the audience than the people who love the stuff that's on there now. And if your reason for being is to gain audience to gain ad rates and ad revenue, what else would you do. You assume some sort of noble purpose behind the Food Network, like spread the word about great cooking? No way, José. Food TV is doing what it is for the same reasons the New York Times is underwriting inane articles about hot dogs. Shows that are really serious about cooking will attract people who are really serious about cooking. And, unfortunately for you and me, we are too few to matter to the media's owners. Sad but true.

I believe it is on the right when one enters, unless you walk in backwards. Bravo on the descriptions of the food. Though I recall we started with sweetbreads after the salads, but I may be wrong, and I didn't have nealry enough wine. But perhaps, in a sequence I didn't realize, we ate offal from head to toe and back to head again. That would have had a certain logic to it.

Soba, I love cottage cheese mixed with lots of stuff. (Nixon was excoriated for loving to eat cottage cheese with ketchup). Bacon, strawberry jam, chopped onion. But I never thought to put Mrs. Dash in it. I have a closet full of the stuff, and several of her offspring--little Dashes, each different combinations of herbs and spices. All low sodium. So how did this inspired marriage taste?

Bux, I suspect you've hit the nail on the head here.

The meal was a smash on all counts. What an amazing display of cooking and ranconteurism from Ali, in a place that no bigger than a key grinder's shop. I don't remember when I've had as good a time eating as many exotic dishes as this. The sweetbreads were super, the kidneys first rate, the liver, in two preparations delicious, tripes, yipes!, cows foot soup excellent, tongue, spleen, heart and lamb's penis were out of this world. A must return.

Interestingly, the largest exhibit by far at the Fancy Food Show was the one from Italy. It dwarfed every other country's. An area equivalent to four times the floor space of the next largest exhibitor was occupied by themed booths flying the colors of Italy. Cheeses, oils, olives, pastas, meats, and a variety of other food stuffs were on display and sampled. Four or five varieties of cured hams and cooked hams, wines, and numerous restaurant supply foods. So there is no lack of effort here to keep the profile of Italian foods very high. And the quality of ingredients samples was by far better than those from other areas or countries.

Saved by the bell.

ah, finally, a truth I can wrap my mind around. Adam Smith couldn't have said it better.

This inequity would lead inevitably and inexorably to a common currency for all EEC countries. Call it the beefeuro, or b-euro for short.

Inspired idea, FG. Then when you get hungry, you could just eat from your wallet. The vending machine people wouldn't like that too much. Hard to get those little bits out of the small slots. But, I'm gonna try giving the toll-taker on the GWB a big Mac today instead of money. Who'll pay my bail?

Since I was doing the cooking, it must have been me, but my hand was guided by her words. Results since have been superb, thanks to technique learned from Julia Child. I must admit, I have not utilized PW's books extensively for recipes, having many other, more complete sources of bistro inspiration.