babyluck

An herb farm with dried lavender and probably plants too: Whiskey Run Herb & Flower Farm 188 Locktown/Flemington Road Flemington, NJ 08822 908-782-1278 I got lavender and rosemary there for my wedding "toss." It's kind of a fancy place, but with beautiful greenhouses, hummingbird plants, etc. Great destination for a Sunday drive in the country (just make sure they're open on Sunday!). Also, there's Basil Bandwagon (health food store): Basil Bandwagon Natural Market 176 US Highway No 202 Flemington, NJ 08822 908-788-5737 Call first with this one too. I know they moved recently and I don't know if this is the new or the old address. They have herbs/spices/grains in bulk. Turnover is pretty good compared to other stores of its kind. I assume they carry lavender, but do ask. If you're closer to Princeton, here's an herb farm in Jobstown. Never been there. Looks like they only sell the plants. If all else fails, there's always www.americanspice.com.

I really want to help you. I will go so far as to drive through the horrendous Friday downtown traffic on the way home from work, but I need more clues. Are you sure it's on North Ave? When was the last time you saw it there? Are you prone to visions/hallucinations? Do you know what letter it starts with? What side of the street? Near what? Sounds like...?

Yup. It all makes sense now. The Office & Charlie Brown's were always part of the same family -- now it seems both are owned by Castle Harlan, Inc. What I don't know is when the Jolly Trolley was converted (from a trolley station?) to a restaurant. It has more of a feeling of history than a regular chain. Anyone know? Rosie? Anyway, our weekend plans have been happily preempted. Mr. Babyluck got a call last night from a good friend from Reno -- they were in Denmark together 10 years ago & haven't seen each other since. He's in the area and is going to stay the weekend at our place, so we're going to give him the NY metro experience, babyluck style. He's never been to the city before. After this I'm gonna get my ass over to the NY forum & start researching. (I used to live there but so much has changed.) Thought we'd take the ferry (yup) there & back in time to have some Danish treats at home before going out to watch the game, probably at Antone's in Cranford. But we will do the steak thing after the movie is finished, so keep 'em coming. We will be more willing to travel further then. (Our "premiere" is on Halloween.) Oh, and Charlotte -- we have tried Fujiyama Mama. The acoustics in the dining room drove us crazy -- extremely loud & tinny -- ended up at the sushi bar with the most adorable sushi chef ever. It was pretty good but we are loyal to Hon Bang (by the circle) and FM is doing fine without us.

Could you mean the Jolley Trolley? Not Jolly Trolly which is an office/Charlie Browns type place...this is a step or two above that...still searching for the name - damn this is frustrating Jeffrey's used to be the Towne House, on Central Ave. I never went in there but it looked awfully cozy -- just like what I'm looking for. Was that it? It's more towards E. Broad than North Ave, but...

That's what I thought too. Now, the Jolly Trolley we know -- and you're right -- it's definitely a take-your-kids-on-Wednesday-night kind of place. On second thought, I'm probably looking for something a step up from that. We go to the JT on Thursday nights sometimes to unwind -- Black & Tan night. I've never gotten the steak -- I always get the fabulously salty, crispy chicken parmesan. I like the atmosphere in the bar, but as you go back past the salad bar to the dining room, it starts to feel, look and smell more like an old Charlie Brown's or Denny's or something. Seeing ranch dressing in beer pitchers makes me sort of queasy. I know they have some kind of affiliation with the Office & Charlie Brown's but I don't know exactly how it works. Thankfully, they still have their own menu & beer selection. I also like the crowd -- shows you not everyone in Westfield is uptight & pussy-whipped. The other thing (I've never seen this since I've never had to sit in the nonsmoking section) is that, according to a bibliophile friend, they took real vintage books to decorate their "library room" and sheared them in half to gain a few inches of floor space. He vowed never to return. I agree, but I'm not about to take it to that extreme. Anyway, I want to try something new and a step up. A coworker of mine confirmed that the maroon storefront in Garwood is a new steakhouse. A wild card.

Mr. Babyluck & I are going to treat ourselves to a nice, quiet steak dinner this weekend. For some reason, it's something we only do when we're with family, so we're not up on the local places. He's on a ssh! diet! and neither of us have had much free time lately with work and the movie we're working on. So I don't want to be disappointed. He has some bizarre issues when it comes to eating out -- doesn't like to get dressed up, doesn't like places that are too formal, and will hold a grudge throughout the meal if the service is slow. Honestly, he'd be happy at Outback or even Charlie Brown's. But I've ended up at places like that too many times (for Charlie Brown's, once was too many) because I neglected to plan ahead. So please help! If Sweet Water's is as overpriced and pretentious as it seems, that's out. I'm looking for well-prepared steak and traditional sides in an old-fashioned atmosphere that's not just for show. Good but not obsequious service. Not too crowded or too empty. Don't worry about recommending a place with top-of-the-line aged beef. We're talking about the kind of place you go with the kids on a Wednesday night that you think isn't worthy of egullet. You know -- not great, just perfect. P.S. There's a newish maroon-and-gold steakhousey facade on the corner of Center St. & South Ave in Garwood. Anyone know what it is? Nearby towns: Fanwood, Scotch Plains, Clark, Garwood, Cranford...

(Dale's Market rt. 206 in Branchville, NJ) Thanks, suzi! I knew I could count on you. Now it makes sense -- I've been missing out on the good stuff because of my aversion to mayo. Kind of like how I'm underwhelmed by the famous cinnamon buns at Worthington's down the road because I like mine dry and minus the raisins. Still don't see how anyone could find them amazing except long-distance AT hikers. But my family loves them & thinks I'm crazy. I don't remember them gushing about the salads at Dale's, though, but when my parents were living there they'd often pick up chicken for a last-minute supper. About Dale's -- I'm still skeptical (familiarity breeds contempt, maybe, or else the reviewer was cracked or was trying to fill an obscurity quota) but damn proud nevertheless. Mr. Babyluck & I are in the process of selling the property up there and thinking about Dale's has put me in a nostalgic mood that's giving me second thoughts.

I just caught this. I've been in Dale's Market a hundred times and I like it fine, but I must be missing something. What is their secret specialty that puts them in the top 20?

I paid at least a dollar for a lemon at Krauszer's -- why, oh why do I always forget my parents don't keep lemons in the house anymore? Though it hurts the bargain hunter in me, I rationalize like Nick does. I would rather have less money and more time. I ask myself "would I pay someone a dollar to go to ShopRite on a hectic Saturday and get me a lemon?" The answer is almost always yes. Edit: didn't read the category -- don't mind me; I'm from NJ.

I read somewhere a few years ago that flouring meat before browning interferes with the tenderizing process during slow cooking. The recommendation was to simmer the meat in a thin, watery solution until tender, then add thickening agents (grated potato or beurre manié for me). I found the recommendation intuitive & have employed it ever since. But recently, I have seen recipes by leading chefs where the meat is floured before browning (like the Daniel recipe for braised short ribs). A Google search called up only one source with an opinion, which actually recommended flouring to make the meat more tender. Any thoughts? Food science for or against?

Followed your advice & let him choose -- everything went fine except for a baffling time in the liquor store when I learned he changed the menu from choucroute garnis to pot roast. Only turned his burner down once while he was out of the room. Said "oh, I have a little butter left over from the tart" when I saw my mom making mashed potatoes with skim milk (ONLY skim milk). His meal was delicious. I've been eating open-faced pot roast sandwiches on sourdough toast -- mmm. My Tarte Tatin was mush. Bad apples (see Tarte Tatin thread). Learned a little humility the hard way...

You're right, Saint Toliver. We just need to keep our spoons out of each others' pots and we'll be OK. I don't know if either of us will grow up enough by Sunday to follow your advice, but I can't argue with it.

Uh-oh. My dad wants to cook. I should let him, since it's his birthday. I offered to do it together (with strict division of labor, of course). Offered pot au feu or a choucroute platter as marginally seasonal/regional/flavor-related choices to my Tarte Tatin. He wants the pot au feu but wants to make it himself. (I don't know why I suggested it because I'm obviously making the tart and what did I think he was going to do? Make the vegetable? That's Mommy's job!) Don't get me wrong; he's a really good cook, and taught me how to "cook by ear" but he will be the first to admit that I've surpassed him in the past few years. I make a damn good pot au feu that tastes just like the one we had in Paris when I was 12. He's made it once that I know of and it didn't. He's thriftier & more likely to take shortcuts & use substitutions than I am (and I'm not a Slow Fooder by any means, but when I cook for a special occasion I like to take my time). I almost feel like I have to come up with a different choice so that I'm not disappointed. He will know if I don't think it's great -- I'm brutally honest and he will guess even if I keep my mouth shut. And in the kitchen -- forget it! -- if it's something I think I can make better than him, I'm completely obnoxious and we argue the whole time. Things get thrown. My mom gets upset. Should I have him make his sauerbraten? I've been craving it... and I can watch him and take notes. Should I stop being such a control freak? Sorry, turning this into the "cooking with dad" thread... And Toliver, thanks, but my dad hasn't had much of a taste for curry since a bout with dysentery in India 40 years ago... not a cultural indictment, just a subconscious reaction. Just saw your edits. Funny, I was doing the same search at foodtv.com probably at the same time you were (inspired by your find). Didn't find anything amazing, sorry to say. The smoked pork chops sound good but I'm going for traditional fare this time around (well, I almost always do). I did a salad dressing with reduced apple cider for my pork roast based on a recipe from Adirondack Life -- it was too tart but worth working on. I bought an Adirondack cookbook this summer full of cold-weather foods -- that reminds me; I should go back to it now that it's cooler. Maybe there's something there my dad can make.

Yes, we're celebrating my dad's birthday this Sunday. Thinking of framing the meal with apples -- maybe finishing with a Tarte Tatin. But I don't know what to do as a main dish. I just did a pork roast so I'm not in the mood for that. Pot au feu, maybe (more winter than fall, I guess...). Ideas?

Both retired -- Cactus & Cranberry Iced Tea. The Cactus was amazing -- really smoothed out the tannins. I like the Lime Green Tea (regular, not diet) too. Now that I'm all grown up, I also find the fruity flavors to be oppressively sweet. But Mango Madness was a college favorite.

Yes and yes. The first 5 business trips of my career were to New Orleans. That doesn't exactly make me a local, since I only got to venture outside the Quarter to go to Commander's Palace, but I got to know the bellstaff at the Marriott well enough so that they'd ship me some Red Pack after I got home. When I ran out, with no trips lined up, I discovered www.communitycoffee.com where they have the New Orleans blend for $4.95 a pound, about what you'll pay in Walgreens in NO vs. the $10.99 I saw it going for at the French Market. They also have 8 oz. bags of chicory for $1 -- I stock up on them so I'll always be able to satisy my craving by adding it to whatever coffee I have around. I also have to admit that Café du Monde has some pretty great coffee too, and for some reason you can always find it in the Asian markets in NJ. Thanks for the details on the blueberry muffins. I will make it a point to stop there when I'm in the area next. I'm glad ExtraMSG spoke up about the deckled edges of the book making it hard to flip through. I was actually going to mention it in my first post, but didn't want to appear too critical! Aesthetically it's beautiful, as is everything about the book, but not very practical. I tend to flip through the book just to reread sections at random, and because of the deckle it always opens to the same pages the way a magazine with inserts will do. It sounds like your publisher isn't doing it anymore, so it's a moot point, but I wanted to second the suggestion just in case! Thank you again for your recommendations & generosity with your time.

Hmmm. I bet the other people who asked you that question thought it was pretty original too. But I'm real glad you did it on the spot for me! It must have been hard saying no to some of the chefs who pleaded for more time when interviewing for the book. Here's my list: 1. Guinness 2. Red wine 3. Bread 4. Breeding pair of cattle -- sheep would be better companions and I prefer lamb but I can't imagine putting sheep milk in my... 5. Community Coffee (Red Pack -- with chicory) 6. Onions 7. Garlic 8. Olive oil 9. Tart apples 10. Spinach I'll have to check out those blueberry muffins. I grew up pretty close to Lambertville but never discovered them. (Lambertville is in NJ but New Hope is across the bridge in PA & there is a River Road on both sides of the river, so you've made it an extra-tough scavenger hunt. That's OK. I like a challenge.) I would live on either of your islands. An unlimited supply of tonkatsu is definitely tempting... Thanks so much for your reply. I look forward to your upcoming books and seeing more of Michael Donnelly's photography.

For hot dogs, this is what I used to do at the snackshop: When the dog is done, roll it to the cool side of the grill & "tent" it with its bun. That way, you toast the top edge of the bun in lovely grill grease, keep the dog nice and hot, and get a nice strip of dark brown down the middle of it. I would leave it there for 3 or 4 minutes while I finished the rest of the order. I still do that at home with a skillet -- I just turn down the heat to low, put the buns on, and finish my sides. I love the crispy edges the bun gets and it's a little less drastic than frying the entire thing in butter (but that's good too, especially with bagels).

First of all, I want to thank you for Culinary Artistry. One day, about 9 months ago, I suddenly decided that I would apply myself to bringing my cooking to a new level, especially in combining flavors and menu planning. Your book popped up as if by magic -- exactly what I was looking for. I've read it cover to cover several times, forward, backward, and at random. My cooking is starting to evolve in just the way I had hoped. My question: you must have thought about what 10 food items you would bring to a desert island while working on the book. I'm very curious to know what they would be. You can answer that separately or together -- separately would be more interesting, don't you think? P.S. My husband, a photographer, is in love with the shot of you two on the back cover of Culinary Artistry. It's very expressive and intimate. Was it posed or did the photographer catch you off guard?

We've covered most of these ideas, but here is an article on just this very subject at Global Gourmet. I made the Macaroni Mornay with Spinach & Crispy Ham Crust -- yum.

Not at all. I love compliments, and preferably they should be repeated several times with increasing fervor during the meal. Just once is not enough. And they must be sincere. To ensure that, I just don't cook for insincere people. Also took Julia's advice to heart and never make disclaimers. And I only fish for compliments when I'm eating alone with Mr. Babyluck, and then I do so incessantly if he is not forthcoming enough with the praise.

Welcome, Ampersand! The coquito sounds delicious -- and rich. I've never had it, but I'm sure someone here can help you! I like the sound of this one because it uses cinnamon sticks instead of ground, steeped in boiling water, and it's more complicated than the others. Authentic, I don't know...

Gold Leaf & Big Daddy, aka GLBD. They're a comedy shtick band, very smart & fun (and deviant and dark). Hard to describe, really. This Saturday's event happens to be a birthday party at a friend's house in Ocean Grove, but they play once every 2-3 months at the Parkside Lounge in NYC. We're trying to convince them to start playing in NJ more because you can still smoke here, but they're not biting. Another friend of mine is the lead singer in a punk band called The Nils. They play mostly in Williamsburg & sometimes Manhattan. Yeah, the seafood festival sounds pretty torturous. I was so hungry yesterday when I read it that I ignored the bad signs. Doesn't sound like the kind of thing you can just stop by at -- sounds like a parking nightmare. Tiki Bar sounds good but would the parking still be rotten because of the festival? I'm trying to meet up w/ my dad for his birthday and depending on the weather he'll be at the shore that day -- the seafood festival is right up his alley but the tiki bar even more so!

Yup, it's this Saturday. Here's the link. It says "Expect Extremely Large Crowds." I don't like crowds. And "crafts galore." But if anyone tells us it's good, I will stop by -- coincidentally another friend's band is playing in Ocean Grove that night (the other friend's band gave me a reason to go to the Chickenbone Café).

I haven't seen Men with Guns -- I'll check it out. Until then, do you have another example? Maybe I should turn my idea around: if you begin with a conclusion and set out to prove it with no room for evolution, you create propaganda, not art. Of course there are many in-between points inhabited by artists who are political but are not completely constrained by their presuppositions. My friends and I are starting to work on a documentary and we have had discussions related to this issue about Michael Moore's work and whether it is propaganda. I don't know if I consider documentary (or cooking for that matter) an art form, but the question is whether it is ethical and/or creative. That's a tough one. I tend to think that it is propaganda but that I'm blind to any faults in his creative process because I agree wholeheartedly with his agenda. That's natural. So it is with loyal Alice followers. What is "pure" food? And what is pure politics in the context of food? Tofurkey? Seriously, I'm trying to get my mind around the concept -- I take it to mean that pure food is on the artistic or mystical end of the spectrum, and politics is on the concrete, propagandist end. So pure food = art and not sustenance? There are a million ways I could take this, including speculating on the existence of a higher power, so I'll just let you clarify your statement first!