DIGEST: Gourmet magazine

[Rail Paul]

Note: Below you will find the collection of digests in chronological order. For the latest digest go to the end.

Gourmet magazine, February 2003

Chocolates on the cover.

reviews:

Manresa in Los Gatos, CA. "Quietly elegant, David Kinch's Guarneri" liked the Monterey Bay abalone, and the subtlety of flavors on the plate

Parisian Home Cooking by Michael Roberts from Morrow & Company. Liked it, and favored the "wonderfully simple" recipes home cooks use.

Good Living:

Philadelphia's Jubilee Chocolates, with its use of artisanal local ingredients such as berriesJubilee Chocolates

Link to article: Jubilee in Gourmet

Farmers Diner in Barre VT. Local diner with mostly seasonal local farmer food products. Founded as an effort to help local farmers find markets for their crops and beef.

Drinks / Tasting Reviews of wines, here are their favs

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

--Eric texier Vielles Vignes

--Chateau LaNethe

--Chateau BeauCastel

--Domaine laJanasse

Austrian wines by Don Boyer

--Nigl Guiner Veltliner Privat 00

--Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Urgestein 01

Everyday Wines

--Gallo Sonoma Chard 00

--Marquis Phillips Sarah's 01

--Kim Crawford Sauv

--Eric texier 01 mini-chateauneuf-du-pape

Seasonal Recipes

--Chinese Broccoli with sausage and polenta

--Bok Choy Gratin

--Penne with Yan Choy

--Chinese celery soup

Cures for the Cold

--Sourdough toasts with smoky tomato confit

--Kale and potato tortilla

--Green pozole with chicken

Weekend Guests

--orange, grapefruit and grape confit

--Osso bucco

--Pecan waffles

This section provided a road map for hosting weekend visitors. Recipes are found atLong weekend recipes

St Petersburg, Russia tour

Mostly travel related, sights and churches. Full page pictures of old churches, government buildings, etc.

Chicago Food and Sights by William Rice

The writer leads a tour of a dozen restaurants and jazz joints. Likes Buddy Guy's Legends, and offers recipes. Comments on many smaller places.

Every day Recipes

--Broiled Chicken wings

--Escarole Salad

--Ginger fried rice

Dinner For One

--Lamb au Poivre

--Salt Roasted Potatoes

What we learned

Kevin Zraly discusses the sensations of tasting wine, the tastes when paired with different foods.

Links to follow

Edited July 30, 2003 by Fat Guy (log)

[Rail Paul]

Gourmet magazine, April 2003

Letters features recipes for mussel and carrot soup from Aquavit in NYC and pasta from Terra Mar in Old Saybrook CT. The campanelle pasta includes sausage and beans.

Jonathan Gold reviews L'Impero in NYC and likes it. Scott Conant's "Italian punctuation" with punches of pepper and fresh flavors. Liked the spaghetti and sea urchin roe, and roast goat with an artichoke paste. Gold observes that L'Impero will resort to "store bought" elements rather than curing on site, as at Babbo.

Caroline Bates falls in love with Nine-Ten in San Diego. Michael Stebner's focus on clean, honest produce, grown locally, stand out as a beacon. She loved the creme fraiche panne cotta, and appreciated the half portion, half price offer for most menu items.

Roadfood sees the Sterns on the western shore of the Chesapeake. They visit St Mary's Landing in Charlotte Hall for stuffed ham (ham stuffed with chopped greens, peppers, and peppers), crab cakes and spiced shrimp. They also visit the Roost in Lexington Park and Bear Creek Open Pit BBQ at Callaway.

A 16 year old cheesemaker's Vermont work is profiled. Mad River cheese has been compared to many Euro cheeses.

Letter from Paris profiles Alain Soliveres / Taillevent and mentions Chez Catherine at 3 Rue Berryer, seeking its Michelin star.

Tastings: Pinot gris

--Jerman 2001

--La famiglia di Robert Mondavi 2001

--Erath 2001

--Ritterati 2001

--Villa Russiz 2001

--Cooper Mtn Vineyards OR 2001

--Attems Italy 2001

Fast Forward

Elena Rovera's cooperative for growers who focus on ingredients, local produce, artisanal suppliers, etc. Alice Waters has appreciated her work. Interestingly, Rovera feels Slow Food has reduced its independence by accepting government money. Her group is Cooperativa Agricole Cornale.

China Bold: Sichuan

Overview of the Sichuan area, with recipes for Hedgehog buns, and spare ribs with chilis. The twice cooked pork sounded interesting. A Conde Nast mix of travel tips and restaurants

Spring Fling

Goat cheese phyllo, roast capon, and spring vegetable saute.

Passover

braised lamb with carrots, chicken soup with asparagus, haroseth (dried fruits nut paste), and matzo scallion pancakes.

Jamie Oliver

profile of the celebrity/rock star chef, some emphasis on his "in you face" class struggle language. Recipe for his baked onions.

Low Fat Mexican

Chayote soup, chicken legs with achiote garlic sauce, and black bean cilantro soup.

Links aren't yet available, will update when available

[tommy]

i'm not sure what "DIGEST" is. haven't yet figured it out. but i suppose i'm allowed to reply to these things.

i like the cover, which is a bowl of red peppers with a red background.

also, the issue inspired me to grill some lamb, slice, and serve over lettuce with yogurt sauce. exactly what i needed for lunch, if not a little too healthy for a guy like me.

[Rail Paul]

also, the issue inspired me to grill some lamb, slice, and serve over lettuce with yogurt sauce.  exactly what i needed for lunch, if not a little too healthy for a guy like me.

Youghurt! That what Iraqi and Georgian people eat in order to live to 120 or whatever. So, you have about 95 years left...

I had a similar inspiration about the lamb. I've decided to prepare it this week with some form of bbq sauce and my new fave cheap wine, a rasteau cotes du rhone villages for 7.99. Hints of wood smoke in the wine.

Maybe medium rare lamb with the spring vegetable saute

DIGEST seems to be a summary of the food related magazines with links as available. The affiliates haven't precisely specified the purpose as far as I can tell...

[Meishi]

If I may add a comment, the section on Sichuan food is by Fuchsia Dunlop, who wrote a book on Sichuan cuisine called "Sichuan Cookery" (soon to be released in the US under a new title) that I consider to be about the best Chinese cookbook I have ever seen. The magazine excerpts some recipes from this book, and also has some interesting stuff about the restaurant scene in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

[rozrapp]

DIGEST seems to be a summary of the food related magazines with links as available. The affiliates haven't precisely specified the purpose as far as I can tell...

This is what Fat Guy wrote on another thread in response to Laurie A-B when she asked if there was any protocol for responding to the DIGEST:

Laurie, we've been talking quite a bit about that issue, and also about how to improve the digest format so as to provide maximum information content and discussion opportunity. Jinmyo and I are working on some comments and one of us will post them soon.

[Rail Paul]

Some of the links to the Gourmet articles are now available. The links to the article on Sichuan are not yet available, nor are the links to the Tastings column.

My comments on the Sichuan article were not intended to be taken as a negative. Conde Nast usually integrates a range of fine dining, lodging and touring content into their articles, and definitely showed a very positive view of a fascinating area. I was impressed.

Mood Mexico and low-fat recipes Recipes from Mexico

Passover and Easter traditions Passover and Easter

Spring Fling Spring Fling

Cheesemaker Cheese

[Wilfrid]

Gold raved over L'Impero. I can't see it myself. I think the thread Robert Schonfeld started here got it right.

[Rail Paul]

Gourmet magazine, May 2003

This issue ties the concept of islands (Manhattan, Crete, Iceland, etc) to their culture and food. Recipes and history mesh in an overview of the recipes.

Gourmet Main Menu

RECIPES

A summary of wonderful island restaurants from Crete to Indonesia is Island Restaurants

Jno Gold discusses 27 places in Manhattan, ranging from 5 wonderful dumplings for a buck to a lamb's tongue sandwich, and the delightful Rio Mar

Caroline Bates does Vancouver Island. The White Heather Tea Room, the Aerie at Malahat, and the Sooke Harbour house. She marvels at an all local (no French) cheese platter.

Roadfood does Edisto, SC. The rural island paradise boasts a pig joint, miles of white sand beach, and liver hash over rice.

Princess Margaret has departed, but her digs at Mustique remain. For the modest price of $12,000 a week, you can enjoy her home. If you want something better, LaCure will address your needs for a modest $4,500 per night.

The next hot island is Asian. Koh Lanta's Costa Lanta is off the coast of Thailand. Not yet discovered by the moneyed classes, it offers basic services, but spectacular beaches.

Travel destination is Havana. The writer discusses the Cuban love of baseball, the pride of an oppressed people and the overwhelming hospitality of the average citizen. La Zora y El Cuervo for club music, the revue at Tropicana are mentioned. A table describes ways Americans may access Cuba. (Note: this chart precedes recent US reg updates which limit the opportunity for Americans to visit Cuba.)

The positive tone is modified by a travel note. Although Cuba is one of the safest places in the world, due in part to the large police presence, some crime does occur. The recent crackdown on drug dealers, petty crime, and dissidents is noted. The recent trial and execution of the ferry hijackers is not mentioned.

Wine Notes covers Sauvignon Blanc as a worthy accompaniment to the Low Country Carolina menu. Asher likes the St Supery '01 for that purpose.

Mangos are used for relish, for breakfast, and any time. A seared mahimahi with mango relish is offered under recipes.

Kitchen of Light, new Scandanavian Cooking. From the new cook book, a fascinating story about the gathering of sheep. Once a year, villagers voyage to the island to cull the herd. Men and women form a long line, and walk forward to herd the sheep into an enclosure. Any sheep who finds a hole in the line earns freedom. The remaining sheep and lambs and sorted. Those sheep who go back to mainland slaughter are bound with men's ties and women's pantyhose. There's a recipe for vodka beef tenderloin, and another for lamb and cabbage stew.

A second Iceland article covers the experience of riding among the mountains and into the clouds. Springs and sheep, salt cod with butter glazed onions, and a vibrant culture.

Low Country elegance features recipes from a wide range of upscale carolina coastal locations.

Crete features superb photography, recipes for black eyed peas with dill, fresh rabbit with egg noodles, and an interesting pastry. The pastry is a honey dripped spiral cooked in oil. A detailed description of this process is offered. Pastry on Crete

Gourmet every day has mussels with roasted potatoes, lettuce with pea soup, baked eggs with spinach, an phyllo nests with strawberries and honey. (You could also use the Cretan spirals for this, I think)

Love Boat covers a trip on the Sea Goddess 1, a luxury cruise ship.

More links to follow as Gourmet releases them.

Edited July 30, 2003 by Fat Guy (log)

[Rail Paul]

Gourmet magazine, June 2003

Reichel reviews 66 in NYC, likes the har gow (airy and delicate) likes the flying fish roe (rainbow of colors). Raves about the soup dumplings (luminous) but whacks the pork lumplings (leaden). "For every extraordinary dish, there is another which falls far short." Crispy chicken is easily worth 4x the cost of any chicken in Chinatown (which is about what is costs).

Bates reviews Bastide on Melrose which she describes as lavender sachet in the air. Admires the no corkage policy, the deep and flawless French cellar, and the oysters. Oysters taste of the sea. She also likes the asparagus ice cream, loup de mer on a fava bean puree, and the slow cooked duck breast with parsnip puree.

Roadfood hits upstate NY and its grilled chicken. The local specialty is a vinegar and peppers marinade / baste which imparts a golden hue and very moist taste to BBQ. A tomato free zone. Favorably mentioned are Phil's Chicken in Endicott, Jim's in Candor, and Campoli's at Metro in Owego. The BBQ artists maintain that only hardwood provides the "real" taste. Gas, coal, sludge don't make it.

Gift of Southern Cooking is reviewed. Edna Lewis's recollections about cooking, with writer Scott Peacock. Miz Lewis discusses quail hash, chocolate fritters, and many things far removed from chicken and grits. Described as a wonderfully convivial book from Knopf.

Beer in Portland, Maine covers the several brewers in this coastal city. Allagash's white beer (9%) is noted, as is Shipyard. Great Coast Beer (50 taps) and Three Dollar Dewey's (36 taps) are described favorably. The article doesn't mention this, but the Portland International Jetport has a bar with 15-20 beers on tap, too. These people like their beers.

Chris Schlesinger on Grilling. 2 inch bone in porter house, feels pork chops should be 1.5 inches at minim and 3 min per side. Shoulder lamb chops for grilling with an herbal marinade. The wine sidebar mentions Natios (Greek) wine and Kirelea (Australian) as good cheap wines.

Seasonals blackberry semifroddi, orange rum caramel, and toasted coconut dacquoise recipes.

Vodka Reviews They liked Stoli Gold ($40), Ultimat ($56), Teton Glacier from Idaho ($26), didn't much care for Ketel One with its metallic taste. Idaho sounds like a place where they shouldmake good vodka (potatoes, cold, etc).

Trillin on Fish Tacos Nice piece of writing. Bud goes to San Diego, Ensenada, east LA in search of the ultimate fish taco. Runs into a wide range of characters. Fish taco is fried fish on a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, and a mayonnnaise relative. As the item goes upscale, the ingredients adapt. The article is reminescent of some of his classic New Yorker work on bbq, etc. It's a good read.

Light Fantastic has a sugar snap pea tempura, asparagus parmesan pastry, tomato ginger gelee clam shooters, and steamed pork with jicama dumplings offerings

Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. A short piece with magnificent photography of this windswept corner of Arizona. Massive stone formations, canyons, scupltured cliffs, Henry Moore goes cosmic on a 12 inches to the foot scale. Exceptionally rugged area near the Utah and New Mexico borders.

Grilling Pretty Summer potato salad, grilled skirt steak, cheddar cayenne chips. The chips look easy to make. Shred cold cheddar, put a small pile on a hot skillet, remove as they melt, and roll with a pin to fashion a curve.

Lisbon is other travel destination. Recipes for portuguese cream tarts and clams bulhao pato. Laments about the rise of supermercados with better quality and lower prices than the old farmers markets. Shoppers are deserting the markets, the article asserts. A nice comment on Bico de Sopato, of which John Malkovich owns a piece. A recipe for morroccan spiced tomato soup (cumin, cinnamon, and cilantro) is provided.

Notebook likes pulled pork and pickled onions over arepas (try saying that after a few drinks). Editor Maggie Ruggiero compares the DeLonghi griller (likes it) with the Foreman Griller (falls short) and a cast iron skillet (works, but splatters and smokes).

Wines

Sparkling Rose - Domaine Chandon Etoile

Saar Rieslings - Egon Muller Schwarzkopf 01

Rhone Reds - Chat de Montmiral deux Freres 00

Lodi Old Vines - Abundance Mencantini 01

California Muscat - Eberle Paso Robles 01

Based on prior experience, recipes and links should be online early in June

[ErinB]

One section I found interesting, they did a comparison of indoor grills. The DeLonghi grill, the George Foreman grill, a cast iron grill pan, and the broiler. They say the best results were from the DeLonghi grill and the grill pan, but the Delonghi grill was easier to clean and less smoky than the grill pan. The only downside to the DeLonghi, was the space it takes up.

I have one of these DeLonghi grills, and love it, although I still use my grill pan, when I don't feel like taking the Delonghi thing out from my cabinet.

Edited May 25, 2003 by ErinB (log)

[Lesley C]

Wow, Rail thanks for such a thorough preview.

Interesting to see Reichl doing the NY resto review. Where's Gold?

[hollywood]

With regard to Bastide, my understanding is that the no corkage policy means you either drink their wine or else. No BYOB here.

[bigbear]

Great review. Thanks.

[Rail Paul]

Gourmet magazine, July 2003

The Reichl imprint grows more pronounced with a focus on the people who touch food in this issue. The connection between the people who produce good food and those who seek it is explored.

Links will follow

Reviews

Piperade in San Francisco. Caroline Bates liked the stuffed piquillo, one night stuffed with salt cod, and with pine nuts, raisins and goat cheese on another. A colorful ragout of green peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic is never far from the diner as warm hospitality accompanies prices from the 1960s.

La Caravelle Jay Cheshes visits one of the last remaining "old line" French restaurants in NYC. Graced by alumni chefs Michael Romano, Cyril Reynaud, and Tadashi Ono, this restaurant offers new and interesting items alongide Dover sole and other 1950s favorites. One example is a sahimi grade tuna layered with salmon, another is seared foie gras with pistachios and tart gooseberries. A delicate dance of old favorites prepared the old way for the old crowd while offering items like a confit of cosnes bathed in a vinegar truffle froth under braised leeks. An open faced ravioli of mashed hazelnuts, romano cheese, artichokes and carrots.

Cheshes writes with flair and grace, and definitely enjoyed watching Chef Troy Dupuy strut his stuff. Unfortunately, he didn't see many people actually order these innovative and challenging preparations. That's often a message for a chef to consider moving on. I'd say both Cheshes and Dupuy are worth watching.

Roadfood The Sterns go Nuts. Searching for hazelnuts in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, they come upon Burgerville. This 39 store Pacific NW fast food chain boasts that 80% of their food is locally grown, locally prepared, and locally consumed. The bacon cheeseburger of local beef is served on a bun from Franz bakery, and may have a locally caught halibut on the side, next to an Idaho potato.

Good Living

Lavender in Sequim A visit to Purple Haze farm which grows 40 kinds of lavender in a climate which resembles Provence. Purple Haze

Wine Notes Gerald Asher suggests a Willakenzie Eastate 2001 Pinot Gris for the cerviche and steak recipe which follows. For the southeast asian recipe, he offers a Chappalet Napa Valley Old Vines Cuvee '00 Chenin Blanc. As always, an extensive list of alternatives is provided.

Letter from Amsterdam Panama in the East Docklands offers calves liver with apples and potatoes, and a survey of fashion and design.

Travel Letter

Las Cabos Mexico to Todos Santos, described as a little brother to Carmel and Santa Fe. Arts, music, laid back culture, etc. A side trip to Espiritu, a remote and lovely island.

Washington DC Monaco Hotel, a quirky relative of the Kimpton chain, deep in the heart of the Penn Quarter. Nice mention of Zatinya, Atlantico, and Jaleo and their neighbor, the Spy Museum.

Jamaica ten nice things about...

Menu features a shredded duck and noodle salad, pan seared tilapia with chile lime butter, and wilted Asian greens with the aforementioned Chappalet Chenin Blanc.

Fruit Detective David Karp reports on Mangosteen, a southeast Asian fruit which combines the tastes of peaches, lychees, and cherimoyas. Banned from import because of pest infestation, some has sneaked in for the Asian community. Now, Hawaiian farmers are trying to fill the market for this prized crop.

Farm Policy James Surowiecki, a financial writer for The New Yorker (yeah, that does sound funny) discusses how agricultural marketing orders, political imperatives, and national heritage impact ag policy. Mentions the Clinton administration's imposition of price floors on Mexican tomatoes to help 150 Florida tomato growers. Even then, he says, Clinton knew how much Florida's 25 electoral votes meant.

Farm Gallery: Grown in the USA A series of vignettes on the people who produce the food we eat. The editorial focus is very impressive.

North Carolina Stanley Hughes's family has farmed tobacco since 1910, but he's been allotted out. Now raising prized organic sweet potatoes and greens, his produce commands premium prices at the Carrboro market.

New York Joe Nicholson has wrenched a living from high quality apricots, grown in the Finger Lakes region of NY. His Red Jacket farm (available at the Union Sq Market) may be battered by freeze in many years yet he continues. Luscious, sweet tan skin, dripping with sweet juice.

California Mariquita Farm grows organic tomatoes, rosa bianca eggplant, broccoli di cicco and other offbeat vegetables for subscribers. The patrons receive a box of freshly picked produce on a regular schedule. They also sell at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza market. Wiley chose not to pay for organic certification as his customers know him and trust Mariquita.

New Mexico Sugar Daddy Deborah Madison visits Jake, who grows melons. Cranshaws, Canary, All-Sweet, and Jake's Own ("women go crazy for them") are sold into Santa Fe and Los Alamos markets. Jake farms a plot once every ten years, letting it restore in the other 9.

Prince Edward Island Marialisa Calta describes it as "like Vermont, but with an ocean." Chopped clams, fresh berries, large oysters for $6 a dozen, harvested while you watch. For one dinner, she writes, "We knew then name of, and had met, every person who touched our dinner. The berries, the oysters, the spare ribs, the potatoes, the rye in the bread I baked."

Recipes

Shellfish with watermelon cerviche

Grilled rib eye with red chile sauce

Heirloom tomatoes with bcon blue cheese and basil

Sour cherry salsa

Lamb chops with cherry balsamic sauce

Chocolate cherry cake squares

Cherry tortoni as a 9" round springform

Gourmet Every Day

Grilled New Orleans shrimp

Cous cous with herbs and lemon

Blueberry lemon cream tarts

Cantaloupe basil salsa

Southern fried catfish

Grilled tuna nicoise

[Rail Paul]

Several of the links are now active. Note that much of the editorial content is no longer available on line.

Lavender Lavender Festival

Grilled rib-eye Ribeye steak

Basil Mayonnaise Mayonnaise

Menus for the heirloom tomatoes, fig tarts etc Lazy Days

Quick Kitchen with the lamb burgers, New Orleans catfish Quick Kitchen

[Rail Paul]

Gourmet magazine, August 2003

The focus is on the ripeness of Summer crops. Links should be available in about ten days.

Letter objecting to the romanticized treatment of Havana in the May issue. The UK writer observes the attractions aren't available to most Cubans (aka the workers and peasants of socialist lore).

WD-50 Jay Cheshes continues his campaign to turn sacred cow into prime burger. He contrasts WD with Angel Palacios in Miami, another Adria devotee, and finds WD wanting. There were two major points in the review: 1) WD isn't a true disciple of Adria; 2) the food isn't all that good, unlike 71 Clinton.

Many dishes at WD were uninspired or bland, fish was a low point with tough sturgeon. Cheshes wonders if the NY foodie community is in the "emperor has no clothes" mode. He made a similar point in the review of 66 last month.

A.O.C. Caroline Bates says this LA resto wants you to like it. A page of cheeses, 50 wines at the cruvinet, as A.O.C. plumbs the Mediterranean with brio and respect. Only rarely does the kitchen slip.

Roadfood The Sterns are in the state where they have to put USA on their license plates. They visit El Rito, a tiny northwest New Mexico town where the restaurant has the only light on after 9 pm. El Farolito (the little light) offers an opulent stew of tender pork, tomato, ribons of hot peppers.

In Chimayo, they visit Leona's and gorge on the carne adovado, and the chile relleno burrito. Leona's is on the upside of the Santuario parking lot.

Brunch features a honeydew melon in lemon thyme syrup, a striped omlet (chard and strips of bell peppers) and a bacon and lettuce salad.

Rose Wines Rodewald likes a Sola Rosa 2002 (very complex nose), a Chat de Peyrassol Cuvee Marie Estelle 02 (sweet smelling). Gerald Asher likes Arrowood La Rose Saralee, Bodega Muga Rioja, Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare.

Dublin Maeve Binchy writes about 1950s Dublin and the contemporary scene in her suburban village.

Summer Day Herbal white sangria, Corn fritters with aragula, cheddar dill puffs, bacon wrapped cornish hens, Orzo with squash.

Boston Guide A fairly superficial list of restaurants, food stores, bakeries, etc in the metro area. The thumbnail descriptions sound almost Zagat-like.

Cambridge

Mr Bartley's Burger with its 36 configs, including Viagra

Cambridge 1 a sleek post modern pizza place

Chez Henri with a Cuban inflected (this is Cambridge!) menu

Formaggio Kitchen with 200 artisanal cheeses

Hi-Rise Breads for exquisite creations

Jasper White's Seafood Shack for its perfect lobster (remember, this is a list)

East Coast Grill & Raw Bar for spicy imaginative seafood

Oleana takes a walk on the Middle eastern side

Beacon Hill

Savenor's Market for everything from pattypan squash to rattlesnake to ostrich

Harvard Gardens Bar and Restaurant for cold beer and meaty burgers

North End

V Ciraco for regional Italian wines and grappa

Daily Catch for Sicilian style seafood

Sage restaurant for the best pasta in town

Chinatown

Chau Chow City or China pearl for dim-sum breakfast, or Hing Shing Bakery's red bean donuts.

South End

Charlie's Sandwiches for turkey hash breakfast or griddle cakes at long communal tables.

Aunt sadies for hundreds of olives

Tomatoes

A short article mentioning several heirloom totmatoes. Full page, poster quality rendering of a dozen heritage tomatoes. The recipe is for a sea bass with tomato + watermelon salsa

Patchwork Pilgrimage

Writer Barbara Lazear Ascher journeys to the rural town of Floyd VA in search of a quilter who will hand make a quilt from life's leavings. On the trip, she and her elderly dog Gabriel visit Oak Grove Meadows (Middleburg VA) for organic butter and honey, commune with the Cistercian brothers at Holy Cross Abbey, and spend a night at an Appaloosa horse breeder's B&B.

Seeds of Dreams

A Bengali view of the cooling powers of poppy seeds, and a reflection on the First and Second Opium Wars in the British Empire prior to the 1857 Uprising.

Gourmet Every day

Sauteed zucchini ribbons

Cantaloupe soup

Layered taco salad

Balsamic London broil

Grilled pork kebabs

[tanabutler]

Gourmet magazine, July 2003

California Mariquita Farm grows organic tomatoes, rosa bianca eggplant,  broccoli di cicco and other offbeat vegetables for subscribers. The patrons receive a box of freshly picked produce on a regular schedule. They also sell at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza market. Wiley chose not to pay for organic certification as his customers know him and trust Mariquita.

Just a teeny note here (with gratitude for your synopsis: what a great idea and service).

"Wiley" is actually Julia Wiley, the wife of Andrew Griffin, who is the farmer at Mariquita Farm.

[Rail Paul]

You're absolutely correct, thank you!

[Rosie]

Rail Paul--REALLY enjoying your posting. This is great. Thanks.

[Rail Paul]

September 2003 Theme is Television

((Blue cover, with cookies)

Indian spiced shrimp (10 minute recipe)

America's Kitchens - snips from the Honeymooners to the Sopranos, by way of the jetsons, Brady Bunch and Good Times.

Reality Check - How do FoodNetwork chefs own places stack up? Gourmet sent reporters to sample the goods.

Ming Tsai - - food seems almost outsourced, but when it works, it works beautifully

Michelle Bernstein - food to applaud

Robert Del Grande - Cafe Annie is more focused than ever

Mario Batali (Babbo) - So compulsively good, you could eat it every day if you could get a reservation

Bobby Flay (Mesa) - Not resting on its laurels, may have the city's best service

Paula Deen - The Lady & Sons is soulless. As if it had been created for tourists. The locals are over at Nita's place, where the chicken is spicier and the mac and cheese has a glow

Wolfgang Puck (Santa Monica) - Stick with the Austrian, the Asian may be heavy and sweet.

Lidia Bastianich - Home to Barolos and mega-mergers, with clear and uncomplicated flavors.

Gale Gand - Happy, whimsical, pleasures

Emeril Lagasse - Service and wine is first class, food is bld and in your face.

Morimoto - Edible sculptures of foie gras and oysters

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken - Border Grill is among the best mexican places in a city which has hundreds.

Roadfood

The Sterns hit the Billy Goat tavern in Chicago, believed to be the model for John Belushi's cheezbooga routine. Reached by a stairway from the Miracle Mile, this smoky and dark bar remains a model of its kind.

Review: Lost Recipes by Marion Cunningham

It's likely you'll find several of your family's treasured recipes here. These are classic recipes.

Cruise Ship Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Like a new Mercedes 600, this luxury ship negotiates 27 foot swells and gale force winds with ease. Bourdain's kitchen pitches and heaves, as he prepares osso bucco. Carefully placed railings keep his pots in place on his AEG range. When Bourdain asked about cooking, he was told very few of the well heeled guests actually USE the kitchen in each suite.

ResidenSea offers 1100 to 4800 sf condos for luxury cruising. The local sushi chef was spotted fishing off the deck. Guests are expected to dress formally in the evening. Best line: "I felt like Giligan crashing a party for the Howells."

Cooking from TV modern interpretations

Lucy's arroz con pollo

Andy's panfried trout with pecan butter (my bet is Andy was cat-fishing)

Brady Bunch pork chops

Cosby's Ding Dong Chili

Elaine's blueberry tops (from the classic episode)

TV Nation

Judith Crist describes the birth of the TV dinner (1953) and its evolution. The original meal was turkey, stuffing, gravy, peas, and sweet potatoes. Dessert was added in 1966. The genesis of the dinner was 200,000 pounds of turkey Swanson needed to get moving.

Squeaky clean homes, with the newest year's current appliances. The newest car was in the garage, and mom always wore pearls.

Best line - Ozzie Nelson describing how sponsors were always trying to do product placements: We had to convince them we do not eat Aunt Jemima pncakes for dinner.

Accidental Purist

Julia Child describes her early days in TV ($50 an episode) and she had to lug the pots and pans to the studio. At age 91 whe's still filled with opinions (likes: In-N-Out, and genetic modification for foods; dislikes: McD's fries and humanely raised veal. The old, inhumane stuff tastes better)

Likes Nigella, Tyler Florence (even if he roasts a chicken at 425). Never wamed up to Martha Stewart or Ina Garten

JC remains a strong supporter of public TV, always tithed a portion of her income to it. An updated 1968 recipe is offered. Among the changes: no buillion cubes, the chicken is different now, so cooking changes, there are more California wines today than "Mountain Red"

Reese Schonfeld: FoodNetwork Founder

Emeril's first 65 shows paid him $300 each but put FN on the map. RS never understood Two Fat Ladies, or Iron Cook, but liked their ratings.

He doesn't cook, and takes most of his meals at Cafe des Artistes. Admires Ming Tsai's poise and grace on the air, Emeril's energy radiates, he might make $5mn a year from the current FN management.

Sara Moulton on Oops: Live TV

Cooking Live when your stage catches fire, or when a live caller asks you about "eggplant a la penis" and other adventures. Moulton writes with the same easy grace she conveys on her (now taped) show.

Goodbye to All That

Sandra Lee (Semi-Homemade) espouses a mix of 70% prepared foodstuffs mixed with 30% fresh. The big guys outsource, why don't you? Lee has become a media presence with QVC, book deals, and upcoming FN show.

The Restaurant: Is it Real?

Reality and truth change as TV cameras roll. Turn on a camera and people play to it. For the record, the couple filmed having sex say the producers asked them to do it, the producers deny that. Discussion of product placement Mitsubishi, Coors, AmEx, etc

Dave Lieberman's Star Turn

Spotted by Amanda Hesser while hosting a public access food show, Dave found himself in NYC, looking at book deals, Leno spots, tables at Citarella.

My Life as a Hand Model

A view of the difficulty in filming food commercials. Stylists rule the roost, followied by the lighting people. There's a wicked analysis of a Donato's Philly Cheese Steak commercial.

The Virginian

Thomas Jefferson's passions for food and wine. recipes for fig and goat cheese crostini, Virginia ham and melon apple chutney, Roasted-tomato soup, herb crusted rack of lamb, and wild mushroom soup

VeraCruz - Mexican Outback

A food tour from Tampico to Veracruz, a part of Mexico's east coast abounding in fish, flavored by Cuba and Africa, and abundant natural beauty. Serrano ham, black beans, cheese, crab and shrimp are integral parts of th elocal diet.

This article seems to have the style Ruth Reichl is trying to hit: culturally sensitive, respect for food traditions, and an incentive to GO THERE. It's tough to read this and not say, Let's Go!

A Taste of Honey

A collection of recipes (honey lavender ice cream, seame seed candy, honey cake, lamb tagine, etc) using honey. I was disappointed that there were no references to the many different varieties of honey

Dinner For One

Oven fried chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, snap peas

LINKS will follow

Edited August 24, 2003 by Rail Paul (log)

[alacarte]

Thanks for the write-up, Rail.

I really liked the latest issue of Gourmet. I thought it was visually striking, and most of the individual articles were interesting. Though I don't usually like theme issues, I thought this one worked very well -- they found more bisections of food & TV than I would have thought existed. I also got a kick out of reading about how to make muffin tops.

My only beef was that the article about how TV chef's restaurants stack up wasn't critical enough -- c'mon, they can't all be perfect.

[tighe]

I know it hasn't been summarised here yet, but Gourmet's Restaurant Issue which just arrived is embarassing in any number of ways, not least of which is the cover. Say it ain't so Eric....

[JLN67]

I coudn't believe the cover either. Unbelievable.

[paw]

I, too, am trying to summon the strength to lift my jaw up off the floor. The October cover is just too insane.

Maybe, though, there is a silver lining. Maybe no one on earth will ever compare chefs to rock stars ever again.