mktye

I would like to see Zora go on (and win!) this show rather than Top Chef -- then there would be someone worth watching on the Food Network.

(Applications must be submitted by 30 July. Don't dawdle! )

i don't understand the mallet - i think it might be the worst tool to use when eating crabs. i barely touched it. (i'd rather have a cracker - like a nut cracker type tool).

More here (#9).

I also want to add a big "Thank You" to Zora for putting in all the time and effort to share with us! Great job!!!!

Pin tr.v. pinned, pinning, pins

The Free Dictionary Definition:

1. To fasten or secure with or as if with a pin or pins.

2. To transfix.

3. To place in a position of trusting dependence: He pinned his faith on an absurdity.

4. a. To hold fast; immobilize: The passenger was pinned under the wreckage of the truck.

4. b. Sports To win a fall from in wrestling.

5. To give (a woman) a fraternity pin in token of attachment.

The DonRockwell.com Definition:

1. To make it so a thread always stays at the top of a forum independent of the date of the last post. It does not mean a thread is closed to discussion. Usually done with important threads and/or those which warrant ready access. Example: The thread for Zora's Blog here.

(And for those wondering: threads closed to discussion are marked with a little red "x" to the left to the thread title.)

The topic on today's "The Splendid Table" is sustainable seafood. Click. (Hope this link works, if it does not, go here and look for the "Listen to the show" link.)

I drove by the Falls Church site yesterday. The building, an upscale mixed use building, retail at street level, pricey ($500K - $1 million plus) condos above, is very much under construction, little more than a frame now.

Given the state of the real estate market now, if the builders are expecting to finance construction from condo buyers, Virginia Penzey fans may be in for a long wait.

Info:

513 West Broad Street

Falls Church

800-741-7787

Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 (same hours as Rockville location)

For those who'd like some more snark to accompany their Top Chef, try Amuse-Biatch.

There's gotta be a You Tube clip out there if you didn't see the show.

And from last season...

Cheesecake questions: Just made my first cheesecake. Although I liked the flavor and the texture – I’m not a big cheesecake fan – my official taster thought it was gooey; it needed a bit more “viscosity.” I had looked at several recipes before deciding on this. Other recipes added either flour or sour cream.

How would the addition of flour or sour cream affect the texture?

Also… would creaming the cheese before adding the sugar and stuff make a difference?

And… does chilling the cheesecake overnight affect the texture/density?

I tend not to cream the cheese much before adding the sugar because I find that if too much air is whipped into the filling, it leads to cracking of the finished cheesecake. But I am also going for a dense-style cheesecake.

However, serving it a little chilled makes a huge difference with it being much more dense when chilled (although the actual amount of time it stays chilled should not make a difference, just that it has reached a certain temperature).

So how does the texture seem this morning straight out of the refrigerator? (Cheesecake is on of my favorite breakfasts! )

We have a thread about where to buy cheese, but not one about making fresh cheese at home

For those stuck in registration limbo and wondering why you cannot post, search the site or access the Restaurant Guides: PLEASE check your email spam folders for messages from donrockwell.com.

And yet again...

If any of you are wondering what actually goes on during the member registration process, here is a run-down:

Register here to enter your choice of log-in/display name, password and email address. This information then goes to create an account and you are listed as "Validating" in the registration queue. The password you enter always remains completely private and none of the administrators ever have access to it (which is why, if you forget your password, we need to temporarily reset it to something else).

Daily (usually around mid-morning), I send out validation letters to all of those who have registered in the last 24 hours. One of the main purposes of this letter is to show that the email address you gave when registering is a valid, working email address. We also ask for your first and last names, city of residence, how you found DR.com, if you are in the food industry (food writer, chef/cook, server, sommelier, food educator, food chemist, food/dining-related business owner and so on) and, if in the food industry, the name of your restaurant, business or place of employment. Providing your personal information is something we ask of all members and it is kept strictly private and not shared with anyone outside of the website administrators.

[if you have registered and do not receive a validation letter within 24 hours of registering, please, please, please check your email's spam repository!!! ]

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At that point, I stop bugging you. However, if you ever have any questions about your account, forget your log-in/password, want to change your display/log-in name, update your email address, or have a question about the site, I am here. Just contact me via email or PM and I'll be happy to do whatever I can to be of assistance.

We will be there RAIN OR SHINE.

Time has nearly forced me into deciding what to bake and I have in the works...

Focaccia, topped with: chevre & green onion; rosemary & sea salt; blue cheese & walnuts; and a sweet one with streusel & blueberries (from my in-laws' farm).

Also some other sweet (most likely blondies or maybe pralines) still to be determined in the next 15 minutes.

Lastly, a loaf of sourdough, a loaf of onion/caraway rye, sun-dried tomato mayo and some arugula (I prefer BATs to BLTs) to help with the consumption of leftover bacon (ha! a concept that is nearly inconceivable) from the tasting.

(And, no, legant, I have not forgotten your special request! )

Ate lunch at the Glover Park location last week. As my friend describes it: "Bangkok nightclub inside, serene Asian garden outside." We sat outside (as did everyone else while we where there). The food was quite good. While not at the level of Thai Square, it was definitely a cut above most Thai restaurants I've been to in this area. We shared the panang (peanut curry sauce) tofu and kee mao pak (wide rice noodles) with veggies in a chili/garlic/basil sauce. Both were well-prepared and had a nice amount of heat to them, especially the kee mao pak which rates two heat-denoting chilis on the menu. Probably not a destination restaurant for most people, but something to keep in mind if you are in the area.

Busara Thai Cuisine

Does anyone have any contact info for this place?

Courtesy of Pete:

115 Church Street, NE

Vienna, VA

703-938-1155

Could everyone sign in today and post about their most recent restaurant experience? I'm curious to see where people here have been dining. Hell, post on the McDonald's thread if you want to (I admit it - I went there once last week myself).

Lunch. Yesterday. Not rushing to go back. Mushy spring rolls. Gloppy sauces. Suprisingly flavorless (and heatless) Eggplant in Garlic Sauce. And why is it printed on the wrapper for the chopsticks that they are located in Silver Spring?

Mei's Asian Bistro

I got a takeout menu when I left, but was advised that it would only be good for another two weeks as "the menu will change due to the new restaurant opening." I guess that means that the Seven Corners location should be opening soon.

The Seven Corners location is now open.

Just got back from a very nice lunch there. We shared General Tso's Surprise (subbing spinach for broccoli) and Eggplant in Basil Chili Sauce. Both dishes were from their Lunch menu and delicious. I especially liked the eggplant which was very much a Thai-style preparation. Although both were marked "hot spicy" on the menu (and as Pete already noted), neither dish had much heat to it. The menu is huge and I'm really looking forward to exploring more of it.

They're open Mon-Sat 11:30 - 10:00 and Sunday noon-10:00. 6304 Leesburg Pike, between the Chevron Station and the Suntrust Bank.

m'kay?

mktye + 1 + flour-based goodies

I have been reading this thread with interest, since I am a student both of food and human psychology. So many of us seem to be struggling with food aversions associated with a couple of basic themes: ongoing dislike of flavors, textures or categories of foods developed during childhood; avoidance of foods associated with traumatic events, which can include power struggles with parents and eating foods just prior to becoming sick to one's stomach for various reasons. I exclude foods that one is actually allergic to--in that case, avoiding the food in question is a rational decision. In the other cases, it is an emotional one.

[z. -- this link was sent to me by a birder. ]

FWIW, a bit more info. about Etrusco here.

I don't have this. I don't even know where I can buy it, but a "Thup" would sure solve a lot of cocktail party problems.

Maybe mktye can help here, but there doesn't seem to be anything in that recipe to make the cake rise. If you follow this as written, you are likely to wind up with a flat, dense, cookie-like thing instead of a "cake."

Regarding the salt -- it does not call for unsalted butter, so that might be the source of the salt. Please let us know what if anyone responds to your comment, Pat. I'd also like know if there are ingredients missing from the recipe.

What and where is Proof? Sounds alcohol-related ....