legant

In light of the recent spinach/leaf lettuce incidents, what are you substituting for spinach? Or, have you just given up (for the time being) spinach all together? I heard of one chef using swiss chard and/or baby bok choy in spinach dishes with surprising results. The dishes had a more nuttier flavor and was well received.

Or try this...

On a slightly different note: I've been trying to make rice molds for some time. I've been working with basmati rice and although I rinse the rice before cooking (and removing the starch) I keep thinking there must be some way to "mold" the rice and have it retain its shape. I tried adding cream (which didn't do it) and then tried forming the rice/cream mixture and broiling/baking it (still didn't work; the mold held until I attempted to remove it from the pan.) Even tried adding cheese to warm rice (natch!). Any suggestions? Do I have to use sticky rice? Will any short grain rice do? Will sticky rice impart a different flavor to my dish? I've only used sticky rice for desserts.

From a recipe I tried this weekend: a blackberry-habandero sauce. See if you can figure out what's missing: blend bunch of cilantro, 1/2 juice of lemon, cucumber, blackberries (10-15), habanero, carrot and ginger. Add blended sauce to pan and cook (protein). Turn down heat to medium until (protein) is done, make sure to keep stirring because the sauce will dry up if it sits for too long. There is no liquid in this damned thing, other than the juice of 1/2 lemon. The sauce dries up as soon as it hits the pan. I kept adding wine and water (I drank all the wine ) to get enough liquid to poach the protein. Also, the recipe called for 2 habaneros; I seeded and used only one. Even so, it was one spicey dish. That's what I get for getting recipes off the Internet.

God damn it, I should kill you! This is so fucking good I should kill you! -- Pascal, Big Night, 1996 To eat good food is to be close to God. -- Primo, Big Night, 1996

Dah-um! That was good. Only two disappointments: Chef Cox will not share the biscuit recipe (which would so nicely complement the upcoming beef/pork/turkey scrapple brunch); and, only the dessert is on the regular menu.

Puh-leeze! That's on par with "the dog ate my homework". Besides, what better place to have a reception! So what if there's a smear of BBQ on your tux/her gown. Think of the stories you'll be able to tell!

I'll be taking care of the nieces (ages 8 and 9) for a week while their mother is out of town. Mom, a single mother, has very little fresh food in her fridge. Lots of processed stuff like chicken tenders and Stouffer's mac and cheese. So I use this time to introduce the nieces to new things. (Mom wasn't too happy about the ice cream before dinner concept, but I'm learning. ) They also help me with meal prep. One time it was quiche; another it was coleslaw; and they have come to love visiting the salad bar at the local grocery store, selecting their own fixings. (I nearly fell over when the 8 y.o. wanted radishes on her salad!) In an effort to engage them, I'm allowing each one to design a menu for one night that week. One night will be a joint cooking evening. Taking cues from the Packing Lunch thread I'm looking for suggestions for the three/four nights that I need to prepare dinner. One idea: tortellini soup with spinach (kale?) and white beans. I figure they would like the tortellini and not notice that there are vegetables swimming around. (Spaghetti doesn't go over well; they don't like the texture of carrots or tomatoes. But if I can hide them...) Other things I'm tossing around: sesame noodles with peanut sauce; empanadas (they loved the quesadillas we made on my last visit), and a make your own pizza night. I also prepared a heat-n-eat dinner for when Mom returned. Last time it was beef ribs with rice. It was grown-up enough for Mom yet appealed to the kids. Other suggestions? What works in your house?

Oops! My bad!

Going, going, gone... I'm waiting for confirmation but rumor has it that Walgreen's has bought the building.

Toasted pita bread salad (chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, feta + a 4-3 ratio EVOO and BV vinagrette + lightly salted, toasted, torn pita bread chips)

Try: Nam-Viet Pho 79--in Cleveland Park's two-block restaurant row--is an easy choice as the best Vietnamese restaurant in the city, a spare but tidy place with cooking that matches that of some of the best Vietnamese kitchens in the Virginia suburbs.

Sauteed pork chops* with hoisin sauce perorgies (influenced by recent trip to Philly) steamed broccoli Le Petit Ecolier topped with dark chocolate *Nothing like gnawing on a pork chop bone. I'm with Homer on this one: Herb: While you're here, I want you to make yourselves right at home. Anytime you're hungry, anytime day or night, Cook will make you anything you want. Homer: Even pork chops? Herb: Absolutely. We have a tennis court, a swimming pool, a screening room-- Homer: You mean, if I want pork chops, even in the middle of the night, your guy will fry 'em up? Herb: Sure. That's what he's paid for. Now, if you need towels, laundry-- Homer: Wait! Herb: Maids-- Homer: Wait, wait, wait, wait! Let me see if I've got this straight. It's Christmas day, 4:00 a.m., there's a rumble in my stomach-- Marge: Homer, please! Herb: (Laughs and grabs Homer around the shoulder.) Your old man sure loves pork chops! Bart: (Laughs) He sure does, Uncle Herb.

Found out the hard way: BYOB = Cash only (in teeny, tiny type at the bottom of the page). The staff did, however, point us to the nearest ATM.

Truth in advertising? The Wonderland Ballroom Especially since it was, Ahh... Nob Hill... such fond memories... My! How the 'hood has changed!

Went on a scrapple scramble this weekend in Phlly. Car-less so was limited to the convention center area. Ended up at the Reading Market only to be told -- at two locations -- that breakfast was over and they were no longer serving scrapple. (Since when does a place with "diner" in its name ever stop serving breakfast?) Identified a shop in a food court that served Sunday breakfast and served scrapple. I was in heaven only to be told "no scrapple... ran out... come back Monday." [Puh-leeze! Does anyone else realize how ludicrous this statement was? If they didn't have scrapple on Sunday, would they really have it on Monday, a holiday? And, even if they did get a Monday delivery, would it have been delivered in time for breakfast?] Oh, the heartache!

I just realized: some of the truly remarkable dishes were vegetarian. The kind of vegetarian food you gobble down and relish and only later realize -- much later -- it wasn't meat. Especially: (That gluten was damn good! I'm ready to go to Yes! just to find some.)

This is beginning to sound like a concept for the DR fall picnic.

Went last night. Although I had gone there for Winter RW, I wanted to try the lounge menu. We had the Ciabatta “Pizzetas”, topped with wild mushrooms, and the Pulled Duck Barbeque Melt (duck confit, provolone, caramelized onion jus), and sweet potato fries. My dining companion absolutely LOVED the duck barbeque and the sweet potato fries. I had the leftover pizettas for breakfast. It was a bit too salty for first thing in the morning (I don’t know why I didn’t notice the saltiness last night). We also had a wonderful Toad Hollow Chardonnay. (Has anyone seen this at local stores? I tried my favorite, Calvert Woodley, but they don’t seem to carry it. I’m waiting for a return phone call from their Baltimore distributor.)

On behalf of those amongst us who only cook for one/two -- How many biscuits does this produce? It looks like the recipe is easy to reduce.

Uhm... good?

Balsamic-glazed pork chop Sauteed bok choy potatoes (okay, okay... they were tater tots)

Heard from a friend who dined during RW: Corduroy had a lunch time bomb-scare. Although they had finished their meal and paid the check, there was still quite a bit of Sancerre in the ice bucket. Let's just say the wait staff demonstrated tremendous initative. Needless to say, she was impressed and plans to return.

Okay... what about a first date? Criteria: Dupont Circle area, preferably outdoor dining, more on the $$ side, and where you can actually hear somebody whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

Count me in! I also need a ride from the subway.