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The Ten Most Recent Comments By epices6

From Serious Eats: New York

Stone Barns Wonders if You'd Like to See Where Your Meat Comes From

One of the big problems, alluded to in the article, is that there are fewer and fewer places where local farms can have their animals butchered. We need local abattoirs to aid farmers who raise animals and Dan Barber is simply doing something that is very important if a diverse and dynamic local farm economy is to succeed. Overregulation has concentrated the slaughtering of farm animals with huge meat processors, often hundreds of miles away. Local and state agricultural organizations should support small-scale slaughterhouses. That would help the farmers and also the animals.
In most parts of the world, the killing of animals for meat is much more in the open. I respect people who become vegetarians because they are against killing animals and I think that carnivores (and that includes me) should not think of meat as a supermarket packet but as an animal killed for our eating pleasure (or needs).

epices6 at 10:56PM on 06/07/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

Excellent posts. The other day, I printed out Michael Laiskonis The "Egg" recipe (it sounded great) - then I read that I would need a "one-pint foam canister" and "gas cartridges." Definitely a deal breaker - even though I would have gladly done the three-in-one long recipe.

epices6 at 12:04AM on 06/05/08

From Required Eating

Dunkin Donuts Pulls Rachael Ray Ad Due to Arab-Looking Scarf

Wow, what a great victory over Dunkin by "Americans opposed to Islamic jihad and its apologists." This inane episode would be most comical if those right-wing bellowers were not constantly appeased by companies afraid of any controversy, no matter how contrived and ridiculous.

epices6 at 1:49PM on 05/28/08

From Eating Out

Love Those Goose Livers: Philadelphia's Best Foie Gras

@Dee711
I appreciate your spirited response in defense of stopping gavage (force feeding) of ducks/geese. In objective studies, this practice was shown to be detrimental to the health of the birds, leading to early death and active avoidance of the feeding practice by ducks and geese.

While the overall results of this practice are negative, the report of the European Union's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare on Welfare Aspects of the Production of Foie Gras in Ducks and Geese stated that "there is no 'conclusive' scientific evidence on the aversive nature of force feeding", and that evidence of injury is "small." "The EU committee examined several experiments carried out by INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) to detect pain or distress by looking at blood hormones, and found that no definite conclusions can be drawn from these studies." (quoted from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foie_gras_controversy).
I accept that I am ignorant and possibly a glutton but I also DO empathize with non-human creatures (as a middle-sized mammal, I do not trumpet human exceptionalism too much) and am a proponent of raising animals humanely. For that last reason, I feel that fighting the cruelty of gigantic feed lots, horrific pig farms, and torturous chicken pens is a more urgent cause than the fixation on gavage and foie gras. Just an opinion. Does this mean that I lack "empathy for the suffering of animals"? I do not.

Best of luck in your fight for animal rights.

epices6 at 11:10PM on 05/23/08

From Eating Out

Love Those Goose Livers: Philadelphia's Best Foie Gras

Chasgoose does not make a long, rambling argument but gives an excellent refutation of the many false arguments used by anti foie gras activists. The visceral opposition to force-feeding does indeed come more from anthropomorphizing ducks (and not knowing a thing about duck physiology).
The Chicago ban has been reversed - the original "ban" was smuggled into a larger bill by an anti foie gras zealot and most who voted for the "ban" did not know about it until after the vote. After much deserved ridicule, the dumb stunt was finally reversed (as if in cities like Chicago and Philadelphia, such a measure even deserves to be among the first 10,000 items on the city's agenda).

epices6 at 12:23AM on 05/23/08

From Eating Out

Snapshots from Italy: Eataly Torino

The article describes the immense variety of fine Italian foods well and Eataly (indeed a horrible name!) is the prime showcase for these high quality delights. That such food comes at a price is a given (taking into account the production methods, rarity, and uniqueness of many food items sold there). It is unfortunate that the article ends with the lame lament "bring money. Lots and lots of money" - believe me, eating and drinking well at Eataly can be far less expensive than at Batali restaurants.
As for expensive seafood - I have eaten expensive fish dishes in France and Italy (in the Euro 50s range) and they were worth every cent. It is unfortunate that pristine, wild-caught fish and seafood is so expensive now but overfishing and the destruction of the oceans are playing a big part in that equation.

epices6 at 2:48PM on 05/07/08

From Required Eating

Cherries by the Bottle

A great Kirsch eaux-de-vie is not easy to produce - a stringent protocol of production must be observed, from the quality of the fruit to the small-batch distilling practices. I am partial to Kirsch vieux from the Swiss producer MORAND but there are many small and large producers of outstanding Kirsch. A glass after dinner is the perfect digestive (but so is a glass of Williams pear, apricot, quince, various plums, or any fine fruit carefully transformed into eaux-de-vie).

epices6 at 1:48PM on 03/14/08

From Serious Eats: New York

Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 9: Vacation Eating

I was so eager to list at least a couple of excellent restaurants in Lisbon (see above) that forgot to mention how much I identify with Ed trying to eat at every great place on his list when going to a new town. I do the same thing, be it great food towns like Paris, San Francisco, Chicago, Rome, Hong Kong, Tokyo, or wherever. I compulsively eat lunch and dinner every day at a good restaurant, leaving me totally satiated after three or four days and fighting with my wife who had the good idea (as it always turns out after a few days of no-holds-barred-eating) of "pacing" ourselves (one big meal, smaller venues for the rest of the day). Well, I am a very slow learner, since I just made lunch/dinner reservations in Atlanta for three days in a row when I will be there in early April.

epices6 at 7:43PM on 03/07/08

From Serious Eats: New York

Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 9: Vacation Eating

There are a couple ambitious chefs in Lisbon - like the chef at "Eleven" - Joachim Koerper - whose dishes are creative and light. The restaurant is beautifully designed with a great view (www.restauranteleven.com). I would also recommend A Travessa (in an old convent from the 17th century). The seafood is excellent, the rabbit in red wine sauce too (www.atravessa.com).

epices6 at 12:34AM on 03/07/08

From Eating Out

The Best of Philly's BYOBs

The above list of BYOB places in Philly definitely needs to be amended, so let me just add a few of the excellent restaurants where I ate over the last two weeks:

Marigold Kitchen - now serving great updated "southern" cuisine under new chef Erin O'Shea.
www.marigoldkitchenbyob.com

Matyson Restaurant
continues to serve excellent food after departure of original owners
www.matyson.com

Bistro 7

Innovative, reliable, incredible prix-fix until Thursday. I was especially impressed by perfect saffran risotto (just try to find a good risotto anywhere).
www.bistro7restaurant.com

Django
The new owner/chef had big shoes to fill and does so (mostly) with a successful mixture of old favorites and new offerings.
www.djangobyob.com

This list could be extended by another dozen places or so. If you like taqueria style Mexican food, please try the excellent Taco Riendo restaurant (1301 N 5th St).

Remember to bring your favorite wines/beers - there are no corkage fees in any of these places and some even have decent stemware.

epices6 at 7:54AM on 03/05/08

Responses to Comments by epices6

From Talk

Trader Joe's Torture: What one thing do you have to buy?

They have cheap brie and those 100 calorie chocolate bars. Also, the dried fruit and veggie chips. Oh! There's also almond milk, trail mix, spinach pies when I'm too lazy to make my own...

fritesandfries at 12:16AM on 07/01/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

Anything that requires me to visit more than 2 grocery stores is out. I'll make substitutes where I can, but I have a one-year old - time is a luxury I'd rather not spend grocery shopping.

AlterJ at 2:54PM on 06/09/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

I pretty much avoid most baking recipes, except for the simple things I grew up making, like cookies or biscuits. I do not make candy, cakes, or especially meringues. maybe someday when I am not living in a cramped apartment with an electric stove. That's pretty much it in terms of deal breakers; I will try most things at least once before giving up on the idea.

Tasty Morsel at 12:08PM on 06/09/08

From Serious Eats: New York

Stone Barns Wonders if You'd Like to See Where Your Meat Comes From

I can't even see roadkill so I would not be able to see an animal butchered for food or any other reason.

chiff0nade at 6:59PM on 06/08/08

From Serious Eats: New York

Stone Barns Wonders if You'd Like to See Where Your Meat Comes From

My grandparents both grew up on farms in Minnesota during the Depression and I have never seen either one return a plate to the sink with a single morsel of food left on it. When I asked my grandfather about their penchant for consuming every single crumb, he told me that growing up so poor and having to grow his own food taught him to appreciate the hard work it took someone to deliver what was on his plate and that not consuming what he made the choice in the beginning to eat was a sign of disrespect. He went on to say that he wished every meat eater would be able to experience an animal slaughter at least once in their lives because it would teach them to respect and make a connection to the sacrifice the animal they are eating made for them. While I have never been to a slaughterhouse, my grandfather did invite me to watch him butcher the deer he brought home from the fields each season and while I initially bore reluctant witness, I still remember the epiphany I had as a young girl as I ate our venison sausage and connected it to the deer in my grandfather's garage. It was in gratitude and respect then that I ate my venison and I would have never understood and appreciated the sacrifice this animal made for me had I not witnessed this deer's journey from the field to my plate.

eddybles at 12:20PM on 06/08/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

I think it's funny that so many of the reasons listed in the original post are recipes that are avoided because of not owning enough appliances. There are always ways around not having every appliance imaginable. David Lebovitz has instructions for making ice cream when you don't have an ice cream maker, most things that require a stand mixer can be done by hand with a teeny bit more elbow grease, similar to most things that require a food processor. All of these things were made long before most kitchens had a million appliances and gadgets. I say give it a try!

nikki57 at 10:51AM on 06/07/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

I once read a Martha recipe that called for Chardonnay twigs. Oh, I drew the line right quick.

mintyfreshflavor at 10:47AM on 06/07/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

Oh, I just saw one on Slashfood--'this easy bread starter only requires you to wait 14 hours'

HeartofGlass at 10:13AM on 06/07/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

recipe that involves cooking anything larger than my head.

Steamy Kitchen at 9:56AM on 06/07/08

From Required Eating

What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?

I'm a single woman, so anytime I see a recipe that has a 'yield 48' unless it can be easily cut down (some sites allow you to do that) I'm not going to make it--yes, I know 'you can freeze things' but c'mon, who likes any one dish enough to have enough for 6 months of the same thing?

Heavy cream, more than 1 cup of oil in a small batch, unclear technique directions without illustrations, and gelatin.

HeartofGlass at 9:33AM on 06/06/08