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Website: http://grubnoise.wordpress.com

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Favorite foods: Everything that moves and that grows

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The Ten Most Recent Posts By grubnoise

From Talk

NY recommendations: Lunch.

I'll be in NY in a couple of weeks, for a few days and, unfortunately, I will not be available in the evenings so I need recommendations for places that are open at lunch/afternoons. Money is no object at this point, and I wouldn't mind gorging on a tasting menu at least once. I guess the only place I'm really sure I want to go is Shake Sack and Otto.

Any more recommendations that are open in the afternoons? I'd like to make reservations soon...

The Ten Most Recent Comments By grubnoise

From Talk

Best books / web sites for a real newbie of a cook?

www.cookingforengineers.com

Basically hold you by the hand and show how to do everything. Perfect for newbies.

From Eating Out

Bruni Praises the Lard

Basically the whole menu Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal is a fat overdose. Last time I went I ate a Lobster roll that had torchon foie gras on it and was made with a brioche bun, not to mention the mayo... Lipo-coma here I come, it is so freaking good too...

From Required Eating

Is Imitation Always the Sincerest Form of Flattery?

I think a lot of people here are missing the point. I don't think Mr Levine assertion is that anyone or their mother has invented a lobster roll recipe ( and from that Serious Eat video with the Amateur Gourmet, Mrs Charles recipe is about as traditional as its gets) it is rather about stealing a whole business model. This is like McDowell's restaurant in "Coming to America" (you know the Eddie Murphy movie), don't you think McDonald's would sue this entrepreneur into oblivion? Same thing. This nothing short of industrial spying, and is not only morally shameful, its legality is iffy.

From Talk

NY recommendations: Lunch.

Alright, I already booked a lunch at Esca, at the request of somebody I can't say no to... I would rather not go with a "pure" french like Jean-Georges or Boulud... Spotted Pig look like a good idea. The Modern is a good idea too but I might go to the bar instead and order a few things... I'll keep Pearl Oyster bar in mind...

From Talk

What to serve with quail?

I made a quail with a mushroom risotto the other day. I wrote it up on my blog, check my profile...

From Required Eating

Love Song to a Hand Blender

I've had an old braun for years and use it pretty often. I wonder how different this one is. It is a good tool but I would't use it for salsa that's for sure...

That said, maybe I am a bit of a nerd, but "accouterment" is a bit of a stretch of the english language. I mean, when borrowing a word from another language, at least spell it correctly...

From Required Eating

J: Jams, Jellies (and Preserves and Conserves)

What's confusing me here is not the term preserves, jam or jellie but conserves. Conserves in french is anything canned/in a jar one way or another. I mean a can of beans is "fèves en conserves", and when you cook up a bunch of green beans in a mason jar for the winter it is conserves. Not only that fruit business....

From Required Eating

You Want Fries with That?

What is unclear from the article is the process you used and the process Keller uses at Bouchon. It very well might be to save time on the prep that he buys frozen fries, that doesn't mean he doesn't use the double frying technique nor that he actually uses them frozen. My guess is that the potatoes are defrosted and fried as any decent fry is done: fried twice.

That said, I don't understand. I am from Montreal and every diner and greasy spoon with any respect for their customer use fresh potatoes and that's all of them. And they make their living with their fries, they must go through hundreds fo pounds of potatoes every week. I mean if "La Belle Province" and "Lafleur" can use fresh potatoes why would Keller do otherwise....

From Required Eating

Bagel Love

Ed, then you must like Montreal bagels, the best bagels in the world (let the fight begin!! ;-)

From Required Eating

An Offal Good Book

The recipes in the book are basically what is served in the restaurant (barely normalized for home cooking actually) so I am thinking not. There are simple things like the deer tartare (if you can find some) and possibly the foie-gras grilled cheese (that is heavenly). I'll take a look tonight to see if there is anything really simple in there.

Responses to Comments by grubnoise

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

Costco's has a remarkably tasty fruitcake available during the holidays. It is filled with pecans and cherries and other non-dayglo fruits. It reminds me of the kinds of fruitcakes I see for sale at Saks during the holidays for $50 but at Costco it is only $12.

Bouchon also has a delightful fruitcake like loaf. I think it is also seasonal. No problem with bad fruit overcoming the cake there, of course.

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

Regarding the cakes at the Collin St. Bakery, they make one that only has apricots and pecans. I guess it still qualifies as a fruitcake. Check it out.
http://www.collinstreet.com/pages/apricot_pecan_cake

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

I don't like fruitcake, even when it's homemade by a talented cook (like my mother; she made it as part of her Christmas baking binge for several years).

I know I'm not alone. I once heard the Chieftains sing something called "Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake." You can google the lyrics easily.

It wasn't until I was grown that I figured out why I hated it so: it's mostly the day-glo fruit - which is composed principally of bitter, leathery CITRON. That, plus the fact that there is far too little cake. Oh, and the raw taste of whiskey or brandy, not calculated to appeal to a child's tastebuds.

And yet I love pannettone, which is a nice challah-type bread spangled with the same day-glo fruit. But not nearly so much, and no whiskey.

If the Corsicana Fruitcake is anything like the "quintessential fruitcake of the South" that brooke29 links to - no wonder it's a thriving business. No citron!!

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

There are all sorts of things called fruitcakes, and it's a little like saying you don't like cheese because you tasted one kind of cheese and didn't like it. As a former deeply picky eater, I can sympathize. I don't like the red and green candied cherries, I don't like the soggy nuts, and I don't like the fake rum flavorings. However, I make a dark, spicy cake that utilizes raisins, currants, dried apricots, mangoes (if I can find them) and pineapple, that goes by the name of fruitcake but tastes very different than the stuff one thinks of under that name.

There are also some Irish fruitcakes that are blonde, so to speak, and they're also marvelous. Don't condemn all fruitcakes.

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

I always thought fruitcake was some sort of holiday gag gift. I would never think of actually eating one!

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

I was a fruitcake hater until the day I was given one of these-

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1919,154167-236194,00.html

This is the quintessential fruitcake of the south, and is similar to the one popularized by The Colin Street Bakery in Texas. It ain't cheap to make, but if one does not skimp on quality ingredients, it is an fruitcake epiphany!

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

I don't eat cooked fruit, with a notable exception of Apfel Strudel (somehow, it grew on me ever since I tried it in Salzburg), so to me even the idea of a fruitcake does not sound appealing at all. However, when I saw Alton make one, I wanted to make it too. Not to eat it, mind you, but to make it...for somebody who does like a fruitcake.

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

Make it yourself. Use real, (unsweetened) dried fruit, toasted nuts, citrus zest, and freshly ground spices. Use a light touch with the sugar. Do not frost or glaze with anything. Marinate with brandy. I follow Alton Brown's recipe, with a few small alterations/additions depending on how I feel, but try to avoid anything that would significantly alter the texture.

The result is dense, moist, and intensely flavored. Cut into small slices to serve; a little goes a long way.

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

I thought there was only one that makes it way around the world?

I had a recipe from the depression era (poor boy cake?) that was boiled and had no eggs. Tasted exactly like every fruitcake I've ever tasted. I tried substituting chopped gumdrops for the fruit, but that couldn't help the taste and texture.

I'll always taste, just in case, but haven't met one I could enjoy yet.

From Talk

Alright. Do people really hate fruitcake?

My mom used to make fruit cake that was pretty ok but I changed up the recipe years ago and to be honest I love the stuff and everyone thats ever tried it does too. Very simple spice cake, with fresh fruit and nuts rather than preserved, I tried the dried fruit and even that was too sweet for me. So I guess mine isnt a "real" fruitcake but it is festive and more important to my mind ppl like it.