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Christina Tosi told me last week to go with Amazon. If you read the book, she gets almost everything from Amazon. She gives the corn syrup substitute in the book, but hfcs is sweeter than glucose and you won't get the same taste. She also orders the clear vanilla extract from Amazon.

Carbonara. Or, tortellini in brodo.

Salt, pepper, olive oil, burratta and toasted bread.

Coffee: Spella Caffe They have a cart at SW 9th and Alder or a small shop
at SW 5th and Alder

Barista One shop in the Pearl District at 539 NW 13th or in the
Alberta Arts section at 17th and Alberta.

Drinks: They are doing barrel aged Negroni's and Manhattans at Clyde
Common. http://boozenik.com/featured/cask-aged-cocktails-at-clyde-common/

Food: There is too much to mention. Best desserts are coming from
Kristin Murray at Fenouil. For an idea of "pacific northwest style" I'd
go to Wildwood. It is under the radar 'cause it's been around a while
but the food still showcases the best of the area. Simpatica or
Screen Door for brunch. For happy hour I love Spints Alehouse-
good drinks and an ever changing "dirty pretzel" of the week.
Food Carts-there are a few good ones- Garden State in N. Portland
at Mississippi and Skidmore-love the meatball hero and the
chickpea sandwich. Also, The People's Pig at SW 2nd and Stark.
Get the porchetta! Suzette is on NE 29th and Alberta. Jehnee, the
owner is a former pastry chef from Chez Panisse. Wonderful
sweet or savory crepes, homemade ice cream and other wonderful
desserts. She also serves beer, wine, coffee etc and shows free
french films.

Have fun eating!

I made my first panettone this year using Jim's no knead recipe that was in Gourmet. Easy, delicious and a ton cheaper than the store bought! I'm totally making it every year from now on.

People in the restaurant industry are often treated better/special at restaurants. It's one of the very few perks. And if a chef or a cook comes into your restaurant on their night off, you want it to be special for them because it's a rare occasion. Cooks also don't get paid squat so you want to throw down all you can for them. When you're a chef or a cook, your peers are the ones you most want to impress, most want to show off to. I can't even begin to explain the gratification a person feels when one of their own gives you praise for what you've created in the kitchen.

Also, giving the waiter her card was, from my perspective, not to be trying to say "don't you know who I am?" but rather, proving that she was a pastry chef as she identified herself as. Many a**hats like to throw out the "i'm in the industry" baloney when a) they aren't or b)haven't been in 20 years. She was merely proving her identity. And again, unless you're a pastry geek, she's not a recognizable name. In the world of iphones, crackberry's etc, it was stupid not to google her and realize that this would go out to the world. Not that I think they care.

Ted's in Meriden, CT for the steamed cheeseburger
Louie's lunch in New Haven, CT

Herrell's ice cream in Northhampton, MA

and while it isn't food, I'd like to give a shout out to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

I can't even choose one of these, I hate them all and add to it "Unctuous". When did this become a positive word? It doesn't mean anything good!

Devils Food Cake with chocolate frosting. The one chocolate dessert(other than just chocolates themselves) that I can't resist.

Porterhouse. I love steak. Love it.

In Bologna, we went to Il Gelatauro on the recommendation of a Faith Willinger. The owner, Gianni Figliomeni was the nicest man and the gelato the best I'd ever had using the best ingredients. I'd had a place picked out for dinner but figured I'd ask him where he would go. He sent us to this place on the edge of town called Autotreno. NEVER would have picked the place myself but it was the BEST meal I had in italy. They spoke no english but managed via someone that kinda spoke english to ask us if we trusted them to bring us cucina tipica de Bologna. Oh_yeah. If you go to Bologna, search out Autotreno.

Podnah's Pit in Portland, OR! Super nice owner, super good BBQ.

Maple Walnut Cornbread!