Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

This one is an absolute no brainer. I am a software programmer and fortunate enough to work for a company that allows me to work from home, I try my best to make a point of living in a different city every year, I pack light and go. I've gone from southern cali, mid-west to the east coast and NOTHING compares to the mexican food in San Diego! Travel just 60 miles up the coast to Los Angeles and the difference is night and day, doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same category. San Diego is on the border of Mexico, and the mexican food gets exponentially worse the farther you get from it. Ask anyone who has actually tried mexican food in mulitple cities, I will guarantee the same response, San Diego hands down. Anyone who calls them nachos instead of carne asada chips, or taquitos instead of rolled tacos can automatically be discredited in this discussion. Those of you who have lived in San Diego will know what I mean.

Scientists have proven that certain people possess the genetic predisposition to be able to taste cilantro in its true form. They say that the people who taste "soap" lack the taste buds that others possess. This may be true, but as a professional chef I have come to understand that it's more simple than that. I have made many meals that featured a good amount of cilantro, feeding people who hate the ingredient, and I didn't necessarily make them love it, but they enjoyed it and weren't bothered by it as much as they had been in the past.

Don't think of cilantro like other ingredients. Chicken, strawberries, pork, potato, etc. are very versatile ingredients that are easy to prepare. Cilantro is simply less versatile and requires advanced culinary techniques in order to harness great flavor. Cilantro, like hot chiles, is a very unique ingredient that, if not utilized correctly, can be overwhelming and unenjoyable on most palates. However, it can add a ton of flavor when used fresh in appropriate ratios, chopped properly so as to not bruise the leaves and release too much of the oils, and when it's incorporated with ingredients that naturally pair well, such as tomato, onion, chile, oil, salt, and avocado to name a few.

Try not to wash cilantro; if it is sandy, just wipe it off since water will wash away the natural flavor. However, this may be unavoidable in some supermarkets where it can be covered with dirt. Ninety percent of the plant is grown for its seed (coriander) and not for its leaves. I grow my own "Cilantro Santo" in my home and it's perfect. This variety is different from the rest in that it produces more leaves and better flavor. Another huge factor that can spoil the flavor of cilantro is the type of fertilizer used. Too much nitrogen will give an unpleasant taste to the herb. Too much humidity and heat in the growth stage will also damage the flavor. Hope this changed some of your minds.

P.S. - Mexican fare has closer ties to Carribean and Asian cuisine than it does with Indian.

Bottlerocket is great if you're looking for a really user-friendly, streamlined wine buying experience. The staff is helpful, and the wine is organized by food pairing (wines for BBQ here, wines for seafood there).

Astor Wines has a much larger selection, and their staff is really knowledgeable and can answer pretty much any question without making you feel dumb.

Both stores have classes, too, if you're into learning more about wine.

i like union square and astor.

Anybody ever heard of Friefhofers "corn toasties"??

I'm telling you I just made that cornbread above and it was great!

What the heck is Jiffy?

@crumbles - Philadelphia is a great food town, check out my buddy Hawk Krall's blog Drawing for Food for some great recommendations.

Also- for asian in center city / rittenhouse area here's some that weren't mentioned

Tampopo (open saturday, closed sunday)
Japanese / Noodles / Not expensive
http://tampoporestaurant.com/

Miran / 2034 chestnut
Korean BBQ

Su Xing house / 1508 Sansom
Vegetarian chinese, really good (and I'm not a vegetarian)
& very affordable / comfortable
http://suxinghouse.com/

I'm going to show my age here and say I graduated from college pre-microwave oven days. Now what I mean about that is that a microwave was still a very high price item, your poor college kid never even thought of owning such a thing. What saved me was the toaster oven. Now just about everyone needs a toaster, and why not get one that can do some other things as well. However, unlike your average college kid, once I got into apartments instead of dorm rooms the first things I got were a hand held mixer (great for basic baking), a blender (must have for parties as well as cooking, can take place of food processor at times) and an electric skillet. I had started cooking at the age of 14 and I was the college friend everyone came to for a home-cooked meal. I hit yard sales and stocked my first apartment kitchen. Believe it or not, I still own some of those first things from almost 30 years ago. Now also, if the poor man doesn't own them, get him a measuring cup (liquid and solid) and some measuring spoons. It's shocking the number of people in this country who don't own those basic items. This is what has happened to our country WITH the invention of the microwave and also with the loss of home-cooking and the family meal time. It's really a shame.

You left out a huge piece of info: What's YOUR budget?

If he's perpetually broke, then he'll be cooking with economical ingredients.
If you're also broke, I echo the suggestion for a slow cooker. A lot safer, easier & cheaper than simmering or braising for hours on the stove or in the oven. But can a hungry guy stand the aroma of cooking food, knowing it is inedible for the next 2-6 hours? Also, most slow cookers can only do slow simmer or fast simmer.

Therefore, if you've got the $$, I suggest you spring for a good-quality, modern pressure cooker. Flavorful & healthful stew from cheapo meat & veg in 1/2 hour. Rice or beans in 15 minutes. A good pressure cooker pan is high quality, so it also serves as a heavy saucepan or even a dutch oven for deep frying.

Both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker come with simple recipes that a beginner can use and an experienced cook can expand & improvise with.

PS. Knives & cookbooks are pretty personal as far as picking the ONE that will work for a person. Unless you're soulmates with this guy or you can check his registery, don't do it.

You sound like a good pal. GL

A few thoughts:

The knife (as one person said) may be a more personal purchase, but maybe not if you spend more money on it than he would!

Cast Iron skillet would usually be a good recommendation, but being in an apartment with a small kitchen, those things tend to smoke to much...and its not about controlling the heat. Its about 'seasoned' cast iron heating up.

But consider this, I bought 2 twelve inch COMMERCIAL non-stick pans from Sam's Club (because at that time they came in two AND Sams has a commercial restaurant supply section now - BUT NOT COSTCO DARN IT!) pretty cheap and they are made from thick aluminum under the non-stick coating...2 years later they still have the coating. I pulled the rubber handles (good for oven temps up to about 350) off and threw them away, cook on top, finish in oven. Works wonderful. Heavy duty, lighter, and less smokey than cast iron.

Get the kitchenaide mini processor (3 cups model) not the cuisenart. The reason being is because the 'catch' for making the motor work is a long piece of plastic protrudcing down from the lid, prone to breaking off! Kitchenaid, not so much small 'catch' on both sides of lid that doesn't protrude past the lip much, even if you manage to drop the lid on the floor and break one, you can still swivel the lid to the other.

As someone mentioned, electric hot water kettle. Starts things that need hot or boiled water much quicker.

Is he a serious tea or coffee drinker? Bodum (french press) goes good with that electric water kettle.

Small microwave as already said.

Coffee been grinder for grinding spices or coffee.

I buy bar towels in bulk from Sam's or Costco's, there just like the ones in commercial kitchens I use...and there cheap.

Immersion blender, as already said. This thing should be a must. Its terrific.

My pasta roller still comes in handy for (duh) pasta, and also: pita bread, rolling thin tortillas, flat bread...etc.

If your going to spend some money on him, buy a nice kitchen cart with storage underneath...then he can roll a 'chopping' island around to use and store these small appliances underneath when not in use.

Ok, I'll stop here...I cook professionally as well as not letting my small kitchen in my apartment keep me from cooking extensive and 'fine dining' meals at home.

A cast iron pan and knife are great but I agree with the microplane suggestion if you'd like to send something small. It's versatile and makes a real difference.

Wow, I'll bet you're sorry you asked for our comments?????
I don't have children, except for the 4-legged kind with fuzzy faces. However, I've always thought that my one good piece of advice in addition to all the rest of the good knife, frypan, toaster oven suggestions above, is............ supply him with dinnerware & casseroles, etc. that go from freezer, to oven, to microwave, to dishwasher, to table...........simply because it not only saves mucho time in cleaning, buying, storing, & saves $$$$$------if your son is anything like my husband, he washes plates, etc. by hand & refuses to use the dishwasher, it has the perfect all around usage. There's Fiesta ware, Pfaltzgraf, Corningware, & Chantal.........all great brands! I believe my suggestion will be VERY benefitial to the male species. Good luck to him...........& you as well!