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The Ten Most Recent Posts By suzy

From Talk

some sucking up is in order, folks. this is ed levine's site!

i found "NY EATS" when it was published in the early '90's, and man o manischewitz did i love it. i had been in the city for 5 years, and was working as a temp and writing menus for the restaurant i would someday open. i was too broke to "eat out", but i traipsed all over the city hunting down the best of the best based on his recommendations.

BTW, i take back my H&H bagel post - ed sez "absolute bagels", and i'm on my way.

thanks, ed. this is going to be fun.

The Ten Most Recent Comments By suzy

From Talk

Have a favorite street food vendor in NYC? A good story?

there is a fella in brooklyn who makes the rounds of the bars, late night, to bring his delicious empanadas to the fairly drunk and suddenly hungry.

he just pops in with a big ol' bag and sells 'em for a couple of bucks a pop.
they're not good - they're fabulous.

life is good.

From Serious Eats

You Win Some, You... Get Really, Really Mad At Some?

mmm ... i'm decidedly not a fan of mr. chodorow, and don't pretend to understand his motivation in undertaking this project.

i will say, however, that i'm glad he's doing it. i am a restaurant owner; have been in the biz since i was a kid. when the chod says that "The restaurant business is one of the most difficult businesses in the world", i've gotta speak up. it really is extraordinarily difficult; hard to hear from such a puffed-up egomaniac as himself, but true, nonetheless.

restaurant criticism in NYC is about the great gaping maw of the publicity machine, and operates on roughly the same dynamic as that of the "popular" high school clique.

who's hot? who's got the best press agent? who can charge so much money that they can make their customers feel that they're the kings of the world?

so much utter bullshit - i've had employees of the local rags tell me, to my face, that they wouldn't have time to eat, could i just give them a quick rundown on what the restaurant was about. it's incredibly galling, to work so hard, to use all of one's experience and energy to deal with this really tough business, only to find that the bullshit artists who call themselves "restaurant critics" are barely willing to get out of bed to submit their worthless drivel to their editors. and no, i am not making this up.

i can't even continue writing this post, as i'm becoming apoplectic at the very thought of it.

as for Mr. K's observation that "When you read reviews from regular diners, you often get a true picture of what your dining experience will turn out to be" - well, yes and no. the explosion of the blogosphere has allowed any number of entitled, spoiled persons to spew all sort of vitriol at any target that might suit their particular ill-temper du jour.

good god people, i'm FEEDING you! i can say that the feedback that i get from my customers, is, in the main,heart-warmingly positive, even effusive. however, now and again i'll read something so nasty, so out of left-field, and so unwarranted that i just want to cry.

sure, it's my problem that i'm thinskinned: NYC's not an easy place.

enough of me for now. if i compose myself i'll write more later - but for now i have to make a cake and a pie. gee whiz.

From Talk

Question of the Day: What's your earliest food-related memory?

my brother and sister and i were 4,3, and 2 years of age. my mother made us cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, instead of the usual PB&J. the three of us sat at the table and cried, because she forced us to eat them, and was very cranky about it (um, understandable, my brother and sister and i were 4,3, and 2 years of age, and she worked full-time!) and made us eat them. so many tears were spilt at the table that day.

now, of course, i would make a deal with the devil if i could only eat philadelphia cream cheese by the pound without becoming a gargantuan and heart-disease riddled mess.

still, i don't think i can do a cream cheese and jelly sandwich :)

From Talk

Will there ever be a newly revised edition of New York Eats?

oh, and BTW, i'm an unabashed fangirl of your big kahuna.

From Talk

Will there ever be a newly revised edition of New York Eats?

i would love, love, love to see an updated version. yum.

From Talk

whats the one snack you would eat which turns a bad day to good

potato pierogen and mushroom/kraut pierogen, boiled, not fried, slathered in butter and sour cream, covered with onion sauteed/steamed to translucency (at least 1/2 of the entire weight of the dish in onion), black pepper, and fleur de sel. to die - and, of course, one would die if one did that all the time, but, just once in a while ...

From Talk

Old School NYC bagels?

phooey, i take it back. i haven't had a bagel in years, mostly because they just weren't so good anymore. i just googled "ed levine bagels" and found his rec for "absolute bagels". i am so there.

From Talk

What's your favorite kitchen sound?

oh, and i agree with meowises, "such great entries ..."

just reading what ya'll have written makes me feel warm and happy.

viva the kitchen!

From Talk

What's your favorite kitchen sound?

nice one, nita!

my favorite sound is one i became aware of by reading a book by my beloved edna lewis. she said that she could tell when a cake was finished by listening to it, and you know what? it's true! at least it's true with oil-based, soda leavened cakes.

it's a subtle sound, but loud enough so that you can hear it over the roar of the gas flame. it's a sort of a popping sound ... like the sound of a simmer, but heavier.

probably not a good description, but hey, any chance i get to mention grande dame lewis, i'll take.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

bobblehead removal list:
ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner, and her name is sandra lee. oh, dear god, please make it stop. what's next, sandra? an quick and EZ method for a weekday supper using road-kill (it's right there, you don't even have to go to the supermarket!) slathered in cheez-whiz (just pop that jar open and pour) and topped with durkee fried onion rings? sandra lee, when vaudeville becomes burlesque.

bobblehead #2 -RR. please, fellow posters, don't take offense at my language, as i only wish to share with you that, when she pops up on the television, i reflexively yell "STFU, and go away". i don't say "die, already" - i just think it..

other than those two, i just let it ride.

i enjoy and respect alton brown, rick bayless, jamie oliver. these three gentlemen are enthusiastic and informative.

ah, whatever. for a good view of where we're all going to end up as the dumbing down of america continues apace, rent "idiocracy". it''ll make you laugh, it might make you cry, but i promise you that RR is not in it.

thanks to lia for the link to the bourdain post - he said it all.

R.I.P. Julia Child, you sweet, dignified, wonderful woman.

Responses to Comments by suzy

From Talk

Old School NYC bagels?

I really do like h & h midtown east, good bagels and open 24/7. I need to try bagel hole and some other places in brooklyn, but its not something i usually make a huge trip for. I'd love to try some bagels in montreal though.

From Talk

Old School NYC bagels?

Ditto BAGEL HOLE on 7th Ave at 12 st. in Park Slope. Best in the entire city.

From Talk

Old School NYC bagels?

the only awesome bagel shops in new york are ABSOLUTE BAGELS on Broadway a 107th and BAGEL HOLE on 7th Ave at 12 st. in Park Slope. beautifully crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, and just the right smallish size. Luckily, I have lived in both neighborhoods. murray's is like OK and h and h are like bagel-bombs so leaden and doughy.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

First of all I have to recover from laughing sooo hard at the remarks from:
Nance- re: Sandra Lee on the Kwanzaa cake (topping in with corn nuts) please tell me your joking, I don't know if you or Sandra's Kwazaa cake recipe want to kill ME. rotfl.
Jensings- your comment also made me roll off the couch, well put.
Alssa- same as above
Thanks y'all for a very good laugh.

Now who I like:
Alton - becuz he is silly and informative, I like that.
Emeril- becuz of due respect, but he needs to (or has) retire, his "bam" has gotten a little too old.
Ina- like her soft spoken demure and her recipes seem very good, but did she make a pact with the devil? Read her bio eveything thing she did she is successful at... hmmmmmm. That nervous laugh does get to me though.
Tyler- tried some of his stuff....really good.
Sara Moulton- like her alot, she is so relaxed, I like her cooking, she teaches, and she covers UP!! I miss her.
Cat Cora-total professional, she is very pretty but like all chefs ( iam one myself) cover's UP!! She wears a chef coat. I like her demure and professional knowledge.
Anthony Bourdain- Love his shows, they tell the real shit that goes on in cultures.
Mario- real authentic chef. Love his shows and his foods. Wll miss him too.
Duff-I like but other then his oux and Mary Alice many of his workers seem liike there on drugs.
Guy- I like him. his show makes me sick becuz my city has very few diner, drive-ins and dives anymore( I live in Seattle). His other show I only saw a few times, but I liked what he made so far. He's funny.
Symon- I like him. He's professional and his giggles crack me up. I like his food.
Flay- His actual shows bore me to sleep but I do respect his success and I 'm sure his food is good. I hear good reviews about his restaurants.
Ming Tsi- I miss him, he too is a Pro. and I loved his show. I made a dish of his for Mother's Day once and it turned out great but man, I almost had to hop a plane to Asia to get some of the ingreds. for it.

Now for my dislikes:
Paula Deen- I like her home program (she's somewhat mellow) but the shit she makes.......
Paula's party- That is enough to make my ears bleed. Is she drunk on that show? She is flirting, forgetting what they are doing she is hamming it up. Nooooooooo!!
Robin What her name- Boring.
Giada- I liked her pogram when it first aired, but now it is a joke. Yes that phoney accent, the Farrah Fawcett smile, yes the low cut shirts. Shit she is making Italian food (maybe), she should be professional and wear a chef coat. You get shit all over yourself making Italian food. It's food food porn.
Sandra Lee- Ah wtf is she doing on FN? Yes she has a concept for making things go easy in the kitchen, yes someone above wrote that some chefs use canned this and that for fresh and its true, and that is good, but she can at least come through with some dishes that are homemade 100% for the times one has day off or special occasions ect. Anyone can open a box or packet and just add shit to it, but I thought the FN was to educate people how to make real dishes.
Bobblehead aka Rach Ray- She is over the top of WHAT???? Yes I play a game with my boyfriend, everytime 30 mins. airs we get beers ready and when she says her imfamous words "EVOO, sammies, delish, garbage bowl, awesome, eyeball it, giggles, ect., we take a drink. Guaranteed your tipsy (if not drunk) in 30 minutes. FN needs to restructure what their goal is really quick. Do they want the true chefs that really show people methods, ideas of real cooking or do they want to have circus acts like they are airing?

From Talk

Old School NYC bagels?

A couple of years ago, I read a New York Times article listing six bagel places that were "worth their salt". Since then, I've been to three of the six (I live in CT): Bagelry, Oasis Bagel, and Murray's Bagels. Bagelry was great for a while but appears to have changed hands. Their earlier efforts were reasonable size and had a wonderful taste. The new ones (different store name now) are huge and lousy. Scratch the Bagelry from our list. Bagel Oasis in Queens took a special trip, but the bagels were not so hot. Today we went to Murray's and were shocked to see the size. Mammoth! Our benchmark remains the old Bagelry gems and Murray's bagels, at least so far, don't seem to be anywhere near as exceptional. I'll try a few more, but don't have great hopes. So I suppose the next stop will be Absolute Bagels up on Broadway, though I've heard their bagels are huge, too. Is the great old New York bagel a thing of the past or is there still a good place hiding somewhere in the city?

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Rachael, Guy and SLoP should be BANNED. Every Rachael recipe I've tried has come out like s**t.

I love just about everyone else on the FN.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Wow.....the animosity towards Sandra Lee in some of the comments is quite interesting. I’ve worked with and have hired professional chefs over the years and the short cuts they use in their cooking isn’t much different from Sandra Lee’s. She’s just honest about it. I know of one 5-star restaurant that opens a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, adds some garnish, gives it a fancy name and charges a ridiculous price. Anyone who utilizes a can of San Marino for a tomato dish cannot possibly sit in judgement of others.

I’ve tried some of the recipes of the highly rated “chefs” mentioned here and found them to be quite disappointing. The end result is what it’s all about....not how much one slaved in the kitchen.

Sandra Lee makes cooking fun....especially for those just starting out. And nowadays, with so many young folks working many hours in serious careers, I’m sure it’s nice to have a quick, fun recipe when one finally gets home at 7:00 pm and the kids are famished. I can’t wait to try some of her recipes with my grandson when he gets old enough.

I liked Alton Brown better before he went gimmicky and goofy.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I watch Food Network much more for technique and principles than recipes. Travel shows and food competitions are time-wasting. How about healthful cooking, vegetarian recipes, dairy substitutes, ethnic cooking other than Italian, bread baking? I can't eat pork or shellfish, or mix dairy and meat. How about cooking with those limitations.

FAVORITES: Alton Brown. More time and less clowning, please.
Giada. Reasonable recipes; fewer distractions (2), please. Maybe her body is too small.
Robin Miller. I respect her as a wife and mother. Realistic recipes. A nice lady.

WORST
Paula Dean, Ina Garten are toxic. Rachael Ray has too much TV and commercial exposure. Why does every one of her recipes have to contain cheese and pork? Emeril is generally boring, but occasionally he shows an excellent technique. His "Live" show is dreadful. Sandra Lee: I just turn off the sound and watch. I don't care what she's doing.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

I think Food Network made the gradual decision to make the channel more about food and life and less about cooking technique... what with the average American's non-stop hectic life. Cue: 30 Minute Meals and the like.

I supremely enjoyed Batali's program with the three guests observing, asking questions and sampling his dishes - it was a beautiful and simple concept for a cooking show. It was what cooking should be, about learning and sharing with people. To whoever said he moves too fast and undercooks everything, I am going to fight you.

I don't like Rachael Ray or Sandra Lee either. A lot of people go bananas over Ray though. I've never watched an entire Sandra Lee.

From Talk

Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?

Wow...who spelunked the archives to find this gem of a thread!!!

There are very few shows remaining on TVFN worth watching if you are amongst those with tastebuds. TVFN has switched its target to the Cool Whip Contingent instead of sticking with hardcore foodies (such as us).

Ina Garten, Michael Chiarello, Alton Brown and Giada DeLaurentis are the last holdouts doing valuable cooking instruction at TVFN. The rest is fluff and nonsense - i.e. Unwrapped and The Secret Life Of... One exception might be the "challenge" shows which, depending on your interests can be intriguing.

The absolute worst hack on TVFN is without a doubt Sandra Lee. Her show is nothing about cooking. She assembles boxes of this with cans of that, pours in a little envelope of "soup" powder and calls it cooking. After attending one of Shamdra's Junkfests, I imagine her guests go out for dinner. If they can drive.