Reader mail

Happy Friday.

Eric and I scanned our past reviews from 2007 and we picked our favorite dishes. It was supposed to be a Top 10 List. But we each had six, so we have a Top 12 List in 55 Hours today. Click here for the story.

Now, onto the questions. Remember. Every Friday. You ask. We answer. (You can send in questions earlier...)


Do you happen to have the recipe for the Better Cheddar Spread sold at Back Burner To Go or the Pumpkin Mushroom Soup from the same location? Thank you. Ellen

Hi Ellen. Oh, that Better Cheddar spread at the Back Burner to Go! It's served at almost every party I go in Hockessin and I never get tired of it. For what I can tell, the chunky, smoky-tasting spread is made from shredded (smoked?) cheddar, chopped nuts (walnuts, I believe), chopped scallions and it's binded together with (I believe) mayonnaise. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe, but I will pass along your request to our food columnist Nancy Coale Zippe who tracks down recipes. Keep reading Second Helpings and I'll post the recipe if we get it. As for the pumpkin mushroom soup, I did find a version that is similar to the one at the Back Burner. I posted it last month on Second Helpings - it's comes from The News Journal archives - and here it is again:


Pumpkin mushroom soup
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon curry powder or cumin
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 pound can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tablespoon honey
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Saute mushrooms and onion in oil or butter. Stir in flour and curry. Gradually add the broth, then the pumpkin, honey and seasonings to taste. Stir while cooking 15 minutes. Add cream and heat through without boiling. Top with a dollop of sour cream if desired. Makes 6 servings.


Hi Patricia,
I really love your reviews and I need a recommendation for an upper end restaurant in the Wilmington Area that serves lunch.
This is a post holiday Lunch and I just want to splurge a bit. We have been to Conley-Wards and Harry’s Savoy Grill and both are fine but always on the lookout for something new. So anything along that line of restaurant that serves lunch would be great.
Thank you,
Tom Crew
Sr. Quality Assurance Analyst

Hi Tom. Have you tried Restaurant 821, 821 N. Market Street Wilmington, 652-8821? Lunch Hours are Monday - Friday from 11:30am to 2:00pm. Or what about Eclipse Bistro, 1020 N. Union St., Wilmington; 658-1588. Eric Ruth gave the restaurant a 3 1/2 star rating (very good to extraordinary) on Dec. 6. He wrote: "Food this dependably appealing probably deserves a more regal setting, but the classy, cozy room serves Eclipse's style well."
The Hotel DuPont's Green Room is always a place to splurge, but while the room is, hands-down, the most stately and beautiful in Delaware, my experience has been that the service doesn't always match the surroundings.
Deep Blue Bar & Grill is another place to consider. I had a so-so lunch there recently, but my lunch companions loved it.

No love for New Year's Eve

I'm trying to muster some enthusiasm for New Year's Eve, but my zeal for this holiday is almost zero. Never been a big fan of confetti throwing, noise makers and smooches from sloppy drunk strangers. I adore a good party but Dec. 31 always seems like everyone tries way too hard to have a good time.

But it is a holiday that celebrates Champagne, one of my favorite beverages, so while I won't wear a paper tiara, I will have a glass of bubbly.

Haven't yet nailed down plans - isn't it always that way? - but if we don't head out, I'm thinking about a Chinese "banquet" with friends and family. Black bean stir-fry clams, shrimp toasts, and maybe sticky ribs and duck. Or perhaps a make-your-own taco bar complete with slow-roasted pork, corn tortillas and plenty of guacamole.

In my glass, it will likely be Schramsberg Mirabelle - a lovely California sparkler - or maybe something simple like Castell Roig, a Spanish cava.

What are you doing?

More momofuku

It's the time of year for The Best Eats of 2007 Lists. (Eric and I have one coming out this Friday in 55 Hours.)

New York Times today calls Momofuku Ssam Bar one of the best places to eat in 2007. I was there back in May and have to agree with critic Frank Bruni on this one. (Though now, we'll probably never be able to get in there again.)

Here's what I had to say about Momofuku after my visit.

Red velvet cake

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. I spent so much time in my kitchen the past several weeks - making everything from chocolate peppermint cheesecake to mulled cider to beef tenderloin - that, whew! I'm more than ready to let someone else do the cooking and cleaning up.

Had a few phone calls about the story on red velvet cake story that ran this past Saturday. One caller said that her aunt used beet juice to achieve the cake's sassy red hue instead of food coloring.

Here's an email about a new cupcake shop that offers red velvet cupcakes:

Hi Pat,

I would like to comment on your Red Velvet Article. GREAT JOB! If you are not familiar with Cupcake Heaven, we are a new store in the Fairfax Shopping Center. We serve Red Velvet cupcakes and we can not keep them in the cases. They go out the door as fast as we make them. Cupcakes solve the problem that you mentioned with a typical size cake, if an allergy is present the flavor can be avoided.. They can be mixed and assorted so that everyone can have their own favorite flavor. If you never have experienced a Cupcake Heaven Cupcake, please stop by or check our website: www.cupcakeheavencupcakes.com. Thank you and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Drew Hurst

Now the bad news: Unfortunately, the recipe for red velvet cake omitted the amount of butter in the cake. Ugh. And oops!

Here's the corrected version:

RED VELVET CAKE
From "Southern Cakes" (Chronicle Books, $19.95) by Nancie McDermott.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (or stir 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk; let stand for 10 minutes)
2 tablespoons cocoa
One 1-ounce bottle (2 tablespoons) red food coloring

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened.
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9-inch cake pans generously, and line with waxed paper or kitchen parchment. Grease paper and flour the pans. Prepare three separate mixtures for batter. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and use a fork to mix well. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Combine cocoa and red food coloring in a small bowl, mashing and stirring together to make a thick, smooth paste. In a large bowl, beat butter with a mixer at low speed for 1 minute, until creamy and soft. Add sugar, and then beat well for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl now and then. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each one, until the mixture is creamy, fluffy and smooth. Scrape cocoa-food coloring paste into batter and mix in. Add a third of flour mixture and then half the milk, beating at low speed, and mixing only enough to make flour or liquid disappear into batter. Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk and then the last of the flour in the same way. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and stir well. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to quickly mix this last mixture into the red batter, folding it in gently by hand. Scrape batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until layers spring back when touched lightly in the center and are just beginning to pull away from sides of pans. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towel for 15 minutes. Then turn them out on racks or on plates, remove the paper and turn top side up to cool completely.
COCONUT PECAN ICING
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
To make the icing, combine the milk and flour in a small or medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking or stirring often, until the mixture thickens almost to a paste, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and scrape it into a small bowl to cool completely. Meanwhile, beat the butter with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar in thirds, beating well each time, until the mixture is creamy and fairly smooth. Add the cooled milk-and-flour mixture and beat for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides now and then, to combine everything well. Using a large spoon or your spatula, stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans, mixing to combine everything well into a thick, fluffy, nubby icing. To complete the cake, place one layer, top side down on a cake stand or a serving plate, and spread icing on the top. Place the second layer, right side up, on top. Frost the sides and then the top of the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more to help the icing set. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Happy holidays

Enjoy the holiday and eat something worth talking about. I'm off for a few days, so let me give you an early gift.

Just saw a sign for Masamoto, an Asian grill and sushi bar at 1810 Wilmington Pike (U.S. 202) in Glen Mills, Pa. Phone number is (610) 358-5538. It's in the Keystone Plaza, same shopping center as Pescatore's Italian seafood restaurant, not far from the Delaware state line.

Didn't eat there - yet. But I did glance in the dining room - it looks pretty spartan - and picked up a menu. Prices look good - tuna and avocado roll is $5, sushi and sashimi per piece is between $1.50 to $3. Entrees include mango shrimp $15; green Thai curry, $11. Sushi bar lunch with soup and salad is $9 inclues 4 pieces of sushi and California roll.

Christmas lows and highs

I'm getting ready for work and I'm in a great mood. Finally finished writing Christmas cards, have made (somewhat) of a dent in my shopping and I feel slightly ahead of the game at work. I dial around the radio for uplifting holiday cheer to hum along to and what do I hear? No, "Jingle Bell Rock." No Barenaked Ladies singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." No Springsteen and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Nope, I hear what has to be the most DEPRESSING Christmas song of all time. It's about some poor kid who has scraped up all of his pennies to buy shoes for his dying mother. I got sucked in listening and soon I was in tears. Poof! there went the great mood. I just did a google search and found out this song, "The Christmas Shoes" came out 7 years ago (!) and even inspired a CBS TV movie starring Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams. Sorry, not watching that one. Nor am I ever listening to that song. Ever. Again. Brian Setzer Orchestra - stat!

On a much, much more uplifting note, check out my story today on the 30th anniversary of La Casa Pasta.

I admire anyone who runs a business - and 30 years in the restaurant industry deserves a standing ovation.

Congrats to Giuseppe and Anna Martuscelli. I loved the story from their son Gianmarco that the family's first year in business they didn't have one customer on New Year's Eve.

They hung in there and three decades later Anna is still working the front of the house and Giuseppe is supervising the kitchen.

New restaurant in Old New Castle

Just got back from lunch at Prince on Delaware, a new restaurant at 124 Delaware St. in Old New Castle.
Very quaint, almost precious, eatery with gleaming wooden floors, salmon hued walls, Oriental rugs and modern, white chairs.
It's in the site of a former ice cream shop. Though the atmosphere seems pretty fancy, the lunch prices were reasonable. Dishes have a Southern twist and most everything is $10 and under. There's a separate "executive lunch" menu that supposedly has larger portions that are more entree oriented. I ordered Prince's World Famous Fried Chicken ($9) off the "regular" lunch menu. It was a large portion - thigh, breast, wing and leg - and came with a salad. (Just one thought: how can a new restaurant offer "world famous" fried chicken?) Quibble aside, it was excellent with crackly, crispy skin and moist meat. My dining buddy had a good shrimp and sausage quiche.
I want to go back for dinner. The half roasted chicken with mole sauce ($19) sounds intriguing. Prince also offers Sunday brunch.

More Italian hoagies

Last week, I reviewed Timmy D's, an Italian hoagie shop on Lincoln Street in Wilmington. NJ reader Andy Miller - whom I met while writing a story about the outstanding farm table dinners at Talula's Table in Kennett Square, Pa. - wanted to point out another place nearby. Here's his email:

Dear Patricia,

After reading your article on Timmy D's I felt compelled to write you a brief note and urge you to visit Gaudiello's Italian Hoagies and Steaks located in the back of Trolley Square [shopping center] near the Chinese take out restaurant.

This husband and wife team are the real deal. They slice the steak fresh for every sandwich and their Italian subs are loaded with the best real Italian meats. They also offer homemade Italian hot peppers which are incredible (really hot but very flavorful).

I am writing you because they have been in the "bad" location for about a year (?) and I don't know if they have found a following and I would hate to lose them.
Although I also enjoy great food and wine (I met you the night you observed our group at Talula's Table) I also am quite the connoisseur of great steaks and subs and these two really are the best I have ever had.

Please give them a try (and a mention!).

Andy Miller

P.S. I am just a loyal customer with no other interest than protecting my source of cheese steaks!

Is change good?

The New York Times reports today that the Food Network is changing gears with its programming. The canning of programs like "Emeril Live" and "Molto Mario" is just the beginning. (The photo above, taken by NJ photographer Jennifer Corbett, was at one of the last tapings of "Emeril Live." )

Do you care? I dunno, I find myself watching the network less and less these days. I like the people who show us how they cook - Bobby Flay made a really awesome prime rib with thyme jus and gingerbread trifle that I'll plan to make this Christmas. And I'll always tune in to Ina Garten. But I can't stomach the Guy Fieris and Sandra Lees.

Reader mail

Happy Friday. It wasn't a good day yesterday in baseball - OK, not surprised to hear Lenny Dykstra was named in the Mitchell Report. But now when I look at a photo on my desk of the Dude raising his hands in the air after the Phils became the 1993 National League Champs, it bums me out a little.

Looking for a good sandwich to eat tonight while watching the UD game (GO HENS!) or maybe after holiday shopping? Go to Timmy D's deli in Little Italy. Here's my review.

Let's get to today's questions. Seems like a few people don't want to cook at home and are wondering where to find a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner on Christmas Eve and what's open on Christmas Day.

Hi! Just wondering if you have any info on which restaurants in the area will be open for dinner on Christmas Day. Thanks!

Finding a restaurant open on Christmas Day can be a little like trying to score a parking spot in Dewey Beach on Fourth of July weekend. It's not necessarily futile, but be prepared for a long search.
Victoria's Restaurant (227-0615) in the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel in Rehoboth Beach offers a buffet from noon until 7:30 p.m. in the restaurant and pub. Reservations are required and limited seats remain. Cost is $39.95 for adults; $17.95 for children 6 to 17; and $9.95 for children 5 and younger. The Green Room (594-3154) at Wilmington's Hotel du Pont is usually booked, though it may not hurt to call and see if you can snag a last-minute cancellation.)
Opentable.com, an Internet reservations site, lists no Delaware restaurants open on Christmas Day. All is not lost. Some Asian restaurants and diners also keep their doors swinging open throughout the day.

Here are some Delaware dining possibilities for Christmas Day:
- Bamboo House, 721 College Square Shopping Center, Newark; 368-9933. Chinese restaurant with some Japanese dishes and sushi. Regular hours
- Bear Diner, 603 Pulaski Highway (U.S. 40), 322-6242. 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Christmas specials and regular menu; a $6.95 breakfast buffet is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Hilton Wilmington-Christiana, 100 Continental Drive, Stanton; 781-7000. Breakfast buffet, $14.95, only from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. First come, first served. Reservations required for large parties.

- Hunan Restaurant, 1812 Marsh Road, Branmar Plaza; Brandywine Hundred; 475-8300. Asian restaurant offering Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. Open 11 a.m to 10:30 p.m. China Royal, Plaza III Shopping Center on Marsh Road, Brandywine Hundred; 475-3686. Noon to 9:30 p.m. Chinese restaurant specializing in seafood dishes. Regular menu.
- Golden Dove, 1101 N. Du Pont Highway, New Castle; 322-1180. Open 24 hours.

- Golden Castle Diner, 2722 Concord Pike, Talleyville; 478-7701. Open 24 hours.
- Grand East Buffet, 2072 Naamans Road, Talleyville; 475-9100. 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; all-you-can-eat Asian food buffet.
- Middletown Family Restaurant & Diner, 5240 Summit Bridge Road, Middletown; 376-1227. Open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Full menu.

- Nirvana Fine Indian Cuisine, 1601 Concord Pike, Independence Mall Shopping Center, Brandywine Hundred; 652-3846. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.
- Palace of Asia, 3421 Kirkwood Highway, near Del. 41, Prices Corner; 994-9200. Open 4 to 10 p.m. Indian restaurant with ornate dining rooms.

- Park West Diner (formerly Charley's), 1705 Pulaski Highway, White Clay Shopping Center, Bear; 836-4936. 6 a.m. to around 8 p.m. Regular menu and Christmas specials.

We're looking for a restaurant in Wilmington that serves the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner. In the past, I think I've read articles of yours naming one or two restaurants that serve the dinner. Can you make a recommendation? Thanks. Stephanie Doyle.

I think you're referring to the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Some restaurants offer them earlier in Delaware, but Soffritto Italian Grill's , 1130 Kirkwood Highway, Newark, 455-1101, has one on Christmas Eve. Reservations are required, seating starts at noon and the last seating is at 9 p.m.

Visions of butter dancing through her head

Paula Deen kind of reminds me of a saucy, PG-13 version of Mrs. Claus. However, she keeps it clean during a USA Today Q&A about Christmas.

One of the butter loving lady's pearls of wisdom?

"You never want to try out a new recipe on Christmas Day."

Got that, y'all?

Send it back or sit in silence?

Here's a dilemma: So, I'm out at a local restaurant recently with my boss who's treating me and my co-workers to a holiday lunch. The restaurant was busy, but not crazy busy - meaning there wasn't a line at the door and not every table was filled.
My boss, the first one there, orders apps for the table and then we ordered our lunch entrees. The entrees took a while, but since we're chatting, the delay wasn't so bothersome. My grilled salmon came and when I took a bite, I noticed it was dry and had an unpleasant, bitter taste. I flipped the fish over - and it was burned. I'm talking charred crispy black.
This was a dish that never, ever, should have left the kitchen.
It was a bummer and I showed it to a colleague sitting next to me. (He was delighted with his meal as was the rest of the party at the table.) We actual laughed that it was quite obvious that I was getting no preferential treatment. A manager came over to the table to ask how everything was. For a moment, I debated whether to say something. We were in a celebratory mood and sending something back could have put a damper on the festivities. But serving a customer this entree was, in my opinion, unacceptable. I showed him my fish and he made a joke that "I don't think you ordered it blackened" and whisked it away. An order of two jumbo shrimp was brought while I waited for a replacement.
My meal finally came when everyone was nearly finished. To be honest, I no longer felt like eating the fish and it was awkward to have a full plate of food when the rest of the table was through with their meal. Then, I tried to hurry through it because everyone else was ready to move on to coffee and dessert.
While I did my duty as a food writer and pointed out a problem, do you think there are times when you SHOULDN'T send back a dish?
I remember once during a business meeting at a restaurant I was served rare tuna that was FROZEN in the middle. I didn't say anything - just took a few bites and moved food around my plate. Why? We were in the middle of an important conversation. I'm quite certain that complaining about my food and sending it back in mid-conversation would have changed the dynamic of an important dinner.

Frozen flops

I'm never going to turn down a dinner from Thomas Keller or Daniel Boulud, widely considered two of the country's best chefs.
So I was really looking forward to trying Cuisine Solution's FiveLeaf line of gourmet frozen dinners created by celebrity chefs. Here's my story.
The meals sounded really promising - Cornish hens with truffle jus, braised beef short ribs with red wine sauce and poached lobster tails with orzo and lobster sauce with mascarpone cheese.
But the meals are expensive (between $35 to $65) and disappointing. In my opinion, Boulud's was the best and my least favorite was Keller's lobster and runny "mac and cheese."
I'm guessing these meals are aimed at the gourmet cooking for dummies crowd - you just boil water or turn on the stove.
My advice: If you really want a Keller or Boulud meal, go visit one of their restaurants or buy one of their cookbooks.

No loafing around

My mother always complains about Delaware bread. She grew up in South Philly, city of the crusty loaf, and, for years, she was convinced no one could produce bread like the bakers in her hometown.

I took her to Black Lab bread at 812 N. Union Street in Wilmington. Now, she's changed her mind. (Though, she will never, ever, turn down a loaf of bread from Sarcone's in Philadelphia's Italian Market.)

For nearly two years, Black Lab has occupied the site of the old DiFonzo Bakery. Head baker/owner is Barry Ciarrocchi, whose first cousin is KYW-TV news anchor Pat Ciarrocchi. Barry comes from a family that owns mushroom businesses in southern Chester County. He has a master's degree in plant pathology from Penn State University, but baking bread has always been his true love. The name of the business, Black Lab Breads, "goes back to my college days when I was working in labs," he said. Ciarrocchi, long interested in chemistry, said it took him several years to perfect the art of making bread. "It was always seemed like some black art."

I don't love the bakery's name - when I hear black lab I think of a big dog not a mysterious, mystical laboratory - but I do love this bread. Black Lab is a funny place. The bread sells so fast that the cases aren't always filled. Sometimes the service is downright neighborly -they recently gave my favorite 4-year-old a free roll to munch one when she told me, quite loudly, that she was hungry. Yet, sometimes it can be on the surly side. The day before Thanksgiving, we picked up pre-ordered rolls and there was no smile or "have a nice holiday" thank you. Whatever. It doesn't bother me - not when the bread is as good as this.

Holiday party food

Went to a holiday party this weekend and brought along one of my favorite finger food munchies, Vietnamese crab-shrimp toasts, from Tom Douglas's fabulous "I Love Crab Cakes!" cookbook. The snacks are similar to the toasts that you get off dim sum carts. People always go bonkers over them. You'll have to make a stop at an Asian grocer for fish sauce (I like the 3-crabs brand) and sambal, which is a spicy, red garlic and chili sauce, if you don't have any in the pantry.
Here's the recipe. (NOTE: I sometimes briefly saute chopped garlic and ginger, let it cool and then add it to the shrimp/crab mixture before frying. But it's not necessary. Also, the toasts are best served immediately, but will keep in a low oven for about an hour.)


VIETNAMESE CRAB-SHRIMP TOASTS
6 ounces peeled raw shrimp
6 ounces crabmeat, drained, picked clean of shell and lightly squeezed if wet
1 tablespoon picked cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon minced shallots
14 slices French baguette, cut crosswise, each slice about 1/2 inch thick and 2 3/4 inches long
Peanut or canola oil
Lime dipping sauce (recipe follows)
4 to 6 lime wedges
Put the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and process until as smooth as possible. Add the crabmeat, cilantro, fish sauce and shallots. Pulse until well-combined. Transfer to a bowl and use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together several times. Place a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture on top of one of the baguette slices and use a butter knife to spread it in an even layer to the edges of the bread. Repeat with the remaining baguette slices, using up all of the crab mixture.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (a cube of bread will turn golden within 30 seconds), add as many toasts as will comfortably fit in the pan, crab side down. Fry until the crab mixture is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using metal tongs, turn the toasts to fry the undersides to a light golden brown, less than 1 minute. Remove the toasts from the pan, drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven. Continue until all toasts are fried. Cut toasts on the diagonal and serve with lime dipping sauce and lime wedges. Makes 14 or more toasts or 4 to 6 appetizer servings.

LIME DIPPING SAUCE
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh squeeze lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sambal or Asian chili-garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh Thai basil or regular basil
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir.

All aboard

Choo-choos and chow is the theme of my story today in 55 Hours.

Jimmy John's on Wilmington Pike (U.S. 202) near West Chester, Pa., also known as 'the place with the electric trains," is a local treasure. Seriously, if you haven't been there before, you simply must stop in sometime. Model trains have been a part of the 67-year-old hot dog house for more than four decades. Feed the machine a quarter to watch the trains circle the tracks. Then feed yourself a hot dog with sauerkraut or be like artist Andrew Wyeth, a Jimmy John's regular, and order the cheeseburger.

Nicola's Pizza in Rehoboth Beach also has a pretty nifty train.

In other local food news, our own Eric Ruth is moonstruck at Eclipse Bistro in Wilmington and gives it a 3 1/2 star rating.

Wrap your head around this

Forget the wrap sandwich.

The Blue Pear Bistro will wrap your holiday gifts this season.

"To help alleviate holiday stress", the new restaurant is offering guests free gift wrapping. Customers can bring their unwrapped presents, dine and leave with all of their presents wrapped.

I can just hear the conversation in the dining room now: "Yes, waiter, I'll start with the onion soup and the Santa paper. Then, I'll have the barbecued beef short ribs and a big, red bow, please."

Gift wrapping hours: Monday - Thursday from 5 to 11:30 p.m. from Dec. 6 - 21; and Dec. 24 from 5 to 9 p.m. (Notice there is no gift wrapping on the weekends.)

The restaurant, next door to the Dilworthtown Inn, is located in the Village of Dilworthtown (intersection of Oakland, Brinton’s Bridge & Birmingham Roads) 275 Brinton Bridge Road, near West Chester, Pa.,

Sure, it sounds like a promotion-y, gimmick-y move, but, hey, if you're out X-mas shopping and want to drop in for a bite, it's one last holiday hassle to worry about.

Reports of its "death" greatly exaggerated

Great story today in The New York Times about the "death" of the entree.
Kim Severson writes that some restaurants are moving away from one big dish and are heading, more and more, into "smaller" plates options. It gives diners a wider variety of tastes and more sharing options.
I'm on the fence about this "trend." While I love the "tapas" way of eating, sometimes, especially when I really love a dish, I don't want to share nor do I want just a few bites of it.
And then, there's always the awkward last bite moment of sharing - who gets the remaining crumbs on a plate?
I tend to start to lose my appetite when I see too much food on a plate so maybe the boredom of one entree is just a matter of portion size.
But then I remember a few years ago, under former owner Tobias Lawry, 821 restaurant in Wilmington switched to a small plates concept and diners I heard from grumbled that the eatery was now offering less food but at the same cost.
An old Woody Allen joke about a restaurant comes to mind: "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible and such small portions."
What do you think? Should the entree be put out to pasture?

Use 'em or lose 'em

I just used a restaurant gift certificate that I received last Christmas from a family member. (Yeah, I know. Giving a food writer/restaurant critic a restaurant gift certificate is kind of like gifting a car repairman with a free oil change. But it's the thought that counts, right?)

Actually, I forgot all about the certificate until I started cleaning out a drawer and found it stuffed inside.

Six out of 10 shoppers say they intend to buy gift cards for the holidays this year, according to Consumer Reports. While this may seem to indicate that gift cards are a big hit, according to a story in The Cincinnati Enquirer, several recent surveys also revealed that up to half of gift-card recipients never spend the complete value of their cards. And sometimes they never use them at all.

Check the expiration date. Some cards may only be good for a year....

Speaking of gift cards, Domaine Hudson wine bar & eatery, 1314 N. Washington St. in Wilmington, is honoring gift cards issued by former Chef's Table at the David Finney Inn (Old New Castle, Del.) through March 31, 2008.

In November, the Washington Street eatey hired former Chef's Table owner Robert Lhulier as co-executive chef with Jason Barrowcliff.

Easiest chocolate ice cream in the world

California pastry chef Dave Lebovitz made me a lifelong fan of his work after I paged through his wonderful "Room For Dessert" cookbook. Lebovitz is now living the sweet life in France and blogs about his activities. Check out his web site. He recently created what he calls "the easiest chocolate ice cream ever" that - wait for it, wait for it - DOESN'T require a machine. Lebovitz writes that "this dessert is the result of a happy accident. I've been working with a liquor company on developing some recipes and after a couple furious days of recipe-testing, I had a zillion containers of various odds-and-ends lying around." Here is the small batch recipe - it only makes four to six scoops, but can be doubled - along with some of Lebovitz's notes:

Dave Lebovitz's chocolate and banana ice cream
Lebovitz says the "ice cream doesn't require an ice cream-maker at all. Yes, really. So if you don't have a machine, fear not: it's simply blended up, poured in a container, and left to chill on its own in the freezer. And after four hours (no stirring required!), I dug my spoon into the most luscious, creamiest ice cream imaginable. You can easily increase this recipe to make more than it calls for. I haven't tried it with any other liquor, but for those of you who want to experiment, you do need to include a similar amount and percentage of alcohol to prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard. The banana gives the ice cream a smooth, creamy consistency and provides the sweetness, so use a nice, ripe one. I found that this keeps for weeks in the freezer and maintains it's absolutely perfect consistency. Cheers!"
2 ounces (55 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons (80 ml) milk, whole or low-fat
6 tablespoons (80 ml) Baileys liquor
1 medium-sized ripe banana, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark rum
In a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate with the milk. Blend the melted chocolate the Baileys, the banana, and rum until smooth. Pour into a plastic or metal container, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours. Makes four to six scoops.

Making a list and checking it twice.....

This is the time of year for magazine Top 10 lists, and this month Saveur picks its favorite 2007 reads about food. From memoirs to anthologies, their book choices (in alphabetical order) are:

1. 1080 Recipes by Simone and Inés Ortega (Phaidon) The “Iberian Joy of Cooking…opens this vast repository of Spanish culinary knowledge to American home cooks”.
2. Beyond Nose to Tail: More Omnivorous Recipes for the Adventurous Cook by Fergus Henderson and Justin Piers Gellatly (Bloomsbury USA) “Britain’s most unwavering proponent of offal…is as quirky as ever.”
3. The Calcutta Kitchen by Simon Parkes and Udit Sarkhel (Interlink) A “compendium of masterly recipes, essays, and images”, this book conjures a city’s image that “stays with you long after you’ve left the kitchen”.
4. Imbibe! by David Wondrich (Perigee) A “history of industrial-age America writ in booze, covering everything from punches, fizzes, and sours to toddies, slings, and juleps”.
5. The Oxford Companion to Italian Food by Gillian Riley (Oxford Press)
An “exhaustive, alphabetized encyclopedia on the foods and culinary traditions of Italy, from Abruzzo…to zuppa inglese”.
6. Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province by Fuchsia Dunlop (W.W. Norton) Here are “personal anecdotes, vividly recounted local legends, and journalistic reportage as preambles to the recipes, which amply describe that province’s varied cuisine”.
7. Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink edited by David Remnick (Random House) There’s “nary a bland morsel in this collection of 80 years’ worth of food writing taken from the pages of America’s foremost magazine of letters”.
8. Stealing Buddha’s Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen (Viking) This “gracefully written, bittersweet memoir…uses food as a narrative tool to tell a poignant story of cultural assimilation and emotional transformation”.
9. The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones (Knopf) The writer “lets us peek into her authors’ lives”, depicting a “warm cosmopolitan world” that’s “a joy to inhabit”.
10. The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos by Robb Walsh (Broadway Books) “In this smart compilation, Walsh…deconstructs popular myths about life on the range.”

Don't mess with the big cheese

Pizza lovers should check out Eric Ruth's story today about the name game showdown between Grotto Pizza and New Castle newcomer and the similarly named Grottino pizza place.
What's in name? A lot of dough, apparently.

Riverfront Market

Are you a Riverfront Market shopper?

I've been a frequent visitor to the South Orange Street indoor market in Wilmington since it opened in 2000. It's a cool space, but, initially, I was disappointed they didn't more merchants. (If you're used to the jumbled Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia and its wide variety of foods, you're in for a letdown.) But the Wilmington market has been growing on me and I now find myself there at least one to two times a week. It is the subject of my Dish column today.

The crowds have really picked up in the past year or so and Pat Forester, the marketing coordinator, says they're hoping to get more vendors soon. (Currently, they have 12.)

I think the market could use a Mexican eatery, a barbecue joint and maybe a stall specializing in Middle Eastern food. (And, hey, what about an Woodside Creamery ice cream stand?) It also would be great if they got some lunchtime entertainment. The Philly market has a guy who plays the piano.

What do you think? What's missing at the Riverfront Market?

Martha gets the lowdown from Mario

So, it seems like the Food Network is cleaning house. Out with the old (Emeril) and in with the new (that god-awful bleached blond spiky hair guy.) Martha Stewart doesn't seem to think the changes are such "a good thing." She played Chris Matthews on her show and questioned Mario Batali about his future with the network. This is how it went down:

Martha Stewart: I have to ask you one question, because so many people are asking. Why aren’t you going to be on the Food Network?

Mario Batali: Well, the Food Network has made the conscious decision to go a little more mass market than I would say that I appeal to…but I am still on Iron Chef and as a matter of fact, I am the number one Iron Chef! We are in the middle right now of a 17 match winning streak. There’s a lot of options out there, and the Food Network is a really cool thing - it is just they have decided to choose whatever they want to choose. I’m not mad at them.

(You believe that??? I dunno, me thinks Mario is playing nice, but not exactly honest.)

I had heard rumors that Mario's photos were removed from the walls of the Food Network. But when I was at the studio a few weeks ago following around Morimoto when he taped an "Emeril Live" appearance, I saw several photos of Batali.

"Emeril Live" gets the boot

I can't say I was surprised to hear that the Food Network has canceled "Emeril Live."
The rumor that the show was near the end of its run was already swirling when I visited the set in mid-November to watch Masaharu Morimoto appear on the program.
I asked a longtime Emeril associate how much longer he would be taping the program. I got the polite "he's been doing this for a long time..." response, but it seemed to be one of those read-between-the-lines answers.
I probably should have probed deeper, but the story that day was about Morimoto not Emeril. I did chat briefly with Emeril, but, no big surprise, the future of his TV show was not part of the conversation. Staffers that I talked to that day said that there were still big crowds seeking out "Emeril Live" tickets and, judging by the enthusiastic audience, I can believe it.
This I will say - like him or hate him - and Emeril has people in both camps - the man helped put the Food Network on the map.
I wasn't a big fan of "Emeril Live", but I have always liked Emeril. We met more than 10 years ago, just when he was gaining national attention. He was and is a kind, down to earth person. I've met many food celebrities and, believe me, they are not all so nice.
In person, Emeril can be very funny, but he's not as over the top as he sometimes seemed on the program. During a commercial break of a recent "Emeril Live" taping, he had all the children in the audience line up in the kitchen. He talked to each child and then gave them an ice cream cone from freezer. It was very, very sweet and the children were thrilled. After the taping was over, Emeril thanked the audience and he seemed very sincere. This is the Emeril I know.

Thanksgiving aftermath

Hey foodies. Are you cyber shopping today? How was Thanksgiving?

I must wax poetic about the turkey I bought at T.A. Farms in Kent County. LOVED IT. Seriously. I was keeping my fingers crossed that the trek down to the farm would be worth it and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. I didn't brine my 16 plus pound fresh, free-range, Delaware grown turkey, nor did I stuff it with dressing. Instead, I cooked it at a steady 325 degrees, covered the breast with foil until the last hour of cooking and crammed the cavity full of fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, onions and apples. The aroma was amazing and the meat was very moist and juicy. One of the best turkeys I have ever cooked, if I must say so myself. Compliments all around from friends and family at the table.

(I got a free, frozen turkey from the grocery store and donated it to the Sunday Breakfast Mission. This Wilmington charity provides meals for hungry men, women, and children. Consider donating food there this holiday season.)

I followed food writer Michael Ruhlman's recipe for turkey stock which I froze for future use. (Scroll down to his Nov. 20 posting.) This is an easy recipe that makes a full-bodied, clear stock.

But, by Saturday, I was so over turkey, sweet potatoes, etc. I had Greek food one night and an Asian dinner the next.

Reader mail

Hey gang. I'm off Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving! - and Friday, so reader mail is a little early. It's actually restaurant fan mail. Send us your questions. You ask. We answer.

I had made note of Amici's in Landenberg, Pa., after reading Eric's review of it here...and we finally got there! We had a fabulous dinner there last night -- everything about it was special. The innovative food was so well-prepared and the servers were good, knowledgeable, and helpful. I especially liked the fact that there seemed to have been some attention paid to acoustics, as there was none of that intrusive noise which often mars a dining experience.My husband, a mussel aficionado, said that his starter, sauteed mussels with chorizo, Vidalia onion, and white wine cream sauce were the best he's ever had. He also raved about his entree - diver scallops with pancetta, tomatoes, and oyster mushrooms in a tarragon cream sauce.I had the delicious and fork-tender pork tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto, stuffed with a sun-dried tomato pesto and portabellos. The risotto on which it was served was the best I have ever had. The macadamia cream tart was a perfect finish to this wonderful meal. Kudos to the owners and chef. JDK

Glad to hear it, JDK. Eric Ruth gave Amici's , 1215 New London Road (Pa. 896), Landenberg, Pa., just north of the Pennsylvania-Delaware line. (610) 255-5777 or www.amicislandenberg.com, a three star (very good) rating on Sept. 28.

He wrote: "The Newark area finally gains the fine-dining destination it never had thanks to chef Myk Aviles' lively assortment of Mediterranean-accented, harmoniously composed creations. Upscale accents please without pretension in this new building built on the site of an old tavern. Cozy bar's martini creations not to be missed (though at this point, their claim of "70 different martinis" is more aspiration than reality)."

Last-Minute Marys

If you read my story today, you know what a Last-Minute Mary is. (I'm a recovering Mary.) But I can relate to anyone who doesn't have it together on Thanksgiving. And the folks at America's Test Kitchen also feel your pain.



Here's an email that I received withTurkey Day
tips and links:



Dear Friend of America's Test Kitchen,
Looking over years' worth of mail from our readers, we realized that two Thanksgiving tasks create the most anxiety: making the gravy and carving the turkey. To avoid any potential gravy crises, make it mostly ahead of time—you can make the broth and thicken the gravy a day ahead. Then, while the turkey rests, just deglaze the roasting pan and add the drippings (and giblets, if using) to the gravy. See our instructions for mastering turkey gravy for complete details.
Since there's no way to avoid a bit of a mess when carving a turkey, we prefer to carve it in the kitchen and serve the meat arranged neatly on a platter. Two key steps to an effective presentation:
Remove the largest piece of thigh meat and carve it across the grain about 1/2 inch thick.
Remove the breast halves in their entirety and slice each crosswise and neatly on the bias, also about 1/2 inch thick.
Watch our Cook's Live video How to Carve a Turkey for complete instructions.
For much more Thanksgiving help, including recipes, ingredient and equipment reviews, planning advice, menus, and kitchen tips, check out our new Thanksgiving Survival Guide.

You are what you eat

So, I'm the kind of person who may, occasionally, snack on a red velvet cupcake while watching the weight loss reality NBC TV series "The Biggest Loser." The irony is not lost on me, believe me. (Last night, I ate an orange. Does that now make me a better person?)

I do try to eat healthy and in moderation. While exercise could defintely be a bigger part of my life, a goal lately has been to buy local, seasonal foods as often as possible, eliminate processed foods and scan labels and avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup.

In its December issue, now on newsstands, "Men's Health" magazine ranked the 20 Worst Foods in America for your waistline, including those from fast-food and sit-down restaurants, as well as items available at the supermarket.

The worst food in America, totalling 2,900 calories, 182 grams of fat and 240 g carbs was Outback Steakhouse's Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing.

Gazooks, my cholesterol is rising just writing that sentence. Talk about fat guy food. I dunno, fries blanketed in cheese and dipped in ranch dressing just doesn't sound very appealing to me. It also makes me want to take a 3 mile walk.

Just some food for thought before tomorrow's big pig out.

Gobble, gobble

Preach it, live it.

For the past few months, I've been on a mission to tell readers where they can find seasonal, locally grown foods. Part of it is due to reading Michael Pollan's absorbing, scary and ultimately fascinating book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" (Penguin Press, 2006.) And part of it is consumer's sky-rocketing interest in sustainable agriculture. Simply put, people want to know where their food is coming from and how it's grown.

Last week, I wrote about T.A. Farms in Kent County, which sells Delaware turkeys. The free-range turkeys, raised by the Palmer family, are fed Delaware grown soybeans and corn. (The photo above was taken at the farm by News Journal photographer Scott Nathan.) It's the only turkey farm in Delaware. This morning, I drove to the Wyoming farm - it's about an 1 hour and 15 minute trek from my New Castle County home - to pick up three pre-ordered turkeys. (A couple of colleagues also were interested in eating Delaware raised birds this year.) The cost was $1.89 a pound.

I plan to make this trek my new Thanksgiving tradition. You drive up to the Mud Mill Road farm - pass the inflatable turkey - and enter the retail operation where Amish women are packaging sticky buns, rolls, breads and pies. A bin of fresh broccoli for sale was set out in a basket. On the other right side is "the turkey operation." Customers can buy whole turkey breasts, ground turkey, turkey sausage, drumsticks and turkey wings. Fresh turkeys come in plastic bags with cooking instructions and include an oven mitt. (The turkeys also have pop-up timers.) A young boy helped me carry the 16 (plus) pound turkeys to the car and was so sweet, he didn't want to take the tip I offered.

I was planning on brining the turkey, but now I may just give it a good rub with butter, sprinkle on salt and pepper and stuff it with fresh rosemary, thyme and other aromatics. I'm very psyched about this turkey. I'll let you know how it tastes!

Bar hopping and new Ruhlman interview

Hey gang, the night before Thanksgiving is considered the biggest bar night of the year. Where are you hanging? (Or will you be in the kitchen, chopping and preparing dishes for the big Turkey Day feast? That's my plan, though I may be hoisting a glass of vino or maybe one of those Ming Tsai cocktails with "numbing" ice cubes that was mentioned earlier.)

I checked out Blackstones in Newark recently for a Dish column. Liked the pub atmosphere, the cold beer and the nachos - they use homemade potato chips instead of tortilla chips - but wasn't sold on the rest of the food. Seems like they've got some kinks to work out.....

Also, just came upon this interview with Michael Ruhlman, one of my favorite food writers. Ruhlman has a new book out called The Elements of Cooking. It's inspired by the classic Strunk and White book, The Elements of Style. (If you were an English major, you probably have a copy of S&W on your bookshelf.)

Reader mail

With Thanksgiving - the Super Bowl of food feasts - less than a week away, it's no surprise that turkey is on the minds of readers. We bring you this week's queries. You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

I enjoyed reading your article today on turkey tips, etc. I was surprised to see your tip - don't stuff a turkey after it's brined. My family has always served only stuffed turkeys (it’s the best part of the meal, and stuffing outside the bird just isn't the same.) I've been brining my turkeys for a number of years, and have never found the stuffing to be too salty. Several of us in the family are very sensitive to overly salted food so we would certainly notice. Have you found that from experience? I plan on brining and stuffing again this year as usual.
Thanks
Mr. Dana Robertson

Hi Dana, I did stuff a brined turkey - using the brine recipe in [Wednesday's] paper - and wasn't happy with the results. To my taste buds, the stuffing picked up the flavor of the brine, rather than the "turkey" flavor that comes from a stuffed, unbrined bird. It wasn't bad, but I wanted the stuffing to have its own flavor and not the brine flavor. I cook stuffing in a separate pan - first making sure it is well moisten with homemade turkey broth - and then cover it with aluminum foil while it bakes. Then, I remove the foil and let the top get a little brown before serving.

Cooking teacher Rick Rodgers in his cookbook "Thanksgiving 101" (William Morrow, $15.95) also suggests that the salty juices from a brined turkey could "ruin" the flavor of the stuffing.

That said, I'm not sure how much salt you use in your brine, how long you brine the turkey or how large your turkey is. The ratio of salt, sugar and water could change everything.

My thought is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you like the way the turkey tastes when it's brined and stuffed - and so does your family - then, of course, you should continue as you have always done.

UPDATE: The November issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, and the web site, has a recipe for brined turkey that is stuffed. Click here for the recipe. But, remember, an unstuffed bird cooks faster than a stuffed turkey. If you don't stuff, fill the cavity with aromatics such as onions, garlic, citrus and fresh herbs.

Are there any local restaurants that are offering Thanksgiving dinner that you would recommend? Thanks!

Robyn

Hi Robyn. I've actually received a few calls about Thanksgiving dinners in restaurants. A quick look around shows that many area restaurants are open on Thanksgiving - unlike Christmas when your best bet is usually an Asian eatery. Try your favorite one first. I've actually never dined out at Thanksgiving, so I have no first hand experience. What you want to do is make a restaurant reservation pronto. Usually, a great place to start is www.opentable.com. It's an online reservation service for area restaurants, such as Harry's Savoy Grill and Moro. But I just signed on and see that many places either have no reservations left or you will have call restaurants directly. I would probably go for a rustic setting. Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford, Pa., (610) 388-8088, is offering a buffet. Here's the menu. How about The Fair Hill Inn near Elkton, Md.? A colleague here at The News Journal told me he likes the Farmhouse in Emmaus, Pa. Or perhaps, the Mendenhall Inn just outside Centreville? I understand Michael's Family Restaurant, 1000 Churchmans Road, Newark, 368-4230, also is very popular at Thanksgiving, but I've never eaten there.

Hotel du Pont pies

Almost forgot to share this longtime "Wilmington secret." During the holidays, the Hotel du Pont's own pastry team sells homemade treats. For Thanksgiving, you MUST order in advance and the deadline is FRIDAY.

Baked items for sale include: apple pie, apple crumb pie, lemon meringue pie, banana cream pie, chocolate cream pie, pumpkin pie, ($9 each); pecan pie or pumpkin cake roll($12 each); chocolate swirl cheesecake ($18); cranberry cider walnut bread ($4.25); cinnamon bread log ($4.50); dinner rolls - 6 white, 6 multi-grain ($4/dozen); and macaroon cookies ($4/dozen.)

All pies are 9-inches. To order, call 594-3120 or email michele.b.mitchell@usa.dupont.com. Orders must be received by Friday, Nov. 16, for pick-up on Nov. 21.

Email orders will be confirmed by email. Phone will be confirmed by phone on Nov. 19. If you do not receive a confirmation by Tuesday, Nov. 20, call the Bake Shop, 594-3120, to ensure they have your order. Payment by cash, check or credit card. Pick-up is Nov. 21 in the Hotel du Pont's "Grill," on West 11th and Market streets, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Looking for a new cocktail?

Try this zesty, Asian-inspired cocktail from celebrity chef Ming Tsai. The ice cubes are flavored with fragrant Szechwan peppercorns, which are actually flower buds. They can make your tongue feel numb - hence the name "numbing cubes" - but the sensation doesn't last long. (Christophor Cavalieri photo.)

Ginger rum with numbing cubes

1 tablespoon toasted, super finely ground Szechwan peppercorns (You can find the peppercorns in an Asian grocer.)

2 tablespoons sugar

Juice of 1 lemon with zest, minced

Water for 2 trays of ice

1 cup Gosling's Black Seal rum

3 cups ginger ale (preferably Reed's)

1 lime, cut into wedges

To toast the peppercorns, put them in a dry, cast-iron pan set on medium heat. Shake the pan and toast just until the peppercorns are fragrant. Place the peppercorns in a cleaned coffee grinder and grind finely. To make the numbing cubes, fill ice cube trays 3/4 full with water. Pour that water into a large bowl with a spout (or a pitcher). Add the Szechwan peppercorns, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Stir to dissolve sugar and pour mixture into ice cube trays, taking care to evenly distribute the flavorings; freeze overnight. To assemble each drink: pour in 6 ounces ginger ale and 2 ounces of rum. Squeeze lime wedge over and drop wedge into drink. Add a handful of numbing cubes and enjoy. Makes 4 cocktails.

Texting for pizza

Forget calling the pizza guy. Now you can text message him.

According to an Associated Press story, Louisville, Ky.- based Papa John's International Inc. this week rolled out its text message ordering option at its 2,700 U.S. restaurants.

It's a progression from the pizza maker's online ordering, which began in 2001 and now accounts for nearly 20 percent of its U.S. sales.
Domino's Pizza Inc. lets customers place orders from Web-enabled mobile devices. The new ordering system, launched about 2 1/2 months ago, is now available at about 3,000 Domino's locations and will spread to all of the chain's approximately 5,100 U.S. restaurants next year, said Rob Weisberg, a marketing vice president for the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company.

More pumpkin soup

I've had pumpkin soup on the brain and, the other night, realized that I had a recipe stuffed in a folder for a pumpkin mushroom soup. It's from The News Journal archives and is similiar to the famous soup served at The Back Burner in Hockessin. Here it is:

Pumpkin mushroom soup
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon curry powder or cumin
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 pound can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tablespoon honey
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Saute mushrooms and onion in oil or butter. Stir in flour and curry. Gradually add the broth, then the pumpkin, honey and seasonings to taste. Stir while cooking 15 minutes. Add cream and heat through without boiling. Top with a dollop of sour cream if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Back from the Big Apple and chat with Morimoto

New York was buzzing yesterday. The rain stopped by the time our train arrived at Penn Station and it was a warm day. Before going to lunch at Morimoto in West Chelsea and later visiting the set of "Emeril Live", News Journal photographer Jennifer Corbett and I stopped into Mario Batali/Lidia Bastianich's joint venture Del Posto to check out the menu. It ain't cheap, but I'm DEFINITELY dining there on my next trip. It looks like an Italian food lover's dream; it also has a less formal, and cheaper, enoteca.

Morimoto New York is so different than Morimoto Philadelphia. The atmosphere is very slick and high tech, but it's absent color. (The Philly Chestnut Street eatery has a changing color scheme designed by Karim Rashid.) Masaharu Morimoto told me when the New York restaurant was being designed by Tadao Ando, he was very specific about an absent of color. It's mostly white and silvery with an amazing wall of plastic bottles. Morimoto also wanted high-tech bathrooms - and, O.M.G., he got them. The toilet seats have different settings - you can set them to warm, pulsate and there are all kinds of buttoms to push for, well, let's just say, cleaning. (Think bidet.) Seriously crazy and cool. This is the first time I can remember that a chef was much more interested in having me see his restaurant's bathrooms, rather than the kitchen.

A story is coming soon, but I have to tell you, Morimoto, one of the original Iron Chefs, is a very sweet guy. The last time we spoke - six years ago before the opening of his Philly eatery - he was still struggling with his English and he didn't seem very comfortable with his celebrity. All that has changed. He's still working on his English. But it clearly gets across his point of view, he can be very funny and he is deadly serious about his food. He checked out the prep station before the cooking began on "Emeril Live" - Morimoto was making dishes from his new cookbook "Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking" - and didn't like the fresh wasabi they had. Then Morimoto's assistant exchanged it with some wasabi he brought from his own kitchen. Also, the Iron Chef brought his own knives along, wrapped in a green and gold silk pouch.

When we walked over from his restaurant to the set of Emeril Live, Morimoto was like a rock star. People in the Chelsea Market stopped dead in their tracks and stared, someone yelled "LOOK! It's an Iron Chef!" and people were snapping photos like crazy. People love this guy. In the Green Room before the taping began, even Emeril seemed dazzled by Morimoto and the two have worked together before.

Morimoto

No Second Helpings update from me on Tuesday. I'm off to New York to interview Masaharu Morimoto about his new cookbook "Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking" (DK Publishing, $40), chat about his Food Network TV show "Iron Chef America" and check out his New York digs. Later, we're heading to "Emeril Live!" where Morimoto will be cooking with the Big E. (The above picture was taken by News Journal photographer Bob Craig at Morimoto in Philadelphia. That's Morimoto and restaurant wunderkind Stephen Starr (left). Starr, co-owner of both Morimoto restaurants, was biting into a pepper a la "the chairman" from the old Japanese Iron Chef TV series. The pepper biting was funny at the time and none of us could stop laughing, but maybe you had to be there...)

I haven't seen Emeril Lagasse in ages and I'm looking forward to seeing what's new with him. Last time I went to "Emeril Live" - eight years ago?? - it was taped in the Hotel Pennsylvania near Madison Square Gardens. Now, it's a big, high-tech studio in Chelsea. Will fill you in on the details on Wednesday.

Banana "dream" pie

When it comes to desserts, I usually leave the baking to professionals, especially people like the good folks at Sweet Somethings on Union Street in Wilmington. If you haven't been there before, this dessert shop is definitely worth a visit. In my humble opinion, owners Lee and Pamela Slaninko whip up some of the best confections in the state. (Southern Living Magazine just gave them a nod in the October issue.) If you want to make a dessert statement at a holiday party, order their chocolate silk torte.



But I must also save a place in my heart and stomach for the banana cream pie - or, as my sister likes to call it, the banana DREAM pie - at the new Lucky's Coffee Shop & Restaurant, 4003 Concord Pike, Wilmington. (It was formerly the Ranch House.) The photo by News Journal photographer Bob Craig, is of their banana cream pie.

I wrote about Lucky's in a recent Dish column. Here's the review. Owner Mickey Donatello recently wrote to say that the place has been jammed:

"My poor sister (the pastry chef) has been making Banana Cream Pies non-stop...people are coming in just for the pie," he wrote.

Reader mail

Hey, foodies. I was slacking off Friday and still in vacation catch-up mode, so I didn't get a chance to post. But reader mail returns. We will post letters every Friday. (And, uh, well, sometimes Mondays.) You ask. We answer. Send queries.

Dear Patricia, I would love to have your recipe for risotto with porcini mushrooms. I have a big bag of dried porcini and I am looking for a good reason to open it. Thanks so much & Buon Appetito!

Risotto fans unite! Risotto is one of my favorite comfort foods, but I must say, much like meatloaf, I don't really have a "recipe" for risotto. It's more like a method. I think the most important point to remember when making risotto is to heat the broth (preferably homemade chicken stock) on the stove before you begin. As you ladle hot broth to a the pan of simmering rice, it slowly melts and coaxes the starch from each grain. That's what produces the creamy texture that's essential to the dish's success. (If you read a recipe that calls for adding cream to risotto, you should toss that recipe out.)
Here's a recipe from "The Gourmet Cookbook" which is similar to my risotto method. It feeds 6 as a main course or 8 as a first course:

Risotto with Porcini
1 1/2 cups water
5 1/2 cups chicken stock or store bought low-sodium broth
1 1/4 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups (about 14 ounces) Arborio rice
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces), plue additional for serving
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine water and 1 cup stock in a small saucepan and heat until hot. Put mushrooms and 1 tablespoon oil in a separate bowl and then pour the hot liquid over them. Let soak for 30 minutes. Lift porcini out of soaking liquid, squeeze excess liquid back into the bowl, and rinse well to remove any grit. Coarsely chop porcini. Pour the soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a large saucepan. Add the remaining 4 1/2 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and keep at a bare simmer.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the hot stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 to 20 minutes. (There will be leftover stock.) Stir in mushrooms, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, salt and pepper. If necessary, thin risotto with some of the remaining stock. Serve immediately with additional cheese.

Phillippe looks toward the screen, not the stove

Can you imagine Ryan Phillippe saying, "You want fries with that?"

Apparently, neither could he.

Europe is now calling the actor, not the Delaware restaurant scene.

It seems that Phillippe has punted plans for a First State eatery. At least for the time being.

In August 2006, my colleague Ryan Cormier reported that Phillippe, who grew up in Penn Acres near New Castle, would be the primary investor in a new restaurant and martini bar slated to open in Wilmington. Phillippe's partner was to be his brother-in-law, Grimly Foret. (He's married to Phillippe's younger sister Lindsay.)

Phillippe, and his then wife, Reese Witherspoon (pictured at the New York screening of the Clint Eastwood directed film "Flags Of Our Fathers" on Oct. 16, 2006) visited Wilmington in July 2006 and scouted locations for the restaurant.

Phillippe's mother, Susan, told The News Journal that her son was looking forward to bringing some of the glitz of Los Angeles to Wilmington.

"Anything that they are going to do is going to be really happening," the Hockessin resident said. "He's really excited about it."

But, then, a funny thing called life seemingly got in the way of those plans. Phillippe and the Oscar winning actress split up.

Witherspoon cited irreconcilable differences when she filed for divorce on Nov. 8, 2006. The couple's divorce was finalized on Oct. 5, according to court documents.

Cormer checked in with Foret in December 2006 to see if the restaurant plans were still on. He said they still have not found the right spot.

"I'm hoping I'll know more in January," Foret said. "It's all about finding the perfect location and, for some reason, it's eluding us."

But now, it looks like the restaurant plans have been called off, according to an email Cormier received after he asked about the eatery's progress. Foret, a former waiter, is now with RE/MAX of Wilmington. Here's the email he sent to Cormier:

Hi Ryan,

Sorry, it took so long to respond. Currently, I am concentrating on my real estate career and family. Lindsay and I now have a 4½ month old daughter that we devote every moment we can to. I know that Ryan will leave to film in Europe later this month.

Hope you're doing well!

Best regards,

Grimly

Thanksgiving pre-dinner nibble

I'm always trying to think of an easy, make-ahead nibble for guests before the Thanksgiving feast. You don't want anything too filling that will spoil the meal, but potato chips and pretzels just seem so boring. We've had the good ole crab dip spread for several years now. But I'm ready to retire it this year in favor of this goat cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomato terrine from the cookbook "How to Cook A Turkey" from the editors of Fine Cooking magazine (Taunton, $19.95.) Make it one day ahead to allow the flavors to meld together. The recipe follows.

What do you set out for guests before the big chowdown? Comment, comment.

Goat cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomato terrine

10 ounces goat cheese

1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)

5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet over medium-low, stirring a few times until golden, then coarsely chopped

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Pita chips or crackers for serving

Line the inside of a 2-cup sharply sloping bowl (about 4 inches across the top) with plastic wrap. Let the ends extend over the sides a few inches. In a medium bowl, mash together the goat cheese and 1/4 cup of the cream with a fork, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; add more cream if the cheese hasn't softened enough. Spoon about 1/3 of the cheese into the lined bowl and pack it into an even layer. Spread the pesto almost completely to the sides over the layer of cheese. Top with another third of the cheese, the sun-dried tomatoes and all but 1/2 tablespoon of the pine nuts. Top with the remaining cheese. Pack down, fold the plastic over and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes - or overnight. Half an hour before serving, take the bowl out of the refrigerator. Pull the edges of the plastic to loosen the terrine from the bowl. Invert the terrine onto a plate, drizzle with a little olive oil and let sit for half an hour to warm up. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts, season liberally with pepper and serve with the pita chips or crackers. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Italian pumpkin soup

I have a soft spot for pumpkin soup.
The pumpkin mushroom soup at the Back Burner is always a must-order dish when I visit the Hockessin restaurant. You also can buy quarts of it at the next-door take-out shop, Back Burner to Go.
While in Florence last Saturday, we tried to eat at Cibreo Teatro del Sale, a great restaurant where you pay a 5 Euro membership fee and 25 Euro for dinner and can have all the food and wine you want. (They also have entertainment. That night it was Chicago jazz, believe it or not) But, sorry, no reservations available.

Then, we tried Il Cibreo, a popular haunt for many foodies. Again, no seats there or at their nearby trattoria. (It was All Saints weekend, a popular holiday in Italy.)
Strolling the streets of the historic Santa Croce district, we spied Bistrot Baldoria, a hip, fun restaurant on the piazza that had carved, mini jack o'lanterns votives on the tables. One look at the menu - creamy pumpkin soup - and I was hooked. The owner, a young woman, served us the soup and said she had opened the restaurant, which served modern versions of classic Florentine dishes, only two months earlier. (No web site yet.)
The velvety pumpkin soup, a chef's special, was made of sweet roasted pumpkin puree and some fresh rosemary and thyme. (It was probably thinned with either water or chicken broth and a whisper of cream.) A round of lightly grilled polenta rested on the bottom of the bowl. Aged balsamic vinegar was lightly swirled on top and the soup was garnished with two slices of cooked spiced apples.
Talk about autumn in a bowl! It was simple, not overly sweet and utterly delicious. I can't wait to get into the kitchen and try to reproduce it.

Dumb Thanksgiving ideas

The upcoming holidays always bring an avalanche of mail from well-meaning and sometimes pushy p.r. people.

Take the email I got from Edelman that lists some "easy entertaining" suggestions. Perhaps I'm just cranky because I still have jet lag, but these ideas - and yes, they're real - just seem really stupid to me. Here are the suggestions:

- Cut clean up time by covering counters with plastic wrap. After you're done preparing the meal, just peel it up and throw it away!
(Uhhhhh, are you kidding me? Can you imagine some green-thinking guest or relative walking into your kitchen and seeing plastic wrap all over the kitchen counters? People already argue enough during the holidays, why invite trouble?)

- Invite a friend you've been meaning to catch up with to help with the party prep. (In other words, "Listen my friend, I don't really have time for you during the year, but when I'm throwing a party, I'm too cheap to hire a caterer and you are always my favorite source of free, slave labor. So here is 50 pounds of shrimp to peel. I'm going upstairs to take a shower. Happy holidays!")

- Tired of slaving over the stove for hours? Switch your Thanksgiving gathering this year by serving mini hors d'oeuvres such as turkey kebabs and pecan pie tartlets.
(Bah, ha, ha, ha. This is my favorite, most ridiculous suggestion. It's like saying, "Listen here, Aunt Helen and Uncle George. I'm tired of you freeloaders and your big, honking appetites. And your "jokes" about my sausage apple stuffing stopped being funny five years ago. So the laugh is on you this year. Drumsticks, strumsticks. Chow on these turkey kebabs and like it. Better still, go somewhere else for dinner. )