Now that's a party!

Xavier Teixido and David Leo Banks know how to throw a party.

I popped my head in the kitchen yesterday at Teixido's Harry's Savoy Grill to see all the guest chefs in action as they prepared courses for the annual Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation dinner at the Naamans Road eatery. (It's a fund-raiser for local hunger charities.)

This was a gathering of some serious culinary talent and the chef line-up was incredible.

I'm not sure how executive chef Banks did it, but he had Jose Garces from Philadelphia's Amada and Tinto restaurant and R.J. Cooper of Vidalia restaurant in Washington, D.C., both of whom have been nominated this year for James Beard Awards for Best Mid-Atlantic chef. Whoa.

Chef Francesco Ricchi of Cesco Trattoria and D'Acqua in Washington, D.C., was chopping garlic for his famed shrimp risotto and Kirk Avondoglio of Perona Farms in Andover, N.J., was putting final touches on his scallop, carrot puree, wilted spinach, balsamic glaze dish. I didn't see Robert Bennett of American Harvest Baking, but I heard he was making a cherry bombe for the five-course meal.

Teixido said he hoped to net $45,000 for local charities. Good stuff. The dinner is a kick-off to the other upcoming Delaware culinary events including Newark's Wine & Dine Festival on Saturday , Meals from the Masters Celebrity Chef Events and Wilmington Restaurant Week.

Tastings, with a pinch of terror

The quest for new tastes can lead down perilous roads, but the true epicure does not falter when challenged, and does not shun even fast-food explorations, lest he miss the slight chance that it will be, at least this one time, something edible. Such thoughts were strong as I ventured out bravely to try a few new fast-food creations, each prepared with a good dose of marketing-hype.

Arby's, in what may have been the most daring bit of puffery, is touting its new "Philly Beef Flatbread Melt" in a state that adores authentic cheese steaks, and, perhaps predictably, Arby's muffs things completely. A cheese steak's dignity simply cannot bear being sullied by Swiss cheese, and the presence of a "Parmesan peppercorn sauce" would seem to obviate any right to claim some sort of Philly heritage. That said, the thing's actually kinda pleasing, in a gooey, starchy, beefy sort of way, but I don't think such Delaware cheese steak champs as Yatz's have anything to worry about.

For a really scary moment, the place to go right now is Taco Bell, which has the nerve to foist on us their new "99 cent Zesty Nachos," a soggy, gloppy mess that is neither "zesty" or worth 99 cents. Popeye's hyped-up Cajun Shrimp sounded like a worthy heart-stopper, until I encountered the typical Popeye's chaos -- the first time I tried to get it, I waited 15 minutes in the drive-through, only to be told they were out when I got to the window. My next attempt succeeded in getting the fat fried shrimp (not too bad), but they failed to give me any of the alleged Cajun dipping sauce. I'm officially giving up on that one.

Mailbag

Got a dining question? Send it in. Scroll down for more letters and answers.

Dear News Journal Writers,
It would be a nice follow up to your kitchen finds article to feature some of the great little markets we have here in the Wilmington area where you can shop for unique, cultural and otherwise hard to find quality culinary items. Papa’s Italian food market on Sixth St., Pagano Italian Specialties in Old Ridge Village north on U.S. 202, and the Country Butcher in Kennett Square. The Country Butcher specializes in gourmet foods, ready to go, restaurant, bakery, fabulous cheeses, and a meat department that sells wild game, like elk, pheasant, squab, and rabbit. These places struggle to stay afloat and I think it is important to let the public know that we do have other choices here. You could also add the Riverfront stores (they have some great produce) and Lazzat's middle eastern store on Kirkwood highway for your occasional goat needs. Oh and there's THE BEST BREAD IN DELAWARE!! Black Lab Breads. I never thought they could improve on the old DiFonzo, but... Oh my God!! the Focaccia is FANTASTIC!! Please write about these places so they can stay in business. Sincerely, Rosella Martucci ( who wishes she had your job!) Porro

Rosella, thanks for the letter. Papa's Food Market, 1910 W. Sixth St., Wilmington; 656-8886, is an "old-fashioned" style neighborhood grocer in the heart of Wilmington's Little Italy. I always go there to buy lady fingers when making tiramisu and the frozen meatballs are always good in a pinch when I don't feel like rolling my own. Haven't yet been to Pagano's but I will definitely check it out. I do enjoy the Riverfront Market's produce stand - they always have great fresh basil - but I wish, overall, there were more offerings in the market such as at Philly's Reading Terminal Market.

Country Butcher Fine Foods, 145 South Walnut Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 (610) 444-5980. is another fun find. And now Kennett Square has Talula's Table.

Bread lovers should definitely check out Barry Ciarrocchi's Black Lab Breads, 812 N. Union St., Wilmington; 658-1307. I agree with Rosella about the focaccia. On my last visit, I couldn't wait to eat it. And I didn't. Most of what I bought was consumed in the car. Black Lab Breads also makes good cannoli - though my heart is always with Isgro's in Philly. I ordered cannoli from Black Lab Breads for Christmas Eve and the family enjoyed it, but I just wished they packed the pastries in a white box instead of a flat pizza box. What's up with that?

Ramsay's rage

Bill Buford is my hero. I loved his book "Heat." And now he has penned an excellent story on the obsessive, expletive spewing, hot head chef Gordon Ramsay in the most recent issue of The New Yorker. It's a must read.
Ramsay browbeats everyone on his staff. I wish he took a page from Jean-Marie LaCroix, who is a gentleman and an excellent and much loved Philly based chef. LaCroix was beat up in French kitchens - literally - but told me he vowed never to resort to plate throwing histronics. He spoke quietly - but with authority. Believe me, his staff paid attention to every word.

Readers dining questions

Hey foodies, if you're new to this blog, just an FYI, we usually answer all dining questions on Friday. (But you can send them in earlier.) But I'm posting these questions today since I missed last Friday. Keep the questions coming and we'll answer more tomorrow.
Here's what on your minds:

DEAR PATRICIA, WE LIVE IN MIDDLETOWN, DE. 19709 AND DESPERATELY MISS A FAVORITE THAI RESTAURANT WE USED TO FREQUENT (BEFORE WE RELOCATED) IN LAMBERTVILLE, NJ. CALLED "SIAM.” WE CRAVE THE COCONUT & LEMONGRASS SOUPS, NOT TO MENTION THE SPICY SAUTEED SQUID. PLEASE RECOMMEND A FEW LOCAL SPOTS THAT SPECIALIZE IN THAI CUISINE. MANY THANX. LOUIE AND SHER.

Thai cuisine fans are finally getting some love in the First State. Bangkok House on Union Street in Wilmington had long been the lone Thai eatery, but now there’s Tasti Thai, 287 Christiana Road, Community Plaza; 322-1306, New Castle; and Sweet Basil, a new modern BYO Thai restaurant off U.S. 202, near Chadds Ford, Pa. (Review coming soon.) Rehoboth Beach has Seaside Thai on Rehoboth Avenue. Isn't there someplace in Dover? What else am I missing readers?

Hi, we live in Sussex County, would like to meet somewhere in Dover with friends who live in Wilmington for a late lunch, timing around 2 p.m. on a Saturday, any suggestions, besides the chain restaurants? Know anything about "Reel Fresh Seafood" in Dover? Thanks, Tricia Dunion.

Eric Ruth suggests Cool Springs Fish Bar & Restaurant, 2463 S. State St., Dover, 698-1955. He says, "it's perhaps appropriate that one of Dover's best restaurants is at a countryesque crossroads, far from the chain restaurant mayhem of Du Pont Highway."
Why it's worth the wander: Inventive, fresh and well-prepared seafood in a modern setting

You wrote of a place to get scrapple sandwiches which is south of Wilmington, maybe in Smyrna. Do you recollect its name, location? thanks. Bernadine Z Paulshock of Wilmington.

Bernadine, I believe you're thinking of Helen’s Famous Sausage House, Du Pont Highway (U.S. 13), Smyrna; 653-4200. In 2001, this Delaware institution was picked by Gourmet magazine as one of their 100 favorite places to eat - in the world. No kidding. The early-morning Smyrna roadside eatery - it opens Mondays through Saturdays at 4 a.m. - has long been known for its deep-fried sausage sandwiches.
But Helen's has gained a following with its scrapple sub. (I love the porkchop sandwich.)

Ask [Walter’s Steakhouse] whatever happened to my favorite server Martha?

According to owner John Walter Constantinou, “Martha is still around. She’s living in New Castle and I heard she’s doing well.”

Although Walter’s Steakhouse pricing might have changed in the last few years since I dined there, their policy was to increase the price of all entrees on Thursdays when offering the 'complimentary', 'free' raw bar. Robert P. Kane

Not true, says owner John Walter Constantinou. “There is one menu with the same prices seven days a week.” The complimentary raw bar is, indeed, free.

Wine whine

I was browsing through a wine store looking for something interesting. A sales guy comes over and starts giving me the hard sell on Dolcetto, a nice, fruity, easy drinking red wine from Italy’s Piedmont region.

I listened politely, but I had a hard time taking this guy seriously because he kept mispronouncing the name.

Everytime he said, “Now, this Dull-SET-toe....” I cringed inwardly.

It’s actually pronouced: Dohl-CHET-toe.

Now, I’m not trying to be Miss Perfect or a snob. I’m always butchering French words and names. (I took Spanish in high school and college, not French, and I’m working on my Italian now.) What I don’t know about wine is a lot. But then again, I’m not selling wine.

So what do you do in this situation? Ignore it or politely correct someone? I kept my mouth shut - and bought the wine. But maybe I should have given that guy a link to Robin Garr’s Wine Lover’s Page. I especially love Garr’s Wine Lexicon, a pronouncing dictionary of wine-related words and phrases. Here's the link: www.wineloverspage.com/lexicon/

More mac and cheese

I should promise never to write about mac and cheese again.
But I won't.
Sorry, I refuse to play food police. Believe me, I looked at Delilah Winder's recipe - which was seriously flawed as readers discovered (a perfect example that not everyone can write a recipe) - and shook my head at the ingredients.
But if Oprah Winfrey proclaims a mac and cheese dish as the best in America - in America! - I think it's interesting to see what the make-up is.
At the same time, I'm not holding a fork to someone's mouth and forcing them to eat it.
Read the recipe, laugh and toss it aside. Or read it and get cooking. The choice is up to you.
(And please, who in their right mind is going to eat this fat laden mac and cheese more than once a year, at best???)
I completely understand about the concerns about obesity in America - I spent months interviewing doctors and patients for a two-day News Journal series on gastric bypass surgery. Everyone knows that we should be eating smaller portions, choosing lower fat options and exercising more frequently.
But it's up to the individual to chose their own path.
I strongly believe in Julia Child's mantra of everything in moderation. And, of course, more exercise is never going to hurt anyone.
But I won't shy away from a recipe just because it has heavy cream or butter. If that were the case, you could forget about ever seeing any French dish in our section again. What's next? No recipes for bread or muffins? No birthday cakes? No pasta?
Not going to happen. Not on my watch.
What I will do is try to balance the coverage in Wednesday's Life section - traditionally our "food day" - and include healthy dishes along the way.
OK, that was my daily rant.
Here's an email I got this morning from Nancy Breslin - thanks for writing Nancy - who makes some interesting points:

Hi Patricia Talorico,
I was glad to see the follow up story on the macaroni and cheese recipe. I
missed the original story but saw the "corrected" recipe, and was going to
write but didn't know who the author was. I looked up the fat and calories
of the ingredients of the recipe and, excluding the macaroni, I estimated
that each of 8 servings would contain 1068 calories, 94 grams of fat (daily
suggestion is 64) and a whopping 59 grams of saturated fat (triple the
recommended 20).
I find many of the recipes published in the News Journal to be
unconscionably unhealthy. You would never publish an article on rolling
your own cigarettes, or on the pleasure of baking in the sun without
sunscreen. There was a time when nobody thought of these things (I never
wore a bike helmet as a child, and my Mom held me in her lap as a toddler
when my Dad drove the car), but as new information is available, the media
should be educating people about safer alternatives, rather than advocating
comfortable but unhealthy practices.
It doesn't all have to be tofu and whole wheat (although, personally, I'm a
vegetarian), but the food folks at the News Journal should either skip the
disgustingly high fat recipes, or include calorie and fat info for each
recipe (not that hard to calculate). Scores of Delaware families probably
ate that Mac and Cheese last week, when they might have been tempted instead
by a tasty but lower fat version.
And soon we'll read another article on the increasing obesity epidemic.
Sincerely,
Nancy Breslin

Celebrity chefs don’t need anymore of our money, especially if it means coughing up hard-earned cash for mediocre cookware that many slap their names on.

But I don’t regret the dough I may have contributed toward Food Network star Mario Batali’s next vacation home in Italy.

Actually, I’m not sure how Batali is spending the $99 I spent to buy his 6-quart “Italian Essentials” pot. I’m just glad I have this Dutch oven, my new favorite kitchen essential.

If you always coveted French-made enameled cast-iron cookware, but have been scared off because the high price tags - a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset pot will set you back at least $200 - consider Batali’s cheaper, but not cheaply-made, line of cookware.

Batali’s 6-quart pot is manufactured by Copco, a respected, 47-year-old porcelain-enameled, cast iron cookware company. Much thought has gone into this sturdy, evenly heating Dutch oven.

While it requires some heavy lifting - it weighs about 16 pounds - it has fast become my go-to pot for hearty stews, soups, spaghetti sauces and braised meats. It also was perfect for making a long cooking Mexican red mole. The inside lid is lined with spikes so that condensation drips back into the pot for continuous self basting. (It’s a feature that can be found on a French made Staub cast-iron 6-quart coq au vin cocotte, which at $200, is double the cost of Batali’s pot.)

Batali’s Dutch oven comes in four colors. I got the pretty Persimmon Orange - Batali’s signature color - and bought my sister the green one, known as pesto, for her birthday. The other two hues are espresso (brown) and crema (white).

The pot’s only drawback is the stainless steel knob on the lid. Make sure you use a potholder when lifting it or you’re in for hand-scorching surprise. Look for Batali’s cookware in better kitchenware stores or such Internet culinary sites as cooking.com or amazon.com.

Not so Wise dining

Boy, you've got to hand it to former Christina Superintendent Joseph Wise.
As detailed in Alison Kepner's story today - he apparently wasn't an Olive Garden kind of guy.
When he took people out to dinner - all paid for by the school district - it was at Toscana Kitchen + Bar.
Lunch wasn't a take-out turkey sub from Capriotti's or the all-you-can-eat special at Old Country Buffet.
Nope, it was a posh plate at the Hotel du Pont's Green Room.
He wasn't giving out gift cards for coffee at Wawa. He preferred the Hotel du Pont's Grill eatery.
My, oh my, isn't it easy to have champagne tastes when someone else is footing the bill?

In the soup

How weird is this?

I'm scared of soup.

A nasty bout of the flu has knocked me for a loop and I've still got some lingering symptoms that just won't go away. My secret weapon for fighting a cold has always been hot and sour soup. The spicier, the better.

Bamboo House in Newark's College Square Shopping Center offers an excellent hot and sour soup.

So does Asian Palace in the Independence Mall off U.S. 202.

But the study released last week from the Center for Science in the Public Interest about Chinese restaurant food being loaded with calories, fat and sodium has me thinking about an alternative.

Or maybe I'll just listen to the Campbell's mantra that's going through my head: Soup is good food. Soup is good food. Soup is good food.

I feel better already.

Shopping restaurant supply stores

Last Thursday's Home & Garden section featured my story about RES, the restaurant equipment supply stores where food industry professionals - and the public - can shop for good deals. Alton Brown of "Good Eats" on the Food Network is also a big fan of these kind of stores.

Reader Ed Hunt wanted me to fill me in The Restaurant Store at 3065 New Castle Avenue, Wilmington, De 19720; 421-9950. (See letter below.) I called the store and spoke to manager Rus Ruark who said the store is indeed open to the public. There's no fee to join. Just go in shop away. It looks really cool.

Thanks Ed for the heads-up.


Patricia,
I read your article "CHEF'S SPECIALS" in the News Journal today.
I just wanted to let you know that R.E.S. is not the only restaurant suppy store
in the area. I work at the place in the above link. Please check it out.
I also would like to add that what our competitor has to special order in many cases we have in our
store. Our store is 22,000 square feet in size.
I thought you sholud have been a little more objective.
Thank you,
Ed Hunt

You say "boil," I say "I don't think so"

Hi gang. A very nasty bout of the flu has had me down and out for several days. So while I play catch up this morning - more posts coming later today - here's something to chew on:

A passionate reader took issue with the crawfish boil at Blue Parrot Bar & Grille featured in last Friday's 55 Hours article on specials at restaurants. Here's the email:

Dear Ms. Talorico:

I read your story about Blue Parrot Bar & Grille in Friday's 55 Hours with some amusement. As a long time resident of Louisiana I can tell you this: it is a crawfish BOIL because we BOIL them. We BOIL crawfish along with quartered onions, red potatoes, broken halves of corn on the cob, halves of lemon, and if you can find it here, (sometimes Zingo's on Maryland Ave.), Zatarain's bags of tasty and spicy BOIL bags. The whole mess is then dumped onto newspaper covered picnic tables in the back yard and eaten; generally with copious amounts of beer. It is never a family type Sunday meal....it is yet another reason to throw a party!!! Louisiana's raison d'etre.

FYI - crabs and shrimp are also BOILED in the south!

Finally, classic traditional New Orleans cooking is far from what you get at Blue Parrot and the food is no where as good as you'd find in Louisiana. I suggest Mr. Diamond take a field trip to sample the incredible cuisine, maybe then his menu will reflect the unique and tasty offerings the State of Louisiana has to offer.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I am passionate about Louisiana cuisine and hate to see it adulterated in print or on my palate.

Mac and cheese notes

A couple of comments on today's story about macaroni and cheese:

Bobby Flay's recipe for his mac and cheese carbonara, featured on "Throwdown with Bobby Flay," has now been posted on the Food Network web site.

There's one correction to Winder's recipe in the print version of today's newspaper: It should also have 1 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese.

We've corrected the online recipe. The corrected recipe is also listed below.

A reader left me a voice mail message and questioned the serving amount concerning Winder's dish. (Sorry, I didn't call you back, you forgot to leave your telephone number) According to Winder's cookbook, she says this dish serves 6 to 8 people. But, I'm guessing, it will feed quite a few more since she calls for 2 pounds - 2 pounds! - of elbow macaroni.

Delilah Winder's macaroni and cheese
2 pounds elbow macaroni
12 eggs
1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted
6 cups half-and-half, divided
4 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar, divided
2 cups grated extra-sharp white Cheddar
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated Asiago
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1 cup grated Muenster
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees . Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow Cheddar, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined.
Pour the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.
Serve hot.

Tooting the horn for Talula's

If you get a chance, check out my story today on Talula's Table in Kennett Square, Pa. I'm really excited about this new venture by Bryan Sikora, Aimee Olexy and Claire Shears. Bryan and Aimee owned Django, a critically acclaimed BYOB restaurant in Philadelphia . (It's now owned by Ross Essner.)

I dined with two other food critics at Django when Bryan and Aimee were running the restaurant and we all went crazy over the food. And Aimee's carefully selected cheese plates were incredible.

Talula's, a gourmet foods store, has only been open about two weeks and the partners are still finding their footing. But I give thumbs up to the fish soup, duck ravioli, the fresh baguettes and a truly fine loaf of carrot bread with cream cheese frosting. The menu changes often. And don't forget the cheese case. Aimee will let you try samples and probably introduce you to some new finds like wonderful stinky French cheese.

While in Kennett, Country Butcher Fine Food, a gourmet foods store and butcher at 145 S. Walnut St. is also worth a look.

The cat's meow?

I’m not sure what is more disturbing - that I tuned into "Dancing With the Stars" to see if Heather Mills' leg would fly off in mid chacha or that Rocco DiSpirito's culinary star has fallen so low that he's endorsing restaurant-inspired cat food.

DiSpirito was once the whiz kid of the culinary world. His Union Pacific in Manhattan was a three-star restaurant and in 1999 Gourmet magazine called him "America's Most Exciting Young Chef." Then, he did a little reality TV show called "The Restaurant" which showed him more interested in flirting with women and fighting with his business partner than making fettuccine. His Rocco's restaurant was a bust and so was the TV show. Union Pacific later closed.

I saw a really weird ad recently for Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys Gourmet Cat Food which is cat food inspired by restaurant meals - are you kidding me? - and decided to do a little research. That's when I came across the Rocco connection. DiSpirito, described as a chef and cat owner, hosted a Fancy Feast party last July at the annual Aspen Food and Wine Classic.

According to a Purina web site, DiSpirito, presumably with a straight face, said he decided to endorse the cat food because:

"Like most cat owners, I love to make my cat's dreams come true because knowing he's happy makes me happy. I was blown away by the Elegant Medleys food appeal when I served it to my cat. I couldn't believe how good it looked and smelled and considering Pumpkin is the cat of a chef and he absolutely devoured it, that's an endorsement in itself."

I'm not making this stuff up. And I really hope Rocco didn't try the cat food.

Mailbag: Answering readers questions

I received some questions from readers that I'll answer this morning. But just an FYI, we're going to start a regular Q&A feature on Fridays where we'll answer all queries that come in during the week - unless it's something urgent. In the meantime, here is what's on your minds:

What happened to the 821 Restaurant? I called today and got a message that the phone number has been temporarily disconnected.

Relax, 821 fans. The downtown Wilmington restaurant is just having some phone problems. Here's an mail I just received.

Hi Patricia,
We're having some problems with the phone wiring in our building right now,
and I apologize for any inconvenience that it's causing any of your readers.
Verizon is working on correcting the issue right now, and our phones should
be up and running by end of business today.
If you have any questions, please contact us by email, restaurant.eighttwentyone@verizon.net
Thanks,
Kelly Hinkle
Private Dining & Event Coordinator, 821
821 N. Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801

Restaurants near the Wilmington riverfront: Can you recommend a few places? I would greatly appreciate it - thank you!

I'm not sure of your price point. (Readers please give me or Eric Ruth an idea of what you want to spend and the cuisine you like and we can probably be a little more helpful.) Harry's Seafood Grill is always a fun choice. For more casual dining, there's Iron Hill Restaurant & Brewery. Wanna a steakhouse? Check out ConleyWard's.

Three friends would like to go out for Sunday Brunch tomorrow in the North Wilmington or Chadds Ford area. Where would you suggest? Thanks, Judy.

Ah, Sunday brunch. Give me a spicy Bloody and I'm a happy camper. Corner Bistro on Silverside Road in Wilmington offers brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Buckley's Tavern in Centreville has a special where if you wear pajamas to their Sunday brunch your meal is half off. Really. The newly opened Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford just started a brunch. I'm also a big fan of the tiny Hank's Place on U.S. 1 and Rte. 100 for breakfast - very diner casual and very good - but it's always very crowded.

Am I missing someplace obvious or even better? Write in and let us know!

Iron Chef not so fun for Ray

Last night as I was flipping through channels, I came across Chefography on the Food Network.
It's a Biography type TV show and the topic was Rachael Ray.
I stopped flipping - not because I'm a big Ray fan - but because she was talking about her appearance on "Iron Chef America." I just happened to be at that taping last January with News Journal photographer Suchat Pederson.
Ray teamed with Mario Batali for a grudge match against Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis.
Ray said it was the worst experience ever - and I don't think she was kidding.
She and De Laurentiis - who is teeny-weeny thin and even more beautiful in real life - both looked frazzled and flustered during and after the cooking competition. During the taping, I kept waiting for the cooks to take a "commercial break" but it really was an hour of fast-paced cooking. Afterward, I was talking to Flay and De Laurentiis and said how I was surpised that there was no breaks.
"Please tell people that," Flay said. "No one believes me when I say I'm really cooking for an hour."
Not all of the comments of the judges made it on TV. Some were brutally honest and you could see their remarks hurt some feelings. At one point, one guy told Ray her pasta was tough. Her smile fell and said, "Sorry, I undercooked your pasta."
Ray had the last laugh, though, that show was most-watched Food Network telecast ever, with 2.7 million viewers.

Happy Monday. Go get a cup of coffee and let's discuss the weekend.

First off: Unfortunately, I had to cancel my reservation at Osteria in Philly. Major bummer. But I'm rescheduling and will fill you in after my visit. I called the restaurant well ahead of time to cancel and they were really appreciative. It's good practice. Seriously, if you can't make a reservation - always call and let them know. They are holding a table for you.

Second: Did you read Eric Ruth's fab Saturday story about the demise of the Chuck Wagon restaurant? I know it's been at least 20 years since it's been the CW, but it was a Delaware landmark none the less. This used to be my favorite restaurant when I was a kid. We celebrated birthdays here - they would give you a cake with sparklers on it - and my dad attended Old Capitol Trail Lions Club meetings in the back room. The restaurant will always hold a special place in my heart.

Third: I did visit a really good, new, modern Thai BYOB this weekend. It's too early for a full review - though one will be coming soon - but Sweet Basil restaurant off U.S. 202 just over the Delaware line is worth a look. Dishes can be fiery, especially the lemon grass soup. Great to see more Thai eateries in the area.

Where are you eating this weekend?

I'm psyched. One of my dining adventures this weekend includes dinner at Marc Vetri's new restaurant Osteria on North Broad Street in Philadelphia.

Vetri, a James Beard Award winning chef, also owns Vetri on Spruce Street. Vetri - possibly the hardest table to book in Philly because the place is so tiny and the food is so good - is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. If you love true, authentic Italian food and want to splurge, this is the place to dine. The spinach gnocchi with shaved ricotta and brown butter is dreamy. By all means let Jeff Benjamin, Vetri's sommelier and a restaurant owner, help pick your wine.

I'll let you know about Osteria on Monday!

Mailbag - answering readers questions

OK, gang. This is what's come in so far.

I saw the recent notice for the closing of Joe's- The Unchain Bar - was it due to lack of patronage, or do you know something else? Although Italian Bistro on Kirkwood Highway (coincidentally BEHIND Joe's) "disappeared" quite a while ago, why did it close so suddenly?
Why are there no great Cuban restaurants or tapas bars in Newark or the surrounding area?

Here's the lowdown on Joe's according to owner Pat Nilon. "Customers loved it, there was just not enough of them. " Check out Nilson's other eatery Cromwell's Tavern in Greenville.

The Italian Bistro will get a new look soon - Eric Ruth will have a story about it this weekend.

I'm not sure why there are no great Cuban restaurants in the area .... restaurateurs what do you think? Cafe Azafran in Lewes offers tapas. Another place to check out is Amada, Jose Garces's fabulous tapas restaurant on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. By the way, Jose will be a guest chef at the Share Our Strength Dinner on March 29 at Harry's Savoy Grill. Tickets go fast for this dinner.


My daughter is looking for cooking classes for her children ages 7 and 5 (this one may be too young). Do you have info on any around Wilmington or even Chester County, PA? Would appreciate if you are able to help. Thank you very much. Nancy

Check out Young Chefs Academy in Pike Creek. A Middletown location is opening in May.

Can you please recommend some restaurants near the Grand. We have a performance at 8 o'clock this Friday. Thanks so much. Shirley Adelman, Hockessin.

I'm not sure what price range you're looking for, but Restaurant 821 is right across from the Grand. Other nearby restaurants include The Green Room at the Hotel du Pont, Deep Blue Bar & Grill, Costa's Grill and Domaine Hudson. There's also the Washington Street Ale House and Mikimotos Asian Grill & Sushi Bar.

It would be nice to have a place where readers could post their comments on a restaurant or input some things that bug them about dining establishments in general. Right now one can only post comments about a specific blog article that you write.

For example, some things that bug me:

Establishments that greatly overfill pepper or salt shakers such that there is no room for anything to shake out. One has to unscrew the top to get something out. Please tell staff to only fill shakers about 3/4 full!

Servers that take a fork or knife from a plate you have just finished and place it on the table rather than supplying a new utensil. My wife and I were at Nantucket's restaurant (not an inexpensive place) in Fenwick Island last weekend and my wife had to ask the waiter for a new fork after finishing her appetizer and he was rather snooty about bringing a new one.

When a better quality restaurant has really cheap tableware and paper napkins. The specific one I'm thinking about is Feby's Fishery. Great fish, and prices are not cheap, but they have some of the worst and most inexpensive tableware in the state! - Larry Rasero.

A watery warning

Beware servers bearing bottles of water.

Here's my cautionary tale: I was out for a birthday celebration with a group of friends at a very nice Delaware restaurant. (I'm not going to name the place since it was a "my dime, my time" dining experience not paid for by The News Journal.)

Someone at the table asked for a bottle of water. No one paid attention and we all began ordering different appetizers, entrees, other drinks and later desserts and coffee. It was a very enjoyable evening. Then, the bill came - with a $30 charge for water. For water! Apparently, our server just kept pouring bottled water all night for everyone at the table. It was our fault; we got caught up in the celebration and didn't pay attention. But I still couldn't help feeling slightly taken advantage of by the server. I wanted to mention our concern very quietly and politely to the manager - we still were going to pay what we owed - but a friend at the table who is a Prominent Person didn't want me to say anything. We left a generous tip and enjoyed the rest of the evening somewhere else. But the "water situation" left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Five finger discounts

Ruth Reichl, now editor of Gourmet magazine, was eating lunch with a reporter when she noticed that the server left a pepper mill on the table. "People steal these things all the time," she said.

I was working for the Life section at USA Today at the time and was shocked when I read the statement. Do customers really steal from restaurants? After a few phone calls, the answer was quite clear -they sure do. Jim Barnes of the Dilworthtown Inn told me about people rolling up rugs and stuffing pewter platters down their pants. Georges Perrier at Le Bec-Fin said someone stole a bust of Marie Antoinette. And it wasn't just East Coast restaurant thefts - it was nationwide. Paintings, antiques, photos, silver, toilet paper, soap - you name it, people stole it.

Wow. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Mike Majewski told me that people were walking away with mouthwash dispensers at his new restaurant Brandywine Prime. But I am. Then, this past weekend, I found an glass from Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. Uh-oh. Did I steal this? I couldn't remember. My New Orleans traveling partner set me straight: "You bought it after drinking a Hurricane - your second Hurricane." So I'm thinking, maybe most thefts are alcohol-fueled? Maybe so, but that still doesn't make it right.

Jim Barnes had a great quote about thefts that is still relevant: "You can take the mints - just don't take the bowl."

Michelin stars and meltdowns

Screaming and yelling certainly isn't my cup of tea.

But I have to admit I can't wait to read "The Devil in the Kitchen: Sex, Pain, Madness and the Making of a Great Chef" (Bloomsbury, 2007) by Marco Pierre White.

White remains the youngest chef ever to win three Michelin stars. But he was equally well-known for being the enfant terrible of the British culinary world - that is, until former protege and fellow tantrum thrower Gordon Ramsay took his place. (TV viewers may be familiar with Ramsay from his Fox reality show "Hell's Kitchen.") Anyway, White's legendary meltdowns and withering remarks make "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell look like a simpering sap.

Mario Batali, who once worked for White in London, quit after the chef aimed a pan of risotto at his head. (He missed.) Batali paid him back by dumping a big handful of salt in one of the chef's bubbling sauce pots on his way out the door. The experience left an impression on Batali. During an interview at his Otto Enoteca Pizzeria in Manhattan, Batali told me White was "an excellent chef and a passionate person who is not, let's just say, particularly skilled in people skills."

White's book comes out in May. I'm placing my Amazon.com order now.

Dining out should never be a game of Russian roulette.

Patrons count on establishments to practice proper food handling and sanitation practices. Our health depends on it. That's why Mike Chalmers story today on the state Division of Public Health's decision to post food establishment inspection reports on its web site is so encouraging.

Posting restaurant inspection reports is something that's been done in larger cities - such as New York - for years. Let's hope here in Delaware, the reports are updated frequently.

To be fair, chefs who really care about what they're serving tend to be fastidious about food temperature and cleanliness. No one wants to make anyone sick - it's simply not good for business.

A slippery celebration

Forget about corned beef and soggy cabbage.

If you want an authentic Irish meal - get a plate of raw oysters and a pint of Guinness. Oyster celebrations are a big deal in Ireland, especially at the annual Galway International Oyster Festival, held this year Sept. 27-30.

And the Brits have their own take on this classic combination. At Sweetings, the oldest fish and oyster restaurant in London, they serve raw oysters with Black Velvets. A Black Velvet, the house cocktail at this lunch-only operation, is a 50-50 blend of Guinness and champagne - yup, champagne - served in a silver tankard. Believe me, it's a don't knock-it-until-you-try-it combination.

Harsh words, indeed

Readers and restaurateurs regularly grouse about "mean-spirited" comments in reviews, and get upset that critics are at times too harsh. Considering we're only being "harsh" in order to protect diners and prompt restaurants to give everyone their money's worth, these sudden bouts of sympathy for the "hard-working" cooks who serve us bad food have always struck me as curious -- especially when you consider how the Brits handle things. Overseas, critics are revered (and reviled) for their venomous tongues, and artful exaggeration is part and parcel of their tart assessments. Here are a few excerpts from the British press, from a GuardianUnlimited article -- maybe they'll help you see that Delaware restaurants could have gotten off a lot worse.

"The herb crust (with the cod) could have been adapted, with minimal effort, for use in germ warfare. After all that, the only sensible answer to the question 'Would you like anything for dessert?' is, 'Ah, you're very kind, I'll have the Listermint and a large spittoon.' "
Matthew Norman, The Sunday Telegraph

"Slow-baked cheese-and-onion tart - snot in a box. Grilled kipper - postman's Odor Eater. ... The duck pate was interesting. It was also a Kurdish insurgent duck that had been interrogated to death by Turkish policemen using rubber hoses, then left in a warm, damp cupboard to emulsify. Coq au vin was thick-skinned chicken knuckles soaked in tepid Brylcreem and aftershave."
AA Gill, The Sunday Times

"Occasionally, you come across a restaurant that causes you to question the very nature of human existence. Now, I can't be sure of this, but I got the impression from the menu that the food has a Vietnamese slant to it. [What] looked like a sea mine in miniature was the most disgusting thing I've put in my mouth since I ate earthworms at school. ... On second thoughts, I preferred the worms."
Matthew Fort, The Guardian

Bottom line -- do I (and thousands of others) seek out and enjoy dining reviews by the likes of the archly incisive AA Gill? Absolutely. Do I believe everything he writes is relevant, helpful or even fair (within the ideological framework of critical writing) to the restaurants or readers? Probably not. But in the evolving world of infotainment-as-journalism, it seems to fit an aptly modern niche, and serve to at least compel and agitate, goals that some journalists seem to have forsaken these days.

La bella luna

A couple of friends and I tried to check out a big beer festival last weekend at Philadelphia's Naval Yard. But while waiting in a long line to park our car, we found out it was already sold-out.

Grrrr.

We decided to go to dinner, but Saturday night in Philly without restaurant reservations can be a real gamble. My first choice was Osteria, but even I knew that trying to score a table at Marc Vetri's hot new Broad Street venue was going to be nearly impossible.

My friend mentioned Ristorante Mezza Luna, a Roman-style restaurant at Eighth and Catherine streets. After a quick phone call and a little pleading, the owner said he had a place for my party of four. (I'll admit it, I think having an Italian surname helped get us a table.) It was an absolute delight. My favorite dish was one of the day's specials - fettuccine in a porcini mushroom broth with baby clams and drizzles of truffle oil. The wine list was reasonable - I considered the Tocai, a racy $28 white wine from Italy's northwestern Fruili region, but instead went with a fruity $34 red from Tuscany's Montepulicano.

Are you an old salt?

So I’m sitting at Toscana Kitchen + Bar one night for dinner and my pal stops in the middle of the conversation to look around for the salt shaker. It’s not there.

We look for one on another table. Again, no salt. In fact, there’s no salt anywhere.

In recent years, the salt shaker has been disappearing from tables in fine-dining restaurants. It’s starting to become as rare as a New York strip steak that’s barely touched the grill.

So what gives?

A few chefs I’ve talked to said that feel that their food has already been well-seasoned in the kitchen and, therefore, doesn’t need anymore salt. OK, I'll buy that. Reaching for the shaker can be bad habit. I’ve watched people - in restaurants and at dinner parties in my home - start salting before they ever take a bite. Maybe, I’m being a little thinned skinned here, but I find it insulting. But, then again, if I’m paying for a meal, I don’t want someone playing salt police and hoarding the salt.

Almost every restaurant will hand over a shaker if you ask. But a friend’s mother solves the problem quite easily: She always carries a salt shaker in her purse.

No table for you!

Barry Nickle says he doesn’t dislike children. He has two grandchildren that he frequently babysits.

But if children come to his restaurant, Asian Palace in the Independence Mall shopping center off U.S. 202 , he wants them to stay in their seats. Nickle works the tiny eight-table dining room and his wife Selena is the talented, and solo, chef in the kitchen. When Barry carries out hot plates of food, he doesn’t want a loose child bumping into him and accidentally getting burned if he drops a platter. So if the kids can’t stayed seated, Nickle will ask the parents to leave.

Nickle also doesn’t like customers using cell phones in his restaurant - they don’t pay attention when he wants to take their order and it’s annoying. He also wants customers to wait for him to show them to a table and not just grab any open seat.

Don’t like his policies? Too bad. Go somewhere else. Asian Palace is Nickle’s house and patrons have to play by his rules. Sound like a memorable Seinfeld character?

Is Nickle being inhospitable? Or is he just a restaurateur running his eight-year-old business the way he wants to? That’s for you to decide. See my review.

Bottom line: Dining is supposed to be a pleasurable experience and if you aren’t comfortable with the atmosphere of a eatery, by all means, leave. Or you can always order take-out.

Then let the kids run wild and the cellphone ring away.

Deerhead Revisited

My recent article on the planned expansion of the Deerhead hot dog empire raised some inevitable rants from die-hard doggy fans, most of whom took grave issue with the claim that the owners were committed to leaving the "secret sauce" sacrosanct and unchanged. From the view of these "old timers," it already has, though for some, it remains a special place. Here are some of their comments:

Mr. Ruth:

I read your story with interest. Don't let them fool you! The Deerhead restaurants around town have long-ago left the original Deerhead traditions behind. Their hot dog sauce is terrible and a very pale and tasteless comparison to what they dished up in the '70s and early '80s! Beulah, the elderly black lady who worked at the Orange Street restaurant, has probably been turning in her grave for the last 20 years!

Tom

Dear Mr. Ruth:

I can remember walking down to the Deerhead hot dog bar when I was a boy from my family's sign shop, the Harting Sign Company, which was located at 6th and Shipley. I would trade in my Frostie rootbeer bottles for 2 or 3 cents a bottle and then buy a Deerhead hot dog for myself and my Dad. Sometimes he would send me over to King street to pick up a cardboard cone filled with root beer. I still enjoy taking my wife and son to the Deerhead on Maryland Avenue, even coming up from Middletown.

Bob Harting


Eric:

While I found your article on the Deerhead amusing, it left out some important facts. Number one, that sauce on the hot dogs is NOT anything like the original sauce. I am not 100 percent sure about the inception of the Deerhead as an establishment, but the story goes that it was a "spin off" venture of the old Hotel Olivere that was on the corner of 7th and Orange. But, as for the sauce, my first memories and experiences of Deerhead hot dogs goes back to about 1945-1946. Back then, the sauce was not as "anemic" as it is today, and it had a bit of a "bite" to it. So much so, that it was not uncommon for little beads of sweat to appear on your upper lip and/or forehead during consumption.

Interesting enough -- as a kid, we were allowed to sit at the first counter/bar inside the door and eat. In those days, most establishments that served alcohol was off limits to minors....the Deerhead had a resturant license and that was our salvation. Black people could only stand inside the front door and order to go. About a dozen older/greasy mounted deerheads lined both side walls in the rear seating area of the place. And that Hotel Olivere? Hundreds of Deerhead hot dogs were delivered as "room service" to a lot of the hotel guests. When not stuffing myself with as many hot dogs that I could hold, I was usually out front on the sidewalk with my shoeshine box earning enough money for -- yep, another Deerhead dog.

Mike Lehane

In cheese lies beauty -- and hope

My meanderings lead from time to time to what has become a mecca of sorts for gourmet food shopping in Delaware -- Greenville, in the stretch of Lancaster Pike that includes Janssen's Fine Foods and (at least for now) the Food Source. While I generally favor Janssen's (out of local loyalty and better prices), Food Source can be a fairly entertaining way to whittle away an hour or so, especially amid the stellar oil-and-vinegar section and at the meat counter, where the massive slabs of dry-aged beef inspire some inventive rationalizing about what I can justifiably spend on dinner. Their house-made sausage is among the best around, and while I admire their diligence at providing offbeat cheeses, I inevitably find myself schlepping on to Janssen's for those treats.

Partly, that's because the folks at Janssen's are so well-informed and inclined to help us indecisive cheese-browsing foodies, and because a trip inevitably leads to a few revelations in taste. This week that included the discovery of a remarkable California-made artisanal cheddar, crumbly and crystalline and so far beyond most cheddars that it almost deserves a new name. An old friend also rested on the shelf: A "Swiss" cheese that possesses the capacity to forever alter your perceptions -- Cave-Aged Gruyere, turned and washed meticulously for months (perhaps by gentle monks?) in sandstone caverns.

Within its nutty, buttery, ineffably deep flavor, it proves how such a "humble" and "rustic" product as cheese can also be so refined and effortlessly elegant, raising amazement (once again) that the human race, through all its ugly guises, is still so artful and perceptive, so sensitive and creative, so attuned at times to what beautiful things can be achieved with simple elements -- milk brings cheese; brush and canvas bring art; pen and pencil open realms of the imagination too dense and fulfilling to believe.

Perhaps we are not doomed after all.