See you Tuesday

Enjoy the long weekend whether you're in Wilmington or Dover or Rehoboth Beach or Stone Harbor, N.J., or somewhere out-of-sight cool and relaxing. (Summer isn't officially over until autumn begins Sept. 23, but doesn't it already feel done, over, out?)

We'll be back with new posts on Tuesday. So eat and drink something delightful this weekend and be prepared to tell me all about it. That's your homework. No crying about the homework. Look, summer is deader than Lindsay Lohan's career, okay? Move on already. Geez.

Reader mail

Reader mail returns! Send in your queries. We run your thoughts and our answers every Friday.

QUESTION: We had our wedding rehearsal at the Chadds Ford Inn 20 years ago. We went back for our 5-, 10- and 15-year anniversary. We wanted to try the new Brandywine Prime, but have heard some negative reports from some people that went to it right after it opened. They said the service was very bad, it was overpriced, and they did not like the decor. The food was ok. What is it like now? Any suggestions for some other special place? We love Dilworthtown Inn. I heard of someplace (Gilmores?) in West Chester, and another (Sedona?)in Kennett. Thanks, Bob.

ANSWER: Bob, first off, congratulations on the anniversary. I heard the same rumblings about Brandywine Prime soon after it opened. (I also remember, during the winter, it was very cold inside the restaurant.) I believe many of the problems have been addressed. Some restaurants stumble out of the starting gate and have a hard time recovering. But Brandywine Prime owners Dan Butler (Toscana Kitchen + Bar and Deep Blue), Mike Majewski and Paul Bouchard are all dedicated restaurant guys who care about quality and listen to customer feedback. I had a meal there (ceviche, calamari and dry aged ribeye with exotic mushrooms) and really enjoyed it -the wine list also is definitely worth paging through. My one quibble: the young wait staff seemed pretty green. In an April 20 review, Eric Ruth wrote "servers may not always be there when you want them (my companion's draft beer is presumably still en route), and the food isn't always pushing the envelope as hard as it might, but Brandywine Prime nonetheless stands as one of the most significant, appealing additions to upscale regional dining in years. He gave it three stars (very good.)
Gilmore's is a completely different dining experience. Owner Peter Gilmore is an alum of Le Bec-Fin and brings a French sensibility to his cozy 35-seat West Chester BYO restaurant, located in a townhouse at 133 E. Gay St. I love this restaurant, especially for a special occasion. (If you go, get the "candy apple mousse" - if it's still on the menu. The kitchen creates a candy apple sugar sculpture and fills it with chocolate mousse. It's a work of art.) Don't know Sedona - maybe you mean Savona, 100 Old Gulph Road, Gulph Mills, Pa.; (610) 520-1200? This French/Italian restaurant gets raves. Haven't been. But here's the web site, www.savonarestaurant.com. Or maybe you want to give the Fair Hill Inn a shot? What about The Orchard, a BYO in Kennett Square?

QUESTION: My wife and I retired to the Lewes area 2 years ago and have given up hope of finding good Italian restaurants in Sussex. We tried at least 6 different places. Two of which turned out to be not bad the first visit. We always go back to see if they can replicate themselves. Unfortunately, they just can't do it. Two phrases that seems never to be heard by them is 'Al Dente". The pastas are served overcooked to the point of mushiness. The other word is spices. The sauces are bland and tasteless and generally seem to be heated up out of the can. No garlic taste, no taste of basil, no oregano.....Nothing. It seems we have to wait until we go back to New York to have good Italian food. So my question to you is; Do you know of any reasonably good Italian Restaurants in Sussex? I'd be willing to bet if you have we have tried them..... Thanks for any info you can provide. Lost without our Italian food-Joe Roche Milton DE
ANSWER: Joe, your letter reminds me of an email I once received from a wonderfully witty colleague who lives in Kent County. He said "down this way, most people probably think Al Dente is some guy from 'The Sopranos.'"
"Italian" food is so diverse. Southern Italian is more tomatoes and garlic; it's so different than the "Italian" food served in the Veneto region. Go to Trieste and you'll get pork and sauerkraut, which is considered Italian. I could go on and on. I'm a student of Italian cuisine and travel and eat around the country every fall.
Have you tried La Rosa Negra in Lewes? Or maybe Ristorante Zebra, 32 Lake Ave., Rehoboth; 226-1160? There's DiFebo's in Bethany Beach and Adriatico in Midway and Rehoboth. Or perhaps, if you want to drive a bit, Tutti Gusti in Ocean City, Md.?

Crabby

Does slacking off one day from the blog make me a slogger? Sorry, faithful readers, busy days at the NJ and my partner in crime, the always eloquent Eric Ruth, is on vacation this week. I'm sure he's doing some major investigative food journalism which hopefully involves a beach and a frosty beverage.

So, did you read Molly Murray's story today about crabbing? Somehow, I've let the whole summer go by without once picking hardshell crabs in a crab shack.

How did this happen? I love the smell of Old Bay in the morning. Life doesn't get any better than sitting at table wrapped in brown paper and picking steaming hot crabs until your fingers are covered with little cuts and burn from all the salty, spicy seasoning. Heck, I don't even mind, much, the greenish yellow mustard (crab fat). And I know better than to eat the devil fingers (the spongy and unedible gills.)

My favorite side order with crabs? More crabs, please.

And washing it all down with an icy cold draft, or two, or three, is pure heaven. (Did you notice that the great crab houses always seem to have country music playing?)

Regular mallet tappers know that the best crabs - i.e. the fattest, heaviest crabs - can always be found in September. This weekend, I'm determined to gather the gang and feast on crabs.

Let the shells go a flyin'!

Where should we go? My heart usually belongs to Lazy Susan's in Lewes or The Tap Room in Chesapeake City, Md. The Hill Top off Pa. 41 near Avondale, Pa., will do in a pinch as will Lestardo's in New Castle. Kelly's Tavern in Port Penn is another favorite haunt, though you can't bring your kids there. They only have a bar license. Haven't been to Boondocks or Sambo's Tavern - another no kid establishment- both in Leipsic, in a few years. Still worth a visit?

Spill your secrets. What is the best crabhouse around?

Comment, comment, comment.

Welcome to Ramsay's hell

Gordon Ramsay is the kind of pithy, quote spewing chef that food journalists pray to interview. The "Hell's Kitchen" host and potty mouth chef gives his opinion about an upcoming $1 million lawsuit. (A restaurateur isn't happy about an upcoming episode of Ramsay's new series "Kitchen Nightmares.")

"[The plaintiff] is a man who got very scared and very embarrassed about his lack of professionalism.... We were issued a writ because, God bless America, if the toilet paper is not thick enough and you come out with a rash on your ass [you get sued]," Ramsay said.

Gold, people, gold.

Bourdain in Cleveland with a Wilmington connection

Got home late last night and missed the beginning of "No Reservations." (Some day, I'll remember to set the DVR.) Aside from "Top Chef," this is my favorite TV show - ever. (It's on at 10 p.m. Mondays on the Travel Channel) "No Reservations" is a travel/food show hosted by the fabulously witty Anthony Bourdain. Last night, Bourdain visited Cleveland. He broke bread with Harvey Pekar, best known for his autobiographical slice-of-life comic book series "American Splendor", and his wife Joyce Brabner, who used to co-own a Wilmington, Del., comic store with, I believe, artist Tom Watkins. (What happened to Watkins? I thought his style was really original.) Scenes from "No Reservations" morphed into "American Splendor" illustrations. Very, very cool. No big surprise this series got an Emmy nomination. I've got to catch a re-run.

"You don't pull the mask off the ole Lone Ranger..."

Philadelphia magazine has published a photo of Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan.

LaBan is being sued by a restaurateur who objected to the reviewer's critical remarks about a "miserably tough and fatty" steak.

Philly mag editor Larry Platt doesn't see the big prob with pulling the mask off LaBan.

"This whole debate of his anonymity just smacks of so much self-importance," Platt says.

"Listen, the guy eats meals and writes about them. He's not Valerie Plame, okay?"

No freebie just a little sympathy

You can tell school is back in season, especially around the UD's Newark campus. Seasons Pizza on Main Street put up a sign reading "Woo hoo! Welcome back students" and the crowds returned to Main Street restaurants.
We dropped into Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant for dinner just before the crush of people. Iron Hill is always a reliable dining experience and the wait staff is friendly and usually polished. But, just a pet peeve, why don't they make the tables a little bigger or the apps plates a little smaller? We had a table of four and we were trying to share two appetizers - and the kid with us was eating a pizza - but there was barely any room on the table. We had to put salt shakers and other things on the floor.
When the food runner came out with plates for our appetizers, he dropped one on my mother. It hit her wrist bone and it hurt.
She gave out a "Ouch!" and the runner says, "Oh sorry. Want me to bring over a manager so you can get something free?"
Are you kidding me? What kind of reaction is that? To me, a more heartful apology is always nicer than a freebie, which, for the record, we didn't ask for or receive.

Dino dinner

I'm a sucker for any dinosaur tidbit and I love this one from National Geographic:

Today's top athletes would be no contest for meat-eating dinosaurs that ran on two feet, according to new computer simulations of how the extinct predators moved.

"Now I'm no slouch, I can run, but … I think I'd end up being lunch for T. rex," said Phillip Manning, a paleontologist at Britain's University of Manchester.

Tyrannosaurus rex could reach a top speed of 18 miles an hour.

SIW, one last time

Food writers don't like to keep secrets. That was what I told a caller who complained that I spilled the beans on her favorite place by writing about H.G. Haskell's SIW Vegetable stand in Chadds Ford, Pa. She said that now it was being overrun with newcomers and she didn't like it one bit.

Oh well.....

I just went to the stand at lunchtime - wanted to pick up a variety of heirloom tomatoes and Claudio's fresh mozzarella cheese in brine to make caprese - and yep, there were a lot more cars than usual in the parking lot. You could tell the stand has been quite busy and the bins weren't as full as they usually are. But the refrigerator had plenty of cheese and homemade salsa. Darn, no Hawaiian heirlooms - that's one in the photo. A pretty good assortment of heirlooms, although not nearly as many as last week. The rain could be blamed...

One last time - this is how you get to the SIW stand. (Loyal regulars usually just call it "Haskell's") :

Take Del. 141 north, turn left on Del. route 100 (Montchanin Road) - follow the signs for Route 100 and STAY on Route 100 (After the first 2 miles, you'll have to turn LEFT to stay on MONTCHANIN RD / DE-100. Then, you'll cross into Pennsylvania. This is a winding "back" road. You'll travel on it for a while and you'll go pass Center Meeting Road. Route 100 eventually becomes Chadds Ford Road. Keep an eye out for the white SIW sign. It's on the right side of the roadway. There's a parking lot. The actually address for the stand is 4317 S. Creek Roadm Chadds Ford, Pa.

(If you keep following Route 100 you'll eventually come out onto U.S. 1 - directly across the old Chadds Ford Inn, which is now Brandywine Prime restaurant.)

The Big No

The Big Mac, the triple-decker burger that may have contributed to America's growing obesity epidemic, is turning 40. I'm not celebrating. Are you?

Sipping wine through a straw

First screw caps. Now sippy boxes?

Could you imagine drinking wine from a juice box?

Cordier Mestrezat Grands Crus, whose top-end wines can sell for about $3,300 a bottle, is the first high-end wine producer from Bordeaux -- the region best known for its prestigious and pricey red wines -- to put wine in a box. It now will sell an 8.5 ounce carton that comes with a special straw with four holes, designed to spray the wine into the mouth. Check out the story today in The Wall Street Journal.

I've liked the mini cans of Sofia sparkling wine - they're pink and come with a straw - so sippy boxes aren't as far-fetched as it sounds.

Pan Asian in Bear

Sometimes, you go to a restaurant with great expectations and leave underwhelmed. That's kind of how I felt about Kenny's Pan Asian Cuisine, 122 Quintilio Drive, Governors Square II shopping center, Bear. See my review. Is Paula Deen working in the kitchen? Or one of her ardent fans? Someone at Kenny's really loves flavored mayonnaise. It was drizzled on almost every roll we ordered. I would, however, go back for the Thai beef salad and lemongrass soup. Though, I think Sweet Basil, a BYO not too far over the Delaware line on U.S. 202, and Tasti Thai on Del. 273 are better choices for Thai food.

More Top Chef news

Ilan Hall, the top toque on last season's "Top Chef" TV series on Bravo, will show off his skills preparing his favorite mushroom dishes at this year's 22nd annual Kennett Square (Pa.) Mushroom Festival taking place Sept. 8-9.

Former Top Chef contestant, Miguel Morales, also returns. He cooked at festival last year and then hung out at Toscana restaurant in Wilmington.

Top Chef recap

It was Restaurant Wars Part Deux tonight and, damn, did Sara step up to the plate as executive chef and surprise the hell out of me.
Wow, girl, way to tell Howie that his chops were underdone and needed to be grilled again. Lamb chops are supposed to be served rare, not Mary had a Little Lamb raw.
Take that Baldie! Who's the Bruiser now?
Too bad Casey didn't fare as well. Grandmom Moses could have chopped onions faster than she did. And what was up with the sawing motion when she was slicing? I just know that every chef who watches this will be cringing at her scary, scary knife skills. This was as painful to watch as Rachael Ray when she uses baby talk expressions like "sammies" and "EVOO."
Brian's oyster shucking technique though was pretty sweet. That's a true skill - which he had better possess since he works in a seafood restaurant. You have to get the knife in just right to pop open the oyster shell. I've seen people slice up their hands while trying to shuck. (When I say people, I mean, um, well, me. For me, shucking is one of those "don't try this at home" activities. Too many Band-Aids are involved. That's why God invented raw oyster bars.)
What was the point of having Madonna's brother be a guest? My eyes rolled to the back of my head when this celebrity wannabe was on screen. Christopher Ciccone go home and make a few more pointy cone bras for your sister's next concert tour and stay off my favorite reality show.
And why was sommelier/ex-contestant Stephen pouring wines? That was stupid and pointless. Kind of like Stephen.
Tre was the obvious choice to get 86'ed tonight but I'm sorry to see him go. He was a class act and I'm sure he'll pop up somewhere soon.
Maybe he'll even make it back to the Meals from the Masters Celebrity Chefs' Brunch in Wilmington. Here's hoping.

New Zagat Guide on stands

Philly area diners aren't cheapies when it comes to service, according to the 2008 Philadelphia edition of the "burgundy bible" - the Zagat Survey - which was released today.

Diners leave an average of 19.4% on top of the bill - and remain among the nation's highest tippers.

Hey big spenders!

"It's cheaper to eat in Philly than in other major cities. Possibly, as a result, Philadelphians have become the nation's best tippers," said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey.

The average cost of a meal in Philadelphia is $32.81; it's below the national average of $33.28, and roughly $7 below New York's average of $39.43. It also ranks below other major cities such as San Francisco and Las Vegas.

The 2008 Philadelphia Zagat (pronounce it zuh-GAT) Survey covers 979 eateries in the Philadelphia area and in nearby New Jersey and Delaware. It includes 129 notable newcomers. The ratings and reviews come from the comments of 5,035 avid diners, who submitted their responses via ZAGAT.com.

Here are a few highlights culled from this year's survey:

- Philadelphia diners continue to favor Italian cuisine with 29% of the vote, followed by American (14%), French (13%) and Japanese (11%).

- New York City top-chef Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin) is currently collaborating on a restaurant to debut in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton.

- Although Philly has traditionally been home to many outstanding BYO restaurants, the real surprise this year is that most high profile newcomers have drinks on the menu: for example, New Americans James, and Rae; Mediterranean Mecca Water Works; Mexican Xochitl; and Jose Garces' new Basque bistro, Tinto.

- Gastropubs are also on diners' radar, with Sidecar, St. Stephens Green, yello'bar and Zot seducing surveyors with their notable drinks lists.

- Philadelphia's appetite for upscale chains that sport liquor licenses also grew this year, with branches such as Fogo de Chão settling in and other chains slated to arrive.

- In the coming months, P.F. Chang's will roll out several locations, while brand name steakhouse Del Frisco's Double Eagle will open in Center City in 2008.

Hanging at SIW with H.G.

Judging by the number of phone calls I've received this morning, I really should have included a map to go along with today's story on SIW Vegetables off Route 100 in Chadds Ford, Pa.

Most people who know the stand - and can find it - just call it Haskell's. Here's the stand's phone number, (610) 388-7491, tho, the phone isn't always answered. Click on here for a map.

SIW, it stands for Stepped In What?? - is run by H.G. Haskell III who grows 85 varieties of heirloom tomatoes on his family's 60-acre Hill Girt farm. If you love heirloom tomatoes and vegetables, you've got to check it out. I'm going back for eggplant this week.

News Journal photographer Fred Comegys and I spent a morning at the stand last Wednesday and we had a ball. H.G. has a great sense of humor and his customers are very, very loyal. Some didn't want me to write about the place - they want to keep it all for themselves. Sorry, guys, my job is to share the wealth.

The Pleasures of the Pig

Perhaps no creature offers more pleasure per pound than the lowly pig, which culture has chopped, processed, cured, cooked and coddled for millenia. American bacon stands as a nearly unrivaled pleasure for me and many others. The fatty, tough rib cut can be turned into a substance of nearly poetic proportions thanks to Southerners. Armed (?) with just a pork shoulder, a few spices and some water, the most inept home cook can create the most tender and sublime dishes as if by magic.

Yet perhaps no culture has done so much with such a humble ingredient than the Italians and Spanish, who have created one of the finest hams ever made "simply" by throwing a whole hog leg into a vat of salt and letting it sit and fester for month after month. The Italians call the result Prosciutto di Parma, the Spaniards' version is called Iberian Serrano ham (jamón); both reveal a silky/salty/chewy sexiness when sliced thin.

Predictably, the quest for these high-end hams has led to the elevation of even finer grades -- now, a producer in Spain has created the ultimate: a $160-per-pound artisinal Iberian ham called the 2006 Alba Quercus Reserve. "It is the most important ham in Spain," the AP quotes Pedro Soley, a Barcelona connoisseur. Here are a few tempting outtakes from the story:

>> The ham's mastermind, Manuel Maldonado, 44, comes from a long line of ham producers in a country that's nuts about the stuff. In bars and restaurants, legs of ham hanging from the wall are as common as TV sets.

But Maldonado is taking the art of the ham to new heights, pampering his pigs with a free-range lifestyle and top-quality diet of acorns before slaughtering them, then curing the meat for two years — twice as long as his competitors.

After the pigs are butchered, they are cured in high-grade sea salts and refrigerated at 39 degrees. The salt is wiped off after about 12 days. Over the course of the next three months, the temperature is gradually raised to 68 degrees.

The hams then are brought into one of Maldonado's two warehouse-size cellars where they cure for two years.<<

The price of a whole leg? Just $2,100. You can order yours at www.ibergour.com.

King tut and Egyptian cuisine

Went to see the "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaoahs" exhibit at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute Science Museum. If you haven't been, you really should get tickets soon. (Go after 4 p.m. through Labor Day and the exhibit and IMAX film about mummies is $25.) The show ends Sept. 30. The IMAX film is pretty good, though a little cheesy. I was hoping it would be more of a documentary, but it has some goofy reenactments. The actress playing Queen Nefretiti reminded me of a showgirl that you'd see at the Luxor in Vegas.

While I don't think the exhibit rivals the Egyptian antiquities in London's British Museum, the collection in Philadelphia is still amazing. One thing, however: Even though the famous "death mask" of Tut is shown in all the posters advertising the show, it is NOT a part of this exhibit. (I think that's misleading.) Nor is Tut's sarcophagus - though there is another sarcoghagus that is fascinating. (The photo above is an alabaster sculpture of King Tutankhamun (1332 to 1323 B.C); it is included in the exhibit.)

Still, I got chill bumps seeing Tut's tiny throne and the solid gold miniature coffin, similar to the sarcophagus, that held his liver. You'll learn all kinds of "hey, did you know" facts such as before a body was mummified, the brains were removed by inserting a long rod with a hooked end through the nostrils. (Hope you weren't eating just then.) I also got a kick out the Shabti figurines included in Tut's tomb. When called upon, these statues - some which looked like ancient Barbie dolls - could magically act as his servants in the afterlife. Some days, I wish I had my own Shabit to do my work.

Make sure you get the audio tour. Omar Sharif is the narrator.

We thought about having an Egyptian dinner after the show, but I couldn't think of an Egyptian restaurant in Philly. And, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure what Egyptian cuisine is. The museum does have a cafe, but we didn't want to eat there.

Instead, we headed to South Philly and ate at Mezza Luna, a little Italian restaurant at Eighth and Catherine streets. I had a terrific pasta made with fresh tomatoes, crab meat, basil and olive oil. The night's special appetizer was eggplant involtini - grilled eggplant rolled with ricotta cheese and basil. It was wonderful.

All through dinner, we talked about the exhibit - just not the brain removal technique.

Where there's smoke....

Hey foodies, TGIF. Has summer flown by or what?? No way am I ready yet for falling leaves (and raking). I remember going to a Bruce Springsteen concert years ago and Bruce saying how this time of year always reminds him of getting ready to go back to school. He was so glad he didn't have to do it anymore. I feel the same way, Boss.

I'm not willing to let go of summer just yet. That's why a great summer activity - barbecue - is on the plate today. But instead of manning the grill - or smoker - we let others do the grillin', while we did the chillin'. Check out my story in 55 Hours about three very different roadside "barbecue" places selling everything from fajitas to smoked beef brisket.

OK, so I know there's a big difference between barbecue and grilling. But for the sake of argument, let's just go with the word barbecue which many people think of when they see smoke. (Regardless of whether the cook is using direct or indirect heat.)

I've long loved the Greenwood Fire Company chicken guys in Sussex County - these guys, who share the stand with a local VFW Post - have been cooking for almost 50 years! If you're a true Delawarean and want to support local folks, you gotta get chicken there at least once in your life. It's only 6 beans!

And now I will be a frequent customer at Durham's Best Barbecue in Elkton, Md. Loved, loved the smoked brisket sandwich at this little log cabin on Fletchwood Road. (And maybe, just maybe, I'll buy a whole smoked turkey there this year for Thanksgiving. So glad you brought this up during our interview, Diana Durham.)

Everyone at the El Rancho in Avondale, Pa., was very nice and helpful. (Thanks Humberto for warning me about the heat level in arbol chilies! If I ate that long slender chili in the charro beans, believe me, it wouldn't have been pretty.) Don't worry if you can't speak Spanish. Some signs are in English, some of the cooks do speak English and using the polite finger point will always help you out in a pinch.

It was fun sitting at the picnic table at this outside stand, listening to Spanish music and putting together our own tacos. (They sell you a complete meal, though sometimes they do sell individual tacos - I haven't yet figured out why they don't sell the tacos every week.) If you go there, make sure you check out the produce at Glen Willow Orchards - just across the road. It's a great farmstand. I got a wonderfully sweet, yellow seedless watermelon there recently. The taste reminded me of pineapples. Just keep in mind, the farmstand is closed on Sundays.)

Do you know any great BBQ stands? If so - speak! speak! Or rather, comment! comment!

Top Chef recap

The guest chefs this year on "Top Chef" are some of the heavy-weights in the industry.
Last night, Daniel Boulud pulled up a chair at the judges tables.
Boulud is the owner of Restaurant Daniel in New York. The cost of a meal there, according to the Zagat Restaurant Survey, is on par with "Ivy League tuition."

Boulud also created a $120 hamburger that's served at his French-American bistros. Crazy rich people and food writers with expense accounts buy this burger. (I hear it's better than the $100 "cheesesteak" at Barclay Prime in Philly, which I have actually tried. Thankfully, a good buddy, writing an article for a top-tier food magazine, picked up the tab on that dinner. Don't order this gimmicky dish. Get Barclay's cheaper, and much better tasting, sliders instead.)

Cooking for Boulud has to be pretty nerve-wracking. Boulud is one of those chefs that make other chefs weak in the knees. He is that good. Get a copy of his cookbook "Braise" and you will be very happy.
The quickfire challenge was to make a burger. So what does Sara do? She makes a crabcake. In fact, almost everyone else seemed to jump on the seafood bandwagon. I thought Dale's fried egg/tuna creation looked particularly unappealing. Fried eggs should never be on burgers, yet alone tuna burgers. CJ won with a scallop and shrimp mousse cake. (Georges Perrier of Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia and Peter Gilmore of Gilmore's in West Chester, Pa., also use a shrimp mousse base in their crabcakes. The cakes are melt in your mouth wonderful. The recipe is in George Perrier's cookbook.) I dunno, as much as I like the idea, it's still not a burger to me. I would have given this one to Howie, sweat and all.
The elimination challenge - where no one got eliminated this week - was for the contestants to break up into teams and create their own restaurants. Calling a restaurant The Garage is a really bad move. (It's like La Tolteca changing their name to that word - Tonalteca?? - that no one can pronounce or remember.) And Dale's bizarre decision for selecting vanilla-scented candles should have sent him packing. C'mon, that's culinary school 101. You never let anything compete with the aroma of your food.
I began losing my appetite watching dishes come of the kitchen. Maybe it's the summer heat here now, but I just don't have the stomach for heavy food - braised lamb??? and risotto with mushrooms and foie gras?? - when the temperatures begin to rise.
All the chefs get a reprieve. Next week, they get to try to run the restaurants again. In real life, you only get one start out the gate. Fall on your first night opening and the paying public isn't going to be very forgiving.

Slow down when it comes to veggies

I could easily become a vegetarian - well, just this summer anyway. The amazing produce available now at farmstands is so inspiring that all I want to do is buy it and get busy in the kitchen.
Russ Parsons, one of my favorite food writers, has a must-read story in today's Los Angeles Times that encourages readers to slow-cook vegetables.

"While we modern cooks have made a cult of crispness since the introduction of nouvelle cuisine back in the 1970s, it pays to remember that sometimes it takes long cooking to bring out flavor," he writes.
"And while it may seem paradoxical, that's especially true in the summertime. Well-cooked vegetables have depth and richness. Even better, they are usually served at room temperature. Though some of their bright colors may have faded a bit, and though their crisp textures may have softened to the point that they flop lazily on a fork, this gives them a cool languor that is infinitely appealing when the weather is scorching."

Corn nugget crab cakes

If you love corn and crab - and you're an ambitious cook - please give today's corn nugget crab cakes a try.

I loved this dish. True, the recipe does take some time and effort, but I thought the payoff was worth it. It's a recipe from Michel Richard, a celebrated Washington, D.C., chef. I came across the dish while reading Richard's inspiring cookbook "Happy in the Kitchen." The foreword is written by Thomas Keller, considered one of the country's finest chefs. (He owns the French Laundry and Per Se restaurants.)

Richard had me with this sentence:

"Like many Europeans, I thought corn was something that cows ate, not people. But now that I have happily lived through more than 30 American summers eating fresh-picked,buttery sweet corn across the country, from Connecticut to Kansas to California, I somethimes think I could be very happy as an American cow."

When chefs fight

The bickering, bullying, cattiness and biting comments each week on the Bravo TV series "Top Chef" are nothing compared to the behind the scenes blogs being served up on the Bravo web site by guest judges Rocco DiSpirito and Anthony Bourdain.

These two guys, both former New York restaurant chefs, don't like each other. At all. And, lucky for us, they're not afraid to let the world know it.
Go to the web site and you can read their back and forth comments. Man, it's getting good. (Don't even bother with Gail's boring ass blog. Ted Allen's, though, is worth a look. You can so tell he's enjoying this cat fight.)

Hey, Bravo - get these guys on a episode together soon. Seriously. Who needs schweaty bulldog Howie? I'd much rather see Anthony Bourdain bitch slap Rocco. Or vice versa.

Brownie points

Can you build a better brownie?

If you're lover of brownie corners and the crusty edges, then a maze-shaped Baker's Edge Brownie Pan should earn a place in your kitchen cabinet.

The pan creates at least two crusty edges for every slice. It's $36, which certainly isn't cheap, but sometimes you have to pay for creativity. Visit http://www.fredflare.com/.

Smell the sausage this Wednesday

Want to see the biggest touring grill in the world?

The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill, which weighs more than 53,000 pound, measures 65 feet long and requires its own semi-truck to haul it around, is coming Wednesday to the Acme Market in Lantana Square in Hockessin.

The grill can cook more than 750 bratwurst at a time or approximately 2,500 per hour.

Brats will be grilled in the Hockessin parking lot from 3 to 6 p.m.

Down on the SIW farm

I'm obsessed with farm stands this summer. I can't stop buying local, fresh produce. And now, another really cool one that will feed my obsession is SIW Vegetables off Route 100 in Chadds Ford, Pa.

OK, sorry if you already know about this place. I realize I'm coming to the SIW party 21 years late.

SIW Vegetables has been around since 1986 and sells produce off wagons. Drive along Rt. 100 toward Chadds Ford and it's on the right-side of the road. Don't go too fast or you'll miss it.

They have a small building for check out. The wagons are filled with more than 40 different local fruits and vegetables. The farm grows 65 plus varieties of heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn is picked fresh daily.

I stopped by on Friday and bought some wonderful yellow heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella made by Claudio's in Philadelphia. (This is the same Claudio's in the Italian Market on Ninth Street.) Woo-hoo! I'm thrilled I don't have to drive to Philly to get this cheese. I also got some fresh basil, very cool lemon cucumbers and baby eggplants.

I think I'm going back tomorrow for plums and peaches.

Reader mail

Hey foodies, I'm running questions on Thursday, since I won't have time on Friday. Actually, it's only one question; the mailbag is light this week. (Go ahead. Enjoy your vacations, people, while I'm here slaving away. I hope you're happy. Please, by all means, have a fruity umbrella drink for me.) Send any queries our way. Remember: we answer your dining questions on Fridays (or sometimes on Thursdays.)

QUESTION: I will be visiting Dewey in a few weeks. Have you done reviews for restaurants in Dewey? I am particularly interested in Two Seas. Connie

ANSWER: Connie, this question came up on July 20. Here's what we said then:

Ah, Dewey. I have so many memories of being a part of group homes where everyone had money for cocktails, but no one wanted to pony up for toilet paper, paper towels and light bulbs. Priorities, priorities. OK, so when I think Dewey Beach, I must say restaurants don't automatically come to mind. It's a town that has always been much more concerned about what is being poured in the glass, and not so much as what's being served on the plate. (See my buddy Ryan Cormier's blog.) But maybe I should give it a second look. Ryan gives forks up to the pizza at Mama Celeste's. And you certainly can't beat the view of Rehoboth Bay from the deck of the Rusty Rudder, 113 Dickinson Street & The Bay. But I can't endorse the food. Never, ever, had a good meal there. Get a drink, listen to the Island Boyz, the house steel band, and chow elsewhere. I have, however, always been a big booster of Sharky's Grill, an open-air food stand off Del. 1 and Read Avenue. Sharky's is named for co-owner Rick "Sharky" Shindledecker, a super-amiable guy who likes to chat up customers who occupy the tables and bar stools that dot the deck. You order at the counter and someone calls your name. You get free drinks refills. The Cuban sandwich, a combination of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese and dill pickles that's packed between a sliced roll and pressed on a griddle instantly became a hit with customers and continues to be the most popular offering at this beach-block stand.
One of the best breakfast spots is the Sunrise Restaurant, 2300 Highway One, 227-3202. And you certainly can't beat the breakfast and Bloody Mary bar at the Starboard, 2009 Highway One, (tho, sometimes, to me, the place smells like stale beer and frat house aromas are not what I want to be sniffing at 9 a.m. with my coffee and breakfast.) Venus on the Half Shell, Dagsworthy Street and the Bay, a dinner only, fine-dining spot with an Asian flair, has its fans.
Two summers ago, a bunch of us went to the Crabbers Cove, 113 Dickinson Street & The Bay, for all-you-can-eat crabs. Again, lovely view. Food got a collective "eh." (The crabs were overcooked.)
Two Seas Restaurant, 1300 Highway One; 227-2610; is another "fine-dining" spot, I've never been there, but it was a favorite of late, great News Journal editor Dave Hale. (Dave, we miss you buddy!)

Readers have given thumbs up to the burgers at the Dewey Beach Club, 1205 Highway One; 227-0669

Top Chef recap

Watching this episode made me think of an old movie starring Ken Wahl called "The Wanderers."
It had a great line: Don't mess with the baldies.
Well, mess wasn't the word that was used. I can't use the actual word here. But you get my drift.
Howie in all his schweaty, chrome dome glory, showed that baldies don't like to messed with. They will call people babies and bulldog their way during elimination rounds while shaking their body fluids all over every dish they serve.
Baldies do whatever it takes to stay in the game. They don't cry and pout about their cleavage showing.
Howie is kind of growing on me. And maybe Judge Tom can't bear to send a fellow Baldie home.
Anyway, Howie plays the villain so well, I'd hate to see him go anytime soon. Should we start a drinking game with Howie and sweat? Everytime sweat rolls down his face, you have to chug-a-lug? I'd pass out after the first 15 minutes.
But dude can't make a proper Cuban sandwich. In Miami. Of all places. Where a Cuban is as ubiquitious as a crab cake or sub is in Delaware. Now, that's just sad. Especially for a guy from Miami. Howie needs to get a few lessons from Sharkey's Grill in Dewey Beach. Sharkey serves an AWESOME Cuban sandwich.
OK, back to the episode.
The quickfire challenge was about creating ice cream mix-ins. How hard is that? "Any monkey" could do it, as Hung would say. But Hung didn't go the monkey route - nope, he was an ass and decided that white chocolate cauliflower foam might be right tasty in ice cream. Why? I have absolutely no idea. Cauliflower barely tastes good covered with cheese. And this monkey wants to use it in ice cream?
Casey's choice of Sriaracha was also bewildering. I love Sriaracha. I could drink Sriaracha. But this spicy Asian sauce on ice cream? Yecch!
The elimination round was to create "fried, drunkard food" - as CJ put it - for late night club hoppers. I can't believe the contestants were so stupid they actually thought they were going to a Miami nightclub rather than cook outside of one. Have any of these people EVER watched Top Chef before?
Sara N. made the mistake of whining about having to cook in a low cut shirt and high heels. For that, she was shown the door. I thought it was a little bogus. Have these guy judges ever stood in high heels for any length of time? Let alone try to cook in stilletos? Sorry, but that alone made her a winner in my eyes.
It reminds me of the old Fred Astaire - Ginger Rogers comparisons. Ginger did everything that Fred did - but she did it BACKWARDS and IN HEELS.
So while Howie should have packed his knives, I'm glad he'll be back next week. Who will he make cry next? I can't wait.
Don't mess with the baldies.

Caprese done right

Great article today in The San Francisco Chronicle about insalata caprese. Or, rather, what a caprese is not.
It does NOT have vinegar and especially not balsamic vinegar.
There are only five ingredients: tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, mozzarella and salt. That's it. That is the classic dish.
No vinegar is added, because Italians tend to eat their tomatoes a little less ripe than Americans. The tomatoes already have tartness which then contrasts with the soft, creamy cheese.
My biggest pet peeve is when the salad is served cold. Mozzarella and tomatoes are so much better at room temperature. That's the way to appreciate their full, fresh flavor. Refrigeration deadens the taste.
I have had burrata - a creamier mozzarella - served cold in restaurants and it's always a big disappointment.
Why bother serving the cheese if you're not going to do it properly?

Nicola Pizza Hell

Despite the perception that restaurant critics are all super-picky snobs, I'm a pretty laid-back guy when it comes to dining out, probably because I spent so much time working at restaurants. Waitress forgot my water? No big deal. Steak a little overdone? It happens.

All that tolerance comes to a screeching halt when I'm confronted with the one annoyance that bothers me above all else -- treating me and my guests differently than you treat someone else. Sometimes, that consists of preferential coddling for another table, while we sit and stew. Other times it might mean putting us at a booth back by the bathrooms when many others were obviously available.

The latest example of this inequity came at (of all places), the purposely homey and decidedly unfussy dining room of Nicola Pizza, home of the legendary Rehoboth Beach treat called the "Nic-O-Boli." One recent weekend evening found us stranded outside on the sidewalk, waiting for a table for three, which we were told would be available in "45 minutes to an hour."

Well, they were right about the wait (which is fine -- we we fairly warned), but what they failed to tell us was that they would proceed to seat every single party that came after us, while we cooled our heels. Table for four? Come right this way. Table for six? No problem. Yet our pathetic little table of three was passed by time after time, my blood pressure rising all the while. We asked the hostess what what happening ("Your table is nearly ready, sir"), but it became apparent that the procedure at Nicola is thus -- a table for three means one empty seat, and one empty seat means less money for the owners. The rule is clear: Only seat tables of three when all the 4-tops are taken care of.

To that I say to the folks at Nicola: Take your Nic-O-Bolis and get 'em stuffed. If I've been waiting 45 minutes, and a table for six opens up, you'd better damn well seat me before the six top that just arrived, or risk alienating me forever.

So my advice is thus -- if you and two guests go to Nicola on a weekend (a venture I would not recommend), tell them you are a party of four. Heck, go ahead and tell them you're a table of ten. You'll be seated faster, and you'll be able to sit back and enjoy all that extra room.

And be sure to bring your Alka Seltzer.

When it's this hot outside - the delawareonline.com weather report says its 90 degrees but feels like 103 ! - I don't feel like eating much. Fish, veggies and fruit tend to be my go-to foods.

Lunch today was a tomato and basil sandwich and some fresh plums. I purchased the tomatoes, basil and plums from Glen Willow Orchards in Avondale, Pa., one of my favorite farm markets. I went a little crazy there this past weekend and bought all kinds of produce, which I've been putting to good use. The dozen ears of corn I got were so sweet and juicy - you could almost eat them raw. I stripped the corn from the cob and used it for a corn nugget crab cake recipe (see photo) that I've been experimenting with from Washington, D.C. chef Michel Richard's fabulous cookbook "Happy in the Kitchen" (Artisan, 2006.) I can't wait to share this recipe with readers - look for it in the Aug. 15 Life section. It takes some work, but the payoff is worth it. The cake is paired with a homemade, chive-flecked tartar sauce.

Tonight, for dinner, I may do take-out sushi or sashimi from Okura Japanese Cuisine Restaurant, 703 Ace Memorial Drive, Hockessin; 239.8486. I was there for dinner last Friday - a shout out to the "Canterbury" crew for such a good time! - and forgot what a fine Japanese restaurant this is. We loved everything except the edamame, which was overcooked.

What's the deal with dill pickles?

I've spent hours of my life searching groceries for rare and delectable ingredients, from fresh foie gras to mushroom soy sauce to buckwheat flour. It's fun, and sometimes frustrating, but I've never encountered a more difficult mission than I have during my recent (and ongoing) search for dill pickles.

As a kid, there was always a jar tucked in the fridge, a salty treat that I favored on sultry summer days, and which I recently began craving again. No problem, I figure, just head out to the Acme or ShopRite and all will be right in my pickle-craving world.

Wrong. Despite diligent searching, I have yet to find a store that carries dill pickles, with the sole exception of Zingo's just outside of Newport. Oh, stores have plenty of "Kosher Dills," which fail to match the herby gusto of an authentic dill. I will continue the hunt -- a foray to Super G this morning was fruitless, but I suspect the good ol' Food Lion will be there for me.

Can anyone help me out of this pickle?

We all scream for paletas

When the mercury and humidity rise and the human spirit wilts, people seek icy relief.

One of the best places to find it is at Paleteria y Neveria Tocumbo, a Mexican-style ice cream parlor at 3322 Old Capitol Trail. It's located behind the Prices Corner Shopping Center in a small strip center that includes a discount cigarette outlet, a pizza shop and a taqueria.

I wrote about these fruity, juicy homemade ice pops two years ago, but haven't been there lately.

Tocumbo, a Mexican city, is considered the birthplace of paletas, Mexico's most popular frozen treats on a stick. (Paleteria is Spanish for an ice-pop parlor and neveria is an ice cream parlor.)

Paletas can be nondairy or cream-based. Tocumbo offers such fruit flavors as mamey, cherimoya, pineapple, lime, tamarind and mango.

Blogger Mike Matthews of Down with Absolutes told me he recently got a coconut bar and was "bowled over!"

"It was heavenly!" Matthews writes. "It was like sweetened coconut milk on a stick with all the delicious and chewy shredded coconut. My aunt and uncle RAVE about the butterscotch bars."

I'm so there.

Pala's: I'm not dead, yet

Don't shovel dirt onto Pala's Cafe grave just yet.

I just spoke with someone at the sixtysomething year-old Little Italy tavern a few minutes ago. Looks like the "World's Worst Pizza" place on Union Street in Wilmington will be open for another 30 days.

Enjoy this old school Wilmington institution while you can.

Asian Palace closed - for now.

The Asian Palace in Independence Mall shopping center off U.S. 202 has closed its doors, according to a recorded message. The restaurant will return somewhere else soon. Leave a message, 778-1488, if you're interested in finding how where the eatery will relocate.

There seems to be no middle ground when it came to the Palace. You either loved it passionately or hated it passionately.

And, believe me, I heard from readers in both camps.

Owner Barry Nickle had no tolerance for patrons who didn't follow his rules. (Woe to the customer who tried to seat themselves or, worse still, use a cell phone in his establishment.) Some people even referred to him as a popular Seinfeld character. You know whom I'm talking about. I thought the food made by his wife Selena was fantastic, but I must admit, I was always on edge when I dine there.

Nickle could be prickly. It was his house, and you played by his rules or - no food for you!

Reader mail

Reader mail is every Friday. You ask, we answer.

QUESTION: Hi Patricia, I wondering if you could recommend a nice, casual restaurant for about six this Friday night. We are celebrating my husband's birthday and would love to go somewhere highly recommended but, not too fancy. We were thinking Italian or maybe seafood. Thanks for your help. Kim.

ANSWER: Hi, Kim. Thanks for the letter. Not sure if you’re in New Castle County or not and what your price range is. If you’re looking for seafood, try Feby’s Fishery on Lancaster Pike (Del. 48) in Wilmington. The fresh fish of the day is listed on a black board at the entrance and you can get it fried, broiled or steamed. It’s a popular place. Eric Ruth gave a 2 1/2 star (good-to-very) review to Pomodoro, a new Italian restaurant on Union Street in Wilmington. Caffe Gelato on Main Street in Newark is another good Italian option - and you cannot leave without ordering the fantastic gelati. Not necessarily Italian or seafood restaurants, but I think you can never go wrong at Culinaria in Brandywine Hundred or Eclipse Bistro in Wilmington.
Check out the menus and see what appeals to you. Call for reservations at all of these restaurants, especially on a Friday night.

QUESTION: Hi, Patricia. Do you happen to have a copy of The News Journal article that ran a couple months ago about Whole Foods' plans to build a store at the intersection of Rt. 202 and Namaan's, please? I searched google and delawareonline without success. Also, nothing on the Whole Foods' website, but I do remember the article. Thank you. Lisa

ANSWER: Maureen Milford wrote that Woodlawn Trustees Inc. of Wilmington, one of the most influential Brandywine Valley landowners for more than 100 years, is moving forward with a plan to develop nearly 43 acres at U.S. 202 and Beaver Valley Road as an upscale shopping center. Whole Foods Market Inc. in Austin, Texas, a natural and organic foods supermarket, has expressed serious interest in leasing a more than 62,000-square-foot free-standing store in the center, said Pamela J. Scott, the lawyer on the project. Whole Foods would anchor the 200,000-square-foot center. It would be the chain's first supermarket in Delaware.
Amy Schaefer, spokeswoman for Whole Foods, said because of competitive pressures the company doesn't discuss potential sites. No other retailers have been named for the center. The project, which would require rezoning of the parcel, is expected to face an uphill battle from the community in getting the necessary land approvals.

Pala's Cafe to say goodbye?

I got a phone call that Pala's Cafe is bowing out on Saturday night after more than 60 years on Union Street in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood.
Delaware longtimers know Pala's, a city institution, as the home of the "World's Worst Pizza." The sign was always a big joke to family and regulars. Actually, the tavern - not a restaurant - used to serve one of Wilmington's best pizzas, along with good strombolis and chopped antipasto salads.
Wow. Pala's gone? This bums me out. I'm going to make a few phone calls and see what's up. I'll keep you posted.

Top Chef recap

"Top Chef" guest judge Rocco DiSpirito got little respect from the contestants. (Joey even called him an a--hole. Leave it to the New York boy to tell it like it is.)

Rocco needs a new stylist - stat. Why, oh, why orange hair? And the overly plucked eyebrows? What's up with that? Guys, I understand getting rid of a unibrow, but pluck a few too many hairs and you're just inviting comparisons to Joan Crawford. Or one of those Gotti brothers.

Instead of shilling cat food, the Big Roc now has pledged his allegiance to frozen pasta and Bertolli products. Big sigh! Rocco - you used to be someone! You used to be a contender! Sell-outs make me sad, sad, sad.

OK, the quickfire challenge with contestants guessing the ingredients placed before them was boring - I want cooking, people! - though it was encouraging to see arrogant Hung get knocked out when his smug mug incorrectly identified celery seed.

Elimination round was about making a frozen pasta that could be reheated. Wow, what a big surprise given that the new Bertolli pitchman was a guest. Timeout for a soap box moment. How hard is it to cook pasta? Please, it's between 6 to 11 minutes at the most. Are people in that much of a hurry that they can't take the time to toss pasta in salted boiling water and make something that would taste so much better than frozen bag food? This is the weird kind of thinking about cooking that makes Italians scratch their heads about Americans and their approach to food. That and drive-thru fast food. (Some friends and I tried once to explain drive-thrus to an Italian friend Stefano and he thought we were joking. He couldn't believe anyone would eat a meal in their car.) People in Italy drive really fast, but they slow down - and rightly so - when it comes to cooking and eating. Alright. I'm stepping down from the box.

Here are the episode highlights:

- During the quickfire challenge, did you know those green globes that Brian thought were heirloom tomatoes were eggplant? I didn't.

- Rocco trying oh-so earnestly to tout frozen pasta (a.k.a BERTOLLI pasta) and pontificating why home meal replacement (a BERTOLLI MEAL, that is!) is so important to consumers. Way to earn your paycheck, buddy. But you could tell Colicchio wasn't buying it. Have I said how much I like Tom?

- Rocco does, however, earn points by arguing with Tom about truffles being Mediterranean. I'm with you there, Roc. I'm not sure Tom made his point.

- How funny was it when CJ called Hung a douche?

- I'm with "bulldog" Howie. Tri-colored fusilli is cheesy - and boring.

- But Howie needs to wear a bandanna or something when he cooks. The ball of sweat hanging from his nose while he was cooking made me want to barf. I don't want someone's body fluids in my food.

- Joey didn't go out "screaming like a lunatic." Nope, he just cried like my favorite 4-year-old when she doesn't want to go to bed. I'm going to miss one of the Bruiser Boys. Howie is BB No. 2.

- Should Joey have exited this episode? I think the judges made a mistake. Sara would have been my choice.

Drinking and dining sometimes don't mix

The New York Times has a pretty amazing story today about diners who get tanked up in restaurants and do all kinds of crazy things - from undressing and acting like strippers to actually vomiting on the table.

I go to restaurants quite frequently and I must say I've never seen anyone spew at the table. (OK, well, I did see a couple of people lose it one year at The Starboard in Dewey Beach during the chicken wing eating contest, but that doesn't really count.)

In Las Vegas, I have seen liquored up people getting a little gropey at the table, but, right now, I can't recall anything really noteworthy.

The one thing that completely grosses me out - and that I see often - is women visiting the restroom and then begin talking on their cellphones once they're in the bathroom stall. Geez, Louise, who wants to be on the other end of that conversation? And once, I overheard a woman at a table near us tell her husband that she couldn't stand him, never loved him and wanted a divorce. I was so shocked. Isn't that something you should do at home?

What's the weirdest thing you've witnessed in a restaurant? Comment below.

Restaurateurs and servers, we'd LOVE to hear your stories.

Rocco rebound?

Top Chef" returns tonight with a new episode. Rocco DiSpirito is stepping in as guest judge.
This is going to be good. Rocco was once the king of New York cuisine - heck, he made the cover of Gourmet magazine due to his success at the former Union Pacific restaurant. Getting real estate in Gourmet is a big deal; Mrs. Ruth herself has to annoint a chef before he or she graces the cover of her magazine.
Then, he did something really stupid. He starred in a horrible reality show "The Restaurant" that showed him more interested in flirting than making fettucine. The restaurants tanked, he got a job on the radio and was then shown the door. Last I heard, he was shilling gourmet CAT FOOD. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
But here's the thing: I met Rocco at a party several years ago, way before "The Restaurant" fiasco. He was a really nice guy, humble even. A chef's chef - not that bozo he became on TV. I'd like to see that Rocco again. Here's hoping.