Riverfront Market

Are you a Riverfront Market shopper?

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

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

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

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

Martha gets the lowdown from Mario

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

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

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

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

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

"Emeril Live" gets the boot

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

Thanksgiving aftermath

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

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

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

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

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

Reader mail

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

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

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

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

Last-Minute Marys

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



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



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

You are what you eat

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gobble, gobble

Preach it, live it.

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

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

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

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

Bar hopping and new Ruhlman interview

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

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

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

Reader mail

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Robyn

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

Hotel du Pont pies

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

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

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

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

Looking for a new cocktail?

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

Ginger rum with numbing cubes

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

2 tablespoons sugar

Juice of 1 lemon with zest, minced

Water for 2 trays of ice

1 cup Gosling's Black Seal rum

3 cups ginger ale (preferably Reed's)

1 lime, cut into wedges

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

Texting for pizza

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

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

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

More pumpkin soup

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

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

Back from the Big Apple and chat with Morimoto

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

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

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

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

Morimoto

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

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

Banana "dream" pie

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



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

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

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

Reader mail

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

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

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

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

Phillippe looks toward the screen, not the stove

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

Apparently, neither could he.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hi Ryan,

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

Hope you're doing well!

Best regards,

Grimly

Thanksgiving pre-dinner nibble

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

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

Goat cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomato terrine

10 ounces goat cheese

1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)

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

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

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Pita chips or crackers for serving

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

Italian pumpkin soup

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

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

Dumb Thanksgiving ideas

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

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

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

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

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

Blue Pear Bistro

Before I went on vacation, I had dinner at the new Blue Pear Bistro near West Chester, Pa. It's the new eatery next door to the Dilworthtown Inn. (Same owners.)
Really enjoyable dining experience. The restaurant, once one of the America's oldest country stores, is much more casual than the Dilworthtown Inn.
The menu is divided into "small" plates and "medium" plates. The 75-seat eatery has a liquor license - and a large bar - but you can also tote in your own wine. (Corkage fee, however, is $10.)
The menu may have already changed since my visit, but we enjoyed Chef David Fogelman's chicken nuggets with white truffle and mustard, mushroom crepes, pan-roasted salmon, barbecue beef short ribs and house made fries. Prices range from $6 to $21.
Definitely worth a visit. Make a reservation. Call 610-399-9812 It was dinner only in October but Jim Barnes, who owns the eatery with Bob Raffeto, said they were planning on starting a lunch service soon.

Buon giorno

Ciao, my food friends.
It's good to be back after a nearly 3-week sojourn to Slovenia and Italy - with a long layover in Munich. (So funny to see people eating scrambled eggs and sliced wurst for breakfast along with pints of beer. I opted for ham, crusty rolls and coffee. )
I'm facing a landslide of email and an overflowing amount of snail mail. I've poured myself a big cup of Joe to face this uneviable task but, alas, it just doesn't compare to the wonderful coffee in the beautiful city of Trieste.
I've got lots of food and wine adventures to share. (It was fresh porcini mushroom season in Italy and I ate more than my fair share of funghi.) Also, look for a story soon on struklji and zlikrofi, which are two different Slovene dumplings. (I took a really fun cooking class in Slovenia and chefs Bogdan and Claudi shared some secrets with me. Oh, and, if can hunt it down, you must try a bottle of Vitovska. It's a white Slovene wine, made from a native grape. It's usually unfiltered and is very interesting.)
My favorite meal was probably a light bean soup with cavolo nero cabbage, braised wild boar (cinghiale) over polenta and roasted rabbit and grilled eggplant made in Tuscany by my friends Janet and Stefano. (Nothing compares to a meal at the home of good friends who are also brilliant cooks.)
But I'm still dreaming about the hot, crispy fried soft shell crabs, the size of silver dollars, the black tagiolini with lobster sauce and the great bottle of Soave I had in Venice. Oh, and the risotto with artichokes....
I could go on and on. OK, more to come, but first I need to open some mail and catch up on the local news. And I guess it's no longer PC to drink wine during a 2-hour lunch....Big sigh! We have a lot to learn from the Italians when it comes to eating and drinking.