Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Top Chef recap - update
At first, I thought everyone was confusing new judge Toby Young - whom Padma called a "renowned food critic" - with A.A. Gill, one of the sharpest pens working for British newspapers.
Gill, a well-known if not infamous restaurant critic, once called f-bomb dropping Gordon Ramsay a wonderful chef, but "a second-rate human being." Ramsay paid Gill back by kicking him out of one of his restaurants - along with his companion Joan "Dynasty" Collins. The British press made hay out of those headlines for quite a while.
Young is probably best remembered, here in the U.S., for his book "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." The movie based on the book starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) came and went at the box office.
But Young has indeed been a hired fork for U.K. publications. Right now, though, I'm not sure if he's the right fit for "Top Chef."
I understand why Bravo wants to spice up the judges panel with a witty, sharp-tongued Brit. (The vanilla blandness of off-on-her-honeymoon judge Gail is way worse than making a dessert with Diet Dr. Pepper.)
Gill, a well-known if not infamous restaurant critic, once called f-bomb dropping Gordon Ramsay a wonderful chef, but "a second-rate human being." Ramsay paid Gill back by kicking him out of one of his restaurants - along with his companion Joan "Dynasty" Collins. The British press made hay out of those headlines for quite a while.
Young is probably best remembered, here in the U.S., for his book "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." The movie based on the book starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) came and went at the box office.
But Young has indeed been a hired fork for U.K. publications. Right now, though, I'm not sure if he's the right fit for "Top Chef."
I understand why Bravo wants to spice up the judges panel with a witty, sharp-tongued Brit. (The vanilla blandness of off-on-her-honeymoon judge Gail is way worse than making a dessert with Diet Dr. Pepper.)
But does any miss Ted Allen like I miss Ted Allen? And where, oh, where is Tony Bourdain when we need him?
The verdict is still out on Young. (NOTE: AS I watched the episode again, I must admit, he began growing on me.)
Elimination challenge had a nice twist with contestants tasting and judging dishes and then watching as others critiqued what they cooked.
High- and lowlights of this episode:
Fabio dissing Tattoo Girl (Jamie) for, once again, using scallops. "This is 'Top Chef' it's not 'Top Scallops.'"
Did you notice that accordian music played in the background when Fabio was on screen? I'm sure opera is next, because, you know, all they listen to in Italy is accordian music and opera. (And, yes, my tongue is firmly in my cheek.)
Was it really necessary to hear that Eugene's kid is now using the bathroom? TMI.
Fennel, orange and olives is an excellent combination - try it sometime - so nice to see Jamie take the win home this week. Even with scallops.
But Stefan's duck and red cabbage looked really good. I'm with Chef Tom on this one. This is a dish I would want to eat.
Blonde Guy's avocado sorbet being likened, by Young, as "Tom Cruise's cameo in 'Tropic Thunder' - an unexpected treat. "
Eugene's bizarre blend of daikon fettucine with tomato and basil - and being surprised that few liked his "creative" food.
Bangs Girl - what is her name? Melissa? - and her fish tacos that "tasted a bit like cat food." (OK, this made me laugh because Melissa said she wanted to put her personality in her food and I guess that means her personality is Little Friskies?)
"I don't think risotto makes a good garnish. Risotto is a dish." - Chef Tom.
Beaker's (OK, Carla's) idea to layer flavors and "love" (Was she having a 60s flashback?)
Two went down this week:
Melissa gets 86'ed for a "failure of imagination" and Eugene rejoins his potty training family for offending Chef Tom by overcooking red snapper.
Honor thy fish or get the steel boot.
The verdict is still out on Young. (NOTE: AS I watched the episode again, I must admit, he began growing on me.)
Elimination challenge had a nice twist with contestants tasting and judging dishes and then watching as others critiqued what they cooked.
High- and lowlights of this episode:
Fabio dissing Tattoo Girl (Jamie) for, once again, using scallops. "This is 'Top Chef' it's not 'Top Scallops.'"
Did you notice that accordian music played in the background when Fabio was on screen? I'm sure opera is next, because, you know, all they listen to in Italy is accordian music and opera. (And, yes, my tongue is firmly in my cheek.)
Was it really necessary to hear that Eugene's kid is now using the bathroom? TMI.
Fennel, orange and olives is an excellent combination - try it sometime - so nice to see Jamie take the win home this week. Even with scallops.
But Stefan's duck and red cabbage looked really good. I'm with Chef Tom on this one. This is a dish I would want to eat.
Blonde Guy's avocado sorbet being likened, by Young, as "Tom Cruise's cameo in 'Tropic Thunder' - an unexpected treat. "
Eugene's bizarre blend of daikon fettucine with tomato and basil - and being surprised that few liked his "creative" food.
Bangs Girl - what is her name? Melissa? - and her fish tacos that "tasted a bit like cat food." (OK, this made me laugh because Melissa said she wanted to put her personality in her food and I guess that means her personality is Little Friskies?)
"I don't think risotto makes a good garnish. Risotto is a dish." - Chef Tom.
Beaker's (OK, Carla's) idea to layer flavors and "love" (Was she having a 60s flashback?)
Two went down this week:
Melissa gets 86'ed for a "failure of imagination" and Eugene rejoins his potty training family for offending Chef Tom by overcooking red snapper.
Honor thy fish or get the steel boot.
Muskrat love
"Muskrat Suzie, Muskrat SamDo the jitterbug at a Muskrat Land"
- Muskrat Love
You need to have an open mind and mouth when you're a food writer.
And I considered it taking one for the team when I sampled the soaked and fried muskrat - an old-school, regional dish - served several years ago at the Wagon Wheel restaurant in Smyrna.
This dark, stringy, marshy-tasting meat has its fans, but I'm not one of them.
I still get chill bumps thinking about it.
Well, the 'rat dinners are back. Muskrat will be served at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant, 110 S. DuPont Highway, in Smyrna; 653-1457; starting Tuesday, Jan 13, and will continue every Tuesday night from 4 to 9 p.m. until the season ends sometime in March.
Right fish? Wrong fish?
Forget phone a friend. How about phone a fish?
Say you're standing at the seafood counter and wondering if your intended purchase is sustainable seafood. Whip out the cell phone and text Blue Ocean Institute's FishPhone service.
The marine conservation organization says you can find out about your seafood choice by texting 30644 with the message FISH.
Then, type in the name of the fish in question.
The organization will text you back with their assessment, and, if it's a fish with significant environmental concerns, suggestions of better alternatives.
Visit http://www.blueocean.org/.
Sunny delight
I adore Clementines and blood oranges. The color and taste instantly puts a happy spin on an otherwise gloomy winter day. (Will we ever see the sun again?)
Recently, I've seen ads promoting Honeybell tangelos from Florida - the season is one very short month - and I was inspired by the pomelos, Meyer lemons, Star ruby grapefruit and kumquats piled in bins during a trip through the ginormous produce department of the new ShopRite store in Wilmington. (Definitely worth a look-see. Also, owners say the meat department is the largest in Delaware.)
Thus, today's story on winter citrus was born.
While it's not local fruit - it is seasonal and buying foods in season makes sense both economically and taste-wise. One of my goals for 2009 is telling readers what's fresh now (or coming soon) and how to get it.
While it's not local fruit - it is seasonal and buying foods in season makes sense both economically and taste-wise. One of my goals for 2009 is telling readers what's fresh now (or coming soon) and how to get it.
News Journal photographer Fred Comegys initially grumbled when he was assigned to shoot the citrus in the studio.
"Dumb, boring fruit," I think were his exact, cranky words when he showed up with his cameras. But Fred and I are longtime buddies and I'm used to his bitching and needling. This is Fred being Fred. I started slicing open navel oranges and grapefruit - the aroma was pure Florida sunshine - and page designer Howard Johnson came up with a cool idea to arrange the fruit and light it from underneath.
Everyone's mood was lifted. That's the zesty magic of citrus. (JUST AN FYI: Fred took the photos at the top and bottom of this post; the one is middle was taken by me at ShopRite with my crappy camera phone.)
After the shoot was over, Howard and I sampled the pink-flesh pomelo that was bigger than a cantaloupe, but smaller than a bowling bowl. It was wonderfully sweet. Others in office, who never had pomelo, also were impressed with the taste.
Move over grapefruit.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
How much to tip?
How much should you tip someone for delivering a pizza? Two dollars? Three dollars plus the leftover change?
Do larger orders deserve a significantly larger tip? Should you tip more in bad weather?
Here's a big one: If there is a delivery charge, should you tip less, or tip anything at all?
My take on that one is to tip just the same, and just grumble silently when you discover that their well-advertised price did not include the delivery charge (yes, I'm talking to you, Pizza Hut).
As for any other questions you might have, look no further than tipthepizzaguy.com
I could not find a name attached to the site. There's a lot to read and there are a lot of fair points about how much one should tip, plus plenty of esoteric advice, such as how to display house numbers correctly. Some of the points come off as snarky, but pizza delivery is a dangerous job, unfortunately, so give the author some leeway.
UPDATE: Terri Sanginiti reports on just how bad conditions have become for pizza delivery workers. http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090108/NEWS01/901080348
Do larger orders deserve a significantly larger tip? Should you tip more in bad weather?
Here's a big one: If there is a delivery charge, should you tip less, or tip anything at all?
My take on that one is to tip just the same, and just grumble silently when you discover that their well-advertised price did not include the delivery charge (yes, I'm talking to you, Pizza Hut).
As for any other questions you might have, look no further than tipthepizzaguy.com
I could not find a name attached to the site. There's a lot to read and there are a lot of fair points about how much one should tip, plus plenty of esoteric advice, such as how to display house numbers correctly. Some of the points come off as snarky, but pizza delivery is a dangerous job, unfortunately, so give the author some leeway.
UPDATE: Terri Sanginiti reports on just how bad conditions have become for pizza delivery workers. http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090108/NEWS01/901080348
Beware [not so] hidden costs
So here is something you may not think about when dining out: Soft drinks and coffee aren't all that cheap.
And they do add up on the bill.
Looking back over some restaurant tabs recently, I found that I've paid anywhere from $1.50 to $3.50 for a glass of iced tea; $4 for lemonade (!); $3 for "ginger water" - some fancy schmancy beverage that sounded interesting; $3 for a "small" Italian soda; $3.50 for cappucino; and $2 for a plain old cup of decaf coffee.
My colleague and Pulp Culture blogger Ryan Cormier stopped recently into Kildare's Irish Pub in Newark and liked the Express Lunch menu which allows you to choose smaller portions of dishes such as Guiness stew and onion soup, getting both for just $5.99.
But then he noticed that a soda to wash it all down cost him $2.25.
I think I may start drinking water. Plain, ordinary tap water.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Sticker shock
I eat out often. Mostly, it's job related, but I also enjoying visiting new restaurants on my own dime.
Friday night we tried to pop into the Blue Pear Bistro for dinner without reservations. Big mistake. For some reason, I was thinking maybe it wouldn't be so crowded - it was the weekend after the holidays, after all, and I'm sure no one felt like any more spending money..... yadda, yadda, yadda.
Well, no one was thinking like me. There was a line at the door, the bar was packed and not a seat could be had before at least 9:30, we were told. The staff at the door did try to accommodate us; they said they could seat us at a table near the fireplace at the next door restaurant, the Dilworthtown Inn.
We pondered that plan, but then decided to head to a place we hadn't been before - Mile High Steak & Seafood in the Cross Roads Shopping Center, near the intersection of U.S. 1 and 202.
Now, I knew we were going to a steakhouse and prices creep up for prime aged beef - but I have to say the entrees, between $25 to $39 - with most in the $30 and over range - made me catch my breath. (A 12-ounce New York strip will set you back $39; lamb chops are $38 and Berkshire pork chop is $33.)
Steaks and chops come with potato and veg; additional sides cost between $3 for cauliflower and fennel puree to $9 for lobster macaroni and cheese.
Are people still paying these prices? Will they continue to do so this year in this shaky economy? I'm just not so sure.
A staffer said the Mile High restaurant was mobbed on New Year's Eve - and they were expecting a good Valentine's Day crowd, but the eatery was less than half full during our visit.
More is coming soon.....
Friday night we tried to pop into the Blue Pear Bistro for dinner without reservations. Big mistake. For some reason, I was thinking maybe it wouldn't be so crowded - it was the weekend after the holidays, after all, and I'm sure no one felt like any more spending money..... yadda, yadda, yadda.
Well, no one was thinking like me. There was a line at the door, the bar was packed and not a seat could be had before at least 9:30, we were told. The staff at the door did try to accommodate us; they said they could seat us at a table near the fireplace at the next door restaurant, the Dilworthtown Inn.
We pondered that plan, but then decided to head to a place we hadn't been before - Mile High Steak & Seafood in the Cross Roads Shopping Center, near the intersection of U.S. 1 and 202.
Now, I knew we were going to a steakhouse and prices creep up for prime aged beef - but I have to say the entrees, between $25 to $39 - with most in the $30 and over range - made me catch my breath. (A 12-ounce New York strip will set you back $39; lamb chops are $38 and Berkshire pork chop is $33.)
Steaks and chops come with potato and veg; additional sides cost between $3 for cauliflower and fennel puree to $9 for lobster macaroni and cheese.
Are people still paying these prices? Will they continue to do so this year in this shaky economy? I'm just not so sure.
A staffer said the Mile High restaurant was mobbed on New Year's Eve - and they were expecting a good Valentine's Day crowd, but the eatery was less than half full during our visit.
More is coming soon.....
Friday, January 2, 2009
Calling it quits
Wow, this is a biggie.
Brasserie Perrier on Walnut Street in Philadelphia closed its doors.
It's the eatery, owned by Georges Perrier, that is just a block or so away from his Le Bec-Fin landmark.
I have a feeling this is just the beginning..........
Brasserie Perrier on Walnut Street in Philadelphia closed its doors.
It's the eatery, owned by Georges Perrier, that is just a block or so away from his Le Bec-Fin landmark.
I have a feeling this is just the beginning..........
Reader Mail
Happy Friday!
QUESTION: There has been a fruitcake in our family for years. At my sister-in-laws annual Christmas party, in Philadelphia, at the home of Maureen and Francis De Vicaris, there is a fruit cake that is passed around to a different person who is invited every year. It's been in the family for 35 years. Whoever it is awarded to writes their name on the tin, using a Sharpie, and holds on to it until the following year's Christmas party.Then it's handed over to the next person. It's funny; sometimes a person will actually say that they don't want it.
The holidays are officially over, but I'm sure some of you still have post holiday celebrating on the agenda this weekend. (While it's hard to let the party end, I'm ready to put my dancing shoes away for about a month or so.)
Sad restaurant story of the holiday season - the New Year's Eve fire at Irish Eyes in Lewes, the Anglers Road eatery which overlooks the Lewes & Rehoboth Canal.
The popular Lewes bar/restaurant reopened a year ago after a 2007 arson fire. I spent some time at Irish Eyes this past summer. Ironically, owners hung framed photographs near the front entrance of firefighters battling the March 2007 blaze which caused damages estimated at $1 million.
This is a beloved spot, especially with locals. Customers hand-built the 30-seat bar. I hope they can rebuild soon.
IN OTHER NEWS:
IN OTHER NEWS:
If you need something to do, check out the new British Bell Tea Room and Wine Gallery, which just opened in Peoples Plaza on U.S. 40 and Del. 896. Pinkies up!
I haven't been in BrewHaHa! lately for a coffee refuel - Wawa has been my fast and cheap alternative in recent months- so I dropped into the Greenville location for a coffee au lait.
Tried to get my coffee club card punched and oops! - they discontinued the program about a month ago. Drat! No more buy 10 beverages get one free!
Mailbag is light today. Keep the letters coming. You ask. We answer. Every Friday. Email me at ptalorico@delawareonline.com.
SHOP TIL YOU DROP
QUESTION: Hi Patricia,
I'm wondering if you are going to check out the new ShopRite on Market Street. We went in this weekend (there was an ad in the paper that they had opened) and this store is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! It's big and bright and has all these fancy bells and whistles - an olive bar with bruschetta mix and several delicious types of olives, a little cafe area with a large selection of ready to eat foods, fresh pizza (!), and gorgeous produce. I'd love to know your thoughts on it.
Thanks!
Katie
I'm wondering if you are going to check out the new ShopRite on Market Street. We went in this weekend (there was an ad in the paper that they had opened) and this store is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! It's big and bright and has all these fancy bells and whistles - an olive bar with bruschetta mix and several delicious types of olives, a little cafe area with a large selection of ready to eat foods, fresh pizza (!), and gorgeous produce. I'd love to know your thoughts on it.
Thanks!
Katie
ANSWER: City shoppers got a belated holiday present with opening of the new ShopRite in Wilmington.The store at 501 S. Walnut St. near the Riverfront opened on Dec. 27. Construction work is still being completed. In the photo above, taken earlier this week, you can still see the Tyvek fabric on the outside of the building. The entrance can be a little confusing. The store, on a plot of land between South Market and South Walnut streets, is across from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.
The 70,000 square-foot site, the first new grocery store in downtown Wilmington in more than 20 years, has an expansive produce department - Look! fresh persimmons, Meyer lemons and Key limes! - as well as a prepared food section, bakery, seafood area and a cafe.
It also boasts the largest meat department in Delaware, according to the Kenny family, who owns three other ShopRite stores in the state. Bernie Kenny, President and CEO, began operating supermarkets in Delaware in 1995. Coming soon is roof-top parking, customer elevators, a cartveyor system and numerous in-store department enhancements.
FRUITCAKE MADNESS NEVER ENDS
QUESTION: There has been a fruitcake in our family for years. At my sister-in-laws annual Christmas party, in Philadelphia, at the home of Maureen and Francis De Vicaris, there is a fruit cake that is passed around to a different person who is invited every year. It's been in the family for 35 years. Whoever it is awarded to writes their name on the tin, using a Sharpie, and holds on to it until the following year's Christmas party.Then it's handed over to the next person. It's funny; sometimes a person will actually say that they don't want it.
Barbara Reichert
ANSWER: That's funny Barbara. But please don't pass me the fruitcake.
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