Can I still eat it? I have so many people coming to dinner Monday evening. I know bakeries leave food out for hours. Please assure me it is safe to serve? It feels cool to the touch, and is now in fridge. Thanks for the help.

Does the catfish barn still exist, out south on Lamar?

I am shopping at Kalustan's. Was going to do Indain, but we will go here instead. Thanks for your post. Much appreciated.

I appreciate the informative replies. They were all very helpful. Happy holidays.

I am buying my first standing rib roast. I see it is available at ribs 1-3 or 4-7. Can someone tell me which to buy and what the difference is? And, may I ask, how many will each rib or size roast serve? As usual, much appreciate responses. Thanks.

Hello. We are going to see Crosby Stills and Nash Friday night at the Beacon on W74th and Broadway. Can you please suggest places to eat after the show, about 11pm? We like ALL kinds of cuisine, so suggest away! I appreciate the responses. Thanks.

To Lora-<So, how is this any different than my planning a dinner around lobster, going to Whole Foods and seeing that they're out of lobster? >
It is very different. If you are in the store, you can choose something different and have time to prepare it. If you are counting on them to deliver supplies for a Saturday night dinner party, and Friday after work they arrive without the main dish, you have no time to run out and shop. So, instead of doing the cooking and table decor Saturday morning so you can relax an hour or two before guests arrive, you are out shopping Saturday morning and rushing to prepare all before guests arrive.

I understand what sugar is saying. When they say good for 7 days or good for 5 days, it is often much less. It is a problem when you order salads for lunch on Sunday, like grilled chicken salad or asian salad and it is only good until Tuesday. You can't eat a weeks worth of salad in 2 days. I also agree that while they do credit back immediately (I always email) it does become a pain.
Good for cases of water, etc.

My experience is that fresh direct ratings are fictitious. I have bought many items rated "4 stars" only to find them of very poor quality.On Wednesday, I bought some mini seedless cucumbers rated 4 star and when i opened them they were slimy, spongy and had white fuzzy mold growing on them. I bought 2 heads of lettuce so browned that I had to discard 1/2 of the outer head of each. I feel like I am being lied to and I do not like being tricked .I am only referring to the produce ratings. I like the fish and rely on them to deliver my staples like water which and too heavy to carry home. I actually wonder if they use the ratings to move produce they want to get rid of? I find this policy very dishonest. Yes, they will credit you back but that does not negate the dishonesty they are displaying.

I have used fresh direct since they began, and let me say first I appreciate not having to haul heavy items home, like water and detergent. The fruit is another story. I have come to find the star rating system is pure hog-wash. I have had so many bad orders lately that I am just putting it out there if anyone is interested. In past few months, I have gotten mangos that never ripened, just developed rotten spots, cantaloupe that also just developed rotten spots without ripening, and red grapes last week rated "4 stars" that had skins so thick they were inedible. When you buy an item rated very good, it should be accurate. I will say I have found the vegetables to be very good, but the rating system is pure fiction.

Yorkville creperie on York Ave between E83 and E84

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Yorkville Creperie
1586 York Ave, New York, NY 10028

The broth at Cha Pa's on W.52 is delicious. The beef in the Pho Bo and the Pho Xe Lua is tender, and I like this restaurant very much.

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ChaPa's Noodles & Grill
314 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Has anyone ever been to Famous Fish Market in Harlem (684 St Nicholas Ave@145th St)? I know this is not an experience in ambiance, but it keeps popping up when I search for "best fried fish in NYC". It is a take out place. I have wanted to try it for a while now.

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Famous Fish Market
684 Saint Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10030

I miss scooter pies!

Thank you for the reply and the link.

We will be going again this week as I have a vacation so I am granted permission to leave the UES-lol. I have been several times, but still would appreciate suggestions of dishes to try. We have had Dan Dan Noodles (loved), Ma Po tofu (loved), leeks with chicken chili (absolutely delish), cumin meat dish, which was dry and tough. We also tried a dessert of sweet red bean rice balls. We noted the above suggestions.What else should we try? I always appreciate CHs suggestions.

The Dan Dan Noodles at Wa Jeal are very good.

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Wa Jeal
1588 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028

I have found them dried at Kalutsyan's but they are much better fresh. I bought some organic fresh leaves on line and they freeze very well.

No Jay, I was serious! I said I was already embarrassed, so don't make fun of me!! No one knows everything, right? I distinctly remember buying some cookware once which said to wash off the protective coating before use. It was a genuine question. And I appreciate the replies from Yumma and Richard.

A few days ago, I bought another Le Creuset pot. I placed it on the stove top and just forgot about it. This morning, in my haste, I grabbed the pot and made a pot roast. It is now braising in the oven when I realized I FORGOT TO WASH IT BEFORE USE! Do I need to throw out the pot roast? Do you think these pans come with a coating? Please advise.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it.

That is interesting. Having no pecan pie experience, I took it out when the very center was a tiny bit jiggly, then did all the other instructions. If I try it again, I will use my instant read thermometer and take it out at 200.I definitely didn't over cook because it was just a bit of tiny jiggle in dead center. It absolutely did not puff up...wish it had! lol.
I think of ATK like the holy grail, but I guess even they can give a blooper once in a while. It tasted wonderful, with the maple syrup and a tad of blackstrap molasses, so maybe I will try again, but take the temperature and forget the refrigeration!

The one I made was the maple-syrup pie. I followed the recipe exactly. I am a very good cook and bake a lot. It said "Bake Pie: Scatter pecans in pie shell. Carefully pour filling over. Place pie in hot oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when pie is gently shaken, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool pie on rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours and up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving." That is exactly what I did, and it never set up. It tasted great, but never set.

ATK said remove the pie when it is still a little "jiggly" in the center (like with a pumpkin pie or cheesecake), so that is what I did. I did exactly that. I guess they were wrong. It was definitely not a little puffed in center. I will try it your way next time.

I followed the America's Test Kitchen recipe exactly, but my pie did not set up properly. I baked it 1 day ahead, so it was completely cooled. When I cut into it, it was more like pecan pudding. It was tasty, but would not slice. Any ideas why?

Ok, so no good tempura anywhere near me? OK then. What about mid-town or Upper west side?

Can anyone suggest a place? Much thanks.

I looked the silicone up. Might give that a try. I have had the pan too long to return, so might as well try to fix it before I chuck that bad boy!
So I tried Alton's way with a regular pan and parchment that you suggested but added a parchment sling.
I used a regular good thick square metal pan. I added to alton by making a long sling which covered the whole pan bottom and stuck out on each side about 4 inches like "ears". First I sprayed no stick all over the pan. Then i laid the sling in the pan. The spray made the parchment stay in place. I baked the cheesecake in a water bath with no seepage worries, for a change! I cooked and thoroughly cooled. Then the whole cheesecake just lifted right out using the parchment "ears" of the sling! Perfect! Did not have to turn cheesecake over like alton because of the sling sides to pull it out.
I

Those are amazing. I have never even seen those cookies as homemade. I am impressed. Are the layers different flavors?
I also have been baking too much. I have relatives over for "one last hurrah" on Thursday before everyone goes back home, and I meant to make 1 dessert. So far I have made 4! Unfortunately, I have yet to make any savory dishes, so I guess they just get dessert!

I made eggnog bread pudding with french bread, Ricotta cheesecake using a parchment sling instead of a springform pan, so I had no water seepage from the water bath, thumbprint butter cookies with peach jam, and Maple molasses pecan pie.