SpareRib's Profile
Looking for recipes for British desserts
Breadcrumbs, I learned to bake from Be-Ro books and I still have my mother's old copy that I still bake from today. They really are fail-safe recipes for the most part and are quintessentially British.
Three dinners in Bethesda
I like the suggestions for Black's and Jaleo, but I don't really think "fun when it comes to Grapeseed. If you looking for a livelier scene I would think about Redwood instead. It's in a very busy part of Bethesda, lots of shopping, and is a very beautiful restaurant. I've always had consistently good food there.
Paella in DC?
So to use your own analogy, if someone was looking for an exceptionally good Phad Thai, and a local French restaurant happened to sell a very good Phad Thai you would object to our saying it was a good Phad Thai just because it was being served in the wrong kind of restaurant?!
The OP was looking for a good paella, and Taviera happens to have what at least one reader believes it a tasty dish that for all intent and purpose fits the description of paella. Does it really matter what kind of restaurant it is? Are we really that hung up on semantics now that we can't make an honest recommendation about the food without legitimizing our recommendation and validating its authenticity?
Paella in DC?
Let what stand exactly? Nobody was debating the differences between "PORTUGUESE" and Spanish cuisine, merely asking where one could get a decent paella 8 YEARS AGO!!!
Foulest flavours...
Yup, thems the ones! Funny thing is that I love licorice, fennel, etc. It's just those seeds - too intense.
Jose Andres has a new food truck - Pepe
If I told you how excited this makes me it would reveal the true depth of my problem!
Foulest flavours...
Rye! Just can't handle the smell or the taste. Won't even eat food that has been near rye just in case a seed has "contaminated" my stuff.
Steakhouses - Stop asking me to cut into my steak as soon as it arrives!
In my kitchen I won't touch a steak before 10 minutes off-the-grill - longer if it's extra-thick. I don't really order steak when I go out to eat, so I'm probably naive to think that the kitchen would factor this in when firing the food for a particular table. Frankly, I'm a little horrified that you would take a steak off the grill and put it onto a serving plate with the sides before it's rested.
Steakhouses - Stop asking me to cut into my steak as soon as it arrives!
Just my humble, but I would expect a steak to have been properly rested before it leaves the kitchen. I don't want to sit and wait to rest a steak at the table and have the rest of my meal go cold.
Feijoada
They had what looked to be a really nice recipe for this in the Wall Street Journal today.
Anywhere I can find British style bacon and sausage?
The British Pantry is a reliable supplier for REAL imported English bacon and sausages. Their prices are staggering, but when you need a fix of the real thing you gotta do what you gotta do.
Pork Cheeks near gaithersburg
I was out there yesterday excited by the news that someone might be able to get me cheeks. However, my request was met with a very blank stare. I did partake of a few other goodies there though, so the trip was not entirely for nothing. However, the search for cheeks continues....
What is your "go to" meal when there is too much month left at the end of the paycheque - past or present
Well, I decided to do the math to see if my fancy-sounding dish was actually more or less expensive than a less-than-fancy -sounding pasta dish.
1/2 lb Pasta (I buy mine at Giant when they are on sale for $1 each): $0.50
Kerrygold Butter at $3.99 per pack - I use about 1oz per 1/2lb pasta: $0.49
Fresh Parmigiano cheese (1/2lb for $8.99 from Giant) - 1/2 cup grated : $0.56
Truffle salt (averages $25.00 for 3.5 oz on Amazon. I purchased mine
over 2 years ago and have only used about 2/3 of it. Generously served
you would get about 150 servings per 3.5 oz). $0.16
= $1.71 for 2-3 servings.
Versus:
1/2 lb pasta $0.50
1/2 jar of Prego Ragu from a jar $1.25
No cheese - you can't afford it, you're over budget!
= $1.75 for 2-3 servings.
So, I guess you can take your pick, truffle pasta or Prego! I know what I would rather eat for under a dollar per serving. (All prices based on Giant prices available on-line in DC metro area.)
Bourdain in San Francisco for Layovers
Couldn't agree with a post more. Tony seemed to be bored and more than a little jaded in Amsterdam and Montreal and I was beginning to think that maybe he had hit the wall with this kind of show.
Good to see him with a spring in his step again - even if it is ETOH fueled.
In defense of Gordon Ramsey
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Chef Ramsey and I have to say that I was surprisingly impressed by just how charming, disarming and gracious he was. Not what I expected at all.
I had always suspected that the crazy man persona was just that, a character make for TV, and I am now even more convinced of this. "Nice" just doesn't make good TV and I think he is a very shrewd businessman who feeds his public what they want.
What is your "go to" meal when there is too much month left at the end of the paycheque - past or present
My version of this is just plain spaghetti tossed with a high quality butter, sprinkle with truffle salt and grated fresh parm. I'll eat this even at the beginning of the month it's so good.
Help! Need 3 in pre made pie shells to help ease the pain of making brunch for 100+
Do yourself a favor and make mini-frittatas instead of mini quiches. You can knock these out really quickly with mini muffin pans and you won't be messing with a bunch of pastry. It will sound "fancy" on the menu too so it's a win-win situation.
What Was The First Wine Advertisement That You Recall?
The Babycham ads with the bambi character that ran seemingly non-stop during the holiday season in England during the 60's.
Squishing potato chips in your sandwich...anyone else do this?
Good white bread + butter + plain potato chips + sliced green apple = don't hate me until you try it, but it's soooo good.
best crab cake baltimore
Annapolis Seafood Market are my favorite too. I haven't had any better anywhere and I loves me some crabcookies.
Seriously good food in a new style in Rock Hall, Maryland
Thanks for the tip. We stop of at the Rock Hall Marina every summer and it's always good to know what's new and good for a night ashore.
Good, reasonably priced Italian in Washington, DC
I always make recommendations on what my perception of "Italian" (whatever) food is. It gets too complicated otherwise and it just complicates things unnecessarily. I assume that once OP has a collection of recommendations that narrow down their search somewhat they will then do their own homework on the recommendations and make their final decision on what they perceive as being the best "Italian" meal is. Everyone has a menu on line these days, and OP can figure it out for themselves once they have a few recs from the locals.
New Year's Eve Dinner in DC
You might have problems booking some of the better/more popular restaurants at this stage. Places like Citronelle book far in advance even when it's not a holiday. Depending on the hotel you are staying at, your best bet may be with the hotel restaurant which might guarantee tables for hotel room guests.
Good, reasonably priced Italian in Washington, DC
I'll vouch for Dino's too, although Carmine's is a good option if there is a larger group. The food at Carmine's is nowhere near as good as Dino's but it does have a more "familiar" Italian feel people who are not real foodies or if there are kids in the group.
Fractured Prune Donuts? How Good are they REALLY?
I was born in England and for me Fractured Prune are the closest I can get to street vendor donuts I used to eat as a kid on Saturday mornings while my mom was shopping. I don't care for them with fancy topings or glazes, just hand that baby to me right out of the fat and I'm happy.
What is your single worst meal ever in the DC/Baltimore area?
The one that stands out for me was years ago at 1789. I had booked the table almost two months in advance and told them is was a special occasion. When we arrived they sat us at a table just inside the door in the bar area. Not only were we jostled by everyone trying to get into and out of the bar, but the table also happened to be next to the drinks refrigerator and every couple of minutes the wait staff were in and out of the fridge next to us. Of course, whenever anyone came in or out of the bar we were hit with a blast of cold air. As far as the food went, my husband said his was good (although I was never sure if he said this because he didn't want to make a bad situation worse) but mine was a disappointment. I don't know when my lamb had been cooked, but it certainly wasn't when I ordered it. It was stone cold with white congealed fat attached. The rest of the plate was hot, so I've no idea what happened to the meat. I didn't complain at the time because I didn't want to ruin the evening any more than it already had been. Looking back I really should have made a fuss at the time, but I just kept hoping it would get better I guess. Of course, despite wonderful reviews on the restaurant and the fact that this (hopefully) was a one-off lapse on their part, we have never been back.
Authentic Italian in the DMV
Dino's in Cleveland Park, DC is about as authentic as Italian food gets. It's not as fancy as Fiola, but for solid pasta (ie. wild boar ragu) I don't think you can beat it for value and authenticity. Dean Gold is an amazing host, and has a fantastic and reasonably priced selection of Italian wines. They also have private party rooms available.
The UK's favourite sandwiches
I have been in the US for 20 years now and I still make myself a chip butty sometimes. My tastes have changed over the years a little though - I now make them with a sprinkle of truffle salt! My all time favorite still has to be chicken and stuffing though.
Dexter season finale menu, thoughts?
Red velvet cake. You could shape it like one of those "body outlines" before icing then everyone could hack into it!
What to make with truffle butter?
It's basically justy truffle shavings/chips folded into butter. You can get black or white truffle varieties. I guess you could make it yourself with fresh truffles but fresh truffles are generally more difficult to find, especially out of season, than truffle butter which you can purchase from Wegmans, Balducci's, and even some Harris Teeter stores year-round.
As you can see from this threat, the butter addes a touch of luxory to a variety of dishes.
