I'm thinking about doing a game menu for the holidays later this year - pheasant, grouse, rabbit, venison, that kind of thing. Anyone know where I can find not-frozen game in LA?

THANKS! Only ... after ricepad and BiscuitBoy's replies, I've spent the afternoon researching smokers and now I'm all hooked on that and I have to buy TWO new toys!

Which Lei Garden location? I LOVE XLB...

I'm going to buy a new grill. I've always owned Webers - kettles, Smokey Joes, gas grills. But what do YOU think I should buy? I'm not looking for a big Cadillac competition grill, just something I can put some hardwood lump charcoal in, or maybe some wood, and fire it up, and cook a great steak or some fish on a weeknight. Or grill up a lamb leg or a whole chicken or a bunch of burgers on the weekend. Really versatile, not horribly expensive, something that will last a while. So... what should I buy?

Yes, there is only so much kaseschnitten I can take (well, I can actually take a lot of kaseschnitten, but even then there is eventually a limit!). Piedmont has always sounded great, though the closest I've gotten is the west shore of Lago di Como. Thanks for the tip!

Have a group of 10 serious foodies looking for a place in Switzerland or northern Italy to rent a house for a week or two in mid-September to celebrate a milestone birthday, shop food and wine locally, and cook amazing meals. Wengen and Zermatt, Switzerland, have ancestral ties; northern Italian lakes (Como, first choice) are another possibility. Thoughts?

Thank you so much! Yes, it is complicated - kosher or not, sturgeons over-fished, more stuff labeled "Caspian sturgeon caviar" on the market every year than could ever be produced by the number of remaining real Caspian sturgeons... Russian salmon sounds amazing. Thanks!

I'm looking for kosher caviar and all I've found is the usual supermarket brands - like Romanoff. Is there a source that's markedly better? Seems everything in the supermarket is whitefish or salmon. Are there any other fish I should be looking for? In short: what's the best? And where can I find it?

1) In a country club restaurant in upstate New York. I ordered a bottle of red wine. It came ice cold. Not cellar cool, but refrigerator cold. The waiter said, "Oh, people around here like it that way. I could put it in the microwave for you?"
2) Not really a waiter story, but close. Me, to pizza delivery guy: "I ordered anchovies. There's like one anchovy on here." Him: "We don't put many anchovies on pizzas because most people don't like them."

OMG the Morita Salsa is SPECTACULAR! And Mayor Villaraigosa (OK, I disagree with him on just about everything, but...) says it's his favorite. I had the most simple dinner imaginable tonight - butterflied whole chicken, rubbed with ground ancho chili and salt, and roasted on the grill, grilled green onions, some sauteed garlic and greens and some supermarket tortillas - and a big bowl of Homeboys Morita salsa. It SO made a good dinner into a GREAT one! I can't recommend it enough!

My copy of Bistro Cooking is really thrashed - pages stained, corners dog eared, a real well-used mess! I've tried to love Trattoria as much, but it's just not the same level. But Bistro Cooking, now that's really wonderful! In honor of COTM, I'm going to give Trattoria another shot.

Thanks! That's what I figured, too.

Looking for root beer extract - not to make root beer but to flavor a cake batter. Any recommended brands and/or sources?

Church and State. Not on your list, I know, but it's really something special. Le Saint Amour in Culver City totally makes you feel like you're in Paris. But Church and State's food is spectacular - and their cocktails and wine are amazing.

Looking for somewhere in LA where I can get fresh poultry - specifically 1) capons, 2) guinea fowl, and 3) pheasants. I suppose I'll have to special order, but from where?

As we near the holiday season, I'm really interested to hear two things: 1) where's the best place in LA to buy fresh truffles and 2) what's the best way to use them? Possibly the best single dish I've ever had was a really simple pasta, butter, cheese, and truffle combination in Italy. And I had a couple of beaten eggs cooked in fresh butter and sliced truffles in France that boggled my brain. I'm really interested in duplicating that kind of simplicity - but I'm also looking for some really new ideas. TIA!

After months of anticipation, went last night. Should have read this thread first. Salt, salt, salt. Can't imagine how anyone could be tasting the food and letting it out of the kitchen with that much salt. Had a couple of good dishes, but nothing great. Tripe alla Parmagiana con ceci was well balanced and the Burricotta with braised artichokes, pine nuts, currants & mint pesto was terrific. The Tagliatelle Verde with duck ragu was really, really good. But then... The braised rabbit was not only WAY too salty but the sauce was really fatty. Even the honey on the side of the Torta della Nonna was salty! The olive oil cakes, though very tasty and paired with a great rosemary spun sugar ribbon and gelato, were undercooked and heavy. No interest in going back. But if I were, I would say: the best stuff by far comes from the mozzarella bar and the primi list.

Thanks for your reply. I used to be able to get them every year at the Torrance Saturday market, but not for the last couple of years. Might just have to head south to Rancho Santa Fe I suppose.

Anyone know where I might find a reliable source of fresh lima beans? I looked at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers market the last couple of weeks, but no luck.

Got some great Blenheims at the Wednesday Santa Monica market - See Canyon, 2nd from the end on the west end on the south side.

Going to Palm Springs in a couple of weeks. Planning on doing a lot of hiking - going to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. We're total foodies, but want to keep it especially healthy. Any suggestions for restaurants?

If you liked Lucques, then you have to try AOC - the food is great, the ambience is wonderful and the prices are right in your ballpark. Campanile is another old favorite. In the South Bay, you might try Brix on PCH in Hermosa Beach, the food is pretty great (if you can get past the really bad bad bad music they play).

Where is the best market in the South Bay (where I live) or the West Side (where I spend a lot of time) for seafood? I especially want to find a place that has the hard-to-find things like spot prawns, cockles, baby octopus, arctic char... along with the usual things like great salmon and halibut.