hi there, i sure hope it isnt toxic. i purchased this wok: http://www.amazon.com/14-inch-Iron-Po... and hadnt read much about it before trying it today. it said on the package to heat it until the black smoke cleared. my apartment isnt very large... i scrubbed a lot of the black coating but neglected the outside of it, not realizing my entire apartment would smell awful and very toxic! i had to leave the house... wondering though if it actually is toxic so i can finish the process. thanks!

hi there, i just bought a wok as well, the 14 inch Iron Pow Wok from amazon, for about 27.00, it had a black coating on it, instructions said simply to heat until black smoke cleared. luckily i scrubbed it with steel wool a great deal because the smell was really shockingly toxic smelling... i even took my baby outside until it cleared. i never cleaned the bottom exterior part of it, so maybe i should have done that...? have you ever resolved this issue or figured out if the coating is super toxic? thanks! definitely afraid to heat it again!

I'm mighty happy you liked the sardine suggestion, Mr Bittman!
A good place to start if you don't already know about them, might be to pay a visit to the folks at the Society for the Appreciation of the Lowly Tinned Sardine (http://www.sardinesociety.com/)!
They have wonderful sardine reviews and would be a great primer on the wide world of gourmet sardine eating.

Hey Mr. Bittman, My question concerns Sardines, canned sardines to be specific! I was wondering if you could ever do a minimalist (or bitten) column (or speak about it here) discussing how delicious the more upscale gourmet sardine tins are, and maybe suggesting different recipes and flavor combinations to spice them up.
I think it'd fit in great with your general love of italian cooking and promoting minimalist, sustainable fish consumption!
what say you?

Don't downplay the hamin or ashkanazi chulent. When done right homemade hamin or chulent can have a great "sophisticated" full taste. Or maybe I am slightly biased.

As if we needed another sub-par chulent offered on thursday nights. My question is, where can one find Hamin at a resteraunt or take out place in brooklyn?
And also just out of curiosity, where do you think one can get the best ashkanazi chulent on a thursday night? Is Deli 55 the best availible?

Do you two mean the kosher pushcart? What happened to that place? I have stopped going in the past few months, but it seemed like he had been looking to expand, not close up shop. I am wondering if maybe he moved, or made some kind of deal with a local convenience store. Not that the food was anything worth raving about, but at least it was an option. And the pareve chulent was okay.