10 worst dining trends of the last decade...

Gregory Morrow

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Dec 30, 2009, 3:04:33 PM12/30/09

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery

10 worst dining trends of the last decade

"Decades from now, when you reflect on what dining was like during the
fledgling years of the 21st century, on a good day you will picture a
heartening trend toward comfort food in the wake of Sept. 11 and a
well-meaning push toward locally sourced menus.

But on a bad day, when someone asks what the worst restaurant trends of that
first decade were, will you be able to shut up? One restaurant type cracked:
"As long as we're not naming names, I'll talk. Because now that you ask
this, specific chefs and self-important restaurants are coming to mind."

Then there were those who, like It Boy and New York chef David Chang, when
asked to name the worst trends of the decade, simply blurted: "The
Cheesecake Factory. The Kobe beef movement was stupid -- it was never meant
to be a burger! Sliders are stupid too. Sorry, I mean to say 'a trio of
sliders' is stupid. What else? Walls of wine bottles as decoration. The
steakhouse craze -- why does there need to be more than a couple of
steakhouses in any metropolitan area?"

Then, when his outrage subsided, Chang made an excellent point: "Bad trends
were usually good trends. They just got watered down into a really bad,
overdone trend."

Which, in a way, is precisely how Tanya Steel, the editor-in-chief of
Epicurious (epicurious.com), saw the decade unfolding: "The beginning and
the middle were just the height of obnoxiousness, very reminiscent of the
1980s -- you call ahead for a table and they tell you '5:30 or 10:30' though
there are 10 empty tables at 8 p.m. There were restaurants, especially here
in New York, that refuse to list a phone number or have the name of the
place outside. I would say the second part of the decade didn't begin until
September 2008, when the economy meant no one could afford to act like that
now."

"Worst trend?" said Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat restaurant survey. "B
uying wine to show off. It's not new but it got out of hand with Wall Street
types this decade. If you spend $100 on a bottle now, you're exhibiting some
degree of stupidity."

What follows are the 10 worst restaurant trends of the decade, culled from
interviews with chefs, consultants, even the owners of a food bookstore in
Maine. I couldn't include every gripe -- mache, water sommeliers, organ-meat
entrees, unisex bathrooms, bacon tattoos on chefs, over-flaunted kitchen
burns, chefs tables ("usually they're done as an afterthought, and it
shows") -- but here's what leaped out, in order of annoyance:

10. Fried onion blossoms

A "personal pet peeve," said Rita Negrete, senior editor at Technomic, a
food industry research firm. Oh, Rita -- that is so far from personal. We
like to believe the fried onion blossom could be done right -- i.e., not
sweaty, or greasy, without slivers of onion behind monstrous tan shells,
served like county fair food on porcelain -- but we haven't seen it yet.

9. Molecular gastronomy

As Chang pointed out, not all trends start bad. That said, "few chefs know
how to do (molecular gastronomy), to make food fascinating and delicious at
the same time," Steel said. "Do I see it as a trend that will last? No. As
inspiration, maybe. But something feels disconnected when a chef has to buy
a machine costing tens of thousands of dollars to cook. If anything, it's
ebbing and will spark a return to beautiful and simple ingredients."

8. The $40 entree

Not just at establishments sporting Beard awards and gravitas. At your
neighborhood bistro. Enough.

7. The communal table

Said Michael Schwartz, the chef/owner of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in
Miami: the communal table "assumes people who don't know each other want to
sit together."

6. Proudly obnoxious fast food options

Carl's Jr.'s Big Carl burger (920 calories). Hardee's Monster Thickburger
(1,420 calories). KFC's Double Down (bacon and cheese between fillets of
fried chicken serving as bread). A dare? A brazen red-state response to
blue-state delicateness? The genius was to market them not as mere meals but
extensions of your civil rights.

5. Knee-jerk online reviews

Extreme Yelpers and likewise. "In particular, the opening-night blog
reviewers," said Don Lindgren, co-owner of Rabelais, a food-centric
bookstore in Portland, Maine. "You can't judge a restaurant from its opening
night. It may be exciting to be there early. But to review it based on that
first day is crazy and wrong."

4. Foam

It's suds. We guess we taste the kiwi-caramel tones. (Wait, no, we can't.)

3. The menu as book

There is nothing wrong with "artisanal" or "local," or " Vermont-raised,"
and nothing wrong with identifying the source of the goat milk you are being
served, but when menu items grow to entire paragraphs, it's a bit much

2. The chef as media whore

They cook, of course. They also sell shoes and star in reality shows.
Sometimes they cook. Rocco Di- Spirito, a middecade pan flash, is arguably
the finest example. "There are celebrity chefs who manage to stay chefs and
run excellent restaurants," said Zagat, "but there are times when you wonder
what a chef is supposed to be doing. TV brings people into their restaurant.
But when do they find time to cook?"

1. Deconstruction

Said Joyce Goldstein, a San Francisco-based chef, cookbook author and
restaurant consultant: "I do not want a poached egg on top of carbonara
sauce and the pasta on the side. I don't want the ingredients laid out
before me anymore. I want a chef to show me how it is brought together.
Cooking has become an intellectual thing, but it's not a sensual thing. We
have all gotten so smart about food, we are losing touch with sex appeal.
Everything else is getting so exhausting -- a lot of chefs saying, 'Look at
me,' and 'Look at this technique,' and, next decade, I would prefer not to
look at them for a while."

</>

zxcvbob

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Dec 30, 2009, 3:41:10 PM12/30/09

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On 12/30/2009 2:04 PM, Gregory Morrow wrote:
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery
>
>
> 10 worst dining trends of the last decade
>
> "Decades from now, when you reflect on what dining was like during the
> fledgling years of the 21st century, on a good day you will picture a
> heartening trend toward comfort food in the wake of Sept. 11 and a
> well-meaning push toward locally sourced menus.
>
> But on a bad day, when someone asks what the worst restaurant trends of that
> first decade were, will you be able to shut up? One restaurant type cracked:
> "As long as we're not naming names, I'll talk. Because now that you ask
> this, specific chefs and self-important restaurants are coming to mind."
>

[snip]

I was going to say "deconstruction" but it was already on the list :-)

The triple cheeseburger cooked in butter, with french-fried onions,
extra cheese, and a fried egg on top thing is getting pretty obnoxious too.

Bob

Curt Nelson

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Dec 30, 2009, 3:49:47 PM12/30/09

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"Gregory Morrow" <wah...@wahwah.dk> wrote in message
news:poKdnbqI-a_bLabW...@earthlink.com...

>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery
>
>
> 10 worst dining trends of the last decade

I'm unbelievably sick of bacon on *everything*.

It's freaking bacon.

Hasta,
Curt Nelson

Gregory Morrow

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Dec 30, 2009, 4:11:28 PM12/30/09

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Curt Nelson wrote:

Yeah, the bacon fad is *real* old, it's similar to the chocolate fad of a
few years ago...

And natcherly there is a mini sub-fad of pairing bacon and chocolate
*together*, lol...

--
Best
Greg

Michael O'Connor

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Dec 30, 2009, 4:18:00 PM12/30/09

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I would think the trend toward low carb that went a little over the
line would make the list, in particular the Hardee's Burger from a few
years back that was wrapped in a piece of lettuce instead of a bun.
It might be an 800 calorie burger, but at least it's low carb.

Also, states that mandate an automatic gratuity. I can understand an
automatic gratuity with a large party, but if it's just me dining
alone I should not have to pay a mandated gratuity. I thought the
whole point of a tip was to reward the server for going above and
beyond the call of duty. When you make the tip automatic, and they
get the same tip whether they do a good job or a poor job, before long
they won't put out much of an effort.

Nancy Young

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Dec 30, 2009, 4:21:56 PM12/30/09

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Gregory Morrow wrote:
> Curt Nelson wrote:
>
>> "Gregory Morrow" <wah...@wahwah.dk> wrote in message
>> news:poKdnbqI-a_bLabW...@earthlink.com...
>>>
>>>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery
>>>
>>>
>>> 10 worst dining trends of the last decade
>>
>>
>> I'm unbelievably sick of bacon on *everything*.
>>
>> It's freaking bacon.
>
>
> Yeah, the bacon fad is *real* old, it's similar to the chocolate fad
> of a few years ago...

The bacon-on-everything seems to have passed by me unnoticed,
too bad! It sure beats the mango-salsa-on-every-darned-thing
fad. Blech!

nancy

Gregory Morrow

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Dec 30, 2009, 5:04:49 PM12/30/09

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Nancy Young wrote:

> Gregory Morrow wrote:
>> Curt Nelson wrote:
>>
>>> "Gregory Morrow" <wah...@wahwah.dk> wrote in message
>>> news:poKdnbqI-a_bLabW...@earthlink.com...
>>>>
>>>>
>>
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 10 worst dining trends of the last decade
>>>
>>>
>>> I'm unbelievably sick of bacon on *everything*.
>>>
>>> It's freaking bacon.
>>
>>
>> Yeah, the bacon fad is *real* old, it's similar to the chocolate fad
>> of a few years ago...
>
> The bacon-on-everything seems to have passed by me unnoticed,
> too bad!

Saw a recipe recently in the paper for brownies that included bacon...

===>> gag

It sure beats the mango-salsa-on-every-darned-thing
> fad. Blech!

Oh yeah, I remember that one...

--
Best
Greg

sf

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Dec 30, 2009, 10:25:49 PM12/30/09

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On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:21:56 -0500, "Nancy Young"
<rjyn...@comcast.net> wrote:

>The bacon-on-everything seems to have passed by me unnoticed,
>too bad! It sure beats the mango-salsa-on-every-darned-thing
>fad. Blech!

I missed the bacon trend too although I didn't miss salsa. It wasn't
served with everything, but darned near everything. How about theme
dining like "dining in the dark" or those murder mystery dinner
parties?

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

projectile vomit chick

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:18:45 AM12/31/09

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On Dec 30, 2:49 pm, "Curt Nelson" <n...@of.your.damn.business> wrote:
> "Gregory Morrow" <wah_...@wahwah.dk> wrote in message
>
> news:poKdnbqI-a_bLabW...@earthlink.com...
>
>
>
> >http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-d...

>
> > 10 worst dining trends of the last decade
>
> I'm unbelievably sick of bacon on *everything*.
>
> It's freaking bacon.

I'll second that. What is the friggin' big deal about bacon? It's
freaking bacon!

Janet

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:10:42 PM12/31/09

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Gregory Morrow wrote:

> 10. Fried onion blossoms
>
> A "personal pet peeve," said Rita Negrete, senior editor at
> Technomic, a food industry research firm. Oh, Rita -- that is so far
> from personal. We like to believe the fried onion blossom could be
> done right -- i.e., not sweaty, or greasy, without slivers of onion
> behind monstrous tan shells, served like county fair food on
> porcelain -- but we haven't seen it yet.

But it IS country fair food.

That said, I actually have had a non-greasy, non-sweaty blooming onion with
just a nice amount of crispy batter clinging to nicely sized onion sections,
as opposed to tiny slivers slithering out of huge tan batter masses. We
ordered it on a whim and were amazed. Gritty McDuff's Brewpub in Freeport,
Maine.

gloria.p

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Dec 31, 2009, 12:45:52 PM12/31/09

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Janet wrote:

>
>> 10. Fried onion blossoms
>>

>

> But it IS country fair food.
>
> That said, I actually have had a non-greasy, non-sweaty blooming onion with
> just a nice amount of crispy batter clinging to nicely sized onion sections,
> as opposed to tiny slivers slithering out of huge tan batter masses. We
> ordered it on a whim and were amazed. Gritty McDuff's Brewpub in Freeport,
> Maine.
>
>
>

Been there! Good microbrew beer, decent lobsters, and
LLBean--what more could you ask for? (Actually the lobster
rolls at the Haraseeket Pier restaurant were divine, but
almost any lobster beats no lobster at all....)

;-)
gloria p

blake murphy

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Dec 31, 2009, 1:41:45 PM12/31/09

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i've not heard of this. which states would those be?

your pal,
blake

blake murphy

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Dec 31, 2009, 1:44:51 PM12/31/09

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the ones i've had at the outback were reasonably well-prepared, the dipping
sauce has a nice zip. maybe there's no advantage over onion straws, but
they taste pretty damn good.

your pal,
blake

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 2:05:35 PM12/31/09

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Those are some massive onions they serve. The onion/breading
ratio is a lot better than other blooming onions I've seen.

nancy

Ed Pawlowski

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Dec 31, 2009, 2:36:26 PM12/31/09

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blake murphy wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:18:00 -0800 (PST), Michael O'Connor wrote:

>> Also, states that mandate an automatic gratuity. I can understand an
>> automatic gratuity with a large party, but if it's just me dining
>> alone I should not have to pay a mandated gratuity.

>

> i've not heard of this. which states would those be?
>
> your pal,
> blake

State of Euphoria

Janet

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Dec 31, 2009, 5:38:24 PM12/31/09

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I live about 15 miles away from there, actually. I agree--the Harraseeket
lobster pound is the best place for lobster around.

phaeton

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Dec 31, 2009, 5:53:11 PM12/31/09

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I'm going to agree with the bacon thing. I love bacon too, but to
build a whole lifestyle around it is both unhealthy and absurd.

It certainly tops the soy and cranberry thing of the 90s. I even
recall a time around 1996 or so where I couldn't find any straight up
fruit juice anywhere. It was all cran-apple, cran-orange, cran-
watermelon, etc.

-J

Dora

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Dec 31, 2009, 6:35:23 PM12/31/09

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Nancy Young wrote:

> blake murphy wrote:
>>
>> the ones i've had at the outback were reasonably well-prepared, the
>> dipping sauce has a nice zip. maybe there's no advantage over
>> onion
>> straws, but they taste pretty damn good.
>
> Those are some massive onions they serve. The onion/breading
> ratio is a lot better than other blooming onions I've seen.
>
> nancy

The Outback chain started the whole "blooming onion", didn't it?

Dora

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 6:57:21 PM12/31/09

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Dora wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>> blake murphy wrote:
>>>
>>> the ones i've had at the outback were reasonably well-prepared, the
>>> dipping sauce has a nice zip. maybe there's no advantage over
>>> onion
>>> straws, but they taste pretty damn good.
>>
>> Those are some massive onions they serve. The onion/breading
>> ratio is a lot better than other blooming onions I've seen.

> The Outback chain started the whole "blooming onion", didn't it?

That could be, Dora, you're probably right. Bloomin' onion
sounds kind of 'Outback Steakhouse.'

nancy

Wayne Boatwright

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Dec 31, 2009, 9:12:28 PM12/31/09

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On Thu 31 Dec 2009 04:57:21p, Nancy Young told us...

I think it was either the Outback or CHili's. Those are my two earliest
recollections of them.

--

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~

~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~

**********************************************************

Wayne Boatwright

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 9:18:33 PM12/31/09

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Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Thu 31 Dec 2009 04:57:21p, Nancy Young told us...
>
>> Dora wrote:
>>> Nancy Young wrote:

>>>> Those are some massive onions they serve. The onion/breading ratio
>>>> is a lot better than other blooming onions I've seen.
>>
>>> The Outback chain started the whole "blooming onion", didn't it?
>>
>> That could be, Dora, you're probably right. Bloomin' onion
>> sounds kind of 'Outback Steakhouse.'

> I think it was either the Outback or CHili's. Those are my two
> earliest recollections of them.

Since you mention it, I think I've only had them in those two places.
Either way, I can only eat a little of it, hard to believe anyone could
eat a whole Outback one by themselves. Massive.

nancy

dsi1

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Dec 31, 2009, 9:45:25 PM12/31/09

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On 12/30/2009 10:04 AM, Gregory Morrow wrote:
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-dining-trends-pictures,0,5192606.photogallery

For some reason, people have been going crazy with the promiscuous use
of garlic in the last decade or so. This trend seems to be cooling off a
bit but it was getting hairy for a while. :-)

> Said Michael Schwartz, the chef/owner of Michael's Genuine Food& Drink in

Kris

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Dec 31, 2009, 9:53:06 PM12/31/09

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On Dec 30, 3:04 pm, "Gregory Morrow" <wah_...@wahwah.dk> wrote:
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-091021-worst-d...

As soon as I saw this thread, I thought "foam" - and here it is! Truly
dumb fad - looked like hair styling mousse squirted on your food.

What's wrong with just a smattering of sauce??

Kris

Dave Smith

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:17:02 PM12/31/09

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Kris wrote:
>
> As soon as I saw this thread, I thought "foam" - and here it is! Truly
> dumb fad - looked like hair styling mousse squirted on your food.
>
> What's wrong with just a smattering of sauce??

That was my first thought too. it seems like a lot of work for something
that is pale and relatively tasteless. I really hate to pay extra for
the work to make it when the results are so disappointing.

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:27:38 PM12/31/09

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The one time I had foam served, it was purple. I mean, I know it
was Vegas, but really ... who looked at that and thought Great
Idea!

nancy

Dave Smith

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:29:05 PM12/31/09

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I had a purple one too, except that it was a faded purple. It was some
sort of wine reduction foam.... didn`t taste like much.

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:43:45 PM12/31/09

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Dave Smith wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:

>> The one time I had foam served, it was purple. I mean, I know it
>> was Vegas, but really ... who looked at that and thought Great
>> Idea!
>
> I had a purple one too, except that it was a faded purple. It was some
> sort of wine reduction foam.... didn`t taste like much.

Is that what it was? I couldn't place it and the bit I tasted didn't
have much flavor, as you say. It was some sort of roasted chicken
dish ... purple goo did not enhance it in any way.

nancy

Kris

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Dec 31, 2009, 10:46:57 PM12/31/09

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LOL! I know.

Esepcially if it started to "melt", then it just looked like dribble -
NOT appetizing!

Kris

Nancy Young

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Dec 31, 2009, 11:33:29 PM12/31/09

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Kris wrote:
> On Dec 31, 10:27 pm, "Nancy Young" <rjynly...@comcast.net> wrote:

>> The one time I had foam served, it was purple. I mean, I know it
>> was Vegas, but really ... who looked at that and thought Great
>> Idea!

> LOL! I know.

>
> Esepcially if it started to "melt", then it just looked like dribble -
> NOT appetizing!

(laugh) I was rescuing pieces of chicken from the spreading
dribble. I like that word ... at the time I was really at a loss to
describe it.

nancy

Wayne Boatwright

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Jan 1, 2010, 12:20:02 AM1/1/10

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On Thu 31 Dec 2009 09:33:29p, Nancy Young told us...

You probably wouldn't like that word if you had a bladder problem. :-)

Giusi

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Jan 1, 2010, 5:56:46 AM1/1/10

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"blake murphy" ha scritto nel messaggio

Michael O'Connor wrote:
>

>> Also, states that mandate an automatic gratuity. I can understand an>>
>> automatic gratuity with a large party, but if it's just me dining>> alone
>> I should not have to pay a mandated gratuity. I thought the
>> whole point of a tip was to reward the server for going above and>>
>> beyond the call of duty. When you make the tip automatic, and they>> get
>> the same tip whether they do a good job or a poor job, before long
>> they won't put out much of an effort.
>
> i've not heard of this. which states would those be?

State of confusion and illusion. Tipping is done here in only touristy
places and yet we get superb service. Waiters get paid and benefits! What
a concept.

This whole tipping thing is very like the universal health care thing.
People just believe whatever propaganda came down the loudest. No one wants
to know the truth, which is that people who like their work do good work.
People who think their job sucks and only do it until something better comes
along don't.

brooklyn1

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Jan 1, 2010, 10:25:17 AM1/1/10

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I don't believe that Outback invented the blooming onion. According
to wikipedia it says Outback Steakhouse lays *claim* (1988). But I
remember them being served at country fairs along with funnel cakes as
far back as the late 1940s... my first memory of 'blooming onion' was
at the yearly summer fair held on the Woodridge, NY school grounds
when I was like 7 years old, that fair was a big deal for kids but I
don't remember kids eating those onions. I don't remember them being
served anywhere other than country fairs (they were served at the
Polack Festival in Riverhead, NY too (I remember them from the '70s).
Blooming onion and funnel cake was/is definitely hillybilly fare.
Hillybillys have been serving all mannor of deep fried foods since
forever. I think Outback only introduced the blooming onion as a
signature dish and was first to serve it inside a restaurant, and
probably gave it that name (sorta remember it being called an onion
rose), but no way did they invent it. I never ate one, the concept
doesn't appeal to me and I love fried onions, I don't much care for
onion rings either... I did try funnel cake, awful stuff... I don't
like zeppole either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blooming_onion

Message has been deleted

blake murphy

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Jan 1, 2010, 12:59:15 PM1/1/10

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nah. i'm euphoric at least some of the time, and i've still never heard of
it.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy

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Jan 1, 2010, 1:00:33 PM1/1/10

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your latter point is an excellent one, guisi.

your pal,
blake

brooklyn1

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Jan 1, 2010, 3:47:53 PM1/1/10

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On Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:16:36 -0600, Andy <a@b.c> wrote:

>brooklyn1 <grave...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> I did try funnel cake, awful stuff... I don't
>> like zeppole either.
>
>

>Surprised you didn't mention shoo fly pie. It's not hillbilly but it will
>certainly hasten tooth decay!!! Like eating sticky sweet sand. :P
>

I've been to PA Dutch country many times and occasionally tried
shoofly pie but don't really like it much, just had a taste when there
to say I did. I didn't mention it for the same reason I didn't
mention millions of foods, they're not deep fried.

Dave Smith

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Jan 1, 2010, 3:53:12 PM1/1/10

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brooklyn1 wrote:

> I've been to PA Dutch country many times and occasionally tried
> shoofly pie but don't really like it much, just had a taste when there
> to say I did. I didn't mention it for the same reason I didn't
> mention millions of foods, they're not deep fried.

I have only been to PA Dutch country once and tried shoo fly pie at
several places. It was delicious, but every one of them was different.

unread,

Jan 1, 2010, 11:06:51 PM1/1/10

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Wheew! Well, I can dodge that bullet easily then. Las Vegas isn't
high on my list of places to visit. ;)

blake murphy

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Jan 2, 2010, 4:06:11 PM1/2/10

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i more commonly encounter styrofoam plates.

your pal,
blake

jmcquown

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Jan 3, 2010, 12:50:52 AM1/3/10

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"sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:fn5oj55lfj84t1pru...@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:21:56 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> <rjyn...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>The bacon-on-everything seems to have passed by me unnoticed,
>>too bad! It sure beats the mango-salsa-on-every-darned-thing
>>fad. Blech!
>
> I missed the bacon trend too although I didn't miss salsa. It wasn't
> served with everything, but darned near everything. How about theme
> dining like "dining in the dark" or those murder mystery dinner
> parties?
>

Dining in the dark is an idiotic idea. What's next, dining in the nude? Oh
wait, but it will have to be dark ;)

I haven't heard of a murder party since the 1980's. It was actually quite
fun!

Jill

Becca

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Jan 3, 2010, 12:16:59 PM1/3/10

to

jmcquown wrote:
> Dining in the dark is an idiotic idea. What's next, dining in the
> nude? Oh wait, but it will have to be dark ;)
>
> I haven't heard of a murder party since the 1980's. It was actually
> quite fun!
>
> Jill

In November, we went to the Steak 954 Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, and
it was so dark we had to use tiny flashlights to see the menu. The food
was outstanding, but I suggest you look at the menu before you go. The
crab cakes and colossal lump crab were awesome, so were the vegetables
and the steaks.

http://www.steak954.com.php5-13.websitetestlink.com/fileuploads/menus/954dinner_0502109.pdf

Becca

Message has been deleted

jt august

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Jan 3, 2010, 8:36:25 PM1/3/10

to

In article <hhqkup$aa1$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
"l, not -l" <lal...@cujo.com> wrote:

> On 2-Jan-2010, "jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > I haven't heard of a murder party since the 1980's. It was actually quite
> >
> > fun!
> >
> > Jill
>

> Here, in STL, we have one every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at a landmark
> mansion:
> http://www.bissellmansiontheatre.com/
>
> As much fun, though I haven't been in years, is the "merry old England"
> experience offered with dinner at the Royale Dumpe:
> http://www.royaldumpe.com/

The Royale Dumpe is far more funny.

jt

Omelet

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Jan 4, 2010, 5:08:47 AM1/4/10

to

Been off line for a week or so, had to delete around 2,000 messages
unread.

I'd say the WORST dining trend of the decade is stacking the food into a
tower in the middle of the plate.

IMHO that's just ignorant and gross.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
recfood...@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: recfoodrecip...@yahoogroups.com

Dave Smith

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Jan 4, 2010, 11:42:43 AM1/4/10

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Omelet wrote:
> Been off line for a week or so, had to delete around 2,000 messages
> unread.
>
> I'd say the WORST dining trend of the decade is stacking the food into a
> tower in the middle of the plate.
>
> IMHO that's just ignorant and gross.

Yep. I agree with that. It can look.... interesting. You have to take it
all apart before you can eat it, otherwise the good stuff on top gets
pushed into the starchy base when you cut into it and everything gets
mushed together. I am not anal enough that I can't have foods touching
each other on the plate, but I really don't want everything to me
together. I once had a meal with some sort of fish and the fish was
sitting on top of the vegetables on top of the starch (potatoes?) and
the juice and sauce from the fish permeated everything. I would have
preferred to have them separate.

Omelet

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Jan 4, 2010, 12:52:04 PM1/4/10

to

In article <4b421a86$0$6891$9a6e...@news.newshosting.com>,
Dave Smith <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

Same here. I want to see what I'm eating, and taste each individual
dish!

sf

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Jan 4, 2010, 1:10:48 PM1/4/10

to

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:42:43 -0500, Dave Smith
<adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>
>Yep. I agree with that. It can look.... interesting. You have to take it
>all apart before you can eat it, otherwise the good stuff on top gets
>pushed into the starchy base when you cut into it and everything gets
>mushed together. I am not anal enough that I can't have foods touching
>each other on the plate, but I really don't want everything to me
>together. I once had a meal with some sort of fish and the fish was
>sitting on top of the vegetables on top of the starch (potatoes?) and
>the juice and sauce from the fish permeated everything. I would have
>preferred to have them separate.

Fish and potatoes (especially mashed) is just plain wrong. Fish and
rice or pilaf, ok.

Omelet

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Jan 4, 2010, 1:21:18 PM1/4/10

to

In article <dmb4k5pnna1gp5fp8...@4ax.com>,
sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:

Actually, Cod and sliced potatoes au gratin go quite well together.
Just not stacked. <g>

sf

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Jan 4, 2010, 2:08:48 PM1/4/10

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On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:21:18 -0600, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Actually, Cod and sliced potatoes au gratin go quite well together.
>Just not stacked. <g>

I like cod and I like potatoes au gratin, but I don't think I'd like
them together. I *love* pork chops with potatoes au gratin though.

Omelet

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Jan 4, 2010, 2:29:58 PM1/4/10

to

In article <b4f4k5ls2q013grm7...@4ax.com>,
sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:21:18 -0600, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Actually, Cod and sliced potatoes au gratin go quite well together.
> >Just not stacked. <g>
>
> I like cod and I like potatoes au gratin, but I don't think I'd like
> them together. I *love* pork chops with potatoes au gratin though.

I just love spuds.
I rarely get to eat them any more. ;-)

Ranee at Arabian Knits

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Jan 4, 2010, 2:55:29 PM1/4/10

to

In article <dmb4k5pnna1gp5fp8...@4ax.com>,
sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:

I like fish and roasted potatoes. Fish and chips are quite nice,
too. I have eaten some very nice grilled fish with mashed potatoes, and
though I wouldn't serve it that way myself, it wasn't terrible.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

Janet

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Jan 4, 2010, 6:15:03 PM1/4/10

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Dave Smith wrote:
> Omelet wrote:
>> Been off line for a week or so, had to delete around 2,000 messages
>> unread.
>>
>> I'd say the WORST dining trend of the decade is stacking the food
>> into a tower in the middle of the plate.

I thought that tall food was more of a 90s thing...guess I have my decades
mixed up.

Bruce

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Jan 4, 2010, 9:43:05 PM1/4/10

to

In article <7qfb3n...@mid.individual.net>,
"Janet" <box...@maine.rr.com> wrote:

I've still seen the trend recently in pics from some of the "fancier"
restaurants.

--Bryan

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Jan 4, 2010, 10:03:59 PM1/4/10

to

On Jan 4, 8:43 pm, Omelet <ompome...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In article <7qfb3nFia...@mid.individual.net>,

>
> "Janet" <boxh...@maine.rr.com> wrote:
> > Dave Smith wrote:
> > > Omelet wrote:
> > >> Been off line for a week or so, had to delete around 2,000 messages
> > >> unread.
>
> > >> I'd say the WORST dining trend of the decade is stacking the food
> > >> into a tower in the middle of the plate.
>
> > I thought that tall food was more of a 90s thing...guess I have my decades
> > mixed up.
>
> I've still seen the trend recently in pics from some of the "fancier"
> restaurants.

Bad food trend of the last two decades--plates of food with not enough
food on them.
> --
> Peace! Om

--Bryan

sf

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Jan 5, 2010, 12:52:00 AM1/5/10

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On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:36:08 -0700, Arri London <bio...@ic.ac.uk>
wrote:

they call it "architectural"

Bob Terwilliger

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Jan 5, 2010, 4:13:14 AM1/5/10

to

sf wrote:

> Fish and potatoes (especially mashed) is just plain wrong. Fish and
> rice or pilaf, ok.

One of the favorite dishes I've had in recent years was a halibut steak
which was covered with "scales" of boiled potatoes, which were then lightly
browned under the broiler. Potato-wrapped fish is one of the specialty
dishes of Le Cirque. Poking around online, I found this fairly-interesting
blog entry:

http://www.peterandrewryan.com/baking/2009/04/potato-wrapped-cod-with-lemon-aioli-and-grilled-asparagus-and-zucchini-salad/

or http://preview.tinyurl.com/czny7x

Bob

tcroyer

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Jan 5, 2010, 8:27:34 AM1/5/10

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"Becca" <be...@hal-pc.org> wrote in message
news:7qc1lt...@mid.individual.net...

My father couldn't stand eating in the dark. I remember inviting my parents
to my house to meet my
new fiance (now my wife of 30 years) and serving dinner in the dining room.
It was late fall and dark
early, and Donna and I had decided to eat by candle light. Well, Pop would
have none of it. He
went into the bedroom, took the bedside lamp from the night stand, brought
it into the dining room
and set it on the floor. Brighter than candle light, but some really wierd
shadows.

--
Tom Royer
If you're not free to fail, you're not free. -- Gene Burns

tcroyer

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Jan 5, 2010, 8:29:34 AM1/5/10

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"--Bryan" <clas...@brick.net> wrote in message
news:ae7990c6-f41c-4840...@35g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...

--Bryan

Or plates with way too much food.

sf

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Jan 5, 2010, 11:36:31 AM1/5/10

to

I certainly do like the individual ingredients, I can't complain about
it being too fussy and the finished look is good.... thanks.

Omelet

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Jan 5, 2010, 2:18:31 PM1/5/10

to

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Jan 5, 2010, 2:11:46 PM1/5/10

to

tcroyer wrote:
> "Becca" <be...@hal-pc.org> wrote in message
> news:7qc1lt...@mid.individual.net...
>

>> In November, we went to the Steak 954 Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, and
>> it was so dark we had to use tiny flashlights to see the menu. The food
>> was outstanding, but I suggest you look at the menu before you go. The
>> crab cakes and colossal lump crab were awesome, so were the vegetables and
>> the steaks.
>>
>>
>> http://www.steak954.com.php5-13.websitetestlink.com/fileuploads/menus/954dinner_0502109.pdf
>>
>>
>> Becca
>>
>
> My father couldn't stand eating in the dark. I remember inviting my parents
> to my house to meet my new fiance (now my wife of 30 years) and serving dinner in the dining room. It was late fall and dark early, and Donna and I had decided to eat by candle light. Well, Pop would have none of it. He
> went into the bedroom, took the bedside lamp from the night stand, brought
> it into the dining room and set it on the floor. Brighter than candle light, but some really wierd shadows.

Pop just couldn't get into the spirit of it, could he. At least the
marriage lasted, that is what counts.

unread,

Jan 6, 2010, 2:46:08 PM1/6/10

to

Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
> On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:48:03 -0600, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> There's plenty of time for the food to get mixed up in my stomach. I
>> don't need it all pre-mixed on my plate! I like to taste the individual
>> dishes.
>
> My daughter would have starved to death on food plated like this. She
> couldn't stand the various dishes "touching" each other. God forbid
> the potatoes should rub shoulders with the lamb chop...!

My brother in law is like that, and he is 71. He does not like his foods
mixed and eats one thing at a time. I prefer to have my foods laid out
on a plate. It is more pleasing to my eye to see my meat in one place
and the various vegetables served in separate piles. They can touch. I
don't care, but when I am eating roast beef, mashed potatoes and green
beans I prefer to have a forkful of beef, potatoes or beans, and enjoy
each on their own rather than having every forkful of food being a
mixture of all three. It's not a problem to have two or three all in the
same bite once in a while, but not all the time. Even so, it is not a
big deal. I will still eat it.

unread,

Jan 6, 2010, 7:29:42 PM1/6/10

to

I actually like mashed potatos from...a box!

Bruce

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Jan 6, 2010, 7:33:13 PM1/6/10

to

Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
> On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:32:45 -0500, Bruce<Bru...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>> Sounds interesting! What is it's consistency? Is the rice mushy or
>> does it still have it's crunch?
>>
>>
> Are you kidding me? You could boil wild rice until the second coming
> and it would still have some fight left in it, AFAICS. As to the
> consistency, according to Squeakster's Collegiate Dictionary, it's
> slightly more firm than "gloppish."
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
>
>

I've had "fresh" wild rice and I've had Uncle Ben's. There is a difference!

Bruce

Terry Pulliam Burd

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Jan 6, 2010, 9:10:15 PM1/6/10

to

You mean Uncle Ben's white and wild rice? That is a whole 'nother
thing, all right, and nowhere in my recipe did I mention white rice.
Uncle Ben's is not wild rice - the Uncle Ben's you reference has some
wild rice *in it* but is to wild rice what Korbel champagne is to
Veuve Clicquot.

unread,

Jan 7, 2010, 12:28:50 PM1/7/10

to

Terry Pulliam Burd <ntpu...@spambot.com> wrote in
news:h2gak5trs9pkr34rk...@4ax.com on Jan Wed 2010 08:10 pm

Had this many times and if you want a rice & wild rice combo, Ya gotta par boil the wild rice.

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Kathy's Wild Rice Casserole

1/3 cup wild rice; par boiled
1 cup long grain rice; uncooked
2.5 cups chicken stock
2 to 3 shallots; finely sliced
1.5 cup mushrooms; chopped
3/4 cup pecan halves
2 tbsps Butter
2 to 3 garlic cloves; minced
1/2 tsp lots of fresh ground black pepper

Sometimes I add crisp crumbled bacon too; about 4 strips.

this time I toasted the pecans but it didn't seem to make a difference in
flavour. You could use sliced almonds.

rinse well and par boil wild rice about 8 minutes.
mix with raw rinsed long grain rice and toss in the rest.
stir and bake at 350 about 45 min or till done.

tastes good but better the next day as left overs. (with chunks/slices of
meat from previous meal kinda a cold stir fry/salad).

I used salty canned stock so i didn't use salted butter or use salt
anywhere else in the recipe.

makes enough for more than 4 as a side dish. .

** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.85 **

--
Is that your nose, or are you eatting a banana? -Jimmy Durante

blake murphy

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Jan 7, 2010, 1:43:17 PM1/7/10

to

On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:10:15 -0800, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:

> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:33:13 -0500, Bruce <Bru...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>I've had "fresh" wild rice and I've had Uncle Ben's. There is a difference!
>
> You mean Uncle Ben's white and wild rice? That is a whole 'nother
> thing, all right, and nowhere in my recipe did I mention white rice.
> Uncle Ben's is not wild rice - the Uncle Ben's you reference has some
> wild rice *in it* but is to wild rice what Korbel champagne is to
> Veuve Clicquot.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

i sorta like korbel. i can't afford Veuve Clicquot.

your pal,
blake

Omelet

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Jan 7, 2010, 3:20:01 PM1/7/10

to

In article <14i95q2mvo1ki.1...@40tude.net>,
blake murphy <blakepm...@verizon.net> wrote:

I bought Andre'. $4.00 per bottle. 2 Spumante and 2 pink.

My sister happily ran off with the unopened bottle of pink. <g>

Sparkling wine/Champagne does not have to be expensive to be good!

IMHO anyhoo...

sf

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Jan 7, 2010, 3:30:48 PM1/7/10

to

Substitute brown rice for white (increase the liquid slightly) and it
will be even better.

:)
```````````````````

On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:28:50 -0600, hahabogus <do...@have1.invalid>
wrote:

--

James Silverton

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Jan 7, 2010, 3:38:22 PM1/7/10

to

Omelet wrote on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:20:01 -0600:

>> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:10:15 -0800, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
>>
> >> On Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:33:13 -0500, Bruce <Bru...@gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>> I've had "fresh" wild rice and I've had Uncle Ben's.
> >>> There is a difference!
> >>
> >> You mean Uncle Ben's white and wild rice? That is a whole
> >> 'nother thing, all right, and nowhere in my recipe did I
> >> mention white rice. Uncle Ben's is not wild rice - the
> >> Uncle Ben's you reference has some wild rice *in it* but is
> >> to wild rice what Korbel champagne is to Veuve Clicquot.
> >>
> >> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>>
>> i sorta like korbel. i can't afford Veuve Clicquot.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake

> I bought Andre'. $4.00 per bottle. 2 Spumante and 2 pink.

> My sister happily ran off with the unopened bottle of pink.
> <g>

> Sparkling wine/Champagne does not have to be expensive to be
> good!

That's quite true. I don't think Korbel is as good as Veuve Clicquot
but, IMHO, it's not at all bad. They also have not been frightened by
the French companies into dropping the term "champagne", which makes me
want to drink it for the hell of it! Incidentally, the French makers
recently doubled the size of the area on which champagne grapes can be
grown and are having a real glut and low prices this year.

I don't know about Andree which is tank fermented and is only just
drinkable, IMHO but a number of Cavas and Proseccos are good too. I also
recently noticed some "sparkling wines" from Australia.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Dave Smith

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Jan 7, 2010, 4:27:50 PM1/7/10

to

James Silverton wrote:

>> Sparkling wine/Champagne does not have to be expensive to be
>> good!
>
> That's quite true.

I used to think that way. I used to buy cheap "champagne" or sparkling
wines that matched my pocket book. The I tried some real champagne,
which costs about 8 times as much as the cheap stuff and 3 times as much
as the locally made stuff which was made by the same method but cannot
be called champagne. There is a hell of a difference.

Omelet

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Jan 7, 2010, 5:09:06 PM1/7/10

to

In article <hi5gnt$24k$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
"James Silverton" <not.jim....@verizon.net> wrote:

> > I bought Andre'. $4.00 per bottle. 2 Spumante and 2 pink.
>
> > My sister happily ran off with the unopened bottle of pink.
> > <g>
>
> > Sparkling wine/Champagne does not have to be expensive to be
> > good!
>
> That's quite true. I don't think Korbel is as good as Veuve Clicquot
> but, IMHO, it's not at all bad.

I will sometimes get Ballatoire when it's decently priced.

> They also have not been frightened by
> the French companies into dropping the term "champagne", which makes me
> want to drink it for the hell of it! Incidentally, the French makers
> recently doubled the size of the area on which champagne grapes can be
> grown and are having a real glut and low prices this year.

Good. <eg> Snobs!

>
> I don't know about Andree which is tank fermented and is only just
> drinkable, IMHO but a number of Cavas and Proseccos are good too. I also
> recently noticed some "sparkling wines" from Australia.

I thought the Andre' was downright tasty, but I'm not a wine snob! <g>

>
> --
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Omelet

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Jan 7, 2010, 5:11:11 PM1/7/10

to

In article <4b4651dd$0$1586$9a6e...@news.newshosting.com>,
Dave Smith <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

There sure is. I got to taste some $150.00 per bottle champagne once at
a party.

I almost threw up, it was so horrible. Bitter and harsh. Could have
cleaned my battery terminals with it.

I'll stick with the cheap stuff so I can enjoy it, thanks. <g>

Message has been deleted

sf

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Jan 7, 2010, 5:26:11 PM1/7/10

to

On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:11:11 -0600, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>In article <4b4651dd$0$1586$9a6e...@news.newshosting.com>,
> Dave Smith <adavid...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>> James Silverton wrote:
>>
>> >> Sparkling wine/Champagne does not have to be expensive to be
>> >> good!
>> >
>> > That's quite true.
>>
>> I used to think that way. I used to buy cheap "champagne" or sparkling
>> wines that matched my pocket book. The I tried some real champagne,
>> which costs about 8 times as much as the cheap stuff and 3 times as much
>> as the locally made stuff which was made by the same method but cannot
>> be called champagne. There is a hell of a difference.
>
>There sure is. I got to taste some $150.00 per bottle champagne once at
>a party.
>
>I almost threw up, it was so horrible. Bitter and harsh. Could have
>cleaned my battery terminals with it.
>
>I'll stick with the cheap stuff so I can enjoy it, thanks. <g>

Good champagne is an acquired taste. I like the dry stuff now and
prefer champagnes that name a grape, but I started off sweeter and
less expensive too. Asti Spumante is a good starter, try that
sometime. Most people I know simply don't like champagne, no matter
how sweet or dry it is.

RegForte

unread,

Jan 7, 2010, 5:37:12 PM1/7/10

to

aem wrote:

> I'm puzzled by the thought that fish and potatoes "is just plain
> wrong." Millions seem to think that fish and chips is a good
> pairing. I've made cod wrapped in very thin potatoes slices and it
> was really good. Halibut would be even better, I'd guess. -aem

One of my favorite french bistro dishes is called brandade, which
is fish and mashed potatoes all whipped up. And yes, I often use
halibut. It's especially good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brandada_de_Bacalao_-_098.jpg

--
Reg

John Kane

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Jan 7, 2010, 5:53:16 PM1/7/10

to

Most people eat from plates but if a box works for you ....

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada