Interesting that the primary criticism in the blog replies is that the list is not inclusive enough, either not properly representing certain neighborhoods, or cuisines. I suppose that is just a more general version of the most common complaint - "how can you pretend to have a listing of great restaurants and not include XXX (fill in your own favorite)?"

No one outside of the Forum has picked up on our main concerns about the GNRs not really being what we would all agree to be Neighborhood places.

Thanks for the links Mike, and also thanks to the bloggers for the nice mentions.

I expect there will be some mention in Dish later in the week, and another brief interview with Bob Sirott tomorrow (Tuesday 10/16) on WGN AM at 1240pm unless something comes up to pre-empt it. Just in case you want to watch for those.

d
for the GNRs

Yeah, that's why I pointed out that, basically, Sultan's Market isn't missing from the list of middle eastern places because we forgot about it.

Josephine wrote:Listening with one ear to 848 this morning on WBEZ, I suddenly thought to myself: " I know that voice - it's Hammond!" Sure enough, David did a piece on artisanal cheese and the Green City Market.

Hammond,

Just listened to the podcast, interesting and educational, a well spent 6-minutes. Looking forward to your next WBEZ piece.

Thanks for the heads up Josephine.

Enjoy,
Gary

David,

Just finished listening to your interview w/Sirott. It was delightful, Will Bob S. be our new poster? He likes all of the places you mention and seems to be a foodie.

The Lovely Donna wrote:David,

Just finished listening to your interview w/Sirott. It was delightful, Will Bob S. be our new poster? He likes all of the places you mention and seems to be a foodie.

Thank you, Donna. It was encouraging that Bob had clearly read LTHForum, knew which GNRs (Wiener and Still..., Healthy Foods, Mario's Italian Ice and Manny's since today is the first day they are open into the evening) he wanted to discuss and lead the conversation quite nicely. The producer intimated something about this "being fun for Bob," but you never know whether that is just smoke.

Anyway, I had my list of GNRs to discuss, as well as some leading questions for Bob, and never even had a chance to use them. Easiest interview I have done by a long shot.

I'd really like to see this piece. Perhaps someone tivo'd and tubed it?

David Hammond wrote:I'd really like to see this piece. Perhaps someone tivo'd and tubed it?

What piece

Donna and I were referring to a radio interview. I expect to have a CD of it in a bit, but WGN has asked me to kindly refrain from posting it publicly.

dicksond wrote:

David Hammond wrote:I'd really like to see this piece. Perhaps someone tivo'd and tubed it?

What piece

Donna and I were referring to a radio interview. I expect to have a CD of it in a bit, but WGN has asked me to kindly refrain from posting it publicly.

I misunderstood. I thought it was a television broadbast, little knowing you had become Master of Two Media.

This week's Dish e-newsletter includes "6 Questions for lthforum.com's David Dickson" on the occasion of the GNR announcements.

germuska wrote:This week's Dish e-newsletter includes "6 Questions for lthforum.com's David Dickson" on the occasion of the GNR announcements.

Dickson,

Very nice interview, I particularly liked "I love the whole list in all its eclectic, adventurous splendor" Frankly, that pretty much sums up LTHForum for me.

Enjoy,
Gary

The "Letter of the Week" in this week's Time Out Chicago is by our own Mike G, reminding them that before there was Charlie Trotter, there was Louis Szathmary.

I don't think it's online anywhere...

Oddly enough, I'm on Time Out's site a different way, as my wife found when she went looking for the letter. If you go there, and have Flash, depending on the vagaries of Doubleclick you may see banner ads for an exhibit at the Field Museum called Maps; the work of my friend Wyatt and I. (Also supposed to be at Metromix, Travelocity, Chicago Parent, etc.)

germuska wrote:. . . before there was Charlie Trotter, there was Louis Szathmary.

A blast from the past. How I loved The Bakery, and appreciated the work of Szathmary. Thanks for the reminder.

I'll be on Check Please! tonight extolling the virtues of Xni-Pec.

I'll be at Xni-Pec tonight, extolling the virtues of Binko.

Binko wrote:I'll be on Check Please! tonight extolling the virtues of Xni-Pec.

Hey Binko, very fine job of explaining/extolling Xni-Pec, passionate and credible. Nice that the other two folks on the panel liked it a lot too.

Hammond

Agreed!
I missed it both times, but finally it came up in a (cough) video search. Made me giggle to see the crowd in the restaurant shots...

One of my favorite websites, Grow-a-brain is linking to the Guess the Restaurant forum.

Catherine Lambrecht, former Master Gardener, is referenced on page 9 of today's Tribune Home & Garden section in an article entitled "The Magical, Mystery 'Shrooms."

Hi,

I forgot about that.

Thanks!

Regards,

David Hammond and I are both quoted in Janet Franz's column in today's Chicago Tribune:

"I agree that in some settings, flash photographs could be disruptive and ill-mannered. I think you'll see that many, many food pix on LTHForum -- which I co-moderate with some friends -- are taken using natural light at taquerias, beef stands and other less hoity-toity food zones, and so the potential abrasiveness of the flash is significantly reduced. On the forum, we have debated at length not only the acceptability of shooting photos in a restaurant, but how to do so in ways that avoid discomfort to other diners"

-- David Hammond, Oak Park

"As someone who regularly takes pictures in restaurants, I'm perplexed by the perceived controversy over this issue. If I'm sitting in my seat, taking pictures without a flash, why should it matter to anyone else in the restaurant? Is such activity really intrusive to other diners? Or is the issue simply a matter of control and those who feel compelled to exert it over others? If a restaurant doesn't want pictures taken in the dining room, that's another matter. It's their house, so their rules should apply. But the fact is, most restaurants are happy to have diners take pictures of their meals because, more often than not, those pictures -- after being shared online with others -- generate interest in the restaurant and additional business."

-- Ron Kaplan, Deerfield

Do we really need dress codes in upscale restaurants?

=R=

After exhausting my google-fu searching for the meaning of TOC , I finally followed the Spacca Napoli thread to this Time Out Chicago article, with LTH plug, by Santander

And the article itself is by Mike Nagrant, LTHer MJN, who identified me as "the pizza professor," which my co-workers, family, and choir members are now calling me to my utter chagrin. People I haven't heard from in 10 years saw this on the newsstand and got in touch through Facebook. The guy who looks like Charlie's brother on Lost who's always at the register at CoalFire laughed when I walked in yesterday and said "weren't you in that article we were in?" My favorite professorly quote: "Pequod's is good." Brilliant.

Seriously, I had a blast participating in the panel and appreciated the invitation. I think it came across stronger in person than in print that we were debating Chicago-style thin vs. thick, which is why we didn't really cover CoalFire, Spacca, Piece, etc. (though my aspersion on Crust did come through). Mike, I have many single friends who would take Ruthann and Marla out for followup pizza if they're interested.

I found it a well-done article. But when I first saw the title, my immediate thought was "What's next - a debate over whether Thai cuisine or Mexican cuisine is better? Is Chicken better than beef?"

And eventually we can get the whole world of food down to one champion, and never eat anything else again.

Incidentally, I may be straight out of Ralph Ellison when it comes to food publicity around here, but anyone who's interested in silent film (a highly hypothetical group, I recognize) can read my account of a recent silent film fest in the current issue of Classic Images (available at very comprehensive newsstands everywhere, or here) and at some point, I'm supposed to be quoted on the subject of kids and silent movies in USA Weekend, the Parade-like Sunday supplement found in the Sun-Times, the Daily Herald, and other fine newspapers everywhere.

STILL MORE LTH FORUM MEDIA DOMINATION

Loved the title so I copied it, how original of me. Just to let you know that PBS did a taping for a segment of their Chicago Food Show at my bakery, Delightful Pastries, which we are really thrilled about. It will air on November 27 at 7PM.

Silent movie thing will be in tomorrow's USA Weekend (in the Sun-Times and Daily Herald, Chicago-area-wise). Or read it here:

http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/071 ... ovies.html

Felt right at home last night, watching all the people I've met through LTH forum on TV. I enjoyed CookieMonster's informative segment on the evolution of Polish cuisine in Chicago, and particularly liked Bruce Kraig's ethnic deconstruction of the Chicago dog. What tickled me, though, however, was seeing C2 on the phones directly behind Geoffrey Baer during the breaks!

Well-deserved congratulations to everyone who participated and to WTTW!

Hi,

My Mom didn't even realize what I was up to last night! I think she flipped to another channel during the commercial.

Mom did watch the show because she did see her best friend from high school in the Irish segment. There were a lot of people involved we've met over the years via LTH and Culinary Historians. Unfortunately in the studio it is impossible to catch the content. I will have to wait for another day for that.

I did make a small contribution to this project: I proofread the recipes for the companion cookbook. A larger task than originally presented, though an interesting learning experience. Please note I did not cook them!

One woman who called on the phone was breathless with excitement. Her Father was pictured in one of the segments on Greek restaurants. She wanted to know how his picture was obtained because the only copy was on her wall. She later mentioned her sister wrote a book on their father's business, which seemed the likely source of the photo. She bought a copy to surprise other family members.

Regards,