The butternut squash ravioli in browned butter sauce with fried sage (coated with just a bit of Parmesan) at Buona Terra. Yowza! And the busboy brought us more bread so I could soak up that sauce. My heart said no, no but my taste buds cried yes, yes! Thank god I refuse to fry at home or I'd be eating sage every day.

Pie Lady wrote:Thank god I refuse to fry at home or I'd be eating sage every day.

I'm happy to serve as the tempter: Frying sage doesn't require deep fat -- you can do it with just a couple of tablespoons.

Amazing thing, sage: I just pulled fresh leaves off the plant in the garden last week, to make -- no lie -- squash risotto. A few large, older leaves were brown, but the second they hit inside air temperature, they were ready to go, full of flavor.

On a recent trip to Boston, stopped in at Santarpio's pizza. I am still thinking about this pizza. The crust was cornmeal I think. It was crispy on the outside, soft and delicate on the inside. But I can still taste that sauce. One of the best sauces I've ever had on a pizza, spicy and sweet and just damn good. They also make their sausage in-house. The middle gets kinda soggy cause it's pretty thin. But the taste. My Sweet Lord. Total old school Boston Italian. Reminded me of a Vito and Nick's type vibe.

First saw it in my Roadfood book but couldn't remember the name. When I mentioned to my friends they knew right away. So we had to stop on the way out to the airport. I hope to post all my pics and stops soon.

JoelF wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Thank god I refuse to fry at home or I'd be eating sage every day.

I'm happy to serve as the tempter: Frying sage doesn't require deep fat -- you can do it with just a couple of tablespoons.

I do have some leftover sage to get through...

My first venture into the French Laundry cookbook was the Cream of Walnut soup and it was absolutely delicious. Served some to my family and they were similarly enamored.

ucjames wrote:S'more with house-made graham cracker and marshmallowed scallop at Bonsoiree. Each individual element was good, but when combined in a single bite they were transcendent. A surprise favorite dish of the night after another excellent meal for our anniversary.

Picture borrowed from Yelp:

is that a plate? weird. the serving looks tiny, but it was hard to tell at first where the food was and the plate was. In the pic if looks like a huge glob of orange sauce on the table,

.
Egg in the hole w/Kaufman's Corn Rye

Chitown B wrote:

ucjames wrote:S'more with house-made graham cracker and marshmallowed scallop at Bonsoiree. Each individual element was good, but when combined in a single bite they were transcendent. A surprise favorite dish of the night after another excellent meal for our anniversary.

Picture borrowed from Yelp:

is that a plate? weird. the serving looks tiny, but it was hard to tell at first where the food was and the plate was. In the pic if looks like a huge glob of orange sauce on the table,

The plating is fairly unusual at Bonsoiree, but it's another thing my wife and I like about them.

No orange sauce. Or white sauce. Or any sauce whatsoever - just graham cracker, marshmallowed scallop, chocolate, and raspberries (or strawberry slices, in our case)

marshmallowed scallop

can you explain this further? is it just a small marshmallow cut into a circle? or is there an actual scallop involved somehow?

Went to The Flame in Country Side and had a VERY good meal.
We had the prime rib and Dover Sole. We ordered the fat cut of prime rib and split it, she got her's medium and I did mine well. Cooked great and the portions even after the split were HUGH!
The Dove Sole was great, de boned table side. Tasted great, salad and breads were right on. Ordered some clams to start they were OK. The setting inside is old OLD school looks to be most orginal out of the 1960's? Great open kitchen with a charcoal grill inside. Staff and service was top notch! Dressed in black in white with push carts to bring your food and drinks out.
All in all this place was great. Only down fall was the $5.00 MGD's in bottles and no tap brews at all.
If you have not been to the joint yet its a MUST DO place.
http://www.theflame.com/

double deep fried, korean style, crunchy, chicken candy wings:

elakin wrote:

marshmallowed scallop

can you explain this further? is it just a small marshmallow cut into a circle? or is there an actual scallop involved somehow?

It's a full, honest to goodness actual scallop that is coated in marshmallow. And while I never would have guessed that a s'more made with a scallop would be desirable, it made for possibly the most memorable dessert I had in 2009. Our whole meal was good, but the combination of great flavors and uniqueness made the scallop s'more the highlight of the evening.

ucjames wrote:

elakin wrote:

marshmallowed scallop

can you explain this further? is it just a small marshmallow cut into a circle? or is there an actual scallop involved somehow?

It's a full, honest to goodness actual scallop that is coated in marshmallow. And while I never would have guessed that a s'more made with a scallop would be desirable, it made for possibly the most memorable dessert I had in 2009. Our whole meal was good, but the combination of great flavors and uniqueness made the scallop s'more the highlight of the evening.

fascinating. I think I want to vomit, but fascinating nonetheless.

Avec's bacon-wrapped dates

Gingerbread poundcake, this morning, from Fritz Pastry (on Diversey just west of Southport). Dense, buttery, intense flavor.

Both at French Market at Ogilvie Transportation Center:

-Sample and subsequent purchase of Humboldt Fog cheese from Pastoral

-"The Frenchman" sandwich at Saigon Sisters - duck confit and candied kumquats yum

Jim, where did you get your double deep fried, korean style, crunchy, chicken candy wings ?

razbry wrote:Jim, where did you get your double deep fried, korean style, crunchy, chicken candy wings ?

made them at home Sunday. I posted the recipe in the shopping and cooking section, under the football food thread.

Fried Smelts at Rootstock, paired with some jim beam rye on the rocks...

G Wiv wrote:.
Egg in the hole w/Kaufman's Corn Rye

Ive been thinking of this picture, and this version of an egg since I saw this pic. doing a couple of these tonight with a 8 oz strip, and some hashbrowns, Hoping it comes out as nice as your did Gary.

thanks for the inspiration.

She-crab soup at the revamped Custom House. This is new Chef Aaron Deal's version of the venerable Charleston staple. I think he had it at his menu in the acclaimed Tristan, which is, yep, in Charleston.

jimswside wrote:

G Wiv wrote:.
Egg in the hole w/Kaufman's Corn Rye

Ive been thinking of this picture, and this version of an egg since I saw this pic. doing a couple of these tonight with a 8 oz strip, and some hashbrowns, Hoping it comes out as nice as your did Gary.

thanks for the inspiration.

I've always referred to it as "Rocky Mountain Toast" but learned there are other names for it too in the comments at the link.

It's the first thing I ever learned to cook, and in my family we called them "hobo eggs"

The "Porky" banh mi from the French Market. $7, but unbelievably tasty.

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:It's the first thing I ever learned to cook, and in my family we called them "hobo eggs"

We called it, and I still call it, Eggy in the Hole. I know, a little cutesy for a grown man to say, but what ya gonna do? At least I didn't say ~Yum or Yummy~

I'm awaiting a spinach pizza from Great Lake right now. I assume that will make this list

I was at Piccolo Sogno last night and had two outstanding dishes:

First, the Griglia Mista - calamari, shrimp, octopus with arugula, lemon, capers and garlic. Every bit of seafood was perfectly cooked and dressed.

Second, the Caprese Inverno - mozzarella di bufala, oven-dried tomatoes that weren't the least bit tough, basil and olive oil. It's a celebration of a simple assembly of perfect ingredients.

yup, I was right. Great Lake Pizza - Spinach was wonderful. Not soggy, chopped very fine. Not too overpowering either, just enough garlic and salt. Pics:

I am curious to know - for my own home pizzamaking efforts - how one achieves a non-soggy spinach topping. Chopping finely can't be the entire solution. Pressing moisture out with paper towels is bound to leave the spinach looking, well, pressed. Does anyone have any clever suggestions?

it was fresh local spinach, that might have helped - not refridgerated, I don't think. Definitely not frozen. They were chopping by hand and making huge bowls of it. I'm not sure if he pressed it but I don't think so. It seems very light. Maybe it's just the type of spinach.