539938 Thu Jul 17 23:23:20 -0700 2008 126 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3879571 If I am reading a menu, and something has artichokes, I almost always have to order it. I'm not talking about a dish (like I HAVE to order soft shell crabs when their on the menu), but some ingredient in a dish that is irresistible. What draws you to a dish in a restaurant or in a cookbook? Thu Jul 17 23:23:22 -0700 2008 34558 roxlet 1 3879671 hearts of palm wild mushrooms streusel - or at least this used to be Fri Jul 18 01:28:56 -0700 2008 3879571 15572 Emme 1 3879686 Fennel aka the best vegetable ever! Shrimp paste is pretty damn hard to resist, as well. Fri Jul 18 02:00:41 -0700 2008 3879571 177724 tmso 1 3879699 the term "imperial".... arugula artichokes the term "florentine" ginger and garlic hearts of palm Fri Jul 18 02:30:54 -0700 2008 3879571 105717 alkapal 2 3893534 alkapal, hope you saw this link re "florentine": http://www.chowhound.com/topics/540256 Wed Jul 23 04:46:16 -0700 2008 3879699 17562 FoodFuser 1 3879714 Truffle oil, marrowbone, sourdough, black pudding and capers Fri Jul 18 03:11:40 -0700 2008 3879571 198403 BoonDandy 1 3879720 smoked salmon - its hard to wreck it! Fri Jul 18 03:19:25 -0700 2008 3879571 210870 Dustbin 1 3879740 Depends on the cuisine, but soft shell crabs are one as well as oysters, seafood in general, veal and saltenas!(?) Chicharone too! Scallops Fried clams or oysters Duck in any form (feet too). Dim Sum Summer rolls And lamb. Fri Jul 18 04:05:03 -0700 2008 3879571 93538 Passadumkeg 1 3879787 i'm with you on the artichoke, roxlet. also: fennel hearts of palm goat cheese wild mushrooms Fri Jul 18 05:07:35 -0700 2008 3879571 103920 goodhealthgourmet 2 3879868 Not sure if it's exactly the same but a few times we've walked into a restaurant and either on the table or where you can see the stuff is a bottle of sriracha. I'd always turn to Mrs. Sippi and say "This place is good" and so far have always been right. DT Fri Jul 18 05:52:31 -0700 2008 3879787 11291 Davwud 3 3885428 where does noodles and co fall in the whole "sriracha= good" category? Sun Jul 20 11:36:17 -0700 2008 3879868 52834 tinymango 1 3879822 prime beef dry aged beef king crab stone crab dungeness crab lobster oyster sauce crawfish smoked meat of any kind avocado garlic Fri Jul 18 05:31:07 -0700 2008 3879571 26725 swsidejim 2 3881351 "oyster sauce" Me too. LOVE that stuff. Fri Jul 18 13:03:40 -0700 2008 3879822 143696 Catskillgirl 3 3881390 I use it as a table condiment at home for beef, chicken, and pork, in addition to wok cooking, and as a part of a marinade. Fri Jul 18 13:14:45 -0700 2008 3881351 26725 swsidejim 4 3882513 Try to get your hands on thai oyster sauce. Great stuff! Fri Jul 18 21:33:51 -0700 2008 3881390 76186 moymoy 5 3888276 I will look for the thai oyster sauce. typically we have either Chinese, or Filipino oyster sauce. Mon Jul 21 11:58:47 -0700 2008 3882513 26725 swsidejim 1 3879854 Prosciutto Artichoke and oddly enough I'm presently addicted to scallions though it has not yet carried over to restaurants. This week alone I've made baked crab rangoon, tomato pie, bourbon chicken, and squash rollatini primarily because they all prominently showcase scallions. Weird. Fri Jul 18 05:44:35 -0700 2008 3879571 82243 ArikaDawn 1 3880001 i forgot to mention fresh rice noodles in any stir-fry. oh. my. goodness...... Fri Jul 18 06:50:31 -0700 2008 3879571 105717 alkapal 1 3880055 morels oysters bleu cheese whole shrimp desserts made with rum Fri Jul 18 07:06:20 -0700 2008 3879571 194222 LaurCar 1 3880078 Calamari Lamb Duck Chili Cheese the words "deep fried" Fri Jul 18 07:13:32 -0700 2008 3879571 68363 JungMann 1 3880186 shrimp or prawns real crab scallops the word Bordelaise on anything chilis Chinese noodles or wrappers Char siu beans potatoes-gratin....mmmm! lamb and if blackberry is in the same sentence, I'm sooo happy. Fri Jul 18 07:54:53 -0700 2008 3879571 50431 chef chicklet 2 3887935 amen on the bordelaise call. id like to give a shout out to chef e. the godfather of food for the bordelaise Mon Jul 21 10:36:49 -0700 2008 3880186 142904 SiksElement 1 3880284 capers Fri Jul 18 08:23:09 -0700 2008 3879571 210914 charlacampbell 1 3880290 To steal from others and add a few wild mushrooms goat cheese duck calamari octopus olives tarragon dill Fri Jul 18 08:25:44 -0700 2008 3879571 186923 Cachetes 1 3880296 squid crab Stilton garlic fries king scallops whole lemon sole... in fact pretty much any fish served whole aubergine walnuts Fri Jul 18 08:27:13 -0700 2008 3879571 40746 Peg 1 3880393 Sooooooo many: Kabocha squash Wild mushroom Kale Kimchi Fennel Blood orange Figs Hearts of palm Hand-pulled noodles Tofu skin Gingko nuts Cilantro Chestnuts Fri Jul 18 08:48:27 -0700 2008 3879571 10681 piccola 1 3880442 Bearnaise sauce Avocado Beets Goat cheese Lemon Pistachio Cranberry Fri Jul 18 08:59:29 -0700 2008 3879571 76852 butterfat 2 3880516 Add Pistachio and Lemon to mine. Fri Jul 18 09:16:11 -0700 2008 3880442 82243 ArikaDawn 1 3880524 Dang, has no one mentioned chocolate? Chocolate Passion fruit Marrow bone Wild mushrooms soft shell crab fois gras jerusalem artichokes pine nuts pomegranate blueberries lamb bacon Fri Jul 18 09:18:32 -0700 2008 3879571 89969 moh 2 3881164 i think chocolate is a given for all of us :) i was thinking more along the lines of savory dishes for mine [yes, chocolate does appear in the occasional mole or other sauce, but i equate it more with dessert]. as far as savory goes, i'l add pistachios & pine nuts to my list. oh, and bacon. definitely. Fri Jul 18 12:09:33 -0700 2008 3880524 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 3881752 Not for me. If there's chocolate on the dessert list, I'd rather just forgo dessert! Fri Jul 18 14:57:24 -0700 2008 3881164 68363 JungMann 4 3883632 Ditto! Anything citrus, on the other hand... Sat Jul 19 12:36:05 -0700 2008 3881752 92744 invinotheresverde 5 3883985 i'll take it all. fruit, chocolate, a combination thereof, with or without nuts...i'm an equal opportunity dessert orderer :) Sat Jul 19 16:01:44 -0700 2008 3883632 103920 goodhealthgourmet 6 3884441 I'm jealous. I'm allergic to nuts and dislike chocolate. I can't get enough lemon/lime flavor. Sat Jul 19 20:52:28 -0700 2008 3883985 92744 invinotheresverde 7 3884929 i've been on a *serious* lemon kick lately. i'm using fresh lemon on everything, squeezing it into my drinks, baking with it...i made a batch of lemon-cranberry muffins the other day and i couldn't believe the way everryone devoured them. there's just something about citrus in the summertime. i have to say, i've always felt particularly sorry for people who have nut allergies because they miss out on so many things. plus, you have to be so vigilant about avoiding potential contamination in so many places. but hey, at least you can still have lemon bars & key lime pie! of course now i'm craving both of those things :) Sun Jul 20 07:25:24 -0700 2008 3884441 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3880582 Meyer lemon truffles cardamom pork belly Fri Jul 18 09:32:46 -0700 2008 3879571 10159 Ruth Lafler 2 3890226 Ruth L - you're in the SF Bay area right? if you ever venture to Menlo Park, there are unappreciated Meyer Lemon trees everywhere just waiting for surreptious plucking. I like to think of it as milking cows - has to be done or bad for the source. and I wasn't spoiling anyone's crop, these were usu. recently fallen to the ground. Tue Jul 22 01:06:44 -0700 2008 3880582 163722 hill food 3 3891210 It's sad, isn't it? Many people in California have them and don't know what to do with them, and poor people in New York are paying a fortune for them. When people ask where to buy them in the Bay Area, I often tell them to ask around and/or to take a walk around their neighborhood (or the nearest older suburban neighborhood) and find someone who will be happy to have you take them off their hands. Really, there are only two amounts of Meyer lemons: not enough and too many. My little bush hasn't started bearing yet (I can hardly wait!), but I get them from my Mom, and from people around town. Segueing back on topic, here's one that will make many chowhounds drool: fritto misto of Meyer lemons and artichokes. I could no more not order that than I could stop breathing. Tue Jul 22 10:05:25 -0700 2008 3890226 10159 Ruth Lafler 4 3892577 Oh Ruth, the idea of this fritto misto is making me very hungry... I have only tried frying artichokes once, and I am sad to say it wasn't so successful. The thought of ordering this in a resto is indeed "pitter pat". Tue Jul 22 16:59:27 -0700 2008 3891210 89969 moh 4 3903029 Ruth: yum. period. would the addition of calamari tentacles or well-subdued octopus be an ingredient too far? I say no. and don't get me started on how often I kick myself for the overlooked snails in my Western Addition backyard before I knew they are the edible variety. Sat Jul 26 01:23:04 -0700 2008 3891210 163722 hill food 1 3880689 Truffles (the words 'truffle fries' will make me drool) Bacon, Bacon, Bacon Fois Gras Lamb Marrow Duck Confit Curry Blueberries Lemon Chocolate Coconut Fri Jul 18 10:08:08 -0700 2008 3879571 90565 Cookiefiend 2 3880936 Cookiefiend, we need to eat together soon! thanks for reminding me about duck confit, how could I forget that marvelous stuff... Fri Jul 18 11:10:04 -0700 2008 3880689 89969 moh 3 3881117 Pitter Pat! :-) One more good reason to make it up to Montreal! Fri Jul 18 11:59:37 -0700 2008 3880936 90565 Cookiefiend 4 3883319 We could find you some very nice duck confit in Montreal! and fois! Also, wild chocolate covered blueberry season starts in August! Steal away my friend! We could feed you well... Sat Jul 19 09:47:16 -0700 2008 3881117 89969 moh 5 3883420 Wow!!! You GROW wild chocolate-covered blueberries in Montreal? ;-) Sat Jul 19 10:39:26 -0700 2008 3883319 10532 LindaWhit 6 3883698 We do, but I prefer the chocolate covered strawberries. Alas, their season has come and gone. Sat Jul 19 13:06:50 -0700 2008 3883420 42449 mrbozo 6 3884512 " Wow!!! You GROW wild chocolate-covered blueberries in Montreal? ;-)" Well, I GROW when there are wild chocolate-covered blueberries in Montreal - sideways... There are meals where all I've eaten are a bunch of these little delights.. Sat Jul 19 21:42:17 -0700 2008 3883420 89969 moh 7 3884866 LOL! Now that's a good meal. :-) Sun Jul 20 06:30:21 -0700 2008 3884512 10532 LindaWhit 1 3880693 caffeine gives me pitter-pat. Fri Jul 18 10:10:23 -0700 2008 3879571 137946 Scargod 1 3880706 Cheeks (of any variety from any creature) Vanilla Saffron Fri Jul 18 10:13:36 -0700 2008 3879571 11583 ipsedixit 2 3880901 I agree! Fri Jul 18 11:03:18 -0700 2008 3880706 186923 Cachetes 1 3880876 Lamb Duck Prosciutto Bacon Asparagus Lemon (in desserts) Ginger Vanilla Salmon Goat Cheese Mango (not Tommy Atkins kind, however) Key Lime Pie (REAL key lime pie!) Fri Jul 18 10:58:57 -0700 2008 3879571 10532 LindaWhit 1 3880944 Goat Cheese Chocolate Hazeluts Lamb Peanut butter Ahi Tuna Blackberry Fri Jul 18 11:11:57 -0700 2008 3879571 136241 six dower 1 3881200 Capers fennel arugula and if they are all somehow in the same dish... bonus ! Fri Jul 18 12:19:14 -0700 2008 3879571 208197 Lemoncaper 2 3881907 considering your screen name i'm surprised you wouldn't want lemon in the dish as well ;) Fri Jul 18 16:00:17 -0700 2008 3881200 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3881212 Foie gras. Duck. Shrimp. Québec artisanal and European cheeses. Mushrooms. Asparagus. Potatoes. Tomatoes. Sour cream. Anchovies. Garlic. Fri Jul 18 12:22:51 -0700 2008 3879571 42449 mrbozo 1 3881228 Brown butter! Fri Jul 18 12:26:47 -0700 2008 3879571 20028 Jme 2 3881355 Foie gras Anchovies (especially fresh marinated ones!) Duck confit Gorgonzola (and most other blue cheeses) Chili peppers Butterscotch (in a dessert) On the other hand, there are two ingredients whose presence will make me refuse to order a dish: Eggplant and okra, both because of texture issues more than taste. Fri Jul 18 13:04:41 -0700 2008 3881228 14386 BobB 3 3881886 To Bob8: Julie Sahni, in her cookbook "Classic Indian Cooking" (1980), said the way to avoid texture issues (sliminess) with okra is to avoid allowing cut okra to be cooked with water or other liquid. Her methods involved stir-frying cut okra in hot oil (never with water). Southerners avoid it by coating cut okra with cornmeal before frying it in oil or bacon grease in a black cast-iron skillet. And others avoid it by only cooking whole okra pods, thus not exposing them to liquid. If you don't like okra because of texture issues, those might help. If you just don't like it anyway, nothing will help - okra tastes like okra. Fri Jul 18 15:54:34 -0700 2008 3881355 159948 Potomac Bob 4 4899586 We southerners do that, yes; but most of us don't mind the texture, having been raised on it. Love it. Wed Jul 29 06:37:55 -0700 2009 3881886 253735 bayoucook 5 4899693 bayoucook, i'll bet bobB is turned off by okra in its gumbo state, rather than fried. those two prep methods produce such vastly different textural results. ok, now i'm craving some fried okra! ~~ ps, there's a quickie frozen veggie mix with sliced okra that is great to throw together with some tomatoes and stock to make a little gumbo soup... shrimp, chick, whatever optional. it's just easy and pretty tasty. i get it at harris teeter. Wed Jul 29 07:06:22 -0700 2009 4899586 105717 alkapal 6 4900214 I can get that here, too, have used it many times. For my gumbo and soups, I precook the okra in a hot skillet with a little oil and some flour until the major stickiness is gone. Use Wondra flour and it works really well. I fried some fresh okra last week that was SO good. Old fashioned way: dipped in seasoned buttermilk, then cornmeal and fried in hot oil in a cast iron skillet. Ok. I want more. Wed Jul 29 09:43:33 -0700 2009 4899693 253735 bayoucook 1 3881674 seared scallop seared foie gras muscovy duck avocado meyer lemon leeks potato bacon poached egg mangosteen (unfortunately, I don't see this on menus very often) artichoke hearts crab prawn black truffle valdeon cheese salted caramel vanilla bean So I guess from this list, my ultimate meal would be: Crab and prawns with avocado, artichoke hearts and braised leeks chilled in a meyer lemon vinaigrette Duo of seared scallops and seared foie served with a black truffle sauce Seared muscovy duck breast with mangosteen sauce served with potatoes flavored with bacon and topped with a poched egg (with some bitter greens to add balance to the dish) Valdeon cheese with figs Ice cream "sandwich" made up of salted caramel macarons and vanilla bean gelato Fri Jul 18 14:29:11 -0700 2008 3879571 10763 Miss Needle 2 3883328 Where did you see mangosteen on a menu? I have never seen it (am very sad about that). But hopefully that will change, as mangosteens seem to be more common and cheaper now! We've been snacking on some lovely bags of them in the last few months... That is one fine menu you have put together for an ultimate meal! Sat Jul 19 09:51:18 -0700 2008 3881674 89969 moh 3 3883788 I've seen it at a couple of fine dining restaurants in SEA -- once in Thailand and once in Bali. I've heard that when fresh mangosteens first came to NYC last year that some of the chefs were going to try to do something with it. But the prices were so astronomical that I don't know if they ever did it -- I think it was like $35/lb or something crazy like that. I've never seen it in the states, but I think it's the perfect accompaniment to a rich meat like duck. Oh, lucky you that you've got a great supply of mangosteens in Montreal! Aren't they the absolute best? Moh, I do have to say that if I saw both chocolate and mangosteen on a menu, I think my eyes would be heading for the mangosteen instead of the chocolate. Sat Jul 19 14:00:42 -0700 2008 3883328 10763 Miss Needle 4 3884522 Mangosteen may be my favorite fruit ever! lately we have been able to find a bag of about 12-15 or them for $10 or so, and they have been very good. They aren't as wonderful as the ones you get in the country of origin, but it has been fun to sit and eat a bunch of them at once! But they haven't yet made it to the dining scene. I bet it would be wonderful with duck. And pork also. Suddenly I feel the need to start branching out with my mangosteen habit! Sat Jul 19 21:48:32 -0700 2008 3883788 89969 moh 5 3885556 Luckily, we've been starting to get them at a better price in NYC this year. It's hard because some of the stuff has been previously frozen (which makes it really bitter) and you can't tell from just looking at it. I tend to buy them if they're more on the expensive side -- like a bag for 12-15 for $14 or so. I'm pretty sure the cheaper ones are frozen as I've experienced that a couple of times. Yeah, pork and mangosteens would be awesome! Any chefs in NYC and Montreal listening out there? Please put this on your menu, and I'll be there! Sun Jul 20 12:48:28 -0700 2008 3884522 10763 Miss Needle 6 3885976 Oh, aren't they fabulous? Just bought some lovely mangosteens this week. Yummmmmm! They seriously should be on more menus. Sun Jul 20 16:05:46 -0700 2008 3885556 206532 chefathome 2 3890640 I'll add some fresh pasta with wild mushrooms and truffles topped off with fried zucchini blossoms just for you! : ) Tue Jul 22 07:14:58 -0700 2008 3890274 10763 Miss Needle 3 3890749 Yowzah! It's a date, then :-D. Tue Jul 22 07:59:13 -0700 2008 3890640 116513 linguafood 1 3881990 squash blossoms artichokes asparagus fennel esp. if sliced thin in a salad lemon in desserts chino farms veg baby arugula wild mushrooms (hen of the woods, chanterelles, morels) parm reggiano blood oranges salted caramel esp if sea salt flakes are sprinkled on top hollandaise sauce and its sibling bernaise Fri Jul 18 16:33:38 -0700 2008 3879571 69496 septocaine_queen 2 3887968 definitely a tempura batter on the squash blossoms. stuff it with tartuffi cheese first. and a follow up to the hollandaise, any butter emulsified sauce i have a week spot in my heart for...and consequently there probably is a week spot in my heart. Mon Jul 21 10:45:13 -0700 2008 3881990 142904 SiksElement 1 3882103 Duck Goose Game/exotic meat cheek meat pork belly vinegar (when specifically listed as a featured ingredient) beans morel mushrooms whole grains tamarind Fri Jul 18 17:26:51 -0700 2008 3879571 10832 Humbucker 1 3882174 boquinette entero al mojo de ajo chiles en nogada foie gras lobster fra diavolo osso bucco, with the little marrow fork Fri Jul 18 18:20:10 -0700 2008 3879571 57170 Veggo 2 3883918 sometimes i just order the little marrow fork. Sat Jul 19 15:14:27 -0700 2008 3882174 102095 vvvindaloo 1 3882426 thai basil orange blossom water rose water fish sauce blue cheese morels crab avocado vanilla bean lavender cardamom coffee Fri Jul 18 20:35:27 -0700 2008 3879571 64882 Vetter 1 3882437 lobster butter saffron endive radicchio shrimp,cream, and tomatoes in the same dish dumplings-specifically the stuffed kind, but i have a pleasant visceral reaction to just the word veal milanese lentils chick peas fresh fish with a bordelaise or bornaise and capers fried or grilled eggplant chocolate with fruit, particularly pears or raspberries french fries or any fried starch, fish or vegetables plainer broth soups cheese or creamy sauce with vegetables, like a cauliflower and broccoli gratin,mmm. "dips" Fri Jul 18 20:42:50 -0700 2008 3879571 11190 fara 1 3882550 Reading this thread makes me reach for a beta blocker... Others I don't recall seeing: Browned butter Smoked paprika Roasted garlic Roasted asparagus Chanterelle or shitaki mushrooms Real mirin Kasha and lots of the other stuff aleady listed... Fri Jul 18 22:09:46 -0700 2008 3879571 95291 Richard 16 1 3882741 Venison hanging in my garage that smells of pepper as it ages. Fresh picked morels especially those I find on a dark rainy day. Fish so fresh it still smells of the sea. Chocolate Anything I don't have to make on my day off! :) Fresh picked lettuce or maters from my garden. Sausage from Salumi. Smoked bacon Smoked Salmon Chocolate chip cookies Pulled pig Sat Jul 19 03:26:47 -0700 2008 3879571 155549 Docsknotinn 1 3883287 Good question! I have so many. Where to begin??? Macademia nuts saffron vanilla beans Meyer lemons pea shoots pork belly foie gras marrow Bearnaise sauce fresh wasabi root sea bass wild mushrooms white truffles bacon and pancetta great grassy olive oil duck lamb oxtail braised anything lavender duck fat octopus the great cheeses - parmesan, ricotta salata, pecorino, triple cream brie... squash blossoms game and wild birds - elk, caribou, wild boar, quail, partridge, pheasant... If all of the above were on a restaraunt menu I would have a very, very hard time choosing! :) Sat Jul 19 09:37:25 -0700 2008 3879571 206532 chefathome 2 3883331 Oxtail! yes a very good one! Especially braised or in a Caribbean stew... Sat Jul 19 09:53:39 -0700 2008 3883287 89969 moh 1 3883316 Duck, salmon, lamb, goat, mutton, squid, octopus, trout, chiles, (a number of) cheeses, several fruits. Increase the pitter pat by smoking or drying. Sat Jul 19 09:46:16 -0700 2008 3879571 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 3883332 Love the question! These are the words that make me do a double-take: porcini foie gras croquette pilaf agnolotti crab zucchini tempura, or batter-dipped reduction (fish particularly) marsala masala creole Sat Jul 19 09:54:13 -0700 2008 3879571 153361 foodieman 1 3883465 Ahi Lobster Kumoto oysters avocado citrus hollandaise Iranian Cavier garlic brie stilton King Crab legs soft shell crab saffron garam masala truffles barramundi fleur de sel watermelon Tahitian vanilla bean asparagus portabella mushrooms shallots nectarines Sat Jul 19 11:02:40 -0700 2008 3879571 97452 Beach Chick 1 3883536 If I DON'T see chocolate on the dessert menu, the place takes a dive off my favorite list. Brick oven pizza has not been mentioned-I can't pass up anything cooked in a brick oven. (Sorry, I live in a too small town and feel very deprived of many good things). Sniff, sniff Sat Jul 19 11:43:24 -0700 2008 3879571 123913 chocchipcookie 2 3883644 If there's no cheese course as an alternative to desert, I am very disappointed. I really don't 'get' chocolate. Sat Jul 19 12:42:13 -0700 2008 3883536 40746 Peg 3 3883663 I echo MANY...Just a few that come to mind having just read this list include cilantro chocolate bone marrow mint lemon roasted eggplant & roasted marshmallows garlic And I have to add CINNAMON and AVOCADO (I do not remember seeing these on the list.) GREAT QUESTION. THANKS! Sat Jul 19 12:50:31 -0700 2008 3883644 204182 chicken kabob 4 3883666 How about sea salt? Sat Jul 19 12:53:45 -0700 2008 3883663 204182 chicken kabob 1 3883899 sheep's milk ricotta crispy pancetta caramelized onion caramelized banana "fried in duck fat" fresh porcini, blue oyster, chanterelle or morel mushrooms Sicilian lemon and/or pistachio carnitas thai chili and/or peanut sauce white truffle anything "hot buttered"... anything VINDALOO! Sat Jul 19 15:01:13 -0700 2008 3879571 102095 vvvindaloo 2 3884037 It may be up there but I haven't seen Pheasant...God I love pheasant and a few years ago I was in the " lounge" area of Daniel in NYC alone and the menu had Grouse with which I was not familiar... I asked the wonderful waiter to compare it to pheasant for me and he said" Non.... too gamey but let me check with Chef to see if we have a pheasant" They did and I was cooked a pheasant, the only diner to have one that evening. Daniel himself came out to be sure it met my approval...what a great memory for one of my favorite birds .... Sat Jul 19 16:34:29 -0700 2008 3883899 11784 capeanne 1 3884236 Working in a restaurant, some of the favorites listed on this post are some that I don't want to taste again until next season! That being said: Rabbit Bacon "Head to Tail" paired with charcuterie Heirloom tomatoes Heirloom anything, basically burrata grass-fed kurobuta Wagyu Artisanal breads house-made pasta Yoroshiku, Andy Sat Jul 19 18:45:03 -0700 2008 3879571 10374 AndyP 1 3884604 Mushrooms (one of those things that will immediately draw my eye on a menu - mushroom content of a dish) Chocolate Oysters (raw preferably, but I'm learning to like cooked ones, thanks to kaki fry) Duck Artichokes Sat Jul 19 22:46:56 -0700 2008 3879571 207014 fuuchan 1 3884992 Beets..beets, beets, BEETS!! If I see this on the menu, especially in a salad, I'm ordering it. I just love them :P Others things: feta almost any fish or seafood olives mushrooms, especially wild Dessert: anything with pecans creamcheese Sun Jul 20 08:12:11 -0700 2008 3879571 144814 livetocook 1 3885350 namasake saba o-toro hamachi uni I think you get the drift with those... Fresh Mussels. I MUST get them if they are in a dish on the menu, and sorry, I will send them back, if they are frozen. Far too easy to tell when they have been frozen. Escarole (not in soup) Hollandaise Habanero Chile Scapes Sun Jul 20 10:57:31 -0700 2008 3879571 111530 gordeaux 1 3886022 passion fruit uni foie gras Sun Jul 20 16:33:44 -0700 2008 3879571 19185 budlit 1 3887959 Some restaurateur should complile these, pick the dozen most common, and come up with the world's most irresistible menu. Mon Jul 21 10:43:54 -0700 2008 3879571 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 3888459 abalone geoduck kobe beef green papaya green mango chicken wings sticky rice Mon Jul 21 12:47:08 -0700 2008 3879571 56183 soypower 1 3888529 Reading all the posts here I realize many are items I would absolutely avoid. Some are items I like, but do not make me go pitter patter, and some are items I've never had. But there were some I agree with: Meyer lemons the great cheeses, parmesan, ricotta, salata, pecornio roasted garlic roasted asparagus fried, grilled, or baked eggplant ~~ but NO flour or bread crumb coating please avocado artichokes shrimp Bacon, Bacon, Bacon coconut Roasted Beets (but NOT pickled or Harvard) cream cheese Brick oven thin crust pizza king crab legs figs prime or dry aged beef dungeness crab dim sum Mon Jul 21 13:05:43 -0700 2008 3879571 109905 laliz 2 3895120 My list would be VERY similar to yours, minus the bacon, beets, pizza, crab and beef (don't dislike any of them, they just have no pitter-patter effect on my heart). And add: BASIL lime (probably more so than Meyer lemon) maple wild salmon On the dessert menu: caramel, toffee, malt, pistachios Wed Jul 23 14:09:28 -0700 2008 3888529 113376 Olallieberry 3 3895467 dessert I agree with the caramel and the toffee, but although I like both malt and pistachios they don't do pitter patter for me as much as creme brulee or boston creme pie Wed Jul 23 15:47:16 -0700 2008 3895120 109905 laliz 4 4833075 malt in desert. good call Mon Jul 06 09:03:37 -0700 2009 3895467 142904 SiksElement 2 4898936 aint nothin wrong with a pickled beet. specially ricks picks phat beets. Tue Jul 28 20:07:33 -0700 2009 3888529 52834 tinymango 1 3890254 Good question, having fun reading all others responses. For me, it's: cardamom bacon asparagus coconut REAL maple anything. Be it syrup, sugar, and creme. If real maple is involved, I think I would eat dirt, nasty bugs and chrome car bumpers. I'm absolutely ADDICTED to maple. Tue Jul 22 02:30:52 -0700 2008 3879571 23858 Honeychan 1 3890270 Caponata Vitello Tonnato Truffles/Porcini Seared foie gras wild-caught any fish Lobster Scallops Fresh pasta w/wild mushrooms (though I tend to make it better than any resto) Stuffed zucchini blossoms Tue Jul 22 03:07:49 -0700 2008 3879571 116513 linguafood 1 3892855 fresh mozzarella coconut ginger Tue Jul 22 18:47:14 -0700 2008 3879571 161870 Cinemaverite1 2 3892941 Duck, duck and duck... Tue Jul 22 19:24:28 -0700 2008 3892855 24648 Sean 1 3893889 cilantro hot peppers Wed Jul 23 07:30:11 -0700 2008 3879571 168212 PaulaT 1 3894463 Basil Tamarind Chilies (preferably hot ones) Parmigiana cheese Wed Jul 23 10:23:45 -0700 2008 3879571 171117 squasher1114 1 3914275 wild mushrooms savoury dishes with nuts (I think these are never used enough) calamari prawns marrowbone artichoke (jerusalem included) dumplings Some key terms: tempura hand-made hand-pulled wood-roasted/roasted in the wood-burning oven When we travelled in Italy, my partner (who doesn't speak Italian) very quickly learnt his favourite food names in Italian, skimmed the menu and picked dishes which contained all or some of the following: fungi/pasta/risotto/calamari/gamberi/scampi/al forno! Wed Jul 30 06:31:26 -0700 2008 3879571 10431 Gooseberry 2 3921528 blue cheese aged roasted crackling port pemaquid tartare bouquet garni tarragon citrus roe sashimi figs honey yummy! Fri Aug 01 07:47:52 -0700 2008 3914275 73904 aynne35 1 3922355 anything with sun-dried tomatoes gouda lamb mushrooms Fri Aug 01 11:44:51 -0700 2008 3879571 135133 washingtonred 1 4834563 Feta Black Olives Spinach Lemon All are ingredients that will catch my eye on any menu. Mon Jul 06 15:52:33 -0700 2009 3879571 322547 Greek Chefs Daughter 1 4834645 Fennel Eggplant roasted cauliflower sea scallops artichokes Mon Jul 06 16:24:37 -0700 2009 3879571 18011 Jacey 1 4834790 *capers tilt my eyebrows *roasted garlic 'topped' is a winner- not 'flavored with' - i want it full throttle *sesame oil- i'm happy just to stand there smelling it *pepitas Mon Jul 06 17:21:53 -0700 2009 3879571 110426 Boccone Dolce 1 4835021 duck fesenjan tamarind arugula radicchio caramelized browned wood-grilled toasted albacore butterfish horseradish fresh water chestnuts hearts of palm vanilla curry plantains blood orange sesame noodle garlic, white wine and cream hot wings yuzu goat milk goat goat butter dragonfruit bitters squab sweet potato fries lavender beurre blanc Mon Jul 06 18:56:14 -0700 2009 3879571 40486 Cinnamon 1 4899337 Almost all of what people have listed in the concurrent thread, "Foods you dislike that make you less of a foodie" (or whatever its title). Wed Jul 29 04:23:49 -0700 2009 3879571 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 4900302 Amen Sam. Those posts are bizarre. I honestly don't know how some of those people discovered chowhound with all of their dislikes. I'm just glad no one mentioned Boy-r-dee ravioli straight out of the can! Wed Jul 29 09:59:18 -0700 2009 4899337 116638 southernitalian 2 4900362 I just read that thread - holy smokes, there are a couple people who have so many items on their list I wonder how they eat anything! Also wonder if they carry that list with them when dining out to make sure the kitchen doesn't use any of the items in their food. Just plain wow. Wed Jul 29 10:11:51 -0700 2009 4899337 10532 LindaWhit 3 4900569 I noticed that, too. Shorter list would be what they did like! Wed Jul 29 10:54:15 -0700 2009 4900362 253735 bayoucook 2 4901396 I think being a foodie is more about attitude than a list. It's about being open and adventurous. And long lists of 'no I won't touch that' go against that in the worst possible way. Wed Jul 29 14:46:31 -0700 2009 4899337 10431 Gooseberry 1 4899600 florentine and imperial for me, too bacon oysters fois gras prime beef avocado cheese oysters soft shell crabs artichoke hollandaise garlic tomatoes capers brown butter "spicy" "deep fried" "crispy" Wed Jul 29 06:40:29 -0700 2009 3879571 253735 bayoucook 2 4899698 bc, we're florentine, artichoke and imperial sistahs! ;-D. Wed Jul 29 07:07:42 -0700 2009 4899600 105717 alkapal 3 4900232 Yes! Sometimes I put artichoke hearts in my spinach florentine, love it topped with poached eggs on English muffins. Wed Jul 29 09:46:22 -0700 2009 4899698 253735 bayoucook 1 4900783 Prosciutto Goat cheese Avocado Balsamic vinegar/reduction Lamb Chorizo Smoked salmon Chipotle Grilled or fried onions and peppers Anything braised, cured, or smoked For dessert: Maple Pineapple Guava Wed Jul 29 11:41:08 -0700 2009 3879571 14120 Big Bad Voodoo Lou 1 4901782 truffles. i don't even know what it is about them. everytime i read the word "truffles", i melt a little inside. Wed Jul 29 17:33:21 -0700 2009 3879571 286636 goldendelicious 1 4902157 right now just PHO Just that I cannot think of something else I am in hell Wed Jul 29 20:11:14 -0700 2009 3879571 274698 pikiliz 1 4902293 Fresh tomato Barley esp w/ beef and shrooms Asparagus Pasta Hot Chilies and peppers Any plant matter I haven't tried before ... ditto things with fins (restaurants) Wed Jul 29 21:30:20 -0700 2009 3879571 215278 corneygirl