Text 24694, 108 rader
Skriven 2012-05-11 08:24:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: alcoholic 635
=====================
 GJ> entertaining potential customers, using their apparently bottomless
 GJ> expence accounts.  The high prices paid are supposed to reflect the
 GJ> esteem in which the customer is held.
 ML> I wonder about the possibility of kickbacks in such situations.
 GJ> I feel sure that the financial side of those high-end eateries would
 GJ> be complex and secret.

And informal, at least on paper.

There's a restaurant in Boston, No. 9 Park, that Nicholas
frequents so frequently and has steered so many patrons to
that he is often subjected to numerous freebies - when I've
dined there with him, there's almost always an extra course,
but when I dine without him, it's lucky if I get everything
that I paid for. Anyhow, he went there just for drinks with
the famous Beth (former food writer for Gourmet, the Boston
Globe, and the NY Times), and they were presented with seven
appetizers in succession, all on the house. And at Kinkead's
in Washington he was given a bottle of Ch. Yquem for free.
Some people just live right, I guess.

 At one place frequented by regular diners,
 GJ> I saw a shelf holding a row of whisky bottles, each with a customer's
 GJ> name on it. They would come in after work (say, at 10pm) and have a
 GJ> couple of shots before going off home.

I've been to such and was offered the chance to similarly
rent shelf space for a mere couple hundred dollars - whether
that was an annual charge or a one-time fee I never found
out, as I respectfully declined the proposition.

 GJ> I would consider myself honoured indeed to just see one of those
 GJ> fabled wines, let alone touch the label.  I have seen a Grange.

I met a Grange once but was unable to taste her delights
owing to a certain lightness in the pocketbook, something
that makes me less than a prime suitor to many. I don't
have a way to put up pictures on the Web, but if I did I
could offer a visual chronicle of the Lynch-Bages dinner.

 GJ> Do you have a proposed travel time?  My plans are to go there next
 GJ> year, probably in the European spring or autumn, to miss the July to
 GJ> August holiday season popular with most locals.
 ML> If you are suggesting such, a rendezvous would be possible
 ML> and could be fun. On the other hand, my Bavarian friend
 ML> Christoph is planning a party planned around the Franconian
 ML> Beer Festival in a couple months, and I am invited, and a
 ML> mileage ticket for me and Lilli beckons. But next year
 ML> should be possible as well. I have been issued a 48-page
 ML> passport, and I have lots of spots to use up.

Turns out that the Franconian Beer Festival happened in May.
Turns out too that there is a Franconian Beer Festival in July
- the former is a decoy for the tourists, the latter the real
thing for the locals. It is proposed to attend the latter.

 GJ> OK, I will keep that in mind.  Once inside the EU, passports don't get
 GJ> used up.  Just a small date/location stamp as you enter the EU.  If
 GJ> you go to India, Indonesia and most of the Pacific region you get a
 GJ> glorious full page visa stamp.

I had a couple of those, which was the motivation for my going
to the US embassy in Singapore to have 24 extra pages sewn into
my passport. This time I saved the hour or two thus wasted and
had the extra pages put in when the new one was originally issued.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v7.07

      Title: Gulai Kambing (Spiced Lamb)
 Categories: Indonesian, Lamb
   Servings:  6

  1 3/4 lb Lamb, Fresh
      2    Onions
      3    Thai Chiles
           Ginger, Fresh, 3/4" Knob
           Lemon Grass Root, 1/2" Knob
      1    Lemon Grass, Stem
      2    Garlic Cloves
      8    Macadamia Nuts
      2    Tomatoes, Ripe
    1/3 c  Oil
    1/2 ts Cardamom, Ground
    1/2 ts Cumin Powder
    1/2 ts Turmeric
    1/4 ts Fennel Powder
      1    Cinnamon Stick, 2"
      4    Cloves, Whole
           Salt To Taste
           Pepper, Black To Taste
      4 c  Coconut Milk

  Cut the lamb into bite-size chunks. Chop the onions, chiles, ginger, lemon
  root and lemon grass.  Crush the garlic and grind the macadamia nuts. Skin
  the tomatoes and cut the flesh into small dice.  Heat the oil in a large
  pan, add the onion, chiles and garlic and saute until the onion becomes
  translucent. Then add the lamb, ginger, lemon root, lemon grass and tomato
  and cook for another three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spice
  powders, cinnamon stick and cloves and season to taste with salt and
  pepper.  Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring
  constantly, then lower heat and allow to simmer until the meat is very
  tender; approximately 45 minutes.  Serve immediately with steamed rice.

  Source unknown - the mac nuts are probably a sub for candlenuts.

MMMMM
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Fidonet Since 1991 And Still Here. Join Us: www.DocsPl (1:123/140)