• Amateur Gourmet 2008 Reader Survey

    Fans, Friends, Foes— it’s 2008 and on Monday we’ll be celebrating this site’s 4th anniversary. I thought I’d take a moment to probe you (not in the bad way) on who you are, what you like about the site and what you’d like to see me do in the future. At your convenience, please answer…

  • Where To Eat In Seattle

    Where To Eat In Seattle

    Seattle is a city I never expected to know well. Geographically, it’s pretty much as far away as you can get in the continental U.S. from where I grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. My impressions of Seattle were entirely limited to that which I saw in movies (“Sleepless in Seattle,” “Singles”) and TV shows…

  • A New Year’s Feast

    A New Year’s Feast

    If Molly Orangette invites you over for New Year’s dinner, you don’t say no. You say “yes” as fast as you can and hope she doesn’t change her mind. I had to explain this to Craig who wanted to go but had “plans” with “friends” he’s known “forever” and he “promised” them he’d spend “New…

  • My First Christmas

    My First Christmas

    For the longest time, as a young Jew, I was convinced that all of Christianity hinged on a deep, profound belief in Santa Claus. Jesus baffled me; I presumed he was just a supporting player in the epic, inspiring story of Santa. And as much as I was supposed to be impressed with an oil…

  • The Best of 2007

    The Best of 2007

    I’m a day late for a post like this, but I’m still in Seattle, my laptop computer screen is fried and I’m using a total stranger’s computer. (My friend is housesitting and she said I could use the house’s computer. If you’re reading this and you’re on vacation and wondering if it’s YOUR computer I’m…

  • Kefi

    Kefi

    I knew I was going to love Kefi and I did. After signing books at Best Cellars on the Upper West Side on Friday night, my dear pal Lisa (who lives up there now) joined me for the two block walk over to Kefi. “This is supposed to be great,” I told her. “Really good…

  • Potato Puree

    Potato Puree

    Please ignore the short rib in the above photo and focus on the cloud of white beneath it. That, my friends, is what we in the cooking industry (or the food blogging industry) call a potato puree. It’s a blend of riced potato innards (Yukon Gold & russets), two sticks of butter, heated cream and…

  • Off To Seattle

    I’m off to the airport to spend two weeks in Seattle. Not sure if I’m going to update the site while I”m gone, so in case you don’t hear from me: Happy Holidays and here’s to a terrific new year!

  • Is Lisa a Supertaster?

    Many of you who’ve read my book have asked if Lisa, star of Chapter Three, is a Supertaster. You ask because Lisa abhors coffee and olives and her sensitivity to these foods makes her a likely candidate for Supertaster status. Since it was Lisa’s birthday recently, I contacted Doug Cress who administers The Supertaster Test…

  • Excitement & Needling

    Yesterday was a big day for your friend The Amateur Gourmet. What happened? I can’t tell you yet and it’s not entirely clear what the future holds, but I promise to share more in January. Sorry for being a tease! In the mean time, don’t forget to donate to Menu For Hope IV. I noticed…