Soupe a l'oignon, gratinee, November 2004

Holy shit. This is the best food ever. Ever, I tell you. I've been eating it for days. I'm gonna eat it again tonight. I'll probably eat it again in three days.

This is not the water-based soup of Les Halles. No. It is almost a pudding of carmelized onion, thickened beef stock, and fresh thyme. It takes two onions to make a single bowl.

If you open a restaurant, you should put this on the menu. Hungry people languishing in that netherworld between the decision to eat out and settling on an actual destination will suddenly exclaim, "Say, I know! We'll go to Impression's On The Green for that totally awesome onion soup!" You'll make a mint in spite of the stupid name of your restaurant.

Spaghetti with Spicy Meat-Bole, Red Pepper Marinara, November 2004

I ate this while cursing the election results.

I am happy to report that even the wholesale destruction of the Republic could not prevent me from enjoying the hell out of this excellent dish. The secret ingredient is the link of spicy Italian sausage added to the ground sirloin. That, and quite a bit of righteous indignation.

Crab Salad With Avocado October 2004

When you're flush, buy the Jumbo Lump. Say it with me: "I'd like a pound of jumbo lump." Now say it in Texan: "Odd lock a pay-own-duh jeuhm-bao leuhmp."

euh = the "eeeww" sound Lucy Ricardo makes whenever she realizes she's in the soup.

Squid Salad October 2004

Among the chewier lunches.

Crabcakes with Avocado Remoulade, Jicama Slaw, October 2004

I could eat crab with some sort of avocado augmentation, and have done, every day for a week. Too lazy to make crab cakes,? No problemo. Take a fork. Prong a clump of jumbo lump. Insert in mouth. Repeat with a hunk of avocado. Chew.

Pan Roasted Chicken with Scallions, Black Bean and Couscous Salad, October 2004

A deep-fried green onion can make life worth living, but the real story here is that pudgy Israeli couscous. It gives a little pop when you bite it, kind of like caviar only not as juicy, and kind of like those balls they put in bubble tea, only not as gummy.