CUISINE

We Yanks rarely put cream in tea, we do that to coffee. In which case I'm a B3 as well.

milk is basically diluted cream. I'm assuming you would never put skim milk in tea, would you? You probably don't even have skim milk, as I suspect it to be a purely US affliction. Cream is simply the best part of milk crystallized down its essence. Can't imagine why you would put milk in tea but balk at cream.

Radish greens are actually tender and delicious! (they have an afterburn just like the radish).

I discovered beet greens a bit over a year ago, but viewing a bunch of radishes with greens attached I began to suspect that maybe the grocery stores aren't being lazy, maybe they are trying to tell us something?

Perhaps anything that's edible below ground has edible greens? Has anyone tried carrot greens?

I've been working my way through the best burgers in New York, and recently the one that has topped the list I haven't bagged due to difficulty: Raoul's only serves a dozen burgers each day at the bar, and if you are not there close to 5:30 when they start serving dinner, you may well be out of luck.

So I made my pilgrimage today.



mind = blown

great burger, I do kinda understand the statement in reviews about the meat not being the main point (despite being luscious rib meat cooked au poivre style).  Perfect balance between the rich meat and buttery cheese with the bright salad, but when you use the au poivre dipping sauce you ascend to a whole new level.

An elderly woman sitting next to me who used to live in france and now traveled the world by cataraman started talking to me - and for reasons I cannot fathom seemed to think I was such a worthy companion that she proceeded to buy my drinks and insisted I share half her meal with her.  I was starting to fear I'd be obliged to escort her to bed but we parted forever in drunken bliss and went our separate ways.

Raoul's has figured out it ranks with the former champion - Minetta Tavern's black label burger, and now charges the same price: $27.  The accompanying duck fat fries are worth it.  A lovely young woman waiting for a barstool behind me informed us she's had about 20 of these burgers.  where do these youngsters get their money?

Here's one of the reviews.

https://ny.eater.com/2015/8/31/9204733/raouls-burger-review

The green stuff is brilliant - crunchy gherkins, red onion and watercress in a light citric dressing that cuts through the richness of the beef and cheese. It's an essential component.

Well, when I went I was under the impression it would be $19, which for the best burger in NYC (giving it a fair shake for the best burger in the world) with fries included may be worth the expense.  It wasn't until I got the bill that I found out the current price had inflated since the last review.

But having a nice elderly lady beside you paying for half your drinks and insisting on giving you bites of salmon and a spoon for splitting the dessert takes the sting off the price.  But the drinks I did pay for weren't cheap either.

New York City does strange things to you. If I was in Topeka or even Chicago I would have turned up my nose at a $27 burger/fries combo. But in this damn town you have the niggling feeling that passing up the best in the city may be tantamount to passing up the best on earth, so you fall for temptation.

I wouldn't go back for a second one, but I'm glad I did the first one. I doubt I'll ever have better.

If I hadn't been tempted into that huge slice of nutella cheesecake for a late afternoon snack I may be tempted to join you. *urp* I'm actually hankering after some veggies. Don't tell Petty.