[foodnfoto]

OK, now that we've vented about all the fabulous dishes that have been ruined by their own popularity, I have a new idea...

What are some dishes that should come back into prominence? Recipes that need to be dug out from the back of the recipe file and enjoy and new popularity.

One that I love and never see anyone make is Welsh Rarebit. We always have it on Christmas Eve and it's great munching. How can you go wrong with the mixture of crusty bread, hearty ale, English mustard, good cheddar, slabs of thick bacon on slices of tomato?

A dessert that I haven't seen in a long time is Mississippi Mud Pie-chocolate cookie crust, piles of coffee ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and toasted almonds. There was a seafood joint in my hometown that always made this dessert. Man it was fabulous (as my hips can tell you.)

What would you like to see come back from the annals of history?

[OregonYeti]

Really good black licorice.

[lighthaus76]

Get rid of those mixed greens and give me back my ICEBURG!!

[boar_d_laze]

Chicken livers

Lamb and veal kidneys

boquetiere

Aqvavit

Blanquette de veau

Veal Oskar

Veal generally

Meat on flaming swords

pomme souffle

Dessert souffles

Souffles generally

Romertopf chicken

Steak Diane

Crepes Suzette

Table side service

Real Caesar salad -- made with anchovies, worcestershire, and all the things that really go in a Caesar salad and none of the things which don't.

Creamed vegetables

Kippers

Finnan Haddie

Bacalao

Salt cod generally

Abalone (I know it's endangered and we're not getting it back during my lifetime. I just miss it is all)

Oysters Rockefeller

Clams Casino

Lobster Newberg, Thermidor, Americaine

There are more, but thanks for letting me vent,
BDL

[OregonYeti]

It figures that a long time chef would have a long list, BDL!

[Ma Facon]

Anything Escoffier................................

[stir it up]

OMG too funny foodnfoto, when I saw the headline of this thread I immediately clicked on it because I was going to post Welsh Rarebit. Then I saw your post and the first thing you said was Welsh Rarebit...

Fer sure, good welsh rarebit, I make it with organic unpasteurized cheddar from Vermont, a good beer, a few other ingredients, and often yesterday's homemade bread, thickly sliced and toasted. Fabulous for breakfast or brunch. A little caloric with the cheese, but I love the stuff.

One of the keys for me is when you heat the beer, heat it gently bringing it toward the boil, but don't let it boil, and keep some of the liveliness of the carbonation of the beer in there...

I don't usually do the tomatoes, just the Rarebit on the toasted bread, some good bacon on the side especially if you can get a nice dry cured, and cut it by hand...

[OregonYeti]

Without tomato?

[foodnfoto]

I'm so glad someone else knows what this dish (rarebit) is! I agree on your method, Stir It Up. I always heat mine in a bain marie. One other trick is to dust the grated cheese in a little flour. It keeps the whole sauce nice and smooth. Of course I only use the tomato when I can get tasty ones-sometimes I roast them a little too-Yum!

[stir it up]

ok fnf, I will try the tomatoes in late August when they're in season. The other thing I do is a "sub-clinical dose" of cayenne, not enough that you can taste it at all as hot, but just to bring up the flavor a notch.

Last time I made it, I used Duchy Originals Organic Ale. (appropriately from the Prince of Wales' estate)... that beer has nicely balanced acidity that's good for the rabbit.

Oh man, it would make the perfect Sunday breakfast today and I have no cheddar. I swear I could eat that stuff everyday if there were no consequences. It's amazing how much cheese you can end up eating by the time you're done.

[Mezzaluna]

Really good black licorice.

Yeah! Those hard, black buttons Sears used to sell when they had a candy counter.

Better yet, decent sugar-free licorice! Licorette brand's flavor is pretty close, but they're tiny and have the texture of gummies.

I agree about iceberg lettuce. Give me a wedge salad with blue cheese, and I'm happy.

My MIL would be thrilled beyond belief to see Postum on the grocery shelf. They recently stopped making it in both the US and Canada.

[shel]

Originally Posted by lighthaus76

Get rid of those mixed greens and give me back my ICEBURG!!

Indeed! Iceberg doesn't get the respect it deserves. It's cool, crisp, and crunchy .... it's sometimes hard to find in the organic and upscale markets around here. What a shame. A nice wedge salad is hard to beat.

shel

[AllanMcPherson]

BDL--

I'm with you lock-step on the kidneys. So good when done well. Especially like to see these on a menu. I suspect that I'm like many offal lovers, can't do it at home because spouse/kids hate them. I'd love a place where I could get a fix.

However, I think I've got to politely disagree with you on blanquettes. I know its the sort of thing I should like (crazy francophile), and I actually enjoy making but it always leaves me flat.

Things I'd like to see, especially in a fine dinning environment? Cabbage and brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts can be amazing and sorely need to be rescued from holiday family feast purgatory.

Braised lettuce. Something many people never think of but so good. Similarly, cooked cucumber (Doria? Is that the garnish?).

--Al

[boar_d_laze]

Allan,

I feel your pain.

FWIW, in SoCal you see all the vegetables you mention done, if not that often -- but we push the originality envelope pretty hard 'round here. There's a big premium on being different. (Similarly we see rarebit, but it's relegated to the Ye Olde English Restaurant and Pub shteitl.)

We both forgot to mention sweetbreads -- which done well are the best.

You can still find a lot of very good offal and "variety meat" items like tongue on ethnic menus. These things used to be on mainstream menus. Americans used to eat them.


Whuh happen?
BDL

[AllanMcPherson]

Sweetbreads..the one organ meat my wife will eat! I'm kind of a freak in this regard -- I honestly prefer lamb ris to veal. I think that's product of having excellent (and underrated) lamb here in Nova Scotia. When I get veal sweetbreads they come vacuumed packed and they seem to "hold" smell and flavor from whatever packing gas gets used.

I tried the Mrs. on lamb brain once (poached, escalloped with a salad) and she was really liking it until I mentioned what it was. I was accused of being mean for tricking her into eating it. I guess that fact I had spent my afternoon cracking a lamb's head open with a clever wasn't enough of a hint. Ho-hum. For the record, there's nothing like coming home with an animal's head in your hand to get your otherwise hyperactive dogs rapt attention.

Alright, here's more:

Cod tongues and cheeks

Pommes fondant

Buckwheat (in anything!)

Torchon of FG. I mean I love it seared but there is something so good about a creamy, well seasoned terrine.

And, tangentially, good quality Rose' on wine lists. Wine availability in my area is pretty lacking so it might not be so bad elsewhere but there are so many times I've been out and would love to start a meal with a Tavel or something like that and there just isn't a chance.

--Al