at the sign of The Pink Pig

London, Then Thanksgiving: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  November 29, 2009]

Obliged to zip over to London, ten years ago this week, I was determined to make it home for Thanksgiving.

Holiday Teasers

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  November 30, 2009]

A week off, more or less, for the post-Thanksgiving Pig, and I send belated holiday wishes to all my readers.  I hope you enjoyed your turkey, wild or tame, roast or deep-fried or cooked for eighty hours sous vide.

But to give you a taste of what's been going on, and what's to come in December, here are a few pictures from restaurants I won't be reviewing, as well as some hints about reviews in progress.

Tastes Of Quince

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  November 23, 2009]

I had only one evening free for restaurant dining on my recent San Francisco trip, and the consensus of local opinion directed me to Quince, recently re-located to a quiet side street in what I still think of as the Barbary Coast neighborhood.

It's just a step from Chinatown, in any case, and the glow from the large windows makes it easy to find.

Gourmates' New York Debut

[Free stuff by Wilfrid:  November 23, 2009]

Ekin Yasin made such nice comments about the Pink Pig, that I could hardly resist her invitation to attend the first New York meet-up hosted by Gourmates.

In any case, empanadas were involved.  My thanks to the gentleman who held the plate for the photo, as there was nowhere to put it down.

Some Foodbuzzers: The Last Of SF

 [A Pig at Large by Wilfrid:  November 23, 2009]

I just wanted to wrap up on the subject of the Foodbuzz blogging shindig in SF by linking to just some of the characters I met.

Impossible to link to everyone, but if you want to contemplate the ocean of online food writing out there, dive in here.

Tim Burton: MOMA Follows The Money

[New York Peasant by Wilfrid:  November 23, 2009]

I left the crushed reception for the Tim Burton show at MOMA with a greater appreciation of him as an artist, and impressed by the volume as well as the inventiveness of his work.  So what's the problem?

The Road To Turkey Day: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  November 23, 2009]

I suppose it's a venison time of year, and this week ten years ago I prepared a nice saddle with a red wine sauce and chestnuts and baked sweet potatoes.  A 1990 Nuits-St-Georges "Les Vaucrains" was surely a decent accompaniment.

Snacking: The Permanent Brunch Burger

[Snacking by Wilfrid: November 21, 2009]

Here's one in the eye for all those who believe burgers today should be smashed flat on the grill.

The Permanent Brunch burger is getting taller.  Indeed, if I liked their onion rings...

Meyer's Maialino: Knockout

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  November 16, 2009]

Danny Meyer's new Roman trattoria in the former Wakiya space at the Gramercy Hotel is excellent, and I am going to tell you exactly why.

I dined there late on day three: too soon to review a restaurant?  Sure, but in this case the food, wine and service didn't miss a beat.

November Already: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  November 16, 2009]

A bit of catching up to do with the dusty old memoir.  We had just squeezed past Hallowe'en 1999, as I recall, and it looks like the following week or two saw some casual dining around town.