Yes, it's all about food...

[lsanderson]

It's cool and wet this morning. Very much like Ha Noi.

Today is the Food section in the New York Times, and there's some good stuff.

A Crossover Hit for a Global Star
By JOAN NATHAN
"AT 8 a.m., Elly Hushour hoists a bright blue flag with a white goat over her Greenmarket stand.

"Until last year, Ms. Hushour, 47, a farmer from Nazareth, Pa., sold cheese and yogurt made from the milk of her Saanen goats, the same breed that Heidi of the storybook tended for her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Then she recognized
a growing market for goats themselves, or rather, goat shanks, shoulders and so on. "

Recipe: Goat Stew With Ginger, Cardamom and Coriander
Recipe: Braised Goat With Herbs

Nearly Fierce: Cilantro Salsa Wakes Up Crab
By MARK BITTMAN
PESTO is the best-known example of an herb paste, but it's hardly the only one. Pesto-type salsas are made from all of the soft, leafy herbs, including parsley, oregano, marjoram, dill and mint. They may be hand-chopped, pulverized in a mortar and pestle, or - fastest and easiest - puréed in a food processor or blender. Some of these purées are mild and sweet, some are complex and quite
sophisticated and some are downright assaultive.

Recipe: Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs With Cilantro Salsa

Cucumber-Cool for the Heat Ahead
By NIGELLA LAWSON
MANY of us are accustomed to feasting according to religious calendars, but in the kitchen I believe the pagan gods should be heeded as well. In this era of central heating and electric light the summer solstice may have lost some of its force, but the arrival of summer on Tuesday should nevertheless inspire everyone to celebrate, just as it did the ancient pagans.

Recipe: Poached Cold Salmon With Dill Mustard Sauce
Recipe: Potato and Anchovy Salad
Recipe: Sweet and Sour Dilled Cucumber Salad
Recipe: Beet and Danish Blue Cheese Salad

Recipe: Summer Berry Cream Cake
 

Whose Stars Are They, Anyway?
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
PARIS

ALAIN SENDERENS can already taste his freedom. It comes in the form of a pigeon stuffed with crab and soybeans, cooked in soy sauce and served with a blue-green Chinese tea.

The Anti-Michelin: Caution and Anonymity Not Required
By FRANK J. PRIAL
PARIS

"THE French have a thing for abbreviations. "Boul' Mich" is the Boulevard St. Michel; "sympa" is sympathetic, "McDo" is - well, you know what that is. And then there is Pudlo."

At Last, France Embraces the Vegetable
By KIM SEVERSON
"I LANDED in Paris in the spring, anticipating deep communion with pork fat, duck liver and Normandy butter. I needed a break from the dietary guidelines, to eat in a city where cruciferous vegetables are a charming afterthought and croissants aren't whole-wheat. The only pyramid I wanted to see was at the Louvre."

Waiting for Washington Syrah
By ERIC ASIMOV
"THOUGH California syrah has become more popular in the last decade, many people have asserted that the syrah to watch was coming not from California but from Washington. One writer (O.K., it was me, in 2001) called Washington syrah "an up-and-coming star." So, with a sense of hope and optimism, the Dining section's wine panel recently tasted 25 bottles of Washington syrah, mostly from the 2002 vintage.

"Boy, were we disappointed."

A Grilling Gadget With the Last Laugh
By FLORENCE FABRICANT
"At first look this butane grill lighter (above) from Brookstone, shaped like an oversize match, made me giggle. But I soon found out that unlike many gadgets for barbecuing, it's practical. It's easy to light and long enough - about nine inches - to ignite a charcoal chimney or to spark the flame on a gas grill. The refillable lighter is $10 at Brookstone stores and at www.brookstone.com. It might bring a smile to someone on Father's Day, too. "