I am on a ma'amoul hunt! Tomorrow I am off to Kalustyan's to try out all of their varieties and then perfect my own recipe. I am envisioning a ma'amoul sandwich, with the date paste reworked as ice cream for a visual reversal.

update: My searches have failed to yield more than a single brand of date ma'amoul. And it was, unfortunately, a semolina version. Back to the drawing board.

My new love is the Rust Eraser from Korin. I am currently using it to save my flood-damaged carbon slicer.

What a Wylie night!

Dinner at wd-50. Could a meal be frought with more potential pitfalls and culinary dangers? Probably not, but I doubt one could be as wildly succesful either. I came away from the table totally converted, a willing disciple of the Temple of Deconstruction. While a mere list of the dishes can't begin to explain the genius of the evening, it is a beginning.

Amuse bouche of edamame puree wrapped in mango noodle with dried salmon
Foie gras, candied olives, green peas, beet juice
Shrimp couscous, avocado, papaya, crispy kaffir
Turbot, salsify, smoked bulgur, coffee-saffron
Scallops, celery noodles, hazelnut-potato, pine needle oil

And for dessert:
Amuse bouche of mandarin orange granité with basil, olive oil and Maldon sea salt
Celery ice cream, peanut butter powder and poached raisins
Manchego cheesecake, foamed pineapple, pear
"French toast", maple gelée, raisin purée, brown butter ice cream, raisin paper
Butternut sorbet, pumpkin seed cake, chocolate soil, mole
Caramelized banana, smoked chocolate ice cream, stout