I gotta admit, it was kind of funny when she was about to challenge Padma about India being kind of Middle Eastern, and then realized what she was setting herself up for and clammed up.

I'm watching it now and just saw that part. Very funny.

fenugreek

I know this is a spice, but it's also something women take to boost their milk supply when nursing, which is the context where I most see it referred to. Online worlds colliding.

Since he won Top Chef:Masters, I thought I'd link to the Chicago Tribune's review of Rick Bayless's new restaurant, Xoco. It's a counter-service place, priced accordingly, and sounds delicious:

Wickedly, Bayless sets his desserts right by the cashier, making them even harder to resist. Already, his churros, handmade in direct view of the restaurant's picture window, are acquiring legendary status; warm from the fryer and dusted with sugar and cinnamon, they are so enticing customers grab them on the spot, often downing them long before the savory dishes arrive...

Among the wood-baked tortas, the woodland mushroom version, with its garlicky notes and Prairie Farm goat cheese, is sensational, as are the pepito, made with Tallgrass Beef shortribs, jack cheese and pickled jalapenos, and the excellent cochinita pibil, a pork torta served with a lethal habanero sauce on the side...

Murky and complex, these soups are wonderful to contemplate. The seafood is predictably terrific, awash in organic shrimp, mussels and a red-chile-inflected broth. But the pork belly vermicelli is a revelation; the hot soup renders out the excess fat, leaving just the richly flavored pork. For those who find pork belly too unctuous, this is the dish to try.

Besides the churros, desserts include ice creams; the vivid-colored blueberry-tequila blend is especially good. And there's the deep, rich combination of chocolate cake and cajeta (goat-milk caramel) flan called chocoflan; how Bayless resisted calling it Xocoflan is beyond me.

There are a few wines and beers available, but the beverages to try are the insanely good and intense hot chocolates, made from cocoa beans ground on the premises, and the fruity aguas frescas, which are natural and uncarbonated soft drinks. Because so many caldos have a touch of lime to them, the limonada agua fresca is an ideal companion...

Though its entrance is on Illinois Street, Xoco sits right next door to Topolobampo and Frontera Grill. In marked contrast to celebrity chefs who've established satellite operations coast-to-coast, Bayless took 20 years to reach the end of his block. At this rate, he'll hit Lincoln Park by the year 2312.

Oh, I passed that a few weeks ago and about gave myself whiplash turning around to look as we drove by. I'll have to check it out soon.

OMG, FOOD PORN!!!

makes Homer Simpson drool noise

Next visit to Chicago we need to a get a group together to check it out.

So when will that be again?

Well, I could come down just about anytime at this point. My social and professional (hahahaha) calendar are pretty empty. When would be good for others?

I just got an invite to an MPTF fundraiser during LA Fashion Week:

"Project Runway" Season 6 contestant, Gordana Gehlhausen invites you to be her guest

Admission is free but they ask that you participate in their raffle.

I will gladly come to Chicago as soon as the Chicago to Iowa City railroad gets going.

What, no Survivor? no PR?

Survivor was particularly lame. It seemed like Jeff and the challenge designers decided to take the week off.

Loved the PR challenge. I can't believe Nicholas wasn't in the bottom three--that was hideous. Christopher's wasn't totally flattering, but I thought it the fabric looked cool.