I thoroughly enjoyed this, thanks.. Even if you don't agree with the guy, geez he writes like a spitfire--the thoughts spilling out a mile a minute.

But then I guess that might happen if you were given the assignment of reading so many foodie books all at once. Kind of reminds me of the reaction see when outsiders (like writers, reporters or documentary filmmakers) have been immersed in some foreign subculture like the fashion business.

He throws in some comments about butchers which reminded me of something. Back in the last century,  I was friends with a Staten Island butcher (just the regular grocery store kind) who was what we call a "divvy" as regards paintings. He had a great eye and more than a few times managed to find some great unattributed paintings in his spare time "picking," which turned out to be worth much much more than he paid for them. But he wasn't the type doing it for the thrill of the win, he just really loved looking at art. Around the same time, there was another guy who was much more well known in the NYC art and antiques business, who was also a butcher, who had such a fascination with antique silver that he became such an expert in the field that Christie's often called hm in for opinions. Knowing of both of them, silly though generalizing from a sample of two might be, I often secretly wondered if the job of butchering meat has something to do with developing aesthetic sensiblities or vice versa.

Have tried a couple of times to read the article but the opening sentence stops me cold.  I

WE HAVE ALL dined with him in restaurants: the host who insists on calling his special friend out of the kitchen for some awkward small talk

I get the giggles just thinking about the effect of calling the cooks out of the kitchens of Long Horn or Applebees and at Benihana's, well, you know....