October 13, 2008 |
Short Order
Reader wants to recreate Craig Claiborne's infamous $4,000 dinner in the kitchen skybox at Daniel.
A woman who leaves her house each morning with just $5 in her pocket and no credit cards while she lives on what is stashed in her freezer and fridge wins a dinner for two with me and the Road Food Warrior for her discipline in cutting back on food expenses. “I was in Fairway this morning,” Che Florio says, “and it was so hard. I wanted everything. But I couldn’t even buy my favorite carrot wasabi salad dressing because it was over $5.” A second dinner for two will go to Cheryl Greenhill for her idea of how to spurge on eating out and jumpstart New York’s stalled economy. Greenhill suggests recreating the 31-course $4,000 dinner of Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey in 1975 that shocked the world. Claiborne, then the venerated New York Times critic, choose the now-defunct Chez Denis in Paris and an excess of caviar, truffles, foie gras and vintage wines after wining an American Express offer of “Dinner for Two Anywhere” in a Channel 13 auction. His critique, which began on the Times front page, stirred letters of rage and condemnation from the Vatican and the Pope who called it “scandalous.” Greenhill would do her dinner in Restaurant Daniel’s kitchen skybox but alas, these days, a measly $4,000 would probably not buy 31 courses and a great vintage Lafite Rothschild. For more ideas on cutting back food expenses, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
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