Taste & Create: Shortcut to Mushrooms

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Food Blogging Event, Food Porn, Recipes

Taste and Create Logo

I’ve participated in the Taste & Create event on and off for years now. Basically you cook something from another blog, while they cook something from yours. By luck of the draw, I almost always seem to get paired up with vegetarian blogs. While it still leaves me with a ton of options, I’m sure it completely narrows the choices for the other party. This time around, it was the Shortcut to Mushrooms blog. Sorry about the delay in getting this up, I got a bit distracted with school starting.

Cooking from a vegetarian blog means that I inevitably end up making a side dish of some sort, and this was no exception. The only thing I did differently was to use a green bell pepper instead of red, because that was what I had on hand. It had an interesting flavor to it. It was a bit spicy, a bit starchy, a bit salty, but definitely a nice side dish. Would have been even better with fresh corn off the cob. Next time around, I may think about incorporating some maple into it somehow.

Corn Pudding

Corn Pudding
recipe from the Shortcut to Mushrooms blog

Mix in a bowl:
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 slightly-beaten egg
1/4 cup milk
Big handful of grated sharp cheddar cheese
Black pepper to taste
(You won’t need salt using canned corn, but might if you use fresh corn)

Sautee in butter until tenderish:
A few tablespoons each of:
Minced onion
Diced red bell pepper
Diced poblano pepper

While still cooking in the pan, add to the veggies:
2-3 tablespoons of hush puppy mix (or flour w/ some added seasonings if you’d like, or just flour)
Mix well to coat the veggies. Let the flour brown a little.

Allow the cooked veggies to cool a bit.
Mix them with the stuff in the bowl

Pour all of this into a buttered glass baking dish.

Bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for at least 30 minutes. Check for the consistency you like. It may take up to an hour to cook in a deeper pan (or if you want it to be more chewy-licious and golden-brown on top).

Let cool as much or little as you want. This is great hot, room tempurature or cold (but admittedly, I like corn more than most people!)

My Thoughts on Tastecasting

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Rant

I’ve been aware of Tastecasting for a while now. Since the whole concept started here in Columbus, there’s a fairly active group of individuals that belong and cross my path in a myriad of ways. Some are even readers. Most that I’ve met face to face or traded tweets with are really, really nice people. For the longest time, I had a “live and let live attitude” with the group – it wasn’t my thing, but more power to them if that’s what they wanted to do.

But I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got a really big problem with Tastecasting. If you’re not familiar with the concept, essentially what it entails is that a team of tasters, led by a team captain, visits a local business and is provided free food in return for good publicity for the business in the form of blog entries, tweets, etc. I’ve even seen tweets recruiting people with the mantra “want to tweet for food?”

As a group, though, my experiences with them have been less than pleasant. I’ve been to an event or two that they were covering (in return for free food and drink, naturally), and they show up as a group, clad in blue “tastecasting” shirts and with their own printed credentials, totally dominating the event and not allowing others that aren’t part of the group to get a word in edgewise. These are, mind you, events that I’ve covered for years out of my own pocket. At one event, I overheard a Tastecaster talk about how she was just there for the $80 in free booze she just drank.

Online, it’s been a little more annoying. The members are people I follow, because 95% of the time, I really enjoy their tweets. During an event, however, they tend to flood my Twitter feed with bite-by-bite steps through whatever it is they are tasting, retweeting each others insincere (and yes, it does show) tweets over and over and over again. I must’ve seen 50-100 Tweets all saying the same thing come from the same people within an hour. It was #donatos #handtossed this, #donatos #handtossed that, etc. So I made a snarky tweet, something to the effect of “when will the #tastecasting event at #donatos be over with – all the #handtossed tweets are coming across like a #handjob” – even followed it up with a comment that I was joking. The next day, I get a direct message from one of the Tastecasters, someone whose tweets I read regularly and enjoy, asking me to “delete the comment because the client will read it and get upset” – I politely told her I wouldn’t, and why, but I’m kind of bothered that I, someone who is not a member of their group, was asked to censor an opinion. I was so annoyed by the Twitter spam that I was very tempted to unfollow anyone who had been tweeting about #donatos #handtossed that evening, even though I really enjoy their posts the rest of the time.

So, with that in mind, I’m doing this blog entry explaining my thoughts on Tastecasting. If nothing else, hopefully this will generate some discussion on what the rest of you think, and for my readers that are Tastecasters, maybe you can explain what the draw is. (BTW, Tastecasters – know that I have no problems with you as individuals, just Tastecasting as a concept).

First things first – I’ve built up my network the old fashioned way. I’ve been blogging for 4 years now (come next month), and in that time, I’ve posted almost 1,000 posts, visited and reviewed 100+ restaurants, covered numerous events, gotten to know many restaurant owners and community leaders through crossing the same paths over and over via various channels. I value the network I’ve built. So much so, that when something comes out of my mouth, they know it is sincere. My big mouth has gotten me into trouble more than once, but I’m one of the most transparent people you’ll ever meet. People joke that my nickname should be “WYSIWYG” – because that is true – what you see IS what you get with me. All of my opinions, thoughts, etc. on restaurants and establishments are completely, 100% organic. I share them with my network because I truly believe that there is some good reason (the food, the service, the owners, etc) that you should be spending your money there. Because I pay for my own things, I know the value of the meal in real world $$ terms. Knowing that people will take me at my word, I respect them enough not to direct them to dreck.

I don’t think Tastecasting reviews, by their very nature, can be objective. When I review a restaurant, I do it completely incognito. I look like Jane Average. I don’t call ahead, I don’t demand freebies or favoritism. I try to be as low-key as possible when taking pictures. I try my best not to let any restaurant employees see me taking pictures. I pay full price like everyone else, and leave a good tip like everyone else. I know, when I’m reviewing a restaurant, that I’m getting the exact level of service that everyone else is. Not being recognizable like the reviewers from mainstream media works to my advantage. Tastecasters, on the other hand, show up to a Tasting event in uniform, cameras and iPhones and video cameras ablazin’, with the restaurant fully expecting them and pulling out all stops to please them. When a restaurant knows they will be on display, it goes without saying that you are getting the best food and the best service possible. Your experience will not necessarily be representative of everyone elses. These favorable reviews, skewed by the lack of anonymity, dilute the effect of REAL reviews.

I, as a general rule, accept no freebies. The only exceptions to this are press passes to major events (like the Apron Gala & Taste the Future) and the Blogger Getaway (which was a coordinated event). The fact of the matter is that being recognized as “press” has only been a recent development, after a few years of covering the events paying for the tickets out of my own pocket, and taking pictures that the organizers felt really captured the event in a way they enjoyed. In other words, I paid my dues the hard way – lots of money out of my own pocket to establish credibility and a repuation, lots of time covering events and writing blog entries, lots of networking and talking to and developing relationships with the right people. I kind of resent the fact that Tastecasters waltz in expecting the same level of respect that it took many of us several years to earn.

When Tastecasting was first developed, the point was supposedly to bring exposure to independent businesses, ones that many people didn’t know about and that could really use the traffic. However, this appears to have gone by the wayside, with recent events at Donatos, Hoggy’s, and an upcoming event at Qdoba, to name a few. Chain restaurants get plenty of exposure – it seems the only reason they are doing the events lately is for the free grub.

I don’t like the groupthink mentality of Tastecasting. As part of the group, you are expected to tweet positive experiences only. There’s a certain amount of peer pressure that erases all individuality from the participants. People who are normally extremely pleasant to communicate are reduced to being sycophants who post what is essentially a press release. Looking over someone’s shoulder, I saw that they actually had a handout on what they were supposed to post on Twitter. Where’s the integrity in that? Are you really comfortable in selling your soul for a slice of pizza? Are you really willing to subject your network to that, therefore diluting your credibility and stature with them? Is being a “social media expert” worth being devoid of anything that makes you an individual outside of your brand?

I also have a problem with the financial aspect of Tastecasting. It appears, by their own FAQ, that eventually they will be charging both the tasters AND the establishments a fee. With the concept of Tastecasting already having spread to 22 cities in less than a year, the Tastecasting founder stands to make a fortune, exploiting both the need of the establishment for exposure, and the participants want of a free meal. So honestly, the participants will be paying a fee for providing PR that they SHOULD be getting paid for? Nice racket, that.

I’m also curious as to the effect that a Tasting has had on a business. Businesses (and I know there are a few readers who are business owners that have hosted an event), have you seen an increase in business because of the event? Has it played out in real world numbers, sustained long after the event is over? Have you run into negative reactions such as mine?

There are lots of other reasons I would never be involved with such an organization, but lets start with those. Thoughts?

Summer Squash Scramble

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Eating Local, Food Porn, Healthy, Produce, Recipes

Many of my meals this past summer have been centered around what I’ve grown in my garden. With summer coming to a close, it’s time to tear out what remains of the garden, and I’ve found that this is a great way to use the last of those zucchini and tomatoes, while keeping it healthy. I can’t tell you how many times I made variations of this over the summer.

Summer Squash Scramble with Fresh Tomato

Summer Squash Scramble with Fresh Tomato
recipe from “The South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook” by Dr. Arthur Agatston

3 large eggs
1 tsp. chopped chives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. canola oil
1 small summer squash, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped

In a small bowl, beat eggs, chives, salt and pepper until well combined. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add squash and onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.

Add egg mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until eggs are set, about 2 minutes. Spoon eggs onto 2 plates and sprinkle with tomato. Serve warm. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 180 cal, 12g fat, 2.5g sat fat, 11g pro, 8g carb, 2g fiber, 390 mg sod

A Moment of Silence…

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Eating Local, Food Porn, Produce

…to mourn the passing of summer. And to say goodbye to one of my favorite meals of the season, a perfect heirloom tomato with sliced burrata mozzarella on top, dressed with good olive oil, balsamic glaze, basil, and seasoning.

Burrata Mozzarella on Heirloom Tomatoes

Until next year, my dear friend. I shall miss you horribly.

Restaurant Week Fall 2009: Banana Bean Revisited

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Columbus, Eating Local, Food Porn, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Week

Given that Banana Bean Cafe had rolled out a whole new menu just weeks before with many different new options that we had never tried before, we thought that Restaurant Week, given the incredible value, was the perfect time to try them. When else would we get the option to try 2 brunch entrees + an app we weren’t familiar with for $20.09? We made the decision to go back again on Saturday morning after doing our farmers market run.

Unfortunately, our second experience didn’t go QUITE as smoothly as the first.

Even though it’s not a new menu item, we had never tried the Sarotogo Chips, which by the description, sounded a lot like Banana Bean’s version of the Maytag Blue Cheese on potato chip app over at Cap City. So that’s pretty much the expectation we had. Banana Bean’s version just didn’t do it for us. The chips were soggy, not crispy at all – kind of like a strange cross between home fries and chips, and they were topped with a thin, cold alfredo sauce and cold blue cheese. While we ate them, we didn’t really enjoy them. If we ever ordered this again, it probably wouldn’t be early after they open.

Saratogo Chips from Banana Bean Cafe

Our waitress had punched our order in wrong on the computer, so instead of getting what I ordered, I was served the Enchilada omelette. I sent it back immediately, so I can’t tell you how it tastes, but just figured since it made it to our table I may as well take a pic of it before it went back to the kitchen. It looks good enough that I may order this in the future.

Enchilada Omelette from Banana Bean Cafe

Paul ordered Grandaddie’s Chicken and Waffles, which would have been really good had there been more of the apricot syrup – the waffles are dense enough that they needed the extra moisture. The underlying flavor was solid, though – especially the chicken, which would be fantastic on a salad of some sort. With that one minor modification, this dish would have gone from “meh” to good.

Grandaddie's Chicken and Waffles from Banana Bean Cafe

I went with the North Shore Seafood Omelette. While there is a decent amount of seafood in this dish, the flavor fell a little flat for me – the sauce it’s served with doesn’t really pop, or bring out the natural sweetness of the scallops or shrimp. With some minor modifications to the seasoning/sauce, though – this one could be a contender.

North Shore Seafood Omelette from Banana Bean Cafe

We’ve been having fairly good experiences at Banana Bean Cafe since they’ve moved to Greenlawn, but I think they’re going through a tweaking process with the new menu. Hopefully a little bit of constructive criticism will help them refine what is a solid menu into a fantastic one.

If you’d like to go: Banana Bean Cafe, 340 Greenlawn Ave., Columbus, OH 43223, 614-443-2262

Banana Bean Cafe on Urbanspoon

Farm Fresh and Local Produce 8/15/09

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Columbus, Eating Local, Farmer's Market, Food Porn, Produce

It’s crazy how the weeks just all blended into each other, and without my really keeping up with everything, the details of the markets that seemed so sharp at the time seem to be slipping away from me now. Sad, that – part of the reasons I do the farmers market updates is so I can look back at my entries in January and February when the winter is the coldest, and give myself something to look forward to. Because I checked out (in more than one way) this summer, I won’t have that next year. Sorry about that, guys.

Nothing much to say as far as details with regards to these pictures – just one comment to make on them – the yellow produce below are heirloom cucumbers. I was heartened to see many more heirloom varieties in the markets this year. So I’ll just leave you wish the sights of a random summer market in August. :)

Various Hot Peppers

Lettuce Mix

Heirloom Tomatoes from Combs Herbs

Grapes

Sungold Tomatoes

Heirloom Cucumbers

Strawberries from Crum's

Hopefully the pics I have of the other markets for that month will jostle my memory a little better.

SE Ohio Edition: Miller's Chicken

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Food Porn, Restaurant Review, Travel

In advance of going back to Athens tomorrow, I wanted to talk some more about my trip to Athens last month. Let us not kid ourselves. It was ALL about the food. It always is for me. I think you can tell so much more about an area by the food you eat than by any other factor. And Athens is quite the foodie town.

I think one of the best things we ate that weekend was completely by accident. We had been stalking the Burrito Buggy unsuccessfully, and in the process of trying to find them at the county fairgrounds, got turned around on a back road and ended up at Miller’s. Miller’s Chicken is an Athens institution which honestly didn’t look like much on the outside (or the inside either, really – unless aged formica is your thing). We really didn’t hold out much hope, but decided to order a bucket of 10 thighs for the road anyway, along with some salads.

Miller's Chicken in Athens, OH

OMFG. If we hadn’t already been on our way back to Columbus when we dug into the bucket 10-15 minutes later, we would have turned the car around and gone right back and got more of everything. This, quite honestly, is THE best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Completely moist meat, with almost a dual layer of fried skin – not the way you normally think of fried chicken, but instead a cracklin’-like layer of skin, followed by another layer of fried skin underneath. It was crisp, but not by being artificially breaded. KFC, eat your hearts out. Paul said it was pure torture on that ride home – between hearing the “crunch crunch” of my teeth savoring the skin, the sound of me smacking my lips in happiness, and the way the fantastic smell filled up the car, he darn near pulled over a dozen or more times not content to let me feed him some now and then as he was driving.

Bucket of Fried Chicken from Miller's Chicken (Athens, OH)

The salads were nearly as good. If I had known how good, I would have opted for more than just a small potato salad and individual sized macaroni & cole slaw.

Potato Salad from Miller's Chicken (Athens, OH)

I’m notoriously particular about macaroni salad, but theirs was quite solid. Not cloyingly sweet like most.

Macaroni Salad from Miller's Chicken (Athens, OH)

Ditto with the cole slaw. I like my cole slaw to have a finer chopped texture rather than long shreds, and this did not disappoint.

Cole Slaw from Miller's Chicken (Athens, OH)

No matter where else we go, this *will* be a stop on our next visit. It’s even good cold.

If you’d like to go: Miller’s Chicken, 235 W. State St, Athens, OH 45701, 740-593-6544

Miller's Chicken on Urbanspoon

Water Conservation Experts Pour Into Newport Beach, CA.

Ecology, Environment & Conservation Business April 11, 2009 Starting next Monday, March 30, water conservation and efficiency professionals from across the country will arrive in Newport Beach to participate in WaterEC, the International Water Efficiency Conference. Engineers, public and private-sector water officials, water utility managers and industry professionals will gather to speak – and learn – about solutions to the significant water-related challenges facing so many of our communities and businesses. Last month Governor Schwarzenegger declared another drought emergency for California, and the Federal Government joined with the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to form a California Drought Action Team. Industry leader Mark R. Norton, P.E., Water Resources & Planning Manager for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority, will be the keynote speaker at the opening general session. this web site newport beach ca

WaterEC, The International Water Efficiency Conference will be held March 30-April 2, 2009 at the Newport Beach Marriott. WaterEC is for municipal, regional, state, provincial, and federal water officials; engineers; utility managers; and industry professionals to gather and share technical, technological, water conservation, efficiency, and management strategies. To register for the conference, visit www.WaterEC.net.

Last year the publisher of Water Efficiency magazine announced the launching of WaterEC, the annual water efficiency conference for water systems professionals who are adapting to drought and preparing for climate change affects. newportbeachcanow.com newport beach ca

“Since we launched Water Efficiency magazine in 2006, water conservation and efficiency has become perhaps the most critical environmental conversation in the world,” said Daniel Waldman, president of Forester Media, Inc. “WaterEC is the gathering place for those seeking to improve our approach to water management in response to the serious challenges facing the world’s water supply. If water conservation is your thing, you should be here.” WaterEC will feature four program tracks on Source Development and Protection, Supply Storage and Conveyance, Indoor/Outdoor Use, and Resource Management. In addition, WaterEC will include an exhibit hall packed with water efficiency-related equipment, products, technology, and services.

Farm Fresh and Local Produce 8/8/09

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Eating Local, Farmer's Market, Food Porn, Produce, Travel

If I happen to be away on vacation, or in an unfamiliar area, there are always two things I look for to get my bearings, and to get a feel for what life is like there – public markets, and farmers markets. On this particular date, we were in Logan at the Inn at Cedar Falls, so making the trek down to Athens to visit a market with a reputation for being so good that we hear about it all the way in Columbus seemed like a no-brainer.

Athens Farmers Market comes by its reputation honestly. Located in a large parking lot, the size of it is massive. Think Worthington but bigger. There are all kinds of things – prepared foods, produce, artisan cheese, baked goods, meat – the possibilities for making good, clean, and fair meals are endless. This place is Slow Food heaven.

This is just a single example of a vendor at Athens – see the beauty of that produce? Yeah, I know – I’m weird. I find produce beautiful. Think that it’s one of the best things to photograph, think that the nuances that nature puts in each type of fruit or vegetable are what macro photography is made for. The beauty was overabundant, since we were in the height of the growing season at the time.

Haulin' Hoof Farm at the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

But this – this will make me come back down to Athens again. If this is the only thing I get, it was worth the 90 minute trip each way. Crumbs Bakery’s Veggie Pizza, a thick crusted (for a good reason!) slab of yeast goodness, topped with all manner of veggies and cheeses. If it grew in the ground, it’s in there, and topped with cheese. Oh. My. God. We scarfed this in the car, and went back to look for more and were so sad that they had sold out that quickly, as they did with most of their goods.

Veggie Pizza from Crumbs Bakery at the Athens Farmer Market 8/8/09

Did you all know that Crum’s sells down there too? Neither did I.

Strawberries from Crum's at the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

One of the places I was told to absolutely not miss was Integration Acres, with their fresh goat cheeses. We got a selection to take home with us, because we were totally impressed with nearly all the samples.

Fresh Cheeses from Integration Acres at the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

It was here that I saw the first shell beans of the season.

Shell Beans from the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

One of the prepared food stands, Ali Baba’s, has absolutely wonderful beef & potato kofte. We’re planning on going again this weekend, and hope they still are selling these.

Food from Ali Baba's at the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

And we saw a lot of stuff that’s available to us locally here as well. Like grapes, although they seemed to have more selection there.

Grapes from the Athens Farmers Market 8/8/09

While it’s not practical for us to go to Athens every week, we were so impressed that we’ll be going at least a couple of times a season. Including tomorrow. More about that later. :)

More zip from your battery HELP FILE/ Q&A for a digital world

International Herald Tribune September 4, 2008 | J.D. Biersdorfer The New York Times Media Group J.D. Biersdorfer The New York Times Media Group International Herald Tribune 09-04-2008 More zip from your battery HELP FILE/ Q&A for a digital world Byline: J.D. Biersdorfer The New York Times Media Group Edition: 1 Section: FINANCE/BUSINESS

[Q.]My laptop battery doesn’t hold a charge like it used to. Is there any way to improve its performance? If I do get a new battery, are the cheaper replacements made by other companies OK? hpwarrantycheck.org hp warranty check

[A.]Laptop batteries can only hold a limited number of charge cycles before the chemistry inside them begins to wear out. If the laptop is still under warranty, check with the manufacturer to see if the battery is covered. Ask about a replacement and check the support section of the manufacturer’s site to see if they have posted any battery recalls that might affect you.

Apple and Hewlett-Packard are among the companies that suggest recalibrating the battery (letting it run all the way down and then making a full charge) to reset its internal processor so it can give a more accurate power reading. Apple has care tips for its batteries at snipurl.com/3kp67, and HP’s page is at snipurl.com/3kp5y.

If you decide to go with a replacement from a third-party vendor, there are a couple things to keep in mind. Make sure you select a replacement that is listed as compatible with your particular laptop, and check the battery specifications.

Less expensive batteries may have lower milliAmp Hour, or mAh, ratings, which means they have lower storage capacity and will not last as long between charges as higher-rated batteries. And a third- party battery may not fit as well in the battery compartment as the manufacturer’s own replacement.

*

Surfing with Silverlight

[Q.]I was trying to watch a video on the Web and got prompted to download and install something called Silverlight. What is this, and will it mess up my system?

[A.]Silverlight is a free Microsoft browser plug-in for streaming high-quality video and other interactive Web applications. It is a competitor to Adobe’s Flash software and has been used recently for the video on the Olympics Web site of NBC, the U.S. broadcaster.

The latest version, Silverlight 2 beta, is still a work in progress. As to how it will affect your system, that depends on your computer. According to snipurl.com/3kooh, Microsoft’s system requirements page, Silverlight 2 beta is compatible with Windows Vista and Windows XP Service Pack 2 systems that run Internet Explorer 7 or the Firefox 1.5 and Firefox 2 versions. Windows 2000 and Internet Explorer 6 are also supported.

Some users running Windows XP Service Pack 3 with Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 3 have reported that the new Silverlight causes the browsers to crash or freeze. The new Silverlight software is also available for Mac OS X 10.4.8 systems and later using the Safari browser, Firefox 1.5 or Firefox 2. But Macs running on the older PowerPC processors instead of the newer Intel chips can only use Silverlight 1.0. here hp warranty check

The user agreement and a link to download the software are at www.microsoft.com/silverlight. If you find that the plug-in causes your browser to freeze or crash, uninstall it. Microsoft has instructions and video clips on how to do so in the “Installation and setup” area at support.microsoft.com/silverlight.

*

TIP OF THE WEEK: Designing a document in Microsoft Word and need to put in sample text to hold the space until the real copy arrives? You don’t have to cut and paste a thing – and you can tell Word exactly how much fake text to supply. In your document, say you want to add four paragraphs of three sentences each. Just type in “=rand(4,3)” on its own line, without the quotation marks, and press Enter. Word will fill the space with random text in the requested amount of paragraphs and sentences. For more details, go to support.microsoft.com/kb/212251.

J.D. Biersdorfer The New York Times Media Group

Galaktoboureko

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Ethnic, Recipes

I’m a real sucker for Greek food. I first had this dish at Anna’s a few years ago, and was spending so much money getting her version that I decided to find a recipe and give making it here at home a try. This recipe is very close to hers.

Galaktoboureko is an interesting dessert – crispy filo above (although my latest attempt was not so crispy), chewy filo below, and in between a slightly grainy (from the semolina) custard. Delicious.

Galaktoboureko

Galaktoboureko
recipe courtesy Allrecipes

6 cups whole milk
1 cup semolina flour
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, melted
12 sheets phyllo dough
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar

Pour milk into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the semolina, cornstarch, 1 cup sugar and salt so there are no cornstarch clumps.

When milk comes to a boil, gradually add the semolina mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Remove from heat, and set aside. Keep warm.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, and whip until thick and pale, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Fold the whipped eggs into the hot semolina mixture. Partially cover the pan, and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish, and layer 7 sheets of phyllo into the pan, brushing each one with butter as you lay it in. Pour the custard into the pan over the phyllo, and cover with the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you lay it down.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top crust is crisp and the custard filling has set. In a small saucepan, stir together the remaining cup of sugar and water. Bring to a boil. When the Galaktoboureko comes out of the oven, spoon the hot sugar syrup over the top, particularly the edges. Cool completely before cutting and serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and Other Pulmonary Histiocytic Diseases: A Review

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine July 1, 2008 | Allen, Timothy Craig * Context.-Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis is the most common and best known pulmonary histocytic lesion; however, the realm of pulmonary histiocytic lesions also includes an assortment of uncommon diseases that may exhibit pulmonary involvement.

Objective.-To review pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis and other pulmonary histiocytoses to better ensure correct diagnosis and optimal assessment of prognosis and treatment.

Data Sources.-Literature review and primary material from the author’s institution.

Conclusions.-This review discusses the most common pulmonary histocytosis, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and also reviews the uncommon pulmonary histiocytic lesions, which are distinct from pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2008;132:1171-1181) Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is the most common and best known pulmonary histocytic lesion; however, the realm of pulmonary histiocytic lesions also includes an assortment of uncommon diseases that may exhibit pulmonary involvement. This review discusses the most common pulmonary histocytosis, PLCH, and also reviews the uncommon pulmonary histiocytic lesions that are distinct from PLCH.

The pulmonary histiocytoses are diseases characterized by the accumulation of histiocytes within the airspaces or parenchyma of the lung. This diverse group of disorders includes dendritic cell disorders, macrophage diseases, and storage diseases. The Histocyte Society classifies histiocytic diseases as dendritic cell-related disorders such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis, xanthogranulomatous disorders such as Erdheim-Chester disease, macrophage-related disorders such as Rosai-Dorfman disease, and malignant disorders such as dendritic cell-related histiocytic sarcoma.1,2 Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a term for a variety of diseases characterized by the proliferation and infiltration of Langerhans cells into various organs.3-8 Several terms have been used in the past to denote multisystem lesions predominantly arising in children, including Letterer-Siwe disease, Hand-Schu ller-Christian syndrome, histiocytosis X, and Hashimoto Pritzker syndrome.8 Multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis may exhibit lung involvement. Eosinophilic granuloma and histiocytosis X are terms that have frequently been used in the past to designate localized pulmonary lesions.8 The characteristic feature of all lesions designated Langerhans cell histiocytosis, from any site, is the infiltration Langerhans cells-CD1a-positive histiocytes of dendritic lineage derived from CD34-positive bone marrow stem cells. Langerhans cells play a role in the induction of primary antigen-specific immune reactions, play a key role in immunity, and are found in many tissues. These pulmonary dendritic cells are leukocytes that have been found to play a key role in immune response in the lung.9 Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, in contrast to the systemic Langerhans cell histiocytoses typically found in childhood that are clonal neoplastic diseases, consists of nonneoplastic collections of reactive Langerhans cells.6,10-13 Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis is an interstitial lung disease occurring predominantly in adult cigarette smokers.14-16 Smokers have been shown to have an increased total number of T lymphocytes and a decreased helper-induced-suppressor-cytotoxic T lymphocyte (T4/T8) ratio compared with nonsmokers, potentially reducing helper-inducer lymphocytes that facilitate B-lymphocyte proliferation.17 Alveolar macrophages in smokers may be activated by materials in tobacco smoke causing them to release chemotactic factors with a resultant increase in peripheral blood monocytes within the lung.18,19 Pulmonary neuroendocrine cell stimulation by cigarette smoke may cause neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia in some smokers, with resultant increased recruitment of monocyte differentiation into Langerhans cells and associated fibroblast stimulation by bombesin-like peptides.20 Macrophage colony-stimulating factor and platelet-derived growth factor may also play a role in initiating and maintaining PLCH pathology.21 Langerhans cells in PLCH are phenotypically similar to mature lymphostimulatory dendritic cells within lymphoid organs, and the pathogenesis of PLCH may be related to an abnormal immune response by these Langerhans cells.22 Clinically, PLCH is uncommon, comprising approximately 5% of all interstitial lung disease cases, generally occurring in middle-aged men and women.23,24 Presenting symptoms are variable and include dyspnea, nonproductive cough, malaise, fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Patients may present with hemoptysis. Patients may be asymptomatic and be identified radiographically. Pneumothorax, sometimes recurrent, occurs in one fourth of patients during their disease course. Physical examination may also show variable features, including pulmonary rhonchi, rales, and wheezes, as well as decreased breath sounds. With increasing severity of disease, patients typically exhibit decreased diffusing capacity.25 Radiographically, most patients have x-ray abnormalities of varying degrees. Reticular changes, micronodules measuring 2 to 5 mm, and cysts measuring up to 1 cm have been commonly observed in PLCH patients.26 Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis can rarely progress to end-stage lung change, with characteristic radiologic changes of honeycombing present. langerhanscellhistiocytosis.org langerhans cell histiocytosis

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis is typically diagnosed from open lung biopsy, and gross appearance varies according to disease progression.4 Wedge biopsies of early lesions show multiple well-demarcated grey-white to tan-white irregular, stellate nodules ranging from less than 1 cm to about 2 cm. With evolution of PLCH, lesions show increasing amounts of stellate fibrosis and cyst formation. 4 Pathologically, early PLCH lesions consist of discrete bronchiolocentric stellate nodules (Figures 1 and 2). Early lesions are more cellular and less fibrotic than more mature lesions and consist of a variable mix of Langerhans cells, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and plasma cells with a background of generally mild fibrosis (Figures 3 through 5). Fibrosis replaces the cellular nodules as disease progresses, and less cellular stellate nodules are formed (Figure 6). Few Langerhans cell histiocytes and variable numbers of eosinophils may be found in these more fibrotic nodules. Surrounding lung may contain smoker’s pigment-laden alveolar macrophages arranged in a desquamative interstitial pneumonia-like pattern4 (Figure 7). Surrounding lung may retract with resultant airspace enlargement (Figure 8). Coalescence of nodules and the formation of large cysts are later occurrences, with some cases progressing to end-stage lung changes with honeycombing (Figure 9). Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients frequently have changes of early to late stage disease, both of which may be identifiable in a wedge biopsy. Langerhans cells usually are immunopositive with CD1a, Langerin, E-cadherin, and S1004,27,28 (Figures 10 and 11). Birbeck granules, also termed Langerhans cell granules, pentalaminar rod-shaped cytoplasmic organelles with a racket- or rod-shaped appearance, are found ultrastructurally. 29 The primary therapy for PLCH is smoking cessation.4 Anecdotal reports have shown patient improvement from corticosteroid therapy, and patients with progressive disease have been treated with chemotherapy such as cyclophosphamide and methotrexate; however, no randomized study has been performed to assess the benefit of these therapies.4 Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients have variable prognoses. About one fourth of patients will regress spontaneously whether or not they stop smoking, about half of patients will stabilize but not regress spontaneously, and about one fourth of patients will exhibit progressive disease that may ultimately cause honeycombing. 14,30,31 Pleurodesis in PLCH patients presenting with spontaneous pneumothorax may be of benefit.32 The differential diagnosis of PLCH varies depending on whether early PLCH lesions or late lesions, or both, are present in the biopsy. Early, cellular PLCH nodules containing many eosinophils are suggestive of eosinophilic pneumonia; however, in contrast to PLCH, eosinophilic pneumonia generally is composed of collections of eosinophils and macrophages lying within alveolar spaces, as well as an interstitial infiltrate of variable degree made up of lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils. Desquamative interstitial pneumonia should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the biopsy predominantly contains smoker’s pigment-laden macrophages lying within alveolar spaces. It is important to consider that respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease/desquamative interstitial pneumonia is another smokingrelated disease and may occasionally coexist with PLCH. In later stage PLCH, with its more fibrotic and scarred lesions, ultimately causing honeycombing, usual interstitial pneumonia becomes a differential diagnosis. Usual interstitial pneumonia is predominantly a subpleural disease usually involving the lower zones of the lungs. Pulmonary Erdheim-Chester disease is a differential diagnosis that is discussed later.33-35 ROSAI-DORFMAN DISEASE Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, also termed Rosai-Dorfman disease, is a rare nonmalignant proliferation of histiocytic/phagocytic cells of unknown etiology occurring within lymph node sinuses, lymphatics, and various extranodal sites.36-38 It typically occurs in children and young adults.36,38 No clinical response with antibacterial or antitubercular therapies have been documented, and viral infection and disordered immune regulation have been hypothesized as possible etiologies.36 An exuberant hematopoietic system response to an unknown immunologic trigger has been considered a possible cause.36 The association of Rosai-Dorfman disease with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome, an inherited disorder of lymphocyte programmed cell death primarily occurring in early childhood, and the identification of mutations of the Fas gene in a small subset of Rosai-Dorfman disease patients suggests that Rosai-Dorf man disease may represent an acquired disorder of apoptotic signaling pathway regulation.36,39-42 Rosai-Dorfman disease most frequently presents as painless massive, often cervical, lymphadenopathy.36,43 Nodal disease is frequently self-limited.43 Extranodal involvement of various sites including bone, retro-orbital tissue, skin, lung, and kidneys occurs in approximately 20% to 40% of patients.38,44 Skin and soft tissue, nasal and paranasal sinuses, the eye and ocular adnexa, and bone are the most common extranodal sites of involvement.36 Pulmonary involvement is rare and occurs in approximately 2% to 3% of cases with extranodal disease.36,45,46 It usually presents as solitary or multiple mass lesions in the lung, bronchi, or trachea, typically with coexisting nodal and extranodal disease.45-49 The tracheobronchial tree is most commonly involved with pulmonary Rosai-Dorfman disease, presenting as large single or multiple airway masses; however, diffuse interstitial lung involvement may rarely occur, and primarily pleural disease has been reported.45 Radiographically, mediastinal fullness or nodal enlargement or hilar or perihilar masses may be present.46-49 Diffuse lung involvement may present radiographically as bilateral reticulonodular infiltrates.

Histologically, pulmonary Rosai-Dorfman disease exhibits an infiltrate of faintly staining histiocytes with oval nuclei that may contain mild atypia, one or more nucleoli, and abundant pale eosinophilic cytoplasm.36 The histiocytes lie in an inflammatory background of scattered plasma cells and lymphocytes. Lymphocytes within histiocyte cytoplasm, termed lymphophagocytosis or emperipolesis, is a distinctive feature of Rosai-Dorfman disease36,46 (Figures 12 and 13). Usually located within cytoplasmic vacuoles, these lymphocytes avoid degradation as they transit through the histiocyte.36 Surrounding lung parenchyma generally contains a mixture of inflammatory cells, fibrosis, foamy alveolar macrophages, and a proliferation of type II pneumocytes. Immunopositivity with S100 is the most useful immunomarker for Rosai-Dorfman disease.36 Histiocytes in Rosai-Dorfman disease also typically show immunopositivity with CD68, CD14, CD15, CD163, and ?^sub 1^-antichymotrypsin and immunonegativity with CD1a and factor XIIIa.36,37 Most cases of Rosai-Dorfman disease limited to nodal disease exhibit spontaneous resolution.36 Pulmonary disease, renal disease, and hepatic disease with associated immunogenic dysfunction frequently show persistent lymphadenopathy or disease dissemination.36 Treatment for Rosai-Dorfman disease varies with disease severity. Uncomplicated cases may be observed; however, disease that is widely disseminated, which manifests organ compression, may require surgical debulking, radiation therapy, or both.36 Chemotherapy has not shown obvious benefit and is not a primary treatment.36 Prognosis varies, but for patients with pulmonary Rosai-Dorfman disease, prognosis is guarded.45 Patient mortality of 45% has been reported, with 33% of patients exhibiting persistent or progressive disease.45,46 The differential diagnosis of pulmonary involvement with Rosai-Dorfman disease includes PLCH, Erdheim-Chester disease, carcinoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Gaucher disease, and mycobacterial and fungal infections, among others.6 The eosinophils often present in lesions of PLCH are not a usual feature of pulmonary Rosai-Dorfman disease.36 The characteristic bilateral and symmetric osteosclerosis of long bones present with Erdheim-Chester disease is helpful in differentiating it from Rosai-Dorfman disease, as is its lack of emperipolesis. Indeed, emperipolesis is rarely a feature seen outside of the setting of Rosai-Dorfman disease.36 ERDHEIM-CHESTER DISEASE Erdheim-Chester disease, identified by William Chester in 1930, is a rare, systemic, nonfamilial non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis of unclear, but possibly clonal, etiology that occurs predominantly in middle-aged and older adults.33-35,50-53 Bone pain is the typical presenting complaint, and the disease is characterized clinically and radiographically by symmetric osteosclerosis that involves the metaphyses and diaphyses of long bones.33,35,52 Almost pathognomonic, symmetrical sclerotic or mixed sclerotic and lytic lesions involving the metaphyseal and diaphyseal regions of long bones can be seen on skeletal radiographs. 35 Approximately half of Erdheim-Chester disease patients exhibit extraskeletal disease, including lung, heart, skin, kidney, retroperitoneum, retro-orbital and periorbital tissues, breast, pituitary-hypothalamic axis, sinonasal mucosa, and skeletal muscle.35,53 Twenty percent to 35% of patients exhibit pulmonary involvement.33,35,50,54 Patients having lung involvement typically present with cough and progressive dyspnea, and decreased diffusing capacity is frequently a feature.35,52,55 A pleural effusion may be present.35,52 Chest x-ray often exhibits diffuse interstitial infiltrates with pleural and interlobular septal thickening and may show a relatively nonspecific pattern of interstitial opacities, generally in the upper lung zones.35 Pleural thickening may occur, occasionally being the prevalent radiographic change.33 Interlobular and visceral pleural thickening with patchy reticular and centrilobular opacities, areas of ground glass attenuation, and pleural effusion are frequent findings on chest computed tomography scan.33 Combined with the typical clinical and radiographic skeletal findings, the radiographic findings of smooth interlobular septal thickening and centrilobular nodular opacities, fissural thickening, and pleural effusions are highly suggestive of Erdheim-Chester disease. 56 Transbronchial biopsies of Erdheim-Chester disease are unhelpful in showing the distribution of this interstitial lung disease, but wedge biopsy specimens are able to exhibit diagnostic features.51 Histologically, lung involvement with Erdheim-Chester disease generally shows a histiocytic and lymphocytic infiltrate arranged in a lymphangitic pattern, as well as diffuse interstitial thickening and variable fibrosis, and the accumulation of foamy to clear histiocytes within alveolar spaces35 (Figures 14 and 15). Approximately two thirds of patients with lung involvement have a bronchovascular, subpleural, and/or interlobar septal distribution of the lymphangitic infiltrate.35 Pleural and subpleural fibrosis may be identified extending into underlying lung parenchyma along the interlobular septa.33-35 The histiocytes within the inflammatory infiltrate in Erdheim-Chester disease have abundant palestaining cytoplasm; however, they do not exhibit nuclear folding or eosinophilic cytoplasm that characterize the Langerhans histiocytes of PLCH33,35 (Figures 16 and 17). The histiocytes in Erdheim-Chester disease characteristically exhibit CD68 and factor XIIIa immunopositivity and CD1a immunonegativity33-35 (Figure 18). Immunostain with S100 is variably positive, possibly because of the presence of S100-positive reactive histiocytes within the fibrohistiocytic areas.35 Birbeck granules are not present ultrastructurally within Erdheim-Chester disease histiocytes, in contrast to PLCH Langerhans histiocytes.33,35 Treatments and therapeutic responses are infrequently discussed in case reports of pulmonary involvement with Erdheim-Chester disease51,57; however, reported therapies include steroids, interferon, cytotoxic chemotherapy, surgery, stem cell transplantation, and radiation.35,51 The rarity of cases has precluded therapeutic standardization.51 Poor or variable success has been shown, with the most successful anecdotal cases using a combination of a chemotherapeutic agent and prednisone.35,51 Patients’ courses have been variable, with some patients maintaining stable extraosseous disease over time and other patients exhibiting progressive disease leading to death because of extraosseous, often pulmonary or retroperitoneal, disease. Prognosis in these patients is generally dependent on the extent of extraosseous disease, and approximately 60% of patients die of disease within 3 years, mostly from pulmonary or retroperitoneal disease.33-35,57 One third of patients with lung involvement die of disease within 6 months.35 Differential diagnosis of Erdheim-Chester disease in the lung includes other interstitial lung diseases such as usual interstitial pneumonia and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, other histiocytic lesions such as Rosai-Dorfman disease and PLCH, sarcoidosis, and storage diseases.35,54 Correct diagnosis typically requires correlation of the patient’s history, physical examination, and radiologic studies with histology and immunohistochemistry.35,57 The characteristic lymphangitic distribution of Erdheim-Chester disease, as well as CD1a immunonegativity and absence of Birbeck granules in histiocytes, are helpful in distinguishing it from PLCH, usual interstitial pneumonia, and other differential diagnoses.

GAUCHER DISEASE Gaucher disease, the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorder, is an autosomal recessive lipid storage disease caused by glucocerebrosidase deficiency.58-63 The adult form of the disease, type I, typically involves bone, spleen, and liver, and pulmonary involvement is uncommon and generally exhibited only in association with disease in the more common organs.61,62,64-68 Type I disease is especially prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jew population and is much more common than type II and type III disease, differing from those types by sparing of the central nervous system. 61,62 Type II disease, also termed acute neuropathic type, is generally found in children by age 6 months, and type III disease is a juvenile form of disease also termed the subacute neuropathic form.62 A glucocerebroside gene mutation with resultant diminished enzymatic activity causes increased accumulation of glucocerebroside in lysosomes of phagocytic Gaucher cells.62,69 Hepatosplenomegaly, bone pain and pathologic fractures, anemia, and easy bruising are frequently identified symptoms. Patients with severe disease, especially in disease with neuropathic changes, are more likely to exhibit pulmonary disease.63 Histologically, lung involvement with Gaucher disease may be multifaceted.61-65 Gaucher cells may fill alveolar spaces, as well as septa, with resultant interstitial lung disease.62,63 Pulmonary hypertension may occur, with or without the involvement and subsequent occlusion of alveolar septal capillaries or other vessels with Gaucher cells.62,63 Gaucher cells exhibit a “wrinkled paper” appearance, highlighted with periodic acid-Schiff stain (Figure 19). In contrast to alveolar macrophages, Gaucher cells usually exhibit relatively light CD68 immunopositivity. Enzyme replacement therapy has been found to be safe and effective in reducing hepatosplenomegaly and improving hematologic parameters; however, pulmonary manifestations of Gaucher disease have not shown a similar response to such therapy.63,70 Bilateral lung transplant has been reported.62 Research positing that glucocerebrosidase secretion is related to its delivery to lysosomes by interaction with transmembrane protein LIMP-2 suggests the potential for improved future therapy for Gaucher disease patients.71 FABRY DISEASE Fabry disease is an X-linked metabolic disease caused by ?-galactosidase A deficiency, with resultant accumulation of glycosphingolipids, predominantly globotriaosylceramide, throughout the body, including the lungs.72-75 Patients with Fabry disease can exhibit a variety of pulmonary signs and symptoms including dyspnea, wheezing, pneumothorax, airway obstruction, and hemoptysis.75 Airway obstruction is more common in older patients, many of whom are smokers.75,76 Frameshift mutations as well as the missense mutation D24V are also associated with airway obstruction.76 Chest x-ray is frequently normal; however, airflow limitation may be demonstrated by pulmonary function studies.75 Chest computed tomography may show ground glass opacities, possibly representing alveolar filling by glycosphingolipid.75 Histologically, diagnostic laminated inclusions can be found in capillary endothelium; type II pneumocytes, ciliated bronchial mu cosal cells, and goblet cells are generally found in bronchial biopsy specimens, brushings, or lavage fluid.72,76-78 Diagnosis via sputum cytology has been reported.72 Enzyme replacement therapy using enzymatically active human ?-galactosidase A became available in 2003 and has been shown to alleviate pulmonary dysfunction in some patients.73-75 NIEMANN-PICK DISEASE Niemann-Pick disease is a term used to describe rare, inherited autosomal recessive disorders characterized by an absence or deficiency of the enzyme acid sphingomyelinase and resulting in increased sphingomyelin deposition within reticuloendothelial cells.79-82 Types A and B Niemann-Pick disease are lysosomal storage disorders showing symptoms caused by the accumulations of lipid laden macrophages, called Niemann-Pick cells, in a variety of organs, specifically spleen and liver.80 Type C disease is a complex lipid storage disorder caused by cholesterol trafficking defects because of mutations in the NPC1 and NPC2 genes.79,80 Type A disease usually causes death by about age 3 years; however, patients with type B disease show phenotypic variability and some residual enzyme activity, with patients frequently living into adulthood. 79-81 Lung involvement is relatively frequent in infantile forms of Niemann-Pick disease but is an uncommon finding in adult forms. langerhanscellhistiocytosis.org langerhans cell histiocytosis

Lung disease may be present in patients with type A disease; however, the lungs are typically spared in patients with type C disease, especially in adults.79,80 Lung involvement in patients with type C Niemann-Pick disease has been reported.80-83 Lung involvement is a common finding in patients with type B disease.80 Adult patients with type B disease frequently exhibit hepatosplenomegaly, but lung involvement may be asymptomatic and detected only on chest x-ray.80 Mild, recurrent cough or dyspnea on exertion may be present.80 Chest x-ray and computed tomography scan often show nonspecific bilateral interstitial reticulonodular changes, sometimes with diffuse honeycombing in lung bases, establishing the presence of interstitial lung disease.79-81 Radiologic studies do not assist in determining the severity of disease or predicting clinical outcome.80 Grossly, the lung in Niemann-Pick disease is often heavy and pale.84 Histologically, the lungs frequently show endogenous lipid pneumonia consisting of alveolar filling by Niemann-Pick cells.79,85,86 Areas of interstitial foamy macrophages, variable interstitial fibrosis, and often foamy change within ciliated mucosal epithelium are found.79 Pleura and lymphatics may also be involved.85,86 Niemann-Pick histiocytes are generally enlarged with abundant finely vacuolated cytoplasm and eccentric nuclei87 (Figures 20 and 21). The cells are usually immunopositive with CD68.88 Strong blue staining of Niemann-Pick cells with May-Grunwald Giemsa stain, called “sea blue histiocytosis,” is a nonspecific feature.85,88 Concentric lamellar myelin-like lysosomal inclusions are an ultrastructural feature of the disease.86 Treatment by whole lung lavage has been described, and bone marrow transplantation has been attempted in some patients.79,89,90 Differential diagnosis includes other causes of endogenous lipid pneumonia, including peritumoral disease, and drug therapy, specifically amiodarone therapy with associated toxicity.79 Progression of lung disease is generally slow and unremitting, but cases of rapidly fatal lung disease have been reported.80,91,92 HERMANSKY-PUDLAK SYNDROME Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, also termed oculocutaneous albinism syndrome, is a rare heterogeneously inherited autosomal recessive disease characterized by the systemic accumulation of ceroid-filled histiocytes, considered to be a consequence of disturbed formation or trafficking of intracellular vesicles, specifically melanosomes, platelet dense granules, and lysosomes.93-95 Patients frequently have oculocutaneous albinism, with associated decreased visual acuity, congenital nystagmus, and iris transillumination; variable skin and hair hypopigmentation; and bruising.93-96 Patients may have prolonged bleeding time caused by platelet aggregation defects.93,96 Ceroid deposition involves many organs and causes increased morbidity in the lungs, often leading to death in patients’ fourth or fifth decades of life because of pulmonary fibrosis. 93 Pulmonary macrophages are abnormal, and type II pneumocytes are disrupted.93,97 The gene mutation causing Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome is one of the most prevalent single-gene disorders in northwest Puerto Rico.93 Clinical and radiologic features of interstitial lung disease may occur, usually causing disease by the patients’ fourth or fifth decade of life and death by the fifth decade.93 Approximately 50% of patient deaths are because of pulmonary fibrosis.93 The pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis is uncertain; however, intracellular disruption of type II pneumocytes by ceroid, causing a cascade of inflammation, cytokine reduction, and fibroblast proliferation, may ultimately cause the development of pulmonary fibrosis.93 A usual interstitial pneumonia-like pattern or a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia-like pattern of fibrosis is seen in the lung histologically. Ceroid-filled histiocytes are usually located within air spaces and interstitial septa (Figures 22 and 23). Prevention or minimization of bleeding is an important therapeutic goal, as is the prevention or minimization of lung fibrosis.93 Therapies such as corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, and azathioprine often cause deleterious side effects such as myelosuppression, oncogenesis, and lung toxicity, without inhibiting disease progression.93 Pirfenidone, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifibrotic properties, has been investigated with a randomized placebo-controlled trial and has shown an approximately 8% slower decline in pulmonary function in patients compared with a control group.93,98 Bilateral lung transplantation has been reported, with the patient stable at 12 months posttransplant. 95 DIABETIC XANTHROGRANULOMA Reinil?¤,99 in a study of 339 autopsy lung samples, found perivascular collections of foamy histiocytes in 20 (5.9%) lung samples from diabetic patients versus 3 (1.9%) samples of control patients. The perivascular collections measured an average of 176 ?µm, and periodic acid-Schiff and iron stains were negative.99 The author hypothesized that some dysfunction in lipid transport through the vessel wall might be causative.99 CHOLESTERYL ESTER STORAGE DISEASE Cholesteryl ester storage disease is an autosomal recessive storage disease that typically results in chronic liver disease.100 It is caused by partial lysosomal acid lipase/cholesteryl ester hydrolase deficiency because of mutation of the gene encoding for lysosomal acid lipase, located on chromosome 10q23.2-q23.3.100 Wolman disease, in which there is complete enzyme deficiency, is typically fatal within the first 6 months of life.100 Most patients are carriers of exon 8 splice junction mutation, leading to an inframe deletion of exon 8 with the resultant protein having no residual lysosomal acid lipase activity.100-107 Disease usually begins in childhood or adolescence, and both males and females are equally affected.100 Survival to age 30 years is rare.100 Deposition of cholesteryl ester usually occurs within the spleen, liver, bone marrow, and intestine. 108 Lung involvement is rare.109 Intracytoplasmic accumulation of cholesterol esters within alveolar macrophages, fibroblasts, and interstitial cells occurs histologically, and pulmonary arteries may contain focal concentric intimal deposits of foam cells and extracellular lipid109,110 (Figure 24).

[Reference] References 1. Favara BE, Feller AC, Pauli M, et al. Contemporary classification of histiocytic disorders. Med Pediatr Oncol. 1997;29:157-166.

2. Schmitz L, Favara BE. Nosology and pathology of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1998;12:221-246.

3. Caminati A, Harari S. Smoking-related interstitial pneumonias and pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2006;299-306.

4. Tazi A. Adult pulmonary Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis. Eur Respir J. 2006; 27:1272-1285.

5. Vassallo R, Ryu JH, Colby TV, et al. Medical progress: pulmonary Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis. N Engl J Med. 2000;346:1969-1978.

6. Yousem SA, Colby TV, Chen YY, et al. Pulmonary Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis: molecular analysis of clonality. Am J Surg Pathol. 2001;25:630-636.

7. Vassallo R, Ryu JH, Schroeder DR, et al. Clinical outcomes of pulmonary Langerhans’-cell histiocytosis in adults. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:484-490.

8. Arico M, Girschikofsky M, Genereau T, et al. Langerhans cell histiocytosis in adults: report from the International Registry of the Histiocyte Society. Eur J Cancer. 2003;39:2341-2348.

9. Vermaelen K, Pauwels R. Pulmonary dendritic cells. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005;172:530-531.

10. Dacic S, Trusky C, Bakker A, et al. Genotypic analysis of pulmonary Langerhans’ histiocytosis. Hum Pathol. 2003;34:1345-1349.

11. Willman CL, Busque L, Griffith BB, et al. Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis X): a clonal proliferative disease. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:154-160.

12. Yu RC, Chu C, Buluwela L, et al. Clonal proliferation of Langerhans’ cells in Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis. Lancet. 1994;343:767-768.

13. Willman CL. Detection of clonal histiocytes in Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis: biology and clinical significance. Br J Cancer Suppl. 1994;23:S29-S33.

14. Friedman PJ, Liebow AA, Sokoloff J. Eosinophilic granuloma of lung: clinical aspects of primary pulmonary histiocytosis in the adult. Medicine (Baltimore). 1981;60:385-396.

15. Travis WD, Borok Z, Roum JH, et al. Pulmonary Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis X): a clinicopathologic study of 48 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 1993;17:971-986.

16. Schonfeld N, Frank W, Wenig S, et al. Clinical and radiologic features, lung function and therapeutic results in pulmonary histiocytosis X. Respiration (Herrlisheim). 1993;60:38-44.

17. Miller LG, Goldstein G, Murphy M, Ginns LC. Reversible alterations in immunoregulatory T cells in smoking: analysis by monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. Chest. 1 1982;82:526-529.

18. Senior RM, Kuhn C III. The pathogenesis of emphysema. In: Fishman AP, ed. Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders. 2nd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 1988:1209-1219.

19. Hoogsteden HC, van Hal PT, Wijkhuijs JM, Hop W, Verkaik AP, Hilvering C. Expression of the CD11/CD18 cell surface adhesion glycoprotein family on alveolar macrophages in smokers and nonsmokers. Chest. 1991;100:1567-1571.

20. Aguayo SM, King TE, Waldron JA, et al. Increased pulmonary neuroendocrine cells with bombesin-like immunoreactivity in adult patients with eosinophilic granuloma. J Clin Invest. 1990;86:838-844.

21. Barth J, Kreipe H, Radzun HJ, et al. Increased expression of growth factor genes for macrophages and fibroblasts in bronchoalveolar lavage cells of a patient with pulmonary histiocytosis X. Thorax. 1991;46:835-838.

22. Tazi A, Moreau J, Bergeron A, et al. Evidence that Langerhans cells in adult pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis are mature dendritic cells: importance of the cytokine microenvironment. J Immunol. 1999;163:3511-3515.

23. Gaensler AE, Carrington CB. Open biopsy for chronic diffuse infiltrative lung disease: clinical, roentgenographic and physiological correlations in 502 patients. Ann Thorac Surg. 1980;30:411-426.

24. Agostini C, Albera C, Bariffi F, et al. First report of the Italian register for diffuse infiltrative lung disorders (RIPID). Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2001;56:364-368.

25. Fartoukh M, Humbert M, Capron F, et al. Severe pulmonary hypertension in histiocytosis X. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000;161:216-223.

26. LaCronique J, Roth C, Battesti JP, Basset F, Chretien J. Chest radiological features of pulmonary histiocytosis, X: a report based on 50 adult cases. Thorax. 1982;37:104-109.

27. Zeppa P, Cozzolino I, Rosso M, et al. Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis, X) on bronchoalveolar lavage: a report of 2 cases. Acta Cytol. 2007;51:480-482.

28. Hoover KB, Rosenthal DI, Mankin H. Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Skeletal Radiol. 2007;36:95-104.

29. Birbeck MS, Breathnach AD, Everall JD. An electron microscope study of basal melanocytes and high-level clear cells (Langerhans cells) in vitiligo. J Invest Dermatol. 1961;37:51-64.

30. Huhn D, Konig G,Weig J, SchnellerW. Therapy in pulmonary histiocytosis X. Haematol Bluttransfus. 1981;27:231-237.

31. Von Essen S,WestW, Sitorius M, Rennard SI. Complete resolution of roentgenographic changes in a patient with pulmonary histiocytosis X. Chest. 1990; 98:765-767.

32. Mendez JL, Nadrous HF, Vassallo K, et al. Pneumothorax in pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Chest. 2004;125:1028-1032.

33. Egan AJM, Boardman LA, Tazelaar HD, et al. Erdheim-Chester disease: clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic findings in five patients with interstitial lung disease. Am J Surg Pathol. 1999;23:17-26.

34. Rush WL, Andriko JAW, Galateau-Salle F, et al. Pulmonary pathology of Erdheim-Chester disease. Mod Pathol. 2000;13:747-754.

35. Allen TC, Chevez-Barrios P, Shetlar DJ, Cagle PT. Pulmonary and ophthalmic involvement with Erdheim-Chester disease: a case report and review of the literature. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2004;128:1428-1431.

36. McClain KL, Natkunam Y, Swedlow SH. Atypical cellular disorders. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2004:283-296.

37. Agarwal A, Pathak S, Gujral S. Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy-a review of seven cases. Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2006;49:509-515.

38. Huang Q, Change KL, Weiss LM. Extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease involving the bone marrow: a case report. Am J Surg Pathol. 2006;30:1189-1192.

39. Maric I, Pittaluga S, Dale J, Straus SE, Jaffe ES. Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy in patients with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome. Mod Pathol. 2004;17:58A.

40. Bettinardi A, Brugnoni D, Qiros-Roldan E, et al. Missense mutations in the Fas gene resulting in autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome: a molecular and immunological analysis. Blood. 1997;89:902-909.

41. Rieux-Laucat F, Le Deist F, Fischer A. Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndromes: genetic defects of apoptosis pathways. Cell Death Differ. 2003;10: 124-133.

42. Sneller MC, Wang J, Dale JK, et al. Clinical, immunologic, and genetic features of an autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome associated with abnormal lymphocyte apoptosis. Blood. 1997;89:1341-1348.

43. Oner AY, Akpek S, Tali T. Rosai-Dorfman disease with epidural and spinal bone marrow involvement: magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging features. Acta Radiol. 2007;48:331-334.

44. Ben Ghorbel I, Naffati H, Khanfir M, et al. Disseminated form of Rosai-Dorfman disease: a case report. Rev Med Interne. 2005;26:415-419.

45. Ohori NP, Jing Y, Landreneau RJ, Thaete FL. Rosai-Dorfman disease of the pleura: a rare extranodal presentation. Hum Pathol. 2003;1210-1211.

46. Foucar E, Rosai J, Dorfman R. Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman disease): review of the entity. Semin Diagn Pathol. 1990; 19-73.

47. Travis WD, Colby TV, Koss MN, et al. Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract. Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; 2002:144-147. Atlas of Nontumor Pathology; 1st series, fascicle 2.

48. Buchino JJ, Byrd RP, Kmetz DR. Disseminated sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy: its pathologic aspects. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1982;106: 13-16.

49. Wright DH, Richards DB. Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman disease): report of a case with widespread nodal and extra nodal dissemination. Histopathology. 1981;5:697-709.

50. Rao NR, Chang C, Uysal N, et al. Fulminate multisystem non-Langerhans cell histiocytic proliferation with hemophagocytosis: a variant form of Erdheim Chester disease. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005;129:e39-e43.

51. Kong PM, Pinheiro L, Kaw G, Sittampalam K, Teo CHY. Erdheim-Chester disease: a rare cause of interstitial lung disease. Singapore Med J. 2007;48:e57-e59.

52. Saboerali MD, Koolen MGJ, Noorduyn LA, van Delden OM, Bogaard HJ. Pleural thickening in a construction worker: it is not always mesothelioma. Neth J Med. 2006;64:88-90.

53. Chung JH, Park MS, Shin DH, et al. Pulmonary involvement with Erdheim-Chester disease. Respirology. 2005;10:389-392.

54. Shaburek RD, Brewer HB, Gochuico BR. Erdheim-Chester disease: a rare multisystem histiocytic disorder associated with interstitial lung disease. Am J Med Sci. 2001;321:66-76.

55. Devouassoux G, Laintenjoul S, Chatelain P, et al. Erdheim-Chester disease: a primary macrophage disorder. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998;157:650-653.

56. Wittenberg KH, Swensen SJ, Myers JL, et al. Pulmonary involvement with Erdheim-Chester disease: radiographic and CT findings. Am J Roentgenol. 2000; 174:1271-3331.

57. Veyssier-Belot C, Cacoub P, Caparros-Lefebvre D, et al. Erdheim-Chester disease: clinical and radiologic characteristics of 59 cases. Medicine. 1996;75: 157-169.

58. Amir G, Ron N. Pulmonary pathology in Gaucher’s disease. Hum Pathol. 1999;30:666-670.

59. Guggenbuhl P, Grosbois B, Chales G. Gaucher disease. Joint Bone Spine. 2008;75:116-124.

60. Mignot C, Doummar D, Maire I, et al. Type 2 Gaucher disease: 15 new cases and review of the literature. Brain Dev. 2006;28:39-48.

61. Miller A, Brown LK, Pastores GM, Desnick RJ. Pulmonary involvement in type 1 Gaucher disease: functional and exercise findings in patients with and without clinical interstitial lung disease. Clin Genet. 2003;63:368-376.

62. Rao AR, Parakininkas D, Hintermeyer M, Segura AD, Rice TB. Bilateral lung transplant in Gauchers type-1 disease. Pediatr Transplant. 2005;9:239-243.

63. Dinwiddle R, Sonnappa S. Systemic diseases and the lung. Paediat Resp Rev. 2005;6:181-189.

64. Fisher MR, Sider L. Diffuse reticulonodular infiltration associated with splenomegaly. Chest. 1983;84:609-610.

65. Schneider EL, Epstein CJ, Kaback MJ, et al. Severe pulmonary involvement in Gaucher’s disease: report of three cases and review of the literature. Am J Med. 1977;63:475-480.

66. Wolson AA. Pulmonary findings in Gaucher’s disease. Am J Roentgenol. 1975;123:712-715.

67. Roberts WC, Fredrickson DS. Gaucher’s disease of the lung causing severe pulmonary hypertension with associated acute pericarditis. Circulation. 1967;35: 783-789.

68. Lee RE, Yousem SA. The frequency and type of lung involvement in patients with Gaucher’s disease. Lab Invest. 1988;58:54A.

69. Beutler E. Gaucher disease. Curr Opin Hematol. 1997;4:19-23.

70. Goitein O, Elstein D, Abrahamov A, et al. Lung involvement and enzyme replacement therapy in Gaucher’s disease. Q J Med. 2001;94:407-415.

71. Griffiths GM. Gaucher disease: forging a new path to the lysosome. Cell. 2007;131:67-649.

72. Kelly MM, Leigh R, McKenzie R, et al. Induced sputum examination: diagnosis of pulmonary involvement in Fabry’s disease. Thorax. 2000;55:720-721.

73. Eng CM, Germain DP, Banikazemi M, et al. Fabry disease: guidelines for the evaluation and management of multi-organ system involvement. Genet Med. 2006;8:539-548.

74. Mohrenschlager M, Pontz BF, Lanzi I, et al. Fabry disease: case report with emphasis on enzyme replacement therapy and possible future therapeutic options. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2007;5:594-597.

75. Kim W, Pyeritz RE, Bernhardt BA, Casey M, Litt HI. Pulmonary manifestations of Fabry disease and positive response to enzyme replacement therapy. Am J Med Genet Part A. 2007;143A:377-381.

76. Brown LR, Miller A, Bhuptani A, et al. Pulmonary involvement with Fabry disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997;155:1004-1010.

77. Peters FP, Sommer A, Vermeulen A, et al. Fabry’s disease: a multidisciplinary disorder. Postgrad Med J. 1997;73:710-712.

78. Rosenberg DM, Ferrans VJ, Fulmer JD, et al. Chronic airflow obstruction in Fabry’s disease. Am J Med. 1980;68:898-905.

79. Nicholson AG, Florio R, Hansell DM, et al. Pulmonary involvement by Niemann-Pick disease: a report of six cases. Histopathology. 2006;596-603.

80. Guillemot N, Troadec C, de Villemeur TB, Clement A, Fauroux B. Lung disease in Niemann-Pick disease. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007;42:1207-1214.

81. Mendelson DS, Wasserstein MP, Desnick RJ, et al. Type B Niemann-Pick disease: findings at chest radiography, thin-section CT, and pulmonary function testing. Radiology. 2006;238:339-345.

82. Uyan ZS, Karadag B, Ersu R, et al. Early pulmonary involvement in Niemann-Pick type B disease: lung lavage is not useful. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2005;40: 169-172.

83. Palmeri S, Tarugi P, Sicurelli F, et al. Lung involvement in Niemann-Pick disease type C1: improvement with bronchoalveolar lavage. Neurol Sci. 2005; 26:171-173.

84. Crocker AC, Farber S. Niemann-Pick disease: a review of eighteen patients. Medicine (Baltimore). 1958;37:1-95.

85. Minai OA, Sullivan EJ, Stoller JK. Pulmonary involvement in Niemann-Pick disease: case report and literature review. Resp Med. 2000;94:1241-1251.

86. Skikne MI, Prinsloo I, Webster I. Electron microscopy of lung in Niemann-Pick disease. J Pathol. 1972;106:119-122.

87. Niggemann B, Rebien W, Rahn W, et al. Asymptomatic pulmonary involvement in 2 children with Niemann-Pick disease type B. Respiration. 1994; 61:55-57.

88. Long RG, Lake BD, Petetit JE, et al. Adult Niemann-Pick disease: its relationship to the syndrome of the sea-blue histiocyte. Am J Med. 1977;62:627-635.

89. Nicholson AC, Wells AU, Hooper J, et al. Successful treatment of endogenous lipoid pneumonia due to Niemann-pick Type B disease with whole-lung lavage. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002;165:128-131.

90. Vellodi A, Hobbs JR, O’Donnell NM, et al. Treatment of Niemann-Pick disease type B by allogenic bone marrow transplantation. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1987;295:1375-1376.

91. Terry RD, Sperry WM, Brodoff B. Adult lipidosis resembling Niemann-Pick’s disease. Am J Pathol. 1954;30:263-285.

92. Verger P, Bentegeat J, Kermarec J, Serville F. Niemann-Pick disease in a 4-year old child without nervous manifestations: considerable significance of pulmonary respiratory signs. Arch Fr Pediatr. 1965;22:1109-1110.

93. Pierson DM, Ionescu D, Qing G, et al. Pulmonary fibrosis in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Respiration. 2006;73:3882-395.

94. Wei ML. Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome: a disease of protein trafficking and organelle dysfunction. Pigment Cell Res. 2006;19:19-42.

95. Lederer DL, Kaut SM, Sonett JR, et al. Successful bilateral lung transplantation for pulmonary fibrosis associated with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2005;24:1697-1699.

96. Brantly M, Villia NA, Shotelersuk V, et al. Pulmonary function and high resolution CT findings in patients with an inherited form of pulmonary fibrosis, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, due to mutations in HPS-1. Chest. 2000;117:129-136.

97. Bachli EB, Brack T, Eppler E, et al. Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 4 in a patient from Sri Lanka with pulmonary fibrosis. Am J Met Genet. 2004;127A: 201-207.

98. Gahl WA, Brantly M, Troendle J, et al. Effect of pirfenidone on the pulmonary fibrosis of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Mol Genet Metab. 2002;76: 234-242.

99. Reinila A. Perivascular xanthogranulomatosis in the lungs of diabetic patients. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1976;100:542-543.

100. Muntoni S, Wiebusch H, Jansen-Rust M, et al. Prevalence of cholesteryl ester storage disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2007;27:1866-1868.

101. Seedorf U, Wiebusch H, Muntoni S, et al. A novel variant of lysosomal acid lipase (Leu336 ? Pro) associated with acid lipase deficiency and cholesteryl ester storage disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1995;15:773-778.

102. Muntoni S, Wiebusch H, Funke H, et al. Homozygosity for a splice junction mutation in exon 8 of the gene encoding lysosomal acid lipase in a Spanish kindred with cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD). Hum Genet. 1995;95:491-494.

103. Pagani G, Garcia R, Pariyarath R, et al. Expression of lysosomal acid lipase mutants detected in three patients with cholesteryl ester storage disease. Hum Mol Genet. 1996;5:1611-1617.

104. Klima H, Ullrich K, Aslanidis C, et al. A splice junction mutation causes deletion of a 72-base exon from the mRNA for lysosomal acid lipase in a patient with cholesteryl ester storage disease. J Clin Invest. 1993;92:2713-2718.

105. Gasche C, Aslanidis C, Kain R, et al. A novel variant of lysosomal acid lipase in cholesteryl ester storage disease associated with mild phenotype and improvement on lovastatin. J Hepatol. 1997;27:744-750.

106. Redonnnet-Vernhet I, Chatelut M, Basile JP, Salvayre R, Levade T. A novel lysosomal acid lipase gene mutation in a patient with cholesteryl ester storage disease. Hum Mutat. 1998;11:335-336.

107. Ameis D, Brockmann G, Knoblich R, et al. A 5 splice-region mutation and a dinucleotide deletion in the lysosomal acid lipase gene in two patients with cholesteryl ester storage disease. J Lipid Res. 1995;36:241-250.

108. Elleder M, Chlumska A, Hyanek J, et al. Subclinical course of cholesteryl ester storage disease in an adult with hypercholesterolemia, accelerated atherosclerosis, and liver cancer. J Hepathol. 2000;32:528-534.

109. Michels VV, Driscoll DJ, Ferry GD, Duff DF, Beaudet AL. Pulmonary vascular obstruction associated with cholesteryl ester storage disease. J Pediatr. 1979; 94:621-623.

110. Cagle PT, Ferry GD, Beaudet AL, et al. Clinicopathologic conference: pulmonary hypertension in an 18-year old girl with cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD). Am J Med Genet. 1986;24:711-722.

[Author Affiliation] Timothy Craig Allen, MD, JD Accepted for publication February 14, 2008.

From the Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

The author has no relevant financial interest in the products or companies described in this article.

Allen, Timothy Craig

Restaurant Week Fall 2009: The Worthington Inn

Author: swampkitty05  //  Category: Columbus, Eating Local, Food Porn, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Week

For me, The Worthington Inn is one of those places I’ve walked by for years, always talking about how I need to eat there soon, etc. – but preconceived notions always kept me from stopping in – misconceptions that it was frou frou and fussy, or that everyone who eats there is all dressed up, or that service would be stuffy. Let me just say now for the record that I was completely wrong.

The Outside of The Worthington Inn

We decided to head there for lunch during Restaurant Week, where they were offering your choice of 2 lunch entrees for $20.09. 2 people eating for 20 bucks at the Worthington Inn? Yes, please!

We would have loved to sit on the patio, which faces High Street but seems a lot more remote. However, all of the tables were reserved. One of these days, we definitely will.

The Patio at The Worthington Inn

Instead, we ate on the porch, which was still quite nice – the day we went was absolutely beautiful weather, perfectly clear and in the 70′s with a nice breeze. The wide porch reminds me of the “lemonade porches” you see in the Deep South. Dare I say it was quite charming?

The Porch at the Worthington Inn

Bread service was a loaf of fresh baked bread with the unusual choice of an aioli instead of butter. Although it seemed a little strange at first, the combination was quite good.

Bread Basket from The Worthington Inn

Not as part of Restaurant Week, but a la carte, I ordered a cup of their Summer Corn Chowder ($4), a hearty cup of contrasting flavors and textures – the sweetness of local corn, the smoky flavor of the bacon, the potatoes that studded the soup, and the luxurious richness of the creamy broth, all finished off with a cheddar crisp that slowly melted back into the soup as I was eating it. Divine.

Summer Corn Chowder from The Worthington Inn

For his entree, Paul chose the Spaghetti Cassandra (normally $13), a substantial portion of al dente spaghetti tossed with large chunks of chicken, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, garlic, chili flake and olive oil. The flavor was quite subtle, maybe a touch TOO subtle. While filling, it didn’t really pack a punch.

Spaghetti Cassandra at The Worthington Inn

My Petit Filet Worthington (normally $15), while small, was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The blue cheese and demi-glace made a good steak even better. The au gratin potatoes weren’t the best I’ve had, but they were well prepared, and were a nice accompaniment to the steak. The spinach? Sauteed to perfection. I don’t know why, but I just love the combination of spinach and steak.

Petit Filet Worthington from The Worthington Inn

Our service was great, and we had heard great things about the Brunch at the Worthington Inn (it’s supposedly the food service workers destination of choice for the best brunch in town), so our server advised us to make reservations if we wanted to go. We did that before we left, and got one of the two last reservations available. The Restaurant Week deal on the brunch was 2 Brunch Buffets + beverages for $30.09, which is a substantial discount from it’s normal price of $21.95 per person.

I was totally blown away by the brunch. Oh my goodness, the quality and quantity of food they offered was beyond compare – I haven’t seen anything quite like it in my time here in Columbus. To say we’ll return for brunch again is an understatement. Here are just a few of the highlights:

An omelette station that made omelettes to order. I had a fantastic vegetarian omelette with all manner of fresh veggies. Although there was a bit of a bottleneck at the station at times, I was eventually able to (on my second round) order an omelette and get it in a couple of minutes without much of a wait.

Omelette Station on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at The Worthington Inn

All different kinds of danish, which I didn’t try because my strategy at buffets is to not fill up on carbs, and to concentrate on getting a lot of protein in. They sure looked good, though.

Danish on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at The Worthington Inn

Smoked salmon with all the fixings. I’m not usually a big fan of smoked salmon, but theirs was quite yummy.

Smoked Salmon on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at The Worthington Inn

Lots and lots of crispy bacon. This bacon piggy was in hog heaven!

Bacon on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at The Worthington Inn

A really delicious, moist, stuffed pork loin with a fantastic gravy. I know apple figured into it somewhere (either the stuffing or gravy), but it lent a sweetness that was just pure porky perfection.

Pork on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at The Worthington Inn

Other items that you can see on my plate: a respectable eggs benedict, shrimp with cocktail sauce, an okay salad, an underwhelming and dry chicken marsala, equally underwhelming potatoes, and the best darn prime rib I’ve had in ages.

Brunch Plate from The Worthington Inn

More about that prime rib. It was absolutely perfect. Everything about it. The perfect level of doneness, the nice crispy flavorful outer edges, the thickness of the cut, the wonderful creamy horseradish sauce and the jus it was served with. I went back for seconds, and got 2 pieces instead of one. Yes, I love prime rib that much. The only thing that would have made it better would have been some Yorkshire pudding on the side ::drool:: Also on the second round, I got made to order Belgian waffle topped with raspberry sauce and miniature semisweet chocolate chips, that aforementioned veggie omelette, loads of bacon, and some cheese. I quite literally cleaned my plate, and had I had room in my belly for more, would have gone back for thirds.

Brunch Plate from The Worthington Inn

Paul showed a bit more restraint than I did, playing it safe with the eggs benedict, some salmon in a red pepper sauce, potatoes, that wonderful pork and some bacon.

Brunch Plate from The Worthington Inn

I think you can tell from his second plate how much he loved the pork. :) And after trying a bit of my prime rib, he had to get some of his very own.

Brunch Plate from The Worthington Inn

So many choices for dessert. Although only one thing really caught my eye on the way in.

Desserts on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Worthington Inn

We both had a piece of this neapolitan cheesecake. I’m not sure if it’s house made or not, but it was definitely good. Paul wants me to try to make my own version of this here at home.

Neapolitan Cheesecake from The Worthington Inn

Needless to say, we truly enjoyed both experiences at The Worthington Inn, and hope to return again soon. I’m glad our misconceptions of the place were proven wrong.

If you’d like to go: The Worthington Inn, 649 High St., Worthington, OH 614-885-2600

Worthington Inn on Urbanspoon