Letters to the Editor

What You Say

There seems to be widespread agreement that the sport of getting elected as a judge is in need of new rules [Cover, "The Game of Judge," Doron Taussig, April 12, 2007]. However, agreement on new rules has proved elusive as both the present voter-selection process and merit selection are viewed as unreliable in yielding qualified judges. In testimony before the Senate Government Committee in Philadelphia on April 11, Robert B. Surrick Esq. outlined why "merit selection" doesn't result in merit selection, but did offer a proposal regarding how voter selection could be designed to have a better chance of electing qualified judges. Pennsylvania is one of eight states that selects judges at all levels in partisan elections. In the 1990s, five of seven Supreme Court justices were from Pittsburgh. Instead of the current system, Surrick would divide the state into seven regions of approximately equal population and following county lines. One of the seven Supreme Court justices; two of the 15 Superior Court judges; and seven of the nine Commonwealth Court judges would be elected from each region. (Under this plan, some judges would fill vacancies and swing throughout the districts.)

The "merit" of this process is that candidates would present themselves to voters who have a chance of knowing them and their records. It would eliminate having to raise money for statewide campaigns. And it would ensure that all parts of the state have judicial representation.

What chance does Surrick's plan have of passing? Surrick thinks none: "The power structure likes it the way it is."

Norma Van Dyke
Society Hill

Thank you for taking the time out to come to my new location and also for recognizing my home-style cooking [Food Review, "ChriStevens," Trey Popp, March 29, 2007]. Our orechietti, the way you described it, was well said. We cook very light so you are able to taste all the fresh herbs and imported oils and vegetables. Our customers appreciate this simplicity.

You took issue with our prices, which, interestingly, other reviewers have noted are quite reasonable and geared toward enabling people to eat with us several times a week.

As for the mussels, you mentioned that two had some seaweed attached. As these things invariably happen in most any restaurant, I wonder why it wasn't mentioned to our staff, in which case we would have happily corrected the situation and offered you the dish at no charge. Perhaps you preferred to keep silent to make your subsequent story more sensational?

One thing you forgot to mention is our homemade bread, which I understand you enjoyed. We also prepare in-house most of our pastas — including our ravioli, gnocchi, lasagna and fettucini.

As a new and in-demand catering company, our point in opening ChriStevens was to share fresh Mediterranean cooking the way it is meant to be enjoyed. Our recipes do not come out of books, they come from the countries and the men and women who created them — from their kitchen to my kitchen. Since your review, we received some wonderful phone calls and great support from my new family in South Philadelphia and Bella Vista and elsewhere who have had a very different experience at ChriStevens than you apparently did.

I would love to welcome you back and only hope that next time you come, you will have broadened your palate beyond the overcharged cooking typical of far too many restaurants today, to enjoy fresh, simple food the way it was meant to be eaten.

Christine A. Fischer
Owner, ChriStevens Mediterranean

Popp responds: Ms. Fischer seems to be under the impression that debearding mussels is a matter of brushing away attached seaweed. A mussel's "beard" is a collection of long, sticky filaments called byssal threads. Mussels project these hairy strands out past their shell to anchor themselves to the sea bottom. Debearding a mussel means ripping these threads from the creature.

I wanted to drop you a line and let you know how much I've enjoyed listening to the Local Support podcast the past few months.I grew up in Delaware and relocated to Philadelphia for grad school the past few years, so I'm always curious as to what's going on locally beyond, and in addition to, the Park the Van bands and others that seem to get more love and press.

Bill Martin
Via E-mail