MichaelB

Ummm... Am I the only one that freezes her garbage. ← In those hot days of summer, I do (hangs head in shame) keeps the nasties in the fridge in a container specially for the nasties until night before trash day. We, in Minnesota, are now in the season when nighttime temps tell us that no matter what you put in the trash on Thursday right after the trash man comes, not to worry. ← The six liters of fat and scum from that batch of stock, the reduced braising liquid from the rabbit legs and the 60 liter pot of veal stock were in the fridge. Now that stuff gets seriously nasty smelling in the summer heat. Ever wonder what that awful smell out back of a restaurant is? Unless the management are pigs, it ain't the cans or the dumpster. Someone's job is to hose those out every so often. It's the barrel of grease and fat that awaits pickup from the renderer.

I get comp'd more frequently than I like -- and it makes me uncomfortable every time. I understand why it happens; but I never want the reputation as someone who is looking for something for free. I don't eat dinner out (in my home city) all that often -- certainly less than once a month on average. So, when I do dine out, it is because I want to give the business to a particular proprietor. If I get all or part of the meal comp'd, I cost the place money rather than the other way around. When it does happen, the wait staff does very well.

In my home kitchen -- Bone 35 rabbits on Wednesday evening. Make rabbit stock overnight Wednesday. Strain stock Thursday morning. Put bone sludge in garbage. In the 85F garage. Until garbage day on Monday. I am still really surprised that the garbage man emptied the can without first calling the Sheriff's department to have that can inspected.

Nope. The pans must be magnetic. Your cast iron will work. The Calphalon will not. The Copper/Stainless probably won't.

Ever try to shove a 60 quart stock pot into an oven? If I worried about every thing that could destroy my home every time I left something unattended, I'd be nuts. After reading these posts, I am thinking about call the contactors and having master cutoffs for the gas, electricity and water installed in the garage so I can shut off all this stuff whenever I leave home. Seriously, overnight is the only way I make stock. Just be careful. Make sure your flame is not so low that it is likely to blow out. Make sure there is some ventilation in the kitchen. Most importantly, make sure your flame is not so high that you boil all the liquid away -- that could eventually result in a fire.

I wish I did. My wife keeps a little book with notes on dinner parties -- who, when and what we served. It also has a few cross references to pastry recipes she likes that appear in cookbooks or magazines. I also have a tiny little book that I can carry around. I bought it to keep notes on things I ate and enjoyed, wine names, etc. I also have a few recipes written in a sort of shorthand -- things people have asked me how to cook. Trouble is I mislay the book so often; I don't think I have seen it since February. I wish I had the discipline to keep a notebook of things I try in the kitchen. I cannot tell you how many times my wife has asked me to cook something "again." Even after her describing the dish in some detail, I don't remember having done it the first time.

A commercial version of the leather strop can be found here: HandAmerican Web Site Take a look at his steels too. They are works of art.

From Larousse: From the Oxford Companion: Dick?

Like many others who have replied to this thread, I love skate. To answer your questions: Smell is often not a good indicator as really fresh skate will often have a bit of an ammonia smell. Best to buy from a trusted fishmonger. If your storage conditions are good, you can keep it a couple of days -- at least. It isn't all that tough to skin. Skin it as any other fish fillet. Just remember to use a towel to hold the loose skin. The slime makes it slippery and if your hand slips, the barbs will give you a nasty little cut. I have served skate with many different garnishes. I enjoy the classic beurre noisette with capers. I also really like a skate salad with apple -- sauteed skate over your favorite greens, diced apple, maybe some fennel with an apple vinaigrette.

I enjoyed the review more than some of the other recent reviews. Anyone else laugh at the rather forced mention of the pastry chef, Johnny Leon? Any bets on whether she meant to say: "OK, you guys, I apologize for the oversight in the Spice Market review." or "F-you. I have been reading and I thought at least some of you were my friends."

Just last fall, I was smack in the middle of this debate between two prominent chefs -- one French, one American. I remember the positions of each but not the specific arguments. Maybe if the discussion had occurred earlier than 2:30 am and after fewer than however many cases of wine had been consumed, I might remember exactly why each felt as he does.

There are two things that bother me regarding the manners of others' children -- as I have none, mine are perfect. The first is speaking to adults when spoken to and the second is being called by my first name. My brother's and sisters' children generally use first names only when speaking to an aunt or uncle. I have taken to responding with "the only Michael I see here is Uncle Michael. Were you speaking to me? I realize that it really isn't my place to correct others' children but I often cannot help myself.

You could have the Spam, Eggs, Sausage and Spam -- there's not very much Spam in that."

Yet another member of the Dansko chorus. I have been wearing them for years now. My wife has a problem with a toe that can cause her severe pain. On vacation a year or so ago, she was having problems and we were walking past a shoe store advertising a big sale. She bought a pair of Dansko knock-offs, slipped them on, and the pain went away almost immediately. We bought her several pairs of the real thing right after we got home.

For a late breakfast yesterday I made grilled cheese, bacon and tomato sandwiches topped with fried egg. Sort of an American Croque Madame

I regularly serve things that I have never done before. These things usually involve techniques that I am completely comfortable with, however. Unless I am cooking for a really large group, I almost never have a menu in mind before 3 or 4 hours before service. I go to the market, buy a few proteins, then start thinking about how they might become a whole meal. I don't do pastry though -- that gets left to MrsB.

the current month schedule is always at Beard Foundation. You may have to wait until next week to see the March schedule.

Mine was say 25 years ago at a sandwich shop here in Cincinnati. Theplace serves huge double deckers. There is something hard in my sandwich. After removing said hard object from my mouth, I inspect a long fingernail painted bright red. I look over to the woman running the roast beef slicer. Yup, same red color and yup, a brand new roast mounted on the slicer. She sacrificed that nail to get the last couple of ounces of yield for her employer.

I'll second the requests for a wood burning oven. But, what I would really like is the computer controlled proofer/retarder. My favorite bread recipe requires a 12 hour proof of a refreshed pate fermee, then a 4 hour proof after a second refreshment, then a 1 to 8 hour retard. The retard invariably starts in the middle of the night. I get delirious thinking about programming the 80F proof then 40F retard before I go to bed. Something like this: Proofer/retarder.

Cincinnati's big growth in the 19th century was from German immigrants. So, the German baking tradition is still alive here. Unfortunately, the beer making faded away -- Cincinnati was once home to more breweries than any city in the US -- thanks Prohibition. Servatii and Graeter are the two old line bakers. The corner German bakery like Virginia Bakery is, alas, also a fading memory -- mostly because the old families who own them have no one to take over. The baking tradition has encouraged some newcomers, however. Bonbonnerie and Le Cezanne come to mind. There are also a couple of artisan type bread makers sucha s Shadeau and GTC.

DUCK!

I can honestly say that I have never taken a camera into an open restaurant -- and hope I can always say that. I have found any photography by diners around me to be between mildly annoying and my feeling an almost uncontrollable desire to crush the camera under my heel. I recall a particular night at the Inn at Little Washington where the guests one tableover photgraphed the food, the food arriving, the staff removing plates, everything. I really wanted that camera! I also asked members of the staff (later) about it. They felt thisparticular guest affected service in that part of the dining room. Come on, people. This is only food after all. You eat it -- that's what the people in the back prepared it for. It is not some sort of talisman whose soul I can capture with a photo.

In my house growing up it was sugar mixed with cinnamon on white rice. Several of my siblings wouldn't eat rice without the topping -- even into adulthood. I found it odd and started eating my rice unadultered abou the time I started grade school.

Well, I guess that I am no help. When I make stock, I MAKE STOCK -- 40 to 50 pounds of veal, chicken or duck bones in a 60 quart stock pot. When finished, I reduce it down to a glace or demi-glace before freezing.

Like many of you, I write one big number across both lines.