picaman

And on the personal side, I, as always, had a terrific time and greatly enjoyed both the burger and the company. I thought the meat quality and the presentation were the best yet. I also liked the bun quite a bit--nice and toasty fresh. My only very small complaints were that I thought it could have been a bit saltier and a bit juicier, neither of which detracted substantially from my overall enjoyment of the burger. And I agree with MHesse--the Blue Smoke people were absolutely awesome, start to finish. All the small thoughtful touches (freebie hush puppies, cheese crackers and milkshakes, custom menus, "Happy Birthday Suzanne" written in chocolate on the birthday cake plate, attentive service, etc.) added up to a very memorable experience. I'll be back there soon and often. Jamie

Summary of evaluations for the Blue Smoke Burger As MHesse predicted, this was our highest ranking burger to date, with a total composite score of 79.6, edging the Parker Meridien burger which had a 78.0. Categories with particularly outstanding average scores included meat quality, freshness, and molding. The bun got high average scores as well. Scorers commented on the "great crispy bacon," the "terrific crispy shoestring fries," the "very attractive overall appearance," the "fancy toothpick thingie," the "good music playing," along with several mentions of the yummy freebies. For reference, here are links to the previous summaries: Summary of evaluations for Molly's Summary of evaluations for Tavern on Jane Summary of evaluations for the Parker Meridien Summary of evaluations for the Landmark Tavern And here's a link to the updated evaluation form Jamie

Indeed. Jamie

Oops! I guess I just aired a grievance. Jamie

Festivus ice cream is no more And thanks for reminding me that my favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor is history. Jamie

Dorothy Parker got the martini just right: "I like a good martini, One or two at the most. After one I'm under the table, After two, I'm under the host." Jamie

Tea Follies (6, place Gustave Toudouze in the 9th, 01-42-80-08-44) has a very nice Sunday brunch we've enjoyed a couple of times. Jamie

I talked with his son for a while--it's still the same coal-fired oven and of course he's using the recipes. The main difference seems to be that they don't just lock the door when the dough runs out. Again, though, I don't have a long-term basis for comparison. Jamie

I went to the Coney Island location several times last year before Brooklyn Cyclones games, and if it's gone downhill, I would love to have eaten there in its prime. I thought their pizza was awfully good. Or did you mean the Manhattan location? I've heard it's not as good as the original, though I've never eaten there. Jamie

One nice thing about Rock Center: if you go down into the underground concourse from the subway, there are many shops and sandwich/salad/pizza type restaurants. You can grab a quick bite or a cup of coffee and get a table where you can watch the skaters at eye level. Jamie

Logically this makes perfect sense. However, with all due respect, you don't have my grandmother's glare forever in your mind's eye. Jamie

The bridge to walk across in my opinion (and preferably, back across when you are stuffed...) is the Williamsburg Bridge, because Peter Luger's is on the other side. Not inexpensive by any means, but worth every penny. On the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, you may mean the Bridge Cafe on Water Street. (?) Supposedly the oldest restaurant in Manhattan. I like it a lot, and they have a good selection of single-malt scotches, but it may not be a "destination." Good choice if you are in the area, though. Jamie EDIT: grammar

Indeed. If I had washed my mother's or grandmother's cast iron skillet with soap they probably would have hit me in the head with it. Jamie

Jamie

Planned NYC first visits: Blue Hill Amma Nebraska Definite returns: La Galoche D'Aurillac (Paris) Peter Luger's The Beverly (Staunton, VA) Roberto's Parker Meridien Burger...um...Place In my dreams: French Laundry/Per Se El Bulli Jamie

I make it all the time. Here's the recipe I use: Mozzarella recipe It's a considerably easier recipe than most as it uses a microwave to finish the cheese at the end. I leave out the calcium chloride and the optional lipase powder, and add 2T of powdered buttermilk. I use Junket tablets, but I've found that they are weaker than actual rennet tablets, so I use two Junket tablets per gallon of milk. Citric acid is also called "sour salt"--you may see it called that at the grocery store. You can use regular whole milk from the grocery store. If you can get raw or non-homogenized milk, use that--I think the product tastes a bit better. Don't be afraid--just have fun and experiment. I got mozzarella on the first try with this recipe, but have refined everything over time. In fact, I'm giving bocconcini (mozzarella balls) in olive oil as holiday presents. Jamie EDIT: spelling

Oh--and welcome to eGullet! Jamie

I haven't seasoned a cast iron pan in about 15 years, but I used vegetable oil the last time I did it. NO SOAP!! Good god. Hot water followed by an immediate drying. If you need more abrasive cleaning, use salt. I keep my cast iron in the oven so it stays perfectly dry. Quick story--my mom had her grandmother's cast iron skillet, which was probably 100+ years old. How's that for seasoning? She got remarried, and her new husband, to surprise her, had it sandblasted to "clean it off." My mom actually cried when he handed her the shiny polished remnant. Jamie

1/3 actually works for me now--Kirk is going to DC to sing at a wedding, but I'm staying here. He can just be burger-jealous Blue Smoke? Jamie

One more quick idea: A visit to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum combined with a stop by Gus's Pickles at 85/87 Orchard Street. Jamie

The Cloisters is a great idea, and even in winter the views of the Hudson, the George Washington Bridge, and the cliffs of NJ are spectacular. To get there, take the A train to 190th Street, exit station by elevator, and walk north along Margaret Corbin Drive for approximately ten minutes; to avoid walking, transfer to the M4 bus and ride one stop north. The Cloisters is the last stop on the M4 bus. Piper's Kilt would be a good idea, especially for the weekend brunch + all you can drink deal (take the A to the last stop--207th St.; it's just north of 207th on Broadway) but El Malecon at 175th and Broadway (the 175th St. stop on the A train) might be even better. Here's a link to a piece I posted about El Malecon And in Manhattan, has anyone mentioned eating at Grand Sichuan (50th St. and 9th Ave.)? Short walk from midtown, theatres, Radio City/Rock Center, etc., and absolutely awesome inexpensive Chinese. Jamie

Sunday Afternoon Drinking Club Jamie

Clearly, burger reconaissance takes precedence. Jamie

All State was a lot of fun, and the cookies were great. Ginger Snaps were my favorite, although Mayan Love Cookies were up there too I did feel a bit bad about taking up the space so conspicuously, but the bartender really didn't seem to mind too much, especially after being bribed with a few cookies. As for future Burger Club, I vote for Blue Smoke on 1/10. Can't make 1/3, but the rest of the dates would be fine as well. Jamie

Inwood is a bit of a schlep, especially in nasty weather. In addition, I think it might a fun field trip for whoever was interested after Piper's Kilt Burger Club to take the bus to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx (~15 minutes away), and this would be best on a sunny Saturday afternoon. So I vote for Allstate. See ya there? Jamie