picaman

I was being lazy and expedient. Define away! Jamie P.S. Totally agree with the "zero" issue.

Well, I learn something every day...today it was Googleing "Maillard effect." Going forward, I promise to not cook my burgers past the soft-ball stage I agree with Elyse here - I vote for no tiebreaker. We could cross the bridge over that improbable event when we come to it. Exactly. As I see it, the final burger score is the total of each category's average. I vote for subjectivity. That way each person brings his/her own set of criteria on which to judge each category. If I hate seeds, "Seediness" will mean something different to me than to the person who likes seeds. I'd say just define the range (1 low to 5 high?) and let the category average define the burger's success in that category. It's an aggregate opinion anyway. Enough for now--gotta concentrate on the Cubbies and cooking dinner Jamie

OK...as self-appointed recording secretary of the first Burger Club, here's my fifteen-minute version of a burger evaluation sheet. It's just a starting point for the discussion...please, no flames! Download the .pdf of the evaluation sheet here. You'll need Adobe Acrobat to view the file. I tried to incorporate the various bases for evaluation I found throughout this thread...any suggestions for additions/deletions? The top part of the sheet is for recording the objective details, while the bottom part is for the subjective evaluation. Perhaps we could average each category (horizontally, across participants) and then total the categories at the bottom to produce a final "burger score." Some notes: Should there be a quorum for Burger Club, in order to make the results statistically valid? Should each evaluative category (i.e. "Juiciness", "Freshness"...) be weighted equally? "Seediness" refers to the bun and not to the establishment itself. "Sloppiness" refers to the burger and not to your perception of fellow Club members. OK..tear it apart. I'm off to the Union Square Market. Jamie

The lighter-removing-bottle-cap methodology is spot-on, but the most valuable thing I learned in college was how to snap the bottle cap after removing it with the lighter, so that it flies across the room in whatever direction you select. A most handy talent to have. Jamie

Fair enough! I'll volunteer to be recording secretary for the first one. It'll make for an interesting Excel project. Jamie

I had skate last week at Manhattan Ocean Club (a rare-for-me lunch treat through work!) which had a balsamic viniagrette reduction--this sounds much yummier to me, cauliflower notwithstanding. And, Suzanne, Artisanal is iDine! Jamie

Take the 4 or the D to Fordham Road in the Bronx. From there, take the #12 bus east--the top of Arthur Avenue is one block past the White Castle on the right. If you follow Arthur Avenue south, there are many restaurants, bakeries, shops etc.--its nickname is "The Little Italy of the Bronx." A search for "Arthur Avenue" on this site would yield many recommendations (Roberto's!), or go to arthuravenuebronx.com for more info. It's a great area--highly recommended. Now I have yet another reason to go back--Fat Guy, thanks for the tip! Jamie

I'll be there with burger fan/partner in tow if that's OK. Looking forward to it! Jamie

Yes they are. Hopefully the money they save on signage will make my stock price go up Jamie

Perfect timing for me--my boss is out that day Jamie

It's a habit I've not bothered to break as yet Can't afford the high-end on a regular basis, so I make do with what I can afford and save $$$ for special occasions. My most recent "special occasion" was Roberto's, which I learned about on this site, and I gave my impressions here. Anyway, I'm definitely toward the bottom of the e-gullet bell curve when it comes to food knowledge, but I've had some interesting and varied food experiences in my life, and I'm enjoying learning more by reading this site. Jamie

Well, I'm a newbie to the site, but this sounds fun, is definitely in my price range and is within my range of expertise. So count me in (probably with my partner as well...) if that's OK. Jamie

I tried their bacon cheeseburger last night and it was quite good. Well worth $6.75. How funny...my partner and I were there as well, around 6:00PM. Went for the Manhattan burger (swiss, canadian bacon, grilled onions.) It was either $7.25 or $7.50--alright, so I splurged Glad you enjoyed it! Jamie

rickster, one of the things I found in my experimentation was that the amount of rennet needed was consistently underestimated in nearly all the recipes I came up with doing Internet searches, given the amount of time I wanted to wait to get the final product. I also think (and this is definitely anecdotal) that it may take more rennet to coagulate "store-bought" milk. When I use the same (probably excessive) amount of rennet with the Ronnybrook Farm non-homogenized milk, it goops up almost instantly. It may be too that adding the powdered buttermilk helps it along. When you say you got "ricotta twice," do you mean very fine curd floating in the whey? If so, it was probably on its way to mozzarella. I think at that point all it takes is either more time for the curds to continue forming, or if you are like me, more rennet added. From what I've read, this is heretical to the proper way of making it, and I think that flavor is probably sacrificed. But it is expedient and you get your mozzarella. I hadn't noticed the cream/non fat dry milk method--maybe I'll give that a try this weekend. Thanks for mentioning it! I guess this is now officially a cooking thread--not sure if it should be somewhere else Jamie

guajolote: thanks for the link. I've actually been to a couple of the places listed and didn't see it there, but maybe I was just having bad luck. This list is so comprehensive that I'm sure I'll be able to find it. Thanks for taking the time to post it! malcolmjolley: Here is the link to the mozzarella recipe I use. Actually, I just use the technique listed here, and have modified the recipe through trial and error: --I leave out the calcium chloride and the lipase powder (haven't gotten around to ordering it on the net yet) --Instead of the rennet, I use 2 Junket tablets (available in the grocery store). From what I've read, it tastes better when you use actual rennet and let the curd develop slowly, but I'm impatient When I make it for the gifts, I'm getting all of the ingredients and doing it right. --Jamie's secret ingredient, now not so: I add 2 tablespoons of dried buttermilk powder. Yum! Before I started getting the milk from Union Square market, I used regular old whole milk from the grocery store and got mozzarella in the end just fine. It does taste better though, I think, when you use non-homogenized milk. Try it--it really is much easier than you would think. And if you get really fancy, you can make ricotta--also very easy. Jamie

I like making homemade mozzarella for myself--it's extremely easy if you haven't tried it. I've been using non-homogenized whole milk that I get from the Union Square market, which is fine for me everyday. However, I've decided to make some really good stuff to give as holiday presents (packed in jars with olive oil, some nice olives, herbs etc.) along with the fresh bread my partner bakes. Anyone know where to buy fresh water buffalo milk in NYC? I've tried asking in some of the better pizza places (Totonno's in Coney Island, etc.), and searching the site here, but didn't get anywhere. Ideally I'd like to get it over time by the gallon--can't get vast quantities into the fridge! Apologies in advance for the slightly-off-topic post, but figured that the "local forum" might be the best place to ask. Thanks for your help! Jamie

Now comes a topic I can add to, as I am generally frugal and much enamored of comfort food. I still think you can't beat the burger at McHale's, especially on a value basis. I have to admit, as much as I think Peter Luger's steak is absolute perfection, I was underwhelmed by the hamburger I had at lunch about 3 months ago. It was a bit dry and smallish and sat alone on its microplate engulfed by its bun. Mind you, we did order it more as a curiosity than anything--we got one for the table and had it come out with the steak (did you seriously think I just ordered a hamburger? ) And coming hard on the heels of the bacon, it probably suffered a bit by comparison. It wasn't very expensive at all--under $5 I think. But I'd probably not order it again. Also, in upstate Manhattan in my Inwood-hood, Piper's Kilt has a competitive burger in an appropriately semi-diveish atmosphere. Jamie

Sandra Gustafson (she writes a series of travel books called Great Eats/Great Sleeps in XXXXX) is a writer I trust a lot--she recommends: Paule Caillat 118, boulevard Richard Lenoir, 75011 Tel. 01-43-14-00-80 I've not taken classes from her, but I've rarely had Ms. Gustafson steer me wrong. She says that Paule takes you shopping in the markets in the morning and cooks with you afterward...sounds good! Jamie

Completely off topic, but... Abandoned Stations Website Extensive archive of descriptions and photographs of unused NYC subway lines, ghost stations, historical data, etc. Fascinating stuff--if you like this topic, don't go to the site unless you have time to spend! Jamie

--any kind of black olive; I always keep several varieties around --cherry tomatoes --onion rings Jamie

Re: the ketchup story. I'd had a bit to drink, but I'm sure you'd surmised that already. I was in the kitchen with friends, cooking burgers, and I for some reason started talking about how I used to hang pop bottles off my upper lip when I was a kid. Basically you put your lip on the mouth of the bottle and then suck the air out; your lip pops in and the suction keeps the bottle there. So I grabbed the ketchup bottle to demonstrate, forgetting that: a) my upper lip was a good deal bigger than it was when I was 8 b) I didn't drink wine at that age either (well, not much or often...) c) a nearly-full ketchup bottle is a bit heavier than an empty pop bottle So, bottle, lip, suction, hands-free, laughter, bottle removal, pain, large red welt on face. Don't try this at home. Jamie

Great post to read at work when you should be working, except that my constant giggling may cause people to think I've finally gone round the bend Here are a few off the top of my head: --Don't sandblast your mother's iron skillet, the one that was passed down to her from her grandmother (I didn't do this, but, once upon a time, my mom's boyfriend did!) --Don't measure any ingredient over the mixing bowl. --Don't shove the garbage down into the can with your hand without looking in first (I can now tell you firsthand that can lids are sharp!) --Don't hang a ketchup bottle off your top lip by sucking it into the mouth of the bottle. This is entertaining for the entire time that people watch the process, but only initially entertaining for you. Jamie

Great trip down memory lane. I still make banana pudding with Nilla wafers when I want to cheer myself up! One of my major gripes about eating in NYC has always been the vast number of "psuedo-Southern" restaurants that look at me like I've lost my mind when I ask for "sweet tea." Jamie

Been a couple of years since I was there, but Frank Keys Cafe was always one of my favorites while driving down to Key West. It's in Key Largo--very pretty Victorian building just off the road in a grove of trees. The food was always outstanding : ) Jamie

Just for the heck of it, I'll throw this into the mix--La Galoche d'Aurillac, 41, rue de Lappe, Paris 11. An Auvergne treasure that I never miss visiting when in Paris. Jamie