woodburner

I think I'll try that approach, next time I have a bad meal. Thanks for the heads up. Great to hear, that they won't care, and just let you walk out. woodburner

How do you politely, refuse to pay? woodburner

I was very tired and hungry when I left. If I had taken this matter any further that night I would have been a tyrant! My wife and I were on our vacation and my wife was trying to calm me down by saying “it's only $22 let it be”. In hindsight, you are right. I should have demanded to see the manager, refused to pay, etc. But isn't it the job of the restaurant and its management team to make the customers happy? I stated quite clearly that I did not enjoy the food while I was still in the building and nothing happened. Whoa, I beg to differ with the refuse to pay part. What, jump up and down in the main entrance until a cop comes, and pulls you off to the brig? The waitstaff ordered a busboy to the kitchen, to tell the chef, that the meal was not enjoyed. Nothing happened. No one appeared, the gentleman paid the bill and decided to handle the matter, without causing a spectacle to he and his wife. I still chalk this up to poor training and lack of management, on the part of Spark. In retrospect, the bill could be paid, most likely by credit card, and then disputed after you have left the premises. The real poor part is the mail response. What a pitfull explanation, for a horrible experience. woodburner

doc, Have you made a visit to the Mirror Lake Inn? woodburner

After they leave, however, they'll also post the whole tawdry tale on an international gourmet website and make sure nobody, anywhere, who honors decent cooking and honest thoughtful service ever sets foot in the joint. Some kinds of revenge are sweet after all. The information highway rules. Slackers, get out of the way. You confirm my feelings, honestly, and completely. woodburner

I have a question. Who is responsible for food inspections, such as the one's any nyc restaraunt would have to periodically undergo on this type of flotilla? If the cruise ship has the responsibilty, they're current track record for any type of cleanliness control, could be equaled to child labor law abuse in a few forigen countries. woodburner

Not only a bad deal for the city but a worse deal for the delegates. I can't imagine myself sitting inside of a dead ass boat, that won't even leave port, and chowing down. While just off the gang plank is some of the finest dining in this country, if not the world. I'd be AWOL from that floating hunk of tin, before you could count three. woodburner

I normally roast one for a Holiday party at our home, along with a few hams and baked lasagne. I make an apple/sauerkraut dressing cooked on the side, that seems to go well with the goose. Like others have said, pay close attention to the fat. Almost forgot, me, I baste and baste, and baste some more. woodburner aka "the Masterbaster"

Spark ding. ding ding.... I win.. woodburner Bingo! Now that we know the place...what about letting a problem go just because the food was cheap? Is that a valid excuse for a restaurant to serve food that is awful? I do not believe that the investors in Sparks want the public to think that the food is inexpensive and crap..... The waiter dissed off all regard for you and your horrible meal, when he passed it off to the busboy. The most senior person up the food chain should have been summoned to your table immediately Piss poor management is to blame, sending a letter to the owners and posting the information here, are good things. If the hostess was ice cold, the service slow, the food overcooked, and not a once did anyone address your concerns I would be pissed too. Twenty-two dollars is not the point. If it were me, I would assure the owners by mail, that they should be prepared to kiss my ass in Macy's store front window on Christmas day, when all is said and done. woodburner

Spark ding. ding ding.... I win.. woodburner

I also truly admire your attempt to eat local. Keeping your composure regarding the electrical cord, brings you into sainthood. Proceed. woodburner

We are parallel. I can only procure beef ribs from a source that supplies IBP, that are the entire rib sawed in half and cyrovaced. Little meat, but when properly cooked, send me. Best to buy the entire rib section and debone them, if you need a good rack. In any event, beef ribs, when cooked properly supply such a fantastic taste and true flavor of beef, can send people like me into nirvana. woodburner

Someone was mentioning beef ribs at a fairly new bbq joint in NYC, a few months ago. Wonder how that place is still doing and where they are procuring beef ribs in the NY area. woodburner

Sure sounds good. Care to give it up? I have a local source for andouille here is upstate NY, but it is not authentic by any stretch. Funny how some sausages can be so regional in this country. Red Hots in Syracuse, Hot Links in Texas, Andouille in LA, etc. woodburner

By far and away, sweet potatoes with plantains, dashed and dotted with cinnamon and butter. woodburner

hey doc, the url came through a bit fuzzy, is there a link? If so I would certainly like to see it, since Schylerville is not that far from me. Thank you sir. woodburner

That post brings this whole thread right back into a circle. Stone Ends went e-gullet up, in the late 90's. Henry Junco who had originally built it and ran it starting in the 50's, and your right it was great. He later sold it to Dale Miller,(Now of Jacks) who ran it for about 10 years or so. Junco went on and opened Quintessence, on New Scotland with a fellow named Scalzo. I'm not sure of the current status of the Stone Ends, but Quintessence closed a while back. woodburner

You'll have good success with the fall planting practice. Great blog so far, gives everyone a good feel for what goes on in New England. woodburner

Thanks, glad it helped. Qualters place had a nice little spot in my heart. Harry Qualters, taught High School English at Shaker High in the Late 60's early 70's. He was known as Mr. Q, to us students. He had a passion for cooking and decided to take a detour in life and open the place on Madison. A few years later he gained some recognition, and moved up to the Century House in Latham, into the kitchen end. Surley was a step up for him. Not sure where he could be now, but I hope, he is resting easily in Belize. Great guy. woodburner

What was I thinking earlier?? I just pulled some chicken that was in the second refrigerator, that's headed for the fire. Brining! woodburner

I often use mine as a tempering tank. Moving things from the chest freezer, into the second refrigerator, for thawing. Or vice a versa, if for instance we end with three turkey's such as this time of year, I'll move any frozen ones from the freezer to the refrigerator, for thawing and then cooking, replacing the new stock into the freezer. oh yeah beer works good too woodburner

Hi GG and looking forward to hear from a fellow New Englander. I've been dragging my dead butt to work via bike since May 12. Have lost about 11 lbs without changing my overindulging eating and periodic imbibing habits. Bikes are a good thing, and looking forward to reading your blog. good luck. woodburner

Jack's Oyster House, (circa 1913) is no question, one of the two still standing landmarks in the city. The other being Lombardo's (circa 1918) at the bottom of Madison Ave, serving classic Italian, in a truly unique open air atmosphere. woodburner

Concerning searing first and then cooking in a reduced temperature oven, I can offer this a suggestion. Alton Brown, taught me to sear rib roasts at the end of the cooking cycle. I enjoy rib roasts cooked at around 225ºF until they reach about 100ºF internal temperature, remove from the oven, and allow the meat to equalize, while your oven or cooking unit heats up to 500º. Put the roast back in the oven, and sear, being most attentive to the internal temperature as your final guide. woodburner

Miracle Thaw. Space Age material Thaws frozen foods in half the time. Space Age, my butt. It hit the recycle bin after one attempted use. What a piece of shit. woodburner