FistFullaRoux

When I cook anything with rice, I usually use Mahatma long grain rice. It's my standard. There are so many different versions, using different ingredients - including rice - that the only real specific part of the recipe is the liquid to rice ratio. Whichever rice you use, as long as it has the right amout of liquid, it'll be OK. Specifically to your problem, you may have simply used a rice that doesn't split. Or you can try using a bit more liquid and cooking longer. Maybe the seal of the lid on the dutch oven isn't so great, and you lost some through evaporation. You can either add 1/4 cup more liquid, or cover the pot with aluminum foil, the put the lid on top of that for a better seal.

Married With Children's "Toaster Leavins"

It's a front for PETA, I tell you.... Catchy theme song though.

I confess! They are part of an electrician's all-purpose tool called a Leatherman, which I have carried about my person for almost twenty years (except, of course, when I board a plane, when it goes into my hold luggage). Unethical though it may be, they remain in my bag when I enter a restaurant.As one who spent much of his life working with the projection and recording of real music, I find it difficult to get worked up about the ethics of stripping away involuntarily endured aural wallpaper. I reserve the right to be as disrespectful to audible polution as I am to neighboring smokers and the pushers of junk food. Then, with all due respect, you will never be granted entry to any property I should ever own.

The impression that I got from reading the post is that certain people at least entertained the idea, and anecdotal evidence showed some among us had gone as far as to carry a pair of wire cutters. I felt the line was crossed with one admission, and adecdotal evidence pointing to at least one more. And I was also pointing out the dangers of this happening. Maybe in the future, if you are sitting at a table next to the guy who would be about to slice the wires, you may have a moment of clarity, and do something about it. Even if it's only calling the manager over discreetly.

I have a bit of a problem (even though I know I shouldn't) with the "shoot the DJ" statement. I understand that it is a embellishment, and you really aren't advocating violence against DJ's. I am a part-time DJ. I have done private parties in one section of a resaurant, while the rest was open for business. New Year's eve, for example. I have a client to keep happy. I try not to play obnoxious music, but it can and does get loud. I know that this is a special circumstance not covered in the discussion here. I really really have a problem with the cutting of the wires. I thought about this all night, and it is something I feel strongly about. As someone who occasionally makes a few bucks with my equipment, to have someone purposefully damage my equipment would be an immediate cause to press charges. This is just as though you walked into the kitchen and cut the gas lines to the oven because you didn't want to eat anything baked. YOU might not want it, but others may. It is entirely within your rights to get up and leave the restaurant. It is your perogative to ask that the music be turned down or changed. It is not within your rights, and is downright criminal to purposefully damage any part of a restaurant's property. You all know the odds of making a restaurant profitable. I think something like less than 10% make it past the first year. Not only that, but by leaving a cut wire hanging somewhere, you run the risk of causing the place to fail a building inspection. Even if it is only audio, an inspector having a bad day can write that up and cause major headaches for an already stressed owner. Some places use 70 volt transformers for their PA systems. You should also know that 70 volts could potentially start a fire. A small chance I know, but so is dropping a lit match on a hard surface. You don't go around dropping lit matches on the floor, do you? I feel that if you feel no remorse about cutting into a restaurant's already limited profitability by destroying property (even if it is only a wire), only because you don't like something, you are callous and shallow, and are no better than the delinquents who spray graffitti or break windows. If it were my restaurant, I'd press charges and post your picture at the front door so you would never enter my property again. edited to clarify a point and make it my opinion

I fully agree that the music is too loud in a number of restaurants. Music can enhance the mood. Persistent mariachi bands being the exception. But I think it plays another factor besides mood. Music helps cover up the conversation from the tables near the diner. It morphs into a white noise that allows people to carry on a private conversation in low tones without worrying about the rest of the room gleaning private details.

It depends on the bug, but most food bourne illnesses will show symptoms in 8-24 hours, and last at least that long. Your mileage may vary, and existing health issues (like diabetes, a weakened immune system, ulcers, allergies, etc) can cause a much quicker or different reaction. That being said, it is entirely possible for a restaurant with stellar quality and a knowlegable staff to have something slip through. I think you did the right thing by alerting management. You weren't trying to shake them down. But you got better right after removing the food from your system. An allergic reaction does not have to be hives and breathing trouble. It can manifest itself in other ways. It also could be any ingredient in the dish, not just meat or eggs or seafood. As an example, I have just recently discovered that I am sensitive to capers. I found this out by process of elimination (no pun intended) These have all hit immediately to 2 hours after eating. I end up with the shakes, really bad stomach cramps, and a general feeling of weakness that dissipates pretty quickly, usually by the next morning at the latest. Avoiding the capers has helped tremendously. edited for spellin

Maybe, as is so common elsewhere in the food and beverage world, the quality of the teas that were blended was not so hot. I've often found that anything that is purchased already flavored or blended is usually lower quality or cheaper stuff, since the general consensus is that the subtle flavor components will be lost anyway. Which is why bars use cheaper wine to do spritzers and stuff. (Do they even do those anymore? Can you tell how long it's been since I've been in a bar?)

I'll go along with that list for the most part. The bastardized "Cajun" you get at some places is right up there though. One place my friends dragged me to had habanero corn. It was almost a 50/50 mix of diced habaneros and fresh corn. THAT was stupid hot. They had to put it at the very end of the buffet line, because people couldn't stand near it trying to get the other food. It looked really pretty, though.

But who is going to stock the pantries? You would have to devise an ingredient list to maintain fairness between venues. Even then, you run into problems. The west coast usually gets fruits and veggies before they hit the east coast. Certain items just don't transport. This pretty much leaves you with a lot of canned goods. Then it's Semi Home Made. And what about Texas? Somebody's going to grumble about Texas and Chicago, not being on either coast. Don't get me wrong, I think this would be a cool idea. But I'm a devil's advocate in my day job. I get paid to worry about stuff so no one else has to. It's a gift.

QUOTE (Chris Cognac @ Mar 7 2004, 12:16 PM) What do you think, which "regular" ingredient would be best? Battle Ramen

I'll never forget his "Ultimate Stew" when he went to France, and ended up at a vinyard. He was so wasted in the second half of that segment, it was not even funny. He barely speaks French anyway, and with his mush-mouth slurring made worse by the prevailing conditions, You know he was just potted. And they didn't have time for a re-shoot. And my biggest problem with the "Semi-Home Made" show, is that whoever thought it up, is going to think up something else. Probably worse. And more than likely involving Cool Whip in an unentertaining way. That being said, I can find most of the (prime time, at least) shows of FTV interesting enough. It at least keeps my wife from watching Law and Order... yet again. On the whole, I feel better about watching Unwrapped than I do about 75% of the shows on the rest of the networks. Except TLC and Discovery. At least it's all educational. The only thing I've found that sends me diving for the remote control faster than Emeril Live is that damnable Quizno's commercial with the singing dust bunnies. shudder.

Rice Krispie Treats... fresh from the vending machine

mmmmm tomacco....

My bet is, they both come from a bucket. And buckets don't easily fit into refrigerators. Walk ins, yes. But if you are doing brisk business, the bucket may come out for an extended period, or get forgotten all together for a couple of hours at a time.

The first meal I ever made for my wife was chicken and dumplings. I cheated on the dumplings and used Bisquick. She loved it and was hooked then. The first meal I made for her as husband and wife was a very oversalted tortilla soup (trying to replicate one that we had in San Antonio on our honeymoon). I'm glad it happened in that order. The first meal she cooked for me was Hamburger Helper, at her parent's house. Her dad accused me of putting red pepper in it. Said it made his eyes burn. Like I walk around with a little tube of cayenne to dump in unsuspecting skillets. Lord knows I didn't find red pepper (or any pepper) in his house.

I'd say the meat is fully rested when it stops hitting the snooze button... Oh, you mean... Always rest tented in alum foil in a warm spot. A thin cut should be finished resting after 5-10 minutes. The big ol thick roasts can go up to 25 or 30 minutes or more. If in doubt, cut off one slice from a hidden spot. (Quality control. You have to check the seasoning, you know.) If you aren't frantically reaching for towels to keep the juice from running off the board, you should be good to go.

When cooked rice is cooled, the starch tends to return to it's original form, especially if exposed to air. You need liquid and heat. Try steaming it for 15 minutes or so. You need a metal colander or strainer that will keep most of the rice in, (a paper or clean kitchen towel in the colander would help with this) and a pot big enough to hold it. 1/2" of water at the bottom over medium high heat for 15 min or so, stirring occasionally, and you should be ready to go. The brown rice shouldn't really get soggy on you. No colander? Make parcels of aluminum foil - parchment works too - that will hold the rice loosely, put something in that pot that will keep the rice packets out of the water, and poke a couple of dozen holes in the foil. Then do the heat thing for 20 minutes. I often use crumpled lengths of almuninum foil to elevate items while cooking. Or, you could still use the microwave. You would have to work in smaller batches, but it works. Just remember to sprinkle a bit of water over ther surface, so there is something to make steam.

And don't forget that dried beans are perfect for crock pots. I do red beans (for red beans and rice) all the time.

Yeah, well... They didn't have chicken and sausage gumbo on that list either. I don't think it is a complete list. That's why I was trying to find the actual study, instead of just the summary...

I'm a bread/baked goods kind of guy, myself.

I am quoting a summary of this info, as I have not been able to find the original information. What your favorite comfort foods say about you, according to research by nutritional scientists at the University of Illinois: Mashed potatoes: you find happiness caring for your loved ones. You are the family cheerleader, proudly displaying your childrens' milestones. (Also, marketing studies show you're 65 percent less likely than the average American mom to use a microwave when preparing meals!) Chicken noodle soup: you love to relax, don't sweat the small stuff. Though this dish is associated with nursing yourself back to health, your low-stress attitude means you are less likely to get sick than most! Ice cream: you're active, fun-loving, extroverted, open to new experiences and will make new friends all through your life. Freshly-baked bread: you're happiest helping others. Can pick up on non-verbal signals that indicate when someone is in need and are every child's favorite adult. Meatloaf: you're a traditionalist. You're a master at teamwork and prefer the tried-and-true over what's flashy and new. Comments? If someone knows how to find the actual study, please post a link or let me know.

I just saw a Wolfgang Puck episode on FTV, and he featured some white honey from Hawaii. Pretty hard to get ahold of, though.

Halon is a fire extinguisher material that is usually used around electronics equipment. No residues, and no liquid. It's a non-flammable (obviously) gas that is heavier than air, and displaces oxygen at the bottom of a fire. Works kind of the same way that CO2 does, but without the mess. Edited for typos. Yet again.