bottomlesspit

Probe thermometer w/ temp alert Tongs Whisk In that order. Great thread!

Watching the late showing of this battle... Could be wrong, but I think the Iron Chef American competition judges might have somewhat less sophisticated palates than those on the Japanese version - a little less adventurous. It certainly seemed that way in the previous American competitions. For instance, I think the issue w/ the shark fin is not so much that it's un-PC as it's just a little too exotic for the Americanized palate. Flay definitely makes more crowd pleasing food, but... "...the very handsome Bobby Flay... "??? That's so lost on me. He's not ugly, but he ain't exactly all that and a bag o' chips, either.

I'm all about what I call (good) "manners" and don't care so much about what I call "etiquette". I realize this is quite subjective, but... Etiquette, to me, refers to: 1) a bunch of rules that people (throughout the ages) who had too much money and time developed to further differentiate themselves and exclude the have-nots, e.g., multiple and duplicate pieces of flatware at one place setting, just because you can, with all the respective rules of usage that come with them and 2) antiquated rules of behavior that aren't exactly relevant anymore, e.g., hands always above deck so no one would think you're trying to, I don't know, SHOOT them under the table, squeeze their nuts, grab their womens' thighs??? Those kinds of things in this age (IMHO) don't really show whether you are a decent human being who is considerate of others and possesses good manners. If you're one of those people who takes half the Mongolian Beef at a family style Chinese dinner because it's your favorite, but there are lots of people dining with you, I'd say you're rude. But if you don't place the napkin on your lap, or actually place your elbows on the table within your personal space, I could give a rat's ass - just leave some Mongolian Beef for me. Then there are those things that are just culturally relative. A friend of mine was telling me the other day about how mortified she was that her Chinese F-I-L would burp at the table, and her Chinese S-I-L would talk with food in her mouth. Now, these are personal pecadillos for me as well, but I think you have to put them in the proper cultural context. Such things are apparently not considered rude in their culture, and since she was eating with the whole darn Chinese family, I say, when in Rome... (which is not to say burp and talk with your mouth full - just try not to take so much offense). But then again, if the whole darn Chinese family were eating out somewhere else (i.e., NOT a Chinese home or Chinese restaurant), it would behoove them also, to do as the Romans, keep the burps to themselves and try not to display all your chewed up food during dinner conversation.

I get this thinly sliced like bacon and make spicy Korean BBQ pork (dweh-ji bulgogi) out of it. It's not that saucy, but with a bowl of steamed rice, it makes a great one dish meal. Here's the rub - I never measure (with devices, that is) when I cook, so if you can take these ingredients and treat them as you would any other combination of marinade ingredients (i.e., portioning salty to sweet to spicy elements, bearing in mind that kochu jahng is both a spicy and salty element), I think you'll like the result. But I will approximate to the best of my ability. 1/2 C Soy Sauce 1 tablespoon Kochu jahng (Korean red chili paste) 2-3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 chopped green onions water to dilute saltiness if needed The marinated bacon can be sauteed until fat is translucent or cooked under the broiler or on the grill (the last is a bit of the pain to clean up w/ the caramelized marinade). If you try it, please let me know what you think! Oh, another way Koreans eat this cut is to boil it (I like to add salt, garlic and onion to the boil), cut in thin slices and make lettuce wraps with either a doctored up kochu jahng or dwen jahng (Korean soy bean paste) and other veggies - usually small, mild chili peppers and spears of fresh pickling cukes for dipping, sesame (perilla) leaves and chrysanthemum leaves for wrapping with the lettuce. (And a small spoonful of rice, too!) An acquired taste if you're not Korean, but I love this stuff! We'll also do this lettuce wrap treatment with the spicy BBQ pork - that's double goodness. Pork belly is a wondrous thing.

I think I know what you're talking about, and it's not the tuong ot sriracha, but it's called tuong ot something. It's a watery paste in which you can see the chili flakes and seeds. I think there's some garlic and vinegar in there, too, but not the sweetness of sriracha. And I'm pretty sure this is the stuff that makes its way into the spicy tuna rolls. http://www.asiamex.com/2224.html

This is an old thread, but as I was finishing off a pile of chicken bones from the Cuban Chicken Fricassee we made the other night, i.e., eating the cartilage and gnawing through the bone to get to the marrow, avian flu be damned, I was thinking to myself that I am such a freak. But then I was overcome with this warm, fuzzy, comforting feeling that I could find other bone & marrow freaks right here, where everybody knows your name, or at least your peculiar eating habits... So here I am, bringing this thread to the top and saying thanks to all my fellow freaks for coming forward on this forum and letting me know that I'm not alone. Group hugs, anyone?

1) My mother's mother - Never knew her, but I miss her. 2&3) Mozart & Puccini - I'm a lyric soprano and their music is pure joy to sing. 4) Callas - Her music is pure joy and agony, simultaneously, to hear. 2, 3 and 4 also make for good dinner music.

mediumraresteaksushipho

At long last I think we have a definitive answer here: it's the silly-looking hat! Put one on, and you're a chef. I believe it's the shoes. As I've heard it expressed, "If he had the balls to fill a chef's shoes, he'd be a muff magnet." I believe anyone with balls big enough to fill a pair of shoes has an entirely different career waiting for him... I think part of the balls that were supposed to be in the shoes worked their way up to Bobby Flay's chest, thus giving him those little man titties you always see poking out of his Merino wool sweaters. (Sorry. Was that off topic? What the hell was the topic, anyway?)

I second the 99 Ranch suggestion, and, depending on the type of seafood you're looking for, there's a place (sorry can't remember the name) in Garden Grove on Brookhurst between Trask and Westminster, that has some fresh fish and good prices, and a VERY fish markety look, feel and smell ! If you're used to the hyper sanitary and upscale feel of places like Bristol Farms (I loved that comment about the prices making you want to punch yourself) and SMSF, take a shot of something before you venture into this neck of the woods. Oh, another recent seafood find for me was the sashimi grade Hokkaido scallops at Trader Joe's. They are incredibly sweet, and a whole bag is 7 bucks! They are definitely sushi/sashimi worthy and make incredible ceviche.

Thanks for inviting us to talk about chocolate! Don't usually like marzipan, but LOVE See's marzipan, followed by just about anything in the Nuts and Chews assortment (pecan w/ dark choc being the fave). And lowbrow though this may seem, I will take 2 See's marzipans over a box of Godiva truffles any day.

SUSHI Also off the Bristol strip is Ango Tei. VERY GOOD sushi (way better than I love sushi, IMHO, and closer to the So. Co. Plaza area), hole in the wall, always packed. Check to make sure you don't go on the day they're closed (which I think is Tuesday, but not sure.) Bristol and Paularino - by the Japanese market (Mitsuwa?) Ango Tei 675 Paularino (at Baker), 5. Costa Mesa, California Next to a large Asian market. Voice: +1 (714) 557-2696. I also second jschyun's Sushi Wasabi (Tustin) vote. The omakase is exceptional, melt-in-your-mouth, fresh fish and definitely worth the trip if you are a true lover of all things sushi. Happy eats!