Varmint

In the middle of the winter, there will be only so much local stuff we can do. Plus, stuff like beef cheeks, truffles, foie gras, and wild mushrooms are going to be from distant lands. Of course, I can get lots of local collards, apples, and sweet potatoes.

Sam, I generally use a pinch grip for 95% of what I do. But I occasionally hold the knife back on the handle a bit, and that's when I want something just a touch bigger. Mind you, I'm getting very, very finicky here. Ultimately, it's quite simple: I most definitely need a better sharpening system.

Actually, we don't agree on one wood. Hickory is pretty standard, but there's tons of oak and maple out there. If you really want good smoke, pecan's the way to go.

OK, I've got to get me a real knife. I just took out a carrot, and it's the first time in my life I've ever been able to get paper thin slices. And a perfect brunoise, too. It almost sickens me to think of how bad my knives are. I think that I need to invest in a good sharpener as well. The Mullin is beautiful. The handle is a tad too small for me, both in girth and length (keep those jokes to yourself, please). But the blade -- oh, the blade!!!

Nah, keep your personal opinions here! Isn't that what eGullet is all about??? Anyhow, I'll question the owners about their wood choices next time I visit. I barely was able to talk to Scott Howell yesterday, as he the place was a bit busier than what they expected. On top of that, someone tried to refill the ice hopper in the soda machine without taking the lid off it first. Pretty funny to see a bucket of ice scattered across the joint.

I appreciate the support, woodburner, but I haven't tried the mesquite-smoked poultry, so I can't offer my opinion. The mesquite used for the beef worked nicely, however, but beef can handle that flavor much better than milder meats, I'd say. I'll do my best to try some of the poultry in the next few days and report back here.

Damn, Chad, that knife is sharp. I need to dice up a dozen onions or so.

Although I started by "knocking" Vin, what I was really trying to do was distinguish it from Magnolia Grill, one of the other top places in the Triangle and why, if I had a couple hundred bucks to spend, I'd choose the Grill. Of course they're not the same -- that's my point. As I said previously:

I'll totally disagree with you on that one. First of all, Bullock's isn't even that good of barbecue -- the only wood in that place might be the toothpicks. Second, I haven't been to the Durham Q Shack in a couple of months, but it certainly didn't have any of that type of touristy paraphenalia that I recall. The Raleigh version does not, I can assure you. Moreover, regardless of your thoughts of mesquite, Texas Toast, or any other aspect of the Q Shack, the meat that I have had was quite good. The brisket is smokey, but not overly so. It tastes like beef first and foremost. The smoke flavor then comes through loud and clear. As far as the pork is concerned, it is not really North Carolina barbecue either, but it is good pulled pork. When I sample the other types of meat, I'll report back. Finally, the sides are excellent -- something that is often totally disregarded in barbecue restaurants. I don't think the Q Shack is trying to be the best barbecue restaurant in the state. It is, however, trying to offer several different types of smoked meat using some quality control methods that are often ignored in more famous restaurants.

Oh, Chad's knife was merely loaned to me to give me an idea of what a custom knife is like. I'm still looking to purchase a blade, of course.

I just received in today's mail Chad's custom made Mullin 8 inch chef's knife and a smooth steel. What a guy!!!! I can't wait to get home and try it out.

Texas toast is essentially a thick slice of Wonder-like bread, lightly toasted. It's a classic accompaniment to Texas barbecue. It's a waste of carbohydrates, IMHO.

I did indeed go to the Q Shack for lunch today, and I fear for my waistline. Seeing that this place is within walking distance to my house, they also serve beer, and they actually have a kids' menu that works (i.e., choice of meat, one side, hushpuppies, drink and a small ice cream cone for $3.95!), I'll be there way too often. I had their chili rubbed beef brisket plate with macaroni & cheese and fried okra. The brisket was slowly cooked with mesquite, resulting in ultra-tender slices of very juicy beef. I could easily eat this several times a week. In addition to the beef, the Q Shack offers hickory smoked pork butt, mesquite smoked chicken and turkey, St. Louis cut pork ribs, and mesquite smoked beef sausage. Sandwiches, salads, brisket chili, frito pie, and awesome sides round out the menu. Hell, this place even makes their own fried pies!! Finally, Scott Howell was working the joint today, with a big ol' smile on his face. He knows he has something very good here, and he should be happy. The place was packed, even though they haven't done a bit of advertising. The QShack 2430 Hillsborough Street 919-832-4BBQ (4227) www.theqshack.com

Grass fed? You probably won't find it here. Decent steaks here come from the Angus Barn and Sullivans in Raleigh. We do have a Ruth's Chris in Cary. Finally, Enoteca Vin in Raleigh is not a steakhouse, but they do offer some of the best beef in town. They get their beef from 3 different suppliers -- sometimes it's Kobe. It's almost always dry aged for at least 14 days.

Welcome, Scottie. Please chime in with some ideas. I think we need some good seafood, too. Squid would be excellent. Some salt cod would be cool, too!

And self rising flour usually is made with a lower-gluten flour. I use it for biscuits.

phlawless: I don't know how many yet. We'll give it some time. Herb: The soccer schedules merely dictate whether I'll have time to host such a dinner. Plus, there is a weekend-long tourney some time in January.

And damn, they ARE good!!!!

There will be no risotto, however.

Beef cheeks -- yum. Can we get some foie gras, too? What about other "unusual" meats. Folks, we'll be requiring a bit of a "donation" to cover some of the costs of this affair, but, man, it'll be worth it. You know, I'm thinking Valentine's Day might be perfect for this, just because you can't get a decent meal that night, but you could at my house! Plus, we don't celebrate Valentine's Day! Anyhow, we find out soccer schedules this weekend, so we might be able to work out a date early next week. Please let us know what dates work for everyone.

That's Becks', and it's near the Fox and Hound. I should take the knives there anyway.

Is that place in Cary Becks' Cutlery, which I discussed in my opening paragraph? If they read this thread, they may never let me back in their shop. Anyhow, I'd love to try the Global! Thanks!

I dreamed of knives last night. Seriously. Talk about obsession! I really, really want to try some Japanese blades. The more I look, the more I think that the Japanese are making the sort of knife that I want to use. Whether it will feel good in my hand is another matter -- something that I must thoroughly investigate.

I'm with the other Dean on this. Give your Henckels a chance-- get it properly sharpened! Even if you still don't like it, you might have a better idea of what you're after with a similar weight, balance, etc. I dig my Henckels 6", 8", and paring knives. I've tried somewhat better knives in other folk's kitchens, but it's kinda diminishing returns, no? C'mon, guys, this is a present to myself! I can do the foie gras later, too!

FYI, there's a comprehensive chef's knife thread on eGullet. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=3548&st=120 This thread is describing my special knife adventure!!