rancho_gordo

My impression is that baked beans take a long time to cook so you probably want to make a lot of them and would need a big pot. I see them a lot at Sur le Table when I go looking for regular bean pots, which they inexplicably seem not to carry any more. But for a straight pot beans, here's my collection. Inspired by La Wolfert and then taken to extremes by me. And I'm still looking. Next trip to Chinatown will include one of Carolyn's sand pots although in my head they will produce a slightly Asian flavor, even if it's not true. But part of the joy of cooking in a pot is the way it looks.

Yes. And I personally delivered to the famous walk in during that period!!! ← Cool! So you must of met psaltis there? Please tell the forum what he was like as a customer of yours and as a human being. I think everyone would be interested. RM ← Never saw him once!

Yes. And I personally delivered to the famous walk in during that period!!!

Very difficult and screwed up are two different environments. I can handle VD. In fact, some people thrive on it. Some people rise to the occasion. Some people snap. I didn't say fist fight. I said fight. If two employees are fighting/fueding/bickering to the point of a slap, and one is supposed to be the sous chef, it can add to a very difficult situation.

I'm not sure Keller would agree that things were "screwed up". Or that having his employees getting in fights didn't add to the problems.

It's a good thing that we're a tough crowd. Hopefully we're not your target audience.

I think it's the opposite of inspirational. It's more like a dictionary for when you're stuck. I almost wish I hadn't bought it. Add me to the list of Ada Boni fans.

Pressure cooking is fast but doing it well isn't that easy. One trick I learned from Deborah Madison is to cook beans (unsoaked) for 20 minutes and then do a release and finish them in the open for another 20 minutes or so. You can cook them at a higher heat to burn off some of the liquid, if needed. Also, the food doesn't have that pressure cooker taste: fully cooked but not fully developed. I'm thinking you could add this theory to cuts of meat as well. Cook them under pressure until almost done, release, add vegetables and flavors and then simmer stovetop until complete. In the case of beans, you still have beans in under an hour without planning. I like the pressure cooker but find it really changes the texture of some things. Being on a clay pot kick, I haven't used mine for a year.

It's funny. I find Jacobs Cattle like new potatoes and Soldier and Yellow Eyes like russets. But all three kind of potato-like! I like baked beans but really love these potato types with just sage and pancetta, maybe with a drizzle of olive oil at the end. If you even know what a cranberry bean is you are ahead of the game! I can talk beans for days....and I have!

You make me blush!

I think funny things have some kernal of truth to them. The poser types described don't eat at Chez Panisse; it's far too "so 10 minutes ago" and has been for years. In fact it's a surprisingly nice crowd, well turned out in a casual way and eager to have a swell dining experience. I have to assume the satirist did not understand what he saw so he made up a "scene" that would be easy to poke fun at.

Yes to the cranberry and no to the Jacobs cattle. The photo in the blog is a cranberry bean of some sort. Jacobs Cattle are pictured here.

Mine only arrived yesterday, despite being ordered on 9/24 and "usually ships within 24 hours" listed. I think Amazon is on a downward spiral and they can forget my holiday dollars. Once it finally came in, they shipped it via DHL, who then delivered it to the post office! Took forever but after glancing at it last night, I'd say it was worth the wait. I haven't been this excited about a book in a long while. As I read the recipes, I can imagine having to think a bit more than usual but nothing looks impossible- my favorite kind of book!

My thoughts and comments: French Horticulture is a cranberry bean, sometimes known as October bean. Vermont Cranberry looks like it's been dipped in purple tea. I'm from California so I don't know much about baked beans except the aficianados I've encountered insist on Jacob's Cattle or Vermont Cranberry. The Jacobs Cattle have a new potato texture and will not fall apart but the VT Cran are dense and velvety and exude a superior liquid. I always think baking soda is a bad idea. Try and get your beans from a reliable source, picked within 2 years of purchase, and you can just soak 6-8 hours. Again- baked beans are a regional treat and you're likely to get a different answer all over New England. Never trust someone from Califiornia!

I have been. I had a wonderful meal. I also own the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook and the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook (but not the Chez Panisse Cookbook cookbook, if one exists). Why do you ask? ← It's just that the dining room you describe is nothing like the one I've experienced.

Have you been to Chez Panisse?

Yes, you're right, but he's really exagerrating to make a point. It's like that silly editorial from the Julie & Julia book. Is it really such a problem? Let's tackle something that makes a difference rather than beat up on a very few silly people who are actually helping us all have access to better food. Sorry if I'm a little strident this a.m.

I have no idea where I fall in the snob-o-meter but I have lived in Italy, have lots of Italian friends and I find the Olive Garden restaurant chain disgusting. I won't eat there. I'd rather have a deli sandwich or a burrito. I have heard people tell me that it's just as good, if not better, than actual food in Italy. Same situation with Mexican food. What should my reaction be? These people sincerely believe it is Italian food and probably are laughing at me for being a snob. Maybe you are, too. But where do you draw the line? Chef Boyardee (sp)? Taco Bell? And where are all these snobs who are so offensive? It's more likely the author and those that choose to laugh along with him don't understand what the food was about.

There's a new thrill in putting down what are perceived as food snobs, isn't there? The dining room described does not resemble the Chez Panisse I've been to. Maybe if Alice Waters had just shut up and we had continued out downward spiral towards crappy food, we'd all be a lot better off. It's probably a lot of fun to put down the culinary extremists but from the travelling around our great country that I've done, the much bigger problem is the way the average American eats. And looks as a result of this "diet". We've got a long way to go and I think describing the flavors one gets with a box of Tuna Casserole from aisle 6 is much funnier and more worthy of parody than someone who insists on fresh vegetables.

I feel like the argument keeps getting redefined to suit specific needs. I had no idea who DP was before eG. I think it's great an editor somewhere felt his story needed to be told. Even with an agent for a brother and co-writer, it's not likely a publisher would go ahead with a book they didn't believe in, unless I'm really naive. But the slapping incident, and its exclusion in particular, is enough for me (and apparently a lot us) to discount the whole book. You may not understand it but since I really don't know this guy from Adam, that's just the way it sits with me. It's not like Keller's mighty PR machine got to me first, it was DP himself.

I think if you lived somewhere with no access to artisan meats, it would be ok, but you can get a heritage variety (as mentioned by winesonoma) for that price, which would mean great flavor and you'll be helping to support some endangered specieies (by eating them!) The Rosengarten copy is very cheesy, isn't it?

The bad thing was watery bell pepper were everywhere. But the good thing was the regional pepper (starts with an "x". Xcactic?) was at Sam's Club.

I do the same. My Mexican friends here don't call them either. they say "stuffing chiles". They are from Jalisco. I heard once that some part of Northern MX calls them pasillas and now we are stuck with it. But wasn't Texas, too? And maybe good for you, too. I'll share the seeds if they have a good germination next spring!

My head hurts in a pleasant kind of way. I just wanted to add that in the bay area, we've always had poblano chiles (almost always erroneously called pasillas) as far back as I can remember (and I'm almost 18!) We have plenty of crap but we've had chiles for quite awhile. When I was in the Yucatan (near Jaymes' Playa del Carmen) everything was fajitas, with bell peppers. I was quite happy to discover some local chiles, with seeds I smuggled back. I should have looked for "queso" (which I've never heard of before this thread.)

It was discussed in detail here. My problem with the book was the object of her affection was a merde-heel and not worth two centavos. At least in the movie he was cute so you could sort of see why she would pine away over him (but he wasn't that cute!)