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Devilkitty

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Posts posted by Devilkitty

    Detroit Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted

    I was taken for a meal to a fairly decent Asian/fusion restaurant in the area - I can't remember where or the name. All I remember is that the table had a piece of butcher paper on it so that our server could write her name on it with a flourish. I was quite taken aback: have never seen that anywhere else. The food was pretty good. And you have that great middle eastern market downtown, right?

    I think you're talking about Mon Jin Lau, which is one of my all time favorite restaurants. I frequently picked it for my birthday dinner when I was a teenager and in college. They were doing Asian fusion before fusion was a word.

    Unless they've changed things drastically in the last few years, Mon Jin Lau doesn't do the "write on the paper tablecloth" thing. They've got more class than that. :biggrin:

    One expects to see such things at semi-upscale (and not oversaturated) chains like Macaroni Grill. Perhaps it was a place along those lines?

    Induction Cooktops

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I don't understand why copper pots and pans wouldn't work.  Copper wire is used in electromagnets, so copper has to be magnetic, right?  So why wouldn't copper work?

    Copper isn't magnetic. Its use in electromagnets is solely as a conductor of electricity. Aluminum would serve the same purpose.

    Member-organized event: Heartland Gathering in MI

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted

    One thing - I know we have one shellfish allergy -

    That would be me; and I hope no one will be offended by some of my other bizarre aversions/eating habits (bizarre to other folks, at least - for example, while I don't mind the taste, I loathe the texture of onion, and I can't stand poultry skin).

    I'm allergic to regular fish, and quite allergic at that. I'm usually pretty good at eating all of the side dishes, etc., if that's what's on the menu, but I just wanted to throw it out there.

    I don't suspect that there will be only one main course...

    If it comes to it, I'll throw a steak on just for you. :wink:

    Member-organized event: Heartland Gathering in MI

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted

    If you'd like to be in charge of a course, please speak up.  Ideally we'll want to base what we cook on what's fresh and available from our marketing that day, so I'm looking for committments on the level of "I'd like to do a pasta course" or "I'd like to do something with fish" etc.  If you don't want to be in charge, I'm sure there will be lots of sous chefs needed!

    Okay, gang, here goes:

    -- I'd be happy to do a small soup starter. (I need a handle on how many are expected, as I'll need to prepare one component in advance! Other than that, the only fussy bit is the garniture, and what that will be is dependent upon the outcome of the trip to market.)

    -- If you don't get a lot of takers, I'd be willing to take on another course as well, as the soup I've got in mind is not particularly labor-intensive once the component referred to above is ready. I can be flexible, though in general I'm better with flesh and fish.

    -- I'll also bring my EdgePro, etc. along in case anyone has problem knives (I can also do ceramic blades). Used to make money sharpening to support my foie gras habit...

    Now I just have to get around to making a hotel reservation.

    Burger Toppings and Fixin's: The Topic

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted · Edited by Devilkitty (log)

    The Patty: Ground round from my usual source (Jack's Meats, Novi, MI). One-third pound. Half a pound is just too damned big, and a quarter-pound has to be too thin to fit the bun. Salt and coarse-cracked black pepper before it goes in the pan; cook to medium-rare.

    The Bun: Kaiser preferred. Toasting optional, though if toasted a quick brush with melted butter is de rigeur.

    The Other Stuff, either or both welcome:

    -- Cheese. Gruyere (though I did have one with Roquefort that was quite good; I think it's no longer on the lunch menu at Steve & Rocky's). Two thin slices. Emmental will do in a pinch.

    -- Bacon. Good bacon. Yes, there is such a thing as bad bacon. Schaller and Weber double-smoked if I can get it, otherwise Niman Ranch will do. Pancetta is a welcome change from time to time. Should be not-quite-crisp and under the cheese, if said dairy product is present.

    No, repeat, no rabbit food.

    The condiment (notice the lack of the plural): Mustard, which can be either

    -- Sharp Dijon mustard, (coarse or smooth, depending on my mood) or

    -- Plain old Gulden's.

    COOKING UNDER FIRE from PBS: April 27 premiere

    in Food Media & Arts

    Posted

    JohnL, the show was called Chef!  I tried to watch a couple times but just didn't find it very interesting.  A couple on the boards here have said it was good so if I run across it again I'll give it another go.

    The first two (of three) series were funny; there was more "kitchen humor," and Gareth (Lenny Henry) came across as a Ramsayesque - if somewhat less, let's call it coarse - two-star martinet. The third series got to be a little too soap-opera for my taste.

    The Mrs always compared my kitchen personality to that of the eponymous character...

    Member-organized event: Heartland Gathering in MI

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted

    Thanks for the reminder - I should note that because of life-threatening food allergies in the community, we cannot prepare or eat shellfish in the common house anyway. 

    That allays my principal concern. Now that I'm (reasonably :raz: ) certain I won't wind up in hospital, are there any other restrictions I should consider in my planning?

    I have no idea about # of courses or anything like that.  It will depend on how many people we have coming and what they think.  You're the only person to chime in on my mad cap scheme so far. 

    Nothing mad about it, m'dear, nothing mad at all. It sounds like fun. Matter of fact, I'm even considering taking that Friday off work and staying in A2 for the whole thing.

    Realistically, we're probably approaching the limit of number of people one could comfortably plate for.

    Should the soup I have under consideration manifest itself at this event, 'twill probably need to be served individually - but I'll cross over the Gorge of Eternal Peril when I come to it. It'll need some advance prep, so as soon as the number of attendees is reasonably certain I can plan for that.

    Eaters are certainly welcome - cooking is totally optional.

    That will please Mrs Devilkitty, should she decide to attend - she's not particularly comfortable in the kitchen, especially someone else's.

    I could throw my EdgePro and sharpening miscellany in the car as well, if anyone has problem knives.

    Member-organized event: Heartland Gathering in MI

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted · Edited by Devilkitty (log)

    The date is definite.  And as Ronnie noted, non-eGullet food lovers are definitely welcome.

    <snip>

    Depending on how many people we have, I have this idea about organizing individuals or small groups to each take on the planning and preparation of a single course, and serve dinner a multiple course plated dinner instead of family style.  Does that sound fun to anyone else, or am I being too ambitious?

    That does sound interesting, though I'm not a heavy eater and have a number of allergy issues (nothing major, as long as I don't handle or eat shellfish/crustacea).

    It might be a nice change to work in a kitchen with more than twelve square feet of counter space - in four separate and cluttered pieces.

    How many courses are you going to try for?  I have a soup in mind, and may even be willing to take on another course if they're paced well (alone or collaborative).

    I may be able to convince Mrs Devilkitty to attend as well, though she'd prefer to be an eater rather than a cooker.

    Food in the Simpsons

    in Food Media & Arts

    Posted · Edited by Devilkitty (log)

    What about the one where the cafeteria lady is back in the kitchen adding - something - to the stew pot with the line "More testicles means more iron!"

    Or Martin in the Kamp Krusty episode: "Sweet, nourishing gruel!"

    Nosying other people baskets

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    Back in the mid-nineties, I was living in Toledo. The best selection of microbrews in town at that time was at the Andersons, a sort of local "Quality Farm and Fleet" type of place. One Friday afternoon I wandered in to pick up some beer. Saw a few other things I wanted to pick up so I added them to the basket. Pretty normal, right?

    All was uneventful until I approached the register and unloaded my little hand basket. The young lady on the register was giving me a very strange look. I didn't quite get it until I looked down at the stuff on the belt:

    Two six-packs of Steelhead Stout, a Ritter dark chocolate-marzipan bar, Absorbine Veterinary Liniment, and...

    Two boxes of .38 Special hollowpoints.

    What could I do? I tried to resist, but the temptation was too great - I looked the girl in the eye, smiled crookedly, and said "I've got a big night planned."

    Never have I been checked out so quickly. :laugh:

    Desert Island Condiments

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    I'm going to have to stretch and go to four desert-island condiments, so without further ado and in no particular order...

    1. Worcester sauce, if it's Crosse and Blackwell.

    2. A nice, medium-sharp Dijon mustard - hard to decide whether I'd want coarse-grain or smooth.

    3. Sriracha.

    4. The truffled aioli they serve with the frites at Restaurant Villegas.

    One or more of those can render anything edible.

    (Though I suppose if it was a dessert island, my choices might be different. :wink: )

    Michigan Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

    in The Heartland: Dining

    Posted · Edited by Devilkitty (log)

    I'm going to Jeremy (in Keego Harbor, a Detroit sub) next weekend - anyone have anything good or bad to report, or am I the front line?

    Ate there last year. Menu is fairly limited, though what's there is good. It's not Tribute, the Lark, or Emily's, certainly - but it's a darned solid effort. I did think some of the plates were a little "busy". The blue cheese-cake starter was nice, though much too big for me - I wound up having half of it packed up to take home.

    Be warned, though - the tables are small, packed pretty tightly, and the room can get a little noisy. That's something I think they'll have to address to get to the level I think they're shooting for.

    The Ultimate Knife...

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    In the spirit of things:

    knives.jpg

    The Usual Suspects, vaguely clockwise from top center:

    1. Granton 14" stiff slicer

    2. Granton 12" flex slicer

    3. Nenox 300mm gyuto

    4. Nenox 270mm sujihiki

    5. Masahiro 175mm santoku - I like it as it's a little slimmer than the usual santoku

    6. Masahiro 165mm usuba

    7. Nenox 165mm yo-deba

    8. Nenox 150mm 'petty'

    9. Lamson 3" parer - the straight-edged, triangular-bladed one

    10. Dexter Chinese knife, 8", plain carbon

    11. Glestain 240mm gyuto

    12. Granton 10" scimitar

    The Ultimate Knife...

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    The problem with granton edges on non-slicer knives, in my opinion, is that they shorten the usable life of the knife.  Once you sharpen to the point where you're getting up into those divots, you've got a screwey edge.

    True, if you're talking about the multifarious copies of the original.

    If, however, one looks at a real Granton edge by Granton the hollows are so well-placed that the actual edge (viewed edge-on) looks dead straight. The hollows are also much more of an inverted "U" shape than the ovals one sees in other lines, so it will take a hell of a lot of stoning to get to the point where the edge becomes a problem - you'd replace the knife before then, probably.

    I've migrated mostly to Japanese knives - and the only Western ones I still use are my Grantons.

    I know it's horribly cliche, but "oft imitated, never duplicated" is a good way to sum it up. Wouldn't trade my 10" Granton scimitar for anything (it's probably 1/8" narrower now than it was new) - and I wouldn't give a plugged Ginsu for an imitation.

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