Chris Amirault

Things are going extremely well. I'm still figuring out how to work an 8 hour day then pull an 8 hour shift at the bar, but having big, enthusiastic crowds there is helping a lot. Happiest I've ever been when completely exhausted. Wanted to weigh in about footwear. I tried some Danskos but they just didn't quite fit. I've had lots of successful Keens, so I ordered these from Zappos. I love 'em.

Got over to the house the other day thanks to a termite inspection and took a few more shots. Two angles on the room as a whole. The double sinks, neither deep enough: The range top: On the wall, two pull-down doors on either side of the range -- -- revealing two slots each for wax paper, aluminum foil, etc. A built-in NuTone blender: The range hood: "At last! The kitchen I've dreamed about!": Cutting board/baking sheet drawer: Is this a kitchen towel rack? Here are some more shots of the Thermador ovens: Talked to a local vintage kitchen appliance store, and they had some sobering news. Apparently, Thermador only holds parts for -- get this -- 10 years. In addition, there aren't any available side-by-side ovens available, so the fix will require either finding 50-year-old parts from who knows where or installing an entirely new bank of ovens. Gulp.

Large roasts including chicken?

Bumping this back up as I'm working my way through another batch of Erik's splendid punsch and made this: It's in Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails, too, which is where I found it.

I've read a few reviews of the ProJig in the last little while, and decided to take the plunge today, ordering it from UberBar Tools. Will report back shortly.

I've been working as a bartender in a new restaurant in town, and when I get a chance I poke my nose into the kitchen and see what's what, looking for insights, tips, and, yeah, tastes. One thing that I've immediately noticed is that the chefs, who've worked in the kitchens of meat-centric types like Barbara Lynch, Paul Bertolli, and Tony Maws, let the meat rest far longer than I do or have seen recommended. A sautéed chicken breast, for example, may sit for 10 minutes before it's plated. I've read through this topic and it doesn't quite get to the question of duration. What guides do people use? How does method -- high-heat sauté or roasting vs lower heat methods -- change that duration?

Found a wee used camera case for $5 that may help out, though not a solution long term. It's also $5 -- did I mention that?

What's new and different? Heading out next month.

Fascinating -- seems like a dream come true for a lot of caterers, banquet chefs, etc. I went through the recipes and the basic prep step is adding a few grams of QimiQ to whatever liquid base you've got. Couldn't find a recipe for bread though: do you add QimiQ to the sponge? Can't figure out how cream and gelatin would incorporate without causing massive structural failure to most bread dough recipes.

Andy, reading your specific ticket management techniques is really useful. The DR beer and wine tickets are actually pretty straightforward for me: I pop the bottles and pour out 5 oz carafes; the servers pour into glassware at the tables. But I haven't started distinguishing categories based on what I have to do -- stir/shake, especially -- and that would be a great first step. I can see it applying to other categories as well: dry-shaken drinks can be prepared before assembling other shaken drinks, with ice added at the end; fizzes and other rocks drinks can sit a bit waiting for shaken drinks. You're certainly right as well about serving drinks as a round. I've been fairly successful at that, especially for smaller bar parties and DR tables (which are usually mostly wine & beer). Last night, though, I had a seven-person party at the bar, several of whom were industry-related, and I admit I got flustered. Those drinks went out in two 3/4-drink sets, not all at once; there's no doubt that the guests watching others get theirs first were patient but a teensy bit envious. I also had a spill with set two. Not a "Hospitality Hall of Fame" moment.

Oh yeah: I definitely think that I'm slow -- or, rather, slower than I want to be. Placement of booze, ice handling, glass issues, constant supply... there are a lot of logistical and mechanical things that we need to do to help with that. I'm looking for what I can do to improve independent of those things -- just as you suggested: Very rarely: last night I probably did it fewer than ten times. I think that's a great example of a seemingly simple step that could reap big rewards without quality suffering.

Ooh, Atomic Ranch. Had forgotten about that. Thanks!

Had the first wall-to-wall shift last night, with the bar 75-100+% full from opening until half an hour past closing. By the end of the night, we had had more covers at the bar than the DR had on the floor. There were two of us behind the bar, but I was primarily responsible for cocktail-making. Over the five hours, I probably made something like 50 drinks, including several 4+-ingredient affairs, lots of twice-shaken egg white drinks (testing Paul Harrington's Prado), and a few requiring crushed ice made a la minute. I also handled a good deal of the beer and wine orders and several meals at the bar. The night swept by in a blur, both exhilarating and exhausting, and as I pondered my lower back pain this morning I wondered: where am I on my speed learning curve? I'm quite confident that the drinks in the glass were very strong; I'm also quite confident that people waited 5-10 minutes for their drinks more often than they didn't. So I'm wondering: what measures do working bartenders use for speed? I'm talking about quality drinks made individually to order (no batching) within a more or less ideal environment. (For example, last night was not ideal: the POS was down/screwed up nearly all night and we had little hot water.) What numbers indicate a slowpoke bartender? a speed demon? What's a busy night? A light night? How long is an acceptable wait for a guest? What's too long?

Mekong & Coke.

Great reports, everyone! I have a thousand questions, but I gotta start here: What is that thing? Rolling metal blades?

Fair enough.

This is ingenious. And stolen. Thanks.

The heart pounds.

Got mine long ago -- nice spoon, in particular. Also wanted to note that BarSmarts WIRED is ramping back up this summer. More info here.

I likes me the Appleton -- don't get me wrong. But I think that the S&C is a far superior product.

And this one was built by someone who took cooking and life in the kitchen in general very, very seriously. (Ditto entertaining: the DR has the liquor cabinet of my dreams in it.) There are some design flaws: the fridge is about 12 feet from the sink, in particular, but that's going to be just fine given the other benefits. Asbestos tile. It's in only decent shape, and there are spots that aren't holding up well. a likely project for down the road. We're not sure, but we think that the original cooktop was even bigger. Right now, there's a more contemporary unit that has a 6-8" board as a sort of resting edge at the left. Given that and the hood extension, we're pretty sure that the first cooktop was massive. There are two wall-mounted enclosures for "tinfoil" and wax paper, respectively. No kiddin'. I think so, though the vent seems wheezy at best.

Thanks, everyone! I'll do my best to answer, though I'm definitely not able to address some of the questions yet and have gaps in my 50s materials knowledge. I do have some handwritten notes and measurements. We're not sure. Once we have access to the design document, we may be able to answer some of those questions. I love formica and really appreciate the tip. Were they in that smaller size? These Thermadors are worrying me for the same reason that got you frustrated with your fridge. The ovens are 44" wide, 29" high, and -- eek -- 20" deep. My quick survey of currently available ovens suggests that this is no longer an available size -- or have I missed something? Oh, we share storage desire, clearly. Given where I am now, with half of my stuff in the basement... you have no idea. Moopheus, thanks for the great link. I can see that I'm going to spend a bunch of time on there! Thanks! Just requested the book from interlibrary loan and will keep RL in mind.

Have you ever tried using the lemon brine? I've been wondering about a dash in a gin Martini with old-skool Noilly Prat....

This is the kitchen of my current house: The only substantial thing that we've changed since those photos were taken is that we now have a large white/stainless IKEA cabinet where that wood and granite thing is (plus a bunch more knives, a new vent, blah blah). More mish added to the mash; no prevailing design at all. Also, the room is tiny, has no counter space and wee storage space, and certainly nowhere for other humans to sit -- or even lean -- when I'm in there spending my usual 1-2 hrs per day cooking. It is, in short, a cooking-only kitchen. For several years, we've been looking for a home that can accommodate our family (2 adults, 2 kids, a dog), tastes (midcentury modern design, open floor plan, more space), and habits (I cook, my wife bakes, and we have a ton of kitchen stuff). Ideally, it would have been built with great care and quality and maintained over the decades in its (more-or-less) original state, not "updated" with this or that horrorshow. Well, if all goes as planned (knock wood), in the next little while we will be moving into a truly fantastic home, built in 1958 and kept in pristine shape for over 50 years. And the kitchen? Take a look: You can't see it, but on the other side of that counter extension is a very large EIK area that leads to a three-season or Florida room. There are two original Thermador ovens. Some of the appliances -- refrigerator, dishwasher -- aren't original. However, there are lots of features that are original, including a ton of built-in storage space designed for the original family by the architect: There are other aspects of the kitchen and house that are quite remarkable. The family saved the original architectural and contractor planning documents, which detail nearly every aspect of the room. Some of what's not there is contained in the original owner's manuals to many of the appliances. When I get over there next, I'll take some more detailed photographs of some of the other aspects of the kitchen that I'll want to share with you and discuss. Over the coming weeks and months, I'm going to be preparing to move into this kitchen by dealing with a few different issues: handling some repairs; considering replacements for different elements, arranging equipment and supplies; doing some cleaning; you name it. I'm hoping to stimulate discussion on any/all issues related to the new place. I'll also have specific concerns and will need your help! My first question is: what resources are out there for people interested in midcentury kitchen design and maintenance? I'd be particularly eager to know about replacement parts for vintage appliances; one of those ovens has a broken broiler, and the other one has a working broiler but not a working oven. Who knows what the thermostats are like.... Of course, we don't have to stick to items only in this particular room. Let's use this topic to discuss any/all issues related to these glorious 1950s kitchens. I'm dying to see yours, for example!

How's it going, Chef Crash?