Chris Amirault

To be clear: I'm certainly not above shortcuts. But finding efficient shortcuts isn't the only criterion one uses to decide how and what one cooks.

As far as I can tell, it's dem bugs.

Bittman seems to conflate cooking and "getting food on the table." To wit: Every year I long for the week I can devote to making New Year's cassoulet, an experience that involves a lot more than slapping beans and sausage onto plates. The cassoulet is pretty damned good, but the time I devote to cooking it is just as delicious.

It doesn't surprise me that "The Minimalist" believes these are "basic tenets of real cooking in the contemporary world": I guess you can put it that way, but these quasi-syllogisms seem specious to me. I make my own preserved lemons the long way, as it turns out, and I hardly think they're perfect, whatever that means. I also don't think they're "good enough" (for what?) whatever that means. The next proclamation sets up false binaries: there is a world of options between eating the results of your actions and pondering the shadows on the cave wall.

These look fantastic! A question: 1 c lime per liter of water? That seems like a very strong lime solution.

We've talked to the man himself. We've made his world famous mashed potatoes. But we've never talked about the things that earned Joël Robuchon the moniker of Chef of the Century from Gault Millau. But, oddly enough, we don't have a topic devoted to the things we can learn -- or have learned -- from the guy. On six flights during a recent trip, I read half of The Complete Robuchon, and as I read I found myself noting techniques, information, and a whole lot more. I thought that other members would have their own tips from The Man to share. So: to start. -- Put a tiny bit of neutral oil into a sauté pan, let it heat to temperature, and only then add a bit of butter. Oil is the cooking medium; butter is flavoring. -- Put every grilled, sautéed, and roasted protein onto a rack (or overturned plate) and let it rest for half of the cooking time. Add the juices to the sauce, or pour it over the protein just before service. -- Blanch nearly every vegetable, especially green ones, for 2 minutes in salted water; chill down; then cook as usual. -- Use a pastry brush to apply oil, melted butter, and dressing in a light coat to meats, vegetables -- and plates. -- Want to defat stock? Pour some ice water over the top and skim the fat that immediately rises and coagulates. -- Soak leeks in warm water for 10 minutes to make them pliable and give you access to the dirt and bugs. -- Remove shellfish as soon as each individual clam or mussel opens. They're done, after all. -- Rinse your salad in cold water to which you've added a good dose of distilled white vinegar. There are more -- that's only a few from the first 100 pages -- and I'm sure you have your own. What have you learned from Robuchon?

You could rub a few leaves of rosemary around a glass, but I think absinthe would get in the way.

Trying to figure out ways to use this rosemary orange syrup I made at work, and thought it might go well with Redbreast. It does: 2 1/2 oz Redbreast Irish whiskey 1/2 oz rosemary orange syrup 3 dashes Regan's orange bitters

This makes a lot of sense. I've seen a fish cooked in this way and it is very effective. Makes sense to me, too. Might give a test run using a turkey breast in preparation for Thanksgiving. If I can find a quick way brown a SV turkey this year.....

Stresa is the way to go....

Can anyone report on torch effectiveness on turkey skin post-SV?

You should be able to find Rittenhouse BIB NP. You might also look for a few of the tasty options available uptopic. Personally, I'd look for that Templeton Prohibition if you can find it....

Sounds like we should all be asking our fishmongers to bring back Gulf seafood...

Is there an appropriate substitute for it in that drink?

I've had the same thought -- I traveled through Logan Airport en route to Saudi Arabia a few days after 9/11 embracing it, in the hope that I'd stop trembling. (More on that trip here.) Have you or will you learn more about the more rigorous testing and how it reflects on standard testing?

I think that's a good line to draw -- and one we maintain where I work. I posted the Green Velvet in this topic as another in a series of drinks using a liqueur instead of sugar, but an Old Fashioned at work and at home is booze, sugar (though, to be honest, we'll use syrups instead of crystals), bitters, and twist. We called that drink a Green Velvet for a reason, and you aren't going to get one asking for a Rye-Heering Old Fashioned. Just to pick a nit, the Oaxaca Old Fashioned wouldn't meet Dave's criteria above: agave syrup, after all.

Those who have been successful and unsuccessful both: how would you describe the surface of the meat immediately prior to the searing? Wet? Dry? Blotted off? Allowed to stay moist? Anyone using oil? a glucose wash?

Went today to EGC: still excellent. If anyone has Tucson updates to share, please do.

Here now and wondering the same thing. Any thoughts appreciated.

Goodness. It's been years since I've thought of it. Had it now and then growing up outside of Boston. I seem to remembering having it more often in Maine; perhaps my grandfather, who liked strong flavors, was a fan. It's basically a blast of molasses, ginger, spices, and cornmeal, served in a digestion-unfriendly lump. Think warm molasses cookie dough. Dairy was essential to cut the stuff: vanilla ice cream, preferably, though Cool Whip was far more common in our house growing up. You know, sometimes I remember a dish and want to rush right home and make it for old times sake. And sometimes... not so much.

Settling on Burning Times Cocktail: Stregheria is Italian for witch, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts is where Salem is located. And Salem, you know....

You won't want to post their names, but I'm sure that mid-range restaurants going through a lot of lobster rolls and the like are tossing carcasses, not making stock.

I've been reading your posts with great interest, Seth. For example, I had no idea that you had no access to a basic full larder of items for the challenges. Can you say more about what you did and did not have on hand?

You will all be proud to know that I portioned, seasoned, and froze several meals worth of chili and chicken breasts this weekend. I also made onion confit, roasted a ton of garlic, and made two cups of salad dressing. I'm tryin', folks, I'm tryin'!

Who be Ernst?