CtznCane

There's a board game called Aquire many of us bridge players play. Among the group I play with we use the Crown Royal bag to hold the tiles. Unfortunately newer versions of the game have changed, so alas we're a dying breed.

Bourbon Van Winkle Special Reserve (When a man needs that special Bourbon) George Dickel (Best every day whiskey) Old Crow (For cooking with Bourbon and mixed drinks a good value) (If you can't tell, bourbon is my drink of choice) Rye Old Overholt (good value) Scotch Johny Walker Ballantine j & B Vodka Chopin (my better halves choice) Seagrams (I use for cooking and mixed drinks) Gin Bombay Sapphire (head and shoulders above the rest) Beefeaters Tanqueray Rum Appleton Estate (I've never been a rum fan till friends brought us a bottle. Absolutely delicious) Myers (for cooking) Liquer Romano Black Sambuca

I'm not as big a Cab Sauv fan as I am of the Bordeaux blends and Cab Franc for that matter. I tend to favor cassis, leather and tobacco flavors and am much less fond of the herbaceous Cabs o the whole. To my own taste, it is the balance, depth, and elegance that I look for in a Cab or Bordeaux blend. In straight Cab Sauv I tend to like ones from Alexander Valley the best. To my taste those have a richness of character that I enjoy. I've found Bordeaux style blends that I enjoy from many regions in California. A couple recent ones I've enjoyed is Koehler's 'Magia Nera' and Thomas Coyne's 'Confluence'. As a side note, I think (and I'm speaking in terms of California wine) that for too many years wineries produced and focused on Cab Sauv when a blend would have been better. Unfortunately the public had an association to 'Cab Sauv' while a blended wine, without that grape classification had a tougher road to acceptance.

For what it is, repeat IS, it is good. Straightforward, drinkable, not complex, but for 2 bucks,ya can't knock it as a cheap wine to have around. I will admit though to cooking with it as well and it turns out fine. Is it my choice of wines to drink? By no means. Does it have its place in my house? You bethcha!

The pastries in Little Havana filled with guava and cream cheese along with coffe cubano. Give me that and I'm a happy camper.

I'm not one to order Lobster in a restaruant, but last night at The Sardine Factory in Moneterey I couldn't resist. Australian Lobster tail: poached in butter, served with black truffle risotto with fennel and salsify. Oh was it worth it.

If it works this time, the comparison of 2 oz pours. The stemless just feels smaller.

We recently got 4 of the stemless glasses (syrah/shiraz) when they were on sale at a tasting. If I want to sit down with a nice glass of wine, there is no question I'll drink it out of a conventional, stemmed wine glass. It is more functional, more traditional, and I think superior. Still there is a place for stemless glasses. On their downside, the biggest problems I found were the pour size and it is more awkward as to swirling as well as for visually looking at the wine. Melkor is correct that swirling from the top works very well though it is counter-intuitive. I have very large hands and if for me it is still awkward for looking at the wines appearance I can only imagine how it must be for one with normal or small sized hands. As to the pour size, note in the picture, both glasses are filled with exactly 2 oz. pours. The "O" glass looks not to have much in it which is due to the flat as opposed to bowl shaped base. I tend to pour on the heavy side to begin with so for me this is the biggest problem. On the plus side, I think they are splendid for around the spa (yeah, yeah, I know you aren't suppose to drink wine in the spa) or when outside grilling or doing other things. I'm always aware of the breakage problem with stemware (especially if it is a thin glass/crystal glass) so in that regard I like them for having a casual glass of wine outside or, as now, by the computer. Oh well, couldn't figure out how to get the picture in here.

With Ed's help (for which I am very grateful) I just got the Swiss Nano Pan in the 11" - 1.75+ deep pan. So far I've really been amazed by this pan. Ed is right when he calls this pan a tank. It is incredibly thick at 10mm and looks indestructible. The company also claims that while the pan may begin to show scratches over time that it will have no effect on the quality of the coating seal. So far, over the last 3 days I've used the Nano Pan to cook Ahi Tuna, Filet Mignons, boneless chicken breasts, and an omelet this morning for breakfast. On all counts it perfomed admirably. Actually better than that it was flat out great. With the Filet's and the chicken I seared them first and then finished them in the oven. I liked the fact of the steel handle for use in the oven. The steaks were finished at 450 (with convection) and the chicken at 350 (without convection.) Normally I'll cook the chicken in my Calphalon tri-poly saute pans, and steak I do in my trusty Lodge Cast Iron pan. What impressed me on both (as well as with the tuna) was the color I got from a non-stick pan. The browning I got was as good as with my cast iron and better than with my tri-poly. One thing I will say is that my normal non-stick pans are basically cheap pans but have served the purpose. (Bialetti) I've just never been impressed with other non-sticks I've seen. I tried doing an omelet this morning, noting andiesenji's test and it came out perfect. No problems whatsoever. The only downside I can see to this pan would be if for some it was too heavy. As mentioned it is a tank. Like Ed, I like the long handle, it is just more comfortable for me. I think too, for myself or others, that if one wanted to toss the food using two hands this also becomes a bit easier. The metal handle is seperately attatched and it is nice there are no rivets inside the pan. A big plus. I will say though that the lower part of the handle, the first inch or two of the metal handle did get quite hot though the rest of the handle remained comfrotable. At the same time, my burners are 15,000 btu's and I had it cranked all the way up initially. Bottom line is, I love the pan. I'll consider getting other sizes down the line. When it comes to price versus cost, price is a one time issue as opposed to cost spread out over time. I think this will far outlast the other pans, so to me, it makes no sense to buy an inferrior product planing to replace it periodically, when my long term cost can be relatively the same by getting a pan that is going to do what I want it to do (and more) to begin with. I ain't no rocket scientist, hell, I'm lucky if I can spell science, so for that part I don't pay too much attention. Plain fact is, it works. It works good. It works damn good, and that's what I think is most important.

I'm glad to see John Ash get it for his book, Cooking One on One. Certainly all 3 of the finalists were worthy in that category. I must say though that John Ash's Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Ketchup is an absolute kick-ass recipe. Definitely one of the favorites at our house.

Though it has been awhile since I've been there, I'd also recommend Cassanova's. We're going down there at months end and I'm going to opt for my favorite in the area which is The Sardine Factory in Monterey, still very close to Carmel. Someday I hope to get a group together to do a dinner in their fuedal dining room, outside of that the Conservatory room is especially nice.

East bay - Val's Burgers in Hayward. (castro valley side) Been there for years. Still the place to go.

I watched the few shows they did on it last year which and hae seen 1 this year, all of which I"veI found interesting. Back in the mid - eighties my nephew died going overboard on one of those boats. Without seeing what they have to go through it is a bit hard to comprehend how one would go overboard. Needless to say, seeing it first hand answered a lot of questions. I think it is a fine series.

Okay, when I first saw this thread I wondered what the hell is sriracha? Finally I took a look and see it is a hot sauce. Well, I use to be a total hot sauce wimp and now over the years I've graduated to enjoying it in moderation. Actually my moderation is probably you hot sauce fanatics version of a teetotaler but.... I'm still not a fan of Tabasco. I prefer Crystal hot sauce though haven't seen that one mentioned. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so yesterday I did by a bottle of this Sriracha. Not knowing what brand to get I got one called "Tuong Ot Sriracha", "Uncle Chen". I will give it a go on a few things this weekend. Anyone know about this particular brand, and what things to try it on for a hot sauce wimp working his way up.

This all seems like such a non-issue. Clearly everyone has bills and a need for at least a certain amount of money. Face the facts. If someone offers you enough money, regardless of the field, we would only have 2 questions. Where do we go and when do we show up. As to the quality of the product, that will all come to light. The funniest part here, in my opinion, is over the frozen shrimp. Hell, just about all the shrimp we buy (if not all) has previously been frozen so what is the big deal? The only shrimp comment I'll make is that I will not buy shrimp from Thailand unless the seller can attest to whether they are harvested in an ecologically sound way. Since almost no fish market knows that answer, I may as well say I just don't buy Thai shrimp.

I do miss the days when, rather frequently, I'd order L'homard boreal at Narsai's when he had his restarurant in Kensington. Damned was that good! (He has the recipe on his website narsai.com.) Aside from that I rarely order Lobster. There is the exception on that occasional last minute choice of the IHOP of Seafood, Red Lobster when I might get a combo with Lobster. I do remember about 3 years ago we were in Tahoe for 3 weeks while waiting to move into our new house and the restaurant at the BoomTown Casino outside Reno had Lobster, all you could eat for 19.99 on Friday & Saturday night. We did that a couple of times. Not the best I've ever had but for the price, couldn't pass it up.

I think cash tips are better for a couple of reasons. If it is a place you do, or want to frequent regularly you can make more of an impact (especially with a larger percentage tip) on your waiter which over time will help your service. Another, though less desirable reason is that on a couple of occasions recently I've encountered a situation when the credit card bill comes out being 1-2 dollars more. 1 to 2 dollars more than the total I have on my receipt after adding in the tip. With such a small differential it usually slips by unnoticed and it is small enough to not want to make an issue over. In fact the time alone to do so makes it undesirable. Tip with cash and it becomes a non-issue.

I agree that Paula is definitely a class act and someone I admire as well. I was trying to figure out how the cured lemons were suppose to turn out and she was kind enough to give me one so I'd know first hand. I think it says a lot about the authors when they care enoug to help people try to get it right.

3 years ago we drove from Santa Rosa to New Orleans and back. This was in my pre-eG days but I used the web to find local articles of the towns we would be in for dinner. Most of our dinner eating was planned ahead with a couple of decisions (in New Orleans) made by a city guide and the friend whose b&b we stayed out outside the French Quarter. We had nothing but great meals on our trip except for one. Only once on our trip did I get off the beaten and that was when driving on St.Patricks day from New Orleans to ElPaso. I'd driven the whole way that day and Carolyn was to drive after dinner. I turned off in Sonora,Tx figuring we'd find some nice local place. Yeah, right. I find one Tex-Mex restaurant. Los Jarritos. The worst service I've ever had anywhere. They screwed Carolyn's order up not once but twice, and then took forever to correct it, all the time saying it would be soon. By the time they got it right she wanted no part of the place (and neither did I.) Not to mention their Mens room was unusable. Not closed, just unusable, lest I say more. As a result we hightailed it out and I had to listen to the grief about that place from Sonrora to Fort Stockton where we stopped, yes on the interstate and hit a Sonics. Needless to say, my much looked forward to rest from driving did not take place as I drove the rest of the way to ElPaso. 1100 mile day. Our running joke to this day is will we ever find a worse place than Los Jarritos? So the last thing I'm gonna do any more is get off the beaten track in some one horse town to look for food without a reference.

The best of the best? Emeril. No contest. Hands down. He IS the most influential chef in America. 20 -30 years from now when people look back he will be in the same league as Julia. Every other chef with a t.v. show knows damn good and well he is a driving force behind their being able to make money doing a show. Besides being a people person, an excellent teacher, and writer, he also happens to be a first class chef. You think Commander's Palace was a dive? The line outside one of his restaurants before opening isn't by chance. If it came to holding his own against any other well known chef I wouldn't bet against him. Besides personality, if you want to know why he is successful go his website and look at the mission statement of his businesses. Not only does he have a mission statement (something more buisinesses should have) but he follows it. He also puts back to the community with a focus on youth. Only Jamie Oliver has put a similar focus in terms of youth, and yes I have a great deal of respect for him as well. All of the Emeril bashers seem to have their head buried somewhere, I need not say where. After Emeril? Alton's cool. Alton knows his stuff and Alton makes things pretty easy as well. Entertainng and an first rate teacher. Paula Deen, damn, for down home cooking, how could anybody with any southern roots or background not be creamin' their jeans over her food. So what if it cuts 20 years off your life, you'd die happy. Most all of the others, to some degree or another have their redeeming qualities. I find Bourdain entertaining. He calls a spade a spade, or rather he calls it a f--ing shovel. His shtick is that street wise bluntness and in your face attitude and from him it works. Bobby Flay can be obnoxious and arrogant but he can back his up by walking the walk. Of course I like his line of 'don't skimp on the salt, something else will kill you anyhow' (or something close to that. Fans, be they football fans, baseball fans, movie fans, or, as we are here, fans of food and wine, most fans tend to be opinionated. Perhaps too arogant at times and too blind to the facts. Like them or not, facts are facts. Barry Bodns is the best (steroid question aside), Michael Jordan was the best, Tiger Woods is the best, and fact is, so is Emeril.

I say go with the 2 buck Chuck (8 cases $200) and use the balance on a few special bottles of wine for you, your spouse, and those extra special friends.

Mise en place is the one single area I've tried to improve on in my cooking. No matter how much one tries, if you have a recipe that requires timing and you aren't ready when that time comes, well, you're screwed. Even though I tried to be orderly, having things ready in advance, I didn't have enough done in advance and while I may still have pulled things off I was left with a disaster area afterwards not to mention the stress level which takes away from enjoying the meal. It's bad enough when cooking for 2 but we like to entertain and when it is 4, 6, 8 or more things become exponentially more difficult when not prepared. We just remodeled our kitchen and while still not large I did gain some counter-space. That helps, but it is still a case o being the Indian not the Tomohawk when it comes down to efficiency. I've gotten a lot better in terms of mis en place. While I wing many or most dishes now, as opposed to an exact recipe, I usually have an idea beforehand that alllows me to be more prepared for the direction I want to go in. Not enough, in my mind, is written about mise en place. Not only in terms of its importance (which is a given) but in how to better accomplish it. I'm not a super big Bourdain fan, yet I bought his Les Halles Cookbook and for what he says on Mise en place alone easily justifies buying the book. Bottom line, mark me in the group that strives for mis en place yet is still fighting to get it done.

Schumachers always does a great job with game. One of the things I miss most from the time I lived in Minnetonka is going down to Schumachers. Need some of their rolls with the fruit inside as well!

Only one person to get to do an intro for a book on mayo and that would be Martin Mull.