MarketStEl

All righty, then. Guess I'll have to start saving now for a visit to Peter Luger's next time I'm in New York. However, it was, is, and always will be a "Kansas City strip." BTW, since nobody's bothered to do this yet: You can read the actual National Geographic Traveler article online. Edited to add: The author even managed to quantify another of my fave quips about this place: "It's not really a big city--it's actually 150 small towns all bunched together."

Katie: One of my favorite replies when I'm asked how I like Philadelphia--I believe you may even have heard me utter it in your presence--is "It's a lot nicer than the natives crack it down to be." I've met enough non-natives who share my opinion to be firmly convinced that the only thing wrong with Philadelphia is it has too many Philadelphians in it.* (Or, in another of my fave replies, "There's nothing wrong with Philadelphia that a wholesale exchange of the population with Boston's wouldn't cure." Bostonians are convinced they live in God's Chosen City, and many of them couldn't imagine living anywhere else.) Have you also noticed that our best mayors have all been non-natives? (Yes, I wrote about that in the Inquirer too.) As for the old-school steakhouses, we used to have a few. As I understand it, they paled in comparison to the ones you list above, or the one I mention below. They were very popular back in the days before we knew what really good restaurants were like. Once we did, these places were doomed. Frankie Bradley's is now Sisters, the city's premier lesbian bar; Arthur's became Susanna Foo, a dramatic improvement on what had been there before. Awwww, jeeeez, folks, why don't you try a steakhouse in a city where they know beef? And it won't cost you an arm and a leg there, either. Just one of those limbs will suffice. (Though I note that this place has become a local chain too. There was only one of these all the years I lived there. And so it goes: One of the same city's best barbecue joints had already morphed into a chain by the time I left the place for good in 1976.) *Edited to add: Make that "too many of the wrong kind of Philadelphians," for the natives who hang out here definitely love and appreciate their city.

It's no longer a secret.

Going back through this conversation, which I've found very enjoyable--I too find it admirable that you're going into this first and foremost for the love of food; it's like that old saying, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life"--I notice there's one ingredient that it appears no one has given any thought to: The bun. We were talking upthread about how big a patty you would need to fill the bun. You might also want to consider how small a bun you might want to show off the patty. The supermarket store brand/standard commercial bakery hamburger bun can handle a hand-formed quarter-pound patty and make it look quite good, for it's pretty compact. But it doesn't taste like much, because it is good old soft white bread with a bigger outer crust. Kaiser rolls are used by a number of very good burger joints, and they have better texture--and, depending on the source, better taste as well. They stand up to wet condiments better than standard hamburger buns. But they've got a bigger cross-section than those buns as well, and burger patties often get lost in them. You don't want your customers to have a Clara Peller* experience. If you can afford it, you might want to contact a good local baker in your area and ask if you can get good, dense rolls like Kaisers, but in a smaller size. Your customers probably won't complain if you use commercial burger buns. But I get the impression that if it's possible, you want something better. Or at least more distinctive: Potato rolls, perhaps, or challah? *Clara Peller was the sixtysomething woman who rocketed to fame in the 1970s on the back of a famous Wendy's commercial in which she and two friends note the "really big bun" of an unnamed competitor. Clara was more interested in what's inside: "Where's the beef?" became a catchphrase for anyone who suspected they were being offered nothing but air by someone.

We are fairly fortunate in Philadelphia: we get PBS cooking shows every day of the week, including Sunday. Our main PBS station, WHYY, airs a four-hour block of cooking shows on Saturday, including "Christina Cooks," which they produce, and "America's Test Kitchen." "ATK" also airs Fridays at 2 pm on the city's "alternative" public TV station, WYBE, which devotes the 1 to 3 p.m. block every weekday to cooking shows, including Charlie Trotter, Martin Yan, Jim Coleman, two Lidia Bastianich programs, and "Barbecue University." 'YBE shows programs aimed at Indian, African American, and Hispanic audiences while 'HYY teaches you how to cook, and 'HYY educates the kids while 'YBE's in the kitchen with the grownups. And the conservatives wonder why there are so many public TV stations out there. Aside to Jennifer: In addition to WNET, you might also want to check to see if your cable system carries Long Island's public TV station, WLIW (Channel 21), or WNJN (Channel 50, Montclair), the New Jersey Network station serving the New York region.

The indies dominate the local dining scene, and long may they do so. But trust me, the chains have made major inroads: Maggiano's, Chili's, Fox and Hound, Buca di Beppo, Elephant & Castle... As long as we can maintain a balance, though, <Martha>it's a good thing.</Martha> BTW, you are aware that there are a lot of high-end chain restaurants, too, right? Here are several that have operated in Philadelphia for some time now: Capital Grille Ruth's Chris Steak House Morton's of Chicago Devon Seafood Grill (from the folks who bought you Houlihan's) Palm Restaurant McCormick and Schmick's Hmmmm...most of these are steakhouses. Wonder what it is about those that make them prime chain turf? And let us also offer a pat on the back to our homegrown chains and collections, as they have shown they can compete with the folks with the big TV ad budgets: Bucks County Coffee Lamberti's (I see Craig LaBan gave Positano Coast, their third try in the Space that Eats Restaurants across from the Ritz, a very good review) Italian Bistro Starr Restaurant Group (a collection, not a chain, and part of the reason the city's hip quotient has shot up lately) Lee's Hoagie House (yeah, yeah, downscale, but they count; certainly they're better than Olive Garden!)

"America's Test Kitchen"? "Christina Cooks"? There are dozens more shows not on the list GG reproduced. The list she swiped is of the PBS food shows that have their own Web sites.

One more comment after looking at your post on how you plan to package your food: You're in Michigan. It gets cold there in the winter. Given any thought to offering hot coffee and tea, or hot chocolate in season?

High smoke point? Does this mean that the oil breakdown is less. (last longer) I can cook at higher temps? ← Yes to all your questions. The higher the oil's smoke point, the longer you can use it, because it won't break down as quickly. Of course, if you cook at higher temperatures, you accelerate the breakdown process.

Congratulations! I'd also focus on doing a few things well at the outset. That said, it's a good idea to offer alternatives for your customers who might not want beef. I'd probably offer either chicken or fish but not both, plus the portabella mushroom burger--a nice, hearty-flavored offering for vegetarians. How much room will you have to store stuff? That also needs to be factored in when considering what you can offer. I assume you will have access to a large freezer off-site where you can store whatever you will not be using that day? If the space in the trailer is as compact as I suspect it is, you should probably stick to three burgers, two or three cheeses (blue is a very good option), regular fries and maybe o-rings.

My own experience is that 80/20 ground beef produces an adequately juicy burger with a little less shrinkage. You might even be able to use 85/15 if shrinkage is a major worry for you. (Does McDonald's specify fat content in its manual?) Depending on the price you want to charge, a 1/3 pound burger will probably look and taste better. My personal preference is for a burger just a little bigger than the bun--another argument for the higher precooked weight. I'm with you on the lettuce. Will you be able to get a constant supply of good heirloom tomatoes year-round in Michigan? If not, go with the beefsteaks. Red onions are sweeter than white ones, and if you're going to serve them sliced rather than chopped, I'd use the red variety. I'm partial to hamburger dills on the burger itself rather than kosher dill spears on the side, but if you are serving your burgers on a plate, I'd go with the spears. If you mainly plan to sell these to travel, find a source of kosher dill chips and place them on the burger. Given all the time and effort you're putting into the rest of the product, why not give yourself a break and use Hellman's? You're going to need large quantities of mayo, after all. But what about ketchup and mustard? (Dijon, preferably.) I'd definitely form my burgers as balls and flatten them just prior to throwing them on the grill. You will also get slightly thicker patties that way. For a 1/3 pound burger, I'd say a 1/4-inch-thick patty would look beautiful, but that thick of a patty might not fill the bun.

Okay, I've slipped a bit on keeping up with Ron Varrial's quest for the best wings. In the Sept. 16 column, Varrial notes that he has gotten complaints from critics who note that he likes just about anything but authentic Buffalo wings--that is, wings coated in a mix of hot sauce and butter and served with blue cheese dressing on the side. (But wait--that sounds to me like a good description of Moriarty's wings, the ones set out in the opening installment as the gold standard.) Having acknowledged the critics, he then goes on to praise the wings served at the Black Sheep (247 South 17th), which are covered with a very garlicky hot sauce--"If you're a vampire, steer clear"--and served with a Gorgonzola dip that, in his estimation, is a step above the standard blue cheese dressing. Well, so much for the critics, I guess. The following Friday, he made a plea for naked wings. That is to say, no breading. It appears a visit to Hooters--where the wings are more fully enrobed than the waitresses--inspired this complaint. Wings are supposed to be crisp, Varrial says, but breading them is a form of cheating: "It's not genuinely crispy. It's crisp hiding mush." His recommended remedy? Warning labels on menus much like the warning labels on products containing nuts. In fact, he says, the warning should be blunt: "These wings will suck."

If true, then this is sort of like the situation with Pat's Steaks. However, it sounds like the son(-in-law) learned well from the master. What is it about Philly family businesses where the next generation can't get along? (In addition to these two, there is also the case of I. Goldberg, the Army-Navy store. The 13th and Chestnut store--the genuine article--is unrelated to the ones in the 'burbs.)

11th and Pine is no longer a Metropolitan Bakery shop, though the place that replaced it still sells MB bread. There is also a Metropolitan Bakery outlet in the Reading Terminal Market. But we've already determined you wouldn't be able to make it there. One more comment, re: the Italian Market: "Italian" is becoming something of a misnomer, as immigration from Southeast Asia and Latin America has changed the face of the city's oldest street market. Many of the produce vendors--including the best produce stand in the market, Judy & Stan's, which offers consistently high-quality produce; most of the others are hit-and-miss--are now Vietnamese or Cambodian, and a number of Mexican grocers have also opened up shop. This also means that you now see a wider variety of peppers than you used to on 9th Street, along with things like tomatillos and Chinese cabbage. Almost all of the stores in the Market are open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday; I believe that Paul & Frances Giordano's produce emporium at 9th and Washington is an exception. mrbigjas mentioned the butchers in the Reading Terminal Market upthread; you can get meats almost as good as those Harry Ochs sells at Esposito's in the Italian Market. (Esposito's supplies several good restaurants in town as well.)

Is that the same Tacconelli family that operates the store in Port Richmond, or is it like Pat's King of Steaks, where the original store is in the hands of one branch of the family and the franchises are owned by another, and the two don't speak to one another? (I've eaten at one of the franchises--Oliveri Prince of Steaks in the RTM; Herb Oliveri is forbidden from using the name "Pat's" within a (I think) five-mile radius of 9th and Passyunk--and I think it inferior to the orignal Pat's.) The way I understood it, Papa Tacconelli is a one-man show in Port Richmond.

The Italian Market merchants are open on Sunday, but several of them close early; their hours are geared towards the Italian mamas who cook dinner after church. Try getting there around 11 am if you plan to visit on a Sunday. To save you some running around, DiBruno's original store is in the Italian Market. It's not as eye-popping as their new Chestnut Street emporium, and it's "split in two": the cheese shop--the original DiBruno Bros.--is in one location and the prepared-foods emporium--DiBruno Brothers Pronto--is four doors up the street, past competitor Claudio's. Villa diRoma, next door south of DiBruno's, is classic old-school red-gravy Italian fare, if you're feeling nostalgic, and it's reasonable. But there are plenty of more inventive Italian places. As others have already told you, the BYOs are great bargains. You are lucky to be visiting Philadelphia now, as opposed to a few years ago: our state liquor monopoly, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, has decided that drinkers in the state's cities should no longer be treated like criminals. Selected State Stores--including the big one at 1217 Chestnut--are open Sundays, so you can pick up an incredible wine bargain to take with you that very day. Unfortunately, my tastes run towards fiery fare when dining out, so I can't really steer you to the good Italian BYOs. Ask me about pho, or Asian cuisines in general, or Mexican/Latin American, or barbecue. (Yes, barbecue--there are now places in town that are worth recommending.) Aside to Diann: Wanna cast a vote in favor of your adopted city in this thread in General Food Topics? After all, a few Chicagoans have piped up in favor of their kind of town, and I'm feeling lonely over there.

I'd have to second Katie on the "slice shop" comment. Most NYC pizza slices I've had are basically fuel, not food: The crust is limp enough that you can--like most New Yorkers do--fold the slice in half lengthwise to eat it1, the sauce has that canned taste (which, to be fair, NYPD Pizza's does too), and the cheese is industrial-grade pizza blend. NYPD scores points in my book for getting the crust right. Question: This is now the fourth or fifth time that I've seen Pizza Rustica in Old City mentioned approvingly in this forum. Is it related at all to Rustica in University City? I've always enjoyed the pizza I've had at the latter. Are there significant differences between the two if they are related? 1Maybe this is due to the oiliness of the cheese these places use rather than anything inherent in the way the crust is made.

What I would like to know is: How did I manage to produce some of the best raisins I've ever eaten simply by leaving a bunch of seedless black grapes in a dark spot in my kitchen for about a month? I've actually tried to do this deliberately with grape tomatoes, with no success at all--the end result is bitter rather than intensely sweet.

Let me guess: Something derived from seaweed? Nonfat dry milk powder? Sodium caseinate? Chocolate flavored Coffee-Mate®? Congrats on scoring a copy of "How Not to Make A Hamburger Worth Waiting For." I'll bet--completely without sarcasm--that it's fascinating reading, and that Mark Twain quip about laws and sausages probably applies to reading this book as well.

I assume that holders of hotel licenses can serve alcohol on Sundays with no additional requirements? (There is something in the state liquor laws that requires holders of other liquor licenses to serve food in order to offer alcohol for sale on Sunday, isn't there? Someone please correct me if I am wrong.) In any case, this little tidbit appears to me to explain the creation of the gayborhood "bed-and-breakfast" known as Uncles Upstairs Inn, located above the bar of the same name on Locust Street. There is a kitchen in the building, but the bar does not serve food on a regular basis. It has offered a menu from time to time, usually for stretches of a month or two, and I've always assumed that this was done to keep the LCB folks off their backs. Every other gay bar in the city serves food--well, I'm not sure about the Bike Stop now--and all are open on Sundays. I imagine that for some--maybe even most--of these establishments, the food service operates at a loss, which is more than made up for by the bar business.

Good point. I had to change colour to color and flavour to flavor throughout my book. For some reason Canadians and those in the UK/Aus can understand they are the same thing ... Americans apparently have more difficulty with it.. ← Something tells me that if an American writer were to submit items to a British publication, the U's would be inserted into those words before the article saw print. It's not a matter of not understanding...given that what Americans call "Standard Written English" reflects the orthographic reform efforts of folks like Noah Webster and Melvil Dewey, those words just plain look funny to American eyes with u's in them. Stylebooks enforce spelling rules, too. (And there are peculiar local ones: for many years, the Chicago Tribune had ultra-simplified spelling rules that, for instance, dropped the "ugh" from words like "although" and rendered the word "through" as "thru". The Kansas City Star for many years spelled the plural of "bus" with three s's. And so on.) So if the national standard for spelling is to include a "u" in "color", I'd be surprised if a magazine or newspaper editor let an article through that omitted the letter.

I'm surprised you even wondered whether people would wait for good food. Of course they will, and your own experience proves it! You must have put some "magic mushrooms" on your burger before writing that post. Everything you've written thus far has made it clear that you're basing this business on quality, and when it comes to food, quality takes time. We may be in an era where people "want it yesterday," but there are millions of us who don't mind waiting if what's at the end of the line is worth the wait. (In Philly, for instance, this describes a sandwich from Koch's Deli.) But could you please, please, pleeeeease tell us exactly where in the Midwest your trailer is going to be?

Thank you for a highly entertaining MRE Cook's Tour, Brooks. I have one burning question: How does the "Cappucino, French Vanilla" taste? And what about the GI who just wants plain old coffee? With caffeine?

Interesting perspectives on "Joy of Cooking." This was one of my early inspirations, having discovered it in the public library when I was a child. It was one of the two cookbooks I took to college with me. (Marion Rombauer Becker was an alumna!) I loved the stories, and the idea of the special dishes from the Land of Cockaigne. But I outgrew it as I learned more about cooking, though I still use it as a reference from time to time. I recently read "Stand Facing the Stove," and I won't spoil it for you, but the author contends that the major innovation Irma Rombauer introduced was the way she formatted her recipes. [yeah, I'm an editor] ← As am I, though I'm a writer first and foremost. (However, I find I'm not a good editor of my own writing.) Having taken a look at "Cooking for Engineers" and its innovative--and incredibly easy to understand--recipe format, I don't see why that style couldn't be adapted to any cookbook. It would have the added advantage of being "detachable" from any accompanying text. Those who wanted just the basics could simply refer to the table, while those who love a good story could read the text ahead of or following it as well. (Actually, I would make one modification to the CforE format: I would put the instructions in the bottom portion of each tab, so that they would also read horizontally. I think that some might find having to repeatedly read text rotated 90 degrees clockwise disorienting.)

One of the things that make Joy of Cooking such a durable volume is the presence of the authors' voice in the form of anecdotes and narrative. I've not read Stand Facing the Stove, and I fear that if I did, I'd lose some of my affection for the book, but the sometimes-diversionary tidbits ("'Ruling a large nation,' a Chinese proverb says, 'is like cooking a small fish.'") I find entertaining, and sometimes they add to my appreciation of a dish. I'm am amateur, not a professional, and even after all these years, I'm not always comfortable when winging it or taking a recipe in a different direction. Having some of the information about what happens when... or why you should... helps me become more confident when I shift from "classical" to "jazz" cooking.