azlee

I am also in Brooklyn and aside from wanting to store Fresh Direct pizzas and the occasional turkey in my freezer, I might actually be able to get away with the 24" Liebherr and gain space for a 9 inch cabinet which would be great for touchdown space between the fridge and cooktop. I think I'll be taking your suggestion and sometime this week filling a hopping bag with baking sheets and angel food pans and the cardboard from pizzas and heading back tot he appliance showroom. It's really the only way to know for sure. The fridge part of the Liebherr is probably adequate, it's the freezer part that concerns me. It would probably be healthier to do more daily shopping for fresh foods and Brooklyn is one of the best places to do that kind of shopping. Cheers Azlee

Yes, I've been thinking that a convection microwave might be a good second appliance. May I ask which cabinets you are considering for your renovation? Thanks! Azlee

I have finally started my small kitchen (5'x7') renovation. The new and level tile floor is in and grouted, the re-plumbing is almost finished and walls and new lighting are being installed shortly. And now the dilemna... the kitchen is actually shade less than 5x7 with appliances and cabinets on the two slightly less than 5 foot walls (58.5" and 59.5"). This means that I can have only one full sized appliance and I cannot decide which it should be. At this point, I am leaning towards an 18" Miele Incognito dishwasher on the 59.5" wall and either a 24" or 30" Liebherr fridge and either a 30" Dacor Millenium electric range or 24" Kuppersbusch electric oven (EEB 6800) and ceramic sensor cooktop (EKE 602.4) together in a single 24" cabinet. So it's either full size range and small fridge or full size fridge and 24" range components. I bake, so fridge/freezer storage space is about as important as oven space, to me. The Kuppersbusch oven is surprisingly roomy inside. So, I wonder if anyone here has experience with these brands and models and also if the there are any strong views on the advantages or disadvantages or choosing the smaller fridge or the smaller oven/cooktop combo? Gas is not an option in my coop, otherwise I would just go for the Viking 24" gas range and the 30" Liebherr fridge. I'm also open to suggestions for alternative combinations. I'm just at my wits end and need to start placing appliance orders very soon. Thanks Azlee

i'm sure if you emailed the Pegu Club directly they'd be happy to tell you where they get the pitchers. hopefully, it'll be a source that sells to the general public. please let us know what you find out. thanks

Timh this is fascinating and I really appreciate you sharing your experiences. I would imagine that not repeating yourself is one of the biggest challenges, though a healthy budget and choice purveyors must help. I suppose a big challenge would be food allergies or strong individual dislikes. Are they pretty much open to eating whatever you prepare?

i use one of the zojirushi hot water pots and love it. i always have 5 liters of nearly boiling water at the ready. perfect for tea, coffee, blanching veggies and filling a hot water bottle on a chilly night.

they used to be pretty good pies when they first opened but they were also less expensive. factoring in the high price for the pie and the cost of shipping you could definitely do better for quality

I like this idea. I can't come up with a common thread though. I think "Basmati" is a Hindi word, and it is commonly associated with Thai food, but I'm not sure it's clever enough to be a name of a restaurant. But there has to be some common thread that would make a great restaurant name. ← I was thinking of the types of rices used for each cuisine, jasmine (thai) and basmati (indian) rice. Jasmati would be a fun name but the name is already owned by Ricetec for a hybrid blend of rice that they market.

Thanks everyone! I have always heard that grounds down the drain was bad news but maybe it's just an old kitchen wives tale. Will maybe ask a plumber. Thanks

i use a zojirushi electric dispensing pot. sadly, it does use electric to hold the water temp in the pot after boiling. but the coolest thing is that it filters the water and you have your choice of 3 holding temperatures, one for green tea(175), one for black tea(195) and one for (french press) coffee(208). my pot holds 5 liters. this is the model that i have Zojirushi Panorama Window® Micom Electric Dispensing Pot CD-LCC50 (edited to add model #)

Thanks, I appreciate the info. Was just looking for a mindless way to handle my coffee fix. Thought it would be nice to just drop an Illy canister in my cart as i do my grocery shopping. Have heard good things about Terroir. Would that be a good place to start? I like the idea of fresh product from my local Ozzie's but I haven't been impressed with the variety. Have been tempted to try pods but worry about freshness and expense of buying a machine when I'm not sure I will like it. Has anyone tried Keurig? I get the impression that those keep very fresh and are easy to store. Thanks again Azlee

i have just started to use a french press and i hate the clean up but love the better taste of the coffee. i have been buying from a local coffee house that roasts its own but wondered if i can use a brand like illy. if so which grind is best in the press? medium? thanks. azlee

something to think about, sometimes, people suggest things because they are in a position to actually help you attain access to the very thing they are suggesting... Sorry, I appreciate your help. I didn't mean to let out my pent up frustrations on you ). My goal is to get the business of the small and medium-size companies on the waterfront. The fortune 500 companies and the larger ones, though, are a tough nut to crack. For the most part they have their own corporate cafeterias (GS has a great upscale cafeteria and they already have businesses they do catering with which is generally approved by their home office, or at least that's the way I understand it.) Anyway, it's been an extremely frustrating experience and one which I am trying to forget. I do get orders from individuals from the big companies and that's my target. I also didn't mean to offend anyone who works for these companies. It's the corporate structure and bureaucracy that's so frustrating, not any single individual. ←

it was just a suggestion, i certainly didn't mean to offend you. but i will say that i'm personally aware of a number of JC businesses that have had great success doing business with some of the "waterfront corporations", but if that hasn't been a good fit for you, then i'm sure you'll find another avenue that works better for you. perhaps offering delivery to some of the larger apartment towers? best of luck!

slightly tangential suggestion, but you should try to get on the dinner delivery list for goldman sachs (they placed over 700 lunch orders on Fatburger's opening day). if you have the capacity to accept orders by computer you'd likely get alot of delivery business in the evenings and this would likely translate into additional lunch business.

what do folks think of miele or any of the german brands (gaggenau, kuppersbusch)? i'm trying to decide between a 30" dacor electric range and a miele 24" built in oven and cooktop put together in one cabinet in order to save space in a small kitchen. if i could have gas, i would definitelygo for dacor or dcs.

My table is a kitchen/dining room table with a thick frosted glass top and stainless legs by Bulthaup. It measures 3'x6', is perfect for seating six or a big buffet or as a work table. it's perfect for rolling out pie dough after placing a towel filled with ice on the table to chill it. i love my table. Azlee

One of the most beautiful and tasty designer cakes that i've had in NYC came from Ron Ben Israel. I suspect he's pretty expensive but the cakes are delicious, flavorful and quite beautiful. I think his studio is in Soho. here's his website. http://www.weddingcakes.com/ azlee

In my kitchen renovation, i won't be able to vent outside. Does anyone thinnk it's worth pursuing one of those microwaves w/ built in blower or a waste of money? was considering the dacor microwave w/ blower. Varmint, I love your cabinets! Could you please tell me the manufacturer. They are exactly what I am looking for. Thanks Azlee

That range is absolutely gorgeous! That's the range I'd get if my building had gas installed. Congratulations! As it is now, I may get the electric Dacor. Was installation of the gasline very expensive?

I think if a magnet sticks to it, it should work, however for best results you should get stuff that is meant to work with it. Sam called out Induc'Inox line by Mauviel in his Q&A: But I've also read that All-Clad Stainless works well also. -john ← Thanks, John I have a few pieces of All-Clad Stainless but use alot of Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge Cast Iron, Mauviel Copper, and Berndes Cast Anodized Aluminum. The rest I am not sure who manufactured. I'll try to magnet test. But don't they also need flat bottoms to work on induction? Thanks Azlee

If you are going electric, you might want to consider an induction cooktop. Don't know about the F&P Dish drawer. You might check their web site as often mfgs post downloadable installation documentation. Regarding 240 vs 208, I think most appliances will tolerate the difference. Check with each mfg or mfg spec sheets for details. -john ← Thanks. I have always been interested in induction cooking but I'm not sure if all of my cookware will work with it. I have alot of old cookware from my grandmother that i'd hate to part with if it turned out not to induction compatible. I'll look a bit into what works and what doesn't. Maybe I should just spring for the cooking gas line. Wonder how much of a bite that would take out of my budget. Azlee

A few complications have arisen, which have delayed the kitchen renovation. My Co-op Board seems reluctant to approve the wall removal to expand the space and I can't get a straight answer about installing a cooking gas line, so I plan to work within the existing 5x7 kitchen footprint, but this means that I will really have to commit to spending the extra for counterdepth appliances like an electric Dacor Range (Millennia) and Sub-Zero 700TC Fridge. Not sure what to do about the electrical supply. The present range and fridge have a 208 volt supply and most newer high end appliances require 240 volts. Is this a simple change for an electrician to make or am I tied to finding lower voltage appliances? Also, is it possible to install a single Fisher & Paykel Dish drawer directly below a sink in one 24" cabinet? I think I need to figure out the appliances first and then see what I have left over for cabinets. Suggestions? Scratch and Dent stores in the NY area? Thanks! Azlee

I'm starting to explore Dacor Ranges in both gas and electric and wondered if folks were generally happy with Dacor? Also saw some new cabinets at the fancy new Home Depot in Manhattan. "First Edition Cabinets" which are from Canada and "Dinovo Cabinets" which are made by Masco the company that manufactures Kraftmaid. The Dinovo Cabinets seem to be knock-offs of some of the sexiest qualities of Bulthaup, Siematic and Valcucine. Has anyone seen or used either First Edition or Dinovo cabinets. yet? Thoughts? I'm also trying to get a sense of what's a good price per square foot for a stainless countertop with an integrated sink. As ever, any thanks. Azlee

Here's a list of some popular places in the Norwich, VT - Hanover, NH area: Cafe Buon Gustaio Italian cuisine Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: 603-643-5711 Email: cbg@valley.net Web: http://www.cafebuongustaio.com Carpenter & Main French Cuisine. Norwich, VT 05055 Phone: 802-649-2922 Fax: 802-649-3811 Web: http://www.carpenterandmain.com Home Hill Relais & Chateaux Inn & Restaurant Plainfield, NH 03781 Phone: 603-675-6165 Email: http://www.homehill@relaischateaux.com Jesse’s Restaurant Steak house Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: 603-643-4111 Web: http://www.blueskyrestaurants.com Murphy’s on the Green American cuisine Hanover, NH 03755-5453 Phone: 603-643-4075 Email: onthegreencatering@valley.net Web: http://murphysonthegreen.com Simon Pearce Restaurant 1760 Main St. Quechee, VT 05059 Phone: 802-295-1470 Web: http://www.simonpearceglass.com The Daniel Webster Room American Cuisine Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: 603-643-4300 Fax: 643-3744 Email: Hanover.Inn@dartmouth.edu Web: http://www.HanoverInn.com Zins Restaurant & Winebar contemporary cuisine Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: 603-643-4300 Fax: 603-646-3744 Email: Hanover.Inn@dartmouth.edu Web: http://www.Hanoverinn.com Enjoy! King Arthur is a terrific place. Azlee