Luckylies

Sadly most of them. My doctor told me to star away from just about everything. Not going to happen. What's a little pain? Miss lucky masochist extrordinaire.

Oh, well this turned out terrible. Really effin bad. I think I started too hot (300f) even though I used injections and then foil. Beef jerkey. I saved some to flavor beans or whatever but it was so tough and inedible it was a true failure. I had never made a bad brisket before, I'm glad to know at least my standart technique is solid. I'll be trying the quick brisket again, though. I'm thinking 250F for two hours then in the bag (foil) with juice at 350 for three. Crisp on the grill. This could still suck but I've gotta learn somehow, and nobody's giving up the competition secrets too easily. I got selected to the show when one of the producers thought I would add something funny and convinced me to let him send a tape to the casting company. I guess I got in by the skin of my teeth. Every wildcard last year lost. I dont want to go down like that, but I'm really having a hard time getting a team together. My old collegues from Cafe Gray are all still working their butts off, and everybody eithout a summer job has no clue about bbq at all. All I really need are cooks who know something about food, as I'm now standardizing the recipes, it's tough, and it's alot of time and money to let slide through my fingers without at least making a real serious commitment. I'm going for the experiance---but I'm also going to win. Not poking fun...sampling.

Thanks, D, I knew I'd never starve (a physical impossibility) with you guys around! Um, please no more meat. Barney Greengrass delivers? huh. When I was a kid and used to go to sleep away camp I'd get so homesick my dad would send me bagels and nova. It was, to this day, the most thoughtful thing anybody has ever done for me. I'm not sure if you remember Moe, but he used to run the register, and generally shoot the shit with the outgoing cutomers. He was legendary, all I knew when I was a kid is that he gave me free candy . Years ago I was in with my then boyfriend, and we were paying our bill I asked him how much a bag of m&m's cost. His repy as he shoved the bag into my hands? "sweetheart, we get you on the fish" I don't hate the Upper West, I'm just out of my niche. edited because I don't always form whole thoughts.

Never eyeball cornstarch for a crumble (especially if you are not a born baker). Had to throw away the pan

Hi all! As a few of you know I'm bivouac'd on the Upper West side for a bit (90th st), in training for my bbq comp. I'm unfamiliar with these strange and bohemain surroundings and have little knowledge of the ways and customs of the culinary set up here. Insofar I've ordered both Chirping Chicken (tasty) and Giovanni's - less tasty (though their canolli was notable). I also went to Telepan which had formerly been less of a pop-in option and now sits in the back of my mind as a good place to go for a bite. Any suggestions? I'd cook but everything I touch tastes like hicory

Sure, sure, fine, it's not that I don't agree intelectually but... have you ever seen a pink ring on something from the oven?

I'll trade you the silicone for a garlic press and cornish hen roasting racks

Send it to Daniel. garlic press hot pot (chunnukah gift) roasting rack (where did my roasting pan go?) cornish game hen upright roasting racks

I'm no expert, but I find a smoke ring to be a good sign when I'm in the back yard bbq'ing, it shows me that the smoke flavor has penetrated the meat. For competitions the judges are not allowed to judge based on, or according to smoke ring size-- the use of certain agents can artificially produce a thicker ring (like certain curing salts). i like the ring, what can I say? its pretty

awwwwwwwwww makes me miss it....sorta

better with rasinettes!!!!!!

Did you sign anything? No? This is YOUR WORK, your job--it's theirs too. If they did not ask you to sign something, and have expressed no interest in your recipes, take them and go. You must protect your intelectual property against misuse, misrepresentation etc...it would be totally different if you signed something thus essentially selling them your recipes. Sounds like you have been selling your time and labor and yor may keep your developments. I'm no lawyer, but leave them what they had before you, it's all you owe them other than two weeks notice. If you do this politely there may be bad feelings but no bridges will be burned. good luck.

These websites are really helping with my learning curve! Today is 5 hr brisket, more sauce testing, more rub testing. As you can see, I'm taking this from a part test kitchen mode (my other job) and part gung-ho ninja bbq mode-- both of which I specialize in. I'm working at my dad's house for the next few weeks as, it's bigger, cooler, and the smoker is on the same level as the apt (mine is five flights down--and up) It's a sweet apt and the kitchen is 1,000000000 times nicer than mine. For example, right now I have 5 briskets, 2 shoulders, 2 butts,7 lbs chicken thighs, 5 racks of ribs, and a whole chicken divided between the freezer and the fridge- I just couldn't do that at my place. I've decided on a team name Notorious P.I.G. For a while it was in contest with Piggie smalls and Blue state bbq...but it seems most people think it funny and cute, and says a little about me. I'm still looking for teammates, and it's really not as easy as you'd think, most people have real lives and responsibilities other than winning 'cue comps. I think everything will work out though. I'm going to try to post pictures of my setup to give you guys an idea what I'm working with. Please keep the ideas coming tips, techniques anything!!!!

cherry crumbles? cherry cheese danishes? cherry almond strudel? cherry pie?

I've got one, my dad brought it back from Spain for me and I laughed thinking "yeah, like I'm gonna wear a cape" Winter fancy dinners over a dress. good to go.

I've got a batch going so "Nocino" please

I doubt this list will grow in this community. Nobody is going to blackball restaurants because they treated you poorly for being underdressed.

I've gotta agree with Sneakeater on this one. Some people go to the theatre for ambiance as well as the show. A guy in a hoddie windbreaker will certainly ruin the fantasy of going to the opera just as a guy in jeans would ruin the Alain Ducasse fantasy or whatever. You just never want to remember that guy in the stupid shorts. ← right, but sneakeater was talking about respect for the actors/musicians, not about other patrons of the arts...whereas in a restaurant it is certainly more about the ambience that happens to include other diners. i'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out the argument. ← oh in that case, i'm not really sure where I stand on this one

I've gotta agree with Sneakeater on this one. Some people go to the theatre for ambiance as well as the show. A guy in a hoddie windbreaker will certainly ruin the fantasy of going to the opera just as a guy in jeans would ruin the Alain Ducasse fantasy or whatever. You just never want to remember that guy in the stupid shorts.

It's very good water, it's New York water, and New York water tastes great. Marketing ruse? yes, selling water takes chutzpuh, but I don't really see any deception involved... I like Dasani, Aquafina and Poland spring, once you start to get heavy mineral flavors, you've lost me. I really like tap water cause- it's free and really does taste great here, elsewhere I try to chose brands that taste like home (cause they're from home)

eh, it's a good idea- the eggs should have three different colors of ink, for soft, medium and hard. You shouldn't have to buy a whole carton of the same "type" of eggs

Daniel, you have such a lucky girl! damn, raised Jewish and in love with Christmas sounds like my sister and I! For the meat I'm thinking Wellingtons either indivigi or whole chateaubriand, that would be really nice and comparably easy. You would also have some medium and well done meat for those people you oculd do beef, fish, lamb, venison wellingtons...you namer it! and people really love it. You could also do a whole veal loin. Top it with pickeled sour cherries (start now) or something of that ilk... I also like the idea of wagu brisket braised in some sort of fantastic italian red and then served with marrow. Thinking cap on.

Go with A or C. If you're using a beschamel and NOT ricotta go ahead and assemble it. If you're using ricotta, the tomato sauce may toughen it up and make it less creamy and soft, so use option C. Tell us how it turns out!

So here's the thing, I wont know what I'm cooking, each day there'll be a short cook, medium cook and long cook. I be facing off against two other teams. They just throw your meat at you and give you a turn in time. I think some of this stuff is going to be pretty cuttting edge.. I'm working on a 5 hr brisket right now. I'm making a point of standardizing my recipes so that my team members can actually do some somthin' other than baking in the reno sun... We're allowed to bring 5 extra ingredients other than the 100 or so pantry staples. One of them will be gefilte fish

dibs on first guest!!!!!!!! shotgun!!!!!!!!!