phaelon56

I been meaning to try it on one of my bi-weekly shopping trips to Wegmans (Dewitt Store) but have yet too. My expectations are not high but thought it would be a decent meal after three to four hour's of grocery shopping. ← Bonefish Griil - regardless of the location - tends to be jammed and they don't accept reservations. But if you get there early enough you can probably score a table without a lengthy wait. Or do what we did - sit on stools at a shared counter in the bar area. We got to chat with the folks who sat across from us.... didn't have to wait for a table.... and it was a lively spot to sit. But after an afternoon of dodging carts and shopping at Wegman's - I think lively is not what I'd be looking for

As a boy growing up in a household where all vegetables were cooked in the Irish-Amercian style - i.e. boiled to death until they tasted bad - I was requireecd to eat everythignt hat was served to me with no questions asked. The saving grace was that milk was allowed in unlimited quantities. I washed ever bite (more like a swallow) of noxious vegetables down with a big swig of milk. Perhaps that's why I ended up towering over my parents and my older brother by the time I was in my teens. As my parents switched over to 2% and then skim milk I stopped drinking it with meals - eventually using it only for cereal, sauces and now - in my espresso years -as a component of espresso drinks. It's been so long since I drank whole milk as a beverage that even 2% milk tastes far too rich if I attempt to drink it on its own. When I eat cold cereal it's always acccompanied by skim milk. But for machiatto's, cappuccino's and latte's I use 2% or whole milk. On rare occasions I even make a breve machiatto - about 1 oz of steamed half 'n half poured onto a 1.5 ounce double ristretto espresso shot. Try one sometime - if the espresso is good this is a fantastic drink - very rich with a great complexity of flavor and texture. And if your barista is not accustomed to steaming half ' n half be sure to ask them to keep the steaming temp low - at about 120 degrees F or so - to avoid scalding the half 'n half.

And perhaps you can recall what cross street it might have been near? Fifth Avenue runs for a fair distance. The place I was thinking of is near Fifth Avenue, is small, owned and staffed by French people and has "pretty good" food - but it's on a corner and has no booths.

Bonefish is owned by the same group that has Carraba's and Outback. I've been to the one that opened here in Syracuse last year - and it's not bad for a chain. I agree that it totally outclasses Red Lobster but that's not hard to do. Asessed on its own merits I find it to be a place that will provide a decent piece of fish that's very fresh and properly cooked. Skip the sauces... have realistic expectations for the side dishes and expect it to be noisy and crowded. Oh - and the prices are reasonable. All in all it's one of the better chains out there. I finally tried a Legal Seafood location (on Long Island) a few months after trying Bonefish. It was decidely better - more sedate, noisier presentation, better sides, less crowded etc.. But the difference wasn't a quantum leap like the difference between Red Lobster and Bonefish.

Yeah.... just like $10,00 cocktails or $1,000 coffee - yet another dumb publicity stunt but not really so dumb. The business offering the "super luxury" item is unlikely to ever sell a single one but they get plenty of free publicity. Neiman-Marcus started this practice many, many years ago by having at least one insanely over-the-top item in their Christmas catalogue. And to this day all the major media outlets still report every year on what the latest Christmas season has brought in the NM catalogue.

It's worth checking a few online sources to see who ships via USPS Priority Mail. Depending on how the coffee is packed and whether the roaster is levying a "handling" charge or not you may find places that ship up to two pounds for a total shipping cost of about $4. When you can get shipping down to $2 per pound and find a reasonable price on the beans it becomes fairly competitive with local sources.

It's worth checkign a few onlinesources to see who ships via USPS Priority Mail. Depending on how the coffee is packed and whether the roaster is levying a "handling" charge or not you may find places that ship up to two pounds for a total shipping cost of about $4. When you can get shipping down to $2 per pound and find a reasonable price on the beans it becomes fairly competitive with local sources.

Easier? Not so sure. Tastes better? I'm certain. Cheaper? I woudl doubt it unless time and clean-up factor are not an issue. The price of decent quality fresh tomatoes and fresh cilantro in my area makes large containers of ready-made salsa a real bargain (I've done the math). And decent corn torillas aren't cheap around here nor are they all that fresh. If I add in the cost of oil, the time and hassle of frying the chips.... it just doesn't compute. But I am open to suggestions and would love to be convinced otherwise 'cause I love good salsa and chips. Add to the list those packets of guacamole mix. It's just a bunch of dried seasonings and if you want decent guacamole you still need to add chopped onion, chopped tomato etc. It's not as if the packet has avocado in it. And in support of the notion that buying toast is pointless I'll nominate frozen garlic bread.

My most specific recent experience of this sort that was this past summer. I walked into a Thai restaurant in Albany NY at about 7 PM on a Friday evening and discovered that I was the only patron in the entire restaurant - in a place that seats about 80 diners. At this point it was apparent that all the cars in the parking lot had to be for the Hong Kong style Chinese place next door that shared the lot. But I was still willing to give the Thai place a shot. Then I opened the menu and discovered that all the entrees were about 30% to 40% higher in price than comparable Thai restaurants in the area. The Hong Kong style fried chicken they served me next door about 30 minutes later was quite tasty (friends in the Albany area inform me that the Thai place used to be very busy on weekends - I think their new pricing structure may not be working out too well). From a more general standpoint I know I'm in the wrong place to eat when I walk in, the joint is close to empty, and the host or maitre'd follows his/her "Do you have a reservation?" inquiry with "I'll see if I can find you a table".

Franke is one of the major brands of super-auto commercial machines but Shcaerer is another big one. The only palatable and tolerable espresso drinsk I've ever had from a super-auto were from the Schaerer machines that Peet's uses in their San Francisco airport location. This recent Coffeegeek article discusses even newer advances in super-auto technology. Is This the End of the Barista? I'm far from weing a Luddite - I welcome the introduction of technology into society in general and my life in particular when there's a tangible benefit. But I still believe that the real benefit of super-auto machines is increased "efficiency" and higher profits for the coffee retailer. Yes - it does produce "greater consistency" of drinks in the mass market chains. But that same result (and better) could be achieved by higher wages and better training. And I don't believe that a super-auto machine will ever be able to consistently replicate what a highly traioned and dedicated barista can produce behind an espresso machine.

This thread - from our ever helpful Pinned Coffee & Tea Topics index is a great place to start Roasts... Buying It; In Search of Master Roasters

I got so tired of the crappy knives at my mom's house that I bought her a wooden knife block set with some Chicago Cutlery knives. This was a good ten years ago (or longer) so they most likely preced the made-in-China stuff. They suit her needs just fine and she relies on me for periodic sharpening. But the knife that still cuts better than the rest is the old Dexter - a 6" boning knife that was a post retirement cast-off from my dad's father - a butcher by trade. Grandpa wore it down so far over the years that the the1 1/2" width of the blad' is down to about 1/3" at the handle end. BUt it still holds a betetr edge than the newer knives. Can't speak for others but my mom is in her 80's, a child of the Depression and not about to develop any good knife maintenance habits (nor does she do any exacting knife work in her cooking).

Can't leave out half smokes!

I'm guessing that they don't stay all that warm for very long but is the transformation due to a change in the oil that's inherent in the fried chip? Does it liquify a bit and remain in that state for awhilel even as the chip cools off?

My Chevy Chase DC based buddy and his GF went to Comet Ping Pong late this past weekend and were sorely disappointed. I mentioned it to them after seeing this thread and they were enthused at the propsect of a new dining option in their end of town. The experience failed to live up to their modest expectations. Three bottles of soft drink and two pizzas - one white and one red (the red with sausage) totaled $45 with tax and tip. Both of them were unimpressed by the crust and found it (the crust) to have an extremely salty taste - almost as though salt had been used to keep the crust from sticking to the oven floor (instead of cornmeal). So salty that they left behind about 1/3 of each pie - despite still being hungry. I was a bit surprised by their experience, having read this thread, but perhaps consistency is an issue at Comet?

Hey Owen, I sure hope she likes coffee as well. ← She doesn't like drip coffee bur she loves mocha latte's - and she's amazed now that she's tried some really good ones. On our first date we met at the Ithaca coffeehouse of her choice and I immediately dragged her down the block to the one of my choice - which she had never tried and was quite pleased with. Now that my fridge remains regularly stocked with diet soft drinks (yes - it's over four months and she's still putting up with me) I have come to have a continued appreciation for Coke Zero and also like Sprite Zero. I'm still not much of a soda drinker but the Zero products are pretty darn good. Now I'm hoping they'll come up with a Dr. Pepper Zero.

I'll take the liberty of adding Spro Coffee because I have been to Onocoffee's previous venture (now on seasonal shutdown I think?) "Jay's Shave Ice and Kona Coffee" - which was in nearby Timonium. Like the others on the list (and any that should be recommended in this thread) - it has an ongoing focus on delivering , properly brewed coffee and properly pulled espresso shots with perfectly textured milk etc.. And - as one would expect - it can be counted on for consistency in its drinks. Every place on Onocoffee's list that I have visited (which is about half of them) was very good and worth a visit. Ditto with the places on Espresso Map that I have tried thus far - about a dozen in total to date. I have yet to personally try any place in Albany, Rochester or Buffalo that really delivers the goods. Matt Godard (of Cafe Kubal - mentioned upthread) did once mention a place in Weedsport NY (between Syracuse and Auburn) that was, in his opinion, doing a darn good job and pursuing best possible practices. I can't recall the name and don't know if they are still open ( a Google search reveals nothing). I'm just back from a long weekend visiting my parents on Anna Maria Island in Florida. I made three visits over the weekend to Metro Coffee & Wine - a place I first tried back in January of this year. It definitely deserves a place on Espresso Map - they are using Counter Culture Coffee, a La Marzoccco GB5, good process control and seem to be training the staff well. Of the couple dozen double shots I've had there thus far there were only two that were not at the standard of excellence any good cafe should aspire to - and both of those were pulled by a barista who appeared to be new and still on the earlier part of the learning curve. I would hope that there are other really good espresso places in Florida (but I have yet to find them).

There's also another element to the story. Conventional grocery stores where shopper buy veggies and produce only once or twice each week require the wholesale vendors to provide product that is at a very specific stage of ripeness. This is so they can get it through their distribution system, keep it on the shelf for a several days or longer and still have it appeal to mainstream non-Chinese buyers who may not use it for a few more days after that. It's my understanding that many Chinese families purchase such items as fish, meat or produce on almost a daily basis. Therefore the Chinatown merchants can get reduced prices on produce that is at the optimal stage for purchase and consumption but would be over-ripe and well past its prime if it went through the typical distribution channels to regular grocery stores. Ever notice how in a typical mainstream grocery store most of the produce is on the green or somewhat under-ripe side? NPR had a terrific piece on this topic just a few weeks ago - audio only - no text Chinatown Vendors Ripe for Bargains by Lisa Chow

Normal meaning not haute cuisine because there tends to be a lack of luxe ingredients and it's not innovative enough? Or normal as in "no different from other restaurants of its type" (i.e. the fact that FCI operates it being irrelevant). I've always found the food there to be consistent but perhaps the kitchen was run more tightly on the occasions when I dined there. The service, OTOH, although always well meaning, was often less than highly polished (to be expected - the kitchen has FCI chef/faculty riding herd on operations whereas most of the FOH stuff is all students - or so I understand it to be).

Does L'Ecole count? It's been about four years since Ive eaten there but a three course price-fixe dinner at about $30 ($10 surcharge for a few of the entree choices) is certainly cheap. It may not be trendy but it's not casual or bistro food. But you also can't just walk in and expect to get a table unless it's early in the week at a non-prime seating time. And perhaps the fact that it's subsidized/operated by FCI excludes it from the category.

The best smelling aromas from the kitchen microwave in my workplace is nearly always food I've warmed up - lefotovers from hoem cooking. But several years back one of my colleagues (who continues to deny it but credible sources pinpoint him as the culprit) decided to microwave a small bag of fried pork rinds. They smell like burning hair! I didn't eat lunch that day.

I was never overly impressed with Krispy Kreme to begin with. I found the sweetness of their glazed doughnuts to be very cloying. They have one or two locations here in Syracuse but the one I drive by regularly always seems to have an empty parking lot - I suspect it will be gone before too long. The whole wheat "healthier" doughnut will hardly be enough to get a significant number of new customers through the door. I find it humorous (and disengenuous) that they claim the Atkins craze to be the culprit in their downfall. I don't think they ever had the mass market fast food fundamentals in place to begin with: 1) A reasonably broad balance of product. 2) Appealing enough to a broad enough range of people such that they'll get lots of regular repeat business. 3) Aggressive marketing with a regular cycle of new and/or seasonal products being introduced and advertised heavily. Dunkin' Donuts is all over the place n this town and the Atkins craze hardly seemed to be a blip on the radar for their business. They stayed busy throughout and seem to be busier than ever (with even more new locations). And their success is definitely (IMHO) not based on high product quality.

I use coarse sea salt as is for basic cooking and a medium coarseness for sprinkling on items such as corn on the cob. But I use unsweetened Drost cocoa powder (or its equivalent) to make a microfoamed chocolate milk base for mocha latte's. My ideal mocha base has a drop or two of vanilla extract, some raw sugar (or cane syrup) and a very small pinch of salt added to the milk before steaming. The absolute best mocha's I have ever tried have all been at Carriage House Cafe in Ithaca. They use Valrhona unsweetened chocolate for their mocha base and add sweetener etc. instead of using syrup or a presweetened powder such as Ghirardelli. I steam to only about 135 F when using regular milk and about 125 F with the Lactaid milk I use for making my GF's drinks (and she drinks most of the mocha's consumed at my house). The brief steaming time and low temps have me suspecting that coarse sea salt won't dissolve fully when I make the mocha base. A pinch of salt really helps the flavors shine but I cringe at the thought of sucking in and tasting a honkin' big sea salt crystal when I drink a mocha.

You didn't inquire about coffee and espresso but the best place in that part of town is Blue Spoon on Chambers just off Broadway.

I don't have a salt mill but might consider getting one to use instead of the mortar and pestle I use at present. I tend to favor the flavor of sea salt for most purposes but need it in a few different coarseness levels. The limited amount of cooking I have time to do (often for only one or two people) is such that I don't want to have three separate containers of sea salt on hand. I just buy the coarse stuff and mash it as needed. But more kitchen implements? I don't need more clutter - I suppose I'll lstick to the mortar and pestle.