Jump to content

transfattyacid

participating member
  • Posts

    348
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by transfattyacid

  1. Regular poaching temperature, so below a simmer.  What is that, 150-ish?  If the liquid is too hot, I bet the meat tastes just boiled, instead of delicate.

    6oz filet takes about 10 minutes to MR, plus resting.  It should come to room temperature before cooking, too.  Now that I think about it, resting is probably not required, given the low cooking temperature.

    Poaching liquid is roughly two parts dark chicken stock, one part each veal stock and drinkable red wine.  Whatever aromatics you would like.  We tend to just use the Simon and Garfunkel blend for just about everything  :)  Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme .... for real!

    Touch method simply does not work for this technique, but a thermometer works great.  110 for rare, 115-118 for MR, 118-122 for medium.  I don't know how to cook tenderloin beyond this (have the sirloin instead).

    The first time I tried it, it tasted so familar!  Then someone nailed it - like mom's roast beef, if only Mom served CAB tenderloin more often.  The poaching liquor lends that familiar 'gravy' taste we all know and love.

    -- Matt.

    Yeah Matt , an interesting technique for beef it is.

    I`ve done some thing similar. bœuf à la ficelle ( beef tied with string and poached in broth ) I recall using a double reduced consomme as the poaching medium. Enlivened with a slug of madeira and some fresh morels. `Tis a thing of beauty.

  2. I just wish Andrew could type faster.

    As a professional writer, he sure is a fucking slow typist.

    I use the advanced two finger hunt and peck method and I can still kick his ass.

    I can't wait all fucking night to see what pearls of wisdom he is going to deliver.

    He`s done a runner.

    Paging Mr Morrison, Mr Morrison.

    Come back and lets argue the toss

  3. Even though we cooks can get obsessed about how our work places are rated and by whom. I would avoid using any form of comparable scoring system. For a multitude of reasons. The first being that it can be an exercise in dancing about architecture, and will probably cause more reactionary flack than you are wishing to garner. I`m presuming your prime motive for reviewing restaurants is not to elicit controversy, or you wouldn`t be asking this question with so much civility.

    I`ve always wondered how, for example, differing subjective personal experiences can be compared to one another, then tallied up and pigeonholed for editorial convenience.

  4. Tina, you have me speechless. Lost for words in fact.

    I`m not quite sure what to say, so please forgive my clumsiness.

    I`m not a doctor, when i heard about what you were going through (a week or so after i had the pleasure of cooking for you at work ) i wished that i was a medical man so that i could help. You would get my undivided attention if that were the case.

    But i `m a mere cook, and as luck would have it there is a way for me, and countless others to help you and your family out, the only way we know how.

    I`m truely humbled to be a part of this.

    best wishes

    Colin

  5. I was just wondering.  Of the restaurant people that involved in this topic.  How many times have you had James Barber into you dining room? Not even for this year but for the last couple of years?

    Yeah we`ve had him in. Not lately but the name rings a bell.

  6. Hi,

    I'm thinking of going out with my family to La Regalade and I was wondering whether it's particularly noisy?  I adore the food but I can't remember if it's appropriate for older relatives who like quieter settings.

    I can`t remember how loud they crank the speakers with that god awful french theme park music. Do people shout to be heard over the sound of their arteries clogging.

    Hmmm that reminds me i should go skim my stocks.

  7. Nottingham also has the highest rate of gun crime in the UK - I'll be sure to hurry there. :wink:

    Easiest place in Europe to buy an Uzi , or so i hear of my home town.

    But Nottinghams food scene was all but non existant till the back end of the `90`s.

    Believe me, i cooked some of the more suspect items there at one time.

    Come on i know i haven`t been in the counrty for a while, but Nottingham beats Ludlow ? London ? Leeds ? L.. L.. L.. L...Lace market ? Doh .

    Okay so whats all the fuss about ?

    Harts ?

    Sonny`s ?

    World Service ?

    What else .. apart from some damn good cheese made not too far away, And a mammoth Sainsbury`s at Castle Marina ?

    Do tell ?

  8. How much are these classes and when does the next sessions start? They sound fantastic? Really interesting in this process regarding the aging of the steaks?

    S.

    hello samasutra.

    Here is a link to the first post in this thread. It has a link to the NCAV home page, where you can find contact information, examples of dishes you will prepare and core subjects that are covered in the class.

    Also with regard to the aging of steaks. I would strongly recommend that you go down to HSG to say 'Hi' to Neil, His steaks are some of the best in the city, his knowledge also knows no bounds and he always has a smile and a few moments to chat to a fellow eG head.

    peace out

  9. Having lived and worked in the East End I've only had a pie once...I found them chewy and pretty awful and it took me several pints of Guiness to wash them down and I love eel when it's smoked, grilled, or in a soup.

    You're doing an excellent job of convincing me not to pursue this quest any further. Have you ever tried jellied eels?

    My mum swears by jellied eels...I have not tried them :unsure: and most likley will not :biggrin:

    Stephen

    I have had jellied eels a few times in the East End and i can honestly say that they are " mingin` "

    Pie and Mash as a concept does sound quiet appealing, but in practice ... hmmm... it`s not something that most English people go out their way to eat. i found it to be an experience thats best enjoyed in situ or at least the best part was the ' situ ' as the Pie and mash shops have a charm thats all their own.

    A charm in which a transplant to the west coast would, i fear, be lost in translation.

  10. On at least three of the five DOV dinners I had, I had servers take my order for all three courses off the top and then disappear for the rest of the meal. I felt like I was a chore checklist being ticked off. I know it adds an extra visit to the table to ask what a guest would like for dessert after they finish their entrees, but that's what normally happens when it's not DOV, so shouldn't I get the same treatment as a 'normal' customer?

    Just a quick note on this.

    Most restaurants do about a 20 to 30 % mix on desserts, meaning, 2 to three people in ten order dessert.

    DOV is 100 % dessert mix !

    We needed to get the order right out of the gate so desserts would be ready !

    Restaurant do not normally do that many desserts - it is dessert madness !

    Wow, only 20-30%? I find that very surprising, as dessert tends to be usually the highlight for many people at meals!

    Mr Wyles and HSG has a great reputation and primary sales share in huge chunks of beef , very tasty huge chunks of beef expertly cooked i might add , so i`m not surpised by his dessert sales % .

    Our place maybe more in the region of 60 - 75 % but our menus and pricing/portioning are crafted with this in mind.

    But Mr Wyles point remains.

    DOV sells loads of cakes and puddings, and some simpleton ( normally me ) has to make them, and make them and make them and make them and make them.

    Or bugger off for paternal leave just as things are getting started :biggrin:

  11. My wife and I don't normally celebrate valentines day, as I usually work.  But this year, I am leaving it in my very capable sous chef's hands and we are going to the Pear Tree.  We like to dine there for our anniversary, but as my wife is in a family way, with my little apprentice due just before our anniversary,  we decided to brave the masses of St. Hallmarks...  I mean St. Valentines day.  Every experience at the Pear Tree has been top notch in the past and I'm sure this one will be just as good.  I'm looking forward to seeing the room post reno.

    It will be interesting to see this day from the other side!

    Congrats man . i could go on but i won`t . enjoy one hell of an experience

    oh and the pear tree is good too :]

  12. Forgive me, as i dont know these cooks/proprietors by name . But a Memphis Blues cookbook would indeed be a worthy read. As would a Gyzoa king volume or two.

    Both would surely provide an inspirational read, yielding a collection of some great flavourful recipes. And a unique insight into a character rich food and business philosophy.

    Has Mr Vij authored a book ?

    phnom penn ?

    Or is there enough coffee table food porn out there, and do we really need to encourage more ?

  13. Hi all .

    DOV was going pretty good, we were hammering out a good solid menu. Meez was keeping me off the streets, and every one seemed to be enjoying the food and service.

    That was until friday.

    My wife went into labour friday morning. so off to work for me ( kinda distracted tho`).

    Got a phone call, calling me away from the impending peak time friday night DOV service.

    i`ll spare you the details , but i`d like you all to meet Joe who was born on saturday 28th.

    joeJPG.jpg

    Mum is doing fine and well

    BIG thanks to everyone at work for covering for me and being so understanding. and for the well wishes.

    I`ll be back with y`all soon :]

  14. I'm also dying to try coffe made on the new clover machine that Elysian have.

    Yeah that machine caught my eye, they have some pretty cool kit there eh !

    But what does the clover thing do ? yeah make coffee i take it but how ?

    I would be interested to hear the machinics of it, and how it differs from regular coffee brewed in a more traditional way.

  15. Just been to the Elysian room for a coffee with the missis, and very nice it was too.

    You guys looked very busy, over heard some freak asking about your hot chocolate, gee how you don`t end up strangling folk is beyond me :]

    I also got 1/2 pound o` beans for home use the Elysian espresso blend, great beans guys. Tell me more about the if you get a second.

  16. anybody been to bisto pastis for dine out?  i've heard great things about the place in general, but nothing about what it tends to do for dine out.

    thanks!

    Yeah, i had DOV there for the last two years running. and very nice it was too.

    French onion soup, salmon tartare, coq au vin, creme caramel. have been eaten and enjoyed.

    I think that Bistro Pastis do DOV how it should be done, they serve simple dishes but all very well executed with care. and very tasty.

  17. the website for the new bis moreno location is Rare one, the name of the locations is explained throughout, sounds like it could be a great place.

    I had a sneek peek at the blog on the link, before it went all 404 that is.

    The Rare person wrote something to the effect that they/he/she will be hanging picture`s of the site previous occupants as a honourable and respectful foodie graveyard in a tasteful photographic format . Giving the new tenants some thing other than IL Giardino`s customers to look at on slow nights.

    Maybe they have better luck than Bis Morano,( live by the media and you shall surely die by it ). Etoile, hmmm. why did no one go there then but crowd into parkside now ? i could go on , but i won`t.

    I wish them luck in premises that would make a roaring trade as a dry cleaners.

    oh, and Happy New Year :]

×
×
  • Create New...