divalasvegas

I was considering making both a turkey and a goose for Thanksgiving. Actually, I love everything about roast goose--the meat, liver "cook's treat," the crispy skin, the fat but especially the drippings and the stock I make using the wing tips and giblets and neck, is the most delicious gravy ever, almost a cross between very rich turkey gravy and beef gravy. Sorry, that description is not the best but the gravy is deliciously unreal. Also, andiesenji I considered making a stuffing for the goose but I've seen two camps on this: 1) it's too greasy a bird to stufff and 2) stuffing is just fine. I'd really like to try my hand at using a stuffing to be eaten and not just one for flavoring. Edited because I forgot how to spell the word "two."

OMG moosnsqrl, so I wasn't the only one at home squirming and feeling somewhat uncomfortable when she was pontificating on what is and is not Iron Chef caliber food!? Yeah, that was too funny. Though, in her defense, I think she has improved as time goes on. Back to the secret ingredient, my take on it was that swordfish is a pretty unforgiving fish and real easy to dry out and screw up, so maybe that's why it was selected? Would've been more interesting if they were given an array of fish/shellfish we don't see on a regular basis in the States maybe. Congrats to both Symon and Besh. I think the best two made it to the end. Can't wait to see what Symon cooks up in Kitchen Stadium.

I noticed your said Pizza Parlor...are you from back east? I remember Nehi sodas...thoes were good times ← does anyone remember tahitian treat fruit punch? i used to walk to the corner store to get a can for 25 cents...................those were the days!! by the way, i'm from back east.......................washington, DC!!! ← I'm also from DC, born and raised, and while the name Tahitian Treat sounds familiar tastykimmie, I can't remember whether or not I've ever had that soda. Definitely Rock Creek sodas ruled in DC back in the day, as well as RC Cola, Orange Crush, Nehi, and (not your favorite Magus ) Cokes in both the original tall and short green bottles. I was especially fond of all the fruit flavors of Rock Creek and, all things being equal as far as the food was concerned, would patronize an establishment that had Rock Creek over one that did not.

Nah, I'll keep eating out. Besides, I can't believe that every cook/chef is that nasty. BTW, dontcha ya know that's why you always need to say Grace before you eat? It's that Holy Ghost Penicillin that smites EVERYTHING!

I would not do that at home if I was the only one eating out of the pot saliva is where the digestion starts ..dont put that in my food please that settles it I am not watching this show..thanks!!!! ← Exactly! And, like you, I don't do that even I'm the only one eating the finished product. I got this good habit from my mom who would always say that using the same spoon to both cook and taste with would "sour the pot." She was so right, bless her soul.

Though I didn't see these two guys do this yet (give them time) I've often seen chefs/cooks on tv do something totally nauseating to me and that is to taste using the spoon they're cooking with and then shake whatever is left in the spoon back into the pot. Can someone, anyone please tell me wtf is up with that!? Ick.

First of all san mighty decent of you not to name the establishment here. However, don't you think it would be a good idea, especially with your restaurant management background, to contact the restaurant's upper management about your experience? I'm assuming that this dinner was an expensive one and your and your friend's experience was quite atrocious. I don't blame you for not wanting to return, but someone with your background could provide the owners/upper management with a constructive critique about everything that went wrong and also give yourself the well deserved satisfaction of venting your displeasure. BTW, how much did you tip the server?

I watched most of it and may watch it again, but what jumped out at me was that they seemed to be trying to mimic the relaxed and amusing banter and mood of Duff and crew on Ace of Cakes, a show I like and watch often. However, there was just something so forced and fake about it, and I'm really quite over all of the phoney manufactured conflict on a lot of so-called reality shows. And yes, a couple of hairnets wouldn't hurt either.

Yes, the long neck sodas are the kind I'm talking about. I grew up in DC which had and still has a lot of Southern influence, so those kind of sodas are very nostalgic to me and would seem to fit in with the tone you are trying (and definitely succeeding) to achieve. BTW, sorry if I missed it upthread, but what is B&M? And try to keep it clean brotha'!

In the meantime while you perfect your signature soda and since you are staying wonderfully old school, how about one or two of those vintage looking soda chests like these where you could offer a selection of bottled old school sodas? For instance I'm thinking of sodas like Nehi, RC Cola, Cheerwine, Dad's Root Beer and my favorite, Rock Creek sodas (the latter may be a regional thing actually). BTW, I'm not trying to torture you with visions of Coca Cola; it's just that the website above had the best depictions of what I'm trying to describe.

Great idea SundaySous. I know that I'd be a loyal customer of any place that could make a proper egg cream or a great chocolate malted shake.

YOU DON'T LIKE COKE !? Seriously, do the the big boys, Coke and Pepsi, not allow businesses to offer both by tap? I always see either or, but never both. BTW, good luck on creating your own signature soda. As for this: Since I am a proper lady, I will refrain from making any off-color comments about that statement.

I wonder if the companies producing some of the sauces you're buying are making sauces that are fat free or lowfat? Every recipe I've ever seen for Buffalo wing sauce has almost equal parts hot sauce (I use Frank's) and butter (some recipes say margerine -- ugh, NO WAY!). Any low fat or fat free sauce is not going to be able to impart the yumminess and depth to the sauce that butter does and vegetable oil is no substitute IMHO which is most likely what's used in commercial products. I've also seen recipes that call for a tbs of white vinegar, but I've never used it when making my sauce.

Why am I'm not surprised Sandy that the wretched stench of the Mighty 'Skins has wafted all the way to Philly? Alas, they seem to find a way to break my heart every season. But back to the topic at hand, it's official: I'll be V.P. in charge of the DC/MD/VA franchises, while Sandy gets first dibs on the PA (and maybe even NY and NJ?) Number 9 empire. Now all we need, other than investment capital and a business plan, is for Magus to create signature Sandy and divalasvegas burgers that reflect each of our scintillating personalities.

I'm happy for all of you who love the McRib, but I'll have to pass on this one as I did when it was originally introduced. I'm not knocking anyone who enjoys the McRib since I've eaten my share of junk food and still have junk food cravings I satisfy--Screaming Yellow Zonkers, Hostess "fruit" pies and chocolate cupcakes, 7-11 Slurpees, etc. It's just something about a product like the McRib that seems like it'll probably have that pre-chewed quality/texture about it I just can't stand, like their chicken McNuggets (the documentary "Supersize Me" should cure anyone from craving those IMHO), Pringles potato chips, and those awful identical pre-fab onion rings some restaurants sell. Besides, I'm already boycotting McDonald's because of this nonsense. Edited to say: I'm not blaming McDonalds for her arrest/harassment, but it is my understanding that they suspended her immediately and didn't stand behind her or at least remain impartial in the matter.

I second the potato bread, but the other really great alternatives--at least to my liking--are the Pepperidge Farm Original, Farmhouse Country White, and Farmhouse Hearty White varieties. I'm also partial to a decent sour dough bread/toast. I personally do not like whole wheat or any type of multi-grain bread for poached eggs on toast.

I'll definitely keep watching, but like many here wish TVFN would show more and detailed comments about the contestants' dishes AND let us see more of the actual preparation of the dishes. BTW, did anyone find this last challenge strange? I mean, they go to all the trouble about admonishing the chefs to cook for customers who will be dining at 40,000 feet--assertive seasoning, etc.--and then serve it on the ground in an airplane hangar AND then complain about the seasoning. Strange. Edited to complete a sentence since the computer decided to have a mind of its own and post before I was finished.

Kudos on getting your blog/website up and running. Those screen shots of the Big 9 are great, no need to apologize for your photography. Magus, since you're blowing up big time, maybe it's time to consider an east coast location--DC/northern Virginia PULEEZE. I could really use a Big 9 with a chocolate malted, if you do those, about right now. Why? Easy: New England Patriots - 52, Redskins - 7. Oh the humanity................

I know that I'm quite the heretic Mayur but I truly do not like gin (nor scotch for that matter) and recently had one of the best martini's ever mixed by a good friend mine ("gently shaken not stirred" she said) made with very good vodka and the proper amount of dry vermouth--definitely "wetter" than that godawful one drop nonsense.

That sounds like something one could buy from the White Castle brand of frozen products.. Well, maybe not with bacon, but they sold 2-packs of frozen White Castle cheeseburgers in the "corner store" at school. Disgusting. Speaking of food sold to college students with either no self-control, tastebuds, or drug-induced super-hunger... I just thought of something to add to the list: [insert drumroll] Warm Delights by Betty Crocker (I knew a girl who tried to act like she knew how to eat and cook but swore by this *&%$ last year when they appeared! ) ← What's especially insidious about this product feedmecOOkies is that they gave a seriously food porn name/slogan--"Warm Delights: You're Just Three Minutes From Heaven"--to yet another substandard just-add-water boxed dessert. Come to think of it, that name and slogan actually sounds like it would be better applied to REAL porn.

Given the liability that could be incurred by a bar--at least in the U.S.--if a customer should get wasted on a couple of these gigantic cocktails, then leave and have a horrific traffic accident, I'm truly surprised that this trend is still going strong. And Special K I totally agree, except for me it would be if they tried to give me GIN instead of Vodka!

Why do people buy Crystal Lite/Light/Lyte(?) when basically it's just gentrified Kool Aid and costs many times more per serving? And what the Hell is in those meatloaf seasoning packets? Is there anyone out there who thinks that meatloaf needs its own special pre-mixture of mystery seasonings? Diet margerine?

So glad that your business is a smashing success Magus and God Bless annarborfoodie for the fat, juicy, double cheeseburger porn. It's great that you've decided to keep it old school and not offer veggie burgers and smoothies. There are plenty of places to get those things, but not everyone can turn out a stellar burger where people are eating them two and three at a time. Plus we all have the added benefit of seeing that you are a real cutie pie!

Okay fess' up SundaySous, since we're all telling on ourselves here, just admit that you're a regular watcher of Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee (Semi-Ho' for short)! That "recipe" has her written all over it.

One I don't use and don't get it is canned chicken (another Sandra Lee staple come to think of it). It really doesn't take that long to poach (or grill on a countertop grill) chicken breasts/thighs in order to make chicken salad. Also, juice in a can, especially orange or pineapple juice. It ALWAYS tastes like the can. I remember those from public school. Blecch!