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Jeff L

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Posts posted by Jeff L

  1. I've used the Kamado stuff.  I find it especially good for a long low-n-slow.  I can load up my K (see the avatar) with enough in a single load to smoke at 200F for 20+ hours.  I find the coconut is more difficult to start than oak lump, but it'll burn at a low temp for a long long time.  I also find it doesn't produce nearly as much ash as oak, so it doesn't tend to snuff itself out.

    Foodwise, I think it smokes a bit more than oak -- nothing really visible, but you'll end up with a slight smoke ring.  It does not impart any type of heavy flavor like fruitwood, but it is slightly different than oak.

    But when I want some 700F searing temps, I go back to oak.

    Dave, I will be using this for a small konro grill and think the lump coal seems to burn the hottest. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain for long smoking and want to try the long burning Kamado coals for that.

    That Kamodo grill looks really purdy tho. I wish I'd known about them before buying my weber as ceramic just makes more sense than sheet metal.

  2. There really is an insane amount of info on Whiz's site, like the following from their review:
    The Kamado newsletter says that food will have a mild and unique taste. Kamado encouraged us to do a taste test, so we said we'd try. We won't claim to have a discriminating palate, but we tried. We cooked a 1/2 inch thick slice of chicken breast over the Kamado lump and one over BGE (Royal Oak) lump. Same times and temps, just two lumps and two cookers. For verification purposes, we allowed our wife to participate. We both agreed without hesitation that the Kamado lump gave the chicken a stronger smokier taste than the BGE (Royal Oak) lump. Personally, to our tastes, this is goodness. To those who prefer as little smokiness in their food's flavor as possible, this lump would not meet that requirement.

    Be sure to do some searching over at alt.food.barbecue -- differing opinions over there...

    This is sick, who would have thought there would be so much discussion on such an arcane topic? Thanks so much, I think!

    I'm gonna do my own tests on a variety of stuff but seeing how much it costs to ship just about any of these except for Kingsford of course, I'll probably just try the top 5 rated ones

  3. Extruded coconut charcoal has generally received good word from the fanatics -- be sure to check out the Naked Whiz's charcoal comparo.

    And, in my ever-so-humble opinion, Japanese charcoal is all hype.  So good on you for looking to alternatives...

    Thanks. That was very interesting indeed but didn't really shed light on the quality of the coals as in improving overall flavor of foods being cooked. I did in fact know that the coconut stuff burns hotter and longer but I was looking for quality of the coals and how it translates tastewise to the finished product.

    I have a small quantity of bincotan that I ordered with the konro and will try that first. Then I want to compare it with Kingsford that I use for my smoker then I want to try some other stuff including the coconut charcoal. I was just wondering if anyone else had actually tried the stuff yet because it sounded interesting to me.

  4. I stumbled across this site while searching for a less expensive alternative to traditional Japanese charcoal for use with my Konro grill http://www.tropicalcharcoal.com/

    Has anyone ever heard of this and if so do you have experience using the product?

    This stuff is brought to you by the same folks who make the Kamado grills. In speaking with the inventor/owners daughter today, I learned that the guy who makes the big green egg kind of borrowed this design: http://www.kamado.com/

  5. I've had decent meals at the Yardley Inn just downstream from New Hope.

    As have I. The Yardley Inn is a terrific restaurant!

    Interestingly, Dominick Zirilli who was executive chef there, left last summer to pursue a catering business. I have always found the food there to be quite good even excellent at times. It is still quite good and shows how well his next in line chef is doing. When he was there, Dominick did a Niman Ranch pork shank that was truly wonderful. Great service, nice views of the river and really good food in an otherwise culinary wasteland that is Yardley save for the Italian deli in the strip center where the state store is.

  6. We now interrupt our programming for a public service announcement.

    I CANNOT OVEREMPHASISE HOW MUCH YOU *CAN NOT* USE THAT GRILL INDOORS.

    SUMI CHARCOAL WHILE IT BURNS SMOKELESS CREATES CARBON MONOXIDE, A COLORLESS ODORLESS GAS WHICH WILL MAKE YOU PASS OUT EVENTUALLY, POSSIBLY DIE TOO.

    and now we return to Oprah....

    V, I had no intention of using it indoors as I got a big ass back yard with patio. Just repeating what I was told. I know a liitle about carbon monoxide as we have a gas fireplace and I once forgot to open the flue all the way. That doesn't happen any more!

  7. That grill looks perfect for an apartment dweller with a small outdoor patio, no?

    Tim, particularly if you buy some of the binchotan charcoal. It burns at a very high heat and is virtually smokeless. I was told the Konro grill is made for indoor use with use of the wooden base. Can't wait to try mine out!

  8. I just got off the phone with Korin and the Konro grill is selling at a 15% discount. Shipping to PA is $12. Call 1-800-626-2172 - I ordered the small one with some binchotan coals. There are a pleasure to deal with.

    Also, they offer a 10% trade discount but not combinable with the 15% off.

    I don't know, get creative :biggrin:

  9. I somehow haven't made it to Delorenzo's yet, it's a crime, really...

    Jeff, it is indeed a crime. Let me know if you ever get a Friday morning off so we can do lunch. If not, pm me to arrange a weeknight excursion. Forget about weekends though, it's kind of like how David explained the wait at Grimaldi's without the car exhaust.

    Don't forget to bring that famous camera!

  10. Went to Pinchana tonight. While the salad bar here is not as good as fogo"s the meat is better and Pinchana has lowered the price to 17 a person so you have to consider that (after over 200 at Tinto earlier that is a deal).

    This place is close to where I live so I try to go twice a month, sometimes the gaucho does every thing welldone but the dude tonight was spot on temp-wise.

    They had the sirloin, top sirloin, flank, lamb loin, leg of lamb, shortribs, a bunch of sausages and chicken hearts .All really good tonight.

    I thought it was the best deal around when it was $21 p.p. At $17 it's a no brainer. Picanha's meats were more flavorful than Brasilia Grill in Newark. They use copius amounts of salt that I really like with very little present at Brasilia.

    While I was generally unimpressed with the salad bar, the meat is really why you should go for rodizio. My other complaint is that I too seemed to get a fair amount of well done meat, lots of it, but well done. I really don't like well done but I didn't want to wait for the next round. This place is fun and well worth going to as outlined in several posts upthread.

  11. OK, thanks for the clarification. Grimaldi and Totonno's both make fantastic pizza's. I'm not sure if even I would rate Delorenzo's better than those 2 places.

    I would, easily. Totonno's makes a nice white pie; I've never understood the fuss about their other pizzas. As far as Grimaldi's, the only explanation that comes to mind is that the extended wait and proximity to Brooklyn Bridge traffic exhaust induces severe delusions in most people. That pizza is just downright mediocre. Brooklyn Ice Cream factory next door, however, that's good stuff.

    David, I was actually referring to Totonno's white pie as maybe a notch better than Delorenzo's offering. Delorenzo's tomato pie however, in my opinion, is superior to both Grimaldi and Totonno.

  12. People that I have shared pizza experience with, rated De Lorenzo lesser then places like Patsy's, Totonno's and Grimaldi, and those place are not even in the same league as Il Pizzaiolo. Anyway, I will try to make it to Trenton on my next visit to the States. Ed Levine feature De Lorenzo in his book "Pizza, A slice of heaven".

    Ciao

    OK, thanks for the clarification. Grimaldi and Totonno's both make fantastic pizza's. I'm not sure if even I would rate Delorenzo's better than those 2 places.

    Love to meet you there if you can get to Trenton, I live about 1/2 hour away. It would be interesting to hear your critique. I am by no means a professional on any level, just a guy who appreciates excellence.

  13. I re-posted in this post because Ron's made a further step to perfection by replacing the oven (which I have helped him source and I do not think there is something wrong with that), and I had a chance to try the pizza coming out of it and was even better then before.

    You're right, there is nothing wrong with helping a client "source" an oven. I am just finding it strange that you still have not told us if there was a financial relationship here. Most posters on EG Forums are upfront with any asociation to a place they are raving about as it qualifies their opinions to a certain extent. I am not suggesting that you are raving about this place purely for financial gain at all.. just come clean about the arrangement is all I'm saying if there is in fact a financial gain here.

    I too share your passion for excellent pizza and would point you to Trenton New Jersey in your search for what I and many others claim is one of the best pizza's in the region if not the country. This place is Delorenzo's on Hudson Street in Trenton, NJ. It does not however qualify for true Napoletana pizza because they use standard blodgett ovens and do not us buffalo mozzarella to my knowledge. In any case, I think that you will find this pizza extraordinary in every sense.

    I will certainly seek out Ron's place when I am next in that area

  14. I Do not work for il Pizzaiolo and live in UK and was born in Naples.

    I am a  P/T Pizzamaker consultant  (edited and involved with Equipment selection)and work F/T in the food Industry

    I have been in quite few places, including few famous pizzeria in the NYC and Ron at Il Pizzaiolo is doing the best job that side of the Atlantic. Obviously we need to look at what is the best pizza for an individual. If you, like me, consider the finest Pizza Napoletana to be the best pizza, then Il Pizzaiolo is there.

    In any case, anyone concern with quality ingredient and final product cannot say otherwise.

    Just for the record, I may not be the only one that went to many places and think the same about il pizzaiolo... just readHERE

    Ciao

    Edited: I have many clients in the US, so It is not in my best interest to say that one was the best unless it was true....  Could you tell me then what you consider to be the best??? Thanks

    So let me understand. You live in UK which I take to mean the United Kingdom and happened to be the translator for the crew installing either equipment you advised the restaurant to buy or equipment for a company you have a financial relationship with? Either way, it looks a little like shilling to me which is discouraged on these forums. Please feel free to correct me if I have misunderstod the situation.

  15. Susan, first off congrats on a big anniversary.

    Thanks Jeff. Actually, Susan didn't write this one. I got all inspired and cranky, so the review is my handiwork.

    I'd still stay at Phillips Mill, I just wouldn't eat there again - unless they changed the chef.

    :cool:

    Oh, well congrats to you as well Sam!! Wish you would have pm'd me or something. I could have steered you guys in the right direction

  16. Susan, first off congrats on a big anniversary. Sorry you had such an unpleasant dinner at Inn of Phillips Mill. It was, and I emphasize the word was, one of our favorite romantic places to go about 8 or 10 years ago, but has dropped off considerably as you have discovered. Too bad because the place is beautiful in a rustic way and the staff have always been endearing. Approaching the place reminds one of a quaint village in the south of france with the narrow winding road and landscape.

    I'm afraid New Hope has NO HOPE as a culinary destination. I have heard good things about Tastebuds but have not been. Marsha Brown's is just ok with big prices and pretty much everything else kind of sucks. I live about 20 minutes away and do get there when friends from out of town visit as it's torture to walk the streets on nice spring/summer days. I think you should have stayed at the Inn but dined across the bridge at No. 9.

  17. "....offers sommelier-selected, small-production, highly rated wines from some of the

    finest producers and growing regions in the world at significant savings."

    not sure how they will be able to do this.  highly rated, small production wines usually don't need to be sold off in bulk at discounts.

    sounds like off year or less than top rated vintages will be the way they go as they have in the past. This allows them to bring in high end winemakers juice with built in cachet at lower prices.

  18. there is some news about the chairmans selections and two , i guess, new sales promos. this is the link

    http://www.prnewswire.com/news/index_mail....004550943&EDATE.

    seems there has been a sommelier that helped with the chairmans selections in the past who is now in charge of the sommelier selections, power purchases, and chairmans selections.

    This is quite interesting as I know many of us were left wondering what the status of the Chairmans program was going to be post Newman. I think this is really terrific news in that it seems to broaden the selections of the higher and lower end wines.

    It should make Alcibiades happy :hmmm: Can't wait to see what's going to be available.

  19. Here are a couple of banh mi from Ba Le on Washington Ave.:

    gallery_7432_1362_23013.jpg

    One of them is chicken and pate, the other is "honey roasted pork": a slightly sweet sausage.

    It's shocking how good, and how cheap, these things are: like $3 apiece, and if you buy 5, they'll throw in a sixth for free.  Really, you can't afford not to eat them, all the time.

    Andrew, those look amazing. I just drove by there yesterday on the way to Carman Country Kitchen and thought I'd really like to try one. What is the dressing or is there any dressing? It does look a bit dry

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