jsmeeker

I saw the $1.29 Filet-o-Fish Friday poster at a McDonald's in Los Angeles. Haven't checked my local one here in Dallas. I drive by it all the time, but it's set back from the road a bit and I don't focus too hard on the signs on the window.

I have all of that at home. Except my Chartreuse is green one, not yellow. Do you think it would work OK with the green? (the egg yolk is an interesting twist. I know that whites in sours is "common") ← Green is significantly more intense, so if you give it a try and don't like it, don't rule it, just grab some yellow and try again. Also, with the green you may want to reduce the chartreuse slightly. ← thanks for the tip. I am new to Chartreuse , and so far have only used it to make The Last Word (really, the reason I picked up a bottle). I was watching Alberta Straub's video podcast, and she had a drink that used Chartreuse with whiskey. Called the Tipperary. Could be a winner for St. Patrick's day.

my electric range has the vent. But what about built in wall ovens? Do they vent??

I have all of that at home. Except my Chartreuse is green one, not yellow. Do you think it would work OK with the green? (the egg yolk is an interesting twist. I know that whites in sours is "common")

Where did you possibly go in Vegas to have a decent Negroni? I'm very interested to know if a good bar exists there. BTW I just checked my latest Campari bottle and it lists the ingredients as sugar, alcohol, aromatic herbs, and E120. I wiki'd E120 and it is natural carmine. Yay! ← I ordered one a a pre-meal drink at Bouchon at the Venetian. Very tasty. Also, ordered one at the Parasol Down bar at the Wynn. Also nice. I both cases, no questions were asked by the server. At Bouchon, it came up. at Wynn, it was on the rocks. Personally, I like 'em both ways. To me, Campari works well on the rocks.

more pricing details here http://www.blurb.com/book/pricing Looks like they go in 40 page increments (which I assume the same as you, and is 20 sheets of paper). The incremental price for each varies, but it's about $4-$6 each time you jump up to the next size (page count) category.

a female friend of mine is the exact same way. Can't be on the plate with a bone in it.

Brut. It's a nice, relaxing place. ← Is Brut IN the hotel, or the small "strip mall" adjacent to the hotel?

I say go for it! I've seen books from the folks at Blurb at Macworld. They do a really nice job. Not sure what platform you use, but if you use a Mac, their software is iPhoto aware. Works well. I suggest just looking at some of their sample books and looking at cookbooks you like. Use the design of them to inspire the design of yours.

I checked my bottle, too. Says it uses artificial color. This is only the second bottle I have ever purcahses. I didn't even start to drink Camparai until last summer (first had it in a Negroni in Las Vegas back over July 4th weekend). I am thinking that the only type I have ever had was this version.

indeed, I am a bit envious of the fancy kitchens in so many of the large homes these days. And sometimes sadden when they frequently don't get the "action" they deserve. My biggest issue tends to be storage space. My counter space isn't huge, but it works OK for most all of my tasks. The fridge is fine, if basic. It keeps stuff cold. the range works. It's electric, but I have a good feel for it. Oven works great. I'm pretty happy with it. Seems pretty even

nothing "special" today. Just some nachos. In past years, I tend to make some buffalo wings.

it''s the only torch I have used, so I can't compare it to a plumber's torch. I'll just try torching and letting it sit a minute or two next time (which will be tonight). I'll report back.

We have the restaurant (they make a killer margarita!) in Philly, anyway, but I have never seen the chips. I will keep my eyes open for them. Do you use 100% cheddar on your nachos? I usually blend it with some smoother, easier-melting cheese, like Jack or Colby. I love cheddar plain, but I find that it gets overpowering, and even a little greasy, once heated. ← yeah, I usually use all cheddar. But every now and then, I'll buy some monterey jack and mix that in with the cheddar.

is providing benefits for your employees (salary, health care, training, equipment, etc. ) not a cost of doing business?

thanks for the tip.. I'll give it a try on the next batch. The brief chill after torching was a tip I had picked up from the Cook's Illustrated folks.

next time you find yourself in a McDonalds, order a salad. I suggest the southwestern salad (if it's on the menu. That one vanished from the menu at a McDonalds in L.A., but it's still here at my local McDonalds in Dallas). They aren't a half bad alternative.

yes it did.. I forgot to mention that.

This is a great thread. I love custards of all types. I've made creme caramels, pot de cremes, etc. before with good results. But I never made creme brulee because I never had or got around to buying a torch to do the actual brulee. Well, I received a small kitchen torch as a Christmas gift, and I finally got around to making some creme brulee last weekend. As I've read through this thread, most of the talk has been about how to bake them. Water bath or not. Convection oven or conventional. Oven temp. etc. There has also been some suggestions on how to deal with bubbles (something I ran into in my attempt last weekend), the best way to brulee (equipment, type of sugar, etc). It's all been very informative and I have learned some things. (skim off bubbles/and or use the torch to get rid of them prior to baking. Suggestions to let the custard mixture to sit overnight in the fridge prior to baking. Stuff like that. But one thing I haven't seen too much discussion on is the actual custard mixture. One thing I have been frustrated with in looking at recipes is that the ones I find from sources I trust tend to be sized to make a lot of servings. Like eight. While this may be great if you are hosting a dinner party, it's not so great if you are single and don't host big dinner parties. Sure, I could eat a couple of them each day, but that may not be the best idea long term. So, in my attempt to figure out how to make a more manageable number of servings, I started to think about ratios. Most specifically, the ratio of egg to dairy. I started to look at some recipes from trusted sources (Cook's Illustrated). I also read through a book I recieved as part of my Christmas gift. What I found was that a ratio of 3 eggs to 1 cup cream was pretty "standard". Armed with this new found knowledge and my new Creme Brulee cookbook, I headed to the kitchen. Instead of following the recipe to a "T", which would make six servings, I essentially halfed it. The ratio of egg yolk to cream stayed the same. I used 3 yolks and 1 cup of cream. I cut back some on the amount of vanilla bean I put into the cream. I kind of halfed the amount of sugar called for (used a couple of table spoons). Poured it out into three pyrex custard cups (which yielded a proper portion for each) and baked them in a water bath at about 300. I checked them at about 30 minutes. They seemed to have goen past the still jiggly in the middle phase. I got a little worried that maybe they had over baked. I let them cool for several hours. Pulled one out, sprinked on the sugar, torched it, stuck it back in the fridge for about 15 minutes, then pulled it back out and ate it. It was great! I thought the texture was just fine. Maybe it could have been a little softer, but it seemed to be inline with a lot of creme brulees I've had in restaurants. So, armed with my knowledge, it seems like making creme brulee is easily scaleable. If I need to make 4, I use 4 eggs and 1 1/3 cups of cream. It should work, shouldn't it? I think I'll make up a new batch of custard tonight. But this time, I'll let it sit over night before baking. Also, I am going to try a espresso flavored variation. Instant espresso powder disolved in a bit of water will go into the egg/cream mixture. I may add a splash of coffee liqueur as well. (my book calls for this). If I get any bubbles on the top after pouring into the little dishes, I'll torch them away. (I love using the torch). And I'll keep a better eye on the baking time. Check them earlier this time around. Anyway, thanks again for all the tips/tricks so far. If you have any about the ratios of egg to dairy (cream), fire away. I love, love, love custards, and will happily experiment with making them.

that which does not kill you makes you stronger.

I use "On The Border" chips. Not sure if they are available in PA, but On the Border is also a chain of Tex-Mex restaurants (many locations down here in Dallas, plus other areas in the region). I used to use Tostitos Restaurant Style, until I started to use the OTB chips. The beans do make them a little soggy. But as you say, they are hearty.

Nachos I made tonight some [re]fried beans under the cheddar cheese. all of it baked/melted in a 450 overn until the cheese was nice and melted.

that's almost as good as a poached egg on toast.

To quote docsconz, "Who doesn't?" Interesting factoid, according to Wikipedia, is that in non-English speaking countries, the Filet-o-Fish is called FishMac, McFish or Fish Filet. I am skeptical, however, of the Wikipedia claim that a Filet-o-Fish or McFish or whatever has only 400 calories. Every one that I've ever been served always had at least 400 calories of "tartar sauce" on board. ← You are right. Wikipedia is wrong. The whole sandwich has 380 calories. That's according to McDoanld's own website http://app.mcdonalds.com/bagamcmeal?process=item&itemID=5926 Of course, that assumes a sandwich with the proper amount of sauce (which is 90 calories of that 380). Edit to add: As far as the fish goes, here is what the McDonalds website says about that http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/eat/quality0/meat.html

Who doesn't? ← Do you have a Starbucks across the street from said McDonalds? I do..