coquus

Just wanted to clarify some things about japanese knives: 1. handle material-in my price range, composite wood seems the most popular choice, what is this? It's followed by pakka wood, stamina, magnolia (light color and mass), POM, etc., what are any of the benefits of these different types of handle? 2.Rockwell hardness-if I'm looking for a good all purpose chef's knife do I want to stay in any particular range 58-60 maybe or is it simply the more common sense approach that higher is better, and don't use the knife for certain tasks that may chip it?

It's too general for me, I think, I have only seen MD so I don't really know, it looked a little dated as well. I really like the books I have, and if anything I would like a more detailed book for my area so that's in the other direction. I still think he's great, but I have alot to learn.

I own this one as well... I find it a bit hardcore I use this as a last resource when my other more user friendly books fail to identify a rare mushroom or when they do not provide enough details. ← That's a good way to do it, unfortunately for me I don't have any other books. It takes longer to key them out sometimes, but I feel it's worth it because I am learning about lots of other mushrooms in the process.

http://www.thegreatmorel.com/2007.html http://www.greencastonline.com/SoilTempMaps.aspx

Bessette, Bessette, and Fischer Mushrooms of Northeastern North America ISBN 0-8156-0388-6 Bessette, Roody, and Bessette North American Boletes: A Color Guide to the Fleshy Pored Mushrooms ISBN 0-8156-0588-9 I like these two most from what I have seen.

*they don't do their own odd shaped pasta, stick to spaghetti or linguini.

Zaza's best entree's are probably their homemade pastas, rav, lasagna, their food was pretty standard Italian last time I was there. And don't get the shrimp unless you like to get dirty in front of your woman.

phaelon56, I love the new pic , I think I understand the number in your name now. And that's the impression I had about Maxie's. I used to grab a drink at their bar once in a while, that's about it. I think that Dijon is definately going to be on my list next trip

My sentiments exactly, mushroom season is so close I can feel it. I'm thinking there is a chance that some mycell-whatever I can't spell today got started here in the warm days we had before the last five cold ones here, so if god gives us a few warm ones here soon, who knows, I'm going to find out, I was so busy last spring, I always told myself the frost last whenever probably killed anything that may have started growing this year I plan to see if I was lying to myself as I suspect I was.

Do you rec either of these places, Maxie's always seems to me to be fronting on fine dining with the oysters, do they really have anything else on the menu worth a visit. The Heigths, I haven't heard enough good to make the pilgrimage.

I haven't been able to find any more than singled out eschulenta, most often those were buggy. Still hoping to find some patches, one of my customers at the old place had some land that was killer and brought them in on the regular, but around here thirty miles north or south might as well be travelling to another state mushroom wise because of the various overlapping geology of this area, and I'm not entirely sure where he lived, otherwise I'd be tempted to sneak out there.

Just read through the post, that stove looks bitchin, and those are nice cabinets. I think I missed that part, am I to understand they were repainted or new, and if so, where did you get them? Not much longer now, a week or so?

There are hundreds of private producers in my area (western NY), they almost all have some very light amber syrups that taste like what I grew up with, but it's getting them to sell it to you. On the other hand most commercially or mixed producer's batched syrup tastes just like that commercial mass produced garbage on the grocery store shelves. I haven't tasted extensively or anything, but I doubt that anybody does it quite so good as the little guy, yet.

You just gave my definition of an optimal dining experience.

Another thing, I was just reading an old issue of Gourmet, it mentioned that the Maitre d'Hotel at Ducasse circa '04, Marcus something or other. He said the regulars then were spending a minimum of a grand a person. He was from Graz, Osterreich, I think or somewhere thereabouts, his family had a Gasthaus or something maybe a touch more fancy and he was expected to take over, but he defected to NYC.

I can get an average dumpy apartment in my town for about 350 a month, at around 900 sq. feet, I assume that same apartment in Brooklyn goes for 2000 a month. I go out for a surf and turf at the most expensive restaurant in my town, it costs me 70 dollars. You go out to Masa, the most expensive known restaurant(is that a proper description) in your city, you sit and are pampered for hours by a master serving only you and seven others, it costs you 400, and you complain?

I think it was like sort of sweet and green chile hot, I forget if it had the sour element, like the ubiquitous pork dish, it was seven years ago so I don't fully remember. I know this is probably a different dish entirely, that was just like chicken wings. I'm waiting for a recipe too Zen, the method is there but, what is everyone painting on theirs? And what is this superfine flour, rice flour by chance?

I just read the article, I have to say it had my mouth watering and I recognized your name from here. I have had the kind with too much sauce on it, it was really good, now I'm anxious to have some more. Koreans are definately masters of most other deep fried dishes, it's no great wonder to me they would submit whole pieces of bone-in chicken to their will.

I'm not sure they are looking for professionals, but I would hope so, however I would like the chance for you to try to pull off that soup, rmillman, sounds. . .inspired :winks:

A little bird, a mocking bird perhaps, that Jacques makes an appearance there somewhere. Just got back from Quintana Roo, the food was so way the best.

You believe there's a problem with freezing it? ← Sorry Paul, I've been on vacation. I don't know the science behind it, but it gets freezer burnt eventually, especially when reducing it's surface area into ice cubes as some have suggested. I wouldn't freeze glace de viande (or whatever you would call the way I make it), firstly because it doesn't need to be frozen when made properly, and secondly because my freezer space is at a premium .

Deadline for commentary is closing in, anyone else?

Let me tell you guys what I think about storing demi-glace for home use. Don't bother, find a restaurant that makes their own, make friends with the chef, and barter, barter, barter. It's generally not worth buying what is sold as demi-glace, and making your own is worthless, because you throw away too much to spoilage. I make my own because I like cooking, some would call me crazy. I don't keep demi-glace however, reduce it by half and store it as glace de viande in small cubes in my fridge in glass jars, ten pounds of beef(chicken, pork, other game or fowl bones also acceptable) keeps me for six or eight months that way. I guess it's not right to call it glace de viande(a la Jacques) as it is not the result of a second boil but simply an extended first boil. Really, it is just demi glace reduced over medium heat for a while, then over low until there isn't any water. When it gets moldy, you didn't do it right, re melt, and further reduce, and throw it away if there is any other mold besides white mold on it. There is a noticable a taste difference to demi glace, but in no way is it bad, and it should not taste burnt (you also screwed up). It's good for some recipes, not for others, if any other way is better, school me egullet. Does anybody who lives by the ocean do this with fish, if so what kind?

I don't really know how long your particular demi will last, the less water the longer it lasts is the answer you probably weren't looking for. I would say a typical demi has a fridge shelf life of three or four weeks maybe slightly longer. For defrosting purposes, I would melt it on the stove and then pour it in a storage container when cool to store in the fridge (to limit the exposed surface).

My boycott of this thread is officially over, I hear you on the cynicism Grub, I am with you in that 99%. The other 1% feels sorry for Mia, but she never really impressed me as Tom's next 'Top Chef' or whatever, so it's just another one bites the dust. I think she knew she was going to get sent packing sooner or later, so she took one for her girl, smart, she'll do well in life. No cynicism intended, just an opinion. Elia, hopefully she doesn't hit the snooze bar too often. Cliff and Michael too, but slightly less so. I hate these team challenges, I can't wait for more individual challenges.