Schielke

I heard rumors of one up there a while back, but I think I also heard it shut down....I could be horribly wrong though. Ben

All we are missing is Dunkin Doughnuts. I think I had one way back in the day when I visited NY as a kid. Ill have to find some more eventually. Ben

ahr, thanks for the great summary! I was curious about one thing you listed that you grate with your microplane...butter. How well does it grate and what do you use grated butter for? Thanks! Ben

This reminds me of a new "bakery" in the U-dist that opened up about a year ago near my old place over there. I walked in thinking it was some cool little bakery, but guess what? Wheatless, Eggless, Milkless, Sugarless stuff everywhere! Mmmmmm sprouted algae cake! I guess there is a market for this "food" though. Ben

Yeah, I saw fresh whole wasabi root at Uwajimaya here in Seattle. It was 69 bucks a pound.... Ben

Nightscotsman, I think that I read about that being bellevue. But I would love it to be kirkland! Ben

Yes, AB covers this in the show. He suggests starting with a room temp roast seasoned with Salt, Pepper, and Oil (stating the salt will help draw out the protiens that will brown); Cook it in a 200 deg oven until the internal temp is 118 deg (to allow for carryover); Rest while you heat the oven to 500 deg; Blast it for 15 min to brown. Done. Go AB

Cold smoke that puppy! basically it involves a seperate "chamber" for the smoke to lose its heat before it reaches the object to be smoked. Ben

If you were suddenly bestowed the power to be God of Cocktails, what cocktail would you instantly popularize with the masses? In other words, is there a cocktail recipe that you absoloutely adore that you never see ordered in bars and wish was. I hope that was clear Thanks for your time! I will mix myself something nice tonight in honor of this Q & A! Ben

If you dont mind my asking, what is the general price range for an omakase lunch at Matsuhisa? It sounded wonderful. Ben

Steve Klc mentioned that Disney had a great serious food program. I was curious to hear which places at disney are worth the trip. What are everybody elses thoughts or experiences? Ben

Lucky! I still have to get my sorry a** up there. Ben

FG, What is the latest status of your coffee project? Have you continued to roast? I really enjoyed reading those. Ben

I think one of the most intimidating things for me was that I just dont have the vocabulary for it. I am slowly learning what is what, but in most discussions I have to end up looking up words and such. Ben

Excelent Question, I hope others chime in. I never was exposed to it as a child and had no experience with it. I did not know what to expect. Once I did try it, I was rewarded with amazing flavors and textures. I think many people are affraid of intense flavors or non-western flavors even if they are delicious. Ben

Mmmmmm Uncooked pork.

Chef Eric, When preparing fish, how do you decide how rare (or raw) the dish should be? In what applications is a rarer preperation better than a more thoroughly cooked one? Thank you for your time, Ben Schielke

Yeah, you bastard!!!!! Quit making me feel bad for not eating there!

Yeah, maybe with more space and meat he can be open on the weekend so I can have some. Ben

This rules!!!!!! Ben

I have always wondered this too! Good question. ben

Yeah, I remember reading about this place in either Seattle magazine or the paper. It sounded like fun...if only I could get katie to eat an oyster. Ben

tighe- while mouthfeel has a major factor (and a dramatic one) when sampling vodka, I do believe that they do have a taste quality to them. Perhaps this is that of the alcohol, but it is still a taste nonetheless. I believe that the play between the taste and the mouthfeel make a great vodka. Jason- Ultimat vodka I believe is a blend of differently sourced vodka (potato, wheat, etc...) that results in a unique albeit expensive product. Also, I believe that Hangar One Vodka is made from grape seeds. Ben

Yeah, there seems to be a problem with vodka as being described as having no taste. This is simply not true and is evident to anybody that has ever tasted vodka. Try this experiment... Take a drink of a fairly good vodka (say Stoli for example) then take a drink of Monarch Vodka. After the convulsions and horrible facial expressions have subsided, pour monarch down the drain. Granted, some "luxury" vodkas are mostly hyped up, but vodka does have a flavor and mouthfeel. Try Tanquery vodka for a price/performance leader. Ultimat Vodka was very interesting, it had a lighter mouthfeel than many vodkas and it tasted "clear". Ben

Madden with a Tofurky Madden is being shunned by PETA for eating a Turducken! Ben