Alchemist

1.) Who doesn’t rock out to “She blinded me with science”? Huh Who? 39. 2.) Everything but Dark Side. The Wall was first album I ever bought. The year it came out, 1979. 3.) White pompadour. Lots and Lots and not stopping soon. 4.) Not William Powell…yet, but a boy need’s aspirations. Myrna, Yum. Wore a tie yesterday. Pink, City of London. Double Windsor. 5.) Yup, all savory all the time. But can’t bake to save my life. I should try again and picture the measuring cup as a big, misshapen jigger. 6.) Blew up my chemistry set. No dog since childhood. Almost killed the next-door neighbors dog when I found Mercury and the gasoline, motor oil, weed killer, and a few other things in the garage. Mixed it in a Flying saucer sled. Chef (Dad) was none too pleased. &.) With a name like Maloney it still gets me in trouble, or is that the rum? Or is it the combo? The lovely, lovely combo. 9.) Seriously, frighteningly high. Thank God I still don’t think that Chocolate ice cream and Doritos is the ultimate tasty treat. 10,) Living well is the best revenge!!! They deserve an eternity of tasteless libations for all the ass kicking’s they administered. My ghost of a mohawk is flipping them the bird. Toby Edited due to Wondriching.

There is an artical in the Chicago Tribune today. If you can't get a hard copy it's on line at the trib under food. The 1 tablespoon of essential oil from grapefruit and lemon is a tipo. My guess is it would take over 100 of each fruit to get a table spoon of oil. And would be the only thing you could taste. Toby

I also went to the CCA, in the late 80’s, but I left after the first semester. They wanted me to wait on tables in their restaurant, while paying them 60ish dollars a day. That said, I went there with only short order cook experience, and it opened my eyes to what could be done. It gave me a great foundation. I knew the mother sauces, could hold a knife right, could turn the f#&k out of a carrot (took me almost 15 years to eat raw carrots after eating all my mistakes, about my body weight a week) could say conical strainer and peeler in French, met some good people, but most of all realized that I knew almost nothing. A little knowledge is a very, very dangerous thing. I went and got job washing lettuce, chopping garlic, jalapeños and ginger until my hands were on fire. We would laugh at the CCA grads because they thought they knew everything. They didn’t. I think that that is the biggest reason that most culinary school grads applications end up in the circular file is they get in the kitchen and want to do it their way, not the chef’s. So, I would say if you can find someone to teach you to clarify a consume (and explain why the raft works) make a perfect hollandaise and put up with all your questions (and you better have a zillion of them.), and then forgo school. But that is not an easy thing. Read, read, and set the bar very high for yourself. If your brunoise isn’t perfect work on it until it is. If your speed need’s work, take a couple of nights in a slamming diner and flip eggs and burgers at a million per hour. Work with utter concentration, close faster, power through the weeds, and generally get better at your job every day.

I have been asked on several occations to cook something during the first interview. Allways an omlette. This makes sense to me as it shows your knife skills, how you put togather flavors, how you season a dish and how well you can cook a delicate protien. I have also been asked to make three drinks, (usually a Marg. LIT, and then a cosmo, yes this was for the clubs) as part of the interview.

In the banquette senerio, I thought that the lady allway's get's that seat. I heard that the reason for this is, arcanely, to show off your date. It allway's puts the guy's back to the door which is kinda like saying "I'd die for you" which is very romantic and all... I guess you should keep staring into her eyes looking for a refelction of someone sneaking up on you. But I like the act of standing and pulling out the table so she can exit, and enter. Give a little ritual, and grace to the old in-out, in-out.

I didn’t see a thread on Boka so I’m starting one because a had a spectacular meal there last night. I went in with a friend almost as a joke because we met in 1992 there when it was Blue Mesa. We sat at the bar, and had a frightening amount of food. There is a full menu google Boka resturant Chicago. We started with 3 Kumomoto’s and 3 oysters I forget the name of. They were expertly shucked, not shell fragment in them. Then we had the big eye tuna. Lovely. The fish was beautiful, and chef didn’t throw a lot of things at it, he just let it’s quality shine through. Ash eggplant with white polenta, leeks, and Laura Chenel goat cheese. Wicked. Fried Squash Blossom, Olive Tepanade, and mozarella. Maybe my favorite app. For Entrées we had… Copper Creeek Salmon on soba noodles. This blew my mind. The fish was silky and flakey. The noodles were nicely seasoned and a texturally great contrast to the fish. The Veal Cheek with runner beans. Perfect. Toby edited to fix stupidity.

Have you considered stirring the liquor, then whipping the cream, just shy of soft peak (in a squeeze bottle with 3 sugar cubes takes about 10 seconds), then floating the cream on top. It will give you a nice layered look, and the two viscosities melding in your mouth is pretty intense. Some very fine ground peanuts suspended on the cream, will lend yet another texture, and really make it a Boozy Banana Split.

its backwards. many women will tolerate bad sex in return for a free meal. ← This is kinda from another thread...you know you are an egulleteer when you ponder which you dislike more, bad food or bad sex. And how good would the sex have to be to go to TGAppleChilis? And how good would the food have to be to replay freshman prom?

This is a butterscotch/chocolate banana split (with unwhipped cream) in a glass. The garnish must be a horrid red marascino cherry. Toby

It seems that there has been a slew of redesigning lately. Some major overhauls, some just grafficks. I personally miss the old Plymouth bottle. The new one's neck is too short to be bartender friendly. But don't miss the wat the bottom of the old one would catch the upper ridge on the Tanq. (My speed rail usually goes ((Right to Left)) Plym, Tanq, Beef, Bomb Dry, Matusalem ect...) Love the new neckk on Ketel One. I love the new look of Lillet, and am rather puzzled by the new Marie Brizard lable. Can anybody else think of others, or throw in thier 2 dollars?

Yes Mil & Arm. Butt the Al Pastor is where it's at. I would also recomend eating at the bar at Francesca's, Both Forno or the Clark and School location's. Don't miss the Carpacio (SP? thin sliced raw beef.) and the Teramisu. Editid Fer spelling. Actually to add something. Toby

That is where we send all the good people, late night, flourescent lights, abusivily loud polka music (those 2 min tuba solos ROCK) drunks reeling around bumping your table causing water to spill on your lap...But once those Tacos Al Pastor hit the formica everything is better. AND they put potatoes in their rice! It makes the Irish in me happy. I'm glad you enjoyed your self. Toby

I think that it is a temp. thing. Most people who are gettinng a bathtub of Vodka with a rumor of dry vermouth want it extra extra cold because it doesn't taste good, and cold retards taste.

One thing I have nevver been able to understand is after cooking a 10 hour shift the last thing in the world I wanted was to sit down and eat. It was all about the icy beer. Now after a 10 hour bartending shift one would think that I would to sit down to a nice meal and try to pack in some calories that I just sweated out...No it's still about the icy beer. How do we get sick of food when around it but not beer?

the Libby 5 1/2 oz champange coupe. Love it! It is durable, pretty, the right size AND shaped like a breast! What could be better?

If a martini isn't, what praytell, is a proper cocktail?

That is amazing! So much more oraganized the any system I have ever seen. Kudos.

What would happen if you slow simmered gin to half it's original volume?

I have know of people who take up smoking when they started cooking, just for the breaks. You would be laughed at if you said "Hey guys I'm going to sit down for five min." Where, "I'm going for a butt", Seems fine.

If the cocktail includes juice, cream, or eggs it should be shaken, if it is spiritus, stired. A drink shaken is effervesent, frothy, alive with bubbles that dance on your tounge. A stired drink should be slick, chill, liquid velvet, viscous and calming to the spirit. The exceptions to this rule are the Stinger, and the Tombstone.

Marska is a brand name. It is good stuff milder than the Lux, which is both good , and bad. you need a full .75oz p/drink, so it brings the wash line to right where you need it.

If it starts "Hi guys, my name is Brian, and I'm going to be your server tonight!!!" Sooo many things wrong with that. And yes you can hear the 3 exclamation points. Stacking dishes on the table while clearing it. Waiting 'til I'm done with my cocktail before asking me if i need another. The answer is most often "Duh!!!" Spilling something on the table and not cleaning it up. Like if they don't whip out a towel I won't notice. Interrupting a story, joke, or laughter. Checking back all the time/ Not checking back enough. Not asking if I want dessert/cofffee/cognac cause they want to turn the table.

Every time I see the image of a couple sitting in a resturant, and they are staring into eachothers eyes, the chairs are on the tables and someone is vacuming, I scream and throw something at the screen. It is not cool, romantic, fun or anyting else to keep someone waiting around for you. Go to a f#*king bar, have a cocktail, dance, for-play and then go home and do nice things to eachother. Don't sit in the resturant holding up your waiter, the manager, the dish washer, the bartender, it's rude and selfish.

That is a rather strange version. The rule (and of course there are exceptions) is if a recipe calls for lemon of lime juice it is shaken. My version 2 oz. gin (Tanq/Beef/Bombay Dry) .75 oz lemon .50 oz Luxardo Mara .25 oz simple (1x1) 3 dash orange bitters (1x1 Regans, Fees with some essential orange oil added) SSU, lemon twist if you want a little extra ooomph. Toby

Why I NO misgivings at all. I thought it was a great idea because Chicago is such a food town. Alinia, Avec, Blackbird, Chuckles, Schwa... To name but a few. Foodies become Drinkies faster than anyone else.