David Ross

I'm familiar with Chinese Claypots, but I've never cooked with one. When I went to the local Asian market my intent was to buy a "claypot." All they had was what I think is just a pot shaped like an authentic claypot with a lid with a small steam hole. It appears to be crafted from clay, but it's pretty tacky looking. I mentioned the word "casserole" in my question earlier because that's what was on the box, "Casserole" dish. Sorry, I threw the box away. I'll post a photo along with the dish I am making, a recipe from Martin Yan for Cantonese Claypot Rice. For novice Westerners cooking Chinese, I find Yan to be a good resource.

Anybody out there have a good casserole dish? I bought a Chinese casserole dish two weeks ago and need some ideas.

Absolutely delicious. I also love using rye bread in unique ways.

A great point. Kristin should have called it out. But then again, given her gracious and professional personna, I understand why she didn't. In the end, whatever her fate on Top Chef, she'll be well-served in her future endeavors. Josie will always be known more for her laugh than her cooking.

I've always had conflicting feelings about "Restaurant Wars." I brush off the silliness of the Chefs putting together the decor of a restaurant on a whim, but I like the general concept of the Chefs working on teams to put forth one night in the life of a restaurant. But honestly, restaurant wars really doesn't showcase their cooking talents in my opinion. The team leader has to act as the Manager, Host/Hostess, Executive Chef, Expeditor and Chef. Compact all of that into a short amount of time and it just doesn't seem to be realistic or near what they face every day in their restaurants. But I suppose that's the premise of Restaurant Wars in the vein of competition on Top Chef--to create the unrealistic on a reality show. Unfortunately, it can be the death knell for the top contenders who juggle everything, taking away their focus on anything. It's an entree to the finish for a slobbering drivel like Josie. All Josie has to do is cook a dish, not welcome guests and ask if the hot dogs were hot. Of course, once they shrug off the show and return to their real "Restaurant Wars," they'll be on a team of professionals running the front of the house and hopefully a talented crew in the kitchen. What they experience on "Restaurant Wars" on Top Chef is in some ways a microcosm of what can happen at a restaurant every night. But if any restaurant in the "real world" suffers like the pop-ups do on Top Chef, they probably aren't overly successfull.

I'm a devil for details. What is the spread on the toast in the background? We are just in the first weeks of Dungeness Crab season in the Pacific Northwest, so you've inspired me to make Dungeness Crab Spaghetti.

In my opinon that is a quite delicious photo, and if the measure of a photo is that it tempts one to make the dish, (which you have done for me), then it's a great photo. Me thinks your cat would like a bowl of soup.

boo-hoo, boo-hoo, Johnny couldn't could because he had a bad pan, boo-hoo, boo-hoo. And by the way John, if you were trying to present a lean lamb burger, why again did you add a fried egg on top? John said it was to add some more creaminess and it was only another 60 or 70 calories. Me thinks the real reason is that a) it wasn't really truthful in the first place to present it as lean knowing he was going to put an egg on top and b) knowing that if he over-cooked the burger the egg would help out. Chef Puck obviously vetted John out.

As I'm watching the repeats of the past four episodes this morning I'm thinking that the Producers have left out one of the major elements of Seattle's cuisine-Asian. I remember a few years ago during season 7, the Chefs travelled to Singapore and did some awesome Asian dishes in the finale. I detest the thought of the Chefs leaving Seattle for the finale, but I sure would like them to prepare some dishes that are a huge part of Seattle's culinary culture.

Please don't eat a heavy, spicy meal tonight. You'll need to have a strong constitution to watch "Restaurant Wars." Ugh.

I'm not a hater of John Tesar. As a viewer, and someone who knows a bit about food, cooking and dining, I offer opinions based on what I've seen and I base my comments on the food first. The editing and snarky stuff that gets thrown into Top Chef amplifies personal traits that are already there--and that certaily doesn't endear someone like John or Josie to the audience. But as Tom always says, it's ultimately about the food. What I saw with John was that he was one of the more experienced and talented Chefs in the competition, but his ungracious attitude and lack of professionalism built a self-imposed barrier that prevented him from moving forward. When I see it or sense it, I present the same criticism regardless of the contestant. On the other hand, look at Chef Kristen. She's not only talented, but she has an unassuming and likeable personality. She doesn't appear to be out to tear-down her fellow competitors, nor does she make intentionally rude and hurtful comments that lead to clouding her ability to focus. She's intent on cooking the best dish she can every challenge she faces--not tearing down her fellow competitors while stirring the risotto. If you look back at the history of Top Chef, those traits ultimatelyproduce the winners.The editing and drama woven into the show are just the window dressing that keeps viewers coming back, but it isn't the foundation of the show. It's the food. I'm sure John is highly successful in his restaurant endeavors, and of course I don't know the true person, only what I see on Top Chef. For good or bad, what we see on Top Chef is what forms our opinions. So in the context of the discussion, I was glad to see John go.

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

Now THAT is a thing of beauty..*swoon* Wow, that is beautiful. Brisket-smishket. I'm going to use beef cheek for my next pastrami.

Thanks. It's never too late to post in a Cook-Off. I like the idea of the ice bags to keep the smoking chamber cool. I've never thought of that. I think I'll try it once we get some fresh Spring salmon up here.

Will someone help us, please. Reruns of Guy vs. Rachel, Celebrity Cook-Off remind me why I won't be watching the new season tommorrow.

As far as the last episode went, (sans Last Chance Kitchen), John's crappy attitude, (the true John I suspect), obviously clouded his abilities in the kitchen. No John, you don't get beat by a Chef who isn't as egotistic and less-talented than you are. You get beat because you put up a dish that wasn't worthy. I don't think this guy is really capable of only focusing on the food and cooking. He's obviously got talent, but he has so many inherent roadblocks that I doubt he'll ever realize his true ability. Whether it's Top Chef or a restaurant venture, unfortunately for him he's always left people with a sour taste.

I wanted to add that "buyer beware" is something to keep in mind when you shop for Dungeness Crab. I go to a reputable fishmonger. He buys directly from the fishermen and only sells deep-water crabs that come off the Washington or Oregon coast. The deep-water crabs are larger with a harder shell and more dense, sweet meat. His crab is more expensive, partly because of the quality and partly because he's a small Mom and Pop shop, but it's worth it. The big-box grocery stores were selling Dungeness Crab over the holidays, but it wasn't fresh. It was frozen, whole crabs from last season. I knew the season wasn't open so I couldn't understand why they were selling what was perceived as fresh crabs just-caught. Well, if you look at the very, very, very small type in their ads or labels in the case, it will say "previously frozen." They have to label it appropriately by State law, but they really push the issue. Buy your Dungeness from a trusted source.

Finally, after a strike, price wars, soft shells that prevented fishing and horrific weather, fresh Dungeness Crab. Too bad we didn't have it for the Holidays, but it's still a special once-a-year treat to have the first, fresh crabs of the season.

That is a beautiful filet. My favorite cut of beef.

Wow, thanks for sharing. I think you really inspired the Chefs.

I didn't eat as much lamb in 2012 as I would have liked. It's my favorite meat, and this has encouraged me to eat more lamb in 2013!

An "ill-mannered yutz!" is quite simply, the best description of a shallow Top Chef contestant that I've ever heard. Bravo, (not the network).

Looks delicious. Unfortunately for me I suppose, I've never gotten over my aversion to beets. I think it goes back to when I was a kid and my Mother served us pickled beets with cottage cheese. What is the flavor profile of the beets in your dish? Are they overly sweet?

Yeah, interesting. The dish I posted was my favorite flavor combo. I plate all my dishes to the best of my ability and take a picture for others to enjoy it just so happened it looks nice. Hmmm Maybe we're reading this wrong. Yes, it is in fact your best dish of 2012. It doesn't have to necessarily look as if it was served at Robuchon's L'Atelier or served on your back porch in July. It could be a more intricate dish like the one I started off with--foie gras, ice wine and huckleberries. Yet then again, it could a a delicious spaghettie carbonara or a warming stew. The photos simply depict what we've created, but the true heart of a cook, I think, is the pride in knowing you created something absolutely delicious and it left you with a memory that it was your best dish of 2012--and something you'll probably make in 2013.

You bring up an interesting point. Many of these cooks are relative children with comparitively limited experience. It's easy for them to be confounded by a weird product or protein; or to be go down an unfamiliar path that leads to a mess. I wonder if age or variation in job experience correlates with success. I think you've hit upon a very important issue that we don't discuss enough these days but one that is spotlighted so often on Top Chef--young, funky, trendy, Chefs with a laundry list of cooking jobs on their resume, yet without a lot of life experience or mentoring to be able to withstand the basic, fundamental challenges. One example--Colicchio slapping himself silly at the Judges Table when a Chef doesn't understand the subtleties of seasoning or what to pair with fresh seafood. Blueberry Gastrique with Smoked Salmon and Pickled Oysters garnished with Candied Elderflowers and served with a Bloody Mary Shooter may sound tempting to some, but I think a more experienced, as in life experience, Chef, may tell you a fresh oyster with lemon is much better. Chef John is a bit older and his experience is showing, (even though he's a pain in the rear).