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Out of season there doesn't seem to be much difference between med or thin. If they are a little old and limp you can revive them like cut flowers by trimming the bottom and putting them in water with an aspirin. You won't believe how they firm up! Personally in season I love the Jumbo Green or Purple Asparagus from the Sacramento delta. Thicker is more tender and doesn't need to be peeled in season IMO just trim dry or tough stalks and cut any scales from the side. I still remember my first in season farmers market Asparagus from Zuckerman farms. I couldn't believe the sweetness, it seems like a totally different vegetable.

Yep! I don't dis-agree with you I just wish I could see it done (you tube) or hear a report of someone who made with success, because it is so different. Don't get me wrong, I've made pasta a lot and know how it's supposed to be when made in the usual 100g per egg or high ratio yolk formula. I'd love to master his technique because his reputation is so solid. The formula is soo different it seemingly has to be genius or unworkable and I can't figure out which?!

So, I went to the Western Regional food show/Comida Latina and I thought I'd share one of the purveyors. 'MINSA' is selling Organic and Non GMO corn flours from White, yellow, red and blue corn. http://www.minsa.com.mx/ingquienes.html

Yes, Bugalli uses XL eggs, I calculated it out at 27 oz per dozen or 2.25 oz ea. I wanted a way to compare the recipes and converting to a bakers percentage seems the best way. Bugalli's ratio seems to be pretty standard. Bertolli's is very different and a lot lower hydration on both his whole egg and semolina recipes. His egg yolk heavy formula goes back to a higher hydration. I just am very curious if anyone has had success with it. My experience is that it yields a VERY dense dough that is difficult to work with.

You must have industry contacts in catering. I would highly recommend getting in on a few event to really get a feel for the differences. As a lot of questions. The cooking is the easy part.

Their Formula's are VERY different. As an example I've put them into bakers %... Bugalli Whole egg pasta Flour 100% eggs 70% P.Bertolli Whole egg Pasta Flour 100% egg 40% water 5 %

Sorry, I guess I was specifically asking 'eac' who has experience with 'Cooking by Hand' and his experience with Paul Bertolli's Pastas

Pint and Quart sized deli cups. From the freezer to the microwave to mise en place, to price. The best.

FWIW Puritan Poultry at the Original Farmer's Market carries rabbit as does Surfas (Frozen)and of coarse Harvey's Gus Meat . I know they are a trek for you, and Harvey's purveyor who takes phone orders from the public, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Hah! true. Most high end kitchens have very high standards of cleanliness and sanitation as long as you wash often that's not so big a deal IMO. In L.A. they say you can't hang tongs on oven doors which is also common. The important stuff is hard to change like food being held at the wrong temp. I still say if the place is worthy of a 'B' you WILL get caught, usually because the chef(sous chef or kitchen manager) is lax on staff or inexperienced. How often have you seen an Itamae at a good sushi house wearing gloves?!

Hope you are going to have help! Make sure you get a good Pullman or Pan de Mie loaf it makes a big difference for tea sandies

Even with advanced notice you can only do so much you can do if you are not already in compliance. It's easier to stall in a hotel where they have to get by security first.

soup in shot glasses (get plastic) hot or cold, with a garnish.. seasonal fruit and cheese plater - good ol' southern pimento cheese ball and crackers

You could do a bunch of different tea sandwiches.. Curried chicken salad, Radish w\cream cheese and poppy seeds ect.. Blini's w\ smoked salmon and chive creme fraiche or tapanade or small dice ratatoille; mini cheese tartlets (my mom used to make the shells by rolling out white bread cutting rounds, brushing w\ melted butter and par baking in muffin tins IIRC) Vegetarian summer rolls, stuffed dates....

You might want to call your local big box grocery store, Maseca is pretty common. I have never tried regual corn flour, so I don't know if it would work or not. The corn flour for tortillas or tamales have been treated with lye (nixtamal) before being ground and dried. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization You could also call Bob's Red Mill and ask them if you don't get an answer here, they make a corn flour.

I neglected to mention the 'other' choice and my favorite for korean BBQ is Soot bull Jeep, which is pretty much the oppisite of Parks.. it's louder, smokier- you will leave smelling like smoke, service will make you feel like you are in Korea. But the food is really good, nice selection of Panchan and the place really feel alive. Parks is more of an upscale experience, better service - more hand holding if you need it, higher end meats.

Masa = Dough ie: Masa para pasteles is pastry dough. Masa harina = Dough Flour usually 'Trigo' or wheat... Masa harina de maiz = Corn flour for dough (also name of a Quaker product) Maseca = One of the oldest brands of corn flour. They have two main lines 'para tortillas' and 'para tamales' Good Luck! Bonus: and salsa = sauce ie. salsa holandesa or hollandaise sauce!

San Diego pioneered this years ago, and Los Angeles followed suit a few years later. I am sure there will be some complaining at first but then you just deal with it. Public humiliation is pretty good incentive to stay clean. I don't know exactly how NYPH works, but usually there is a provision to get retested within a couple weeks if there was a lower grade issued and if you still can't fix the issues you can pay to re-test. http://www.lapublichealth.org/rating/

Have you seen the article on the pot grinder on the cooking issues blog? lol http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/07/27/thank-god-for-potheads-new-favorite-tool-in-the-knife-bag/

It seems like he favors a very firm and dry pasta dough compared to what I'm used to. Harder to need and roll out that keller's dough or some of the other high egg yolk doughs I've made. I've only made Bertolli's doughs a couple times though (the semolina and water as well as the whole egg pasta), But I'd love to here your experience working with the dough. I'd love to see a video of him making the dough. He has a lot of great information in the book, but the recipes themselves are VERY skimpy on detail of what to look for. I have Bugali on Pasta as well and think it's a a much better book for most people, with a lot of detail, drawings of the rolling proceedures, a lot of great recipes. Of course if you're a 5%er then and want to grind your flour, make your own version of Italian cured meats or sun dried tomato paste. Well Bertolli's your guy.

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! Please, Lady Pleaser, say that you are being facetious in recommending Starbucks. ROFLMAO!! You should at least upgrade to petes in the Bay Area. But seriously San Francisco is home to Blue Bottle Coffee, some of the best coffee in California http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/locations/webster-st/

It's been years.. but I drove 14 hours from San Fran to San Diego taking the 1 from Monterey to L.A. maybe we took 10-12 hours on the drive. It is absolutely incredibly beautiful drive. Just make sure you wear your depends if you're driving, those are some scary cliffs!

You could also try: http://www.classicwinevinegar.com/index.php?cPath=20 I don't know if they do large quantity like the others, but they are good.

Love fresh olive oil, what varieties do you grow?

Vilux comes in 5L Quantities for foodservice. I get it at Surfas in the Los Angeles area, but you should be able to find it online. Sparrow Lane makes excellent vinegar in gallon sizes for food service, Love their champagne vin. It's not listed on the website but you could call them. Sonoma Vinegar works is also really good, no website, mostly foodservice as well. http://www.sparrowlane.com/ Sonoma Vinegar Works [splash page only] 5300 Mountain Home Ranch Road Calistoga, CA 94515-9573 (707) 942-2740 http://www.sonomavinegar.com/