ScoopKW
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Posts posted by ScoopKW
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I know what you mean about the Shuns, they don't come back as nicely upon repeated sharpenings. They're still a decent knife though, I've had mine for over 2 years now (A Santoku, a Chef's Knife and a bread knife), and I have no real trouble with anything I've ever needed to cut.
For me, it's more the comfort that makes me rate them highly, it's astounding more companies don't use a similar handle design.
I don't like metal or plastic handles. They get slippery when cutting greasy/oily things. Slippery handles lead to cut fingers. Octagonal wood handles all the way for me. Even though I pinch grip, the handle gives me stability.
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I never made the claim that the Wasabi was the best knife of 2011 but that it replaced the Tojiro as the value champ. It's not the best steel in the world but I challenge you to find a better knife under $50.
Aren't you supposed to include a "challenge accepted" graphic or something?
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I won't make a suggestion because I shouldn't be wearing what I wear and you are unlikely to be able to get away with it where you work... but my feet, legs and lower back never get sore. My plantar fasciitis troubles disappeared completely as well. I will keep an eye on the suggestions you're getting in case someone makes a good case for something I haven't tried yet that is more kitchen-appropriate than what I wear now.
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My assumption is that the "people who don't like fish" didn't have a dad or grandfather who took them fishing as a kid.
Couple that with having parents who generally overcooked the bejeezus out of everything, making whitefish have the consistancy of chicken breast, and I can see why kids nix fish. Mom doesn't like the lingering smell. Dad doesn't like the cost of the fish. Kids don't like anything that isn't chicken fingers or pizza. So it becomes a vicious cycle.
Of course, these days, many of our streams and lakes are so polluted the fish are toxic. (And the Gulf of Mexico -- I have my doubts, even though the gub'mint says the oysters and shrimp are hunky-dory.)
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Birkenstock black leather kitchen shoes. And ONLY Birks for me. It takes roughly two weeks to get used to having real arch support. Then you'll likely never want another brand.
But break them in AT HOME. Do not wear them in the kitchen until you've gone through the obligatory two weeks of training your feet. Otherwise, you WILL hate me for suggesting Birks.
Because I have large feet, I have to buy mine from online stores in Germany. To keep the shipping from killing me, I'll order five pairs at a time. (Not all for the kitchen -- I have Birk dress shoes, Birk sandals, hiking boots, you name it. Usually I'll buy two pairs of kitchen shoes and three pairs of other styles.)
Even with the pounding I give them in the kitchen, they'll hold up for two years or so.
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Set an empty oven to 350F, wait an hour or so until it stabilizes, then use an oven/probe/IR thermometer to check the internal temp and note the bias. The next time you bake something, take the bias into account. (eg: If you set it to 350 and it reads 320, the next time you need a recipe that cooks at 300F, set the oven to 330F instead.)
That would work if the thermostat in the oven was off in a linear fashion. I've found they almost never are. The oven that is 30 degrees off at 300f, might be 10f off at 250f and 50f off at 500f.
I would test the oven at a range of commonly used temperatures. If it's always off by the same amount, GREAT. But I'll betcha a Côte d'Or Chokotoff that it isn't, though.
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Just like supermarket beef everywhere, the steaks are cut way too thin. I'd call them both minute steaks.
I have them cut it for me, I like 1.5 inches. Works well on the infrared @ 1,600f
This is how I discovered there are good butchers at Costco. USDA prime rib primals are available there at $12/lb. My local butcher charges $26/lb. for the Wagyu.
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I hear you. But some days there just isn't much to do in the casino. I'm not allowed to leave my station. And cellphones are verboten. So I break out a stone and sharpen knives. If a chef walks in and I'm sharpening knives (instead of kibitzing with other cooks), I'm "Mr. Golden Boy."
Why not pick up a cheap, coarse stone at the hardware store for more aggressive sharpening?
Because usually I'm just tuning up my knives. It's only when a coworker hands me a knife and says "please please please" do I wish I had a coarser stone in my pack.
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I pity you if you've ever had to repair edge damage with the 1000.
I hear you. But some days there just isn't much to do in the casino. I'm not allowed to leave my station. And cellphones are verboten. So I break out a stone and sharpen knives. If a chef walks in and I'm sharpening knives (instead of kibitzing with other cooks), I'm "Mr. Golden Boy."
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Foodsaver bags for everything that isn't liquid. Square Pyrex containers for everything that is. (Square is a more efficient shape for freezer storage.) Once frozen solid, liquids are often removed from the pyrex and bagged.
EVERYTHING gets labeled and dated. I label and date everything in the kitchen. Why not do the same at home?
And at home, we go as far as to date canned goods when they come in. (For FIFO reasons. We don't have a can rack.)
And I'd like to ditch the Foodsaver and get a Cryovac. Next time I see one at the used restaurant supply store, I might just splurge.
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Isn't Japanese Kobe currently under a ban in the US?
Unfortunately, some of the casinos take liberties with the menu. Australian wagyu is "Kobe" like Mumm Napa is "Champagne."
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I would push my time to coincide with the peak summer tourism months, i.e. mid-May to Mid-September because out of season the employment options are radically reduced. Ryanair, Easyjet, Vuelling and Air Berlin are frequently cheaper than rail. Beware that Amex cards are not particularly favoured in Europe.
Amex cards aren't welcome in Europe. But Amex Offices are an Americans home away from home as an expatriate. You need a card to receive services from the office.
And when you add the cost of getting from the airport to the center of town, rail isn't all that more expensive than Ryanair -- and you see Europe FROM THE GROUND, with a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread and some cheese. FAR better means of traveling. I'd go rail even if it was twice the cost.
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I can be soooo numb. When I saw this thread come back up I thought I better order the book from Amazon.
haha yes, this thread has made me reconsider my decision to not get this book and a quick trip to amazon to order this and ruhlman's charcuterie was quickly in order.
That's my second favorite cookbook. Bouchon is third. And some book I picked up at a yard sale called "Goose Fat and Garlic" is currently #4.
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Yogurt and lamb. And that's my one and only combination. I like tzatziki, but that's about it. I'll take sour cream over yogurt any day.
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Also, three things to get here while you can:
1) An International Youth Hostel card. You'll need one of those. Hostels are great for the budget traveler. Pack sheets and a pillowcase. The hostel also provides information -- you'll meet people who have been there for months. They're a wealth of information. There's usually internet access as well, for planning the next leg of your journey.
2) An American Express card. Amex offices act like mailboxes, call centers and banks. They'll even forward your mail to the next Amex office. With an Amex card and a checkbook, you can cash checks so you don't have to bring ALL your money with you. Major banks like Barclays and Credit Suisse can also work for you. Open an account here, and withdraw there.
3) An International Student ID. If you're not a student, take a course at a community college and get the card before you leave. Student cards mean deep discounts at museums, cultural diversions and often for transportation.
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Unemployment in those three countries is so high, that I doubt you'll be able to get anything other than free food or a free room in exchange for work. I would skip the air travel idea entirely. Rail isn't very expensive, and most rail stations are in the center of town. Besides, I'd rather see Europe from the ground.
Hitchhiking is still a viable means of transportation in Europe, although I haven't been in a position where I've needed to do that in a very long time.
I've done exactly what you're doing. Living on the cheap, working where I can, in order to spend more time abroad. But I did it in the 1990s and nobody worried about the economy back then. I found the ability to speak (and teach) English got me farther than any other skill. Although your mileage will certainly vary.
In general, you'll have more luck in mid-sized cities and towns that don't see a huge crush of tourists. Your French, Italian and Spanish will need to be to the point where you can walk into the back of a restaurant and ask if they're willing to give you work. There is also the option of cooking for upper middle class families, provided you're clean cut and personable.
Craigslist will likely do more for you than anything else. Go to the French, Spanish and Italian Craigslist sites and post under help wanted or gigs. Keep in mind, you'll be in violation of your tourist visa if you do this. This is why working for families usually works out better: everyone involved can use the "We're friends, he's visiting and he's just pitching in because he's a swell guy" excuse. It's hard for a restaurant to explain why a Yank on a tourist visa is dicing onions in their kitchen.
Finally, Italy and France are not cheap, and Spain is only slightly more reasonable. Most things cost more than they do here. From groceries to clothes to transportation, everything costs more. $7,000 may not be enough. Depends on how much work you can scrounge, and what kind of lifestyle you want to live.
Best case scenario, of course, is find a girlfriend or boyfriend. That could lead to considerably more than four or five months in country. I have more than one friend who went to Europe for two weeks and still living there with his wife.
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I don't know about that. I live in the US, and when I want a special cut prepared, I know to call ahead and ask for it. The last time I did it, the 'butcher' assured me he knew exactly how to do it, and when I picked it up, it looked like the poster child for 'This is NOT how to do this!' I find that real butchers are rare around here, and if you want it done right, you had better learn how to do it yourself.
Note, I said "half the time" you'll find a guy in the back who knows his stuff. That's where the whole "develop a relationship with your butcher" thing comes in. I've found good butchers in the unlikeliest of places -- Costco, for instance. Your mileage will certainly vary, and the more "neighborhood" the market is, the better the chances. But I've had good luck with this. Nice when you can head to the meat dept., put in an order, shop, and then pick up your order. Especially when time is a concern.
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Heidi has a good point. Most of those personal service butchers and fishmongers have long gone and been replaced by super duper corporate supermarket staff on minimum wage who don't know if they are selling fish or chicken. Well, at least they probably don't know which fish they are selling. Not that I blame the staff at all.
This simply isn't true. At least not in the United States. I can walk into any megamart at 9 a.m. and ask a butcher to French a rack of lamb. Roughly half the time, there's a guy in the back who is capable of doing the job. He (or she -- a LOT of good butchers are women) almost ALWAYS works the day shift -- 5 or 6 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m.
After that, you're stuck with the pimple-faced kid who doesn't know what animal "veal" is. But the real butchers are still out there, quietly doing their jobs. The thing is, most customers don't know to ask for personal attention. It's usually there if you want it.
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Well, to answer your question, I much prefer to do my own butchering when I'm cooking at home. I usually have all the time I need, and can do a cleaner, less wasteful job than my local fishmonger -- who usually has a line of customers, all of whom want him to dispatch their fish quickly.
Recently, I've taken to buying whole pigs (small pigs at least) from my local farm and breaking them down myself. I've grown tired of not knowing where my meat came from. And having to choose from generic-looking cuts, in pastel plastic tubs, wrapped in plastic. I've recently found a nearby ranch that will sell me beef primals. I'm going to give that a shot, next. I know a chef who comes from a ranching family, so I'll ask her to show me how to do it. (There are no butchery classes available locally.)
And yes -- I have a butcher and a fishmonger who will do the work for me. I shop at small markets, where this sort of service never went out of style. But even most megamarts have butchers who still perform these services for their customers -- working the day shift, at least.
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I always thought the "get your butcher/fishmonger" to prepare your purchase was an American thing. Most Americans wouldn't know what to do if handed a knife and a rib rack and told to French the ribs. Or if handed a sole and a knife and told to break down the sole into four filets.
What kind of cookbooks are you reading? Chinese? American? European?
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This is still my "go-to" cookbook. Bouchon is more authentic. Julia's bibliography is more complete. But this book can take a passionate but inexperienced home cook and teach him or her the basics. And it's written from a "cooking in a restaurant and bringing that into the home" viewpoint. That is clutch, in my opinion.
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I have the la Pavoni Europiccola plunger.
1) It has quite the learning curve. As mentioned, beans and grind has a LOT to do with it.
2) Once past the learning curve, the user can reasonably expect perfect shot after perfect shot. And not have to worry about a pump failing.
3) It isn't cheap. But it has the additional advantage of looking really good on the counter. And, I think it's the only espresso machine featured in a James Bond film.
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> What's the average starting pay for a cook's helper?
> I would imagine that the casinos are union shops (which is ok by me)?
> Do you work eight hour shifts and are they consistently at the same time of day (i.e. always mornings)?
> Is OT available and is it strongly suggested you accept it or it is totally optional?
> Are employee meals free and are they buffets and/or all you can eat?
> What's wrong with Imperial Palace? It sounds like a Chinese buffet?
I just got home, and I'm too wiped out to do a big installment. (Who am I kidding? What's the longest I've gone? 500 words? 750?)
So I'll just answer these questions and call it a night.
1) I can't tell you exactly, because that would peg me to my property. Starting pay is more than $15 per hour. I don't know what it might be at other casinos. I imagine the union casinos all pay the same rate, but I don't know for sure. I know it sounds weird, but I'm not in this for the money. I'm sure there's a thousand jobs where I could make more money. But I don't really care about that. I don't spend much, so I don't need to make much.
2) There are SOME non-union casinos. All of the Station Casinos are non-union, and therefore very popular with conservative Las Vegan dittoheads. All the F&B workers on the strip are represented by the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226. We haven't gone on strike in forever, and working in a union shop is a really good gig.
3) I work all over the place, and I never work the same kitchen for the same hours twice. I generally get 40 hours per week, in eight-hour shifts. But who knows where or when they'll be. I'm still very low on the totem pole. And I'm working my way up to better shifts and hours. Two union rules: We can't work more than five shifts in a row. We can't have less than eight hours between shifts. If for some reason everyone calls in sick and they ask me to come in, they'll pay double or triple. (Sixth shift, less than eight hours between shifts would be triple time.) Naturally, they don't want to pay me $50 an hour, so that never happens.
4) Chefs LOATHE overtime. They are questioned each and every time they give a cook overtime. It had better be a damned good reason. So, no, I almost never get overtime. If the kitchens are slammed, we have temp workers who will happily drop everything and come to work on a moment's notice. Times are REALLY hard here in Las Vegas. The temps are just happy to have SOMETHING. I'm happy to have something more or less permanent. And the full-time cooks are really happy.
5) Employee meals are free in the employee dining room. Everyone calls it the EDR. Every casino has an EDR. And we're encouraged to eat before our shift, during our break, and even after our shift. Nobody need be hungry at a casino. Meals are served cafeteria style, and we can eat as much as we want. BUT -- the casino doesn't spend a whole lot on food. (EDIT -- They don't spend a lot on food in the EDR. It's the only money-losing kitchen on property. Every other kitchen turns a profit.) It's no different most days than dorm food in college. However, sometimes banquets or garde mange has extra sandwiches or platters, and that's usually quite good. In addition, as per union rules, our breaks are one hour, and they're paid. Mostly, I like to do "last hour" break -- work seven, then go to the EDR and have a salad and watch ESPN for an hour. Sometimes it doesn't work out like that. Chefs call the breaks. Usually, they'll give you what you want. But they can send you any time. Even as soon as you arrive. "We've got nothing to do until nine, go to break." "But chef, I just got here a couple hours ago. I'm not even hungry." "Sorry, but you still gotta go." It's happened to me ONCE.
6) There are a few "ultra budget" casinos out there for the "ultra budget" visitor (aka, tightwads). Imperial Palace, Circus Circus, and to a lesser extent the Flamingo and the Riviera. I wouldn't eat at our buffet. (Nothing unwholesome about it. Just that it's boring food.) Imagine what's going on at the buffets that are spending less than half of on food cost compared to us.
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1. Europeans (at least those in some of the best kitchens) generally don't give much a damn about their knives. Sure, there are occasional cooks/chefs with razor sharp, well cared for blades, but for the most part, most of us Americans might be shocked at how little attention is put towards their blades. A friend staged in Spain, and every time he would break out his stone, the Spanish cooks would beg him to sharpen their knives...Accordingly, they generally stick to European blades. It's purely a functional perspective for the most part. Western-style Japanese knives are known and desired...however, the cost of any Japanese good in the EU tends to make it out of budget for most cooks.
I can assure you that this happens in America, too. I suspect it happens everywhere (with the probable exception of Japan). I carry a 1000/4000 stone with me everywhere. (I leave the finer stones at home. That's where the all the time goes.) I can't tell you how many knives I've sharpened. Some, I suspect, were never sharpened before, ever.
A Day in the Life of a Las Vegas casino cook's helper
in Restaurant Life
Posted
Big news from the cook's helper front. But I just finished a double. (Hell, it was basically a triple.)
Let's just say, we're going to have to remove the word "helper" from the title. Woo hoo!