Mr. Delicious

I have a baking competition fundraiser for the girl scouts (Death by Chocolate), I am doing some sort of a samoas cheesecake, using milk chocolate, caramel, and samoas as a crust. What else goes with it? I dont want to use too much coconuts since most people think they dont like it. Last year I did a chocolate caramel oreo cheesecake and won "peoples choice." This year Susan Notter is a guest judge, so the pressure is on.

I dont get to Minneapolis too often but I was at Solera for "An evening with Anthony Bourdain" We had 8 tapas and they were all excellent, atmosphere was great as well. I do know that the Vietnamese food can be excellent, I dont remember where I had Pho but it was great. Pho Quan may have been it, it was definately in a non descript building and as authentic as it gets. I was there with a good friend and his Vietnamese buddy... Now I wish I could leave North Dakota more often, the lack of culture kills me!

I had been craving good fish for so long, last night I had some sea bass quick marinated in oj, pineapple juice, soy, gralic, ginger, dried asian chilis, sriracha. i removed fish from marinade and steamed using the marinade, then reduced it to a sauce, it was quited good. I really hadnt cooked anyfish since my spring trout fishing. I also poached salmon in olive oil, after having such in a spanish restaurant in Minneapolis. The oil first cooked down some fennel, garlic, thyme and peppercorns, it was good but should have been served more towards midrare. I hate living in the center of the US, at least technology allows us good fish but not without paying the price, no wonder I hadnt cooked fish lately.

I have a Y peeler and i'm not so impressed. The blade always pops out, I will confess it only is used to shave chocolate but I was most impressed with the rubbermaid Y peeler (found at a local Big Lots for $1 should have bought the other 20). But I also probably have another 20 oxo items and are quite happy with those

Based on what I know so far its a contest for national ribbers (huge trailers that tour nationwide setup with sound systems etc..) We also plan on doing another contest for local restaurants, local people and a contest for kids. The event will be thursday, friday, and saturday. It will feature live music, 3-4 bands daily, beer gardens, other food vendors (myself selling cheesecake). It will be open 11am to 11pm each day. It will happen in a large parking lot of our local civic center. There will also be other vendors selling/displaying grills, hot tubs, atvs... To entertain the kids there will be those inflatable jumping things and a mechanical bull (for the adults).

I recently became a member of our local downtowners association and we are trying to organize a "rib fest" for this summer. Just wondering if anybody has attended similar events. We are doing this 3 days in june, we are bringing in national ribbers and will have local music, beer sales, other vendors (Mr. Delicious selling cheesecake), games for kids etc. We are also doing a competition of local restaurants, politicians, celebrities. There are events in a few other area cities, Fargo ND, Mankato MN... Any ideas are greatly appreciated, or if you know any national "ribbers" send them my way. Any help is greatly appreciated!

My buddy had some curry ketchup in his cupboard, its had a white guy in a chef coat and it said something about being a german recipe. http://www.ketchupworld.com/zecukeg.html

I have only had the heinz brand "spotted dick" but I would also love a recipe. It was great, we ate it at work and told dick jokes all day, what good fun!

I can't say I'm a fan of "Gourmet Grill and Cheesecakes". First, in a place like Bismarck, there may be a chance that people will be put off by "Gourmet". It sounds a bit pretentious, or people may think any "gourmet" place will be too expensive or too "high-brow" for them. Can't you keep your current name, then for example, under the sign you could write "and so much more" or something like that. So it won't be an official part of your name, but it will let people know you offer more than just desserts. Regarding dinner, is downtown Bismarck busy enough to add to your business at night? If it's anything like downtown Winnipeg, you might be better off not doing dinners, at least not until you are well-established as a place to go for meals rather than just desserts or snacks. If you can't do it at the beginning of the calendar year, perhaps the beginning of the fiscal year would be better. In terms of taxes, the beginning of March might throw things off a bit. But with regards to your question, I don't think it's too much to ask, at all. ← I agree I hate the word gourmet, there are a few places downtown that do great dinner business and this is a very high traffic count location, but I know that most of my business will be from lunch. Thanks for all your help guys. A little support is always great.

Another question: I am currently Mr. Delicious Cheesecake Cafe, with the addition of luch and dinner what do I call it? My father says Mr. Delicious Gourmet Grill and Cheesecakes, I agree that I have to keep cheesecakes in the name but I HATE the word gourmet, and it will be quite casual. So any recomendations?? Also this is a modification of the business plan that I currently have. I need to finalize and test the menu and design etc. We are currently negotiating on when he would close and I would take over. He asked for the end of the year which is impossible,and I want the first of March, is that too much to ask??

It is in a downtown location, that is currently 50+% is takeout, due to the fact there are only 42 seats inside (its too cold for outdoor seating other thatn may-sept.) there are also about 10,000 people who work in a 2 mile radius, in a suburban area of 80,000 to 100,000. Also he is currently open 10-4 and I would expand those hours, I currently sell cheesecake and coffee and am open 7-8 his location is more accessable than my current, and I see the coffee business expanding. I also would like to expand into doing a small dinner menu, and would take advantage of the beer and wine license doing happy hour apps and having bands play on the patio etc. What else didnt I cover?

Damn, I was hoping her relationship would fail and we'd get married, now what chef do I drool over?

I recently attended an intimate lecture/cooking demonstration with Shirley and her husband, Arch (what a pair!). Shirley made her famous biscuits, keeping the dough wet, using an ice cream scoop to get the size right, forming them by hand, and then putting them in a round cake pan. The biscuits are indeed tasty, but they're really not great. Their crumb is more cake-like than what biscuits should be, flaky with lots of layers and easy to split. The accomplished pastry chef sitting beside me agreed wholeheartedly that Shirley's biscuits are what you find in many restaurants today and are not good representations of proper biscuits. So sayeth the biscuit snob! ← She informed us that Pilsbury? sells a frozen version, but not here in North Dakota, I wonder how they compare.

We are working on a lease to suite us both that will include options to buy after 2 or 3 years, reflecting what I pay in rent.

I am quite lucky that my father has been in the restaurant business for all his life, so his advice is free, however I will meet with an attorney soon. "Make sure you have access to good staff before expanding. " That is one of the reasons for the current owner to leave the business. I know several potentional "key" employees, and will still run a small staff. The potential new location is about 45 seats, and 75 seasonal seats on the patio which will be great when spring rolls around, and by then I should be trained and ready.

I'm from Winnipeg, so I can relate. Just spell it "kuzu". Many people can't hear the difference between "kudzu" and "kuzu", anyway (I can only sometimes hear it). Since you're already doing something with green peppercorns, I vote for something with szechuan peppercorns. I'd drive to Bismarck to try it! (Is Bismarck anywhere on the way to Minneapolis?) ← I am 3 hours west of fargo which is where you would go through on your way to Minneapolis, but its worth the trip for good food right?? What with szechuan peppercorns though? Someone told me to try blueberries and jalapenos, that sounds d-lish at least to me.

Kudzu Blossom... it smells and tastes like a grape lollipop flower. I didn't pay much attention to them during my time in the southeast U.S. Now I wish I could get them to play with. I can picture some interesting mousses, sorbets and sauces. Maybe even a pate de fruit (pate de flower?). ← My whole issue is I am in North Dakota, people dont know food very well. I get sick of people mispronouncing mojito, and tiramisu so that would be a disaster, but where can you get it, and what would you compare it to?

I honestly wouldnt either but everyone has been impressed, as was I (its not overly bacony) and it sells better than my personal favorite "strawberry green peppercorn" and the buzz it has created is worth it. Now what is my next "wow" flavor??

I am a b+j freak, I thought the creme brulee was god awful, WAY to sweet. Haagen Dazs sticky toffee pudding may be my new all time favorite, the only ice cream I love without chocolate and peanut butter. My damn sister ate my leftover half pint, and im pissed. B+J peanut butter me up was my old favorite, wish i could still get it!

Finally made it, I cooked up some applewood smoked bacon, put some grease in the crust, layered chocolate cheesecake batter, sprinkled chopped bacon and then a layer of peanut better cheesecake batter. I really thought it would be wilder than it is, and people actually have ordered it! It is quite good. What to make now....

Shirley spoke at our local college last night. I only knew her from good eats but now have her book and her DVD. Anyway she originally said she wouldnt come because she was already in trouble for being late on her book. She said she still has to write the final chapter, but it would be written by the end of the year and out next year. If you ever get the opportunity to meet or listen to her speak DO IT, she is a great personality and a wonderful teacher. I was quite impressed that they got her to speak at our 2 year college in Bismarck, ND. Anybody have suggestions from cookwise, I dont know where to start.

I currently own a dessert bakery\coffeehouse, I am a culinary grad with degrees in culinary arts and food and beverage management. I have been open for about a year and a half, and have started to be profitable. Here are my current issues, the building I rent is also home to a hair stlylist school, which has recently been sold, the new owners are building a new school, and the building I am in will go up for sale in several months. Because of the owners age and health I am on a yearly lease, this caused all kinds of issues with the bank because my loan is for longer than my lease. So I have been stressed out cause of these issues. Recently I was approached by someone who runs a successful lunch only cafe nearby and he is interested in selling, this location is even better than the one I have currently. I think this would be a dream, I could get to show off my skills much more than I currently can. I would combine operations, there is a large enough kitchen to do both. So my questions are will the bank likely finance something like this, I have only been open a year and a half? Do I lose my entity? The location is about 40 seats with 70 seats on the patio, due to the location much of the business is take out. I would never be able to do this without the skills I have learned since opening my business, I know it would be much much easier a second time around, it would just take a modified business plan, predicting sales would be much easier, I have his financial info, and my sales history. I meet with my banker and accountant this week. Any advice??

Rita-- As you probably know, choosing a top 10 "must-eat-here" list isn't an easy task. That said, when I'm pressed to choose, which is often, here's where I send people. These are also the restaurants that I eat at time and time again, not because I must, but because I want to. 1. Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder 2. Fruition, Denver 3. Mizuna, Denver 4. Deluxe, Denver 5. Rioja, Denver 6. Vesta Dipping Grill, Denver 7. Z Cuisine, Denver 8. Duo, Denver 9. Nine 75 10. Cafe Brazil, Denver As an aside, Denver also trumpets a litany of excellent ethnic joints. ← Glad to see Cafe Brazil on the list somewhere, I can say that is the best (only) fine dining I have had in the city. When visiting last, my friends uncle was taking us to eat and when he found out I was a chef that was where he took us, truly delicious and simple, this was in their old location. The chef then came out to greet us and also brought us some dessert wine. If I ever get to Denver again, I will definately be there to eat.

I'm sorry, but I just checked out their "cool" website and "cool" menu, and that whole concept belongs to the sleaziest, corniest, cheapest kind of kitschy marketing around. Duuuuuuuude, it's sandwiches are named after weeeeeeeed! How trippy! 420, bro! Nugs, pinners and blunts. Hunh. If I were baked and near one of these, I'd hide somewhere and laugh at the suckers actually falling for this garbage. ← I havent eaten at one, supposedly its quite good, but you have to admit in a college town it would be quite a success, I wonder how the bank gave them financing?

My favorites are the Cheba Hut sandwich chain, with sizes as nugs, pinners and blunts. Definately the coolest menu names. Another would be Souperman, I still cant get over how great that is. My business is Mr. Delicious Cheesecake Cafe, quite clever (IMO) refering to my days as a dancer (just kidding). From Trailer Park Boys the greatest TV show ever and the best thing to ever come out of Canada "The Dirty Burger" Best ever- Pink Taco a mexican restaurant in the Hard Rock in vegas, I heard they tried to buy Charger stadium and the city said no.