Meathead

Blether is correct. Osmosis is NOT the primary mechanism http://tinyurl.com/2vomcwl

There is some interesting new research on brining that says it is NOT osmosis, and that the brine penetrates more during cooking than in the soaking: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_brines.html

I have enjoyed Forbidden Black Rice from Lotus Foods at $3.99/15 ounces. Yesterday I was in my local Asian food store and saw Black Rice (Gao Den) for $6.99/4 pounds! Whoa? Could this be the same stuff? The wikipedia entry for black rice seems to imply there are more than one kind of Black Rice. If I buy Gao Den, will it be the same as the Lotus Brand stuff I love?

It is my experience that the hammy taste is often a byproduct of the combustion gasses of a propane cooker, not salting. Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn AmazingRibs.com

How do you like your Bradley? Do the pucks ever stick? How does the output compare to other smokers if you've owned others? Some thoughts: Seven hours seems long. None of the great competition chefs cook that long. For St. Louis cut, I recommend 4.5 to 5 hours at 225. On the other hand, most competitors do some spritzing. A few are using liquid margarine during the cook. On the other hand, I recommend just keeping the door closed. Opening it just lets out heat, smoke, and moisture, and when you close it everything takes a while to get back in equilibrium. I wonder if spritzing just replaces the water that escapes when you open the door? Chris Lilly of Big Bog Gibson's, one of the best competitos on the circuit says "If you're lookin, you ain't cookin."

Yes! This is a great plan. Check out my article on saucing strategies at http://amazingribs.com/technique/saucing_strategies.html

Yes, I have learned a bit, gotten a few leads that have led me down the Google rabbit hole, and I will be able to quote Mr. Shaw's comments on certification. I will post the finished article here when it is published. I'd still like to hear from restaurateurs on their policies and training.

Thanks for the tip! I can use this.

Believe it or not, there are potbelly pigs, monkeys, and miniature horses used as legit service animals. Check out Guidehorses for the Blind.

The teacher that my 2 oldest kids had for kindergarden raises guide dog puppies, According to the information we got from field trips to the guide dog place, the screening process for guide dogs is pretty extensive. Generally distractable or bad tempered dogs get dropped from the program. ← This is very true. Only about half the 600 trainees per year graduate from Leader Dogs for the Blind.

If they are well trained they should not. They are usually breeds that are non-aggressive (Labs, Goldens are especially popular), and they are trained to be friendly. They are NOT for protection. If a person with a gun approached a blind person, the dog would probably lick the gun. It would be very rare for them to snap at a person. If a dog was threatened by another dog it might get defensive. Hopefully not. Yes. From the Dept of Justicehttp://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm: A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks repeatedly during a movie) or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. In these cases, the business should give the person with the disability the option to obtain goods and services without having the animal on the premises. People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be charged extra fees, isolated from other patrons, or treated less favorably than other patrons. However, if a business such as a hotel normally charges guests for damage that they cause, a customer with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal. Businesses that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises. A business is not required to provide care or food for a service animal or provide a special location for it to relieve itself. Allergies and fear of animals are generally not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people with service animals. Violators of the ADA can be required to pay money damages and penalties.

As the trainer of puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind, I instinctively want to resist creeping bureaucracy especially if it makes life harder on people with a real need for service animals. On the other hand, after interviewing a womon who filed an ADA complaint against a famous NY Deli, I can see how the current situation is certain to be abused. Then, as a reporter, I must try to report the facts dispassionately. Objective journalism is such a lie. But that's another subject.

From http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/animal.htm as posted by Steven: "Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability." From http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm as posted by me: "Businesses may ask if an animal is a service animal or ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but cannot require special ID cards for the animal or ask about the person's disability." Now that's perfectly clear, isn't it?

How do you know if an animal is not a pet? you ask. That's part of the problem. There is no standard federal card that people carry to identify a service animal. Nor is there formal certification. And it is easy to make a garment for a pet that says "Service Dog." Nor is there a penalty for faking a service animal. You have to be careful what you ask the owner of a service animal, however. Here's a quote from a government document on ADA that is worth reading. It says "Businesses may ask if an animal is a service animal or ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but cannot require special ID cards for the animal or ask about the person's disability." That said, most service animal training institutions provide an official looking card to identify the animal, and they usually have a garment. That garment should identify the organization such as "Leader Dogs for the Blind" and not just say "service animal". So you need to give the person the benefit of the doubt to comply. I have not heard of much abuse yet, but I think I know of one case in NY and I am wondering if any of you have caught imposters trying to get pets into restaurants claiming them to be service animals. It could be a real problem if this got out of hand. There is another issue. Service animals in training are not covered by the federal law. So technically they are not allowed. But some state laws do allow them. And most restaurants extend hospitality to them too knowing that they are likely to be well-behaved and that it is important to train them in restaurant behavior. I train puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind and I have rarely been challenged because my trainees wear an official looking garment and I usually wear a branded shirt or cap. The few objections I have gotten are at restaurants where the management did not speak English well.

I am a writer working on an article about restaurants and their policies towards service animals for Restaurant Hospitality magazine, a respected trade magazine. If you have a service animal, please share your restaurant experiences. Do you have problems getting in? Have you ever been denied a seat? What do you do if you are turned away? How do you put uncertain staff at ease? Do you carry documentation for your animal? If you work in a restaurant, please share your experiences and policies. Has you run afoul of the law here? Have you ever been cited for a health violation for an animal in your restaurant? Have you ever been cited for denying service? How do you know if an animal is not a pet? Has a service animal ever caused a problem? Have customers complained?