menon1971

This is a good question. What is the difference in price, regionally, for both farm raised and wild shrimp. Where I live a local fish market sells wild 16/20 count for a little less than ten dollars a pound, but I live four hours from the Gulf of Mexico.

Please let me know what you think.

Where is this place? ← Found it and just ate there. My pie had roasted garlic, buffalo motz., basil, and cherry tomatoes. Very good. The only criticism I have is that I got a short (maybe 4 oz.) pour of red wine. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't 5 oz. standard?

As Tony himself stated above, he's 'ambassadoring' for MSN (which happens to be sponsored by Amstel). =R= ← My comment was one of perception rather than actual affiliation. I am sure Amstel's intention is to bank on a perceived association whether it is Bourdain under the banner and beside the bubbling draft or someone else. Amstel is not sponsoring out of the goodness of its heart. ← Yeah, I just wanted to clarify my earlier, snarky "Suntory" comment. You're totally right about perception. At first, I thought this was actually an Amstel affiliation on Tony's part, which is why I said what I said. Still, it would have been fine with me. I'm certainly not here to judge anyone. =R= ← I am not here to judge anyone either. I think Bourdain is good for American food culture and I would hate for him to lose credibility and clout with the epicurean crowd. It seems that through the efforts of many within the professional food industry we are starting to eat more interesting food and to think about good food in a different and less elitist way. I was at a restaurant in Dayton, OH a few years ago while at a conference and they had sweetbreads on the menu. Not exactly still-beating-cobra-heart in the realms of the exotic, but nice to see at any rate. It was great, and I managed to get one of my friends to try a bite and he liked it. I can now get rabbit at my local supermarket and I am increasingly noticing steaks other than sirloin, rib eye, NY strip, and tenderloin on menus. These little things, in my estimation, portend better cuisine for all of us.

As Tony himself stated above, he's 'ambassadoring' for MSN (which happens to be sponsored by Amstel). =R= ← My comment was one of perception rather than actual affiliation. I am sure Amstel's intention is to bank on a perceived association whether it is Bourdain under the banner and beside the bubbling draft or someone else. Amstel is not sponsoring out of the goodness of its heart.

Where is this place?

I just finished Nasty Bits and although uneven it is certainly worth a read. The commentary section at the end really makes the book. I seem to recall somewhere Mr Bourdain stating his admiration of Julia Child’s policy of never endorsing products. The primary commodities Bourdain has to trade upon, as I see it, are authenticity and credibility. I may be mistaken in this but I fear that vamping under the banner of a light beer, for the love of all that is holy, may not help concerning the former. I would hate to see him “jump the shark” via being perceived as a corporate shill. Anyway, I thought he was a Guinness man. At any rate I really need to get cable so I can check out his show...........

Around my office it is BBQ, usually pulled pork and chicken, sometimes ribs (I feel sorry for those who either do not eat meat or pork, because often the building reeks of it - the deep south is not a vegetarians paradise). Sides usually include baked beans, vinegar slaw, potato salad, and for desert anything from cookies to banana pudding. This is also seems to be a popular choice for catered events. Fancier shindigs generally have ham biscuits or something like shrimp and grits.

Yep, it sure is a nogent style knife! You got a really great deal on your Elephants!!!!!! That price just can't be beat! Are they carbon or stainless? ← Two were carbon (a yatagan and a utility) , the rest stainless. However, the stainless still takes and holds an edge better than my Henckels. My 9" is carbon as well as my boning knife.

Is the paring knife a Nogent style? I have a 12" Sabatier Elephant chefs knife that I am also quite fond of. I had a small set of Henckels and a few miscellaneous other knives (low end MACs, etc.), but was smiled on last summer when driving through a small town in KY. I picked up nine 1960s/1970s vintage Elephants at a local antique store for $40. I really like the round bolster of that era of French knife. My girlfriend now has the Germans, and is quite pleased to no longer be using cheap supermarket knives.

So, what 's your favorite? I have an old "Elephant" carbon steel 9" chefs that is my workhorse.

Here is the Deep South a five hour class at the local culinary school will run you $135. However, I have not taken one yet...............

It is a sad truth, but oh well. I have a few pieces of nice old French tin lined copper as well should you want it. Perhaps I should trade in my French knives for something stamped and serrated. What is baffling to me is how an All-Clad rep would suggest such a thing except to prevaricate.

WHAT? NO PICTURES? Sorry. I don't have a digital camera. My knives look like yours though. ← Finally got a cheap digital camera, but no flash and the room is small and dark. The case is too heavy to move to a brighter area! Forgive my horrible photos, but you will get the point. ← Very nice. Are they all from the "Professional" line or a mix? Love the case by the way......

Who wants thin pans? If thin is better then obviously the wafer thin stuff available at the supermarket must be top of the line.

off-topic, and not unique to that particular company in the least. ← But sad nonetheless............