gfweb

How high up does your liquid go?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/dining/for-3-nights-le-bec-fin-lives-again.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1& Nice piece about Perrier. I loved that place. The old LBF location has had a number of fine restaurants..LBF then Chanterelle then Vetri. The opposite of a cursed location, even though it really is a backstreet.

Nick worked for Georges Perrier, THE high strung chef. Famous for explosions and violence followed by a charming tour through the diners. You'd hear crashes and Gallic swearing...and then he's all smiles a moment later.

I think Nick is still in it. Brian left last IIRC.

I cook short rib by SV and by braising. While SV gives beautiful texture, the traditional braise in red wine and seasonings I think is overall better since I get braised vegetables (carrot, onion, mushroom) and a nice sauce too. I put a touch of cinnamon in the braise which gives a beautiful subtle note. I wonder if orange zest would work as well.

I cold smoke for 30-45 minutes at <250 F then SV. Lots of smoke flavor and super-tender turkey

For the same reason that BMWs are bought by inexpert drivers.

Coffee filters clog with fats or thick stuff like tomato puree. If you have time you can get a very clear tomato water with coffee filters, but it takes ages. I tend to use paper towels in a strainer, and do a couple of passes (with a fresh towel) to get clear filtrates. The better solution is vacuum filtration with a Buchner funnel, but few kitchens have these. They are cheap, though; and if you have a food saver you have a vacuum source.

Yes. That is the glass-sided Magimix - single long slot - but I have a complaint. it is no longer toasting evenly - which seems to be a symptom in so many "modern" toasters. It makes me angry because my 60+ year-old Sunbeam STILL toasts evenly from side to side and top to bottom. I simply do not understand why they do this. PARTICULARLY when it is such an EXPENSIVE toaster. Breville seems to do things properly. Anybody have a Breville toaster?

Keller uses Sysco fries at Bouchon. Says they are great. Wonder if he got paid.

Browned gnudi with mushroom/thyme glaze

I move for another week. Can I get a second?

I find many breads undersalted. Not that they should actually be salty

I'm surprised your Whole Foods hasn't been forced to change their name by t he big chain.

You could go on ebay and buy used. That way the thing will have been cooked with and already stressed. I'd take a photo and email it to Lodge. Bet you get a free one.

A kitchen towel atop foil is the top that I use.

Some recent meals. Pork tenderloin w garlic/ white wine mushrooms...popover...braised red cabbage Red wine braised short rib with roasted butternut squash Sausage and peppers Lasagne Spaghetti bolognese Smoked turkey salad with grapes, pickled onions and candied pecans

Contestants would do well to read Colicchio's The Mind of a Chef before every contest. In it he spells out his preferences and philosophy pretty clearly. RE chicken breast. One could look at making a delicious breast as the test of a chef. Even make it an elimination challenge.

Yup. Indispensable for both. Lots of meat I'll do either traditionally or SV and see benefits to each eg short ribs or pork tenderloin; but turkey and corned beef are just so much better every time with SV.

I think that turkey breast is the meat that best exposes how useful SV is. Try smoking it first...even better. For some reason the links to your photos don't work.

A very nice custom, but it must cut down on appetizer sales. Once I figured out the dips were coming I ordered no apps.

You are right there's only food in the front of the plane, at least on US airlines, and BA and Lufthansa. Hummous... you got all the components but the hard boiled egg (at 12 oclock in the photo). Hummous is one of those things that I can't get past the look of. I know its ridiculous and it tasted OK. But even if I liked the look, that was one huge bowl for each person. At least 1.5 qts of oiled carbohydrate. Gotta be two days worth of calories. Not that I'm counting calories, but ...

Thanks Rotutus, Pretty divergent reviews. Sounds like there are great units and crap ones even recently. And I was just getting eager...

I don't know if a pre-ordered meal was available. I saw no sign of it. Re the cheeses: The only ones I had were at that buffet. They really lacked depth....didn't taste like much. One thing I forgot to note was a very nice wine from the Flam vineyard. I think I had a Merlot and a blend, both were more than just drinkable. Only bad thing was the waiters tended to pronounce Flam more like phlegm.

If its in a carafe you have to drink it all. Good planning.