gfweb

Settling a case doesn't mean you are guilty or dishonest. It can mean you want to cut potential losses...purely a business decision. Picture being fat, rich, TV-star Batali facing a NY jury. He doesn't have a chance. His lawyers know it, the plaintiff's lawyers know it. The whole thing could have been set up as a raid on his bank account.

This whole flap has seemed overdone to me. Her food is no more prone to causing the weight gain that leads to diabetes (in those who are susceptible) than Boloud's or Colliccio's. Have seconds every night at Daniel you'll get fat too. I'm no fan of her or her kind of food, but she has been unfairly singled out over the years; probably because of her joyous use of butter etc. Regarding the drug ads...I'm no fan of drug ads, but I wonder how many of her critics would turn down the money she's getting.

Cutco! Those guys have the most evil marketing plan on Earth. It goes like this. Recruit HS grads on the way to college with the prospect of a scholarship. They tend to be the less financially-advantaged kids. Have them visit every friend of their parents and try to score a sale or two. They never sell much, but Cutco makes a bundle on their wildly overpriced stuff. The only benefit to the kids is they learn to stay away from this kind of scam in the future without having lost too much money.

PLaE- I've avoided this place for the probably foolish reason that the nae is an acronym for People Laughing and Eating. It is actually a good place. Not cheap, but the portions are gigantic and the food is pretty darn good. A couple of dishes are mis-steps, like fried green tomatoes with hollandaise (needs some acid to cut the heaviness), but overall good food. LeClos- still a great bistro. Best on AI. Beech St Grill- An AI veteran w a great wine list and excellent food. Entrees come now with soup and salad, making this a real value for a good restaurant. Merge- still great. Still needs a website and open table. Barbara Jean's- Same old low country cooking. Could be cleaner. Murray's Island Grill- just OK. Better than the Shoney's that was in that space. Thyme, long gone was followed by a crab and steak place that didn't last a year. The location may be jinxed. Or perhaps just too large to make money. Philly Boyz died quick. No more cheesesteaks on AI.

Nice! Gonna give classes?

That is a big statement, blaming obesity on processed foods and not over-consumption. Got a reference for that? Exhibit #1 for the defense- Prince Fielder is a vegan. Yes its easier to absorb certain processed grains, but sucrose isn't processed before a load is dumped into Pepsi and McDs doesn't do anything to its potatoes but fry them and supersize them. Over-eating esp of carbs, perhaps encouraged by the foolish food pyramid,is the big cause of obesity and the secondary diabetes.

If you shop in supermarkets I think that truly knowing the origins of food is impossible. The intentional mislabeling of fish is an obvious example, but how do you know where the loose potatoes in the bin came from? Even if the produce guy gives you an answer, how do you know its true? I also think that it isn't a task that individuals can be expected to take responsibility for, (unless they are truly driven). Its a nice idea, and I like the philosophy and aesthetics of it, but I know that I can't do it.

Not at all, Scotty. Show us your kitchen!

Glad somebody notticed.

I can get Red Breast here and am quite fond of it.

I can't give weights, I'm still in the "pinch" stage, but I find that sous vided meats seem to need less salt than I'd use in a traditional method.

Good ending.

Great news. The place was getting tired.

Dilworthtown is an old standby. Its not trendy, but reliably good. If you are getting that far into Chesco you might think about Gilmore's in West Chester. A seriously good BYOB. Chef/owner was Perrier's exec during the glory years.

I think the problem is that we (at least me) are somewhat ambivalent about these issues. On the one hand who doesn't want fresh food that is produced properly? On the other so many of the proponents of these issues are tedious at best and FOS at worst. Some have agendas that extend past the food problem. Some are preachy and elitist. (Who appointed Blythe Danner's daughter to her current position anyway?). Many make arguments that haven't been thought through to their ultimate outcome. And its worth mentioning that these concerns are all trivia if one doesn't have enough to eat, the current state of billions of people. If eating a nearly extinct fish feeds my starving kids....

nope

It is all marketing jive and, as we have shown in this thread, has no clear meaning. It is an descriptor that each has to put his own spin on because honesty/dishonesty is not a trait of inanimate objects and the real definition of honesty cannot be meaningfully applied to food.

Because every decision you make about the food you eat has consequences. There are environmental consequences. And health consequences. And cultural consequences. I would think that for some people, the work of those whose job it is to grow or raise food is important enough to care about, because the issues that affect our farmers, growers and food producers will affect us all eventually. It's "amazing" that we're even having this kind of discussion. Amazing? I don't think so.

Inspiring stuff, Chris.

Closing at 1 might cost some lunch business.

More on Tom's, uh, preferences?

Wow, you guys are more evil than medical staff. Lots of practical jokes take place on slow nights in the hospital. This thread has been a fun read. Not a professional kitchen story, but I did something similar when I was an intern (medical). One of the chief residents kept raiding the fridge in the call room and eating my lunches (generally very tasty ones, if I do say so myself), but as the lowly intern, I couldn't really complain. So I baked up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and put a fairly large dose of powdered habanero in a portion of the dough, and put the cookies in my lunch bag. I tasted one, the heat does not register immediately because of the sweetness, easily allowing someone rapidly snarfing cookies to finish at least a couple before the heat starts. He never stole my lunch again. That Chief probably ended up being a department chair.

I've had frog's legs, snapper soup (an old-time standard around Philly, but its more about the soup than the turtle meat), rattlesnake (not worth the effort for little pieces of chicken-y meat), and alligator (tough, stringy). Alligator screams for a sous vide prep that would make it tender.

I have had it with Food Saver. My two year old, lightly used "professional" model is acting-up. Switches are giving out and only work after about 15 presses and as many cusses. This is the third one that's crapped out after light, careful use. WTF. The quality of kitchen appliances just sux unless you pay a ton and even then they can suck (see the entire Waring Pro line). Ok my rant is over. Any recommendations that don't cost $500? Or should I just buy cheap ones and consider them disposable?

Exactly. If pretense is honesty then we have forgotten the definition of the word. Good food simply cooked might be a good definition but that would make classic French dishonest.