Porthos

We don't make bread very ofter any more but we do mix up some very stiff cookie doughs. Our Kitchen Aid 5 qt mixer is 25 years old and going strong. I have felt the motor get pretty warm but it seems to be like the Energizer Bunny... Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I don't know how far and wide "Old Spaghetti Factory" restaurants range (basic Italian food on a budget) but it is a stand-by when no one wants to cook dinner during the week. The seats in their booths seem exceptionally high and with my stumpy 26" inseam legs I get uncomfortable sitting through a meal (usually about an hour). So when I step up to the host station besides telling them the number in my party, I ask to be seated at a table. I don't discuss how their booths affect my arthritis (in my spine, affects my legs) or complain of past pain, I just make my request. I've found at most restaurants if you want something specific AND reasonable, they will to the best of their ability accomodate you. If they are not busy and you are looking for some privacy you just ask them up front if you can be seated a bit away from others. When peaple respond to the question "how are you" with "I can't complain" I always have the same silly comeback for them. "Well, I can teach you how!" The truth is a bit different, though. I try very hard to remember that I am a human among other humans and we haven't figured out yet as a genus species how to be perfect. A couple of years ago my early 20s daughter asked to have her birthday dinner (immeadiate family and grandparents) at Bucca de Beppo, a family-style chain italian restaurant. After the meal was over and we were standing up to leave a server was bringing the entrees to a table near us. He misjudged the heat of the plates and in pain ended up launching one of the plates towards me. I was covered with spaghetti from my collar to my shoes. He was mortified and genuinely apologetic. The manager was there in seconds also apologizing and asking my to bring in my dry cleaning bill, etc. I told them that would not be necessary (except for those torturous times I don a suit I'm strictly a wash and wear person). They reworked the bill to comp us the desserts, which I appreciated. I was able to chuckle and not get my buns in a twist because I've lived enough years to know that accidents happen. I won't give you my age but I'll tell you I remember when Alaska was admitted as the 49th state and seeing the flags get changed to have 49 stars on them. Today as I typed this out I chuckled again. I washed my clothes and went on with living. Life happens, and most of it is good. I try to focus on that. Just some rambling thoughts on how I view needs and happenings while dining out. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

"The quality grade factors, marbling and maturity, used to determine USDA beef quality grades (Prime, Choice, Select, etc.) do not explain all of the variation in beef palatability. However, they are capable of segregating a large dissimilar population of beef into more similar grade classes. " (italics mine) The Role of USDA’s Beef Grading Program in the Marketing of Beef part of the Agriculture Marketing Administration of the USDA. United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef A couple of reference sources regarding the intent (1st reference) and methodology of grading (2nd reference). This kind of reading appeals to the engineer in me. Profered here for anyone who is curious about grading. This is new territory for me and I will read more carefully after work today. Until then my boss would like me to earn my keep. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I don't do much fine dining, more coffee shops (Denny's, Carrow's, etc) here in southern California. My eldest sister was a waitress for 20+ years so I do have some inkling of the server's side of things. For fine dining when I do go out: unless the service was needlessly poor I tip 20% of the total including tax. If it's not busy and you just can't be bothered to come by the table and make sure that I have what I need, I can't be bothered giving you what I would gladly have given you if you had actually SERVED me instead of being little more than a sign-board at a drive thru. I am careful not to confuse a busy or short-staffed dining room with simple sloth. However, most of my dining is lower-end and I still apply the 15% mark as a starting point. If I get average service, they get 15%. If I get needlessly poor service they get 10-12% and I don't generally return to that place for a while (there is too much competition for my dollar to not hope for better elsewhere). If you treat me like you value my partonage I'm right back up to 20% and will want to come back. I don't need you falling all over me, but don't make flagging you down a 15 minute exercize in being ignored. I would vastly prefer the German (European) system of paying the wait staff decently and have the cost of their labor be in included in the price of the bill instead of having to figure out how much to tip. When we were in Germany in 1980 the custom was to simply round the bill up the next mark. No annoying change to deal with; the waiter simply has to handle a few bills. To repeat what has already been stated: Wait staff in California make at least the prevailing minimum wage and that figures into my tipping habits. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I want to figure out what I'm missing. When I was growing up in southern California (the 60s) my dad used to sub for the regular keyboard player in the lounge of an old, historic restaurant (originally a stage-stop in the mid-1800s). Thus I have an emotional tie-in to this place. This was a favorite choice for an anniversary or other important meal and the food and service were excellent (they probably still are). A few years ago I was going to book a reservation for our anniversary and saw that they had changed from inclusive meals to strictly a la carte. I priced out some things on the on-line menu and found that to have the same kind of meal we used to get was going to cost around 40% more than previous visits. That was a budget buster and we haven't been back since. Here's my question: Am I just a cheapskate in gourmet's clothing or is the cost of production and serving a la carte more expensive, are the portion sizies supposed to be more generous, or is there some other driver that I haven't a clue about? My other experiences dining a la carte have left me feeling that I didn't get value for my money. Value for me is not about portion size, it is the quality of the food and the experience. Those who can help, please clue me in. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I wouldn't dream of patronizing a restaurant, excluding tapas bars, that thought the serving order just didn't matter. Call it a control freak thing if you want, but I don't like surprizes. I have never ordered a meal in a low end or high end Chinese restaurant that didn't serve salad and soup courses ahead of the entrees; the people I eat with still prefer to share all of the entrees so entree order isn't such an issue. For me, a major element of dining out is the ambience and the pleasure of being served. The lack of traditional serving order would detract from the more sublime elements of enjoying a meal out and also can present challenges to wine service when ordering multiple bottles to match the courses selected. I have a 19 year-old daughter that would probably love such places. They fit very well with her "the way things have been done in the past must be wrong and should always, always, always be challenged!" If perchance I ever end up in an "take it as you get it" establishment, I can guarantee that it will be my only visit and if I can extricate myself and my party before ordering without it upseting the other members of my party I will probably go find a meal somewhere else. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

The turkey derreck was way over the top. .... I've never had deep fried turkey. But everyone who has had it says it's great. I've always wanted to try it. (eating. probably not making as I don't want to buy all that equipment) ← I've never had a hankering to try deep-frying a turkey. Last year I smoked my first turkey (about 9 hours using almond and hickory woods in my wook-fired smoker) and was told by my family that in the future ONLY smoked turkey was to be served at Thanksgiving. That finishes it off for me, no over-the-top derrick rigs for me, just my trusty Brinkmann... I made a specific turkey brine of AB's a few years ago which was way too much work and the results were hardly different from my unbrined birds . I use other recipies now because I have become a believer in brining. I was left uninspried to try anything else until he did the "brown rice cooked in the oven" sequence. I made a double-batch and froze the bulk of it to be steamed back into life as needed. It worked and tasted great. However, mostly I watch him to be entertained and pick up pointers and the background science to apply to the things that I do cook. So for me he's a must have on my viewing line-up simply beause he does entertain. (Other threads here have commented on the shift of what's available on Food TV and I agree that the watchable choices are diminishing). About uni-taskers: My take is the meaning behind this dictum is really "don't fill your kitchen with cheesy gadgets that promise the moon and don't reaaly work any better or more quickly than the tools you already have." I joked with my wife once that he needed to get rid of his cooktop because is was a uni-tasker. It was only good for applying heat to things. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

Chad Ward's eGullet article on knife sharpening and maintenance The article linked above discusses many issues regarding knives. Don't know if any of it will help but it's a potential resource. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I following Jeff Smith on TV and own several of his books including Three Ancient Cuisines though I rarely refer to it. For some reason The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine never really got my attention. Whether or not he did the things he was accused of does not invalidate his work as a cookbook author. I hope I never get to the point of "throwing the baby out with the bath water." My wife and I still use The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors: Recipes You Should Have Gotten from Your Grandmother to this day. We have several ethnic cookbooks but find this book a great help when we plan an ethnic-themed meal. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carniovre

As I have also mentioned elsewhere, I just finished Julia Child's My Life in France and was inspired to dust off my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and am about 47 pages in. I used her Leek and Potato soup recipe (repeated in her The Way to Cook book) for Christmas dinner's first course. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

Holding the knife yourself, checking it's balance and such, is the real deal. I am personally a stainless steel kind of guy. I do sharpen my own knives on a stone. Twenty-odd years ago my wife bought me a chef's knife for Christmas. It didn't feel right so back to the store we went. I picked out a 10" knife that felt right (Chicago Cutlery I believe - I've owned it so long I don't quite remember). Last year she gave me (at my request) a set of Henkles knives from Costco - which I am happy with. However, my 20+ year-old knife is still my primary cutting tool in the kitchen. My conclusion, when you pick out a knife that feels right and is from a reputable maker, you have just invested in a tool that should bring years of pleasure. A note on knife skills: I got The Professional Chef's Knife Kit by the Culinary Institute of America this past year and it was well worth buying. I actually now have a clue what to do with a paring knife after 40 years of amateur cooking. Adding to the mix, Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I have found myself watching less and less of the Food Network. However, there is for me at least one shining beacon of hope left - Alton Brown's Good Eats. I have never cared for Mario B. (he seems - shall we say - not lacking for self-esteem) and if he went away I would never notice. Being a dreamer/wanna-be (the way I mis-manage money a kitchen remodel is most likely never going to happen for me) I used to watch every episode of Ultimate Kitchens I could, watching them over and over. The re-edited version on Fine Living(?) isn't as appealing. Doing 2 kitchens per episode goes too quickly and glosses over decision-making details. (I'm an engineer and I LOVE details ). I've been following Jambalyle's remodel here and enjoying it. The Food Network isn't the only cable network to have a major shift in programming. Court TV has revamped their lineup so much in the last 1/2 year as to be almost unrecognizable. The only consolation I find in the changes is to remember something Harrison Ford said in an interview. Asked how he keeps his head on straight he said, "I never forget that show busisness is business." I do have some Giada De Laurentiis DVDs and will most likely add Alton Brown to my collection this year. Side note not about Food TV: I just finished reading Julia Child's My Time in France and it caused me to get out my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume I (received as a gift in 1979) and start a serious reading of it. I do have broadcasts of some episodes of The French Chef on VHS in my library. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore edited to fix a typo. pp

My sweet wife bought me an Emeril cookbook based upon his restaurant menus last year. I will most likely never even crack it open a second time. I have an aversion to his adding extras to recipes that add clutter to the taste. He's fun to watch occasionally but that's about it for me. It's interesting that I just finished Julia Child's biographical work My Life in France because of a quote from Curnonsky that she included: "Food that tastes of what it is." That line jumped off the page for me. I just bought a cookbook up in Virginia City, NV on cast iron dutch oven cookery for it's sourdough recipes. Let's see if this one gets used... Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I just counted 86 cookbooks that I can actually locate. I know we have a few more but that's another story (one involving living in a home dedicatd to the preservation of clutter). My wife's go-to cookbook is Fanny Farmer. For me, several Juila Child cookbooks,; and The New Basics Cookbook by Rosso & Jenkins. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

Thank you, Maggie, for the link. Fun reading + now I need to see if I can even come close counting our collection since they are scattered in 4 different parts of the house. p. edited because I need to hit the "preview button first - glad for the edit button 8-).

I realized this past year that I have a habit that I can't explain. I love to buy new cookbooks and yet I rarely consult cookbooks unless looking for a very specific recipe. A little background. My sweet wife and I have been married for 28 years and love to cook and entertain. She has a knack for hors d'oeuvres and desserts while I am more the entree and side dishes guy. For every-day meals we split up who fixes the evening meal (the only one we're together to eat during the week) based upon who gets home first that day. An example of my everyday cooking is a meal from last week. I seasoned 4 chicken breasts and initially sauted them to about 75% doneless. I then added chicken broth and white wine and brought it to the simmer. When the breasts were done I removed them from the pan and reduced the broth/wine mixture then added in some sour cream. I served the breasts with pasta and steamed vegetables, napping the breasts and covering the pasta with the sauce. So here's the question. I will spend gift cards that I could use anywhere in a book store buying more cookbooks - adding to a collection that may only be consulted 2 or 3 times a year. Am I alone or are their other cookbook addicts out there that share this trait? I'm not troubled by this - just curious. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

As someone famous once said, "My needs are simple - I want the best!" Actually, Santa, I'd love a Gas Jenn-air range to replace my woefully underpowered builder grade stove. A month in Tuscany with the woman I love to share it with me. And when we get a back from Tuscany, a re-arranged life that affords me more time to actually cook. (I'll bet I'm not the only one that would like this!) Santa, I've upped the ante. I've left you Rum Balls and your milk is mixed with Kaluha. (You might want a designated elf driver ). Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

I didn't read through the entire set of replies but here goes... I cook almost exclusively with kosher salt which is way too coarse for a regular salt shaker. I picked up a parmesian cheese shaker which works perfectly as a kosher salt salt shaker. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

Chef Carey, What a blast reading your series has been. There has been mention of fewer responses that perhaps expected. I have been following this discussion faithfully but didn't add to it as I feel I am out of my league, being but a mere amateur foodie. However... The Saga of the Terrible Towel really, REALLY made me laugh. I'm an fifty-something engineer by profession but a chef-wanna-be at heart. However, I don't have the dedication that working in a professional kitchen requires - so my extracurricular culinary endeavors (outside of my own home) are limited to volunteer cooking for a Renaissance re-enactment guild which holds a feast at noon-time - feeding only members of the guild but done "on-stage" so that the "travelers" can see such feasting. I bring my own supply of towels (and keep lots of paper towels around also) since I seem to go through them so fast. Now I know that I truly deserve to continue to see myself as an amateur since I can't imagine using less towels in my 4 hour shifts. As an aside, I recently purchased Chef on Fire and although I have been cooking and reading cookbooks for around 40 years I have learned more than I would have ever guessed. Thank you for putting your wisdom and insight into print. I can not wait for your next installment let alone the comments you are posting. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelentling Carnivore p.s. Porthos Potwatcher is my character name within my Renaissance guild. p.p.

Tall friends of ours raised the height of their new cabinets by having a taller toe-kick installed. Their particular cabinet maker (I don't know who they used and they have since moved) did not charge for the extra height. Porthos Potwatcher The Unrelenting Carnivore

Corn chowder. More potatoes than corn.