skipper10

TODAY show had a different approach to Padma's Hardees ad this morning. Apparently parents are not happy with it. Frankly I did not see her ad on TV in DC area, only on youtube. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/30261432#30261432

I actually looked over a good deal of this person's other reviews, and those are my thoughts exactly. I'm actually thinking this might be a set-up of some kind. Does Ms. Gleason know Denise somehow, and because of past relationships, want her restaurant to fail? I'm sorry, but I just can't conceive of a situation where Ms. Gleason would want such a sharp relief from all of the mass quantity consumption at buffets that she would even think about eating at a raw vegan restaurant. In one of her reviews, she even points out that she regularly commutes an hour round-trip for a particularly good pizza buffet at $5.79 per person. It seems pretty clear what her preferences are. Of course, Denise sounds like an extremist, but she is a raw food vegan. Isn't pointing that out kind of redundant? I would be very surprised if there isn't more to the story here. ← I don't want to sound as an apologist for Denise, but could it possibly be that: 1. she is new to the business world and is totally overwhelmed, 2. she has more passion for her idea, than experience or knowledge of how to implement it, 3. she is stressed out, and had a particularly bad day. I suppose that when her busboy, dishwasher or cashier don't show up on time, she has to step in. 4. it could very well be that she is a bit condescending towards those of us who weigh considerably more than our doctors want us to, but ... it seems that reviewer's words wounded her deeply. She has my sympathy because I think she tries hard. I wish her luck.

"I've heard several people comment that Rushdie was not (physically) attractive enough to be married to her and immediately thought the poster was referring to that, IOW that she has poor taste in men and hence in burgers. It's a silly idea, though-- everyone knows couples where one person is better looking than the other." Fairly soon after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued fatwa and Rushdie went into hiding he had an impromptu ( 2 hours advance notice) meeting with a small group of journalists at The National Press Club in Washington DC. When Rushdie walked into the room with his entourage of secret service protectors I could not help noticing how short and physically unattractive this "giant threat to Ayatollah" was. However, the moment he started speaking, there was total transformation, he instantly became more attractive than let's say George Clooney. I can understand why Padma married him. I don't understand what he has to do with the TV ad. I like the ad, but I won't be stopping by Hardy's any time soon.

I am green with envy. VIP treatment at the Ayrshire Farms... Did they give you any goody bags? Any treats to take home? Never frozen chicken? Beef tenderloin? Please share, so we can enjoy them vicariously. I can't help wondering how anything from the meatcase in your picture would taste coming out of my oven. I've had Ayrshire schnitzel last year, it was amazingly good, but it also was unbelievably expensive. Last Thanksgiving their fresh turkeys were almost $200 for a large bird, even though large birds are not the tastiest. Wouldn't it be nice if somewhere in their mission statement they said: our products are great and "affordable" for families, not just high end restaurants?

Most of the really good Chinese restaurants left Chinatown DC. They were replaced with all sorts of restaurants, many of them very good, but, not Chinese. If you insist on Chinese food in Chinatown try Full Kee. Their duck and fish are pretty good. If you have never seen a Chinese chef stretch dough into noodles by waving his arms over his head go and stand in front of the window of the Chinatown Express on 6th street, NW. I do not recommend you go inside. The food is dirt cheap, and, as they say, you get what you pay for. My last lunch there was awful. There are plenty of really good restaurants in the area. In case you don't have it, here is Tom Sietsema's most recent Dining Guide. Bon appetit!! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/cityg...8/dining-guide/

I am posting this in case you don't subscribe to CIA's ProChef Smart Briefs: (I like them because among other things they post Wall Street Journal reports on food world which otherwise are available only to paying customers) http://www.smartbrief.com/news/cia/index.j...85-83dd791f17fb From today's offerings: A Side of Business Chef takes a chance in down economy Small-business owners in Schenectady, N.Y., say now is the time to open a new business. One chef created an open-concept gourmet shop to bring tastes from Atlanta, Chicago and Miami, which he says are absent in the area. He plans to find more revenue by catering and teaching cooking classes. Daily Gazette (Schenectady, N.Y.) (4/5) http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/apr/05/0405fulcobiz/ Good luck with your project.

The ideal oils to use are ones highest in polyunsaturated fats ... canola, sunflower, safflower, etc. etc... These oils will season a pan much, much more quickly and efficiently than anything else. This thing we call seasoning is nothing more than polymerized oil, which is oil that has oxidized and turned to plastic from heat. The fewer hydrogen bonds (meaning, the less saturated the fat) the more quickly and effectively the oil will polymerize. It's conventional to use veg oil or bacon fat. But it's also conventional wisdom that it takes years to get a good seasong going. If you use the right oil, you can do a great job in two hours. A killer job in a couple of two hour sessions. The conventional wisdom about how carefully you have to handle the seasoned pans is greatly exaggerated. Those polymerized oils are tough. And they're not soluble in much. You can use detergent and a scrub sponge to your heart's content. That stuff isn't going anywhere. I'd draw the line at using steel wool, or soaking in any kind of concentrated cleaning solutions. But you shouldn't feel the need to ever do this ... these pans tend to clean up easily. ← What about the "conventional wisdom" to rub seasoned pans with salt?

Awesome! My taste buds have been awakened just from reading your menu. Did you take any pictures? Would you share more details, please, such as the number of prep & clean up hours you put in, the amounts of food you served, the number of platters, room set-up, etc. PS:Sorry I was unable to respond right away as my hard drive died and I had to buy and set up bo a new computer.

Chef whose fish head stops moving on the platter looses. Do not open if this will bother you. Definitely not for the fainthearted, but their knife skills are amazing. (for the record: Years ago I fainted when I first saw similar "feasting" at a night market in Taipei.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TfZdAJD-mg

Naivete and disagreement are not the same. Having worked in marketing for ten years including a few years as an account supervisor for an advertising agency, I probably have a better understanding of commercials and celebrity endorsement than many on this board. ← Perhaps you can answer my question although it is not really food realted. I can understand why former president Reagan recorded greeting that sounded every time someone opened the door at a Japanese fair, I suppose he was already overtaken by Alz and Nancy needed money for another red dress. I am not judging them. I am not judging the Doles either, but why would someone with Senator's stature, a highly visible wife, senator active in national politics and no children (ie, no need for extra money for college or weddings or extreme medical care ) would do an ad for Viagra? I would die of shame if my spouse did that... Colicchio does a coke commercial and a bunch of us foodies take it seriously, but we live in a country that did not consider Reagan and Dole commercials odious.

Thank you, I am off to Borders, as I did not do well with the website, although I will try to navigate it tonight. I don't know how I missed this book, it turns out a number of my friends have been using it.

Roadfood has a website too. Much more current than their books. If you join Roadfood, they have a system to download their recommends to a GPS. Come to think of it, HollyEats - Eating the South also has a bunch of listings along your route. Finally look for opportunities to drive a hundred miles off the Interstate system without going too far off course. Much more interesting and much better eating. ← Thank you for the website. I registered last night, but being a total computer idiot did not do well. I started by checking out Arlington, VA where I live, and each time came empty handed, although I know we have mom and pop places around here. I will try again today, when I have a bit more time.

Thank you so much. I printed the entire thread and put it in a folder that we will take with us.

I am not a chef, nor do I run a business, but I do a lot of cooking for mostly older (read:demanding) "multitudes" in my church. I do have killer recipes, but most are not doable in large amounts with little or no help. Last week I prepared food for a funeral reception - lunch for 200. I will post pictures if you tell me how, I am a total computer idiot. After years of trial and error this is how I do it: I set up a long table (4-5 tables put together end to end) I mentally divide the table in half, each half has identical food in the same order. People approach from four ends and keep moving. No one starts from the middle of the table because plates & napkins are at table ends. (Separate stations are great when you have a waiter per station and runners) Use small, dessert size plates, this way not only you will have no accidents that happen with large, harder to maneuver plates, people won't be able to take too much food at once. I used to use smaller platters and place plate piles around the table, so people could access all foods, regardless where they stood, but I discovered, that once they got there, they did not move, they just stood there refilling their plates. While others hovered behind getting mad at moi. Now I use the largest possible serving platters and bowls because once the room is filled with people it is very difficult to replace empty platters with the full ones. I don't do the so called "finger food" because it is time consuming. I do a lot of "fork food." Last week's menu included requests from the family, that I would have not made otherwise, but here it is, the amounts are for 200 including 20 kids. Most of "my people" are health oriented, they don't eat cheese or fried foods and few use butter on bread. We did not run out of food, but had very few leftovers. For these events I shop mostly at a restaurant supply store. I spent a little over $300. (Setting up the table - I put the stuff I have most of closest to the plates, and the food I have least of towards the center.) starting with the plate end of the tables: SALAD: This time of the year I have been making shredded carrot salad ($12.50 for a 25 lbs bag) with orange chunks, ($8 a case) nuts and dried cranberries, but mesclun looked so good, I bought a case(8.95), added (one of each) large cans of drained and rinsed black beans and garbanzos and dill (because it looked great, and was cheap). Did not have time to make vinaigrette, so I just used lemons, red wine vinegar and a bit of very mild Spanish olive oil. PORK - brined overnight 40 lbs of pork loin($1.49lbs). I was going to make roulades with dry fruit, but the night before I had an engagement I could not miss, so in the morning I just roasted the pork, sliced it into bite size chunks and sprinkled with chopped dry fruit melange, (I had the fruit already shredded for roulade), and parsley. Never done it that way before, but it was a big hit. The meat was juicy and there was no need for knives. The family asked for mac & cheese -- I used "Baked pasta with cream and Parmigiano Reggiano" recipe from Johanne Killeen & George Sherman. The reason I chose this recipe: tastes great, but needs less than 10 minutes in the oven. Comes out tasting a bit like fettuccine Alfredo. I used 12 pounds of ziti baked in 3 turkey size roasting pans. Because about 20 kids were expected, I bought a 20 pound box of the smallest size "Italian" meatballs they had. Defrosted them overnight in the refrigerator and reheated very slowly for a long time over a rack, in order to get rid of as much fat as possible. Served with toothpicks. Had I been making the meatballs for adult taste, I would have added caramelized onions and lingonberries. Adults ate meatballs anyway. When cooking for crowds I often include stuffed grape-leaves. I buy them by the case at my restaurant supply place. The night before I drain them and marinate in my own concoction of oil / lemons / fresh herbs. I think they are 5 pound cans, I am too lazy to go to the basement to check, and they cost about $6 a piece. (Last year they were $3.) But it is still a good deal. I always have a couple of cans extra in case I start running out of food. (I usually also have a 10 pound box of tortellini in the freezer, which I can cook and serve at a short notice.) The family asked for asparagus - I bought 4 10lbs cases and roasted them for a few minutes at 450. (Otherwise I would have made roasted cauliflower with capers and kalamata olives. Fine Cooking - Ruth Lively recipe) I also bought 2 10lbs cases of fresh salmon. Each box had three fillets, I roasted them two at a time at 400 for about 10 minutes in 3/4 sheets. The stove does not take full sheets. (I use parchment paper that I drizzle with oil, I also drizzle oil on top of the salmon. I remove the salmon intact using help of another person and four cake spatulas. I used to serve salmon with homemade ponzu sauce, but I use grapefruit in it, I discovered that a lot of older people are on medication that does not allow them to have grapefruit. I now use Tom Douglass' Gorgonzola sauce or just lemons on the side. Bread baskets & butter were spread around the table. Dessert was three kinds of cakes requested by the family. I had one helper in the kitchen. We started at 6 am. Service was at noon. Sorry this is so long....

A while back we took an "eating trip" to Arizona and New Mexico. We did not plan it that way, but we had our best meals in "mom & pop" or chef owned restaurants, restaurants with chefs who did not own/cook elsewhere. Coming to think of it, although we eat in all sorts of places at home, our favorite restaurants are chef or mom&pop owned:Obelisk in DC, Thai Square in Arlington, VA, A. Litteri for deli, and so on. We are planning a trip to Miami and Key West. We will be driving from Williamsburg, VA and the goal is, if possible, not to eat in any of the chain restaurants, in other words, no Burger King, no Chillis(sp), no Applebees,(sp) No Hilton Hotel, no to all that. By our definition it would also be NO to any of Battali or Colicchio type places. Is this doable? We have lots of recommendations for "our kind of places" in Miami's Little Havana, but nothing elsewhere. Since this is a long trip as it is, we would not want to drive extra 50 miles for a mom & pop place in Charleston, SC or Savannah, GA...but we would drive a few extra miles off the interstate to avoid lunch at McDonalds.

I am not sure where you can buy barberries. I know that Persians, as well Uzbeks use it for their national rice dish (osh plov?) so a middle eastern store would be my guess. I will put this on Egullet recipe. Persian Jewelled rice 3 cups basmati rice 2 cups orange rind 2 carrots, grated coarsely 1 cup sugar 1 cup barberry ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped ½ cup raisons ½ cup cranberries ½ cup dried sour cherries or dates 2 tablespoons yogurt ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon saffron, soaked in 4 tablespoons boiling water for 1 hour ¾ cup pistachios ¾ cup almonds, slivered Wash the rice and cook it for 10 minutes in plenty of salted boiling water, drain and set aside. Boil the orange rinds for 10 minutes, be sure to remove as much of the bitter white pith as possible. Soak all the dried fruit in water for 20 minutes. Cut the orange rinds into thin matchsticks and combine them with the carrots in a small pot. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Fry the onions until golden brown. Drain the dried fruit and fry for about 1 minute making sure not to burn the barberries. Add the carrots and orange rind. In a small bowl combine the cardamom, cinnamon and cumin. In a nonstick pot add ¼ vegetable oil heat until very hot; add the spices and fry for a few seconds. Add about 2-4 tablespoons of rice, or rice combined with two tablespoons of yogurt and spread evenly to the bottom of the pot, pressing down. Add 1 spoon of rice, and on top of that a spoonful of the dried fruit mixture, alternately until there is none left. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add 1/5 cup of oil and the saffron to the rice. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel, put the pot cover on top of it, folding the towel over the cover. Cook over very low heat for 50 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before opening the pot. Lightly fry the almonds and the pistachios until just turning to brown. Transfer the rice carefully spoon by spoon, leaving the crispy bottom of the pot alone, unto a large serving plate to a pyramid shape, sprinkle with nuts. On the bottom of the pot transfer the Ta dig to another plate. ← Thank you so much for posting the recipe, can't wait to make it. We are snowed in today, but I have all the ingredients sans barberries, of course. Why is what you call Ta dig transferred to another plate? Is it inedible?

Where could I find the recipe and the "barberries"? My favorite Persian rice is potato-crusted rice, could eat it everyday.

And where in the hell did french come from!? She is not even classically trained!

A friend of mine used to cook her turkeys in paper bags for years. She no longer uses paper bags, she says brown paper bags are now made of recycled paper and may contain harmful chemicals.

Oliver, Fine Cooking's Cooks Talk has their own T&T thread, separate from the magazine's recipes. I don't think you need to be a paying member to access it. If you go Taunton/ FC/ Cook's talk, click on T&T first and then search for "Tuck's crackers," you will get lots of interesting cracker recipes and discussion. Arm yourself with patience, Fine Cooking's search function is as bad as their recipes are good, and you will not be sorry. Tuck's crackers are amazing. http://forums.taunton.com/n/main.asp?qu=tu...=relevance&be=0

According to today's WaPo Carla has a new hairdo, and so does Fabian. Carla talked to a WaPo reporter last week. Here is the Q&A: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9021601022.html

Every Sunday my family "volunteers" to make coffee for our community for 50 to 350+ people. We use those old fashioned electric coffee pots that take forever to brew 90-100 cups and clean-up is a real pain you know where. We are considering modernizing, installing a built in restaurant type coffee machine system that would produce large quantities of coffee in minimum of time. If you use an efficient coffee system you can recommend, would you, please share the information. Thanks in advance.

I hope this is an excerpt from a new book. When is it coming out ?

I hear you. I too learned a lot from Fine Cooking. Used to love it a lot. Couldn't wait for the issue to arrive. Then FC abandoned me. FC started catering to those who look for recipes that require minimum time and no technique. Last two years I rarely used FC recipes. One notable exception, in my opinion, was the Thanksgiving 2007 issue. (Over the years I saved Thanksgiving and Christmas magazines that I actually used for the holidays. FC 2007 Thanksgiving issue is the best among my best. It is amazing. I made a number of my friends buy it, they all cooked from it last year (2007) because they "had to," and this year (2008) because they loved to.) They will use it next year too. Now my problem is with FC's online recipes, for which I pay despite the perennial problems caused by the incompetence of the FC webmaster. She does not seem to be able to get anything right. The latest "improvements" made the recipes inaccessible to me at a time when I need them the most. This may become the drop that broke the camel's back, although I still hope that they will be able to fix the problems pronto. I am still optimistic about FC. The #97, as clumsy as it may be from the technical point of view, is giving me hope that, perhaps, the new FC editor may have visited cooking websites and boards other than CT, and got ideas for a magazine that cooks would again want to cook from.