Marky Marc

I have worked with philosophy to environmental science majors from the University of Wisconsin to Columbia. I have also worked with some of the most utterly useless human beings I could have ever imagined. Like anything else, it's a mix.

I would get a santoku for mutli-purpose applications because the tend to not have the ability to roll (rock front to back). The Shun santoku has a mild curve in the tip but it hardly helps. I would say get an 8 inch chef. To me, 7 inches is two small and with 10 inches I feel like I should cutting down bushes with it; too big. This is my opinion out of the brands listed: I can't stand Globals because of the metal handle. If my hands get wet that handle is going to lose a bit of grip. Henckel make a quality forged blade but they can be a bit on the heavy side. I have a Henckel 4 star with a granton edge. I lost a part of my finger because of it too. It haolds a edge decently. Wusthof makes a really solid knife. Lightweight, strong, and holds an edge forever. The granton edge Cordon Bleu chef knife is one knife I really wish I had. Sexy. Kershaw Shun blades are in a league of there own but I would never get one of those Ken Onion abominations. They should sell those things in head shops for christ's sake. Form over function. Unless your trying to impress waitress at Medieval Times with your fancy dragon slayer knife, stay away from those things. The Alton Brown versions are quite different though. Better ergonomics. Easier on the wrist. All in all, Shun knife are top notch. But if all they have are Ken Onions, don't bother.

Thank you for the suggestions!!

Could that be considered an egg washing?

I'll be in Key West, Key Largo, and South Beach in late June early July. I'll be there with my family and a few of us are quite fond of food. Generally speaking, the more unique or more authentic the better. Something truely unique to these areas or some dishes to keep an eye out for. A good Caribbean or Cuban place is definately on our list. We don't get much of that up here in Seattle, to say the least. I also keep hearing about Miracle fruit. Is that available anywhere there? We are very curious and very hungry! Thanks for any suggestion you all may have! -Marc

We have large buckets full of grated horseradish and when a new guy comes in he is usually asked if he can smell something funny in it. They stick their head in and immediately start coughing. Violently. The eyes turn red, they start wheezing, and and usually pretty pissed afterwards. Sometimes the new guy will get asked to run on a pan of strawberry mashed potatoes, "ON THE FLY! IN THE WALK IN!"

I'm not naive when it comes to germs and the real world. On the other hand, I do want to ask you a question, given your certification and obvious knowledge. You meet somebody who's obviously got a bad cold or flu and sneezing constantly into tissues in their hands, and after the introductions, they reach out and shake your hand. Do you make some effort or mental note to wash you hands before you eat, or touch them to your face (for any reason), or prepare food? Or do you just decide that's for the germ-phobics and go about your way? ← This actually gets at a larger issue. Restaurants generally do not offer paid sick days and usually have little staffing flexibility, so people on the verge of death by TB drag themselves in and spend their whole shift germing up the place. Flu season is no time for the germ-sensitive to be dining out. ← Oh man, don't even get me started on this. I nevver understood why, in an industry that is so concerned with health and food safety, that it be such a taboo to call in sick under any circumstances. i have seen several instances were cooks would frequently leave the line for "vomit breaks" because they were working with a 100+ degree fever. People are generally looked at as weak if they call in sick.It's fucked up, really, but that is how it is.

I've used a combo of lime zest and bay leaves. It's hardly a worthy substitiute but it has worked for me several times over this last winter were all the crops got screwed up.

So why is he working in your restaurant? ← We have all been asking ourselves the same question for quite some time now.

Patrick Rolfe is one of my sous chefs actually. The man is utterly useless in every sense of the word. The man spends all day standing around, looking important. One of my co-workers got a call from his wife last night when he got eliminated (on the first show I might add). When it was announced on the line everyone started cheering.

I can't say exactly where, but it seems like there is Ethiopian-Somali community in the Central District. I've seen lots of places down there. Exactly where, I can't say.

I can't think of many people in the industry that would turn down free booze.

If that is enough to make you cringe than you should really stay at home and not bother with eating out. I can't recall the number of times I've seen cooks pick food up off the floor and then sell it to the unsuspecting public. It happens all the time and, more than likely, you've eaten your fair share of it. Worrying about the potential germ count on the tabletop is the least of your worries.

Actually, considering runoff and stuff, well water has many additives that treated tap water does not. Pick your poison. ← Nice. I guess you're damned if you and you're damned if you don't.

Oh my! Well, she's gotta be a little homesick. Many, but not all, recipes of spaGEEti (TM Giada) served at parties here (especially fiestas and children's birthday parties) have ketchup in them. So much so that some canned spaGEEti sauces are labeled "Sweet Style," thus making it more economical, not that people still don't add ketchup to them. ← Here in Seattle we call that spaghetto

With all the horrendously unhealthy additive that are put into tap water I absolutely refuse to drink it at almost any cost. Filtered tap water is a different story, though. Your water shouldn't have to come from around the world but you shouldn't have to settle for chorine laced water as the only alternative.

Doesn't sound very cost effective.

I don't associate searing and sauteing with temperatures but cooking techniques. If you're searing something, though, you're going to want high heat for the most part. Sauteing can be done at any degree of heat, really.

^^^^ They're deep fried? How do you cook them?

First-seating

Their human beings, not robots. They aren't going to get everything perfect all the time and sometimes it may become a mess. They sound like they were a little understaffed. It's understandable. No excuse, my ass. I don't care who you are, you can not crank out a million meals at once and expect them to all come out perfectly every time. Be realistic.

Some of the guys I work with swear by Tilex, the tile cleaner. Apparently it gets their whites done perfectly. Now that I think of it their jacket are usually pretty clean.

On a fully staffed line we have 10 people. This is only on busy nights though: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Normally it's 7.Where do you work?

Brunch 5-600? Damn where the hell do you work in Seattle? I used to do those numbers when I worked the Sunday Brunch shift at Cafe Campagne. Brunch was pretty much a 14 hour Hell shift. Eggs...I could never understand why people would pay that much for eggs? ← I work at Palisade. Do you live in the area?

I stopped at Porcella today after reading the reviews here and I was quite pleased. I had the Pork Rillette with Shaved Red Onion, Wine Plumped Currants and a Dijon Mustard Sauce. It was a nice balance of sweet and spicy that complemented the pork nicely. Top notch. I also manage to snag a slice of foie there, which I was very excited about. But oh man... those gafrette (sp?) cut potato chips... fuggetaboutit! So good! Garlicy, salty, and I swear I could taste white truffle in there too! I will definately return. (edit: there are truffles in it as someone already mentioned. hahaha)