Dr. Teeth

Oh, I forgot the best gift of all. I got a 10" Griswold cast iron frying pan that had been sitting in my in-law's garage gathering dust. Seasoning seems to have been stripped off of it somehow, but otherwise in great shape. Can't wait to re-season it and put it to use.

I agree with most of the above comments, Lisa and Gene both really needed to go. I think the comparison of Adrianne to Brian Malarkey is an apt one, and I think her future on the show will mirrior his: I think she will hand around, hitting singles, until the field narrows down to 5 or 6 and then she will just get outclassed by some of the other contstants. I'm pulling for Stefan and Fabio, although I am now pessemistic about Fabio's future he seems to have fallen back since his elimination win in the second episode. Anyone else think that they might want to encourage the chef's to cook a little more adventurously in the elimination challenge by offering some more substantial prize than a copy of the guest judge's latest cook book?

There are a few doctors floating around the site. I'm not ofering you a medical opinion, but it would greatly help if you could let folks know: 1) What happens to you when you eat the food - "a bad reaction," isn't really helpful and usually means that it gives people the runs or bad gas, neither of which means you have a food allergy, and they don't want to talk about it. 2) What, if any, testing you have had done for your allergy. Certain foods are hard to digest, and others have been more commonly linked to allergic reactions, so this isn't me just giving you a hard time.

Sorry to hear about your predicament. Just getting through a period of limited resources due to prolonged academic training. Most of the tips I might have for an a limited food budget have already been stated but: a) Asian markets are a godsend, particularly for fish. I can still buy a small fish, white bass or rockfish, that will feed two adults (with some rice maybe a vegetable) for less than 3 bucks. b) Once a week is omelet night, and once a week is a curry. Both help use up odds and ends from the vegetable drawer that would otherwise go bad. And both are cheap, <1.00 -2.00 for two adults. c) Scootin' long the Shore is an old Maine term for a meal made of hash browns. Cast iron skillet, yukon golds, knob of butter. Low heat for 30 min no turning, higher heat for 40 min, higher still for 20 min. It's fabulous. And cheap. Usually round it out with some cukes or pickles or a salad on the side. <1.00 for two adults if you buy the potatos in big bags. d) I buy whole chickens, take off the breasts and make cultlets for chicken marsala or piccata, then stew the legs and make stock from the backs and wings along with some chicken feet. Half the stock gets eaten the night it's made as Matzoah ball soup or chicken noodle, the other half gets saved for cooking stock. e) I like mashed potatos or polenta with the chicken. I just use plain ol' cornmeal for the polenta which sells at the Asian market for about 50 cents for a 12 oz bag. Never really broken down the cost, but I would guess cost is about 14.00 for three meals for two adults and some chicken stock. f) I do a lot of pasta and risotto as main dishes. For pasta I like aglio olio (if I have a good block of cheese), carbonarra, caremelized onion, vodka sauce, canned italian tuna (less than a buck a can at Costco, and it's not bad), marinara with squid or blue crabs or 40 - 50 count scallops (clams would be great, but I don't often find em cheap), tomato with canelli beans and arugala. All the pasta dinners come in pretty cheap, even the ones with seafood, <2.00 - 6.00 for two adults. g) Pork dumplings with napa and scallion made with pre-made (yes I should be ashamed) wanton skins make for a cheap dinner and make awesome lunch leftovers. h) I find a small indoor herb garden to be economical. I grow sage, italian parsley and I always promise miself I'm going to grow cilantro but never get around to it. i) Costco is nice for some staples, but only makes sense if you can buy in bulk and have space to store things. Sorry for the long post. Hope things get better.

Bob beat me to it, but I think it's too small and for a chinese chef's knife. Frankly I think your money would go farther someplace else $100 buys a lot of cleaver.

A 3 lbs block of Parmigiano carried by hand from DiBruno's in Phily's Italian Market. A kitchen-aid meat grinder attachment

I'm another OXO man. 3 pairs, all with stainless tips. I prolly should get a rubber tip pair at some point.

I can't really argue with the suggestion of the fibrox. If I was starting all over again, I'd probably go with a cleaver. Dexter, Town Food service and CCK all make excellent chef's cleavers that can be had for <$40. But what do I know.

What you are describing is not exactly a pancreatitis diet. You want to be careful to avoid foods high in fat mostly. I'd be very cautious with dessert. But I think you need to be a little clearer on what's going on.

Thanks for all the responses. I live (ironically enough in light of the Post article) in the Maryland suburbs of DC. And somewhat for the record, the share is a 13 week fall share so I had been hoping for some more fall vegetables (squash, more sweet potatos)

I joined a CSA for the first time about two months ago, and I think it's not an experience I need to repeat. Every week a 13 dollar bag of Hakurei Turnips, one small baggie of salad greens, a bunch of arugala and a couple of lonely radishes arrives. Usually there is my surprise for the week, a head of tat soi or a single sweet potato the size of a child's fist. Aside for the general feeling that I could get more for my money shopping at Whole Paycheck who the hell wants to eat turnip greens and turnips twice a week. I feel like I'm back at my Parent's house where I eat what's put in front of me. The person who talked me into the half share told me she thinks it makes her a better cook to learn how to use ingredients she doesn't see everyday, but really, I think the learning curve has flattened out, and besides who doesn't know how to cook turnip. I know it's part of being a good foodie to think that CSA's are the be all, end all but I think I'm though. Anyone else had the same experience? Is this just a bad CSA or a bad season?

I own a Hiromoto AS 190mm I bought at the Christmas sale at Japanese Chef Knives Direct last year and I've been pretty pleased although I'm not a Santuko guy. Per the folks at the site this is far and away their best selling Santuko, if that means anything. I agree with Bob, I wouldn't go smaller than a 190mm if your looking for a general prep knife.

I'm not the knife expert Bob is, I only have one really high end knife, but it's a nakiri. I do have large hands however and have been very pleased. Let me suggest you look at the Watanabe 180 Kuro-ichi. I had a custom handle put on mine and it's very nice. I'll try to post a picture.

I only caught one of the episodes without Batalli, but I think the part of the show I have the hardest time with is how joyless it seems for all involved. Watching Bittman, Paltrow and the spanish woman (I didn't catch her name) drive around Spain in an 80,000 dollar car and eat fabulous food with all the enthusiasm of a 6 year old visiting the dentist seemed rather depressing. Maybe it's better with Mario in the picture, I can't imagine him not having more zest for the experience.

This discussion is absurd. Cake cannot carry pie's cape. Cake advocates need to take a long look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really have what it takes to be a foodie.

Raw corn from the farmer's market. Pasta with olive oil, garlic, red pepper.

Finally saw it. Was it just me or is the talent level more like the first two seasons (mix of chefs, caterers and a student or two) than the third and fourth(deeper pool, mostly high end restauraunt folks)? My early money is on the Finnish guy.

Nice looking steak, Dave.

Just so I'm clear on the rules, does cooking oil and such count as an ingredient?

I would approach the problem as follows. 1) You live in a brewery and thus have beer to spare. 2) You live in Brooklyn and thus random shotgun blasts are not likely to be reported to the police. Perhaps a bounty in beer for each mouse? My hunting dog and I can be at your place by sunrise. Have pug, will travel. Or if you don't have kids and pets around the place I'd suggest poison. YOu probably don't one mouse you have tons. Poison tends to wipe out whole nests as the mice eat the dead poisoned mouse.

Arugala, cannelli bean and caremelized onion salad. Baby arugala Canelli beans Onion Vermouth or white wine Olive oil Slice onions, cook over low heat with 1 tbls olive oil for 30 min turn up burner to high, caremelize, deglase with wine, repeat. Salt and pepper off heat, combine onions with beans. top greens with mixture

Rump Roast is from bottom round unless I'm mistaken. That's a pretty hard working piece of muscle. I'd braise, rather than roast.

I'm not an expert on plantains by any means, but I've used some with the same kind of mold you describe. Seems to always happen about the time the peels turn black. As long as the mold is only on the outside I usually will still use them, and it's always been fine. But I'd prolly wait for someone with a little more experience to weigh in.

I think the 14.99 is more a byproduct of Kosher first cut, rather than Manhattan. Kosher sells for about that a pound here (Maryland, close to DC) but you can pick it up in supermarkets for about 3.99. Briskets all look good, but I have to say I usually take slicing a brisket as a sign of failure. I've cooked a fair number including (maybe explaining my bias) some for barbecue competitions and I find sliced brisket doesn't have that 'tender but chewy at the same time,' quality.

Any of you candy and fudge making folks have a suggestion for a candy thermometer? Is there anything to choose between the various ones for sale?