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How did you know how to budget for opening your own shop? Did you price your product line off your break-even; or did you determine your budget for location, hardwares, etc by figuring out your price and estimating how many you'd sell in a week? I would be so greatful for any enlightenment any of my fellow eGulleters could shed on this topic! Thanks, Shai

I hate double bowl sinks. When we remodel I am putting in the biggest single I can find for washing up, and a smaller prep sink in an island. I hate trying to wash big pans in a double sink! I would love to see your remodel once it is done. Good luck!

I foolishly thought you and OP we exagerating the worthlessness of the KA stuffing attachment- boy, was I wrong!!! Instead of the 6 recipes I'd planned to do, I only managed to make 3, due mostly to the darn stuffing attachment clogging, needing to be removed, the forcemeat shoved through, and then reassembled. And I think I did something very bad to my back trying to use the silly thing on a regular height counter top. lol Things I learned- The KA attachment sucks. I honestly think I'd have had more luck using a large pastry bag to fill the casings than that stupid attachment. If you find yourself with a recipe for seafood sausage that requires making a puree of fish, egg whites and heavy cream- don't use it! The flavor was fine, but the texture was godawful! Grainy and just not good feeling in your mouth. Don't try to make leaner sausages unless you know what you're doing- ie it takes a LOT longer to get meat through the grinding and stuffing if it has less fat in it to grease/ease the way. Make sure you grease the stuffing horn, so your casing doesn't jam up and blowout on you. And finally, speaking of blowouts, if you are vacuum packing your sausages, watch them very carefully, as any air in the casings at all will expand rapidly and could make your lovely links go boom!

Do yourself a favor - throw away the Kitchenaid stuffer attachment. The grinder is fine. If you're semi-serious about making sausage, get this stuffer: http://www.grizzly.com/products/h6252 ← Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure that we will be getting some better equipment if they decide that sausage making is something we're going to incorporate on a regular basis. Thanks, Shai

You'll probably profit from the thread here on "Charcuterie" by Ruhlman & Polcyn. The book itself is a good resource, with a number of creative sausages and lots of pictures showing how to make them. ← Thanks very much for the link! I'm doing the sausages as a test for work, we were looking for some interesting sausages to use in breakfast dishes, and I suggested we try making some. Although I know nothing about it, whatsoever. I'll have to see if I can get a copy of that book. I've read Ruhlman's Making of a Chef, which I found entertaining. Thanks again, Shai

Anyone doing diy link sausage- please point me in the right direction to find some interesting combos for sausage making. I've been tasked with coming up with 6 interesting sausages this week, both exciting and intimidating as I've never made sausage before! We have a kitchenaid mixer with the grinding and stuffing accessories, and I've picked up some casings as well. Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions! Warmly, Shai

Here are some I enjoy- http://cupcakeblog.com/ http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/

I'll have to check that out- extreme sarcasm and skinbristling rudeness with a stiff upper lip; sounds delightful. Is it on BBC amer, or on DVD now? Tks!

I was too young to get into KitKat when I lived in Colonialtown, but The Globe was awesome. Tiny little restaurant next door to kit, seasonal menu, and yummy bread in tiny terracotta pots. I miss that place sometimes. It would be awesome to see someone undo the evil glenda hood did to downtown. Damn, I hate those lizards. and that's the least of the ills she unleashed. Aside from pending church st renovations, is there anything new and noteworthy downtown?

ROFLMAO! The deviled ostrich egg is an interesting idea, but also definately revolting. I'm pretty sure that yolk looks translucent because it's underdone. Although I'm not sure how to properly time a hard-boiled ostrich egg, myself.

I am picky, and squeezy, and sniffy and thumpy. I smell pretty much everything, but especially fruits and herbs. I am not above hunting down the produce manager to see if they have some non-rusty nappa in the back, or other such things. Our local chains seem to be a bit lazy with restocking, and with shoveling out the not so nice bits. Although, I guess if some half-blind old guy with no teeth or tastebuds picks up something that's a bit past fresh, well.. the store still made their buck, right? So, very picky gal here. Edited to add what is likely my most annoying and least mannerly produce shopping quirk- When I get fresh corn on the cob, I will strip it down in the store and make sure the kernels are nice and juicy. With my thumbnail. And if not, then they go back on the lowest, front most point of the display. Any Clerks fans in the house? I have seen older gals switching several eggs out of cartons to get just the right carton at my local grocery. Guess that's not much worse than me and the corn, though- huh?

Well, it seems reasonable- everyone's had jello shots, right? What will the Japanese think of next?

Randy, Thanks for the tip. I see myself in Orlando sooner than Miami area, I'm in Tampa now. Warmly, Shai

I'll second that. Norman's was one of the restaurants that put fusion cuisine (especially pan-Latin) on the map. He is also a cool and gracious guy. ← I didn't realize he was closing up! He was the guest judge on Top Chef last night, and I was hoping to make it to his restaurant at some point.

The best recommendation I can give you for very fresh, simply prepared seafood is Captian Kirk's seafood market on 8th St in Downtown Naples. It's right across from Cambier Park, just a smidge bit south of downtown proper. 239-263-1976. A chef friend told me about it, and he was right. It's a small, family run shop, they sell fresh fish and other seastuffs that they catch mostly on their own boats. They will grill or broil you up a fillet right in the store, and stick it on a nice bun with tomato, lettuce, for around $6. Good stuff.

Downtown was great for underaged drinking! I'm glad to hear someone bought up Church St, I hope they actually do something worthwhile with that property. It's languished for far too long. I also hope they keep some of the original architectural features and don't "modernize" it to death. I would love to hear how things progress in downtown, I used to live in Colonialtown and work in Thornton Park. Chez Jose, anyone? Are the Globe restaurant and Kit Kat club still in opperation??

CalistogaCalistoga on Airport Road has pretty good sandwiches, salads, etc reasonably. Also excellent for breakfast, I love their croissant with ham and assiago cheese. Also the cheese brioche. Yummy stuff there. Keep away from the low cal , low carb type pastry stuff though. Those weren't that good. Noodles, on Pine Ridge has decent Italian, though I have not had their sushi. Sushi Thai off US 19 in north Naples is excellent. Very cozy, fresh fish, super chefs. Il Primo had great wings, and fair pizza, but their quality had slipped a bit right before we moved. So I can't really recommend it fully, but you could try it in a pinch. I just spent the last 2 years in Naples, so feel free to pm me and I can likely think of more good places to go eat at. Enjoy your trip!

Tammy, Those pumas are gorgeous! Have you tried reducing some Frangelico, or flashing off some of the alcohol as in a flambe? That might help get a stronger concentration of the flavor, but with less alcohol. I'm just throwing ideas out, don't know how well they'd work. lol

How to Make Transfer SheetsThis is what I was asking about. Thank you all so much for chiming in, and pointing me in the right direction to find what I needed!!!

Thanks, Ladies!

I'm wondering the feasibility of trying to stamp on chocolate using silicone stamps and coloured cocoa butter. Has anyone tried doing this, and what were your results? If I've missed this topic on the forums, forgive me. Thanks! Shai

lol! I thought the same thing.

I'm a newbie to Egullet.org, and I love this thread! I've done truffles and some other candies at home for years, but am really interested in taking to a small scale professional level. Thank you all so much for sharing your tips on getting great finishes, those chocolates are gorgeous!