dougw

Um...I think that exchange about the egg yolk and oil was a joke, y'all. He was being snarky. No way a pro cook doesn't know how to make mayo. No way-o. (Sorry)

And why the hell were they at Uno's? They shoulda been to Giordano's, Geno's or Malnati's.

I was amazed at the pizza challenge, too. The first time I ever made deep dish pizza was better than many of those monstrosities. And I'm not a chef nor a baker nor a Chicago native.

Seeing the Les Halles episode inspired the wife and I to have lunch there today after we took in a movie. First time I'd been there in about a year, and it was just excellent. Perfect fries, and the unctious pork mignon with garlic confit. Wife had the onglet. Perfectly executed brasserie food. Always a treat. And Wylie Dufrensne was there, picking up an extra shift as garde manger. Not sure about that agar coated house salad...

I've been "re-reading" Kitchen Confidential on the iPod lately. I read the print version the first time, and now it's adding a lot to hear the reading by AB. Last night I heard the chapter about his infamous bread guy calling into work to beg Tony to "Feed the bitch!" I love my starter too much to degrade her like that. She has improved my life immeasurably, unless you are measuring the waistline of the baker...

Paper does take a lot out of the coffee. But you can get a nice gold filter that you reuse forever, and it's better for the environment!

That won't really work. A blade grinder is OK, but a burr grinder will always be best.

Well, for any interested, the bread came out just perfect. I went with the dutch oven. I left the lid on for about 45 minutes, and the bread was about 190 degrees in the center. So I did the rest without the lid, until about 210F. The result was a lovely crust that wasn't too thick or brown, nice open, chewy crumb with a mild but present sour taste. I was thrilled, but sad the wife wasn't here to taste. That hour long wait after baking is just brutal!

There was a very old man that lived in Memphis back in the early 90's and ran a pit from his home. On the fortunate occasion I gave my friend a ride home to that neighborhood, I would stop by and get something to eat. His pulled pork was astonishingly good. He made his own bread that was chewy, buttery and garlicky. One day I asked for my usual pulled pork and he offered me a pig ear sandwich for half the price of the pulled pork shoulder. I took him up on it and was thrilled. He braised it first in a big cast iron dutch oven. Not sure what the liquid was. After it was tender, he would smoke it with the shoulders and ribs. It was tender with a smoky crunch. He put his sauce on it and the homemade slaw. I'm sure he's long since passed away, but I hope he passed on the recipe.

I had no luck with my first starter, which had yeast in it. So I started over with a method I saw on an old Julia Child show. She had a pastry chef on...forget who...and she made the starter with grapes and flour. Let me tell you...this starter is kicking major ass. It's alive and super-smelly in the best possible way. I've been reading and reading...so many sources, and trying my first loaf in a little while. Can't decide if I want to go on the stone or in the Le Creuset. I took one piece of advice from the eGullet lesson, which was omitting the salt for the first rise. We'll see what happens.

I don't think the problem is so much with Cora's affinity for Greek food. That's who she is. She grew up with that food, and I think it's great she uses that as her home base. Some have expressed a problem with the fact that she's a "celebrity chef" as opposed to the other IC's who have put in the work in the industry. Based on the Ruhlman book, her goal was fame through cooking. That makes me uneasy, but who am I to judge her choices?

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with the marble rye. If I bring anything, I will leave it there, or course. And with wine, I don't really care if they don't open it. But I get a little irked when I bring food and they don't put it out. Once we were invited to dinner and we brought a fresh homemade lemon poundcake. They didn't serve it, and AFTER we'd given it to them, they made Betty Crocker brownies.

I've seen both of them do it. Seems the Neelys are being held to a different standard.

I understand their reaction to the show. My problem was using a slur to describe them, and suggesting that they acted a certain way because someone paid them to not be themselves. No one has addressed that yet.

Your point about Rachael Ray is excellent. Besides, I've tried to explain from personal experience that the Neelys are pretty much the same in person as they are on TV. Frankly, I think the notion that they would act a certain way because the Food Network bosses tell them to is in and of itself suspect. They are who they are.

You consistently ignore the fact that this show is representative of how they are in real life. If you dislike what they do on the show, you won't find much difference if you meet them in their excellent restaurant in Memphis. I suggest that you tell them these things to their face instead of assuming that they are puppets. I also think that comparing their behavior to Flavor Flav, or some MTV rapper is extremely unfair. Again, disliking the show is fine. But you're reaching pretty far here in your accusations against the Neelys. And to be fair, I'm also agreeing that racism is alive and well. I just don't think it helps to throw slurs like that around so freely, when you're not really informed about them as they are in person.

You put a shot of Southern Comfort in a Michelob and you got yourself a tasty beverage.

That's just how they are. You can dislike it all you want, but I think throwing around racial slurs takes it over the line.

And this is how the Neelys are in person. They are warm, funny, bawdy and in love. I just watched a TiVo'd episode so I could comment more intelligently. I find it amazing that people would compare them to "steppin fetchit" or call the show "affirmative action." That, to me, is sad. Did I like the show? Not really. It's not the kind of show I find interesting. I already know how to make barbecue. But I don't see the need to make racial slurs to express my dislike of the show. FYI, I'm white, married and originally from Memphis. Perhaps if people spent time in other parts of the country they might understand the differences we have without going below the belt.

I've met the Neelys. They are kind, sweet people. Haven't seen the show, but I think calling someone a "stepin fetchit" is insulting.

Oh...I also had some fries once made by a Pakistani street vendor. He was down in Tribeca somewhere a few years back. He fried these small slices of potato in ghee. Needless to say, they were good.

A Salt and a Battery on 2nd Ave in NYC makes a good English chip. You can pair it with a deep-fried Twinkie. Not fast food, but I love the fries at Les Halles. They make em just right.

Grind it much coarser than you think you should. Think sea salt. 2 tablespoons for every 6 ounces. No exceptions. If you like it weaker, dilute it with hot water later. The extraction is key, use too much or too little coffee and the flavor will be off. After the kettle boils, let it sit for 30 seconds. Pour over the grounds and let it sit for one minute. Then stir with a chopstick or spoon vigorously. The fresher the coffee the more it will have a "bloom" on top, similar to the crema on top of espresso. Let it steep for 3 more minutes then decant it to a pre-heated carafe ASAP. If you let it sit in the press it will taste bad.

Here's what I got from the Cooks Illustrated video podcast. 15oz flour 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp instant yeast 7oz water 3 oz pilsner 1tbsp white vinegar Mix, cover in bowl with plastic. Set aside to ferment for 8-18 hours 10-15 turns to knead, form into ball Place in parchment coated skillet. Oil parchment. Oil bread and proof 2 hours covered with plastic loosely. Preheat oven to 500 with lidded Dutch oven inside 30 min before proofing is done. Transfer dough using parchment to pot. Cover and bake at 425 for 30 min. Remove lid and continue baking until bread is 210 degrees 20-30 minutes Cool 20 min.

I'm going to midtown later today, maybe I'll stop in. How do I know which ones closed yesterday?