dougw

I'd buy him a cup of coffee, but he can afford the machine!

I'm really glad to hear what they were teaching. I am impressed that they are committed enough to their product to do this and I think they will reap the benefits.

True, but I think the general public has no idea what real espresso is. Most people assume that espresso is bitter by default. That's why they douse it in hazelnut syrup or caramel. If the average coffee drinker had a shot from Vivace in Seattle, they'd be amazed at the flavor, all without a drop of milk or sugar. It's the same with food. Most people don't really care enough to seek out the best quality. They're cool with the bloomin onion and baby back ribs at TGI McFunsters.

I think it's great they're doing this. The bottom line is, no Starbucks can ever compare to the espresso I make at home. My milk is steamed better, my shots are never bitter nor sour. But I travel a lot. When I'm in Chicago, Seattle, Portland, or Vancouver, I'm going to go to the upscale joints(which are usually cheaper anyway) like Intelligentsia, Stumptown and Vivace. But if I'm in Ames, Butte, or Toledo, I'll hit Starbucks. Many times the milk is overheated, the espresso is bitter or sour, and barely drinkable. I usually just get a 4-shot and pour milk in it, just for my fix. It's servicable. But even with super-autos, the quality doesn't have to be so bad. I hope they do better.

The pods to me are like those Totino's party pizzas. Compared to the real thing, for me, they don't hold up. But for what it is, it's fine. I'm such a snob about espresso and French press. Still though...it's beats the swill!

I haven't had a good latte from Starbucks in years. Ever since they switched to the super-auto the espresso is usually horrid. No one in there knows how to make the drinks taste good, and the quality is inconsistent at best. There was a Starbucks near my hotel in LA a few years ago that still used the Lz Marzocco semi-autos and had good baristas. The Seattle location in Pike Place is good too. But the beans are over-roasted. I prefer the Northern Italian roast that you get from places like Espresso Vivace and Stumptown. When steaming milk, I use my hand as the thermometer. I stretch the milk just until the pitcher loses its chill, then steam it to a perfect microfoam that can be poured into latte art. It's an addiction.

Yeah, this was one of the more puzzling things I've read from Ruhlman. Here's a guy whose books have literally improved my life in ways I can't count. His latest in particular...it's amazing. He's so knowledgable, such a stickler for objectivity in food. Yet he drinks nasty coffee prepared poorly. I agree that a perc is fine if you decant to a carafe. But otherwise it's awful. I'm a total coffee/espresso maven. I buy fresh beans and use them within week. I have a high end espresso machine and a French press. I take it very, very seriously. Coffee is like Ruhlman's veal stock or Proust's madeleines to me. Michael needs to go out to Seattle and spend a day with David Schomer at Espresso Vivace. That dude is the truth.

Yeah, Cooks Illustrated improved on the NY Times no-knead thing in an attempt to make it taste like bread made from a starter. They added 3 tbsp of light lager and 1 tbsp white vinegar.

I have searched in vain for threads that addressed my problem, so I thought I might start a thread and see if you more experienced bakers could help me. I was going to do the NY Times no-knead thing, but then I decided to make a starter. After reading several cookbook recipes, scouring the web and asking some friends, I made a starter with flour, water, yeast, and sugar. I know the yeast is a no-no for some but after a few days, feeding daily, draining or stirring back the hooch, I had what seemed to be an amazing starter. It tasted rich and sour and heady. I was excited. So I made a sponge and let it sit in the oven with only the light on overnight. In the morning, I added the flour and salt and a little oil and had a wonderful dough that I kneaded vigorously for a very long time. I've made regular yeast bread before and I know how it feels when it's ready. I got two great rises out of it, then let it proof. I decided to try baking in a dutch oven to trap the steam in, but when I put it in, I lost a lot of air. But the pot was preheated, so I couldn't take it out without a mess. The bread came out looking amazing, but it was bland, too dense, and had absolutely zero flavor from the starter. Any guesses as to why this happened?

A group pf regulars came in while I was there and they all got the burger. I was tempted to order one, but wanted the fish. The burger looked amazing. It had a nice pile of caramelized onions on top. It would be hard to beat the pub burger in my old 'hood in the Bronx. I used to live next door to The Piper's Kilt on 231st Street. I think there's another branch in Inwood. Anyway, they have the best burger I've eaten in NYC.

While this certainly isn't a fine dining review, I feel compelled to mention a really delightful meal I had this afternoon. My guitar repair shop is down on 30th Street near 8th Ave. It wasn't quite finished when I got down there, so I decided to get some lunch. Seeing Bourdain's London/Scotland episode last night got me wanting some pub food, so I chose the closest thing in the neighborhood, which was Molly Wee on the corner of 30th and 8th. I expected decent pub food and I got a really incredible lunch that far exceeded my expectations. While the menu offered some rather exotic (for a pub) lunch specials, I opted for the tried and true fish and chips, and it came with the soup du jour which was shrimp and corn bisque. The soup was just perfect, especially on a cold day. It had all the richness and sweetness from a seafood bisque, but was balanced by a perfect hit of cayenne and lemon. Again, not what I was expecting from a pub. The fish (sole) and chips (hand cut) were executed perfectly. The batter on the fish was light without a hint of grease, and the chips were perfect as well. Was this a three hour orgy of flavor at Per Se? No. Of course not. But when good, honest food is executed perfectly, coupled with good service and a nice dining room, it needs mentioning.

I hear what you're saying. But too many people have forgotten about the mess down there and I'm impressed that AB did his part to bring the travesty to light again.

I really enjoy reading Ruhlman and Queenie Takes Manhattan. I also love thecookbookaddict.com, which is new.

I've seen the Paris episode many times. In fact, I'm watching it right now. It's one of my faves...and reminds me I haven't been to Paris since 2006. I need to get back there...

Bourdain quit smoking? Wow. Well, I heard he had a kid. Not too big a shock.

I watched a video podcast from Jamie Oliver that kind of puzzled me. He was grilling a ribeye in a cast iron pan. He insisted that you need to flip it every minute or it wouldn't be done properly and seemed to be reinforcing the meme that searing seals in juices, even though his technique goes against everything I've ever learned about cooking a steak. Now, he's a real chef, and I'm not. But this still puzzled me.

I'm thinking about fish tacos. Easy to assemble yourself and always enjoyable. Also thinking about making a ton of finger food on Saturday, like samosas, naan, raita, dal pancakes, etc.

A friend of mine just started a food blog dedicated to her cookbook addiction. The writing is great, as is the photography. www.thecookbookaddict.com My wife has so many cookbooks, but aside from baking, I just can't seem to make myself use them. I'm gonna dive into Bouley's East of Paris, though.

There's a real dearth of places to go for great coffee in this town. There's really no demand, as I see it. Most people out there are perfectly content with mediocre to bad coffee. They drink the charred oily 'bucks every day and have no idea how good coffee can actually be.

I guess I need to have it calibrated. It's less than 6 months old, and I checked it when we got it with an oven thermometer. Maybe the bonfire I built in the bottom moved things along too fast... Seriously, though, I was browsing the podcasts on iTunes today, and Cooks Illustraed had a video podcast up where they perfected the NY Times no-knead recipe. I shall try it presently... 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 did the scoring and the egg wash. It was burning in 15 minutes! I'm thinking preheat to 450, then kick it down to 375 next time.

After reading the Julia Child book about her time in France, I got to wanting some fresh baked bread. Being a novice baker, I trusted the recipe completely. Since my wife took the book out with her this morning, I found the recipe on the web and got to work. My dough came out perfectly, and I was so excited. I was suspicious when it said to bake at 450 for 30 minutes, but I dared not question Julia. Well, I'm sure Julia was right but whomever reprinted her menu was WRONG. As anyone who knows anything could have likely told me, my bread was black on the bottom and wet inside. Curses.

It is so wonderful, not only for the food but her endearing language about her husband, and to learn about her politics!

I've experimented with many recipes, but this one, from Cook's Illustrated, never fails me. 1 tbsp juice from 1 lemon 2 cups milk 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tbsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 large egg 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1-2 tsp vegetable oil 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, preferably wild, rinsed and dried 1. whisk lemon juice and milk and set aside to thicken 2. whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to combine (I also sifted the flour with baking soda and powder twice before mixing with the rest of the ingredients) 3. whisk egg and melted butter into milk until combined. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in milk mixture. Whisk very gently until just cocmbined. Do NOT overmix 4. heat nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp oil and brush to coat skillet bottom evenly. Pour ¼ cup batter on skillet, sprinkle 1 tbsp blueberries over batter. Cook until large bubbles begin to appear, flip and cook until golden brown on second side. 5. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Just go to Masa. It's the be all end all. Then have some Gray's Papays hot dogs, hot roasted nuts, and the waffle guy on 63rd and Broadway.