Paul Kierstead

Thanks for the tip, I pulled the trigger. Now just the waiting begins. One thing I hope: I'ved noted in the past that books which publish an errata online get a lot of flack for have some many recipes "wrong". This is idiotic, on the whole, because the huge majority of cooks books have errors, it is only the ones which actually *help* you by telling you the errors that get the grief. I hope that the publishers here publish the revisions and get good compliments for it, instead of grief. Rant over for today

Sigh. I sat there an looked at it on Amazon and was plotting how to pitch it to my we-have-too-many-cookbooks wife (though it won't be *that* hard of a sale), and then Amazon goes and jacks the price. The magic $500 number is tough. Grrr.... well, I guess, a little patience and then 'pull the trigger' anyway. As an aside, actually the two primary things I like about e-books for reference is (a) portability (eg I surf them here and there and bring my collection with me) and (b) Searching. Cheaper is a bonus when it happens, but just that, a bonus. However, I can certainly see why a project started 2 years ago would go paper, or even one started today for that matter.

I have a small 'roast' of wild boar in my freezer. Ideas on time/temp, seasonings, etc?

I pound them out a bit to make them more consistent in thickness, oil a little, possibly toss with some dry rub (which will paste up a bit with the oil), s&p, sit while the bbq heats, then about 2-4 minutes per side depending on which grill I do it on. It is so easy even my wife has managed it on her own, and that is saying something.

Yes, apparently the problem is that people don't treat uncooked potatoes like the treat uncooked chicken (*). The cooked product is generally fine, dirt or not. (*) Clearly meat, especially chicken, has a higher risk of pathogens then potatoes. It is messier for one thing. But most do not give it the respect it (potatoes) deserves.

From my previous reading (long since lost the sources), the problem with potatoes is simply that we tend to be sloppy with them and forget they are covered in dirt. So people will peel them on their cutting board, or set unwashed ones on a cutting board, etc. They then don't treat these surfaces (and hands) as if they were contaminated, but you can imagine, the dirt isn't sanitized. So it is more a problem of remembering that potatoes straight out of the bag need respect. It is usually quoted as the common cause of salmonella in potato salad. Here is the potato growers response to them being listed as #5 most common cause of food poisoning.

I suspect it is a sound recommendation. It is really easy to touch something, or splash, or set down the chicken somewhere inappropriate. I would imagine the overall recommendation is to handle it less. That said, I will handle my chicken as necessary to make it good. If it seems to need rinsing, I am going to. I have become quite a bit more careful in the last couple of years though to get less cross contamination; touchless soap dispensers, prompt removal of items that the chicken has touched to the dishwasher, etc. We also rinse greens in a fresh bowl (not the sink) unless the sink has been fully sanitized just before, that kind of thing. I'm not germ phobic, but try to watch out for the serious culprits like potatoes, chicken, etc.

He is not writing a formal, fully carefully written academic treatise. Taking his comments (or a forum comment, for that matter) "more broadly" or "to it's logical extreme" would not be appropriate and very likely not representative of the intent or belief.

I think you are looking at it backwards. I have no idea what Bourdain thinks, but my impulse feelings on this follows his (about the religion aspect I mean). For me, someone who has a belief in the basis of religion I just kind of write off; It doesn't at all bother me that it is utterly irrational, it is religion after all; if it was rational, it would be science (obviously not strictly true, just going emotionally here). I consider someone who follows religion to have allowed someone else to make their choices for them. I "respect" that in that I accept that some people surrender the choices. If I have a problem with the principle, I'd take it up with the one who made the principle (god, head of church, whoever) not the follower. But when a person decides on their own to choose something, I hold them responsible. They frustrate me much more, because it seems the have the facility to choose, but just choose poorly (obviously strictly IMO). They get me wound up way more because I don't dismiss their belief as religious malarkey. This is particularly true if they are dogmatic about it; for example, vegetarian for health, but will eat meat under absolutely no circumstances (perhaps short of starvation). Now they've gone off and taken a sensible guideline (less meat, though to the point of none) and made it into dogma, which clearly a bit of meat a couple of times a year is largely harmless, health wise. So, if that person offered insult that way (eg auntie may's special tuna casserole ...), they really piss me off since, IMO, they should know better. The religious person just makes me feel, oh, they're religious, and I don't expect much.

Who says they are the only ones? Whether or not he holds other groups to this standard is not stated, and wouldn't determine whether his view on vegetarians is valid or not in any case. This line of argument is just a form of logical fallacy. What??? That must be subtle indeed! But even if that was there (and it would take some leap of faith to see it), it *still* wouldn't invalidate his argument. He could be a Nazi serial killer pedophile and it would have no bearing on his argument about vegetarianism. If you want to say bourdain sucks (or is that a homophobe term?), go ahead, but it doesn't make his arguments wrong.

Why does it matter? It matters because it is the principle that is in question, not the opportunity to exercise it. I fail to see how his failure to express sputtering indignation at other groups invalidates his opinion on vegetarian; I'll also point out that he explicitly gives more leeway to religious reasons. Seriously? You think he promotes himself as having moral superiority? I'd say quite the opposite, if anything. It is just his opinion. It takes very little of a book filled with enough opinions to offend everyone. I don't think it warrants this level of sputtering indignation.

Never mind what percentage gets the opportunity to refuse; what percentage would refuse if the situation arose?

Perhaps true, Florida, but that would be a Bourdain Review, not a book review. It doesn't add anything to the discourse if people pile onto every Bourdain thread and criticize *him*. I guess I would accuse them of just saying the same old thing and offering nothing new. Also, I certainly don't do crank, etc. and found the meat chapter quite lucid.

Heh, I was recently complaining about the opposite; in all our markets, the whole wheat bread contains enough whole wheat to be cakey, heavy and quite unappetizing (to me at least)

For those of us using a PID, just put the sensor in the jug .... Hmm, I'm gonna have to do that. Got a source and everything, and been wanting to make mozza (no very high heat pasteurized milk is very hard to get, so you gotta scam some raw and do it yourself)

Obtained and read. First off, it made me damn hungry (except the opening scene) and made me desperately want to travel. Especially to Vietnam, since I seem to be horribly addicted to pho. I was surprised at how entertaining it was. I've seen a total of one segment of his (Romania, at a place I visited, so I was curious) and read one article, so wasn't sure what to expect. I couldn't put it down, it was a very good read. I quite enjoyed his rants, even if they were perhaps over the top; that was part of the charm. If I had to pick on a flaw, I think he returns to his 'street cred' drug usage too often. It doesn't really add to the story in most cases. In the same vein, I find the book perhaps a little too inward facing, and too self analytical; I don't really want to participate in his therapy. But really these are not bad enough to get in the way of what I found to be very enjoyable. Sure it is bound to wind some people up, but he is quite entertaining even while winding you up, at least if you have a sense of humour about yourself as well. I've gotten a big urge to read kitchen confidential now, though I object to $12 for a back catalogue e-book, so I am hesitating right now. We'll see. Oh, now now the list for my next NY trip is even longer. I am gonna be soooo broke.

I sometimes just steep stems (especially Chanterelles, but I bet Shiitake would work too) in some stock for a little while, garnish and serve as a broth. It really rounds out a broth. Very delicious.

Good point! Purchased and next in the queue (currently reading some trash I'm enjoying to much to give up).

I've not read any of his books, seen more then 10 mins of his TV show, nor read an article by him. My curiosity is piqued; what book should I start with? I'd like one that is both entertaining and relevant today.

Douglas, alright, I settle for paper for now When using references sources such as cookbooks, the iPad works somewhat better then the kindle, having text search and very fast page turns (allowing 'flipping through'). I use mine already quite a bit for cooking, and also love to sit with my g/f while she watches dancing with the stars and I can have a library at my fingertips (well, ok working on the library). Most recently, I bought the ePub version of McGee and it is lovely to use. Veering back on topic, hope to see some results in the forum soon!

Why on earth would I print it?

That is great, Douglas! I look forward to helping pay back you for all the effort you've expended to enrich my knowledge. Push comes to shove, I'll buy the physical book. But what I'd really like to buy is an e-book. Any plans in the near future? Hell if there is an upgrade path, I'll buy both....

I'd buy it at $250 as an iBooks epub for sure. I might buy it at $500, but not sure I can afford it (it isn't an matter of value). Note I wouldn't buy it as a Kindle book, simply because the Kindle app on iPad (and the Kindle device I think) doesn't have text search, which would be very valuable in a book of this size, even with a good index.

On a good number of the trips that I make to Montreal, I visit L'Express (Yelp, if you are into that kind of thing), a wonderful (IMO) bistro there. Outside of the food, one of the truly wonderful things they have there are their inhouse cornichons, served with every meal, which are truly wonderful. They hae just the right level of 'sour', and crunch, and everything. We keep buying a bottle or two when we are there. I figure these can't be too tough to make. Anyone have a really great recipe?

Well, this inspired me to try it out. Due to a prosciutto error (prosciutto cotto? looked more like boiled ham...), I had to use bacon. I'll also add that I didn't used pitted prunes, figuring I could pit after the soak easily enough .... wrong. Major PITA. But got it done I served with bread, swiss chard and [sour]cornichon. I made a sauce from some of the port, some juice from the bag (heated and strained first), shallots, thyme and a splash of vinegar. I also put a little thyme on the meat when coating it with the prunes. It was quite delicious. Next time I'd make the sauce a little more acidic. Thanks for the great suggestion!