OliverB

David Chang is spreading out into magazines, with his new and oddly (but I guess fitting as a peach is his trademark sign) named Lucky Peach magazine, issue one on news stands now. 176 ad free pages for $10.- Now, some complained about having a celebrity (Paltrow) on a food magazine recently, I did not mind and celebrities are obviously the main draw on magazine covers. David Chang decided to put hairy arms holding two naked chickens over a pot on the cover of number one, with a lot of "hand scribbled" headlines for the issues contents around. Not very attractive, but certainly an interesting departure from yet an other grilled steak or what ever the season calls for. The issues main topic? Ramen. In an "of course, it's David Chang" as well a "what? Ramen?" kind of way. I just brought the issue home, have not had time to read, but paged through it. First impression is hmm, interesting. Edgy and some, some great, some pretty bad artwork, odd layout, a lot less photos than usual, and many of those surprisingly small (and not very good). None of the high gloss page fillers you find in other magazines. I love (food) photography, I had expected better, but on the other hand, there is a lot more room for text. The articles look largely interesting, written by some of my favorites (Bourdain, Reichl, McGee, etc), a lot of info about Ramen (more than I ever though possible). There are recipes, but many (lots for eggs here) are really more instructional, spreading over several pages illustrating the different steps. None of the "best burger" with little info. I think I'll like that part. It will take me a while to read this all, it's a daring and different approach to foodie magazines, I'm looking forward to see how it develops! Curious to read what others may think. I love Chang's cookbook and hope to eat at one of his places eventually, I love the writers they invited, good luck to them, I don't think starting a magazine would be what I'd be doing right now. It will be quarterly, if it continues. here is the website on the publishers site Oliver

I also use needle nose pliers for pin bones, have a small one that's spring loaded, works very well. I have tweezers but don't think I ever used them, but they seemed like a great idea when I got them, LOL. I just don't plate things with a tiny leaf here and a mini sprig there, once dinner is ready I have hungry scavengers (aka as "kids") sitting there with open mouths, no time to get too fancy

That swiffer wet jet or what ever it's called works wonderful! Get the wood floor solution bottle and off you go. I do it very rarely, but it makes even our old crappy cheap wood floor look like new. I'd never find myself with a brush scrubbing like a deckhand on a galleon, but with this thing it's quick, easy and clean in no time.

oh, yumm, forgot all about these delicious little things! Had them at the BGEgg fest last year, must make my own! But do they really need a couple hours of smoking? The bacon is smoked already, how long do these take at 250-300 degree? So tasty :-)

I just cooked some free range grass fed water buffalo sirloin steaks SV, at 134 for about 2hrs. They were not frozen, I defrosted them in cold water, added s&p and sealed them in new bags. Gave them a very quick very hot (cast iron pan at about 600 degree F) sear and they turned out fantastic! They were also extremely lean and it's easy to overdo it with this kind of meat on the grill, but with SV that was not a problem. Most amazing beef (if you want to call it that) I've had in a long time. Silky and tender, awesome beef flavor, just a complete success. Rosy, on the rare side of med/rare. Have fun and enjoy!

I'll definitely do the taste test, my curiosity is sparked! In Germany you buy a case of 20 bottles and return it empty when you get more, nobody throws the bottles into recycling. They reuse the bottles several times (I forget their lifetime) before they are recycled. The deposit is big enough to make you want to return it, and since you have the case anyway, not a cardboard box, you might as well put the empties in there for return. Cans are seen as garbage (even if you can recycle them) and have a bad stigma. I just read an article about German beer and how brewers from other countries, especially the US, are stealing their glory with all the different craft beers brewed here, whereas things in Germany are done the way they've always been done with little to no change, except to where they can make the process cheaper. I guess at some major beer competition most "german style" brewed beers that won medals were actually brewed here in the US! Oh the blasphemy!! Things like experimenting with different hops and when to add the hops to the process etc are - it says - rarely explored in Germany. Interesting and somewhat makes sense to me. I doubt I can find an Island Lager or something comparable there. I grew up in Frankonia, where I'm still lucky enough to find a lot of small breweries making excellent beers that are very regional, always fun when I go there once or twice a year. But the diversity is much higher here. I don't think the Reinheitsgebot is even law anymore since the European Community, but even with in it's guidelines I guess there are many things you can do that they don't do. You're of course right with the beer in glass as well, if it's for really tasting and comparing, you need a glass. If it's just for thirst or next to the bbq or the pool, a bottle is just so much easier. And fits so well in my hand ;-)

the ones I had were not very fishy, but I did not care for them much. They're not bad, and I eat them if they are out somewhere, but don't buy them myself. I do like the Japanese rice cracker things, often come as an assortment of different kinds, with a sweet/salty coating. Oh, an other thing I love are the peanut butter filled pretzel stick things from Trader Joe's, a great combination of flavors and nice and crunchy. Also love corn puffs (or worms? Not sure what they are called here) but prefer the ones from Germany again, smaller and tastier to me. And pretzel sticks.

I've never done a taste test and the beer you mention is not on my radar (I don't like stout). Have never seen a sierra in a can, I'd try it and compare it though. But my personal guess would be that it's cheaper to fill it in cans than bottles, no? I used to love Sierra Nevada, was my favorite for many years, but I drifted away from it. Either they changed the recipe or my taste changed. Favorite right now is Kona Brewing Longboard Island Lager, and some red ales. And Schneider Weisse and Erdinger Weissbier, which are my absolute favorites, but they are too expensive here. Part of it for me is probably also that I am Bavarian and the only beer you ever could find in a can (and you had to search) was the cheapest swill you can find. So it might as well be a inborn perception That aside, I simply don't like cans, not for beer, not for soda. They taste and feel metallic to me. Now, I never pour my beer into a glass (I guess an abomination all to itself, LOL) and a beer in a can gets warm much faster (or seems to at least) than one in a nice cold bottle. The brown bottles prevent light quite well and beer never lasts long enough around here to oxidize or go bad. I used to hate the little 0.33 l bottles here in the US, but now actually prefer them over the German 0.5 l, less beer getting warm and flat. I noticed Sierra went away from the screw top caps for freshness (they say) which makes sense, they never seemed to be attached all that tight. But I'd balk at Sierra in cans. By the way, where is that info from? I just checked their website and it only shows beautiful frosty bottles. Beer in cans just has that PBR homeless guy kind of touch to it (IMO). I am always excited to get a glass bottle of a nice Pilsner on Lufthansa flights, instead of the Heineken stuff in a can. As I said, personal opinion, I can't even remember the last time I bought a beer in a can. I did find a forgotten case of PBR in a safeway cart a while ago, free beer! And I did buy the Guiness with that little fuzz maker inside when it came out, seemed pretty ok, but I'm not a fan of that beer. Unless everybody fills into cans I'll stick with bottles :-) And I won't buy wine in tetrabricks, I don't even like screw caps on wine bottles, I like the cork opening ceremony.

California brand Earthquake potato chips, something like an everything bagel. Thin, crunchy, tasty. Sadly not easy to find. And in Germany, just about any chip you can find in any store, especially paprika ones. None of the thick cut stuff you get here, nice, thin, melt against the top of your mouth with a neat crunch, the way I like it. Unfortunately here in the US the trend seem to be thick cut, crinkle cut, what not, very thin ones are hard to find.

you might also give Modern Gastronomy, A to Z from the Alicia Foundation (founded by Ferran Adria) a try, a nice little book that covers a lot of things.

That's exactly the reason for the higher prices. Just about anything is being handled by speculators nowadays. There's really no reason for the high gas prices, there is plenty oil available on the market, and they could easily put more out (as they just stated) but nobody wants/needs it, there's enough to go around (for now). I have to laugh at the drill drill drill people, it would have no influence on the price of oil or gas what so ever, as Andie states, it ALL goes into the international market ruled by speculators and the oil companies, and it goes to the highest bidder. Taxes play a minor role, and here in NorCal I don't even pay sales tax on food items (unless it's prepared/processed ready to eat stuff). The big money movers (not only on Wallstreet) are who controls these things now, since we've all relaxed the rules and oversight. (great idea, hu?) Of course, higher energy prices (diesel, heating/cooling, manufacturing, etc etc) get rolled down to us as consumer. The US also has some of the highest food prices in general. If I go shopping in Germany for exactly the same stuff I pay about 1/4th. Always astonishing (and bad for my waste line) when we're there once or twice a year. A lot of it is controlled and subsidized of course. We actually still have pretty cheap gas here, in Germany it's about twice as expensive and a LOT of that is just taxes. But with the markets going wild, the oil companies raking in record wins, this is not going to change, not if you drill every single well you may find. They have a money printing machine, and they won't give it up. Would you? It's just what a less regulated market will do, go for the maximum possible profit.

I'd try to filet it as well, or is it all deboned? Then steaks would work, or just little chunks to put on your bagel. Sounds yummy!

good to know, thanks! In case they're reading it, personally I'd prefer if the kitchen manual had a more rigid back and front cover, it's rather floppy the way it is, which makes turning pages hard/impossible if it's not laying totally flat.

I'd love a recipe for cream of garlic soup, if somebody has a favorite! As for truffle oil, be careful what you buy, most of the ones you can find in stores never saw a truffle, but simply have artificial taste added. I stay far way from those. The stuff can also get overpowering very quickly. That spring garlic soup sounds great! Probably already too late in the season here, and I'd stay far away from "fat free half and half", but I'll have to try that sometime!

Oh, I had not noticed that myself (haven't touched the kitchen manual) but mine is the same. Are all like this? Is this a mistake? On purpose? At this price level I sure want a complete and correct set, I'm dismayed enough at the (too many IMO) errors.... What does your manual look like?

lots of people went that way, personally I'd not have a problem with it, once you give it a good cleaning and I'd not buy a really crummy dirty one anyway. Ask the seller what it was used for as well, aren't many of them just used to keep a waterbath at temperature? I did not go that way since I don't want my kitchen to look like a laboratory :-) One SV company makes a version of immersion circ with controls that I might get sometime if I think I need more flexibility in bath size or vessel.

that's odd, I just looked at my Demi, there's no corrosion at all. Once the water is cool I always empty it out and once dry I put the machine away, but seems like you do the same. I guess one could get some silicone tubing, cut into 1 inch or so pieces, slice open and snap around the stainless steel parts, but it seems really odd to me that this corrosion would happen so fast. And you say it's in the tank itself as well? Mine is painted with what looks like non stick coating (but may be anything else) and has no markings. I am careful with the aluminum part though, it has sharp corners that I'm afraid can scratch through the coating of the Demi, I might sand them down some day.

Your home freezer will cause more "damage" than an industrial freezer. The ones they use on the boats and in factories run at extremely low temperatures, basically shock freezing everything very very fast, whereas it takes a good while for things to freeze at home. They also keep things at a much lower temperature, which keeps the items for a much longer time than your home freezer. I think supermarkets have to state that fish was previously frozen, not sure though, but since it's written on some labels I'd just assume that's the fact. At a good fish market or fish counter you should be able to find the same fresh quality as any "normal" sushi restaurant though. I don't know if sushi restaurants buy the fish still frozen, which would make sense to me. Maybe they even use a saw to cut off what they think they need for the day? Also would be interesting to know how they thaw it, slow in the fridge, or fast in water? Problem with fish at the market is that you don't know how long it's been sitting there. You can ask of course, but who knows how true the answer will be.... I read somewhere that it's suggested to freeze your own caught fish for a day (or some amount) as well, if you plan on eating it raw/rare. Since I don't make sushi at home I don't have that link anymore though.

as far as I know, any fish sold raw as sushi in California HAS to be previously frozen to kill those parasites. So, while freezing it most likely does have some influence on the texture, I would never know, since that's just the way the fish comes here.

great idea with the garden, even if you just have room for a pot or two, you can at least grow some herbs. Fun and my kids love the whole process, from planting to picking (and making "tea" with the herbs). We also do the buffet kind for sandwiches, meats, cheese, condiments, pickled things. Works great and fun for everyone.

mine (8 and 4) eat just about anything from the bbq. Roast chicken. Pasta. Pizza (from the bbq, it's fun!). last night I made rockfish for the first time, I spread mustard on it and breaded it, fried in the pan. Was delicious and they devoured it, I should have bought 2lbs! I was surprised. But then, it was basically really really good fish sticks (which I never buy). They all love scrambled eggs. Note: I never do nor did I ever "cook for kids" in my house. I cook what I cook, and that's what we'll have for dinner. Mostly they like it, sometimes they only eat one thing or the other, but I figured if I start catering to one's taste I'll have to do the same for the other, soon enough I'll be cooking 4 dishes every night, and that's not happening :-) Oh, a nice chicken with curry (Indian) and yellow rice (rice where I add some tumeric before cooking) is always a hit, sometimes I get the curry pita bread from Trader Joes to go along. they also love sausages, brats of all kinds. Kale & broccoli salad (both raw) gets eaten, steamed broccoli not so much. Last night's butter and oil poached asparagus was gone faster than I ever would have expected, eaten by both. If there's enough time I try to involve them in cooking somehow, not that that's a guarantee that they'll like it later. I just believe that they'll eat anything if hungry and while they do have to try everything on the plate, they don't have to finish this or that if they really don't like it. Works for us so far, the older one is getting more adventurous, often getting some extra spices or hot sauce to add here and there, which I'm more than fine with. Dessert lately was always strawberries with honey drizzled on, maybe some other berries and one small caramel cookie from Trader Joes. Not that we have dessert all the time, but it's cheap strawberry time right now :-) Once they're gone, I sure won't replace them with ice cream or cake, LOL

I have a nice very large wooden one that's always right next to my stove. Sometimes I also call it "cutting board" and use it to cut things on, but it's a perfect spoon rest, always there, always handy.

the tea (hot) thing is actually the correct way to go, it increases your body heat and makes the difference between environment/body less and it gives you liquid to sweat out. Cold/iced drinks and food work against cooling off, though I don't remember the reasons behind it, biology major in highschool is a good 30 years in the past... But look at beduines (spelling?) wearing long flowing (even black) clothing and drinking hot tea. All that aside, I still go for the cold beer or six, eventually you don't notice that they actually don't help

my preferred method is on the bbq, but if I have to cook them inside I put them on med/low heat in a frying pan with a touch of oil, and flip them occasionally, also standing them on the round back side to get nice browning all over. Once nicely browned they're done. I did play with boiling in beer or water with onions and all that, but as stated above, the casing lets nothing in, so I see that just as a waste of ingredients that are used better otherwise, unless I continue until the onions are browned. I'm curious about that oil poaching, but not curious enough to waste all that oil, I never dep fry so I'd have to throw the oil out I guess.

I have a whole drawer full of tea, plus a couple boxes. they make nice decorative items I guess, as I rarely ever make a cup I'm always inspired in stores with a good selection, oh, this one's gonna be nice late at night just before bed, that one after lunch, but then I either have coffee (or a beer at night) instead. Mainly since the process of making tea just bothers me somehow. Coffee? Throw ground (and yes, I buy it ground, Pete's Major Dickason Blend or what it's called) in the filter, pour in water, tun button, come back in 5. Tea? Get out electric kettle, fill, turn on, get cup, get tea bag (or leaves), fill with hot water, wait for specific amount of time, remove bag or strain. Just seems like sooo much more work ) And oddly, many teas give me a sour stomach. I actually grew up on tea for breakfast, but somehow it bothers me nowadays. As a teen I was big time into flavored teas (caramel vanilla anyone?), we had a tea store, everybody had their 'handmade' tea set and only made it in "the sock", not a tea egg or heaven forbid tea bags. That's the early 80es in Germany for ya ;-) Still, that hot steaming cup late at night does sound nice..... One of these days I'll install an instant hot water dispenser in the kitchen. (and then probably end up making "soup" with Knorr cubes late at night instead of tea, but hey, I tried!) ETA: W. Crank, just wondering, where do you keep your files?