Dave the Cook

Yeah, also Nathalie Dupree (maybe she adapted -- it's her style). It was in trying her method that I realized that even renowned chefs can be full of it sometimes. No, Nero wasn't much for the ladies. But that particular episode is amusing because he so obviously felt that he was being generous to housewives, and at the same time belittling their skill. One of Stout's more deft turns. And so another biothread is hijacked. Sorry, ferdelance.

You disagree: - when Nero generously allows that no mere housewife could be expected to spend 45 minutes making them? King of the left-handed complement, wasn't he? or - that they should take 45 minutes in the first place? I believe I may call you Lily from now on.

A few years back, a friend of mine started raising cattle on his small farm in North Georgia. Once he had his fences in and the stock was acclimated, a bunch of us went out to his place for a cookout -- catfish and bass from his lake, watermelon and corn -- a summer feast. Just before dinner, a few of us took a tour of the farm. We were on Honda ATVs -- me and my older son, my brother-in-law and his son, and Mike (the gentleman farmer) and one of his boys -- two to a vehicle. We got to the other side of the cow pasture and, since the terrain seemed pretty safe, we let the kids take the ATVs back, while we grownups hoofed it. Mike and my brother-in-law got to talking about how to stock the lake, and I got interested in something else. Anyway, we got separated. I wasn't quite lost, because I could see the house from where I was. I just couldn't figure out which way to go on the maze of paths that confronted me. So I decide to go straight through the cow pasture. I'm only two generations off the farm, and growing up, I'd met my share of livestock, so I wasn't afraid of the cows -- they don't call them ruminants for nothing. However, bulls they can be possessive and/or territorial, and when I crossed one's path, he wasn't having any of it. He chased me across the pasture and over the fence, where, much to my later embarassment, I ripped through the backside of a very nice pair of hiking shorts. The escapade made great conversational fodder at dinner, but I was less than amused. It's common to think of domestic cows as big, sweet dummies, but having several hundred pounds of beef on the hoof chase you around a big open field can change your opinion. And leave you with a tinge of fear that you might not have had before. The next spring, we had a reprise of the picnic, this time enhanced with grilled, *grass-fed* beef, something I had never had before. Over dinner, Mike mentioned that he had butchered and aged several cattle at a nearby deer-processing plant, and asked if we wanted a quarter or a side -- we could take it home that night. My brother-in-law and I agreed to split a side. Later, as we went to pack it up, Mike started pulling packages from the freezer. Each one was labeled with the cut and the weight -- and something else. Mike said, "I figured you'd want some of this, and I wanted yours to be extra-tasty. So I took special care to pick the right animal when I thinned the herd. I had too many bulls, so the choice was really pretty easy." He turned the package over. The extra label said, "Dave's Cow."

Welcome, ferdelance. Was Nero's chef named Fritz, or was he the Orchid Guy? BTW...I was hoping your alias was a reference to the great Nero. Fer-de-Lance, welcome! Fritz was the chef, Theodore was the orchid guy. (I should have known you'd be a fan, Maggie.)

Nice article, Jason. If you are comfortable and you have the time, could you be more specific in comparing these brandies to a few French counterparts?

I hadn't heard of this. Will look into it. Rumor has it that sheep are used for many purposes in Alabama, not all of them related to cooking. or It would have to be imported, as the only good thing to come *out* of Alabama is Interstate 20 (yes, old joke).

You're right, you're right. Still. The band was named after ol' Jethro, and according to some rag or other (Restaurant??) so was the dead flesh palace in Soho. Well, OK then. (I liked the BoDeans, too.) Simon, I'm sure there is great pork in Kentucky -- at Ron Johnson's home, if nowhere else. Had you come to Georgia, I'd have made sure you got it here, too. So you are not wrong, but perhaps your view is incomplete. Mutton is what makes Kentucky barbecue unique, as it is done almost nowhere else -- actually, it's not even done in most of Kentucky.

I'm not normally one to correct a Goddess, but I believe Jethro spelled his name B-O-D-I-N-E. Simon, where do you find Kentucky in this menu? In my mind, Kentucky is unique for burgoo and barbecued mutton. Do they have these?

I love traditional trifle, unpretentious and sloppy. But -- - sliced apples/ pears and marscarpone cheese sweetened with maple syrup; reduced apple cider - chocolate mousse and strawberries or tart cherries cooked down into a chunky sauce - sabayon with berries and balsamic vinegar with confectioner's sugar

I have found Mark and the Colonel to be reliable sources when it comes to this sort of thing. Also The Goddess CathyL. I would emphasize what the Colonel says about heat control on the Weber: it's easier to bring the temperature up than to try and cool it down. I would also add that even if you find it impossible to maintain perfect heat control, a pork shoulder is very forgiving. Don't panic. Do things slowly, or you'll end up on a seesaw. I speak from experience. Just 'cause it's good to know: the reason for keeping the temperature relatively low is to prolong the period during which the meat will accept smoke. According to CathyL, once the surface temperature reaches 160F, the smoking part of the process is pretty much over. The rest of the cooking time is to make sure the roast is done (it spends a lot of time in the danger zone, so you want to be sure), and to get the collagen to melt, which doesn't start until it reaches an internal temp of 140 (and it takes a long time once you get there; it's tough stuff). In order to maximize smoke receptivity time, take the pork straight from the 'fridge to the grill -- don't go in for none o' that "bring it to room temperature" stuff.

Thank you, Liza. No, I haven't read Steingarten. I think if I had, I wouldn't have published this for fear of being thought cribbing. I did get one of his books for Christmas; I'll get to it right after the Babbo and Zuni Cafe cookbooks.

True. Even if you don't have a machine, you have $6-7/hour drones that work to carefully designed culinary blueprints -- in other words, chain restaurants. I was going to mention this (I was in J-school at the time but moved on). And we can see the results today -- most news reporting sucks. Not a good omen for the future of fine dining. Agreed.

I think your indignation should be aimed at the Food Network (and even people like our beloved Bourdain), for romanticizing the occupation. But this is self-correcting, I think. The dilletantes will clear out, won't they? -- although it will take a few years. At the low end of the pay scale, it would seem that the job requirements must not be too difficult, if a minimum wage, ESL worker can fill it adequately. If you are a degreed cook, why would you want this job? If this is the only job available, why would you want to be a cook? The danger is that exceptional talents (and chefette, I've seen your work and include you in this category) will be discouraged and leave the industry. This is sad, but you know what? I'd like to write a great novel, and I'm pretty sure I have the talent to do it. Unfortunately, I have no right to expect to be supported while it's in process.

chefette: I didn't say I didn't believe you. I said you hadn't made your case. But since anecdotal evidence is all we have (and I do remember SuzanneF's $15/hour post), I'll accept it. You do sound a little like Marx, and it's understandable. This is the sort of situation that often leads (eventually) to unionization -- except, as you point out, there are almost always people willing to do the job for less. OTOH (and not meaning to make light of Elizabeth 11's plight, or the numerous people she symbolizes), one might take the view that the American public gets the cuisine it deserves. Either it's willing to pay the price associated with higher food service wages or it's not. Low pay usually means that there are plenty of applicants to take your place -- supply and demand, you know. So one could also be hard-hearted and suggest that if you are not happy with the wages offered, you are not compelled to accept the job (sounding like JP Morgan). (Jason, we need a devil's advocate smilie!)

In other words, the future looks very much like the present. Still, chefette has brought up some interesting thoughts. I just wish there were more data. The payscale.com link is based on a sample of eight that doesn't include New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Miami, etc. It could be very misleading to make assumptions on so few facts. For instance, it's plain wrong to state that the average salary for an EC is $37,000, when you have only one data point. By definition, that's not even an average. Same for Pastry Chef -- average salary of $39K, based on one report from Colorado. I am willing to be convinced that the situation chefette describes actually does exist, but so far, the case is not compelling.

Very good question. However, your supposition seems to rest on this: I'm not sure this is true. Larger dinner checks don't automatically mean larger profits. Also, given that food cost is almost certainly higher in a top restaurant, I don't think bigger checks necessarily mean the margin (expressed as a percentage of sales) is higher, either.

Ed: Three possibilities: Refiner's syrup, which is a liquid byproduct of the refining process. It's light in color, and is used in lots of baked goods. More here. Perhaps we're all being misled by the idea of "syrup," which is a refined product (it's usually a thin liquid that's cooked down). Maybe what you're looking for is cane juice? Finally, there is a product called evaporated cane juice that is available through health food stores. It's sold as dry crystals, but presumably could be reconstituted. I had a link, but can't find it now. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll look some more.

I think Nickn also has the CIA book. You might PM him.

At the risk of having Dr. Johnson make me out a fool, I'll suggest that perhaps the knives have become magnetized, and you've got some attraction and repellence going on. Easy enough to check.

It wasn't tinned, it was vacuum-packed, but I used a similar product on a Beef Wellington a while back. Tasted OK in the package. Got lost in the finished dish. It didn't melt away, just didn't stand up to the duxelles and beef. Maybe I didn't slather enough on, though I followed the recipe to the letter. Crackers. Or croutons. Or slap some on meat right before serving.

Not to pick on Outback, nor to do them any favors, but it sounds like Acme gets the nod on the basis of great service and one great steak (out of seven). That makes the value proposition a tougher choice for me. At least a chain is predictable. If you are comfortable, could you discuss the pricing and the wine list?

How disappointing. It sounds like you'd have been better off at Outback. Am I reading that right?

I'm curious, too, and I hope others will post. I'd hate for my one-time recipe to stand as the definitive eGullet chorizo!

Anna, you're still a little new, so I'll warn you -- be careful what you wish for.

If you're thinking of adopting this practice for your parasite research, I'd be honored to advise you. Even have a few subjects in mind...