NeroW

Beer. Negro Modelo.

I swear I posted this in this thread previously. Was it removed for some reason? But again, Chef Fergus and an assistant was at my school yesterday afternoon here in Chicago, for a demo and book signing. I attended, as did about 40 other students and guests. He demo'd the Crispy Pig's Tails and served them with a parsley salad. He intended to demo the Roasted Bone Marrow as well, but my school was unable to get the middle marrow that he wanted. So we just ate the pig's tails, which are making me hungry to remember. They were fantastic--Uber-Pork if you will. Fatty, and crispy, and pork-y, all at the same time. He mentioned that the pig's tails here in Chicago were "lopped" by the butchers, so we should all ask our butchers for "unlopped" tails here in the U.S. Chef Fergus was quite funny and he said that this was the first time he had ever demo'd to a roomful of culinary students. Would be curious to know what happened to my original posts? I swear they were here on this thread.

Holy shit!

But what about the weekend? Beer? Last night I cooked myself dinner, and it was French Onion dip and Jays curly chips.

That's OK. I'll eat hers.

I am reading "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" by Thomas Friedman. And I just read this odd book called "Kooks" by Donna Kossey. Food-wise I am working my way through "Food: A Culinary History" ed. Jean-Louis Flandrin and Massimo Montanari. Heavy stuff. Have been on a kick reading young-adult novels over the past month or so, the fantastic "His Dark Materials" series by Philip Pullman, and "The Chocolate War " by Robert Cormier, which is one of my favorite books of all time. Next I am going to read "The Stand."

Unfortunately, it is most likely *not* that bad.

I don't have an actual double-boiler. Like Ronnie I just use a pan and a bowl

I've never had it with spaetzle or potatoes. Just egg noodles.

I have made paneer before, I like to eat it raw! And, I think it's fun to watch the milk curdle. Toasted: that's odd, I too thought it would make great baby snacks. Have you fed it to a baby before?

Son of a motherless goat! I f*&%^&%* did it again last night!!!!!!

I will never touch chestnuts with the intent to peel them. Thanks for the heads-up. The recipes make it sound so . . . easy, and home-y.

As paul o'vendange said, I have also used Bell's, particularly the Kalamazoo Stout--for when I'm homesick. But hell, I've also used a few cans of Budweiser. I too am enjoying this discussion. Almost enough to pop down to the store and buy some beef. Already got the beer and the big-ass Le Creuset. What pot do you cook your carbonnade in? And what do you serve it with, to soak it up?

Or cook the egg yolks (6 yolks is more than enough to serve Eggs Benedict for 4), with some salt and pepper, and maybe a Tbsp. or two of cold butter, if you like, whisking constantly over a pan of nicely-simmering water (helps to make a gasket out of a dish towel to hold the mixing bowl) until the yolks start to thicken and you can see the trail left by the whisk. Have a stick and a half or so of melted butter and a ladle handy, also a few more Tbsp. of cold butter to stir in if you think you may have cooked the eggs a bit too long and want to slow their cooking. As Ronnie said, ladle the melted butter sloooooowly into the egg yolks while whisking to create the necessary emulsion. Add a bit of lemon juice, seasonings, etc. If you want to thicken the sauce slightly after adding the butter, just whisk it up over the double boiler again. And for bernaise (my fave), reduce about 1/4 a c. vermouth and 1/4 a c. white wine vinegar with some minced shallots and tarragon. Reduce it almost to au sec, then add it to the cooked hollandaise instead of the lemon juice. You can strain the bits out, of course, but I like the bits Some people cook their hollandaise over direct heat but in this area, I am a huge wuss.

I use Sierra Nevada. Like Jensen said, I think it is essential that the onions be very slooooowly caramelized to build the flavor base you want. I also use some bacon fat, and vinegar. I love love LOVE beef carbonnade. Even cold.

Everytime I make buttercream in the KA, I get sugar all over the sides of the bowl. I tell myself: "will pour sugar down sides of bowl, will pour sugar down sides of bowl," but still. . . everytime.

Also in Foley they have an old-time soda fountain in a drugstore with a soda jerk and everything! Best. Milkshakes. Ever.

Memorable how? Not quite in Gulf Shores, but the nachos at McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola are amazing (for nachos!) And there's always . . . the Florabama Lounge.

My hell dinner companion is my ex-boyfriend. There are many carts of delicious, wonderful-smelling food being wheeled past by Satan's minions, who all look like Jude Law, but since my ex-boyfriend was violently jealous and would not eat anything, I can neither eat the food nor look at the minions. We can only eat boneless-skinless chicken breasts, canned salsa, and white rice with nothing on it. And I have to cook them on a little tableside cart. We can only drink tepid water. And Bud Light. But the Bud Light is non-alcoholic. There is no wine. There is no vodka. No coffee. There are 2 TVs in hell. One plays "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" and the other one plays "Doogie Howser MD." Even Satan grows tired of these shows, though, and occasionally wants to hear some music. So the music is The Cars' "Shake It Up" over and over again. Until Satan turns the TVs back on. There is only baking chocolate for dessert. And the worst thing is that I can see all my eG friends in a restaurant across the street, eating and drinking wonderful food and having a great time.

Right now I wait tables in a Guest Services class in the Cafe at my culinary school. We aren't allowed to keep our tips, so when they pay me, even if i'm busting my ass, I ALWAYS bring them change in a flash, without asking

I've done that before.

While I think I see your point, I also think you'll find that there is actually very little of this "portraying" going on on eGullet. Too many of us in the industry ourselves

Easter brunch: Shrimp with a very horseradish-y cocktail sauce A turkey brined and grilled (my mom's got a convection grill, whoo-weeee!) Stuffing with big apple and mushroom pieces in it Kielbasa Eggs benedict with bernaise Fresh berries Mimosas Bloody's Easter dinner (at boyfriend's family's house, didn't cook): Smoked turkey Fresh ham Tossed salad with tomatoes, peppers, etc. Mashed redskins Brussels sprouts White-chocolate cheesecake Various wines Eating two large meals twice in the same day reminded me of the consolation prize I got as a child when my parents got divorced: TWO CHRISTMASES!