ChickenStu

Wash your potatoes, no one likes dirty skins. As for chicken, most chicken at slaughter are not contaminated with salmonella...that is at least until they are all cooled in the same water after they are de-feathered. Purchasing an air-cooled chicken such as a bell and evans dramatically decreases the chance of salmonella. The chance is always there though, and chicken should be always treated as such. I always sanitize my entire counter as well as my sink after I prep chicken. Its not the bacteria on the chicken that makes you sick, its the bacteria that gets left on the counter and multiplies like crazy that does the job.

+1 I've always thought the problem with potato salad was improper handling and cooling of potatoes post cooking. Foods can get a lot of bacteria from your hands, if you washed them then rubbed your neck, itched your face, etc. If given proper time and conditions these bacteria can create the toxins that will make you sick. I know there are people out there that cook up a bunch of potatoes, slap on their potato salad fixins, put it into a plastic container, and get it into the fridge to cool it off.

Dipping the egg into some salted, simmering water with a slotted spoon firms up the white a bit. I prefer this firmer, more conventionally poached white. We spent 3 afternoons at the FCI(roughly 9 hours) of instruction covering sous-vide and low temperature cooking. We then were able to apply it in level 4, as well as periodically (depending on your chef) in levels 5 and 6. Never for service though. And thinking back im pretty sure we werent allowed to cook sous vide...i think we were only doing low temp with circulators. Does anybody have the new polyscience circulator? Just wondering how it stacks up against the old standby.

Nice sarcasm. Good thing you dispelled the 'myth' by ordering a tex-mex crepe! To reiterate: Do you really think, everything equal...that a crepe truck and a french food truck would do as well in texas as southern california or new york city? Thats all I was alluding to.

Prep bowls, and lots of them.

I think the problem is usually one of timing rather than technique. If a risotto sits for a few minutes on the pass, takes a minute to get to you, etc, etc... it becomes gloopy or what not. I have partially cooked risotto for home use before and found no real loss in quality as long as it is served right away.

Talk about another debate! Gnocchi isn't that difficult, give it a try. Its also one of those things, like risotto, that is better at home because you can make it and serve it right away.

I liked how there were (i think) three thermometers stuck in the fryer too...

Which brings us to our next question: Whats your favorite brand of duck slapping rock?

Depends on your definition of perfection. Traditional cooking methods cant achieve a uniform cooking temperature throughout a product. Proper technique, experience, and equipment can yield a fantastic product, but the consistency you get from newer methods is much more accurate and 'perfect'.

Probably should have made sure they had everything they needed first...something like gas for cooking seems important. My guess is the plated french truck goes home next. Kind of an oxymoron for a food truck.

There's nothing wrong with traditional cooking methods... However, a level of accuracy and perfection can be achieved with newer techniques. With duck, either the meat is overcooked or the skin fat isn't fully rendered using traditional techniques. Duck skin is thick.

Just an example, I don't mean to stereotype an entire state. I was trying to bring up something that may affect the outcome, a factor that depends more upon an areas sociopolitical tendencies. I think each truck may have an advantage in different places, e.g. trendy bahn mi vs heavy burgers on last nights episode. Considering it was spring in southern california I think that plays a part. I guess I shouldn't have messed with texas....

Is there sugar added? We used it in our papillote dishes in school, particularly with fish.

garlic = asparagus? The thin stalks are from older plants, therefore become a bit more woody and fibrous.

It will be interesting to see if some of the trucks get axed because of location... For example a couple of people serving crepes, decked out in frenchie gear, in texas or similar. Also wondering if availability and quality of ingredients will make an impact at any point.

Maybe dental floss is a bit excessive...definitely more stringy than thick spears though.

Any reason (other than cost) you are using cassia instead of true cinnamon?

Thick asparagus is more tender and tastes better. Thin asp is flimsy and akin to chewing dental floss. Thick asp is grown when the plants are younger and under better growing conditions while the thin stuff comes from older plants.

More so how much power is consumed rather than efficiency.

Im doing a friend of mine's rehearsal dinner for his wedding here in a few weeks, figured I needed chicken. Im going to spatchcock, brine for 12 hours, smoke for about an hour and a half to two hours, then finish on the grill. I will try one or two out here this weekend. Dont know if this counts as grilled chicken though...

I think panini presses are temperamental. If there is too much/little filling, cheese is too cold, filling is too soft, etc You end up with a sandwich that is too crispy/soggy, cheese not melted, falling out the sides and burning and so on. Maybe I just have bad luck with presses but for me its a lot easier to use a split method and assemble close to finish. As for the actual sandwich...im a big fan of tuna melts. I prefer olive oil packed tuna, well drained. The oil packed tuna is a lot more moist and requires less mayo. Extra sharp cheddar.

Is the ban on foie gras in Chicago just on restaurants or can you not purchase it at a retail level either?

I graduated top of my class at FCI, which definitely doesn't mean as much as CIA because there are 25+ graduating classes each year of only 24 people max. There was a few others in my class that were likely better line cooks than I am, just didn't do as well with exams and the such. It was competitive for a couple people...and I thought it would be good to be on top. Probably matters a little with your first job out of school...after that it likely means little I did get an engraved knife though!

Tomatoes...however I dont think that it is considered weird. For sauces and cooking that is....