weinoo

Baked twice potatoes...these were some of the largest Russets I've ever seen. Roast chicken half. Making the potato the centerpiece, with sautéed Brussels sprouts, and a bit of the roast chicken.

If I'm not "misremembering," you're from an upstate (NY) town, which might've had a Carrol's or two? In all my food related jobs, I never waited tables, and I think from all the stories I've heard, never wanted to. However, I really enjoyed interacting with the public while working various counter jobs in delis, meat departments, etc. etc. Was this in the central valley of California? Thanks for reminding me - I did work in a restaurant in Miami and was a dishwasher (and almost cut a finger off on that horrendous machine) - that job lasted about 2 days before I moved on! Exactly the age I was when I graduated from Culinary school. And I gotta say - everyone who thought it was a great idea that I should go to culinary school, work in restaurants, etc. etc. - they should all mind their own business!

I'm starting... I think my first job in the world of food was in about 1969-1970. At a fast food hamburger joint called Carrol's. No inside seating, from what I can remember. In the idyllic town of Franklin Square, on Long Island. Carrol's became Burger King, and though Carrol's itself petered out, Burger King's parent company is called Carrol's Restaurant Group, which is now owned by Restaurant Brands International. Perhaps had I stuck around I'd now be a big macher...but I didn't, as that job was short-lived. When I worked in that ill-fated Carrol's, on Franklin Avenue in Franklin Square, one could buy a burger, fries and shake...and get change from $1!!! I moved on to work in the various food departments for the Hills Supermarket Chain - also no longer extant. But I worked in the butcher department ( those days called the meat department) which had real butchers and counter service if necessary, the fish department, which also had a counter for service and the deli department, which had the same. I was a "floater" going to stores which were opening or needed help. I worked in various Hills, located in, yes, Franklin Square, Malverne, Lawrence, Island Park, and maybe one or two others - all on Long Island, and all serving the demographics of their local population. Like in Lawrence, a heavily Jewish neighborhood, the deli counter had all sorts of smoked fish, and I learned to slice lox/smoked salmon there. That was the job I held until leaving for college - which didn't last that long. Moved to Miami for 8 - 10 months, where I got in a job in a classic Jewish deli on South Beach. Finally saved enough, after moving back and driving a cab in NYC, to move out to Santa Barbara and go back to school. I worked in another deli, as well as a 7-11, which was probably (still) the worst job I ever had, because the clientele on my overnight shift was somewhat scary. No more food jobs until I moved back to NYC, after 18 years in California, and went to cooking school.

I remember the $3 hamburger as if it were...1972 all over again!

I don't have a problem with Canadian ryes, when necessary, though they're definitely distinct from many American distilled ryes. And there's only one way to find out how the Australian-distilled ryes work!

Frittata with tomatoes, potatoes, scallions, feta, and lots of dill.

You gotta make yourself a Manhattan, or any one of its myriad variations!

We're going to Montreal!

As I posted over in the dinner thread, we had Perfect Manhattans the other night... What I didn't mention was that I found a few bottles of this classic white-label Pikesville Rye, 80 proof, out of production since about 2016 in favor of the 110 Proof stuff Heaven Hill is now making. When I was driving back and forth to DC, I would often stop at a liquor store at the state line of Maryland; I think this stuff was about $11 a bottle back then, and you could get a handle of it for about $15.

Two nights ago: Started with perfect Manhattans. This became penne with assorted mushrooms ( a la Marcella). Last night: A great version of Chicken Scarpariello, using Kenji's method of finishing the dish in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The chicken cooks through, while the skin becomes nice and crisp, as it cooks above the liquid below. A couple of caveats to Kenji's method: 1. There's no way this is a quick, easy, Tuesday night meal. I actually used chicken thighs which I had cut in half, salted, and rested in the refrigerator over 2 nights. Sure, you don't have to do that part, but it makes the dish measurably better. 2. There's no way I'd use 8 hot cherry peppers. The cherry peppers I get are really hot; 8 would make the dish inedible, in my opinion. Although I suppose you could use sweet cherry peppers, for a different version. Otherwise, go to town.

I was gonna say I usually do an hour or two of salt, except if I'm making salmon to cook in the donabe - then I'll do that overnight or even up to 24 hours. Chicken for me is a whole different story...at least 24 hours makes it better!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1394197150929149&set=a.132995617049315&type=3

I like this weird place on Catherine Street; it's like shopping on Catherine Street 100 years ago.

Just got a six-pack: (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

I miss mayo that used to come in glass jars.