weinoo

Those people might've had a few "helpers" in the kitchens, but I'll bet they weren't serving 36 hour short ribs with horseradish foam.

No problem...you're welcome. The key is to make sure whatever pots and pans and knives you buy feel good in your hands. I find the handles on newer All-Clad stuff to be a giant step down from the handles of a decade or more ago. Looking more closely at BB&B's web site, I'd actually get this bigger Mauviel roaster for only a few dollars more. Some of this might only be available on the web. I'm sure that the credit and coupons can be used to order online as well.

Yes, as I posted above...Mauviel and Sitram.

I find a lot of it to be overpriced, made in China crap.

I think the 2 most important knives are a chef's knife and a paring knife. Then, a good bread knife. BB&B's knife selections are fairly limited. A ceramic or smooth steel is a necessity with knives and a way to sharpen them. A knife block to store them (or a magnet, etc.) and an excellent cutting board will last forever. This is a beaut but it would be nicer if they had a 2" thick one. I'd get a good set of whisks (Rosle or OXO) and whatever OXO and Kuhn Rikon things you need; peelers, lemon squeezer, etc. A set of Le Crueset silicon spatulas. A Kitchen Aid or Breville stick blender. Capresso water kettle. Zojirushi 10-cup rice cooker. The top of the line T-Fal nonstick pans are great and will last a while before you need new ones. Don't spend more on nonstick than this - they are basically all throw away at some point. You can get an 8", 10" and 12" pan for $50. I'm not a big fan of the current All-Clad stuff. Not as good as it used to be. This Mauviel roasting pan is gorgeous (but may not be included in the offers). They do carry some Sitram stuff as well as some other Mauviel. Silpats. Lodge cast iron stuff is inexpensive and will last forever. A couple dozen flour sack kitchen towels. Microplane. OXO Food Mill.

Move over, Il Lab, there's a new (ish) kid in town...Gelato ti amo. My first visit here yesterday will send me back soon. The pistachio was great. 68 Second Avenue

This is NYC. No one is too polite to not say anything.

I take photos and don't bother anyone. The alleged tripod/video thing sounds a little suspect to me.

Hennes - whose chef's knife are you using on that aluminum pan?

Last Friday night, we had a fine/fun time at Court St. Grocers, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, which in addition to offering a variety of hard-to-find and off-the-wall foodstuffs, prepared foods and a variety of sandwiches, does special dinners on Friday nights. These take place in the little attached room, where during the day you can enjoy whatever you've bought from their prepared food counters in the grocery. At 7 PM and 9 PM on Fridays (reservations requested), for a mere $35, dinner is offered. They've been doing clambakes, and last week we devoured a lobster (a pound and a half), clams, sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob, Parker House rolls, and dessert. It was delicious. Oh, it's BYOB, making it an even better bargain. My full blog post with pix is here. Look at this bug...

Interesting combo there, RRO.

Cavatappi, assorted raw heirloom and cherry tomatoes, basil, feta, olive oil and parmsean...

I suppose Austria is eastern Europe, so my favorite local place would have to be Cafe Katja. They're currently closed as they are expanding into the space next door and doubling in size. Hope to be open by Labor Day. Excellent house made sausages, good wines and beer, fine value. And some of the sweetest service around.

A meal at the sushi bar last night was fine for what it is, which is the best sushi below Houston and east of Bowery. I haven't ventured into the omakase world yet, but it appears as if the guys behind the sushi bar know a bit about a fish and rice, and are itching to take on that challenge, rather than making spicy tuna rolls. What really threw me for a loop, however, was my well made Stanton Cocktail, which in reality was a Boulevardier with a mint leaf garnish. In a sushi bar. Who'd a thunk it?

While they "don't seem to go bad," I find mustards lose their potency fairly quickly and are not the same as when first opened. Since I go through a lot of mustard, I always check the sell-by dates and try to purchase whatever appears to be the freshest stuff.

Unfortunately, I can't swing it. I'm afraid of Hennes' cooking.

An update on Black Iron Burger Bar from EV Grieve...doesn't really tell us much:

Well, she knows some of her stuff anyway.

Yeah, I'd juice 'em, make sorbets, make applesauce, make jam....that way, you can at least spice 'em up to your liking.

Interesting article in today's NY Times about the New Orleans cocktail scene. Obviously, as home to Tales of the Cocktail, things have heated up...a LOT... Really, are that many people moving to New Orleans? Maybe - Beachbum Berry has already made the transition...

What part of the fish is that from?

I happen to have one of those scarce ressies tonight.

Are these what are usually called cottage fries?

I worked in a long-defunct fast-food burger joint (Carrol's, iirc)on Long Island when I was in high school. No mustard.

If you're doing the drive from Monterrey to San Francisco, or the other way, there's a fine old restaurant (perfect for lunch) named Duarte's Tavern, in the town of Pescadero, snuggled in the hills north of Santa Cruz. Been there forever, and their artichoke soup is the best I've ever had...they also do some fine, local seafood. I don't see it mentioned, but we had a great meal at Commonwealth (and they have a little parking lot!). We also enjoyed Cotogna. And for breakfast/lunch, Plow, up on Potrero Hill was fabulous - we went a few times over the course of a week. Here's what I wrote about Commonwealth and Duarte's.