Really Nice!

Hmm, sounds like a project for Cooks Illustrated!! I'm thinking that maybe you could sprinkle something on it to prevent the skidding, but everything I come up with would burn. How about sand?!? A steel plate or crumpled foil sound good. You can also just put a skillet on the stove first, and top it with the dutch oven...

Yeah, I guess there were some good skits. The chicks from Kent with the high hair and beercan earrings. Cops in Redmond... Unfortunately for me, the good ones were too few and far between.

Add me to your list, please. Personally, I'd like to know how to properly season food.

Sugar on hot coals? That'll burn quickly and the smell will infuse into the meat creating an off or burnt flavor. Use a 'light' wood such as alder. You don't want to mask the flavor of the meat with something like mesquite or oak.

1) Take a scissors and cut between ribs 1 & 2 and 7 & 8. Then cut across from one slit to the other. Do it over the sink because there will be a lot of liquid pouring out. 2) Preheat oven to 425F, sear it in an oven proof skillet, then roast it for 11 minutes per pound. For me, this is a foolproof method. Here's a recipe I used in August 2001 when I served a bottle of 1979 Penfolds Grange. Rack of lamb Australian lamb from Costco ($7.99 lb) 2 slices of bread Rosemary, fresh Garlic, fresh Basil, fresh Mint, fresh Preheat oven to 425F. Place bread and herbs in a food processor. Process until bread crumbs form and are of uniform shape. Rub olive oil on fat side of ribs. Place a skillet on the stove over high heat. Add a small amount of oil. Wait for oil to get near smoke point. Place lamb in skillet, fat side down and sear for two minutes. Turn lamb over, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and drizzle olive oil over crumbs. Wrap foil around bones and place in oven. Cook for about 11 minutes per pound. These were about 1.45 lbs so I cooked them for 16 minutes. Remove from oven, lightly cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. They came out a perfect medium-rare.

How does that work? Wouldnt the side opposite you get shafted on their Rainier view? Ben Sorry, it's from an old Almost Live skit. They had guys with big wrenches at the base of the needle... Well, let's just say it's about the only memorable skit from that program.

...made with homemade mayonnaise! Yum! I love making mayonnaise as it is the basis for so many other sauces, especially aioli. Rant: According to the American Egg Board, "Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the [salmonella] bacteria." This means that if you eat one undercooked, or raw, egg a day from the day you are born, you could reach the age of 54 years, 9 months before being in contact with the bacteria. End Rant Sorry, but when I made my Ceasar salad dressing for my restaurant the health dept made me put, "Made with raw or undercooked eggs" after its description on the menu.

Agreed, but then with a view like that, who's there for the food? They don't have to have good food, and they can charge outrageous prices to see the same shade of grey nine months out of the year. I've eaten there twice. The first time when I moved here in '91. The second time was a 'thank you' dinner in '99 for letting a friend from Oz stay with me for a month while visiting the states. He paid for it. I think the food was better in '99, but then I don't remember what I had. I do remember thinking it wasn't half bad. I think people that eat at these places are there to entertain out-of-town guests or to celebrate something really special. To give the Space Needle credit, I've heard that it revolves faster when Ballard comes into view of your table, and it slows down when Rainier appears.

Here's my experience. I worked in a small group within a large, geeky company. In this small group was a gorgeous, non-geeky woman who went out of her way to invite me to her place for a small barbecue. I imediately answered yes. <long story short... the day of the barbecue> As I was driving from my place in Kirkland Washington to Bellevue Washington I got very excited to see this woman out of the work environment. When I was about a half mile away from her place I found myself stopped at a stop light. I was in the left-hand turn lane. Suddenly two fire trucks and an ambulance, all running hot, sped from right to left in the crossing street. Moments later I made my left turn and found myself about a quarter mile behind the fire trucks and ambulance. I looked at my printed directions and noticed that they made a right turn on the same street I'm supposed to make a right turn. Three blocks later they made another right turn on the same street I'm supposed to make a right turn. Hopefully, you're getting the idea... They stopped in front of her house. When I arrived I found was the first guest to arrive and the firecrew was doing what they do best. It turns out when she turned on the barbecue, she left the lid down. She got distracted and walked away. Either the flame blew out, or she never checked to see if it was on. Five minutes later, she checked to see how the barbecue was doing and lifted the top. This created a spark which created a massive explosion that threw her back about five-eight feet. The barbecue was against the wall of her house. The explosion blew a hole in the house and its close proximity caused a cannon effect. The sudden stopping of the blast by the wall pushed the barbecue away and towards her, and it landed on her legs. It fried her hair; however, the blast did minor damage to her beautiful face, and fortunately, did no damage to her eyes, legs, back, etc. She had no physical scars, but then she had no eyebrows either. Her long hair was singed to within four inches of her head. The fire department had to axe several holes to ensure there was no fire in between the walls. She took months to physically recover; but she was emotionally scared long after that. In observing the after-effects of this mishap, I now leave the lid open.

I'd like to submit this as a friendly critique... I'm curious as to her choosing the word 'broth' over 'stock.' My education tells me that a stock is made from bones; broth is made from meat. The key difference being that flavored water made with bones, which has gelatin, gives stock its rich texture. You can reduce two gallons of stock down to one cup where it then becomes a rich demi glac. Stocks become richer the more you reduce them because the amount of gelatin doesn't diminish as the liquid diminishes. As you reduce a stock, you come away with a (pardon the pun) lip-smackin' good product because the gelatin in the stock helps spread the flavors over your tongue. This is also true of non-reduced stocks, sauces, or gravies, only it's not as intense. Your tongue feels sticky against the roof of your mouth because the gelatin sticks to your taste buds filling them with the flavors from the stock, sauce, gravy, or demi glac. Flavored water made with meat, which doesn't have gelatin, gives a broth its thin, or watery, mouthfeel. It doesn't have that same rich texture you get from a stock. It's clear because there are no bones to cloud it up (improperly made stocks get cloudy from the blood inside the bones; there's no blood in meat, and therefore, a broth should not cloud up). A broth is also easier to clarify which makes a it a good choice for consummé. If you reduce a broth down from 2 gallons to 1 cup you'll have an intensely flavored broth that has the same 'water' consistency as it had at 2 gallons. There is no richness nor gelatinous characteristic gained through the reduction of a broth, and there is no stickiness to the taste buds. And regarding vitamin A: Deep-yellow, or orange vegetables, like carrots and squash, are a great source of vitamin A, as are apricots and other orange-colored fruits.

City Kitchens is great, especially when you are impulse shopping. They indeed have a wide variety. If I don't absolutely have to have 'it' now, I wait until their September "Everything in the store is 10%(?) off" sale. Not sure if it's 10, 15, or 20 percent, though. I think last year they also had one in March. Not sure if that's an annual thing or not. It's worth waiting for. Two weeks ago I went into the Kitchen Store tucked away inside and up the street from Sur la Table. They changed the store (decor, floor layout, and inventory) from what it used to be. I used to hang out there for an hour looking at everything. This time I was in and out in 5 minutes. They seemed to be going more towards trinket kitchen stuff. IMHO. For professional stuff, try Bargreen and Ellingson on Mercer. It is a bit pricey, but when I was a culinary student I got 10 percent off with a discount. However, there is a separate used equipment store behind the main building. If you don't mind buying stuff used, it's worth it to check it out. (Actually, every restaurant supply store will have used inventory to sell.) Bargreen and Ellingson Store Locations 1275 Mercer Seattle, WA 98109-5514 Phone: 206-682-1472 Hours: Mon-Fri 8-6; Sat 9-1

I was in an Asian grocery store last week and saw black chicken. The meat, skin and bones are black. I've seen it on Iron Chef, but I forget how they prepared it. Does anyone have experience with this bird? How do you prepare it? Any specific techniques, herbs, spices etc. I should consider?

Not if you have a pizza oven to keep the temperature up. This is my oven. We have many pizza parties where I supply the ingredients of: Anchovies Artichokes Bay Scallops Bell Peppers Capers Caviar Crème Fraîche Feta Cheese Garlic Gorgonzola Cheese Italian Sausage Kalamoto Olives Mozzarella Cheese (fresh) Mushrooms Onion Parmesan Cheese Pepperoni Prosciutto Provolone Cheese Raw Eggs Red Onion Red Pepper Flakes Shrimp Sun Dried Tomatoes Tomato Purée (for sauce) I send this list in e-mail and anyone that feels something is missing from the list, they can bring it along.

No, it wasn't verbatim. I pretty much scribbled down what I needed to do and went from there. Sorry I left out the quantity of salt, it's 1-1/2 teaspoons added to the flour and sugar in the beginning of the recipe. I think we're all saying the same thing... pretty much so... No matter what recipe you choose, practice, practice, practice... Mmmmm... Costco...

Croissants When you make your triangle cuts, go bigger than you think you need to. Mine turned out to be way too small to be anything more than an amuse-bouche even though it looked big when I cut the dough 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 oz yeast (two packets of dry) 1 c milk, lukewarm 4-1/2 c flour 1/3 c sugar 9 oz butter, softened Blend yeast with milk in a small bowl. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast and milk. Mix quickly with fingertips. When flour has absorbed the milk, smooth the dough and cover the bowl with a towel and let it stand for 30 to 60 minutes; depending on room temperature. Roll dough into an oblong shape and dot with 1/3 the softened butter. (Personal Experience Note: do not smear the butter over the dough or the dough won't stick when you fold it. ) Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes. (Personal Experience Note II: Put it in the refrigerator so the dough becomes firmer. It will be easier to roll.) Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and dot with another 1/3 of the softened butter. Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and dot with the remaining 1/3 of the softened butter. Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll dough into a 18 inch by 6 inch rectangle and cut it into triangles. Roll triangles up by starting at the wide end and going to the small end. Place croissants on a baking sheet and bend them into a crescent shape. Cover the baking sheet and allow the croissants to rise for about 45 minutes. Brush croissants with a beaten egg and bake at 425F for about 10 minutes. (Personal Experience Note III: I think mine went 15 minutes Keywords: Bread ( RG475 )

I've made them on about five different occasions recently with differing results from different recipes. The one that seems to work the best comes from Larousse Gastronomique (page 338 in the 6th? edition; it has a grey and yellow cover). The two biggest problems I have are: 1. It doesn't come out flakey like a professionally made croissant. This is because I don't have the muscles to roll the dough like a machine. It ends up being a little bit chewy. 2. When you make your triangle cuts, go bigger than you think you need to. Mine turned out to be way too small to be anything more than an amuse-bouche even though it looked big when I cut the dough. 3. Okay, there's a third problem. Don't expect it to turn out right the first time, especially if you're not used to making your own puff pastry. Croissants 1/2 oz yeast (two packets of dry) 1 cup milk, lukewarm 4 1/2 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 9 oz butter, softened Blend yeast with milk in a small bowl. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast and milk. Mix quickly with fingertips. When flour has absorbed the milk, smooth the dough and cover the bowl with a towel and let it stand for 30 to 60 minutes; depending on room temperature. Roll dough into an oblong shape and dot with 1/3 the softened butter. (Personal Experience Note: do not smear the butter over the dough or the dough won't stick when you fold it. ) Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes. (Personal Experience Note II: Put it in the refrigerator so the dough becomes firmer. It will be easier to roll.) Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and dot with another 1/3 of the softened butter. Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and dot with the remaining 1/3 of the softened butter. Fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Repeat rolling into an oblong shape and fold dough into thirds and let it stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll dough into a 18 inch by 6 inch rectangle and cut it into triangles. Roll triangles up by starting at the wide end and going to the small end. Place croissants on a baking sheet and bend them into a crescent shape. Cover the baking sheet and allow the croissants to rise for about 45 minutes. Brush croissants with a beaten egg and bake at 425F for about 10 minutes. (Personal Experience Note III: I think mine went 15 minutes.)

Try pan frying them. Small skillet... about 2 tablespoons of oil... separate the leaves from the stem and drop the leaves in the skillet... swirl for about 10 seconds and turn leaves over... swirl another 10 seconds and remove leaves to a paper towel to drain... quickly sprinkle with the salt that floats your boat. It tastes heavenly! It's crunchy and has an "almost" french fry note to it. Goes great as a garnish on top of a protein if you're into composition dishes.

Well, you know what Brad Pitt looks like... I look nothing like him.

Amen. But, as I have said to friends, if he's getting people who have never been interested in cooking excited about food, then good for him. As long as they know that his show is an introductory course and they need to move on.

Chef Morimoto was okay. I'm guessing there were about 300 people. He spent the first hour or so making four dishes using his new line of fusion sauces (Szechzuan/Italian). Not really cooking. I was on TV as I sat right across from the TV cameras. His voice is higher when he speaks English and lower when he speaks Japanese. In some ways he was very Emeril-like. But then I don't go out to see celebrity chefs too often so maybe it's a trade thing. He was very open to taking questions and he made a comment regarding the judges. I probably have this wrong but the two female judges on the end, the food critic and the fortune teller (who I swear are the same woman) have different tastes. The food critic is from Southern Japan where they like their food lighter and more delicate. The fortune teller is from Tokyo where they like their food spicier and heavier. Again, I may be applying these comments to the wrong people/region. Anyway, he says he would find out who was judging and prepare his dishes based on those regional preferences. Gives him (and the other iron chefs) a competitive edge that I always suspected. Oh, someone asked if he was going to open a restaurant here in Seattle. He said, yes. But the manner in how he said it and his body language make me suspect that either he has no plans to, or he's planning on making a big announcement. Regarding his new productline. He has three packaged sauces that are a fusion between Szechuan and Italian. The three have the same flavor profiles, but different heat levels of: mild, medium/hot, and hot. He has three bottled sauces that will be available in July. Sesame seed oil, chili miso sauce, and chili mayo sauce. He has two bottled ale beers, hazelnut and soba. I don't know if these will be available nationwide, but they are produced by Rogue beers. Is this a microbrew in the PNW? The autograph signing was the most disorganized signing I've ever seen. He was in the cooking demo area and they announced that the line to sign would be across the way in their little book store. Well a couple "It's all about me" so-and-so's pushed their way up to the counter to get an autograph. Many others followed. I decided to go for the book store figuring eventually the staff would take Morimoto over there. For the next 20 minutes they kept announcing that the line should be in the book store. Meanwhile, he kept signing autographs. The staff finally gave up and everyone ran for the demo area with yours truly near the back. An hour later I finally got his autograph but I couldn't get within 15 feet of the guy. I hope the Uwajimaya staff has a debriefing meeting about what went right and what went wrong so they can learn from this experience.

Oke doke, :-) I agree, but I use dried parsley for my guacamole. It absorbs excess moisture that fresh parsley can't. Dried parsley in this dish also adds a texture that the fresh stuff can't. I've never used fresh bay leaf, but would like to see what it's like. Herbs De Province is very different when using fresh ingredients. I think my tastes prefer a dry version. However, I love making a fresh Italian seasoning of fresh marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil. It really brightens up a tomato sauce Although this is a blend of herbs and spices, fresh poultry seasoning always surprises people because the ingredients are detected individually, not blended like the dry stuff so you don't get everything at once. Just blend: thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg. Go with equal parts except go a little lighter on the nutmeg. The one herb that has the biggest discrepancy between fresh and dried is tarragon. Fresh is okay, but when I intake the dried stuff, it produces a bile in my mouth.

Not to nit pick here, but don't you mean dried herbs?

In "Le Repertoire de La Cuisine" there is a soup jacqueline briefly described as: Fish veloute, garnished with carrots, peas, asparagus heads, rice and cream. And in "Herring's Dictionary of Classical and Modern Cookery," Chicken consomme garnished with braised fancy cut carrots, pastilles of cream royal, peas, asparagus tips, rice, and chervil. I'm guessing this is the source of your sauce.

Five years. From the policies page: (FYI... Best chef award was established in 1990) Please note, categories are subject to change. A chef who wins in a particular category is not eligible to win that same award for five years. However, he or she is eligible for awards in other categories. Administration: The Restaurant Awards are administered by a volunteer committee of 17 leading food editors and restaurant critics representing the United States. Balloting: Anyone can recommend a candidate for a Chef and Restaurant Award. The Foundation usually receives 1,500 submissions in September, which are tabulated by an accounting firm and reviewed by the Awards Committee to develop the Nominating Ballot. Up to 20 candidates are placed in each award category on the Nominating Ballot, which is distributed in January to over 300 judges throughout the U.S. The results of the Nominating Ballot produce five final nominees in each award category. Nominees are announced in March. A chef may not be nominated in more than one chef or restaurant category. The final ballot listing the five finalists for each award is distributed to the judges again. The highest score in each category determines the award winner. In the event of a tie, there are two award winners. Judges: The body of judges comprises all past Chef and Restaurant Award winners, the Restaurant Awards Committee, leading regional restaurant critics, food and wine editors, and culinary educators. Interestingly, Martha Stewart won for Martha Stewart Living TV.

Hey folks, don't forget to compliment him on his winning a 'beardie' last night. Best Television Special.