mrsadm

No, no - it's the "food-court-ization" of America!

This didn't annoy me, but I found it very unusual. I was at some chain like Applebee's or something with 3 others and the server actually squatted down near the table and was below our eye level. (Odd?) Then he took our orders without writing anything down. Everything came out just right when the food was delivered. Unusual, huh?

Ah, memories of my Aunt Martha's pantry in her very old house on Long Island. The pantry was not just extra storage place but it was unheated, so things like onions and potatoes would keep well there. You'd think with today's mega kitchens where people install things they really don't need, like those over-stove faucets (you still have to lug the big pot full of water to the sink to drain it), the old-fashioned pantry would be high on the list of want-to-haves. Another storage device lost to modern humanity is the root cellar. Oops, sorry, going too far back in time, now.

My first choice for hacking up chickens: Chinese Cleaver 2nd choice: Japanese Deba knife For boning I use a Wusthoff boning knife, nice and strong, more suited I think than a Japanese boning knife which is lighter and more delicate than the German knife. I use my Japanese boning knife for slicing.

Contractors, ugh! In my neck of the woods they say they'll be at your house at a certain day/time, they fail to show, you call their cell phone and there's always some excuse. And they're ALL like that. Does anyone remember the Dilbert cartoon where Dogbert is reading a book, "List of Contractor Excuses" and he's on #459, "my girlfriend blew up my truck". How true!

Here's another vote for Pepin's video series. Caution though they are about technique not specific recipes. But technique will arm you well for all future cooking. He shows you things you'd never learn on your typical chef TV show. I don't know where you are located but there are some excellent 1-day classes at the Culinary Institute in New York. Their fall schedule is online now at ciachef.edu. I've taken five classes there and learned a lot! Good luck and enjoy the fun!

Hampton Inn and other similar hotels - their customers choose the hotel because they get the free breakfast. The worst eggs I ever had were in Germany at a buffet. It was a rectangular pile of scrambled eggs, like a big cement block, and you took a large aluminum spoon to "carve out" a section for your plate. But after a week of nothing but pastries for breakfast, I ate them, well, some of it. Rather awful.

Isn't this really a broader parental dilemna? Like kids wanting to be a football star or an astronaut or a movie star? I wanted to go to Julliard at one time, and my mother paid for my music lessons, but I found out soon enough I wasn't going to make it there. Meanwhile I still enjoy my musical education while my profession is about as mundane as most. At least I had that chance and consider myself a broader person because of it.

Such great ideas, thank you all so much!

Is "the bomb" a good thing, or a bad thing?

I love to cook, and have taken many culinary school short courses, including the Cordon Bleu in Paris. Friends are of course aware of this strong interest. But why do so many of them think I want to go into the industry? Must be Food TV or something.... I know better than to be a mid-life career switcher. My feet would kill me and I'd probably pass out long before I finished the first 12-hour day!

My husband and I have chartered a sailboat for this weekend and are bringing a few guests. I'm looking for suggestions of what would be nice to serve as refreshments - sort of lunch and afternoon snacks. There is a hot plate and small fridge on board, so no elaborate cooking; in fact I'm thinking of having everything cold. I've thought of lobster rolls or other seafood goodies ... do you have any ideas? Thanks! Linda

Sugar in everything is a topic I have strong opinions about. Glad to hear about Rao's sauce, I will give it a try. One thing I don't need is more sugar in my diet!

I guess I must be star-struck by celebrity chefs, lately. Right now I am reading Marco Pierre White's book, The Devil in the Kitchen which is a lot of fun. I became quite interested in the guy after seeing the interview of him on youtube. Next I'll read Neil Simpson's biography of Gordon Ramsay. Then I have Chocolate and Zucchini waiting for my next airline trip.

In my backwoods neighborhood the tap water tastes horrid. I'd take a point off if the restaurant doesn't offer bottled water as an option.

Why would we attempt to define levels of amateur cooks, when there aren't good accepted levels of professional cooks? I realize there are some advanced - what do you call them - not degrees but certifications - given by passing exams (I'm thinking of the one given by the CIA, described in one of Michael Ruhlman's books) - but other than that, I've never seen a chef with a "rating".

This looks delicious. What is the "starch" that you use?

For me, the saute is more useful than the frying pan. It holds more, stir frys, all kinds of dishes. So if it were my money, I'd get a copper saute and an inexpensive nonstick frying pan for those omelette occasions. Also you don't need a matching copper lid (unless displaying the pan is important to you) - any lid large enough to cover it will do. That can save a few bucks.

I believe Gordon named those animals as a funny swipe against other British personalities. The turkeys all had first names of other chefs; the pigs, Trinny and Susanna, are named after the hosts of "What Not to Wear".

I move unused cookbooks to the garage. I have once or twice gone out to rescue one - but the rest I will send to ebay, "some day".

Thanks for the youtube interview mention, that was fascinating. Also just ran out and bought the book, to be read on my next boring airline flight.

My clothes are ruined and I should wear an apron but I think they make me look fat. Can anyone recommend a slimming apron? :-)

I made the mu shu pork with regular ol' green cabbage sliced on my mandoline and it came out just fine. Thanks for the info!

Heck I was a music major and ended up in the software industry. I'm still glad I got the education. Maybe the Food network should post a disclaimer after every show - something like, "You too, may NOT be the next Rachel Ray!"?!

I love Tyler Florence! And I love his hair!