JAZ

So from the comments above, I assume that fact-checkers are assigned to a particular section? So that the staff members checking (for instance) on food stories are experienced in the sorts of points that they might need to check? Because of course in this context, the question of whether guanciale is cured or smoked isn't a big deal. But if it that minor error were to pass in an article on -- for instance -- some local salumi maker, it could be a much bigger deal.

I think that's what Dave meant when he talked about teaching "shopping." Unfortunately, I don't think we'll have the time for a field trip, but I wonder if there are ways to teach this kind of thing without one. In the basic class, for instance, we talked about making friends with your grocery store department heads. We'd shopped almost exclusively at one of the big grocery stores for our supplies, because we figured that's probably where they'd do most of their everyday shopping. And we wanted to show the students that it's possible to get very decent products from a mainstream store if you know some tricks. So it's more than explaining what to look for in asparagus, for instance. It's what to do when the only asparagus on display isn't very good. It's what to do if ribeyes are on sale but the only ones you see are cut too thin. I'd say that all of our beginning students were amazed that you can ask a butcher at Publix to cut meat to order, or that you can ask for them to order stuff that's not on display (within limits, of course). I personally think that learning how to shop at your local supermarket can be a better tool for an intermediate cook than how to shop at a farmers' market or high-end specialty store. More of those tips would be fabulous to have on hand.

There is an attendance cap -- it's been 16 for the kitchen basics course; it might go down to 12 for the intermediate course.

The discussion of whether a chef can successfully cook a cuisine from another country has been moved here: Chef's nationality: does it matter?

We tried, in our basic class, to do a little of this, without making a lecture of it. This material from my Taste and Texture eGCI courses is what we draw on. Is that the sort of thing you mean?

Thanks for all the great suggestions. A couple more points in addition to what Dave said: I think baking is a great skill, but where we teach, baking classes and series are taught by others much more experienced than we are, so we're not planning to cover that. We started with some very basic knife skills in the Basics class, and we'll definitely continue with more in this series. But, again, there's a dedicated knife skills class elsewhere in the curriculum, and so we don't want to duplicate that. The suggestions to teach flavor and texture are great: we did a little bit of that throughout the basic series -- we made an asparagus soup, gave everyone a bowl of soup and a bowl of salt and had them add a few grains at a time to see the difference. It seemed to be a real awakening for most of our students. So suggestions about that sort of experience for the next level would be very helpful.

I'll second Markk's recommendation for Tarte d'Alsace -- it's a thin cracker-bread style crust topped with creme fraiche, caramelized onions, ham and gruyere. I've also tried one of their pizzas -- I can't remember if it was Pizza Margarita or a four-cheese -- which was better than most frozen pizzas. I like their frozen shrimp and vegetable potstickers, but wasn't too impressed with some chicken empanadas I got. The filling was pretty good, but there was no way I could find to make the crust anything but soggy.

Although I don't ordinarily name drinks after classics, once in a while it's a natural fit, as in the case of my Velvet Daiquiri (rum, lime juice and Velvet Falernum with a dash of peach bitters). Not only is it structured like a daiquiri, but I think Velvet Daiquiri describes it well; it's softer and plusher than a Daiquiri -- more velvety, in fact. Usually, though, if a new drink is similar to another, I find a different way of making the connection. Thus, when we changed the proportions of the Last Word, it became a Closing Remark. I think it's great fun to name drinks; I don't worry about it if nothing comes to mind immediately, because I know something will soon.

Sur La Table has entered the cookbook market, but instead of following Williams Sonoma's example of single subject books, they've come out with Things Cooks Love, (which is also the name of their new branded line of cooking gadgets -- I think it makes a better brand name than cookbook title, but maybe that's just me.) It's not surprising that much of the book seems to be dedicated to equipment. Not having seen the book itself, I can't say how useful it is, but it could be a good reference for the new cook. Likewise the "Global Kitchen" section, which is designed to give "comprehensive looks at the implements of global cuisines, detailed lists of essentials you’ll want in the pantry for a culinary tour, plus delicious recipes to put it all together." Regardless of the execution, it doesn't sound like something I'd get for myself, but I can see it being a nice gift if it's done well. Has anyone seen this?

Given bourdain's statement that the blog won't take place, this topic has reached its conclusion. Thanks to all who posted.

The butcher shop I used to buy from in San Francisco almost always had lamb shoulder and some kind of chops (they'd also order any other cuts, as they would with most any meat). I don't know about the chain supermarkets there because I so rarely bought meat at them. Here in Atlanta, there seems to be a lot of lamb at my Publix -- certainly way more lamb than veal, although less than beef or pork. I tend to buy lamb through the CSA I use, so it's local. I don't know where the lamb in the supermarket comes from.

Yeah, sorry, couldn't quite hang with 100% Rose's here. I have to admit I haven't had a gimlet for years. Now that I think about it, maybe ever. All in all a pleasant cocktail. That Rose's sure has a weird flavor, though. Tastes like Coconut or something to me. Might have to start making my own, per LibationGoddess' procedure here. ← Not to promote myself, but if you're looking for a closer approximation of Rose's, I think my syrup is probably closer than Audrey's (good as it is).

Having used both Lodge and LC stovetop grill pans, I'd say there's not much difference in cleaning them. I think, in fact, that the Lodge takes the edge because there's a bigger space between the ridges, so it's easier to get between them. For cooking, I've come to prefer the Lodge. It's heavier, and I think you get more attractive grill marks from the wider ridges. At at about half the price, the Lodge wins on that count, too.

Refrigerate it. I didn't for quite a while, and when I started, I definitely noticed a difference in the flavor. I use a lot of it, so I don't worry about its shelf life. A couple of months is fine. As for recipes, try the Corpse Reviver #2.

I have a lamb curry recipe that uses yogurt as a combination marinade and cooking liquid. It's really great. This topic makes me realize I haven't made it in ages. Lamb curry

I agree with that. It's quite tricky to avoid getting that herbal note when you're juicing it for a drink. I've often thought that I'd managed to do so and then, when the drink hits my tongue -- blech: there it is. ← Perhaps that's why I find Meyer lemons to go well with components that have an herbal overtone -- Chartreuse and Lillet, for instance.

I guess I'm alone on this one. I like Meyer lemons in cocktails -- not as a replacement for Eureka lemons, but in different drinks. I think Meyers go really well with Lillet, for instance. I use them in my After School Special: 2 oz. gin (Beefeater or similar), 1 oz. Lillet, .25 to .5 oz Meyer lemon juice (depending on acid level), and a dash or two of Chartreuse. I also like them in a Margarita variation, with 2 oz. reposado tequila, .5 oz. orange curacao or Grand Marnier, and .5 oz. Meyer lemon juice.

While I'll agree about American's melting properties, I don't think it has enough flavor to stand up to the other ingredients. However, there are worse things. Honey on the outside??? Please to splain. ← Stay tuned for that story.

More than a year later, I'm still dreaming of a close-by butcher shop, but I have found some alternatives. For variety and reasonable prices, DeKalb Farmer's Market is reliable, if not terribly convenient. For great quality and special orders, I've discovered Sawicki's in Decatur (Lynn Sawicki used to head up the charcuterie dept. for Star Provisions, I think). I've also gotten to know the head of the meat dept. at my Publix, so he'll order stuff for me as well, or pack a single steak or chop for me. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the quality at Publix, which has been a pleasant surprise. And as I mentioned here, the CSA I order from also has meat available. It's been great, if a bit expensive. I see that Trader Joe's carries some meat as well. Anyone tried that? It would very convenient if it turned out to be good.

I've fallen into a pattern over the past couple of years of making a nightcap most nights. Even when I'm out for dinner, I'd almost always rather skip the after dinner drink or dessert there in favor of having one last drink when I'm home. I find that, for the most part, I like a different kind of drink as a nightcap. It's the time rye or scotch are most likely to make an appearance, and when I think about it, I guess that my nightcaps tend to be higher in alcohol, and also sweeter. There are some nightcap drinks that I also occasionally make earlier in the evening, but there's not a whole lot of crossover. My current rotation includes the Marconi Wireless, Rusty Nail, East India Cocktail and a variation of the Last Word. A new addition has been the Widow's Kiss. Anyone else in the nightcap habit? What do you make?

I haven't used it, but I imagine that if it's got a piece of stone in it as thick as the Hearthkit, then it will take just as long to heat up, and just as long to cool down. The difference, I guess, is that you could use that for bread and keep your regular oven free of the Hearthkit. I just keep my Hearthkit in the oven all the time. It does mean I can't reduce the heat quickly, but for me it makes up for that in the heat level I can achieve, and (especially in my old crappy oven) it gave me much more even heat.

Wherever you end up registering, make sure that there's a store near you that will handle returns with no hassles. Regardless of how carefully you register and how well managed the stores' registries are, you'll get lots of duplicates of stuff, or stuff you don't want. Trust me on this one. I used to be in charge of the registry at a Sur La Table store. Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma both have easy return procedures -- the other stores mentioned might too, but you do want to check. And check to see if you can return online or catalog purchases at a brick and mortar store. Not all stores allow that. If you register with Amazon, keep in mind that you'll be sending a lot of stuff back. Also keep in mind where your guests live, and how they will be ordering. Although a lot of people like to order online, there are also people who prefer to go into a store.

This topic has run its course, so we're closing it. Thanks for posting.

Does it have to go on the counter? If you have wall space, you can buy coated wire shelves of varying depths at the hardware store. That's what I used in my previous kitchens (I don't have the wall space in my current kitchen, or I'd still be using them). Here's my "spice rack" in my last kitchen: I used shelves about 2 inches deep, but I also had some deeper than that for other uses.

I've been ordering vegetables, eggs and meat from Moore Farms' CSA for a few months now. They're based in Alabama, but metro Atlanta seems to be their biggest market. They grow some of the products themselves, but also act as a coordinator for other farms, so their selection is more varied than most CSAs I've looked into before. The quality has been excellent, and the selection -- even during the winter -- has been good, too. In addition to the more usual CSA selection of fruits and vegetables, they offer a limited selection of meats from local (Southeast) farms. The lamb (from Johnson Family Farms) and pork (Berkshire, from Riverview Farms) has been fabulous. Another great thing (for me at least -- since I'm cooking for one or two at most) is that although they offer the standard CSA box of their own selection, you can also order exactly what you want. There's a small fee for that, but it's worth it to me. You don't have to order every week, either, which is also nice. I don't know how well known they are, so I thought it was worth mentioning here. If anyone is interested, check out their site at Moore Farms and Friends.com Anyone else a customer? Any other CSAs out there that are worth checking out?