Busboy

I might piss off a few chefs with these comments, but a couple here in DC know where I hang out Saturday nights so they can hunt me down and kick my ass if I deserve it. Let me begin, though, by agreeing with Lactic Solar Dust (shouldn't that be intergaactic Solar Dust? ) that not only chefs but FOH people need to be unionized, as well. Health benefits, reasonable hours, grievance procedures -- every deserves those. And imagine how many people get sick every year because some waiter or line cook couldn't afford to lose the salary they's earn if they took a sick day or two. But, really, there are a lot of people who are foolish enough follow some trade because they think it will lead to wealth and fame -- or better yet, because they love it and do it well -- and find that there is some serious dues paying to be done before you get your name in the papers or the cover of a magazaine. How many pretty damn talented guitarists are there hauling their own amps out of grungy clubs at 3 AM so they can ride all night in the back of old Econoline that stinks of sweat and transmissin fluid to their next gig? How about those poor bastards who spent so much time playing baseball that they forgot how to get into college, and now they're looking at long months of pumping gas and hoping against hope that they get called down to Sarasota one last time, and that this time their curve ball really jumps? My son -- God love him -- seems on the verge of following my early footsteps down the path of politics -- he made $500 for his first two months of work. And he was doing better than I did. I made $10 a day on my first gig, after volunteering almost full time for a year, except I didn't make it because all the money was going to the media consultants. And, have I mentioned how motherfucking cold it is in Iowa in the winter and how bad Grain Belt beer is? But, if you're smart and lucky and posessed of a degree from a prestigious school, you actually move to DC and work full time and make $22K. There are probably certain blocks in Williamsburg that have more starving artists than starving homeless people, and they probably have fewer places to sleep if things get truly desparate for them. On the other hand, according to this article, there are a few chefs here, and in Vegas, who are doing OK. They get to do work they like. They make more money than teachers and other porfessionals. Not a few get to work for themselevs (although that probably actually means more work and fewer benefits.) And some interesting salary info here. Not surprisingly, it appears that working corporate is the way to go. I couldn't find the state breakdowns (much less Norway) and I feel certain that it doesn't differentiate between a chef at a neighborhood red sauce joint and a well-regarded establishment in a larger city. Oh, well, just some thoughts and best of luck to all you guys, whether you end up at the Sheraton making good money and big benefits, or being more modestly successful financially but better off artistically in your own place. More interesting data. (You know what would make this a really interesting conversation? Getting the pastry chefs in.)

As much as I am disappointed by the current state of thier "French" breads, I do find -- as Pat did -- their rye to e surprisingly good

Jeez -- I sure hope so.

Perhaps even more obvious -- The Modern at the MoMa?

Lucky parents. My kids are picky even in the U.S., even though they're way older than 9. Thank goodness for steak frites and pizza au four du bois. Of course, they're also olf enough to leave at the hotel if I want to get all Escoffier on them with starched tablecloths and rare funguses. (And, they're getting better) I popped my meager suggestions onto John's thread on the 7th.

I found both Clos des Gourmets Clos des Gourmands and Le Petite Troquet to be family- American- pocketbook- and palate-friendly. Both were Bib Gourmands in the 7th. Gourmet is a little more formal, and served a swell tete de couchon, in case you know anyone who likes that sort of thing. Despite the suggestion of snobbery in the linked review, I found the place quite welcoming. Perhaps someone has been there more recently than I and can update. Au Petite Tonneau makes you feel pretty happy about being in Paris, for a very modest price.

One thing I wanted to add, though I don't know how the North compares with the South in this regard, but French people seem to spend a lot of time picknicking by rivers and jumping off rocks into them. This beats the hell out of an afternoon by the pool at some hotel, and we do it whenever we can. Also a great excuse to splurge on charcuterie and cheese.

I second Dave's www.viamichelin.com suggestion (you have to register to get access to the restaurant and hotel guides). And, if reccommending the Michelin Guide is hardly groundreaking advice, I will add that we have had much success with the "Bib Gourmand" and "value menu" reccomendations - fine meals for under 30 euros.

Hah. We're from the East Coast, so "pretentious and overpriced" is our briar patch. Actually, having done time tuxedo-ed up as a waiter in a brutally expensive French place in the 80's, nothing along those lines really phases me. But your comments echo criticism that we've heard elsewhere -- cooking and service that doesn't live up to the expense and the stiffness. We're looking at Luca for now.

My impression has also been that in Europe (not just France) where gaming the tax system is a major hobby, tipping in cash is always the way to go.

Tut Tut Busboy according to my sources this dish was invented in the 1860's at Delmonico's restaurant for a certain Mrs. LeGrand Benedick by Chef Charles Ranhofer. Recipe as follows: Eggs à la Benedick - Cut some muffins in halves crosswise, toast them without allowing to brown, thn place a round of cooked ham an eighth of an inch thick and of the same diameter as the muffins one each half. Heat in a moderate oven and put a poached egg on each toast. Cover the whole with Hollandaise sauce. I also note that somewhat later in the 1890's the recipe was again published, but this time specifically calling for English muffins. Although I may or may not agree with your aversion to said muffins historical accuracy impels me to raise the question? Does your aversion extend to white flour English muffins as well? If not then I agree. If so then what would you serve them on? Note: The original recipes are non-specific as to which type. ← I can't match you for historical research. And I'd like to get it out on the table that there are many types of whole wheat and whole grain breads that I mange with great enthusiasm. But, there have been way too many marketing types messing with perfectly wonderful breads by making them "whole wheat" in an attempt to layer a perception of healthiness atop what was already a fine thing. As far as English muffins are concened, the Busboy family is quite in love with them, to the extent that our hamburgers are always eaten on muffins, my children would give up fruit and vegetables to live entirely on them, and some of my most treasured childhood memories involve visits to my granparents' house, where their modestly more affluent lifestyle allowed for English muffins and butter, rather than the toast and margarine of my parents' house. I still remember Thomas's back before they were pre-forked.

I'd say "deliberately" yes, but not self-consciously. Not an intellectual construct, but using what they know to make something that tastes good. I am fortunate to in a neighborhood where, despite other shortcomings, the local stores stock tamarind paste as a matter of course. The Kuntz recipe marries tamarind paste, tomato, honey, ginger, coriander and cumin into a glaze that he spills over flank steak. Possibly because they're in the next aisle, the beans and rice (my neighborhood is heavily Salvadoran and they maintain that red are the only proper beans) seem an obvious match.

I see a difference between the deliberate marrying of different regional cuisines and the assimilation of ingredients. Did the Italian cook say to him or herself "here I will take a fruit from the New World and a starch from the Orient and create a fusion hybrid of the two distinctive food cultures"? Fusion, it seems to me, as a culinary movement, requires the cook to have more of a knowledge of distinctive cultures and also a frame of consciousness that desires to meld cuisines as opposed to simply assimilating an ingredient here or there over time, into an existing food culture, i.e., the addition of spices to an already extant recipe. ← I am no expert is fusion cuisine. But the whole concept of fusion as a "culinary movement" -- as opposed to talented chefs saying "what if..." makes me a little queasy. Knowledge of ingredients and techniques, and the talent to combine different styles well: yes. "Knowledge of distictive cutures?" I don't think so. Did Thomas Keller have to study Moliere and The Enlightenment to master Frech technique? When Gray Kuntz marries tamarind with barbecue (and when I spill it onto a hanger steak and serve it with Salvadoran beans and rice), there's a huge cross-cultural thing going on, but I don't think he set out to make an intellectual statement. I think, just as that ancient Italian, he's just looking at what's around and trying to throw them together in new and wonderful ways. I never had raw fish until I was almost 30. My son, now 18, walks around the corner to nosh on carryout sushi whenever I'm willing to cough up the six bucks (long discussion, there ). When I was force-fed sushi the first time, it was still vaguely exotic and very "Asian." Now, it's just carryout food available in neighborhoods across America. Just like tomatoes were exotic for a few years in Naples,until they made it their own. Just like "fusion" cusine is now, until the generation that grew up on sushi and Asian supermarkets gets into the kitchen, and starts treating star anise the way their elders treated garlic.

I'm not dead yet! I'd feel worse if the food wasn't so bad. Nonetheless, like Gerald Ford, (who probably ate there) deserving of a moment of respect.

The local "alternative" paper weighs in here. Reader weighs in here. (Second letter). Props to Anne Marson for actually calling (or visiting) a New Haven Pizza joint, so that they can be compared. This place is simultaneously so fun and so exasperating that I love watching fans and detractors mix it up.

Given that we have no modern-day Escoffier to mandate our culinary definitions, I would suggest that "fusion" is likely more an attitude than a precise technique or approach. Though generally thought of as a marriage of French and Asian (and could anything be less precise than "Asian?" Thai, 85 Chinese regions, Korean, etc...) it gets thrown around a lot here in the states as a descriptor for other marriages, as well. I remember (though not favorably) dinner at Asia de Cuba in LA a meal of Asian-Latin fusion. For cooks and diners, it's important to have a precise definition of "sautee" or "dice." It's not important to have a precise definition of "fusion." A propose of Carrot Top, I wonder if the first fusion meal was when someItalian married noodles -- origin (Some say): China -- with tomatoes from the New World to make spaghetti abnd red sauce.

On poaching eggs, I find that the old trick of splashing aliberal amountof vinegar in the water works well, ensuring that the eggs stay more or less together rather than whisping themselves into nothingness. No vinegar flavor, either. I am vaguely appalled by the egg-to-butter ratios being touted on the thread. I find that a single egg yolk will emulsify an entire stick of butter by itself, giving a light, velvety sauce. Lemons are veariable creatures. Some are bitter, some more sour than fruity and some the other way 'round. Thus, I never actually follow a set recipe with the lemon juice, just adjusting as necessary. Meyer lemons are in season now, well worth adding to the mix (I find them a little fey to use alone, and usually mix them half-and-half with their less exotic brethren). Finally, while there are as many Hollandaise recipes as there are Hollendaise chefs, all beautiful (chefs and recipes) in their own way, whole wheat english muffins are (like whole wheat bagles and whole wheat baguettes) an abomination and can never be used for Eggs Benedict. In fact, as long as we're banning smoking and trans-fats, whole wheat English muffins should be outlawed as well.

Bien sur, monsieur-- zat is what zee potted plant in zee corner is for, non? That cracks me up-- I've had French people go to the can at my house, for sure. I think somebody was maybe having a little joke at your expense... ← I don't recall the title -- and I believe it's been roundly trashed elsewhere on eG-- but it was actually from a book by a woman who makes her living acculturating American executives to life in France.

In kind of a perverse way, it's refreshing to see somebody not touting their home town as the Great Undiscovered Culinary Destination of North America. And, to be frank, I'm not sure that Boston is a great restaurant town, though it is a great town. Last time I was there, though, I had one of those great random restaurant moments that happen when you're friendly and polite and appreciative (or Maybe I'm just lucky) at No. 9 Park. I pretended to eat at a reception at Haaahvaad (they may have an attitude, but they actually are mostly pretty smart...I was just working, myself) but saved enough appetite to get a late-night (in Boston, anything after 9) snack. Wandered over to No. 9 and wedged into bar seating and after one of those awkward moments that happen when you're crowded in along a wall and someone has to go to the bathroom, and I got on speaking terms with the women at the next table. They were charming and knew the chef and all of the sudden I'm hanging with the chef, telling her how exceptional her steak tartar is and just generally being politely worshipful (I'm a known chef groupie) and then she goes back to the kitchen and next thing I know a gang of gnocchis and white truffles just show up on the table. Not saying that if someone shows up at No. 9 Park they'll get free truffled gnocchi (and I can't testify to the formal dining room), but I can say that if the gnocchi are on the menu, it's worth paying for. Also, it's just a pleasant room and, being right on the Common, it feels very Boston. Not that I would reccomend that anybody's sister get liquored up, but getting a good buzz on early at the heavily-touristed but nonetheless cool and reasonably historic Union Oyster House and wandering over to the North End for old-school Italian is never a bad way to go. Here are some other thoughts.

I thought I had made myself clear on that one. I was addressing that to kiwichef. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear. ← Hi there, I've read the feedback and respond as follows. Firstly I've travelled extensively throughout the states, from east to west and north to south. My fondest food memories include, Chicago pizza, New York pastrami sandwiches, Chesapeake Bay crabs, and Texas BBQ spare ribs. I also enjoyed lots of great hamburgers, and magnificent ceasar salads. But if I were asked to define American Cuisine I would be left searching, and so it seems would others. Nice to see I provoked such vigorous debate. As far as the comments from the fast food feminist. Why just women, don't men cook? But that's not the point is it. Food is life, to be enjoyed and savoured. Fast food is purchased at a sit on your ass drive through, scoffed in heavy traffic, and washed down with a Big Gulp of coke....a billion calories later, you feel just great right. Proud of fast food culture? No way Jose. I hate travelling around the world and seeing a dirty great M in the distance, for me its abhorrent. I remember going to Disneyworld and seeing these fat families all over the place, gorging at fast food joints, and I felt sick. So sad. So very sad. Whose taking responsilbilty. Great to see the jibe about NZ cuisine too. Fair enough. For that writers information, New Zealand was colonised by the English, so alot of our food is English. Lately however it has a very asian/english mix, which has been touted as Fusion cuisine. The origins of which lie with Peter Gordon, a talented NZ chef with restaurants in Auckland, London and New York. But our culture is Maori, and through our indigenous roots we have a largely undiscovered cuisine, rich language, wicked music and history. Perhaps you might discover it one day. Our lamb of course is exported to the world, as are our dairy products, and wine. Talking wine, I saw another enlightened writer take a snide at our vinos and in particular our Savignon Blancs. But why just Savignon Blancs? He forgot our wonderful Merlots, Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay's, Syrahs and the list goes on. You must try them as well, dear writer. Cheers Rob ← I suppose that if you'd written this in the first place you might have sounded less twit-ish on your original post. However, the fact that you actually admit that there are fine bits of American cooking and still embrace the "fat American" and McDonalds "supersize me" stereotypes like a cheap hooker on a drunken payday suggests, however, that your only agenda is a little slagging. Fair enough, but it weakens your case. Regarding the SB's, the other wines (not to say that they aren't worthy) haven't really washed over our shores. I will keep an eye out. Fusion, btw, has many fathers. baaaaa -Chas PS. You should edit out the possesive apostrophe on "chardonnay's" ← Thanks for your comments Chas. I was replying to feedback. I guess I am slagging American fastfood, yeah, and I will continue to do so. It's digusting. It doesn't reflect my opinion of food in America as I have had many a fine meal in the States. It is inextricabley attached to American culture however, so denying it doesn't resolve the issue. I don't agree with your comments regarding Fusion. As outlined below with Annecross I firmly beleive that the Antipodes is the home of today's Fusion Cuisine. It's worthy of note that Wikipidia is made up of comments from users, so it is in no way definitive. Lastly, apologies for the grammatical error. Cheers Rob Possessive by the way has 4 s's. OOPs. ← (Stop being reasonable. Now I have to be reasonable, too.) I knew taking a shot at your grammar was a risk, given my mediocre spelling and terrible typing. Touche. As for the fast food thing, I'm hardly a fan -- though I do crave a Big Mac about once a year. I suppose it was the fact that you chose to define the entire culture in terms of that which was worst about it what set me off. Slag McD's all you want, but acknowledge that there is much to be admired in the US, as well, and I promise to lay off the mutton jokes. Oh, and most of my friends aren't fat (though, in our 40's, we ain't rail thin). Very complicated issue here -- race, class, media, etc. Shouldn't be bandied about lightly. Cheers.

Like Fat Guy, I have had many a French server wish me "bon appetite"as the food was sent down and -- perhaps because I can usually only afford mid-level establishments where servers are family or even la patronne -- it almost always sounds non-perfunctory. Maybe, like almost everybody else, they are pleased to see strangers enjoying their hospitality. The wine thing makes a certain amount of sense, in an "open the door for the lady" kind of way. Not that far different from other places I've been, where one does not pour one's own wine without filling all the other glasses before. While we're on the subject of French etiquette, I have heard that one does not use the WC at a dinner party in another's home, regardless of how much wine one has poured (or, for les dammes, had poured for them). True?

I thought I had made myself clear on that one. I was addressing that to kiwichef. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear. ← Hi there, I've read the feedback and respond as follows. Firstly I've travelled extensively throughout the states, from east to west and north to south. My fondest food memories include, Chicago pizza, New York pastrami sandwiches, Chesapeake Bay crabs, and Texas BBQ spare ribs. I also enjoyed lots of great hamburgers, and magnificent ceasar salads. But if I were asked to define American Cuisine I would be left searching, and so it seems would others. Nice to see I provoked such vigorous debate. As far as the comments from the fast food feminist. Why just women, don't men cook? But that's not the point is it. Food is life, to be enjoyed and savoured. Fast food is purchased at a sit on your ass drive through, scoffed in heavy traffic, and washed down with a Big Gulp of coke....a billion calories later, you feel just great right. Proud of fast food culture? No way Jose. I hate travelling around the world and seeing a dirty great M in the distance, for me its abhorrent. I remember going to Disneyworld and seeing these fat families all over the place, gorging at fast food joints, and I felt sick. So sad. So very sad. Whose taking responsilbilty. Great to see the jibe about NZ cuisine too. Fair enough. For that writers information, New Zealand was colonised by the English, so alot of our food is English. Lately however it has a very asian/english mix, which has been touted as Fusion cuisine. The origins of which lie with Peter Gordon, a talented NZ chef with restaurants in Auckland, London and New York. But our culture is Maori, and through our indigenous roots we have a largely undiscovered cuisine, rich language, wicked music and history. Perhaps you might discover it one day. Our lamb of course is exported to the world, as are our dairy products, and wine. Talking wine, I saw another enlightened writer take a snide at our vinos and in particular our Savignon Blancs. But why just Savignon Blancs? He forgot our wonderful Merlots, Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay's, Syrahs and the list goes on. You must try them as well, dear writer. Cheers Rob ← I suppose that if you'd written this in the first place you might have sounded less twit-ish on your original post. However, the fact that you actually admit that there are fine bits of American cooking and still embrace the "fat American" and McDonalds "supersize me" stereotypes like a cheap hooker on a drunken payday suggests that your only agenda is a little slagging. Fair enough, but it weakens your case. Regarding the SB's, the other wines (not to say that they aren't worthy) haven't really washed over our shores. I will keep an eye out. Fusion, btw, has many fathers. baaaaa -Chas PS. You should edit out the possesive apostrophe on "chardonnay's"

Not only has the National Pork Board, or whatever the hell they call themselves, here in the USA determined that trichinosis is killed at 140 degrees (used to be 160 or so) which leaves the meat still pink, most pork is irradiated and modern husbandry methods, for all their other horrors, have dramatically reduced its incidence. One assumes that the UK is enjoying similar benefits. A quick googling gets a couple of quotes that in the U.S. that there were an average of 11 cases a year between 1999 and 2004. Interesting quote from one article: "A total of 72 cases were reported to the CDC between 1997 and 2001. Bear meat was the most common known source of infection." Do NOT eat the bear carpaccio!

Long Island Iced Teas? Doea anyone actually old enough to drink legally drink them? Scotch. As with so many other things, Scotch is the answer.

I notice that that wuss Kiwichef has yet to come back on to defend his statement, I am still interested in hearing his elaborations and will continue to engage in juvenile name calling and cheap nationalistic slurrs (did they name the capital Wellington because the country looks like a boot?) until he responds. For all the interesting writing on American culinary culture (note: when I use "culinary culture" or "National/regional" cuisine, I'm talking about the totality of the experience: haute, low, home cooking, celebrations, raw materials etc.) the line that drew my attention that somewhat bleary night was "I'm not sure American cuisine has a lot ot be proud of," a comment that has been well-rebutted. As many glowing tribute as have been paid to various regional dishes, I wonder if there are some characteristics that transcend region to make our culinary culture somewhat characteristic, despite the coroprate homogenaity and regiona differences one finds. Now, before I start listing, let's recall that these are general principles, there are always exceptions. So let's not get all nit-picky. So, here's a couple: A healthy distrust of pretense and ceremony An unhealthy fear of novelty and formality An ability to integrate immigrant cooking into a local culture, sometimes by "Americanizing" it and sometimes not. No tradition of alcohol consumption, especially wine (interesting chart) "Foof Holidays" are more about the holiday -- and the family gatherings -- than what is served. Few elaborate preparations. We like it simple. No sauces. Lots of gravies. Anyone else?