Toliver

Quoting this question from my previous post, KFC has an answer: KFC’s Double Down bet pays off So it looks like the Double Down will be around for quite a bit longer. Or at least until the novelty wears off.

This is driving me nuts. I'm watching "Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian" on the FoodNetwork and, just like Rachel Ray, she is wandering around the kitchen and pantry gathering up the ingredients she needs for the dishes that she is making. I don't get it. It's extremely inefficient for her to do this on-camera and her wandering around (just like Rachel Ray's) is taking up valuable cooking time on the show. I am sure other chefs on the network do the same (I think I've seen Guy Fieri do the same). Is this the new black? Whatever happened to mise en place? This kitchen wanderlust isn't a good thing to teach people who are learning to cook from the show. Or am I saddling these food personalities with too much instructional responsibility?

Does your camera have a light source/filter setting? Different types of light sources cast different hues which can impact how your subject will look. The easiest answer is to fix it in post...meaning to tweak the photo using imaging software/paint software. Picasa is a free program by Google that will allow you to make some adjustments to your photos. Adobe also has an excellent program called Photoshop Essentials aimed at the average consumer. The PS Essentials is a boiled-down version of their professional Photoshop Creative Suite software. Ideally, if you're quite serious about your photography, you would shoot your photos in the RAW format and then use a high-end program like Adobe Photoshop CS which will allow you to make all of your own adjustments to your photos and be able to save them in practically whatever image file format you could need or want. Unfortunately, the full version of Adobe PS CS is quite expensive. The Essentials version, which is more affordable, may have the tools you would need to adjust the look of your photos.

Doritos 2nd Degree Burn Fiery Buffalo This is a scan of the empty bag, having consumed its contents yesterday. If you are a chilehead, run, do not walk, and get yourself a bag of these chips. They are quite spicy hot which I found amazing for a mass-made tortilla chip snack item. "Fiery" is a an appropriate title for them and they are not for the faint of heart. They also have a slight vinegary tang in flavor like a Tabasco-esque sauce would have on buffalo wings. It doesn't quite remind me of the full on flavor of a true Tabasco sauce but it's enough to justify the name. Two big thumbs up for these chips.

A plastic food service bucket and a heavy plate worked for Magictofu in the eGullet discussion "Sauerkraut Homemade" started by guajolote: Picutres of Magictofu's setup

Burger King has answered McDonald's $1 drink challenge: "Fast food fight moving to drinks" They can afford to slash drink prices since the profit margin is huge for fountain drinks. I used to work in a movie theater during college and learned that the cost of the fountain drink syrup per beverage works out to be just pennies of the total price. Compare this to the $1 double cheeseburger competition...the Burger King franchises were forced to sell them at a loss (they lose 10 cents for every $1 cheeseburger they sell) just to match McDonald's price.

I was also surprised that it wasn't a calorie bomb. Go figure. Maybe it's low because there's no bread/bun and no mayo/condiment. [Homer] Bacon and cheese surrounded by fried chicken? What's not to love!? [/HOMER] For those of you who haven't tried it but are meaning to, it's not a regular menu item. It's a specialty item and I read somewhere that KFC will stop selling them towards the end of May. Given their success, I wonder if it will become a regular menu item.

I agree. It's hollow at its core. I only get blustery posturing and affected attitude, followed by a random outcome. I haven't seen the show but it's coming off sounding more like "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" minus the Flay man.

This discussion is wandering off the original topic: There have been oodles of previous discussions here on eGullet concerning "why buy it when you can make it?". That's not the issue here. Regarding the original question, I think besides the cost of ingredients you also have to factor in the cost of your time spent making the item. Minor issues would be amortizing the cost of utilities/energy, equipment used, and so on. But cost of personal time seems to be a major factor in this case.

On the plus side, their taco sauce definitely has a more authentic flavor to it. It sort of reminds me El Tapatio brand sauce. When I bought my lunch from Del Taco, I was given a fistful of extra packets of their hot sauce which I've been using as a condiment with my reguler home meals. Not bad!

And here I thought they were a national chain. I found their website and this web page shows their locations. The cinnamon milkshake (sort of a Horchata riff?) sounds interesting. But it's not on their national menu listing so I'm thinking that must be a specialty item (like the Shamrock shake at Mickey D's) or perhaps they've stopped making it. The jalapeño rings are on the menu so it looks like they're a regular menu item, which is great.

There didn't seem to be an existing discussion about this fast food franchise so I thought I would start one. I think they have an overall image problem in that there is no one thing that stands out on the menu or makes it a destination like McDonald's. They're just...there...when I drive by. Is there something on the menu that draws you in that I'm missing, perhaps? That being said, right now they're offering battered and deep fried jalapeño rings as a side. I'm not sure if this is a specialty item or if they plan on adding them to their everyday menu. The rings weren't overly spicy hot but they did have some zip to them. Of course, I'm a chilehead so take that with a grain of salt. A small container of a ranch dressing-ish sauce comes with the rings. Interestingly, the jalapeño rings are both the green and red variety. Of course, now I'm hitting my forehead with a Homeresque "DOH!" since I could have tossed some of the rings into my burrito, thus kicking it up an Emeril-notch (to mix popular culture references). Has anyone else tried the jalapeño rings?

I'm sure it's been mentioned already but I'm liking the Trader Joe's Lightly Salted Sweet Potato Chips. They're rather odd for potato chips. Of course, they're not very salty and they do have a sweet taste to them. At first bite it seems like they're stale but yet they do have a crunch to them. The chips are either thicker or are more moist than regular potato chips which may be why I think they're stale-ish. Also, almost every chip is folded over on itself as opposed to regular flat-ish potato chips. I've discovered they're addictive, too. Surprise.

In the majority of grocery stores, you may not be able to find different kinds, let alone different brands, of liquid smoke. Have you tried an online search? That may be more fruitful than a trip to the store. As for uses, my mom brushes a beef brisket with the liquid smoke, wraps it in foil and lets it sit in the fridge over night. She has a dedicated pastry brush for this job since the liquid smoke tends to linger on the brush even after cleaning. Then she cooks the brisket low and slow in the foil "pouch" and it has a nice smoky flavor when finished cooking.

Exactly. I can see adding such a tip on a large dining party but on a single diner? No sirree, Bob. Not only would I not return to that restaurant, I would jot off a quick note to the manager of the hotel to let them know your displeasure with the policy, let them know you will be informing your friends and business acquaintances about the policy and letting the manager know you won't be returning there to dine because of it. Like dear Ann Landers, the advice columnist, once said: You can't be taken advantage of unless you let yourself be taken advantage of.

If you really like the house but not the kitchen, if you can afford it, I'd say buy the house. You can, eventually, remodel the kitchen to your hearts content (again, if you can afford it). Think long term, not short term.

"Inventor of Boxed Wine Dies "

I thought I would post this article link here instead of starting a new discussion: "Fast-food chains adapt to local tastes" I'd love to be able to try some of the localalized items.

My parents always had the set that they bought after they got married in the mid-50's. I supposed one selling point at the time would have been they were sharp dependable knives sold in an era when you really couldn't go out and go knife shopping like you can today. I didn't even know they were Cutco brand until someone tried to sell my mom a new set. The paring knife had lost its tip years ago. When my mom sent the set to Cutco to be sharpened, they sent back a new paring knife. She always liked the way the handles felt in her hand. Now that she has arthritis, this feature became more even important to her. When I visit for the holidays, I bring my Forschners.

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks. 'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?' 'Sure.' 'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks. 'No, I can remember it.' 'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so not to forget it?' He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.' 'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks. Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!' Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment. 'Where's my toast?'

This was a superlative recap, Kim! Thanks for taking the time to post it along with the great pictures. Of course, now I am hungry like you wouldn't believe....so, well done!

Hey, Kim...when you have time, let us know how your trip went (and of course, how your meals were!).

For the young bacon lover in us all: "My First Bacon" plush (clickety)

Does your W-S offer cooking classes (for a fee)? That's always an option if you don't want more "stuff" for your kitchen.

For the true bacon enthusiast...the WAKE n' BACON alarm clock. (clickety)