jaybee

I bought the model sold by Williams Sonoma, and so far it seems to work pretty well. Turkey and roasts have been cooked as indicated by the digital readout. They make me nervous, but so far innoccent until proven otherwise. They are convenient.

Supersize is more what you are talking about upselling. The meal bundling concept, which is brilliant, was designed to speed the process of ordering. McDonald's did a very sophisticated statistical analysis to determine the combinations that would cover the largest number of customer transactions. The decision time for the customer was cut in half, the time spent telling the clerk what they wanted was reduced to a number or letter, and the process transmitting the order and ringing it up was shortened, In all the method increased the "throughput" of customers at busiest times by a huge factor.

I often find that to be the case with a complex recipe (stews, soups). The flavors seem to blend and fuse after a day or so. True for cioppino. Good to make a batch of sauce and freeze it. Then you just have to add fresh fish.

I was this kid, see, selling men's shirts and ties in an upscale department store in Morristown NJ. A guy and his wife came in to buy a dress shirt. By the time he left, I had sold him $1500 worth of clothes, including a suit, top coat, ties. (This in 1960). If someone came in to look at a dress shirt and said they were thinking of spending about $20-25, I would show them those and then showcase the newest styles in Egyptian cotton that cost $35, but "feel that material." What's wrong with that? Any good deli counter man says "What else? We just got some nice whitefish in. Here take a taste." When you've got a customer in front of you, your nuts if you don't try to get them to spend as much as you can get them to. They can always say no. We never called it upselling. Just good salesmanship. Bait and switch is an unethical form of upselling. That's a different story.

Derivation of Pizza

JAZ, You must be awesome in a jam session! When I saw Scottish Chef's question, I thought, yes, that's really what being a great chef is about. The ability to plan and produce a sequence of dishes that stand alone and enhance each other. Early in my eating education, a three star French chef (Jaques Manier) told us that "your meal is on the wrong track." And he went on to explain a redundancy in the dishes we ordered. From that time, whenever we chose a main course, we ask "what track we should be on?" And I am nowhere near knowing how to lay one down myself. Thanks JAZ for laying one down, and thanks SF for asking.

"Good like Nedicks" said Marty Glickman as the CCNY player's shot went swish.

This is the recipe that made a cioppino addict out of me. Brought to Tadich's in 1976 by a Bay area friend, I fell in love with the place. Last time I was there was in 1998. Too long ago...

Google "cioppino" to find pages of recipes. There seem to be some interesting variations too. I made a large pot of cioppino for Christmas day, and we had three days of meals from it. My next pot will definitley include crab.

That's a plate of beauty, Blue Heron! Details? Muir Glenn tomatos are supposed to be the best canned product. Any opinions pro or con?

A humungous broiled hamburger made from 2/3 ground chuck and 1/3 ground brisket, with sliced onion and root beer in a frosted mug. What was it someone said about simplicity?

Why am I finding so many funny lines on EG tonight?

Darn. Ali Baba's on Amsterdam and 85th has a turkey schwerma on their menu. Plotnicki says it isn't too good, but the one time I had it I liked it. But then, I wouldn't know schwerma from derma...

First, you catch a rabbit. (with apologies to MFKF).

Sort of like a Danielle Steele novel, eh Simon?

I do think if you make it in the summer, you should add lime juice instead. sssssmokin, Bond Girl!

Muon, may I have your permission to use this sentence as the opening line for my new noir detective novel?

You know, you're right Jason. Funny I don;t think to buy crab when I am making it. I should. Next time. Some good ideas here for variations on the theme. Hey, I wonder how this stuff would taste cold, in the summer, with a dollop of sour cream on it? Sort of gazpacho gone insane!

A re-read of Levine's article reveals that the Fairway Mitchell London burger does indeed make his list.

That is very interesting. In the cioppino thread, I mentioned experimenting with small waxy and starchy potatos in the fish stew. It is not part of the "authentic" recipe, but I found that they added to the texture and taste of this "fisherman's stew."

A number of years ago, I bought a ten inch long razor sharp push button knife in a Paris shop. It has a bone handle and the blade flies out of the handle at amazing speed and locks open. I love to bring this to the table and slice cheese and bread, watching people's reactions as this relic of my greaser days pops open with a resounding "thwack." Another variation I bought in Italy has an eight inch blade emerge directly out of the handle, stiletto fashion. It makes for great theater cutting pears and apples at the picnic table.

Ah, honorable Macrosan-san. Thank you for your felicitous comments. I humbly point out that I did not intend to stretch the relevance of the thread to food, only that it was "relevant." I see by your parenthetical emendation that you added this stretch-mark to my comment. I intended to leave it to the beholders to determine relevant to what.

It has been for many years. Full disclosure: I am a consultant to Hormel (among other companies), and I have worked on the Dinty Moore brand. I was impressed with what I saw at the Austin MN. facility where they cook the stew. Based on my dealings with them, I wil say that Hormel is a company that has integrity and high standards. No one is claiming a tinned product is equal or better to scracth made. But the product is (surprisingly) good tasting.

Planning to go to OTTO for lunch today, I caught up on both threads. Sorry for being Grinchy about the OTTO pronounciation topic. On sober reflection, I can see how it can be relevant, or interesting, at least. To maybe huit of us.