Burger Club

[MHesse]

I didn't say that YOU should eat it! Just poke at it a bit and talk about it. "You see how the burger is only a quarter-inch thick and cardboard gray throughout? That's a bad burger. It should be five feet tall and perfectly pink. Bla bla bla..."

I think visual aids would be a good idea. If you don't want to carry cold burgers with you, you could prints phots, or have 'em link a pee-cee in the studio to burger photos.

Perhaps carve the rules of Burger Club onto a Stone Tablet?

break a leg,

[Suzi Edwards]

this is all so exciting. do we have a transcript of the radio interview? or an overview of what you said? i wasn't around to listen in.

[Lurker]

I am going to be a bundle of nerves.

You were awesome on 710 and you will will be amazing on Fox.

Programming the Tivo right now...

[elyse]

I didn't say that YOU should eat it!    Just poke at it a bit and talk about it. "You see how the burger is only a quarter-inch thick and cardboard gray throughout? That's a bad burger. It should be five feet tall and perfectly pink. Bla bla bla..."

I think visual aids would be a good idea. If you don't want to carry cold burgers with you, you could prints phots, or have 'em link a pee-cee in the studio to burger photos.

Perhaps carve the rules of Burger Club onto a Stone Tablet?

break a leg,

I so don't have time for this. Maybe on my program with Peter Jennings....

[elyse]

Hey, where's the updated form. I could use one of them!

[picaman]

Hey, where's the updated form. I could use one of them!

My God. I've been flat on my back since Sunday PM with a nasty case of the flu. Such a lot of hoopla I've missed!

Updated Burger Club evaluation form

I hope Picaman (the REAL statistician  ) comes up with some numbers.

Suzanne, elyse, I'll work on pulling something together and post later tonight.

You may wish to dispel the description of a Burger Club as "mainly middle-aged white collar types."

I vote for stressing our diversity as well.

Whatever you say, I don't think you should give the impression that there's anything scientific about what we do.

Absolutely nothing scientific! The eval form is all pseudo-science and is nothing but a jumping-off point for discussion, or a reminder of what's important.

Most of all, congratulations to elyse and to eGullet. You both rock!

Jamie

[Schielke]

Elyse, way to go on all things burger!

Ben

[Suzanne F]

Oh no, not the flu! Picaman, hope you're on the mend. And boy, am I glad I was at the other end of the table.

(The only reason I haven't added to the praise on the radio performance is that I didn't hear it. But I'd really really like to know if there's any way to hear it after the fact.)

[picaman]

Oh no, not the flu! Picaman, hope you're on the mend.

It was brutal but relatively short-lived--went to work today and am basically back to 100%

Highest overall average rating in a category: Blue Smoke, "Bun", 16.8/20 (84%)

Highest average rating in "Burger" category: Le Parker Meridien, 39.5/50 (79%)

Highest average rating in "Toppings" category: Le Parker Meridien, 8.0/10 (80%)

Highest average rating in "Miscellaneous" category: Le Parker Meridien, 16.4/20 (82%)

It is interesting to note that the Parker Meridien burger narrowly bested the Blue Smoke burger in 3 of 4 categories, but the bun differential was enough to tip the balance overall to the Blue Smoke burger. It is also worth noting that Le Parker Meridien had the smallest sample size (8 raters.)

Highest overall average rating in a subcategory: Tie: Blue Smoke, "Meat Quality", Le Parker Meridien, "Value"; 4.6/5.0 (92%)

Highest average rating in "Bun" subcategory: Blue Smoke, "Freshness", 4.4/5 (88%)

Highest average rating in "Toppings" subcategory: Tie: Blue Smoke, "Quantity", Le Parker Meridien, "Quality" and "Quantity"; 4.0/5 (80%)

It strikes me that the above stats justify the evaluative instrument to some extent. Certainly having the highest average ratings go to Blue Smoke's meat quality and Parker Meridien's value speaks well for the form's validity and usefulness. I think that the group effort that contributed to its development and refinement was time well spent.

Jamie

[elyse]

Elyse, way to go on all things burger!

Ben

Thanks Ben! Want a Seattle chapter? Think there'll be traffic?

[elyse]

Jamie, so glad you're feeling better. And thanks so much for the stats and the form!

Suzanne, I have a tape you can borrow.

[alacarte]

Oh no, not the flu! Picaman, hope you're on the mend.

It was brutal but relatively short-lived--went to work today and am basically back to 100%

Highest overall average rating in a category: Blue Smoke, "Bun", 16.8/20 (84%)

Highest average rating in "Burger" category: Le Parker Meridien, 39.5/50 (79%)

Highest average rating in "Toppings" category: Le Parker Meridien, 8.0/10 (80%)

Highest average rating in "Miscellaneous" category: Le Parker Meridien, 16.4/20 (82%)

Who wins for best supporting actress in a burger role (roll)?

If we really wanted to be PR hounds (which I don't necessarily) after a certain period of time we could issue eGullet NY Burger "awards" and put out a press release. Ha!

Jamie, glad to hear you're feeling better.

[picaman]

Certainly having the highest average ratings go to Blue Smoke's meat quality and Parker Meridien's value speaks well for the form's validity and usefulness.

Not scientific, though!

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes. elyse, have fun today!

Jamie

[sherribabee]

My VCR is being temperamental...would someone be willing to tape Elyse's appearance today and maybe bring it to the pie potluck so the rest of us could see it? Please?

[elyse]

Announcement

The interview is postponed until the 14th. Sorry if anyone's set their VCR. Mine's still set.... Anyway, they're talking about Andrew Festo today. Hmph. No, actually, it's not a bad thing.

[alacarte]

Does this mean that Burger Club's 15 minutes of fame are officially over?

[alacarte]

Interesting -- I followed Jinmyo's link to Cook's Illustrated from the Food Media & News thread, and they have a rather detailed writeup on How To Grill A Hamburger.

Anyone have Landmark Tavern's e-mail address to forward the link?

[Suzi Edwards]

Does this mean that Burger Club's 15 minutes of fame are officially over?

that seems a bit harsh. tv schedules change all the time.

[elyse]

Does this mean that Burger Club's 15 minutes of fame are officially over?

We shall see, won't we?

alacarte, I actually am tempted to go over to Landmark and glue it to their window! Either that or our 'waiter's' forehead.

[alacarte]

Does this mean that Burger Club's 15 minutes of fame are officially over?

We shall see, won't we?

alacarte, I actually am tempted to go over to Landmark and glue it to their window! Either that or our 'waiter's' forehead.

I just burst out laughing at the thought of you doing that, elyse. I can see you actually doing it, that's why it's so funny!

[elyse]

Tee hee!

[elyse]

Elysean Foods

Just for clarification... Elysean Foods is the name of my baking company. Pies and pao de queijo especially. I thought it might be important in case anyone I speak to actually asks what I do for a living. Which so far,no one has.

Don't these people want a girl to make a buck???

[abbeynormal]

Elysean Foods

Just for clarification... Elysean Foods is the name of my baking company. Pies and pao de queijo especially. I thought it might be important in case anyone I speak to actually asks what I do for a living. Which so far,no one has.

Don't these people want a girl to make a buck???

"he who tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted" or she as the case may be. You have to learn to work this information into the interview subtly. Example, begin every response to the interviewer with the phrase: "As the owner of Elysean Foods, a baking company that specializes in pies and pao de queijo, ..."

It doesn't matter what the question is, this should be your mantra.

If this works, come to me when it's time to do your tv deal.

BTW: I think burger club is a fantastic idea, too bad I moved to Westchester right before it began.

[deiger]

hey elyse,

seriously, there is a point to what she says. i worked with a lot of CEO/CIO executive types in my former job and I was constantly amazed at how often they did NOT answer the question in interviews. They often just used the airtime to make their point regardless of the question. Seems very wierd, but I've seen it happen time and time again.

Of course, you don't want to come off in the interview like you've lost your marbles... :-)

i guess it's just something one practices since it seems very unnatural, and we're all trained to answer the damn question, right?

good luck,

diane

[theclash]

Why not have a shirt made up with the company name?