Serious Eats: Don Luis's Profile

When you say "Checking the boards", whatever that may mean (and it certainly doesn't mean trolling) it belies your age. Here's a site that talks about trolling. I'm sure that there are still "message boards", but most of us post on "blogs" now.

Please take a look, and stop SHOUTING.

I don't have an itsy bitsy X in the corner of the page; I don't use Microsoft products. No sane person does (for the more sensitive, I'm kidding).

Many here say "go somewhere else." Do you assume that I don't look at other food sites? I do. All the time. And I'd like SE to live up to some of those other sites.

When you say "3 of him of Mario's washed up fat ass", I'm guessing you mean "three of him over Mario's washed up fat ass". To me, that's the issue. Guy is a hyped-up, Food Network husker. He can't be washed up: he has never been. Mario is a talented chef, known the world over. He's certainly done some questionably commercial stuff, but he's a proven chef.

Personally, I wouldn't do illegal stuff with either of them. That would be illegal.

Don Luis at 8:09PM on 03/30/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@mich23: "I am, however, sure, Don Luis that any country that you reside in, is indeed poorer having you as an inhabitant."

I could not, however, have said that, any better, myself. Well, perhaps I could: Don Luis, I'm sure that any country in which you live is poorer as a result.

@shipwreck: Hint: if you want to ignore a post, don't respond to it.

Where are you from? I don't recognize the accent. Perhaps you should write in your native language; you are not much good at English.

Um, sail on dude. Whatever.

@Teachertalk: sometimes I make pizza from scratch, and sometimes I make hot dogs and Kraft mac and cheese. Costco sells a frozen French onion soup that I love: I always have it in the freezer for when I need it. I cook several time a week for an extended family of six. It's always a challenge to find food that everyone will like, food we can afford, and food we have the time to make.

I was trying to be playful, and I regret that many people took it the wrong way. I am serious about food, perhaps too serious. Thank you for your post.

I joined Serious Eats at the beginning, and I'd just hate to see it go the way of the Food Network. I'm just not willing to follow their lead in trading Mario Batali for Guy Fieri. I'm a long time Serious Eats reader and sometimes contributor; if I didn't care, I wouldn't comment.

@ those of you who pointed out that I must be a man, because my screen name is "Don Luis", and I wrote "I'm a bitter old man":

Newsflash: you can lie in the Internet. Were it not for the anonymity, I doubt that some of you would have had the courage to post what you did. (BTW, I'm actually a 19-year old Swedish super model named Inga.)

Don Luis at 6:33PM on 03/30/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@ zatryt: too true; is it too late to retract?

I want to be strong enough to know that I am strong.

Don Luis at 6:19PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@annien: congratulations. You didn't actually call me an idiot, you just
said "... everyone has his or her own reason to think you're an idiot."
Sue me: I misspelled the name of a completely irrelevant patch of land. I'm up to any intellectual challenge you'd care to make. I'm willing to bet that I'm much smarter that you are.

Perhaps I am an idiot. Doesn't everyone also have his or her own reason to think I'm a misguided genius?

@LunaPierCook: I implied nothing: I asked if there was a way to cancel an account. I went on to say that I didn't want to cancel mine. Was this too complex for you? I love you anyway, and I mean no disrespect.

Topics I'd like to see? Bread. Simple, but daunting to the average person. I've been doing it for years, and it's not that difficult. Bread is the stuff of life.

Don Luis at 5:52PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@simon: may I ask what that means?

Don Luis at 3:41PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

I must say, I've enjoyed the reactions to my post, from the "get out" to the "lighten up", it's all good. Makes me think.

Don Luis at 3:14PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@juliebugsmama: yes, I am man enough to expect and accept the reactions to my posts. I would not post otherwise. How did you know that I'm a man?

I respect your opinion.

Don Luis at 3:01PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@juliebugsmama: that site says that there are 71 million (I rounded up) web sites. Food sites account for far less than 1% (unless I'm doing the math wrong). That means that there are only 700,000 food web sites. I've only looked at a few dozen.

I'm always up to talk about something silly. I like your attitude. Good, bad. or ugly, it's all worth reading.

Don Luis at 2:28PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

I think Serious Eats could be more than what it is. Why is that a problem?

Don Luis at 2:13PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

Actually, I would love to see some bread baked in a flower pot. It sounds like a great idea.

I don't want to harsh anyone's vibe; just as I can go to other web sites (and pardon me, but I doubt that there are 6 billion), you can also ignore my post. Can't I read this site and not be happy with it?

@Embackus: "Go somewhere else" sounds like a command. Do you have any right to be that stupid or arrogant? I think not. I live in a democracy, and I'm guessing you do as well.

Elitist? Far from it. I'm an old school, slow food kind of guy. I live in a small town in a poor country.

I'm surprised at the immediate and negative response to my post. Is it wrong to be critical? I didn't say "death to Serious Eats", I just asked some questions. If I didn't like Serious Eats, I wouldn't read it.

Adam, by the way, is my hero.

Don Luis at 2:04PM on 03/24/09

From Talk

Velveeta Cheese Bait

There is no such thing as "Velveeta cheese". Kraft cannot even call this abomination "cheese food", since it does not contain at least 51% cheese. Now they call it "cheese product", which means that the manufacturer was thinking of cheese when the product was made. The FDA is now considering "cheese nightmare" to describe such a product.

Surely, PITA has something to say about feeding a fish fake cheese as its last meal?

Don Luis at 6:55AM on 03/24/09

From Talk

You live where?

Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, Transplant from Newton Massachusetts.

Don Luis at 3:55PM on 03/21/09

From Serious Eats

How to Reduce Your Water Consumption

Actually, the equation is not that difficult.

For the low-flow toilet that uses 1.3 gallons per flush, we can calculate
what two flushes use like this:

1.3 * 2 = 2.6

2.6 is far less than 6 for a standard toilet.

I tried filling my mid-sized passenger car with water, and it held only 750 gallons, so I doubt the veracity of this piece (perhaps if I let the passengers out?).

Finally, the article fails to point out that water footprints are a lot easier to clean up than carbon footprints.

Don Luis at 7:17AM on 03/19/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Kneadlessly Simple'

pizza

Don Luis at 10:34AM on 03/03/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Osteria'

I don't have a cold-weather comfort food. I don't have cold weather.

Don Luis at 5:05PM on 02/04/09

From Serious Eats

Weekend Book Giveaway: 'American Cheeses'

Vermont cheddar

Don Luis at 2:22PM on 01/10/09

From Talk

Chef Paul Prudhomme. What do you know about him?

Yes, he looks a lot like Dom Delouise.

http://totallylookslike.com/2008/08/13/dom-deluise-totally-looks-like-paul-prudhomme/

Don Luis at 6:37AM on 01/04/09

From Serious Eats

Chipotle Calorie Math Makes Absolutely No Sense

you can pick healthy choices... i can get crunchy tacos with carnitas, fajita veggies, lettuce, and medium salsa. all stuff that I know won't add a lot of calories (like rice, beans). My total for that is 410 calories.

rfonstad at 12:46PM on 09/04/09

From Serious Eats

Which Pasta Shape Goes with Which Sauce?

I think maybe the average low income person isn't fussy about using different shapes of pasta with specific sauces. There is also the problem of storing several different shapes of pasta. Most of the time I use elbow macaroni for any thing. Occasionally I use the colored spiral macaroni when I make a pasta salad for a special event. O course most of my pasta meals consist of goulash, or macaroni salad. Most of the time when I do make tuna and noodles or chicken and noodles(as we call it), I use the elbow macaroni. As far as wine goes, we don't serve wine with our meals, it is either water, or soda.

redhatterb at 9:01AM on 08/27/09

From Talk

Serious Eats? Really?

@Don Luis: This is obviously a very late response, but I don't check into SE as often as I did so I missed it when it first went up.

I think your reaction arises from a misunderstanding of what SE is, or means to be.

My impression is that SE began as a NYC-based blog, and that the response from all over the US expanded its focus. I don't think it's unreasonable for a blog to have a regional focus, particularly given that SE is not presenting itself as a global food-related site.

Although I am a New Yorker (meaning 'born there, and spent the largest portion of my life to date there'), I now live outside the US (in Denmark, to be precise), and many of the references to various cooking shows and foods go over my head, but if I'm really curious, I can usually find clarification on YouTube, or elsewhere on the net.

Perhaps what you see as an excess of silliness has more to do with the veiled (or not) hostility that more serious/technical posts sometimes meet; I no longer see many of the more serious posters, which I think is a shame. On the other hand, I think the 'silliness' can be fun and interesting, I just wish there was more of a balance (for those of you who are thinking of reiterating that there are other sites, I know this, but I happen to like SE, and think of it as a big kitchen; shouldn't there be room for all sorts of cooks and eaters?).

Anyway, I think SE is worth taking for what it is; I can understand deciding that you'd rather not post (although you don't seem to have done that), and only look in occasionally, but do recognize what it is, and why.

mongoose at 2:34PM on 08/16/09

From Serious Eats: New York

Txikito, New York's Introduction to Basque Food

as a Basque girl raised on some of the best food anyone could ask for, I've got to say I'm quite curious about Txikito. To me, it looks more like a fusion between tapas and Basque cuisine. Seeing as it's only a few blocks from where I work, I need to wander down there soon. Personally, I was raised on the simple, mountain-esque foods my father cooked...simple, hearty, and amazing. Can't say I remember him breaking out the quail eggs...although I'm sure the man would gladly eat them. Also--Txikito...I don't see what the big deal is over the name! Once you get the "tx"="ch" concept, things are simple! I do wish there was a great French-Basque restaurant somewhere in this city. It truly surprises me that I haven't heard of/come across one yet. Then again, I'm from the west coast, where the Basque population is quite large. If anyone knows of any restaurant that rings a Basque bell, give me a heads up! :)

basquegal at 9:13AM on 07/23/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Kneadlessly Simple'

French bread!!! YUM!

dschwalmy at 11:36AM on 07/11/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

After reading posts about people getting refunds, I decided to call Live Nation to get mine. The number I called was 877-598-8497 which is their ticketing line. Once I got to an operator I asked for a refund but she told me my tickets were non-refundable unless the event was canceled. She said there was nothing she could do and the only other option was to speak to customer service. I agreed to that and got transferred.

I waited for maybe 5 mins on the phone before an agent picked up. I said that I wanted a refund for the Great American Food and Music Fest. She asked for my order number and then put me on hold for another 5 mins. Then she came back and said my CC would be refunded the $70 for 2 tickets and I would receive an email confirmation. There was no haggling or anything. So I am pretty happy.

avalon23 at 3:09PM on 06/15/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

I was there; I echo the comments below:
"It was a disaster. There was no organization, and after only 1 and 1/2 hours of the gates being open, vendors had ran out of food. "

I arrived after 3PM; was there until almost 8PM.

It was a train wreck the entire time.

If you are in another city where this event is scheduled to occur avoid it LIKE THE PLAGUE

Pasig17 at 2:31PM on 06/15/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

Ok, so I called Livenation and got my refund. I also emailed info@greatamericanfoodandmusicfest.com. This is the response I received:

Thank you so much for taking the time to write. I am so incredibly
sorry about what you went through.

We certainly had every intention of making everything perfect. The fact
is, the problems were not anyone's fault by ours. Not the building's,
not Live Nation. We wanted to keep lines down so we invested all this
money (upfront...not too smart) for the "cashless system" that would do
just that... according to the company that was running it. This company
had a resume that included NASCAR races (200,000 +) so when we heard
that every transaction could be made in 3-seconds or less, we were in.
We had them come in a week early and start testing...making sure
everything worked...then as we opened the doors, the system failed.

The Fest did have an emergency system in place and cash banks and credit
card machines were distributed prior to the show, but it took us nearly
45-minutes to switch over and by that point, we had very large lines.
Added to that, it was our first year and we had no way to really judge
attendance. We looked at "pre-sales" and doubled them thinking that was
safe...and we would be over. We were wrong...and very sorry.

It is important to us as producers for you to understand that we do care
and put years of hard work into this just to have one company take us
down.

If you would like a refund, it isn't the easiest process, but it does
work.

PLEASE SEND A PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR TICKETS BACK TO

Shoreline Amphitheatre
One Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
ATTN: BOX OFFICE REFUNDS

Again, we are all so sorry this happened...but at the same time are not
giving up. We will come back next year on our tour and will have
something special for those who were put out this year.

Thank you again for writing.

Jim

So I would try to call the ticket processor first. If that doesn't work then follow the instruction on sending the copies to Shoreline.

unhappyeats at 10:04PM on 06/14/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

My husband and I attend this event in Mountain View yesterday. It was a disaster. There was no organization, and after only 1 and 1/2 hours of the gates being open, vendors had ran out of food. The lines for other vendors were so long it reminded me of waiting in line at Disneyland for the newest ride. There were so many people there that walking was difficult. Unfortunately, my husband I left empty stomachs after only 30 minutes of attendance. I am going to work hard at getting my refund.

unhappyeats at 3:22PM on 06/14/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

Checkout the comments here. Some people seem to be successful in getting refunds by contacting Live Nation or the Shoreline Amphitheatre. I've called, but either the lines were busy or the offices closed. I may not be able to get back the afternoon I wasted here, but hopefully I'll at least get a refund for the ticket.

out_of_pastrami at 3:31AM on 06/14/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

In my opinion, The best place to go for a refund is to the promoter...or call your cc company and dispute the charge. People like Bobby Flay or Guy Fieri, have no control over a crummy event that their agent scored for them. I know of one promoter: Serious Eats.Com....ha. I really hope that they have the courtesy to address this issue and offer an apology either on this blog or somewhere that will reach out to the thousands of disappointed ticket holders and patrons.

NYCgirl at 2:28AM on 06/14/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

Oh man, that sounds great. Thanks for the pointer!

sippey at 3:41PM on 06/05/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Kneadlessly Simple'

Multi grain bread! This looks like a great cookbook!!!

scomeau at 9:51AM on 06/01/09

From Talk

They're Giving Guy Another Show?

PumpkinBear couldn't have said it better. I have been watching the FN for 10 years. I have fond memories of the good ole days when they actually had entertainment. They now turn everything into a dog and pony show, (like the ridiculous Guy Fieri show last night in Cabo San Lucas). No longer is it the quality programming it use to be and that's obvious from the people that have left and moved over to PBS. I just watch my old favorites (and that does not include Rachel Ray) on FN and when I want to see authentic chefs make real food I turn to PBS.

mellon at 12:39PM on 05/26/09

From Serious Eats

Announcing the Great American Food & Music Fest

The funny thing is, if you live in Buffalo you know that Anchor Bar wings are not very good. Most local pizza places have better wings than theirs. But oh well, at least they make them the traditional way, many people think that all kinds of spices and flour is necessary. I will never understand why people flour their wings.

xwafflesx at 2:20PM on 05/14/09

From Serious Eats