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Julia Child called this technique the French method for risotto in her book The Way to Cook. Her recipe called for long grain rice rather than short grain. I wouldn't really call it better as it produces a different consistency of risotto when done with short/long grain rice. I wouldn't call carnaroli the best rice--that's a matter of taste. Granted, arborio is much easier to find in stores, but that's probably because it is cheaper and more likely to sell. I like to experiment to see how each rice compares, but to do that, I have to make sure I get to Fairway (or Whole Foods, but Fairway is much cheaper). Other stores only carry arborio,

I must admit--I love my Slap-Chop. It's way easier to clean and put back together than my old chopper. I also love my set of Lodge pans, Lodge deep fryer and Lodge dutch oven.

Hmmm. I have yet to see them in Paramus or Westwood NJ TJ's. Maybe they sell out fast? Like the dog food....I have to get a back-up bag so we don't run out.

I have the George Foreman Grill with removable plates that goes in the dishwasher. My husband and I tried this before we saw Alton with the waffle maker. It came out very nice. Not quite as good as on a flat top grill (like you see in diners, complete with cast iron weight to keep the back flat). I think the results depend on which Foreman Grill you use--he's got a lot of different configurations and some of them adjust to what you put in--and some don't. The first little one I had didn't. I would only attempt to use a waffle iron if I had one with removable grids. But I still think you might get one heck of a burn getting the bacon fat out to save. The Foreman Grill draws the fat away. If you wait for the waffle iron to cool, the fat will solidify--what a mess that would be. That's a swing and a miss Alton! But you're still cool.

Actually, I find PADMA to be way more annoying than Kelly Choi. I'm not there to see the host, I'm there to see the chefs. The more the host can be in the background, the better. Padma has spun her host duties into a series of commericials and endorsements, one of them for a hamburger that I wouldn't give my dog. "Food porn" indeed!

I DO watch HBO and enjoy it very much--as I enjoy FN and I think the point is, we don't expect Alton to use the F-word because he is always seems so articulate--"oh, bother" rather than what most of us would say--it's kind of like hearing your parents say the F-word--you don't expect it so it's kind of funny. And it's just a word.

I just saw a show on BBC about how the big name chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Tom Aikens are not doing very well because of the bad financial times and people not eating out as much as they used to--particularly places that start at 75 pounds per head ($114). They actually were showing what you got for it at Ramsay's London--it all fit on a small platter. They said it was delicious, but not "value for money"--they felt very shortchanged portion-wise. Tom Aiken no longer owns his restaurant--he's just an employee there now that it went into receivership. And he's the youngest chef to ever get two Michelin stars.
I would NEVER give a CC number over the phone to some host or hostess to make a reservation--not with all of the ID theft going on these days.

I picked up a copy of Julia Child's "The French Chef" cookbook that went with her original series at a yard sale--I grew up watching that! The oldest one I purchased new is a little pamphlet of Pennsylvania Dutch style pies--Shoo-Fly Pie, Funeral Pie, Chess Pie, etc. I also have a xerox copy of the Daily News Cookbook from the 1940's--the most unhealthy cooking imaginable!!

EVERYTHING!!

But, I ALWAYS get: freeze dried mango, frozen edamame, chicken tamales, herbs, and Organic dog food. Not that I care about organic for the dog (I mean, he licks himself....down there) it's just that he is fussy and will or won't eat the expensive Nutro dog food. He LOVES the TJ Organic dog food and the peanut butter dog treats. The Charles Shaw wine or two buck Chuck is three dollars but it really tastes more like a ten dollar wine, if you know what I mean. I'm in North Jersey, so there is ONLY ONE TJs that sells liquor in NJ--the one in Westfield. I also buy staples like eggs, milk, etc., because they're cheaper. They have very nice crackers too!

Sweeeet!!!!!!!! He really did capture the TJs experience! The first time I went to Trader Joe's, I didn't get it. Now I do--the staples--milk, eggs, etc. are all less expensive than you're regular A & P, Shop-Rite, etc. so you get that stuff there and you try the strange little things that sound interesting and are not expensive. "It's the two dollar wine that tastes like four". In NJ, it's three dollars, but I'd say it tastes more like a ten dollar wine!! In NJ, only the Westfield store sells liquior. I'm lucky to have one TJs on my way home from work, and two others that are a short drive away.

It could be worse--it could smell like Lyndhurst, NJ on a hot, humid summer day. I'm told that's because of all the pork slaughterhouses and pork refineries (whatever that is) that used to be there. Or Elizabeth. Finally Jersey stinks pretty. (And I can say that because I was born, raised and still live in Bergen County, NJ!)

I can't get enough interview clips!! I was hoping for MORE AB as well, but I guess those are done. And I was getting just as grossed out as Mario!!

If I even THINK about corned beef or pastrami, my ankles swell. And I would only have corned beef in a Reuben, with lots more salt from the sauerkraut, and swiss cheese. But it would definitely be the Reuben! *sigh*.