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From Talk

Knife Storage

I've block for my regular used knives. But for my lesser used items I have guards over all my blades... to protect them and me. I've some nice ones from Westminster which are just hard plastic. Also, I make them out of left over card board and electrical tape. Just cut to the length of the blade and make it a little over twice the width. Fold in half and wrap the tape like its going out of style. This makes sure that if they are in the drawer, I keep my finger tip and they keep there edge. I

From Talk

Grits vs. Yellow Cornmeal

Grits are coarsely ground cornmeal. The issue I might have is the texture given the cornmeal I keep is substantially finer grind. I think you could get away running it through a food processor or coffee grinder if you want something a bit finer.

And I suspect, like most recipes, Bitman did his by volume and not by weight. So you might want to weigh the two products and compare them. The coarse product might be less weight per volume.

But if they look identical, all I just wrote is for the birds and I think you should go for it.

From A Hamburger Today

Back in the USA After a Burger-Less Vacation

Does anyone else think the underwear should have written on the waist band, "Home of the Whopper" to be truly offensive?

From Talk

Washington D.C. Best Restaurant/Best Birthday Dinner Spot?

As a Washingtonian, I would stay away from outdoor dining in July. If you are looking for high end special occasion and want to be in the city, you likely would hit the institutions like Komi, Marcel's and CIntronelle.

In NOVA, Restaurant Eve (truly special) is a great place and can give you a choice of the tasting room and bistro in Old Town. I would also recommend 2941 for its grand decor and high quality food.
These are all expensive, but both well worth it.

If you are looking for well executed, but a step down in price, I would recommend Brasserie Beck, Cafe Atlantico, or Palaena. Even if you want something on the cheap, just head up to 2 Amys for a really special pizza and simple Italian.

My wife took me a couple years ago for my 30th to Minibar. And while I'm not a big molecular gastronomy guy, it was a true pleasure to do. And I think you still in the window to make the reservation window. It's a call two months in advance for one of twelve seats a night.

Good luck, if you want any more help... let me know.

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From Talk

Knife Storage

I've block for my regular used knives. But for my lesser used items I have guards over all my blades... to protect them and me. I've some nice ones from Westminster which are just hard plastic. Also, I make them out of left over card board and electrical tape. Just cut to the length of the blade and make it a little over twice the width. Fold in half and wrap the tape like its going out of style. This makes sure that if they are in the drawer, I keep my finger tip and they keep there edge. I

From Talk

Grits vs. Yellow Cornmeal

Grits are coarsely ground cornmeal. The issue I might have is the texture given the cornmeal I keep is substantially finer grind. I think you could get away running it through a food processor or coffee grinder if you want something a bit finer.

And I suspect, like most recipes, Bitman did his by volume and not by weight. So you might want to weigh the two products and compare them. The coarse product might be less weight per volume.

But if they look identical, all I just wrote is for the birds and I think you should go for it.

From A Hamburger Today

Back in the USA After a Burger-Less Vacation

Does anyone else think the underwear should have written on the waist band, "Home of the Whopper" to be truly offensive?

From Talk

Washington D.C. Best Restaurant/Best Birthday Dinner Spot?

As a Washingtonian, I would stay away from outdoor dining in July. If you are looking for high end special occasion and want to be in the city, you likely would hit the institutions like Komi, Marcel's and CIntronelle.

In NOVA, Restaurant Eve (truly special) is a great place and can give you a choice of the tasting room and bistro in Old Town. I would also recommend 2941 for its grand decor and high quality food.
These are all expensive, but both well worth it.

If you are looking for well executed, but a step down in price, I would recommend Brasserie Beck, Cafe Atlantico, or Palaena. Even if you want something on the cheap, just head up to 2 Amys for a really special pizza and simple Italian.

My wife took me a couple years ago for my 30th to Minibar. And while I'm not a big molecular gastronomy guy, it was a true pleasure to do. And I think you still in the window to make the reservation window. It's a call two months in advance for one of twelve seats a night.

Good luck, if you want any more help... let me know.

From Talk

Homemade Extracts

Try your local supermarket for glass containers. They frequently have the basic Ball canning ones.

From Talk

Cincinnati

Also grew up in Cincy. Live now in DC. But, I actually lived in Clifton when I was in law school... right on the corner of Clifton and Ludlow across the street from Skyline. I put on a few pounds that first year.

Right there on Ludlow is the place I learned to love Indian food... Ambar India... its a half block down from Graeter's and moderate. Up on Calhourn, there is a nice pizza place, Pomadori's. In Mt. Lookout, there is a classic burger place, Zip's.

I'd be happy to email you more ideas if you need them... you can find my email through by following my profile.

From Talk

"Miracle Fruit"

They don't make everything sweet. The miraculum (sp?--but actually the compound that is being studied) causes sour to be percieved as sweet. I was at an event when Harold McGee brought some out. It made a tart lime taste like sugar water. Bewared, the fruit itself isn't so great... and some people it doesn't work for.

From Sweets

10 Tips for Homemade Ice Cream Success

Jamieforrest... the grainy texture is likely from too large a ice crystal... or potentially not enough fat in the base. To avoid the salt crystal issue, you want your ice cream as cold as possible before you make it. This means you might want to refridgerate your base overnight. If you are in a hurry, go to the freezer for at least a couple hours. If that doesn't work, you should make sure you are using enough heavy cream. It's the back bone of the soft feel. Gelato doesn't use it the same way, but I would make sure you check your ratios. I could go on about this topic for hours, but if you want a simple custard recipe that I use... you can likely find me by looking at my profile.

From Talk

Washington, D.C. Holiday Party Venue

The issue may be what you are looking for. If you are looking at places with a large enough dinning room to take care of you, then places like Wolfgang Puck's Source at the Newseum will do it. But if you are looking for good rooms, there are lots of museum spaces that work, and find good caterer to work with you. The city is filled with places, perhaps if you have a theme or something it might help.

From Slice

It's Not Pizza Napoletana if You Don't Follow the Rules

I get the idea of appellation control for products for assurance of quality. I get the idea of preserving culinary history. But I think what makes me laugh a little at the quote is the 'ancient' part of that statement. Perhaps there is something lost in translation, but the word ancient seems a bit hyperbolic.

I mean if we've got to use the tomato, a new world fruit, how ancient can it be? Or even more on that point, how ancient can a tomato variety that has developed a regional character be? Or even how ancient is Pizza Margherita, which I heard rumor was born of a Queen visit during the second half of the 19th century?

Anyway, go them! I love eating at 2 Amy's here in DC with its official Italian designation. God save the slice! And the men (or women) bound to protect it!

From Talk

Pickles Redux

Chicken salad... deviled eggs.. .there is likely some blogger who has a whole site, not mine mind you, that is dealing with this. Those are two recipes that my southern relatives use pickle juice in.

I'm absolutely with you on reusing pickle juice. Even my homemade pickles of various kings get at least two uses out of the brine, so long as I move through them fairly quickly.

From Talk

Saturday Greenmarket, Union Square, NYC. Unbearable?

I lived right around the corner until recently. I never minded the crowds. I mean its an event and think this is perhaps a bit of a harshness. The whole success of the market is because those people you don't appear to like want to show up, buy somethings that are over priced. It encourages it to be the place to sell high end, natural foods. As for going during the week, I pretty much feel its the only good time to go anyway. The vendors work with you more, and you can be in and out in no time. I used to go right when it opened and I was coming home from the gym.

From Talk

How do I get salt to stick to edamame?

I'm going to suggest what binlu said. If you are going to boil them, make the water like sea water. I don't season many of my veggies that I prepare this way. However, if you want the texture of the sea salt, I suspect that they are not using coarse sea salt like Baleine. They are likely using something more like Maldon which has very large asymmetrical crystal. It's pretty widely available stuff. It's one of the most common finishing salts in restaurants. We'll put a few grains on top of something to give it that crunch as well as the salt. Finally, salt doesn't dissolve in oil. So something that just flows off like sesame oil will keep it from adhering to the edamame.

From Talk

Delicious and family-friendly in DC?

I would say that there is one place to go with our 14th month old, 2 Amys. It is extremely delicious, special in what they put on the plate, and there are plenty of other kids. It gets even a bit noisy as they move into prime dinner service. However, no reservations so if you don't time it well, it could be standing around for a bit.

However, when our son was that age we'd take him to nicer places that you wouldn't think would be good. Mostly because at that age they are so small, and sleep so much they are hard to notice. Pick a place that is relatively noisy, go relatively early, and places like Central, Brasserie Beck, or the like and it wouldn't matter much. We even went to Central two weeks ago with our son and they were happy to have us--or at least pretended to be since there were 8 of us.

From Talk

What good restaurants are there in downtown Louisville, KY?

I've not been to his place in Louisville, but 'Jeff Ruby's' in Cincinnati is a good place to get a steak. I'm pretty sure it's downtown and my friend there says good things about it. Also, the guy made some press during the Derby for kicking OJ Simpson out of there. So, go firgure. Hope that helps.

From Serious Eats

Death by Veganism

We have a new little one in our house (9 weeks). We are unabashed meat eaters. And for those who go on about 'breast feeding' as if its something easy and obvious that you will feed your child it.

I can just say you either haven't had children or have those rare high volume producing breasts. You can say what you want, but when that kid is born and still hungry and your choice is between your veganism and formula (soy or otherwise)... I think you'll chose the milk. There are real issues with the soy stuff.

More importnatly, erhaps we should get over being preachy about this sort of thing, and realize that we have the eyes in the front of our head because we are designed to eat animal protiens to at least some extent over our life time.

From Talk

It's Balthazar, Not Balthazar's

Actually, you are wrong. He was one of the magi or wisemen who came to witness the birth of Jesus. I'm not sure if the restraurant is named for him, but he is a character of some sort.

From Talk

Question of the Day: Food photographers

Clearly, I take a bunch of photos for our blog . Yet, I just have never felt comfortable taking photos at the dinner table over a meal out. While part of that is we don't do restaurant reviews, but the biggest concern is that making the food look good . The people work hard in many places to make it look good, and if I can't give that same care to the photo I do my own food then I don't want theirs to look lesser for it. Actually forget that reasoned answer, I'm just too embarassed and hungry to wait for photos.

From Talk

Royal Icing

Honestly, I can't see why not. I think of all the icings you could make, this would seem to be the least effected. I'd go for it.

From Talk

Oysters in May - A OK?

My understanding is that it has less to do with healthy as much as that they spawn duing the warmer months. The result is that they use up a good deal more of the protean duing those months and therefore require time to regain their strength. I'm not a bivalve expert and this is second hand from sellers. So safe to eat, but perhaps not in there peak flavor and condition.

From Talk

Question of the Day: What is the most important part of a dinner at home?

While I tend to agree about time, really it's the family part to me. All being there, together and breaking bread.

From Talk

Question of the Day: How do you scream for ice cream?

Growing up in Cincinnati, there is only one commericial ice cream--Graeter's. My prefrence is for the chip flavors. They are awesome.

As for my favorites, I make quite a bit of ice cream. My best and most requested by family and guests is pistachio ice cream. But we are going to introduce a few new recipes in the next couple weeks too--Blackberry and Uneven Pavement. So I love ice cream!

From Talk

Question of the Day: Did you watch the Food Network Awards last night?

My wife and I caught it between taking care of the little one. Hands down one of the worst, absolute worst pieces of TV, we've seen. We both couldn't figure out what the hell we were watching and why we cared. I think if they wanted to do something like this... how about broadcasting the James Beard awards or something more like it.... oh I know why? Because they wouldn't be able to run many of their talent out there-- Semi-Homade anyone?

From Talk

Phyllo dough

Not to be a whore for my own stuff, but here is my version of a classic--spanakopita. Hope you like it.

From Talk

How do you make zeppoli?

Add ricotta cheese or marscapone. I don't have my recipe here and now, but there are a number of really good ones out there. And you might want to consider using a chemical levener instead of yeast.

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