Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I love lists! For those who think there are inconsistencies, they are missing the point, for example, make sure the water glasses are filled(it pisses me off when wait staff or bar tenders intentionally are slow on bringing a water glass or slow to fill up the glass to encourage me to drink more alcohol), but at the same time don't refill them every second.

It boils down to, waiting tables is an art and a profession, there is a fine line between too much and too little...and the really good staff are few and far between even at very top, expensive restaurants(I have experienced the water issue at a top restaurant in Chicago)so when you have a great person serving your table be sure to show your appreciation in whatever way you can.

P.S. I am not in the restaurant business, so this is not a plug, I am in the customer service business and there is a HUGE gap between Great and medicore people, and most of the time the GREAT people don't get the praise they deserve and the mediocre ones get more praise than they deserve...

As a kid it had to be "American Chop Suey" it was basically hamburger meat, macaroni, tomato paste, onions and peppers.

Okay Ed, I love what arm1970 said, "you eat for a living..stop being so hard on yourself" and cybercita, "you're eating a lot of stuff that isn't low and beating yourself up about it".
That said, the episode on Top Chef this week pissed me off, they did such a disservice to vegetables and vegans, the product available for the chefs to cook with was such a small selection it got me really, really mad!!! It just stereotyped the issue with vegetables which is not true!!!!!!
So, I don't hear anything about tasting vegetables, farmer's markets, don't get me wrong, I love a good burger(I loved the write-up here on Prairie Grass)..but Ed..quite seriously...what do you expect when all you are tasting is fatty foods....I am all for not dieting and eating sensibly...but if your palate is trained to love fatty foods and that is all you eat, you are going to go back up, up, up....
I seriously love vegetables and more and more each year as I realize how many heirloom varieties there are out there of everything, Nichols Farm here in Chi-town is a magician in terms of what they grow, there are so many different tastes and different vegetables, the world is huge.
So, I am all for not depriving yourself, eating what you love but until you really make a major food shift in taste and start yearning for green things as well as great burgers and don't get me going on Chinese food...I am sorry to be a little stern but as I said I was Seriously pissed off how vegetables were portrayed on Top Chef, and not hearing any vegetables play a role in your eating this week..well..enough said...

Never thought of Parisian patisseries this way but it is very true!!! that and that the pastry called "Religieux" did look like a fat nun. Paris is itself a piece of art, everywhere you look.

Thank you, thank you! This was egg-citing to read because being a food nerd, I did always want to know egg-xactly how to boil the perfect egg. So thank you for shelling out this info!!!

To me one of the key things is that there are no barriers to entry on the internet so there are far more choices for whose blog to read, you don't necessarily need a printed publication to go to as an information source. That said, I work for a highly targeted, very specific niche publication that is also web based but right now has limited distribution. I think there is a place for print. I personally like to carry a magazine or a book for that matter around with me, I like the tactility of newspapers. But I think you hit the nail on the head in your last paragraph, that Conde Nast had no internet strategy. I read the NYT on-line now. I guess the jury is not out yet but they seem to be making progress in the issue of print/internet.
The internet inherently has competitive advantages, low start-up costs, ability to make changes quickly(I see that with the magazine I work on, so much time goes into the production and layout)you take a magazine with the history of Gourmet, I am sure the ability to make changes came at a snail's pace, versus a website or blog and finally the interactivity of the internet, comments sections, polls, the ability to create a web community, all that draws peoples attention and time and interest versus buying a magazine on a news stand.
Finally, I somewhat agree w/ JerryG, I let my nose and instincts guide me as to what I read on the internet and I don't need to spend money to do it. SO it is very sad to see Gourmet shut its doors but change can be hard.

Part of business school I went to school in Niigata prefecture in Japan. It was like being in the middle of Iowa but surrounded by mountains. In the local, little bars, the mamasans would always serve us hotpot food along with beer, the food was never exactly the same. It usually consisted of vegetables, a really great beef broth, and meat. All I can say was that it was very stomach satisfying!!!!!!!

Totally agree about pestos, fell in ove w/them this summer!!!! Made a garlic scape pesto that I then used as the base for a sauce...Will try this one!!!!

Darn, sounds like a great event, how could the food NOT be fantastic at Blackbird? I guess I have to pay more attention to the posts here at SE......

Okay, I already love the Bristol but after this write-up will have to go back again and I think it Pandel's love and fun with cooking that permeates the restaurant, the atmosphere is laid back but then you have these great little dishes...

No worries continue to reflect on how far you have come and ALWAYS keep those old pants around!!!!!!!!!!!!! My healthy decadent snack is Cacao Berry Clarity Chocolate from Power Organics, I know it is more raw foodie than gourmet but I LOVE them but they are not cheap and it has blue green algae, goji berries, cacao, mesquite powder and himalayan salt.

Ed, it happens..life is not a downhill weight loss road....one thing I do is when I am down on myself I put on a pair of old pants I used to wear and it boggles my mind that I actually was that big and it puts my new weight into perspective....and the other thing, everyone needs a breather every now and then, one breather does not make you the old Ed...
For me I am flying business class to Amsterdam and then to parties all weekend for an old friend, it is going to be wine, food, more wine and more food....and no exercise, no yoga... But I realize it doesn't have to be ALOT and I know how I feel when I over do it....but we all need a breather every now and then....and I don't want to feel completely horrible when I go to yoga Tuesday......
And did I say..u have a great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite pasta dish of all time, Penne with Broccoli Rabe, Sausage and Pine Nuts.yummmmmm