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Let's Talk Knives,,,
I have a Victorinox fillet knife that is really good and not that expensive. It came sharp out of the box. But my primary knife is a Wustof chef's knife.
As for sharpeners, go to Henry Wesptfal. If you meant do-it-yourself sharpening, then I would suggest not doing it yourself. It's best to leave that to professionals with a grinding wheel. Anyway, Westpfal just re-located. They also have a mail-order business. Call for more info. (212) 563-5990. Also, see here. If that's too much trouble or not in your neighborhood, ask around for a sharpener who uses water with their grinding wheel.
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
That's so funny that your dog likes artichokes. I didn't think animals liked them at all (except humans of course).
Writing of artichoke consumption in ancient Rome, Pliny remarked "thus we turn into a corrupt feast the earth's monstrosities, those which even the animals instinctively avoid."
I guess Pliny had it all wrong.
How (Not To) Poach an Egg
Hey Robb, Do you use 100% milk or do you dilute it in water at all? That sounds like a nifty method.
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Do You Agree with Frank Bruni's Three Stars to Ssam Bar?
I think the 3 stars make sense. It's loud and cramped, but it really is joyous to eat there. The service is casual, but it is very polished in its own way. But the main reason I think it merits 3 stars is that it is not just a place that makes a certain genre of food exceptionally. It is re-making and re-creating the genre of American food exceptionally. And it does so consistently with many of their dishes. Their pork buns are a take on an old Korean-Chinese dish, but they make it perfect and they make it new. The fried brussels sprouts uses a classic Vietnamese sauce as its base and then, well, adds fried brussels sprouts (that one might just speak for itself). The fried lamb belly, which I'm not sure is still on their menu, is a take on breast of lamb St. Menehould, but again, they make it new and make it their own. And it all tastes delicious. The restaurant is a convergence of tradition and creativity, intelligence and down-to-earth comfort. It is exciting.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I have a Victorinox fillet knife that is really good and not that expensive. It came sharp out of the box. But my primary knife is a Wustof chef's knife.
As for sharpeners, go to Henry Wesptfal. If you meant do-it-yourself sharpening, then I would suggest not doing it yourself. It's best to leave that to professionals with a grinding wheel. Anyway, Westpfal just re-located. They also have a mail-order business. Call for more info. (212) 563-5990. Also, see here. If that's too much trouble or not in your neighborhood, ask around for a sharpener who uses water with their grinding wheel.
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
That's so funny that your dog likes artichokes. I didn't think animals liked them at all (except humans of course).
Writing of artichoke consumption in ancient Rome, Pliny remarked "thus we turn into a corrupt feast the earth's monstrosities, those which even the animals instinctively avoid."
I guess Pliny had it all wrong.
How (Not To) Poach an Egg
Hey Robb, Do you use 100% milk or do you dilute it in water at all? That sounds like a nifty method.
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
Hey Beth,
I'm perpetually obsessed with artichokes. I'm in the city, so I convinced my parents to trying growing some artichoke plants at their house in PA. The results were mixed, but it was a fun experience nonetheless. You can check it out here. There's also a recipe in there for fried artichokes. Have fun experimenting! I love working with fresh artichokes. Just be careful of the sharp petals. They'll give you a nasty gash if you're not careful, especially when washing them. I'm now in the habit of snipping off all the petal ends with a pair of scissors before I do anything.
How (Not To) Poach an Egg
I don't really like how that plastic wrap egg looks. It looks like it was cooked in plastic wrap.
I just pour some wine vinegar into a non-stick saucepan filled with water, wait until a simmer, and then slide my egg in from a small cup. The vinegar keeps the eggs together. And use super fresh eggs. The older the egg, the runnier the white is and the more impossible it will be to get a decent looking poach.
Short Ribs at Hill Country and Daisy May's: Truly Amazing
Daisy May's short ribs are fantastic, and impressive.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway: Russ & Daughters
Corned beef hash with two eggs over easy. At any city diner.
Win Your Thanksgiving Turkey!
Dark. The fact that dark makes for better leftovers just says how delicious it is overall.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Thanks for checking up on it, Ed. Both times it was bad was later in the day on the weekend. Hopefully it'll be as good as it used to be when you go. I'm a fan of that bakery.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Great list, though the last time I went to Bouchon in October the peanut butter cookie was horrible. I didn't even want to finish it. And last weekend my co-worker went there and found the same thing. That peanut butter cookie used to be one of my favorite things ever. I suspect something funky is going on at Bouchon Bakery, and I hope they get their act back together soon.
Mitchel London Pizza
Just stopped by for their pizza Romana. I agree with your overall review of the pizzas. Unfortunately, there are still issues with the strangely bland crust. The texture and the balance of crust to toppings were all there. Their only fault is the taste of the crust.
New York French Fry Honor Roll: Add Yours to the List
Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien has awesome fries. Even better than the burgers, if you can compare the two. And they're cheap. They are of the skinny variety.
Cook the Book: 'Beard on Food'
I would have to say Julia Child. Those detailed recipes help me to be more confident and relaxed. And I subscribe to her whole attitude towards food.
The New and Improved Ed Levine Eats
Yea! Good move! Ed Levine Eats is the best. The redesign looks great.
I Took the Locavore Challenge (Sort of)
I think that using non-local plain salt and things like pepper makes sense in the spirit of eating local. Those things have been traded since forever.
But my opinion is that olive oil is out. I might be mistaken, but I've heard that certain parts of Italy use almost no olive oil but use lard and butter instead just because that's what they have around. In the same vein, just because New York state has no olive trees doesn't mean that you can claim a Marco Polo exemption. It just means you can't use olive oil in your cooking and call it local. If you're watching your cholesterol, eating truly local is probably bad for your health.
Anyway, that's why I'm not a locavore. Way too difficult. And so much guilt. As long as it tastes good and doesn't flagrantly decimate the environment I'll eat it.
We're Giving Away a Truly Great Steak This Weekend
Peter Lugar, porterhouse, rare. The dish it comes on is so hot that the steak comes up to medium rare after you've eaten half the steak. I know it's a boring choice, but to me it's still the best.
E.V. Oh No! Fraud in the Olive Oil Business
I'm sorry, but that Genco olive oil is exactly what I imagined as I was reading the New Yorker article. It has got to be "adulterated." It's too inexpensive not to be.
I've just always assumed that the Extra Virgin olive oil from big suppliers like Bertoli is not really Extra Virgin olive oil, or at least 100% Extra Virgin. How else could you account for the relative low cost and slight chemical taste of most supermarket olive oils? And how else could you explain the wide discrepancy in taste between decent olive oils like Frantoia (about $20/L from Fairway) and the average supermarket olive oil?
I kind of like Marseglia's take on the whole thing. The goal is to provide good tasting olive oil for everyday use. The unfortunate thing is that a superior tasting non-Extra Virgin olive oil has no chance against a lesser oil fraudulently marketed as 100% Extra Virgin. So everybody has to lie to survive.
Are Most Cuban Sandwiches Created Equal? Where's your favorite?
Up by the Columbia University Medical Center in Washington Heights there is a deli that makes the best Cuban sandwich I've had by far, although I have not yet made it to the Spotted Pig. They assemble it to order and it is consistently good. I can usually only eat half, and then I have to take a nap. The sandwich is called Tony's Cuba East and can be had at the Tasty Deli.
Tasty Deli
4020 Broadway (between 169th St & 170th St)
New York, NY 10032
(212) 568-3838
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
Beth
I live just outside of Chicago, IL, and last year I planted 6 artichokes and they grew really large, but no artichokes. So I let them die back and I covered them with leaves and they came back this spring. So now they are growing large and I have about 6 chokes on ones of the plants and it is only the middle of June.
If I can grow them in Chicago, then you should be able to grow them in California. Kathryn
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
I am on the coast in Southern California. I just picked my first arti this morning. I had to thin out my old plants this winter and replant in new areas. The plants are already 3+ feet across and producing. I like to steam them with a little olive oil in the water, a cut up lemon, some garlic, s & p. I make up some mayo, dijon, marjorum, and S & P. and enjoy cold or room temp.
Does anyone know anything about growing artichokes?
I aim to grow some on my deck in toronto this year for they are delicious. You asked for a recipe and this is one i can't get enough of... Approx 12 baby artichokes with all the outside leaves stripped off and the remainder chopped off just above the heart. Halve each artichoke. Sauté them with some Yukon gold potatoes chopped into cubes roughly the same size as the artichokes. Simmer covered for approx 5 minutes then squeeze over the juice of a lemon and add approx 1 pint of good chicken stock. Simmer until a knife will enter the artichoke. Put the vegetables into a dish and reduce the liquid until syrupy then add back onto the vegetables. Salt and pepper and lots of chopped curly parley. Yum
Do You Agree with Frank Bruni's Three Stars to Ssam Bar?
I do not agree with the three stars. Two months ago I had a pate there which would have been laughable in Paris where I spend a fair amount of time. The accompaying relish also lacked any finesse. A three star restaurant needs to be consistently good; the French style dishes were not one star.
Regina
Do You Agree with Frank Bruni's Three Stars to Ssam Bar?
We've been to Ssam many times, and this past July for my husband's and son's birthdays we reserved a Ssam and brought 7 friends with us. We ordered several (many) other dishes. It was spectacular. It wasn't cheap ($700+ - lots of wine and beer) but it was incredible.
Yes, the service is informal, but the waiters we've had there have always been well-informed and surprisingly gracious. The stools are incredibly uncomfortable. It's loud. But the above posters are right - there is a joy, an energy, a creativity and an intelligence that transcends the discomfort. It deserves 3 stars.
New York French Fry Honor Roll: Add Yours to the List
osteria al doge - best bar fries, with rosemary, sea salt and garlic. finger licking good!
New York French Fry Honor Roll: Add Yours to the List
i 2nd the opinion of fries at hamburger joint at parker meridien hotel for their brown bag of fries, simply delicious, thin and low brow.
pearl oyster bar, shoe string fries.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Ed - email me at rozettj@aol.com so we can talk about this privately. i have some reservations. i will tell you more and why.
John
Best Bakeries in New York City
Wow, that's an amazing story, John. Would you consider posting the recipes on Serious Eats? Maybe we can find a pastry chef who will test the recipes.
I would love to work with you on getting these recipes on Serious Eats.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Mrs. Herbst's did not close because the ethnic enclave was disappearing. It close because the 3rd generation had moved on (for example, one is a physician in L.A.) and because the land had become so valuable that it was inevitable that it would be sold. But what a fabulous bakery it was. I have a loose-leaf binder with ALL of the Herbst recipes (including non-bakery food items). Long story - but my grandmpother and the original Mrs Herbst were friends in Hungary and came here at the same time. And my non-Hungarian wife can make a pretty good Dobos Torte and palascinta.
Best Bakeries in New York City
I actually disagree with the bad reviews of Black Hound. I got excellent service - all the people working were fantastic and very attentive, and gave my friends and I free samples to try. I didn't really like the cakes though. I don't like sweet cakes too much, but theres could have done with a bit more
Let's Talk Knives,,,
Elizabeth - you're very lucky to have seen that truck. If you go to the thread called "Knife Sharpeners" you'll see my comment waxing nostalgic about this very service-on-wheels!
I have only one Cutco knife - a parer - and that's because I stopped myself from buying knives I didn't need. I found the Cutco knives to be well balanced with nice sculpted handles and frippin' sharp to boot. If I wasn't so well stocked in knives at the time, I definitely would have purchased more.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I generally have my knives sharpened at the Broadway Panhandler in NYC. Yesterday, as I was dashing out to meet a friend, I saw a green truck (kind of like an ice cream truck) that had a sign on the side that said, "knife sharpening." Does anyone know about this? Recommend this? I didn't have time to investigate. I saw the truck in Chelsea.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
Here is one of the many heated debates.
http://www.vegsource.com/talk/pressure/messages/58097.html
They are pretty good knives...just not worth how much they cost. A huge percentage of the cost goes to commissions of the sales rep, their manager, their manager's manager, etc. That's why they are so expensive. Also, their marketing methods are kind of sketchy. On the otherhand, they have a forever guarantee...so, technically, you can gift them to your kids or whoever and they can continue to get it replaced to the end of time.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I'm so glad this came up, I just got a full set of Cutco for Christmas from my future mother-in-law and they are amazing!
I had never really heard about them so I'm curious:
What what is the anti-Cutco argument?
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I have a pretty good selection of good knives, chef's, paring, serrated, utility, boning, etc. from Wustof and they're very good. That said, when it comes to every day chopping, slicing, etc. I almost invariably use (hands head in shame) one of the 20 or so Smith & Wollensky steak knives I've gotten over the years. They fit my hands perfectly and they're always sharp. After years of honing the Wustof's every time I used them, the thrill was gone. Anyhow, it would never have dawned on me to do so, but one year I "regifted" yet another set I'd received, to my then boyfriend's Italian from Italy mom. And that's what she ended up using. After getting over my initial semi-condescending reaction to it, I tried it, and hey, the woman was on to something.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
The best knife I own cost me less than ten bucks. I sharpen every day regardless of which knife I use ( I have about 20), but my favorite is the cheap one that seems to fit my hand. So, who cares if it does this that or the other; each person has to find the knife that fits their hand. The problem arises when someone doesn't know how to sharpen...
Let's Talk Knives,,,
2 for 13 bucks at Sams Club. Best chef's knife's I've ever used. and If they break I don't have to cry because they were so cheap (haven't had one break yet)
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I am a Wusthof die hard... but just today, I purchased a whole 14 pound OX1 Striploin piece of meat to butcher into my own NY Strip steaks and also purchased a cheap Dexter-Russell ($12) boning knife to do the break down. Even though I have a Wusthof boning knife, the D-R was SO sharp and did the job so good, it will be my go-to meat knife in the future.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I totally agree with the recommendation to avoid sets and focus on having the three "essentials" -- a chef's, a paring and a serrated (specifically, a bread knife).
That said, you should consider the tasks you do a lot of, according to your individual cooking habits. You may find there are some "specialty" knives that are worth having. For instance, I'd hate to be without a long, well-sharpened carving knife. I do frequent roasts, carved steaks, turkey breasts, etc., and I find a carving knife to be much more efficient than a chef's knife, especially when slicing meat very thinly for sandwiches.
Come to think of it, if forced to choose, I'm pretty sure I'd give up the paring knife in favor of the carver.
Knives are just SO personal!
Let's Talk Knives,,,
A friend of mine worked for Cutco during college, she had the set. They were all scarily sharp and worked very well...
I've personally been looking into a good all purpose chef's knife (I'd like to get my mother one), so I'll be browsing this thread often!
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I like my cutco bread knife. It's super-sharp.
As far as sharpeners go, I just bought a ceramic Kyocera sharpening steel that has a sharpening surface as well as a honing one. Worked like a charm on my 8 in. Global Chef's knife.
My advice -- if anyone asks you what you want for your birthday, provide them with a knife wish list. It worked for me!
Let's Talk Knives,,,
Wow. Almost every other knife recommendation discussion on the internet I've seen has resulted in some kind of huge pro- and anti- Cutco argument that doesn't go anywhere.
I worked for Cutco, so I kept my sales demo knives...which you get for like 10% cost or something like that. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't buy them since they are so expensive. I'd definitely agree with the inexpensive restaurant supply shop knives.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I really don't like the feeling of a plastic handle in my hand. I like a riveted handle where I can see the rivets. I know there are lots of great knives with completely concealed handles but I really prefer to see the rivets.
Knives are mostly a matter of personal choice. You have to handle a knife. While on a knife-purchasing mission with my BF, he asked how I liked the Sabatier knives and I didn't like them because they were blade heavy. They felt very unbalanced in my hand.
One of my favorite knives was a cheapie but it's no longer available. A while back Ming Tsai did a bunch of utensils for Target and one was a nice heavy santoku. That knife resides in my knife roll so I can grab my faves and run (I mean walk). It met all my criteria - full tang, stainless steel, riveted handle, really nice balance. Didn't matter the name - the knife felt great in my hand.
I love my 10" chef but some cooks find a 10" blade unwieldy. You have to get what's comfortable.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I second the comment on the Fibrox, although I've only tried the 10" chef's knife (I too got the recommendation from 'Cook's Illustrated').
I think that 'you get what you pay for' is true only up to a point; beyond that, it moves into the realm of 'pay for cachet' (or bespoke).
For example, although the Fibrox is a very comfortable and efficient knife, I don't love the way it looks, while, on the other hand, we also have a Zwilling Twin cuisine series 4" paring knife (http://www.zwilling.com/locale/en_ww/index.php/bereich/sortiment/produktbereich_id/1/produktbereich/serien/serie_id/3099/artikel_id/12579),
which in addition to having a very good blade (though no better than the Fibrox) is also extremely pretty... and quite expensive.
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About chungle
Website: http://www.chungfood.com
Location: New York, NY
About:
Favorite foods: artichokes, bacon, bone marrow, braises, cheese, coffee, fried chicken, kkaennip, lamb, peaches and necatarines, pizza, radishes, roast duck, roast anything, rigatoni
Last bite on earth:
I think the 3 stars make sense. It's loud and cramped, but it really is joyous to eat there. The service is casual, but it is very polished in its own way. But the main reason I think it merits 3 stars is that it is not just a place that makes a certain genre of food exceptionally. It is re-making and re-creating the genre of American food exceptionally. And it does so consistently with many of their dishes. Their pork buns are a take on an old Korean-Chinese dish, but they make it perfect and they make it new. The fried brussels sprouts uses a classic Vietnamese sauce as its base and then, well, adds fried brussels sprouts (that one might just speak for itself). The fried lamb belly, which I'm not sure is still on their menu, is a take on breast of lamb St. Menehould, but again, they make it new and make it their own. And it all tastes delicious. The restaurant is a convergence of tradition and creativity, intelligence and down-to-earth comfort. It is exciting.