Having a small herb garden in the window of my downtown apartment has quite honestly changed my cooking and refocused me on using farm-fresh and seasonal produce as the BASIS (and not just an occasional "frill") for my food. I'm now looking to buy a plot of land for no reason other than to plant a garden. Your book, as with much of your writing, helped inspire the dream.
You guys do know that you can go to that same supermarket meat counter, choose one of their chuck steaks, and ask them to grind it fresh for you right in front of your eyes *gasp*.
At least, that's how it works here in Canada. How would that be different than grinding it yourself? I'm guessing not at all. The benefit of grinding yourself is the one of convenience, right? Meaning, you can do the grinding right when you need it, as opposed to watching it be done 3 or 4 hours prior, correct?
The photos attributed to Surveying Master Purveyors, are, in my estimation, worthy of some form of Beef Knighthood. Good golly!! Thank you.
Indeed to keep your knives sharp -- but I find the biggest benefit from that is that if your knives are sharp, chopping an onion or two, or three, should not make you cry. Unless of course your knife skills are horrible and your brunoise isn't up to par. :)
In my view edamame is a super-food. Its versatility (tofu, soy milk, "cheeses", etc..), health benefits, and ability to cross borders of nearly every single influential style of cuisine on the planet, make it something very special. Not to mention the fact that it tastes absolutely delicious just sprinkled with salt; my preferred way to eat 'em. Serious Eats? Indeed!
This list is a farce; as is usually the case. It's an annual joke regarded as lame and pathetic by anyone who means anything in the culinary world. Except possibly Adria who continues to laugh from deep within his gastro lair and laboratory.
MANRESA DID NOT BREAK THE TOP 100? That alone is cause for completely obliterating any possible credibility or relevance this monstrosity might have had. Manresa is arguably the best restaurant in North America at the moment. How can you overlook that and still be taken seriously? You can't. It's like creating a "50 Best List" for Necessary to Human Life, and not including oxygen.
GRRR.
The fact that Chef David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos, CA. was left out of the nominations yet again is a culinary travesty. As many informed and well-travelled epicureans will attest; he is producing some of the very best food in North America --- CONSISTANTLY.
I have a raised-bed herb garden that is a real pleasure for me. I love going out the kitchen door at dinner time and harvesting basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, etc....
The seven tomato pants in large pots on the patio are another story. I'm averaging about one tomato per pot per week. They appear to have wilt disease. WHAT am I doing wrong?
lori in Pittsburgh
I always have lemons and herbs growing in pots on my cement patio, but only once did I grow tomatoes. The Early Girls were delicious, but by the time I purchased the cages and special food and all the other stuff I needed--not to mention the acquired compulsion to roll the pots around every afternoon to catch the most sun--they probably cost me $5 per pound. So much more relaxing to go to the farmers' marekt....
To cut a circle of wax or parchment paper to line a cake pan, fold the paper in half and fold it again, not in the same direction. Continue folding so the paper a few more times till the shape is a long narrow wedge. Place the point in the center of the pan (eyeball it) and cut the wider end at the radius of the pan (where the side meets the bottom. Unfold and you have an approximate circle.
"keep things clean!" my mother used to yell at me when i was busy making a mess of her kitchen. things are easier to find, and in general less stressful when you make a small effort to keep the kitchen clean while cooking.
Always measure your ingredients before beginning to cook...doing so makes cooking much more enjoyable!
pixelchef:
There IS a problem with that here in the U.S., at least in SOME supermarkets.
I asked the meat department manager at my local Food Lion last week to grind some pork for me from a package of pork loin on the counter.
He refused to do so, citing their (Food Lions' ) concerns over what they called "cross contamination".
Probably, most "butcher shops" will still grind meat to your order, but "butcher shops" here in the U.S. (outside of New York City) are rapidly becoming an endangered species.
SOOOooo . . . *gasp*, it may not be as EASY here in the lower regions to get one's fresh-ground-meat as it is in the more progressive provinces of Canada.
Therefore, I am very glad that I am the proud owner of the wonderbul, (albeit, over-priced) Kitchen Aid with attached meat grinder.
Bon Apetit!
For more about Marco Pierre White, the San Francisco radio station KQED had him as a guest on their Forum program earlier in the month. Download an MP3 or stream here. He is quite a thoughtful and interesting man, with a passion for quality.
I'm really a sweet old guy (albeit a bit curmudgeonly).
It never even occurred to me that I was being offensive.
My attempt at humor went horribly wrong. Thanks for
understanding.
Everybody, Lou sent me a private e-mail profusely apologizing for his post. He even offered to do so by posting again on this thread. I told him it wasn't necessary, but I wanted all of you to know how he felt.
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