February 2012
1 post
June 2010
1 post
Ginger Syrup
Ginger Syrup
This syrup from Betty Fraser and Denise DeCarlo, owners of Grub in Hollywood, Calif., is fantastic in cocktails, such as the Sleepyhead, but it also makes an out-of-this-world ginger ale. To make ginger ale, simply fill an ice-filled glass a third of the way with the syrup, top with soda water and a squeeze of lime, stir and enjoy.
2 cups unpeeled, washed, fresh ginger, roughly...
March 2010
9 posts
The history of Thai food →
Top Ten Restaurant Designs That Need To GO →
what exactly is Kobe beef? →
February 2010
31 posts
What the fuck is a pig pickin? →
6 Types of Salt & How to use them →
“As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.”
– Joan Gussow
WatchI actually know John from some of the restaurant’s that I have worked at in NYC. This method of raising ducks is new to him and I am glad to see that it has taken off.
Instant Noodles & The History Of Them →
Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds Yukon golden potatoes, washed and quartered
Salt
7 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and three table spoons of butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and cook until fork tender. Drain well. Add back to the pot that...
Season 2 Top Chef Masters Competing Chef Lineup
The second season of Top Chef Masters premieres April 7 at 11 p.m. ET/PT before moving to its regular slot at 10 p.m. on April 14.
The complete list of Top Chef Masters season 2’s 22 competing chefs:
* — returning from season 1
Jody Adams – Rialto Restaurant, Cambridge, Mass. Govind Armstrong – 8 oz Burger Bar, Los Angeles, Calif. Graham Elliot Bowles – Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago,...
A bit about dandelion greens
Dandelion greens are wonderful in salads, sautÈed or steamed. They taste like chicory and endive, with an intense heartiness overlying a bitter tinge.
People today shun bitter flavorsótheyíre so conditioned by overly sweet or salty processed food. But in earlier times, we distinguished between good and bad bitterness. Mixed with other flavors, as in a salad, dandelions improve the flavor.
I also...
Wilted Greens with Balsamic Fried Eggs ( in season...
Greens tend to be relegated to slow, long cooking such as braising, but the more delicate of these, such as dandelion, can be wilted and used in a quick meal. Here the bitterness of dandelion greens is tamed by rich egg flavor and a sweet, syrupy balsamic vinegar reduction. Serve it all over a big piece of toasted country-style bread and you’ll see why this versatile dish has a place at the table...
The Four Worst Restaurant Etiquette Gaffes
The Four Worst Restaurant Etiquette Gaffes
How to behave better when dining out
BY HELENA ECHLIN
There is no reader question this week. Instead, Helena has a few restaurant-related rules to relate.
When we speak of etiquette, we’re generally talking about ways we can treat friends and family better. For instance, we should always RSVP promptly when invited to parties. The last place we...
How to make moonshine from start to finish ( click... →
WatchA cocktail to make you horny
What is the most expensive tea in the world?
The most expensive tea in the world is the original Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) from Wuyi China. In 2002, 20 grams (about 2/3rds of an ounce) of Da Hong Pao sold for 180,000 RMB, which is approximately $23,000 US. In 2004, this same quantity sold for 166,000 RMB, or about $21,000. The original Da Hong Pao tea trees are over 350 years old. The tea has only been available for a public auction sale...
Snow Cones ( just make sure they are not yellow)
Ingredients
8 cups snow
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Place snow or shaved ice into a large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately in bowls.
January 2010
10 posts
A book for waiters and bartenders....finally
According to The Waiter, eighty percent of customers are nice people just looking for something to eat. The remaining twenty percent, however, are socially maladjusted psychopaths. Waiter Rant offers the server’s unique point of view, replete with tales of customer stupidity, arrogant misbehavior, and unseen bits of human grace transpiring in the most unlikely places. Through outrageous...
How to make harrisa sauce
Harissa is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. It is added to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes. It can also be purchased in Middle Eastern stores in a can. For a very spicy harissa: use a blend of cayenne, chile de arbol, or cayenne with a milder chile like ancho chilies For a medium spiciness: use a blend of...
The most expensive bottle of wine....that we know...
Cases of the bubbly were bound for Czar Nicholas II of Russia, but were lost in 1917 after a German submarine in torpedoed its transport during WWI. In 1998. 2,000 bottles were salvaged from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland and now sell for more than a quarter million dollars.
The best restaurant in the world?
Hot & Cold Trout Roe Tempura, photo by Francesc Guillamet
El Bulli
Ferran Adrià is considered by many to be the greatest chef in the world and his restaurant, El Bulli, to be the greatest restaurant in the world (if such a thing exists). Located in Roses, Spain, El Bulli is a holy mecca for food lovers. The 35-course taster’s menu is a grand experience of tastes, textures, and...
Irish Mother Fucking Coffee
THE ORIGIN
The original Irish coffee was a concoction of a bit of whiskey, a generous splash of black coffee, a dollop of whipped cream, and a smattering of genius. Pedigrees for most drinks are dubious at best, but the Irish coffee is well documented. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Stanton Delaplane was served one at Ireland’s Shannon Airport bar in 1952; after returning to San Francisco,...
