Donning a white smock and white paper hat as required by federal law, I followed [chef Adam Perry] Lang inside these hallowed halls of prime and choice beef. My friend Adam heads to the Bronx at 1:30 AM to visit Master Purveyors, a meat distributor at the Hunts Point Cooperative Market. A big burger fan, Adam wanted to see the beef being ground. I love his photos of the steaks being dry-aged. I only wish he talked more about Master Purveyors and what makes their steaks so good.
Asparagus is an excellent source…
Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid and vitamins, and is low in fat, calories and carbohydrates. Though this article from the BBC talks about the virtues of English asparagus, there's lots of information for those of us outside the UK. Includes some tasty recipes to prepare while this member of the lily family (yes!) is in season.
Shorpy, the 100-year-old photo…
Shorpy, the 100-year-old photo blog has a great picture of the Blue Bell Diner in Washington DC in 1948. I love the counter bump outs. And you can also read the entire menu. [thanks Jason!]
Marco Pierre White never wanted three stars
When I won my three stars, I realized that I'd worked for something all my life that I'd never wanted. Marco Pierre White talks about why he left the kitchen, about the American food scene and molecular gastronomy, and what happens when chefs keep their name on the door but no longer work behind the stove.
Does the quality suffer?
It can't be the same, can it? … I just think when you've got three stars, it's an issue of principle. Your name is above the door, you've got to be there. But that's me. We're all different.
I've never been a big Marco Pierre White fan but this interview was pretty interesting. I'm a sucker for tales of wisdom and experience and finding balance.
A handy cheat sheet to…
A handy cheat sheet to help you make sense of beef terms like Kobe and Wagyu. Because if you're going to pay the premium prices that accompany these labels, you should understand what you're getting, dontcha think?
Is human breast-milk vegan? I'm…
Is human breast-milk vegan? I'm having a tough time swallowing this argument being made by some over at Serious Eats, since humans are animals, after all.
My last good idea was…
My last good idea was my worst idea; every time my ego comes into it, it hinders the restaurant. David Chang calls Ssäm Bar “bad fusion” and talks about how a chef’s ego can get in the way of the food. Even though he just won the rising star award from the James Beard Foundation, I didn’t taste any ego when I ate there last night. The menu’s been changed a bit because of the season (no more brussels sprouts, sadly, but artichokes and asparagus are in play) but the food was as great as ever. And the Led Zeppelin cranked on the stereo keeps me coming back for more.
photo by Jesse Chan-Norris…
photo by Jesse Chan-Norris
We are living at a…
We are living at a time when we just can’t leave bad enough alone. "Whole wheat pasta and whole grain Froot Loops. Lactose-free reduced-fat Swiss cheese. Sugar-free ice cream. Alcohol-free beer. Trans-fat-free French fries." An amusing piece about adding vitamins to Diet Coke to create the new Diet Coke Plus.
From February 2007 Food &…
From February 2007 Food & Wine, Spain’s Next Food Mecca talks about El Poblet, Quique Dacosta's restaurant. And other sci-fi cooking outposts in Spain. I think Spain needs to be the next country I visit for a culinary travel adventure.