mhberk

Thanks for the break down! This makes a lot of sense and really shined some insight into your decision making process. I am a little disappointed, however, that you didn't provide your break even analysis.

Thanks for the update Pool Boy! I live across the street from the Giant in Owen Brown, so I might need to go over and check it out. But truthfully, I don't care what happens to that village center as long as I can still access Trattoria e Pizzeria.

Clearly she's playing hard to get!

I've always wondered what happens to a great recipe when a restaurant stops operating.

I've been spending some time recently with Su-Mei Yu's Asian Grilling: 85 Satay, Kebabs, Skewers and Other Asian-Inspired Recipes for Your Barbecue. Her chicken satay and peanut sauce, though time consuming - which I've heard authintic satay is, has completely ruined any hope of me enjoying satay in a restaurant!

You're a lucky man! Please keep us updated!

I remember watching the thing about Cereality on Unwrapped on the Food Network and thinking to myself "why didn't I think of that!". If someone was explaining this concept to me or if I was reading an article about it, I would probably be thinking the same thing that others have posted in this thread. But this thing is an unbelievable money maker and HUGELY successful! The concept is genius, their margins are through the rough, and it's one of the those places that will stay busy at whatever campus they put one on.

That's the same thing that I was thinking. It's not like it came to her in a dream or she spent thousands on R&D to create it. It came from another restaurant. I wonder if her mother worked for the other chef that it came from.

Now that you're leaving the area, I think it's time for you to spill the beans on the recipe for Cafe Deluxe's fire roasted tomato soup! Take care Blake

We stumbled upon this place while we were staying with friends in The Mission. It could, quite possibly, be the best cup of coffee I've ever had! The individual canisters were a nice touch and really proved to be the difference. But from what I remember, it wasn't just coffee grinds in that cheesecloth (or whatever it was that they used to strain the coffee). I could've sworn I saw Phil's son put in cardamon pods and mint leaves. Whatever it was, It was the best I've ever had and I wish there was something like this closer to me. Incidentally, his son told me that his father was looking to franchise the business. I would LOVE to see one of these pop up around here!

The classes are being held at Bebo Trattoria in VA

Alright, I broke down and registered for the August 25th risotto class. We're REALLY looking forward to it!

I liked how Marcel and Dave were going on and on while arguing with eachother and Harold just had to say "ENOUGH!" (or something like that) and they both shut up. It was obvious who the executive chef was among the group.

I really couldn't stand him during Season 1 and we did a little cheer when he got sent packing. But he really won me over during the reunion when he stood up and apologized to Candice for the way he spoke to her. He told her that she was great and that she never deserved all those things he said to her. It showed a different side to him.

Good stuff Mr Cole!!

As it turns out, it doesn't look like I'll be able to make it this year , so it looks like my famous blackened chicken salad will have to wait for another occasion.

I know this thread is supposed to be about setting up a kitchen with a certain budget in mind and I'm sure that this one pan (the 2-quart runs $115 at WS) can't compete with sets of inferior cookware in price, but I would put this one piece of equipment up against more than half of what those other sets include. I don't need to mention that an 8-piece set includes 3 or 4 lids. But as far as the utilities that this one pan performs, I don't think the others can compete. Because of the sloped and the outward frayed sides (which allows for better evaporation), this pan is far superior for making sauces, stocks and reductions. I can boil veggies, then strain them and return them to the pot to saute them in butter, wine, garlic, lemon juice, etc without using another pan. I can cook pasta (not spaghetti), then return it to the pan and toss it with chicken (that I've sauteed in the pan) and a sauce. Because it's all clad (meaning, the aluminum core runs from the bottom of the pan and up the sides; not just on the bottom as the "heavy bottom" pans do) the bottom and the sides of the pan heat almost evenly to provide a better cooking environment. It retains heat better and provides a more accurate heating environment. I could probably go on for hours listing all the tasks that I perform with this pot. All I can say is that it is the epitome of multifunctional, it's very heavy and durable, and even though it might cost 3 times what an inferior pan costs, it will last a 10 times as long as an inferior pan will. Cook's Illustrated did a test of pans a few years ago and came to this conclusion: JF02RatingSaucepans.pdf

Where is the Washington County Fairgrounds? I just got off the phone with Crate and they said their sale is in Pittsburgh, PA

I use my All-Clad saucier for just about everything you've listed. It is BY FAR the most used and most versatile piece of cooking equipment I own.

Hey Don, any chance you can work your magic and get Chef Ruta to conduct a small, private cooking class for us? Or a group dinner?

We have a glass cooktop (gas isn't available in our neighborhood) and we find it works great. All of our saute pans are All-Clad and we have no problems using them on the surface. We also use Le Creuset and a cast iron skillet.

If this is the article that Dan is talking about, I posted it here

I used to go to the one in Olney during the early '90s. I don't remember the night of the week, but every week they had a "Bladder Buster" in the upstairs bar. It would start at 7:00 (I think) and the whole bar would drink beer for free until the first person went to the bathroom. Sometimes it would last 10 minutes, sometimes it would last 45 minutes. During the longer lasting times, everyone would "boo" when someone approached the bathrooms. But right after they'd go in (and the event ended), half the bar would form lines outside the bathroom doors to go in. It was good times for someone in their early 20s

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I'll be there with my famous blackened chicken salad.