Comments on: “Eh beeUteefool Piece Ov Snop-ayre” http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html Translating the Chef's Craft for Every Kitchen Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:56:12 +0000 hourly 1 By: yank283 http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38319 yank283 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38319 Not fine dining, just what I've been eating at lunch lately...I went to an Asain market the other day and bought some ramen noodle type packages that aren't ususaly available in American grocery stores. They all have the nirmal salty soup base you see, but they also have a little packet of cayenne pepper and a type of garlic paste. Not bad at all...my favorite was a brand called "Mama"... Not fine dining, just what I’ve been eating at lunch lately…I went to an Asain market the other day and bought some ramen noodle type packages that aren’t ususaly available in American grocery stores. They all have the nirmal salty soup base you see, but they also have a little packet of cayenne pepper and a type of garlic paste. Not bad at all…my favorite was a brand called “Mama”…

]]> By: Nicole http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38318 Nicole Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38318 my RSS just told me that there is another Eric Ripert post -- this time fancy plated zucchini carpaccio - his slicing is mesmerizing my RSS just told me that there is another Eric Ripert post — this time fancy plated zucchini carpaccio – his slicing is mesmerizing

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38317 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38317 Don Luis , I agree with everything you said. But I am nothing if not practical. My analogy to tennis holds. If you use a lighter and a hevier tennis racket with properly preeping and practicing on either one you lose. Stick to one ingredient and hit it out of the park. Life rewards folks who make choices and stick to them. Don Luis , I agree with everything you said. But I am nothing if not practical. My analogy to tennis holds. If you use a lighter and a hevier tennis racket with properly preeping and practicing on either one you lose.
Stick to one ingredient and hit it out of the park. Life rewards folks who make choices and stick to them.

]]> By: Don Luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38316 Don Luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38316 Luis, dude. I didn't say all salt was equal. I use kosher salt on raw food, like salads, because I prefer the texture. Kosher salt has larger crystals than most, and I like the crunch. In cooked food like soups and stews, the salt dissolves: I doubt that there is a significant difference in taste because of kind of salt. If one salt tastes different than another, it's because there's more than just salt in it. Luis, dude. I didn’t say all salt was equal. I use kosher salt on raw food, like salads, because I prefer the texture. Kosher salt has larger crystals than most, and I like the crunch.

In cooked food like soups and stews, the salt dissolves: I doubt that there is a significant difference in taste because of kind of salt.

If one salt tastes different than another, it’s because there’s more than just salt in it.

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38315 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38315 Don Luis, I am with you bro.... a brick oven with convection has to be a great addition to anyone's kitchen. But I am a 16 inch pizza type guy. Just means I am drooling but not enough to cut a check...on this one. Let Rippert blog some more and who knows? On salt... not all salt is equal man. If you can not discern that as of yet then give yourself more time... use different salts and come back and blog me about it. And Tana forgive me... Friday the 13th.. I shouldn't have been blogging at all... The lame post I posted you was not really for you... more like me thinking out loud. I love you and respect your love for a toaster oven. Don Luis, I am with you bro…. a brick oven with convection has to be a great addition to anyone’s kitchen. But I am a 16 inch pizza type guy. Just means I am drooling but not enough to cut a check…on this one. Let Rippert blog some more and who knows?
On salt… not all salt is equal man. If you can not discern that as of yet then give yourself more time… use different salts and come back and blog me about it. And Tana forgive me… Friday the 13th.. I shouldn’t have been blogging at all… The lame post I posted you was not really for you… more like me thinking out loud. I love you and respect your love for a toaster oven.

]]> By: Don Luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38314 Don Luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38314 You should get a commission for this post. I just ordered the Cuisinart BRK-300 from Cutlery and More (Amazon won't ship cookware to Puerto Rico for fear we'll try to attack the Pentagon with it). And Luis, isn't all salt sea salt? I thought that the differences in salt came from the crystal structure, and not the origin or mineral content. But salt and pepper (never white, of course), are my favorite seasonings. If that's not enough for your steak, get a better steak. You should get a commission for this post. I just ordered the Cuisinart BRK-300 from Cutlery and More (Amazon won’t ship cookware to Puerto Rico for fear we’ll try to attack the Pentagon with it).

And Luis, isn’t all salt sea salt? I thought that the differences in salt came from the crystal structure, and not the origin or mineral content.

But salt and pepper (never white, of course), are my favorite seasonings. If that’s not enough for your steak, get a better steak.

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38312 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38312 Tana, oh I know!...like when you were in college and your room-mate was another poly-sci type. Forgive me.. whatever makes you a happy gal is good. I am just searching you understand. I posted my guts out and you come up with that? Hell who am I to say you are not dead on right 1000% Tana, oh I know!…like when you were in college and your room-mate was another poly-sci type. Forgive me.. whatever makes you a happy gal is good. I am just searching you understand. I posted my guts out and you come up with that? Hell who am I to say you are not dead on right 1000%

]]> By: Anne http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38313 Anne Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38313 I just read Ripert's blog post, to myself, entirely in his French accent. Merde. It's contagious... I just read Ripert’s blog post, to myself, entirely in his French accent. Merde. It’s contagious…

]]> By: Tana http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38311 Tana Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38311 I got a convection toaster oven about three years ago, and it was life-changing in the best way. It's big enough to roast a chicken, and I've expanded my creativity to come up with meals that fit into 9" Pyrex pans. I LOVE MY TOASTER OVEN. I use the big oven maybe twice a year now. I wrote about it here, in a blog post called "Thinking Inside the Box": http://preview.tinyurl.com/44medr And now, to go and watch Mr. Ripert caress the English language. I got a convection toaster oven about three years ago, and it was life-changing in the best way. It’s big enough to roast a chicken, and I’ve expanded my creativity to come up with meals that fit into 9″ Pyrex pans. I LOVE MY TOASTER OVEN. I use the big oven maybe twice a year now.

I wrote about it here, in a blog post called “Thinking Inside the Box”:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/44medr

And now, to go and watch Mr. Ripert caress the English language.

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38310 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38310 Again Ripert shows a feel for what the home cook is grappling with... On sea salt from Riperts blog ... ". Using French sea salt is an old habit with me. But if you’re not used to cooking with it, pay attention at first–a little bit goes a long way; " This what blew me away when I tried to use sea salt in the past. Too concentrated. I feel I may try it again. How a chef can use different kinds of salt and get it right is a riddle to me. It's like going back and forth between a heavy tennis racket and a light one in a match without the compulsory warm up practices....answer YOU DON'T DO IT! unless you practice it. It's funny you watch all these to chef types packing their blades into battle when in reality what they should be packing is their spice racks and seasoning kits. Again, Ripert offers insight in his blog. when he says... " Using French sea salt is an old habit with me" Basically I am thinking learn to season predictable and precise using one type of salt and same goes for the pepper and spices or you will never become consistent and precise in the kitchen. How can you? Unless you taste and adjust and taste and adjust on and on and on....which I find ok in soup but in fish? or steak? you just can not do that. Ripert is clear on that point when he suggests you need to season fish/other from the git go, right through the cooking proces in order to draw out the flavor. Seasoning at the table so to speak is only to adjust/correct the flavor after the fact. Again Ripert shows a feel for what the home cook is grappling with…

On sea salt from Riperts blog …

“. Using French sea salt is an old habit with me. But if you’re not used to cooking with it, pay attention at first–a little bit goes a long way; ”

This what blew me away when I tried to use sea salt in the past. Too concentrated. I feel I may try it again.

How a chef can use different kinds of salt and get it right is a riddle to me. It’s like going back and forth between a heavy tennis racket and a light one in a match without the compulsory warm up practices….answer YOU DON’T DO IT! unless you practice it. It’s funny you watch all these to chef types packing their blades into battle when in reality what they should be packing is their spice racks and seasoning kits.

Again, Ripert offers insight in his blog. when he says…

” Using French sea salt is an old habit with me”

Basically I am thinking learn to season predictable and precise using one type of salt and same goes for the pepper and spices or you will never become consistent and precise in the kitchen. How can you? Unless you taste and adjust and taste and adjust on and on and on….which I find ok in soup but in fish? or steak? you just can not do that.
Ripert is clear on that point when he suggests you need to season fish/other from the git go, right through the cooking proces in order to draw out the flavor.
Seasoning at the table so to speak is only to adjust/correct the flavor after the fact.

]]> By: Frances http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38306 Frances Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38306 Cuisinart BRK-200 Brick Oven Deluxe, Stainless Steel: ~$200.00 Seeing Top Chef Stephanie Izard hover over Eric Ripert while he fillets her fish: Priceless Cuisinart BRK-200 Brick Oven Deluxe, Stainless Steel: ~$200.00

Seeing Top Chef Stephanie Izard hover over Eric Ripert while he fillets her fish: Priceless

]]> By: Frances http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38307 Frances Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38307 Oops. "Fillet" is what you do to bar steel. I need to step away from the 3d workstation. :) Oops. “Fillet” is what you do to bar steel. I need to step away from the 3d workstation. :)

]]> By: jen http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38308 jen Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38308 i just checked the site and there is a new post up, a little ode to the virtues of salt and pepper - i love the back to basics theme from my favorite French chef! i just checked the site and there is a new post up, a little ode to the virtues of salt and pepper – i love the back to basics theme from my favorite French chef!

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38309 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38309 Jen, thanks for the heads up on seasoning from Ripert's blog. Seasoning is KEY to a great meal. Salt draws out flavor and pepper adds heat. Riperts insight blows up a lot of urban legends and home cook puzzles....again. Chef Ripert's seasoning insight is very helpful. Perhaps if I seasoned or reseasoned the birds after brining and let them rest for an hour as someone suggested on the www...I wouldn't be struggling to get them roasted so much. This is good...It answers a lot of questions I have. Big day today I am beaten and bruised from it. Tomorrow I will visit avec eric again and try to think about his ideas on seasoning but I am sticking to kosher salts for now. Sea salt doesn't seem to agree with me... to be revisited in the future. Jen, thanks for the heads up on seasoning from Ripert’s blog. Seasoning is KEY to a great meal. Salt draws out flavor and pepper adds heat. Riperts insight blows up a lot of urban legends and home cook puzzles….again.
Chef Ripert’s seasoning insight is very helpful. Perhaps if I seasoned or reseasoned the birds after brining and let them rest for an hour as someone suggested on the http://www…I wouldn’t be struggling to get them roasted so much. This is good…It answers a lot of questions I have. Big day today I am beaten and bruised from it. Tomorrow I will visit avec eric again and try to think about his ideas on seasoning but I am sticking to kosher salts for now. Sea salt doesn’t seem to agree with me… to be revisited in the future.

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38305 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38305 From the Product Description "Product Features:Capacity of 0.90 cu. ft. 1700 watts of power and 500 degrees F Brick inserts permanently built into the sides of the oven PLUS a removable baking stone to intensify brick oven cooking Industrial style stainless steel housing Bake, broil, and toast 2 racks for multi-level cooking Tinted glass oven doorNonstick coating covers the interior where there are no bricks, to make cleaning easy and quick Includes: Baking tray, Broiling pan, and Instruction/Recipe booklet Limited 3-year warranty " Exerpt from product description is a nice read. If you read the whole description this is a nice unit. AT 1700 WATTS 500 degrees I think you are pushing 5 amps through your 15amp wall outlet. Still a lot of current to push through any wall outlet for an extended period of time. This is where they lined the walls with stone which is a nice feature for it retains heat during extended cooking and doesn't cycle that much. So I think they did a nice job with this unit when you think about it. That poster that is thinking this oven will work out better over the summer... hmmm... heated brick takes a looong time to cool all that heat into your apartment. This particular oven Ripert is using should remain hot on the counter for a long time. From the Product Description
“Product Features:Capacity of 0.90 cu. ft. 1700 watts of power and 500 degrees F Brick inserts permanently built into the sides of the oven PLUS a removable baking stone to intensify brick oven cooking Industrial style stainless steel housing Bake, broil, and toast 2 racks for multi-level cooking Tinted glass oven doorNonstick coating covers the interior where there are no bricks, to make cleaning easy and quick Includes: Baking tray, Broiling pan, and Instruction/Recipe booklet Limited 3-year warranty ”

Exerpt from product description is a nice read. If you read the whole description this is a nice unit. AT 1700 WATTS 500 degrees I think you are pushing 5 amps through your 15amp wall outlet. Still a lot of current to push through any wall outlet for an extended period of time. This is where they lined the walls with stone which is a nice feature for it retains heat during extended cooking and doesn’t cycle that much. So I think they did a nice job with this unit when you think about it.
That poster that is thinking this oven will work out better over the summer… hmmm… heated brick takes a looong time to cool all that heat into your apartment. This particular oven Ripert is using should remain hot on the counter for a long time.

]]> By: luis http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38304 luis Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38304 Terrence , sure you are probably correct. The unit is nice and the price is very affordable. A while back I put a great old pizza stone inside my oven and voila! fantastic results. The moderating result on temperature and the heat retention the pizza stone provides is amazing. Yesterday I put sweet plantains on a pizza pan over the stone until they caramelized then I placed a fresh, never frozen catfish filet next to the plantains and back in the oven again. I think the oven baked catfish with caramelized plantains and a dash of lemon was SPECTACULAR. My oven runs off a 250 VAC outlet. This means I can heat the oven pretty well in a shorter amount of time than the toaster oven can. I am pretty sure the cuisinart unit powers off the std 115 vac wall outlet. So lots more current is needed to achieve the same result. It's all about current going through a heating element loop. More voltage,less current higher heating power capacity. One thing the cuisinart model has, is a fan to recirculate the hot air. This is important if you are cooking for a long time like ribs or turkey etc. I have to offset the lack of circulation in my oven by moving the dish around the oven for evenness. I even flip the proteins as in the galantine to insure the skin is evenly done all the way around cause I like placing the proteins over veggies for roasting. Terrence , sure you are probably correct. The unit is nice and the price is very affordable. A while back I put a great old pizza stone inside my oven and voila! fantastic results. The moderating result on temperature and the heat retention the pizza stone provides is amazing. Yesterday I put sweet plantains on a pizza pan over the stone until they caramelized then I placed a fresh, never frozen catfish filet next to the plantains and back in the oven again. I think the oven baked catfish with caramelized plantains and a dash of lemon was SPECTACULAR. My oven runs off a 250 VAC outlet. This means I can heat the oven pretty well in a shorter amount of time than the toaster oven can. I am pretty sure the cuisinart unit powers off the std 115 vac wall outlet. So lots more current is needed to achieve the same result. It’s all about current going through a heating element loop. More voltage,less current higher heating power capacity.
One thing the cuisinart model has, is a fan to recirculate the hot air. This is important if you are cooking for a long time like ribs or turkey etc. I have to offset the lack of circulation in my oven by moving the dish around the oven for evenness. I even flip the proteins as in the galantine to insure the skin is evenly done all the way around cause I like placing the proteins over veggies for roasting.

]]> By: Messy http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38303 Messy Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38303 I now covet a toaster oven, but I have to make a choice to accommodate it in our pitifully sized kitchen. Do I get rid of the monster heavy duty Gaggia espresso maker, or the seldom used, but effective and cool PastaMatic? Enquiring minds and all that. Frankly, the stovetop espresso maker works nicely... I now covet a toaster oven, but I have to make a choice to accommodate it in our pitifully sized kitchen. Do I get rid of the monster heavy duty Gaggia espresso maker, or the seldom used, but effective and cool PastaMatic?

Enquiring minds and all that. Frankly, the stovetop espresso maker works nicely…

]]> By: Flaime http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38301 Flaime Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38301 America's Test Kitchen just did a test of toaster ovens. An amazingly large number of them couldn't make good toast... Anyway, they said that the average cook is better off with their oven and toaster than a toaster oven due to inconsistent heat and heat control. America’s Test Kitchen just did a test of toaster ovens. An amazingly large number of them couldn’t make good toast…
Anyway, they said that the average cook is better off with their oven and toaster than a toaster oven due to inconsistent heat and heat control.

]]> By: Oleskoo http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38302 Oleskoo Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38302 I like toaster ovens. I like Eric Ripert. But come on -- let's not apologize for his shilling for Cuisinart! The series is called "Get Toasted." The recipe for snapper is not exactly stretching Mr. Ripert's skill (season, broil, eat). I can buy the oven from strategically placed "Buy Now" link -- and I just might (nice oven). Dr. Ruhlman, the way you dance around the shill-factor in your blog is quite telling. Now, off to zee market for zee feeeshe for zee toaster. I like toaster ovens. I like Eric Ripert.

But come on — let’s not apologize for his shilling for Cuisinart! The series is called “Get Toasted.” The recipe for snapper is not exactly stretching Mr. Ripert’s skill (season, broil, eat). I can buy the oven from strategically placed “Buy Now” link — and I just might (nice oven).

Dr. Ruhlman, the way you dance around the shill-factor in your blog is quite telling.

Now, off to zee market for zee feeeshe for zee toaster.

]]> By: sarah http://blog.ruhlman.com/2008/06/post.html/comment-page-1#comment-38300 sarah Tue, 30 Nov 1999 06:00:00 +0000 http://ruhlman.com/newblog/2008/06/post.html#comment-38300 Before my son was born, most of my life in the city was spent cooking for myself in a small non air conditioned apartment. I consider myself a decent cook and I ate at a couple meals a week that were made in my trusty toaster oven. Love Eric for doing this! Super cool! Before my son was born, most of my life in the city was spent cooking for myself in a small non air conditioned apartment. I consider myself a decent cook and I ate at a couple meals a week that were made in my trusty toaster oven. Love Eric for doing this! Super cool!

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