Official food thread v. Jingle.star

[King Postwhore]

If you saw his sarcastic face you'd want to kill him.  I could barely keep my food in my mouth.  I was laughing so hard.

[Stadler]

Exactly. Do an image search of French Laundry food and check out their stuff. Straight up works of art.

The French Laundry is still on my bucket list of places to visit. My wife and I had reservations but had to cancel (and cancel the vacation along with it) because of covid.

Heartbreaking.

I heard from a podcast of this Youtube/Twitch Streamer of how he spent $400.00 dining at this 3-star Michelin Restaurant in Chicago called Alinea and, to him, this was legit the best meal he has ever had and that it wasn't just the quality of food that was worth the price, but how the waiters presented where it's like a show or art that makes the dining experience as well.

Alinea, and it's chef Grant Achatz, is what the next generation of chefs will model their highest talent after. What he does with food is borderline impossible. Not just that, but what he's been through in his career makes him one of the most intriguing people in the culinary world. He went through a severe bout with mouth cancer where they gave him a 50% chance of living, and even then it would be without his tongue or half his jaw. He lost his ability to taste for a time, and still ran a 3 star michelin restaurant WITHOUT HIS FUCKING SENSE OF TASTE. That's Beethoven level shit. There's a great documentary on him on Netflix that I'd suggest to everyone...It's on season 2 of Chef's Table

Here's a sample of Alinea, the final course of a twenty course dinner... https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg

He was a guest judge on I think it was Master Chef with Gordon Ramsey, and you're spot on, the guy is legit impressive.   He made this dish that is best described as a culinary Rube GOldberg device, with a globe of I think it was chocolate exploding and releasing it's contents on the plates below.   Amazing, and the Master Chef contestants just had this look on their faces like "this is SO out of my league". 

I'd pay for that.

[TAC]

Exactly. Do an image search of French Laundry food and check out their stuff. Straight up works of art.

Done.






Lonestar, brother, friend, I love you man but..


WTF do I do with this?

[Stadler]

Meatloaf is like a hamburger cake, which on the surface doesn't sound that bad, but with fillers and extenders it just makes it gross.

Surprising, I'm sure, no one, I love meatloaf.   It's not grand cuisine, but what's better than a hamburger cake???

See, that's where I'm at; I can appreciate good food (two of the top three meals I've ever had were at Emeril's Delmonico's and K-Paul's, both in New Orleans) but I also enjoy going to Bob's Clam Hut up in Kittery and eating fried stuffs out of a paper box.   I think it depends if you just look at food as "food" or also as a potential part of a larger sensory experience.

[cramx3]

I think it depends if you just look at food as "food" or also as a potential part of a larger sensory experience.

Or even as art which those pics TAC posted kind of feel like.  It might (and likely) tastes good too.  But those types of meals (basing entirely on the pictures) are not about stuffing your face.  A lot of it is about the experience sensory from looks, touch, smell and taste. 

[TAC]

Meatloaf is like a hamburger cake, which on the surface doesn't sound that bad, but with fillers and extenders it just makes it gross.

Surprising, I'm sure, no one, I love meatloaf.   It's not grand cuisine, but what's better than a hamburger cake???

Speaking of hamburger cake, I have a story.

When my stepson was young, before my kids were born, we found out there was a restaurant in Salem that served a one pound hamburger. It was a ride, but my wife figured it would be fun for all of us to do. So when we finally find the place, it was kind of a deli style place,  I ordered the one pounder. We were just going to split it.

So anyway, when they served it, it was a four fucking quarter pounders stacked on top of each other. WTF? I wanted my giant hamburger.

[lonestar]

Exactly. Do an image search of French Laundry food and check out their stuff. Straight up works of art.

Done.






Lonestar, brother, friend, I love you man but..


WTF do I do with this?

Those are two of twelve courses... The bottom one is a staple oysters and pearls. His theory is that the palate gets satiated and even overloaded and can't really fully enjoy the wide variety of flavors after a few bites, so the plates are limited to just two or three bites to keep things fresh and alive. You're thinking in caveman like 48 ounce porterhouse dining, that more is better, and you couldn't be further from the truth. This isn't just a dinner, this is one of the highest masters of the craft taking you on a soaring culinary journey pretty much unparalleled in the world.

The top dish I haven't seen, but it looks like a salmon, with a half egg with aspic where the yolk should be. Insane fucking technique involved, and the plating is so fucking perfect that comparatively I'm a cafeteria cook in a middle school

[TAC]

I think it's so expensive because they have to hire two dishwashers for every guest.

Alright, I'm done. I'm just bustin'.


I'm sure it's quite an experience.

[lonestar]

Ironically enough, the pay there is shit for the cooks. You work to have French Laundry on your resume.

[Stadler]

Alinea, and it's chef Grant Achatz, is what the next generation of chefs will model their highest talent after. What he does with food is borderline impossible. Not just that, but what he's been through in his career makes him one of the most intriguing people in the culinary world. He went through a severe bout with mouth cancer where they gave him a 50% chance of living, and even then it would be without his tongue or half his jaw. He lost his ability to taste for a time, and still ran a 3 star michelin restaurant WITHOUT HIS FUCKING SENSE OF TASTE. That's Beethoven level shit. There's a great documentary on him on Netflix that I'd suggest to everyone...It's on season 2 of Chef's Table

Here's a sample of Alinea, the final course of a twenty course dinner... https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg

"I'm sorry... I ordered the STRAWBERRY." 

[lonestar]

Alinea, and it's chef Grant Achatz, is what the next generation of chefs will model their highest talent after. What he does with food is borderline impossible. Not just that, but what he's been through in his career makes him one of the most intriguing people in the culinary world. He went through a severe bout with mouth cancer where they gave him a 50% chance of living, and even then it would be without his tongue or half his jaw. He lost his ability to taste for a time, and still ran a 3 star michelin restaurant WITHOUT HIS FUCKING SENSE OF TASTE. That's Beethoven level shit. There's a great documentary on him on Netflix that I'd suggest to everyone...It's on season 2 of Chef's Table

Here's a sample of Alinea, the final course of a twenty course dinner... https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg

"I'm sorry... I ordered the STRAWBERRY." 

Most places at this level, you never even see a menu. You don't order. You just buckle in and enjoy the ride.

[Stadler]

Alinea, and it's chef Grant Achatz, is what the next generation of chefs will model their highest talent after. What he does with food is borderline impossible. Not just that, but what he's been through in his career makes him one of the most intriguing people in the culinary world. He went through a severe bout with mouth cancer where they gave him a 50% chance of living, and even then it would be without his tongue or half his jaw. He lost his ability to taste for a time, and still ran a 3 star michelin restaurant WITHOUT HIS FUCKING SENSE OF TASTE. That's Beethoven level shit. There's a great documentary on him on Netflix that I'd suggest to everyone...It's on season 2 of Chef's Table

Here's a sample of Alinea, the final course of a twenty course dinner... https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg

"I'm sorry... I ordered the STRAWBERRY." 

Most places at this level, you never even see a menu. You don't order. You just buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Yeah, and I personally love that.   I'll even do that at restaurants that have menus.   You have to be careful with this, since there is a level of trust (that I don't get the salmon just because it's about to expire) but I will often ask either the server or the chef to just make something "with beef" or "from the pasta selections".  I remember I did that at a restaurant in Vegas (I have no idea which one it was other than it was Italian); I couldn't decide and so I said to the bartender (I was sitting at the bar) "ask the chef which of these he'd want me to eat" and I pointed to one section.  Now, I know that the guy cooking probably didn't hand-develop the menu and all, but as I was finishing my meal he actually came out and asked how it was.  I think he was kind of thrilled that some one actually gave a shit what he thought.  (It was DELICIOUS, by the way).

Lonestar, do you like if or when people ask you to just make something?  I know you run the risk that they not like the meal not because you didn't cook it right but because "they don't like artichokes" or something, but I already know I won't do that.

[cramx3]

I feel like if you are going to ask something like that you can't be like TAC and not like onions for example

[TAC]

I feel like if you are going to ask something like that you can't be like TAC

Who'd want that?


There, I saved everyone the trouble.

[lonestar]

 


@stads...i always love that, though it's usually regulars so they're more open to experiment. My special thrill is getting forward notice on a special diet (vegan, gf, etc and being able to plan something exquisite, usually they get shut out to very limited options. Being able to really wow them is always a good feather in my cap.

[TAC]

My fucking mother would still find something to complain about.

[El Barto]

Meatloaf is like a hamburger cake, which on the surface doesn't sound that bad, but with fillers and extenders it just makes it gross.

Surprising, I'm sure, no one, I love meatloaf.   It's not grand cuisine, but what's better than a hamburger cake???

See, that's where I'm at; I can appreciate good food (two of the top three meals I've ever had were at Emeril's Delmonico's and K-Paul's, both in New Orleans) but I also enjoy going to Bob's Clam Hut up in Kittery and eating fried stuffs out of a paper box.  I think it depends if you just look at food as "food" or also as a potential part of a larger sensory experience.

Scallops and clams two ways for the win. Truth be told, it's a glorified Long John Silvers with exorbitant prices, and their slaw was terrible, but still a damn fine meal. 

[lonestar]

Another item on my bucket list is to eat proper creole in New Orleans, it's always been my favorite cuisine to cook and eat.

Fried clams and scallops are an integral part of my own family culture, having my father's roots deep in Boston. Proper fried clams are sooooo fucking good.



And meatloaf is always acceptable cuisine, I make it at least once a month. My top recipe, when I have time, has beef, veal and pork, and I'll use sourdough soaked in milk as a binder. Then wrap the whole fucking thing in bacon.

[TAC]

Then wrap the whole fucking thing in bacon.

So when I was a kid and my parents made meatloaf, they used to put strips of bacon across the top. My father told me if I wanted to eat the bacon, I had to eat the meatloaf underneath it..

Pass me the ketchup..the whole bottle!

[cramx3]

RJ, if you have that meatloaf recipe handy please share!  I've been meaning to make a meatloaf as I have a pound of ground beef/pork frozen meant to make a meatloaf with, but haven't gotten around to. 

[King Postwhore]

Fill half the loaf pan with the meat mixture  then use Hoffman sharp cheddar, ham slices and more Hoffman.   Then top with other half of meat mixture.

[TAC]

Meat mixture



Just give me the ham and cheese. Hoffman's cheddar is 

[King Postwhore]

I use panko these days though there is a no sodium bread crumb version that I add my own seasonings. 

[cramx3]

Meat mixture

 

[King Postwhore]

Meat mixture



Just give me the ham and cheese. Hoffman's cheddar is 

Dude, so many different variations. Unlike your music choices.

[TAC]

What are you taking about? I like hard rock AND heavy metal. Don't try and paint me into a corner. 

[King Postwhore]

Ok Baby.  (You should get the reference)

Making meatloaf is fun. So many different variations. 

[TAC]

Ok Baby.  (You should get the reference)

I should?

[TAC]

Making meatloaf is fun.

[King Postwhore]

Ok Baby.  (You should get the reference)

I should?

Don't paint baby in a corner. lol

Making meatloaf is fun.

No imagination you Steak-ums lover. Lol

[TAC]

Steak-ums are awesome..BABY!!

[Cool Chris]

This thread has been a fascinating read today. I appreciate people have different passions, as Chino said (Is "Gun guys might rent time on a gatling gun" really a thing?!). That meal lonestar describes sounds like such a bore to me. I just want to satiate my hunger and get on with my day. The greatest culinary landmark of my lifetime is whoever at Taco Bell decided to put Fritos in a burrito.

His theory is that the palate gets satiated and even overloaded and can't really fully enjoy the wide variety of flavors after a few bites....

That's how I like to eat. Carpet bomb the palate and get out before the enemy knows what hit them.

How do feel about that Amuse-bouche, Chandler? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLTV7Cvnx2c

[lonestar]

RJ, if you have that meatloaf recipe handy please share!  I've been meaning to make a meatloaf as I have a pound of ground beef/pork frozen meant to make a meatloaf with, but haven't gotten around to.

Basic process would be...

1lb beef
1b pork
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
1/2 bunch thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
4 slices sourdough, dried
1 cup milk
2 eggs
salt and pepper

Saute the veggies in oil until lucent, and season liberally. Let cool but do not strain out the juices. Break up the bread into rough crumbles and soak in the milk thoroughly. Put meat in a bowl. Add the eggs and veggies. Squeeze out the milk from the bread and add bread to the meat mix, toss the milk. Mix thoroughly, it shouldn't be too wet, if it is, add some breadcrumbs but these proportions should be right. Season the mix with salt and pepper, probably 1 tsp each. Form the loaf onto a sheet pan or baking pan with edges high enough to prevent spillage. If you want to go the bacon wrap route, just layer strips of bacon over it and tuck them under so they don't pull up as they cook. Bake at 350 till the internal temp is above 145ish...about 45min to 1.5 hours pending on how thick you make your loaf. You can do some sort of ketchup glaze towards the end  to add flavor, my personal go to is a mix of ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and stone ground mustard, but any balance of acid and sweet works well. If you want to work some veal or lamb in there, it really adds killer flavor, just jack up the egg, bread, and veg to balance out.

This is just off the top of my head, but it's right around what I usually do. Any questions message me whenever bud.

This thread has been a fascinating read today. I appreciate people have different passions, as Chino said (Is "Gun guys might rent time on a gatling gun" really a thing?!). That meal lonestar describes sounds like such a bore to me. I just want to satiate my hunger and get on with my day. The greatest culinary landmark of my lifetime is whoever at Taco Bell decided to put Fritos in a burrito.

Sigh....

[Cool Chris]

 

I am being a bit cheeky. Honestly I am a bit jealous, as I really have no passions like you do with food, or Chino has for his RC gear (I think it is Chino), or cramx3 has for concerts, or Stadler has for comma usage.

[lonestar]

I am being a bit cheeky. Honestly I am a bit jealous, as I really have no passions like you do with food, or Chino has for his RC gear (I think it is Chino), or cramx3 has for concerts, or Stadler has for comma usage.