Quote from: alfisti on February 20, 2011, 05:39:22 AM
Very nice!  
If there's any problem with it LC treats it no different than if it was a first.  They will take care of it no questions asked.
What size is that one?  Marshalls by me gets them in from time to time and I want one bad!  Mom got me a 7qt LC knockoff for xmas (Food Network brand made in China) that I havent opened yet.
Am I being snobby not wanting to keep the cheaper one in lieu of a genuine LC piece?  

It is the 5.5qt. #26.   I think the size is great for what I would use it for, with some extra room.  

Yea, its being snobby... but that is the same reason I got mine.  It was sitting right next to a Martha Stewart DO of the same size for $50.  How do you justify something like that?  Cooking makes me happy, and using fancy knives, a nice pot or pan adds to the fun for me.  Treat it well and it will last.  In ten years when I still have the LC that extra $100 will mean absolutely nothing.  

I have a blue one like that....

Quote from: alfisti on February 20, 2011, 05:39:22 AM

What size is that one?  Marshalls by me gets them in from time to time and I want one bad!  Mom got me a 7qt LC knockoff for xmas (Food Network brand made in China) that I havent opened yet.

Am I being snobby not wanting to keep the cheaper one in lieu of a genuine LC piece?  

Depends on which knockoff one it is.  Cooks Illustrated gave the Tramontina dutch ovens very high ratings, and they are much less expensive than LC.  I have the 7 qt one in red and love it, but a few years ago I foolishly lent it to a friend with explicit instructions on proper care.  Got it back and the enameling on the inside of the pot was a bit make the beast with two backsed up.  Words of advice in case you don't already know...  No metal utensils, no abrasive sponges, when using on the stovetop you don't need to have the burner as high as you would with a metal pan.  Oh, and don't lend it to anyone.

A client gave me a copper saute pan.  The interior is f-ed and needs to be relined.  Anyone know of a place that will restore this poor pan?

The gf and I went to Thomas Keller's ad hoc in Yountville on Saturday night.  Somehow we managed to be seated in about two minutes.  Easily the best meal I've ever had.  Also easily the most expensive meal I've ever had, but it was worth every cent. 

Quote from: sugarcrook on February 20, 2011, 08:36:10 PM
The gf and I went to Thomas Keller's ad hoc in Yountville on Saturday night.  Somehow we managed to be seated in about two minutes.  Easily the best meal I've ever had.  Also easily the most expensive meal I've ever had, but it was worth every cent. 

I have no idea what country, let alone which state/province/county/parish Yountville is in.

Could you please elucidate? It sounds as tho your meal was lovely.

Yountville is in California's wine country.  Keller is famous for ad hoc as well as Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery and French Laundry.  The last is probably the most famous. 

Quote from: sugarcrook on February 20, 2011, 08:36:10 PM
The gf and I went to Thomas Keller's ad hoc in Yountville on Saturday night.  Somehow we managed to be seated in about two minutes.  Easily the best meal I've ever had.  Also easily the most expensive meal I've ever had, but it was worth every cent. 

So what was the meal?  I know it changes every day. 

Quote from: Vindingo on February 19, 2011, 06:48:17 PM
I also took out a cook book in the library "One Pot Meals" and I am excited to cook a bunch...

I have that book, but have never cooked out of it. Let us know what you recipe you cooked and how it was. So many cookbook recipes aren't worth a shit, it'd be nice to have a guinea pig for once.

Quote from: Vindingo on February 21, 2011, 02:00:40 PM
So what was the meal?  I know it changes every day.  

+1. You can't just casually toss out Thomas Keller's name and then just walk away. Applebee's is literally the nicest restaurant in my town, please let me live vicariously thru you.

For those of you along Colorado's Front Range, this Saturday (Feb 26) marks the start of DENVER RESTAURANT WEEK!  Like last year, the 'Week' is 14 days.

$52.80 prix fixe for two people ($26.40 for one) for a 3-course meal.

DenverPost Article:
http://www.denverpost.com/food/ci_17121172
Talk about a stay-cation: Denver Restaurant Week hits the city Feb. 26-March 11. More than 200 restaurants will offer fixed-price menus for $52.80 a couple. Could be your best chance all year to try that restaurant you've been meaning to visit but haven't gotten to yet.

Just a few of this year's participating restaurants: Argyll Gastropub, Cantina Laredo, Elway's (both locations), Jewel of India, Lohi Steak Bar, Opus, Saigon Landing, TAG, Wyland's Ocean Blue.

See a complete list of who's serving and what they're serving:
www.denver.org/denverrestaurant â€" search by cuisine, neighborhood or restaurant name.
But act soon. Start making reservations now, because tables fill up fast.

Alternative site (if the other one is blocked at work or something):
www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=126&m=5
*Note that not all Restaurant Week establishments participate with OpenTable.

EAT UP!   

Quote from: Timmy Tucker on February 21, 2011, 02:24:32 PM
I have that book, but have never cooked out of it. Let us know what you recipe you cooked and how it was. So many cookbook recipes aren't worth a shit, it'd be nice to have a guinea pig for once.

If that is the one pot meal book from williams sonoma...i like those recipes a lot
also have the weekday meals and seafood from that series.

simple enough recipes to not take all day, and very tasty.

Quote from: Vindingo on February 21, 2011, 02:00:40 PM
So what was the meal?  I know it changes every day. 

Fair question.  Here it is from the menu I stole:

Frisee & Watercress Salad
Bellweather Farm's whole milk ricotta fritters, smoked duck, english peas, mandarin segments

Grilled Veal Porterhouse
Rancho Gordo stallard beans, roasted chilis, red onion, fried hen egg, braised romaine, oven dried tomato vinaigrette

Stracci Pasta with Rabbit Ragu
hand torn egg noodles, wild mushrooms, fava leaves

Cheese course:
Carmody cheese, toasted mixed nuts, Marshall's Farm wildflower honey

Dessert:
Lemon bars with Italian meringue (this is in the ad hoc cookbook)

Since crawfish are (tantalizingly close to, but) not yet in season and I wanted something cajun, I tried a shrimp etouffee tonight.  I worked off these two recipes:

Emeril's shrimp etouffee

This person's shrimp stock recipe.

I guess a lot of Emeril's stuff tastes the same - there is a fish stew recipe of his we adapted that this recipe bears a familial resemblance.  Then again, if you start with roux, add onions, celery, and green bell pepper, you are just spinning off variations on a theme.  I happen to like that theme, so I was pretty happy with the outcome.  Bon temps rouler-ed in my belly.

I confess I rely a lot on bullion and quarts of stock, at which a lot of people will scoff.  Having done this shrimp stock, which was dead simple, that just simmered away while I did all the prep work, I will probably be going this direction more often.  If nothing else, it makes your kitchen smell good, and it is kind of nice to look at too. I can't say definitively, but I think it was better than if I used chicken or off-the-shelf seafood stock. 

"The Filet"