hot hot hot

[woodstock]

My father is a chef, I grew up in his kitchen. Worked there for years to make extra money, from when I was 9 (scooping butter, peanut butter, filling up 200 pans with popover batter) through college ("special events" sous chef a few times, my brother hasn't even hit that level yet ). I have some great stories about 50 gallons of gumbo destroyed when a fire alarm went off accidentally and making 200 gallons of hollendaise for a special event. Or, even better, baking 1200 pies for my dad's yearly Thanksgiving pie drive. Holy **** I can bake pies in my sleep, ask me how I know...

I'd gladly cook for for you Elizabeth, it's 100x more fun than work!

Cheers,

-Andrew

deal!

how long did it take to make 1200 pies? are we talking industrial ovens and whatnot here?

I wish I knew how to cook. (or rather was organized enough to be able to do it - I think a lot of it is organization, too - I'm talking just knowing what to BUY let alone how to fix it.) with recipes, I'm ok - but without it I end up eating salad in a bag a lot.

there is a new place that just opened here called "Let's Dish". they have a monthly menu, you set up the time slot you want, pick 6 or 12 items (which are 4 servings each, or a total of 24 or 48 servings) and show up with your baggies and coolers. you spend your time slot with a bunch of others in their industrial kitchen doing all the sous chef work and presumably they provide EVERYTHING you may need for a dish, including spices. when done, you baggy it all up and off you go. 12 menu items - 200 bucks. they do the clean up. sounds fun actually.

 

[wsuffa]

Let's Dish sounds interesting.

There is a B&B down here that does a weekend cooking school for folks. Some of the people in the eating & drinking club I belong to went for the weekend. Fun.

I can also recommend the Food Channel. Alton Brown is a hoot!

 

[Anthony]

I'm not sure if I've asked this before... but what is a good place to get GOOD food in Philly? Not highbrow, but just local chow that moves best with a Yuengling?

In the city or burbs? Adam may know some too.

 

[John J]

The temps dropped today on the Chesapeake Bay saw 87 today and a lower heat index. The weather started out with the usual 2-4 miles but now up to better then 10 miles. Stanley that grill looks really nice full of great things to enjoy. Had Crabs that I caught today full of that Magic Chesapeake Bay stuff that nobody can really understand except the natives of the Eastern Shore. We do enjoy these special shell fish 3 to 4 times a week at this time of year. Yes the heat brings such good things to the table.

John

 

[astanley]

deal!

how long did it take to make 1200 pies? are we talking industrial ovens and whatnot here?

Nope, 4 Blodget 3 rackers modified to be 6 rackers (convection ovens). Each rack holds 6 pies, so we could do 36 an oven, just over 150 a whack. About an hour of baking per run, plus set up and finish, including boxing. My dad, brother, and myself could do the whole thing in just over 20 hours. It sucked, but I learned very conveinent shortcuts that I still use occasionally today.

I wish I knew how to cook. (or rather was organized enough to be able to do it - I think a lot of it is organization, too - I'm talking just knowing what to BUY let alone how to fix it.) with recipes, I'm ok - but without it I end up eating salad in a bag a lot.

Cooking itself isn't extremely hard, it's learning what works and what doesn't. For example, I drove by a farmers market that hasn't been open in a week - vacation - and noticed they were open tonight. Their tomatos were amazing, so I grabbed some of those, a bunch of fresh cilantro, and some organic limes he got from his produce wholesaler. I had a habenero in the fridge, and some dried chipotles, and when I got home there was salsa. After a while, you work on what ingredients plus what techniques and styles equal what final dish. As my father will say - "Any idiot can be a chef - look at me!"

there is a new place that just opened here called "Let's Dish". they have a monthly menu, you set up the time slot you want, pick 6 or 12 items (which are 4 servings each, or a total of 24 or 48 servings) and show up with your baggies and coolers. you spend your time slot with a bunch of others in their industrial kitchen doing all the sous chef work and presumably they provide EVERYTHING you may need for a dish, including spices. when done, you baggy it all up and off you go. 12 menu items - 200 bucks. they do the clean up. sounds fun actually.

This is a concept that has met with success in other forms, especially on some college campuses. It's a pretty cool idea, because it lets you explore and focus on integration work (the hardest part of cooking), and arms you with "Hmm, if I had X,Y, and Z I could make..."

Elizabeth, next time I'm in your neighborhood, I'll come by and whip something up. Maybe I can even plan something a little wider in scale... but how...

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[Bill]

Maybe I can even plan something a little wider in scale... but how...

Cheers,

-Andrew

fly-in and eat an Andrews!

 

[AdamZ]

I'm not sure if I've asked this before... but what is a good place to get GOOD food in Philly? Not highbrow, but just local chow that moves best with a Yuengling?

Cheers,

-Andrew

WOW! Thats a loaded question. Philly has some fantastic places to eat. There is awesome everything, Asian, Italian, Steak, Local Grub ie cheese steaks, Even BBQ. Depends what you want and where, Center City, South Philly, Suburbs! Need more info to say.
Are you planning a trip here? If so let me know when!

 

[astanley]

WOW! Thats a loaded question. Philly has some fantastic places to eat. There is awesome everything, Asian, Italian, Steak, Local Grub ie cheese steaks, Even BBQ. Depends what you want and where, Center City, South Philly, Suburbs! Need more info to say.
Are you planning a trip here? If so let me know when!

Uh, well, it's up near PNE. We have friends down there but I'll have an afternoon to my self while Jessie and her friend go out and frollic while her friend's husband works. So I figure exploring the city is a good idea.

I'm looking for something that "is" Philly that isn't cheesesteak. For example, if someone was coming up to Boston, I'd take them to the Barking Crab, Maurizo's, or even up to Redbones. These are local places that offer something a little interesting that I've yet to find anywhere else (with Redbones, it's the decor and service, just a trip).

Any place works, as long as it's +/-30 minutes by car from the PNE area.

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[woodstock]

Elizabeth, next time I'm in your neighborhood, I'll come by and whip something up. Maybe I can even plan something a little wider in scale... but how...

Cheers,

-Andrew

sounds cool! maybe we can do an aviation GTG. (get together).

 

[woodstock]

ps. yes it did cool down a lot today. felt really good flying, and decent viz.

 

[Anthony]

Uh, well, it's up near PNE. We have friends down there but I'll have an afternoon to my self while Jessie and her friend go out and frollic while her friend's husband works. So I figure exploring the city is a good idea.

I'm looking for something that "is" Philly that isn't cheesesteak.

What do you think Adam, Chickie and Pete's? Its pretty close to PNE. If you want to go "downtown", there is a plethora of choices. Do you like Cuban? Cuba Libre is a good choice. Italian? You have to go to South Philly and check out Dante & Luigis or the South Philly Grill. Seafood? Striped Bass (but its high end).