ArlingtonEric's Profile

Anyone looking for Japanese-style knives could do a lot worse than JapaneseChefsKnife.com. My lovely and thoughtful wife got me a 240mm Damascus-style gyuto for around $200 -- a screaming bargain for these sharp-as-the-dickens beauties.

I was *so excited* the first time I had one in a sandwich in Newport, R.I. -- I had heard about the wonders of soft-shell crabs for years from native East Coasters and looked forward to the first bite with an anticipation bordering on religious ecstasy. Then I bit down.

Blarg.

This? This was the object of breathless devotion from Portland to the Potomac? I just didn't see the point -- the ratio of fried bits and hard bits to actual meat was way skewed. I've tried them since and confirmed they are not for me. Maybe if you grew up with them, they'd "taste like summer" or something (this Midwestern boy prefers corn, thankyouverymuch), but I don't see the appeal.

(Now the lobster roll I had on that same trip is another story ... )

Another "Boo!" vote for the Amana ad. The click parameters are way, way off.

We have a beautiful marble-topped wheeled kitchen island (which conveniently doubles the amount of countertop workspace in our small kitchen) that has slots for seven knives on one side. Super-convenient and attractive to boot.

If you're looking to increase storage and counter space, islands are the way to go! Ours looks something like <A HREF="http://www.allkitchencarts.com/Home-Styles-88-9200-1014-HO1855.html">this</A>.

@Megan,

Maybe drop the sanctimonious tone. The fact is, the vast, vast majority of Americans eat meat, and celebrating that fact on a broad-based food blog is a perfectly reasonable endeavor.

Militant vegetarians -- militant ANYTHING, actually -- drive me crazy. Announcing your intention to "check back in April" smacks of martyrdom -- "No, wait .. don't go ... "

I apologize for the ad hominem attack, but this is day 10 of Meat Month, and nearly every post that centers on meat is followed by some self-righteous protest about the brutality. We get it -- you don't eat meat. Guess what? We do, and reading about and learning about different cuts and techniques is great.

Marinade steaks in soy sauce, picked garlic and a bit of honey overnight -- i use a zip-top bag so i can remove all the air. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator a half hour or so before you want to start cooking so they can get to room temperature. Remove from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 425 or so.

Get a pan (not non-stick) blazing hot, add canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan; it should begin to shimmer and smoke almost immediately. Put the steaks in the pan, cover with a splatter screen, and leave 'em alone for two minutes. Flip them over and immediately toss the pan in the oven. About four minutes later (depending on the thickness of the steak), remove from the oven (remember tat handles are hot!) and pull the steaks to rest (cover them with foil).

Meanwhile, deglaze the pan with a bit of chicken stock and red wine; stir in a bit of butter. I like to put the steaks (and the attendant juices) back into the pan to warm.

Enjoy!

My fiancee has one of these, and it is incredibly useful. We have a small kitchen with pretty bad counter space otherwise, but the island gets a TON of use for prep and storage. We'd be lost without it. The good ones will last forever, too, so the investment is worth it.

Art -- that's really only for water. You could get yourself in trouble if you use that mnemonic (I always heard Alton Brown saying, "A pint's a pound the world <I>around</I>") for corn syrup, for example.

I also thought it would be Nikki. <I>Every time</I> I see her, I think to myself, "Who's that? Did they sneak in a new player while I wasn't looking?" She is utterly forgettable.

I'm also glad the players weren't sniping at each other as much this week. I know Bravo has a formula, but I'm there to watch the food.

Now, if they'll only get rid of Nikki and Lisa ...

Count me out. The Grand Army Plaza farmers' market is right up the road, and at Fairway (or Associated, right around the corner) I can get in and out in under two hours on a weeknight. Sorry, I just don't have the time, regardless of how I feel about the the store.