What else can one do with a primitive art degree? And cooking, one might say, is a primitive art!
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I think that Maillard is a bit overhyped. Does anyone need MORE umami with a steak or roast? Think not. However, there are lots of ingredients that have umami flavors - tomato paste, parmesan, anchovies, etc - that you can use if your dish is low on umami. But when cooking meat, I don’t feel the need to add more umami flavor.
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I have always believed that people will pay for good content and should pay for it. In the food world, it is rather odd that folks will pay for a cookbook or a food magazine but they are less likely to pay for recipes online. I would find something that you love to do and stick with and be the best at it and don’t worry about the payment method. It is your passion that will make it work.
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All Clad is very good. I used to recommend Tramontina although I bought a set for my hunting cabin and they are a far cry from All Clad. :Personally, I would use carbon steel or cast iron for a skillet and cast iron for a Dutch oven and then a cheap stock pot ($25). Then all you need is a decent saucepan.
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Martha Stewart has had great success with her new TV show where she teams up with Snoop Dogg - so have you ever thought about doing rap songs about food and cooking?
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My favorite place to eat around Milk Street is AT 177 Milk Street. I always make the mistake of going out to get a sandwich and then find 5 great dishes sitting in the kitchen when I get back. There is a GREAT little coffee shop near the Hilton (near Custom House Street) that I go to every AM. Lovely people run it - large coffee is $1.50.
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Rabbit by far. Braise the legs and cook the small loins very quickly.
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Did not do pigs last year but maybe again this year. The bacon is fabulous - more meaty and richly flavored. And there is more fat on the meat and more flavor for all cuts. And the hams are terrific as well. Yes, major difference.
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Do you think that the water really affects food, specifically bagels/pizza in NYC?
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It’s not a question of next favorite. I could land just about anywhere and find 20 new ideas that I love. What I like best is simplicity married to big bold flavors. That is how most of the world cooks. We just went to Peru and Mexico. I would love to do Burma, Iran, and more north Africa for starters and Goa of course!
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We tested the water in NYC once and it made NO difference in the bagels. But, if you have lousy water, you can taste the difference if you use the good stuff, even in a loaf of bread.
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Can you clarify what is ‘good’ water? Like clean, neutral tasting one?
What are your favorite spices?
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It depends. I think that Rachael Ray has done a very good job with her products. I like many of them. Some others have done just what you suggest - license their name without much thought to the products. Those deals usually do not do very well.
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I bought spices in Morocco a few years ago and they were totally different that anything I had ever tasted. I would search for spices grown in very dry areas. Just take a whiff and you should smell the difference immediately.
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Now it makes sense that you brought Naomi Duglid, etc to do a segment on Milk Street!
Those are all places with great flavors btw!
What do you wear when you are just walking around shopping or hanging out? Is it still the bowtie?
The field is certainly more vertical - you can find a blog for every interest - but the big food brands are still doing well. It is like anything else, if you provide real value, you will find customers. But it is harder to break through all the noise these days. Very few cooks make it to the top level of the food world compared to when I got started. It’s hard.
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Jeans, white button down, long-sleeve shirt, sneakers or leather boots. In Vermont, it’s a workshirt and boots. Bowtie five days a week and a suit.
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