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Don Bauder
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Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
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Boulevard
Campo
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Carlsbad
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City College
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College Area
Coronado
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Cuyamaca College
Del Cerro
Del Mar
Descanso
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Eastlake
East Village
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Emerald Hills
Encanto
Encinitas
Escondido
Fallbrook
Fletcher Hills
Golden Hill
Grant Hill
Grantville
Grossmont College
Guatay
Harbor Island
Hillcrest
Imperial Beach
Imperial Valley
Jacumba
Jamacha-Lomita
Jamul
Julian
Kearny Mesa
Kensington
La Jolla
Lakeside
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
Leucadia
Liberty Station
Lincoln Acres
Lincoln Park
Linda Vista
Little Italy
Logan Heights
Mesa College
Midway District
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Miramar
Miramar College
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Mission Hills
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Mountain View
Mount Hope
Mount Laguna
National City
Nestor
Normal Heights
North Park
Oak Park
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Old Town
Otay Mesa
Pacific Beach
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Palomar College
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Paradise Hills
Pauma Valley
Pine Valley
Point Loma
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Potrero
Poway
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Rancho Penasquitos
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See previous issues
Mary Beth Abate
Mary Beth Abate
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Votes
Grazie e arrivederci: Caffe Vergnano 1882
Yeah, the owner was a nice guy too.
— January 18, 2012 3:15 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
That’s fine. Curiosity is good. But let’s take a step back and not make any assumptions about each other, okay? If I thought you were a troll, I would have ignored your comment entirely. There’s nothing to be gained by giving professional pot-stirrers the attention they crave. Also, I didn’t say that your question is irrelevant. I’d never try to tell someone what to think. What I said was that whether I went to culinary school or not is irrelevant. It doesn’t make my opinion any more valid than the next person’s, and I’d rather that people trust their own taste buds. Far too much emphasis is put on fancy titles, celebrity chefs, reality show “endorsements” and annual award lists and not enough on whether the food tastes good and is properly cooked. You also brought up a couple of points, plastic wrap vs. plastic bags, and sous vide, to which I responded for clarification purposes. It's obvious that you’re familiar with sous vide, but other readers may not be. I admit to being somewhat sad, though, that you were taught in culinary school that cooking eggs in plastic and calling it “poaching” is perfectly fine. I believe it’s fundamentally incorrect, but again, that’s just my opinion.
— January 16, 2012 11:22 a.m.
None
I don't really think it's the only thing the Reader talks about, I still see current events, politics, art, theatre and movies being reported and discussed. But, food is a large part of any culture, and San Diego gets a lot of support from tourism, which of course includes our restaurant scene. After a long slack period due to the poor economy, there seems to be a resurgence of new places to dine. That, along with the general popularity of cooking, celebrity chefs and restaurant "reality" shows in the media probably makes it seem so. The restaurants reviewed in Feast! range from expensive to very affordable, so hopefully there's something for everyone.
— January 13, 2012 10:39 a.m.
None
— January 13, 2012 10:37 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Yes, I have been to culinary school, and I've worked in the food service industry. But whether I have or have not is irrelevant. You don't need to go to culinary school to be a journalist and restaurant critic. When an egg is boiled in plastic wrap, the ends of the wrap are gathered up and tied, like a beggar's purse. The result looks a little more like a poached egg should in shape. The eggs I was served have a pointed end, typical of being put in a plastic bag and have taken the shape of the corners of the bag. Either way, it's boiling in plastic. Cooking in plastic is not poaching, which requires direct contact between the food and the acidulated liquid, without any barrier. The exception would be au torchon, where the foie gras may be wrapped in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. The foie gras still has direct contact with liquid, though, which soaks through the cloth. They're not sous vide, either, as they were unevenly cooked, one end being overcooked and the other raw. Eggs are cooked sous vide in the shell after being vacuum sealed in plastic, making them also more typical of a boiled egg (though they would probably be cooked at 140 F or so, not 212 F. Poaching an egg is a simple bit of protein chemistry and just takes practice and attention, whether you are poaching one egg or two hundred. The bottom line is, when a restaurant charges nearly $50 (inc. tax and tip) for breakfast for two, the food should to be stellar. If it's not, people may not outright complain to the management, they may even say it's great if management asks, but they won't come back.
— January 13, 2012 9:44 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
I based it on the 92117 zip code, which extends between the 805 and the 5, from the 52 down to Balboa Ave., and along the 5 as far down as Tecolote Canyon Park. The neighborhoods are: Bay Ho, Bay Park, Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East, Clairemont Mesa West, North Clairemont, and Sunset, according to
http://www.city-data.com/zips/92117.html
.
— January 12, 2012 9:52 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Classic culinary techniques aside, my concern is the risk of bacterial contamination as well. Clear egg whites on my plate are a real red flag. Anyone in a high risk group, young children, the elderly, and immune compromised individuals should avoid eggs that are not thoroughly cooked. I love a good runny egg yolk though, and eat them all the time. Fortunately, I'm not in a high risk group so I do indulge.
— January 12, 2012 9:40 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
If it's done right, it will not taste burnt. The key is to have a uniformly thin piece of meat or fish and a screaming hot pan, preferably cast iron or similarly heavy duty, and work fast. It will only take a minute or two per side. Have everything ready before you start cooking and don't leave the stove during the cooking process. There are a lot of good cooking tutorials on the internet, so have a look and then just practice. You might overcook a few pieces, but you'll get the technique down if you give it a try or two.
— January 12, 2012 9:31 p.m.
Shinebox TV? AMC Readies
Goodfellas: The Series
Maybe AMC can bring back a PC version of Deadwood while they're at it.
— January 11, 2012 9:28 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Thanks for the comments. I love the idea of a chef putting his/her individual twist on a dish. But, you have to be able to execute basic cooking techniques first. Then, feel free to innovate. You also have to recognize if the twist doesn't work. I've "innovated" dishes straight into the garbage can in my own kitchen. Plus, you can only take a dish so far before you lose the integrity of it. For example, just putting lettuce, tomato, toast and bacon together on a plate doesn't make it a BLT, at that point it's a salad with bacon and a side of toast. MB
— January 10, 2012 9:09 a.m.
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Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
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Ken Harrison
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Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
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H.G. Reza
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Julie Stalmer
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Feast!
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Feature Stories
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Fishing Report
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From the Archives
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Golden Dreams
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Letters
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Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
— Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
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Obermeyer
— San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors
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Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
— Travel section built by travelers
Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
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Grazie e arrivederci: Caffe Vergnano 1882
Yeah, the owner was a nice guy too.— January 18, 2012 3:15 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
That’s fine. Curiosity is good. But let’s take a step back and not make any assumptions about each other, okay? If I thought you were a troll, I would have ignored your comment entirely. There’s nothing to be gained by giving professional pot-stirrers the attention they crave. Also, I didn’t say that your question is irrelevant. I’d never try to tell someone what to think. What I said was that whether I went to culinary school or not is irrelevant. It doesn’t make my opinion any more valid than the next person’s, and I’d rather that people trust their own taste buds. Far too much emphasis is put on fancy titles, celebrity chefs, reality show “endorsements” and annual award lists and not enough on whether the food tastes good and is properly cooked. You also brought up a couple of points, plastic wrap vs. plastic bags, and sous vide, to which I responded for clarification purposes. It's obvious that you’re familiar with sous vide, but other readers may not be. I admit to being somewhat sad, though, that you were taught in culinary school that cooking eggs in plastic and calling it “poaching” is perfectly fine. I believe it’s fundamentally incorrect, but again, that’s just my opinion.— January 16, 2012 11:22 a.m.
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I don't really think it's the only thing the Reader talks about, I still see current events, politics, art, theatre and movies being reported and discussed. But, food is a large part of any culture, and San Diego gets a lot of support from tourism, which of course includes our restaurant scene. After a long slack period due to the poor economy, there seems to be a resurgence of new places to dine. That, along with the general popularity of cooking, celebrity chefs and restaurant "reality" shows in the media probably makes it seem so. The restaurants reviewed in Feast! range from expensive to very affordable, so hopefully there's something for everyone.— January 13, 2012 10:39 a.m.
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— January 13, 2012 10:37 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Yes, I have been to culinary school, and I've worked in the food service industry. But whether I have or have not is irrelevant. You don't need to go to culinary school to be a journalist and restaurant critic. When an egg is boiled in plastic wrap, the ends of the wrap are gathered up and tied, like a beggar's purse. The result looks a little more like a poached egg should in shape. The eggs I was served have a pointed end, typical of being put in a plastic bag and have taken the shape of the corners of the bag. Either way, it's boiling in plastic. Cooking in plastic is not poaching, which requires direct contact between the food and the acidulated liquid, without any barrier. The exception would be au torchon, where the foie gras may be wrapped in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. The foie gras still has direct contact with liquid, though, which soaks through the cloth. They're not sous vide, either, as they were unevenly cooked, one end being overcooked and the other raw. Eggs are cooked sous vide in the shell after being vacuum sealed in plastic, making them also more typical of a boiled egg (though they would probably be cooked at 140 F or so, not 212 F. Poaching an egg is a simple bit of protein chemistry and just takes practice and attention, whether you are poaching one egg or two hundred. The bottom line is, when a restaurant charges nearly $50 (inc. tax and tip) for breakfast for two, the food should to be stellar. If it's not, people may not outright complain to the management, they may even say it's great if management asks, but they won't come back.— January 13, 2012 9:44 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
I based it on the 92117 zip code, which extends between the 805 and the 5, from the 52 down to Balboa Ave., and along the 5 as far down as Tecolote Canyon Park. The neighborhoods are: Bay Ho, Bay Park, Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East, Clairemont Mesa West, North Clairemont, and Sunset, according to http://www.city-data.com/zips/92117.html.— January 12, 2012 9:52 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Classic culinary techniques aside, my concern is the risk of bacterial contamination as well. Clear egg whites on my plate are a real red flag. Anyone in a high risk group, young children, the elderly, and immune compromised individuals should avoid eggs that are not thoroughly cooked. I love a good runny egg yolk though, and eat them all the time. Fortunately, I'm not in a high risk group so I do indulge.— January 12, 2012 9:40 p.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
If it's done right, it will not taste burnt. The key is to have a uniformly thin piece of meat or fish and a screaming hot pan, preferably cast iron or similarly heavy duty, and work fast. It will only take a minute or two per side. Have everything ready before you start cooking and don't leave the stove during the cooking process. There are a lot of good cooking tutorials on the internet, so have a look and then just practice. You might overcook a few pieces, but you'll get the technique down if you give it a try or two.— January 12, 2012 9:31 p.m.
Shinebox TV? AMC Readies Goodfellas: The Series
Maybe AMC can bring back a PC version of Deadwood while they're at it.— January 11, 2012 9:28 a.m.
Uninspired in Clairemont: Kitchen 4140
Thanks for the comments. I love the idea of a chef putting his/her individual twist on a dish. But, you have to be able to execute basic cooking techniques first. Then, feel free to innovate. You also have to recognize if the twist doesn't work. I've "innovated" dishes straight into the garbage can in my own kitchen. Plus, you can only take a dish so far before you lose the integrity of it. For example, just putting lettuce, tomato, toast and bacon together on a plate doesn't make it a BLT, at that point it's a salad with bacon and a side of toast. MB— January 10, 2012 9:09 a.m.