Is this Company Ruining Restaurants in America?

[geist1223]

Do you follow the recipe exactly?

 

[klpca]

Same recipe. same ingredients, the wife and I make it, her's is 10x better than mine. What magic does she posses?

We have had this discussion at our house. I think that it is because have been cooking/baking for 40+ years. My instincts are different than my husband's (he's been cooking for about 5 years). I know just about when something is properly done, I know what color I am looking for with carmelization of aromatics, etc. We even prep mirepoix differently which seems like it should be 6 of one, half dozen of another - I think it is my insistence to dice in very consistent size, vs his more "rustic" technique. It is a bunch of little things that make small differences in the way that the dish tastes. It makes the same dish taste ever so slightly different. Either that or your wife is adding things on the sly like a bit more butter or deglazing with wine.

 

[jp10558]

The longer I've been cooking, the more I can tell if a recipe is wrong, or how to tell if something is done. Not to the level of my mom, who can use several recipes for the same thing as inspiration on the fly while editing for some flair and have it come out amazing. I can sometimes pre-compare different ones and come up with one I think is best with bits of others, but I can't just grab spices etc on vibes and have it come out.

However, I'm certainly above my sister who admittedly can "boil water" and hates cooking - when she needs to cook something and asks me sometimes I can't really explain how to do it - I just know bits and bobs.

It's very possible a more experienced cook will almost unconsciously adjust a recipe to make it better or more like what they want...

 

[geekette]

Not gonna blame Sysco for anything. Whoever owns and manages the restaurant decides what to serve. If I don’t like the food, I don’t go back.

Two people can have identical ingredients and have different outcomes. Eat the better dish!

 

[easyrider]

This video came across my YouTube feed today. It goes into detail about all the sameness of many restaurants across the US. I notice this when looking at the menus of all the timeshare resort restaurants and pool bar & grills. They all serve the same stuff and chances are, the food is all coming from the same place. I will apologize now to a specific Tugger as I know they worked for the company that is the topic of the video. The company is Sysco but it also referred to US Foods and one could even put Gordon Food Service in there.

I've never been a fan of going to restaurants unless it's for some type of food that the food handlers have very little interaction with the food unless it's an open to see kitchen. Gordon Ramsey also ruined my restaurant experience with all of the shenanigans restaurants pull on his show.

Bill

 

[dlpearson]

Isn't Carnegie Deli considered a tourist trap in NYC?

This tourist was devastated the day they closed their doors several years ago. Found an offshoot in The Mirage in Vegas several years back, but that's also closed. I've heard they have a small shop inside Madison Garden on game days (but never been).
Carnegie Deli cheesecake is by far the best cheesecake I have ever eaten--haven't found any other place in NYC that can hold a candle to it (and I've tried lots of options!)