 Dear Bill
big Burrito big Chef Bill Fuller
February 2012
I often get requests for advice about cooking, kitchens, gardening (?), and all things food. They come from other chefs in town, friends and family, customers, and total strangers. I answer as quickly and as well as I can. The week before Thanksgiving and the day of are prime time, but the flow in all year long.
Recently, I received this text from an unknown number:
Hey quick question...what do you do in the kitchen when you have a clean slice through finger (not to bone or Anthony like that) but not enough to require stitches?
Since the number was not in my phone, I hesitated, unsure if it was from someone working in one of the restaurants, a person at home, or the beginning of some kind of worker’s compensation scam. I responded:
1. Who is this?
2. Through?
3. Is it spurting?
Due to the text time lapse, the sender added:
Anything. Not Anthony. Dang spellcheck. Sorry to bug ya with stupid question but thought you might have quick fix/thoughts. Thanks. CLC.
Then:
1. Corey
2. Not through
3. No spurting. Luckily it was not the good knife I bought her.
Comfortable with the sender’s identity, I gave the best answer I could.
K. If you can't stop bleeding after 5 min, ER. Otherwise bandaids or gauze and tape. clean it well.
But what I thought was, “Why isn’t she using the good knife you got her? Especially after you asked what kind of knife to get, we discussed how much she cooks, what she might need, and what your price range was? She’s probably using the dull, bent Cutco she got from her parents when she moved out long ago. Dull knives are dangerous, duh.” Of course, that would have been rude.
People often ask about knives and knife sharpening. Knives, I suggest this – get a good chef’s knife, 8” is a good blade length for which you should pay more than $35 and less than $100. If you want to spend more, wait until you outgrow the $49.99 model. I like Wusthof because they have a very classic line with a full steel tang. This model is the same style I grew up cooking with so I feel good with it in my hand. Lots of the chefs I know like Shun and Global knives for their Japanese style blades. I never got into the squared off style blade, myself, but I like my wicked-sharp Shun slicer. Chicago Cutlery makes solid knives that are less expensive. But do not shop for a knife online. Go to a kitchen store, pick up the various knives, even ask to cut something. If you put a couple of potatoes in your pocket before you go to the store, you’ll have something to cut.
Never buy expensive paring knives, they’ll get lost. Whether you pay $5 or $50 for a paring knife, it gets lost in exactly the same amount of time. I keep a couple of cheapies around and when they all disappear, I get some new ones. Also, a good serrated knife is worth the money. Finally, get a steel and learn how to keep the edge on your chef and paring knives. Here is a video from an incredibly hyperactive Gordon Ramsey that illustrates the process well.
Sometimes, the knives get too dull to bring back with the steel. Chefs have whetstones that we use to get the hard edge back. But the average civilian has neither the interest nor skill to sit in front of Conan The Barbarian in their underwear at 1:30 AM power-drinking beer from a can and honing knives. So I suggest you take them down to Maturi Brothers, 3908 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224-1398 (412) 682-5828. Gather your knives, roll them in a towel, drive to Lower Bloomfield, park in their small lot, walk in the back door. You will be greeted, kind of, by 3 or 4 people sharpening knives on grinders. Don’t be afraid, walk up to one of them and ask them to sharpen your knives. It will cost a buck or two per knife and take about 5 minutes a knife. When you look around, you will see that there are thousands of knives. Their primary business is sharpening knives for restaurants.
If they are really nice to you, tip the person that sharpened you knives a couple bucks.
For some reason, people ask me about growing vegetables. I do garden, and I share Thursday mornings on KDKA sometimes, but I’m no freaking Doug Oster. Be friends with him if you want good answers. A recent conversation on one of the recent freakishly warm days:
Sarah asks, “Bill, can I plant Brussels spouts yet?”
Me: “Sure.”
“But is the ground still frozen?”
“Not today, I don’t think.”
“Yeah but won’t they freeze?”
“Ahhhhhhhh, yeah they'll probably die.”
“Then why’d you tell me to plant them?”
“To make you nuts.”
“Argh! I hate you guys.”
Admittedly, I could have been more helpful. But I really don’t grow any of the Brassicas well, especially given the endless War of the Groundhog. They seem to have a passion for the cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage that I plant. I can’t believe that dude in the overcoat doesn’t just kick Punxy Phil in the head with those big boots. I would.
My basic gardening advice is as follows. Plant as early as anyone around you, maybe a little earlier, but have seeds and starts to back up what you put in the ground when it dies. Compost everything from the kitchen and use the compost. Dig deeper than you think you should, always. Asparagus is worth the wait. Don’t plant squash. The government should permit the growing of zucchini and yellow squash, controlling the existence of huge, thick-skinned, hard-seeded flavorless vegetables that are handed out in August as “gifts”. I’d rather you smack the groundhog with it, thank you.
Finally, I’d like to answer the most-asked question. When responding to the initial question of “What do I do with this zucchini?” or “How would you prepare this recently murdered groundhog?” and usually right at the point where I am about to share my thoughts on timing, how long until it should be done, and what to look for to judge doneness, I am asked:
“How long do you cook it?”
I hate this question. But the answer always is:
“Until it’s done.”
Recipe:
A couple of recipes that might be fun for the Superbowl.
Mad Mex Turkey Chili and Blue Cornbread |
Derek Stevens at 
