Sure I have. Just if you're drinking out of such a bottle, you tend not to recall the details of the related evening.

And often wake up with questions such as 'Where am I?' 'What happened?' and 'Why am I in a bathtub filled with ice?'

Here's how it breaks down: Generally speaking, the Americans view beef as two ends of a spectrum, where on one side there is tenderness/preparation, and the other side is ease of preparation. The most tender and flavorful cuts of beef also tend to be the ones that take the longest to prepare, as they have much more harder fat or connective tissue, or come from a muscle that gets a lot of work. The basic axiom is fat=flavor. As a result, they must be cooked for a long time to turn them into melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. Think of a stew that has been simmering all day, or short ribs that have been braised for a few hours.

On the other side of the spectrum, cuts without a lot of fat or connective tissue (think a strip steak or sirloin) can be quickly cooked and remain tender enough to eat, but don't have near the flavor of the slow-cooked types of beef. Also, the longer you cook them, the tougher they become, because the muscle fibers contract quickly and don't have the collegens and fats to break them down.

Therefore, in this country, our culture has told us that quick cooking is primary, THEN you go for flavor. This is why the tenderloin is so popular, because it is a very lean piece of meat, but is super tender because it is a muscle that doesn't get much of any use by the animal. Flavor is pretty good, especially in Prime grade, but IMHO does not hold a candle to really good slow cooked meat. I'll take braised or BBQ any day of the week.

As for the preparation, honestly, its not that big of a deal. A trained chef can break down a whole tenderloin, including the silverskin, in about 15 - 20 minutes. The chain was originally a butchers cut (the cuts that the butcher would keep for himself), because its not a single piece that can be turned into steaks. They make some of the most amazing cheesesteaks, though.

My god! Alton Brown, you play Shadowrun? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

In my campaign that failed, the major Mr. Johnson decided to reward some 'Runners with some Megalodon that he caught himself when "He needed to make himself scarce from Seattle for a bit".

A few games before that, they met on the docks, to see him boarding a big fishing ship that was loading depth charges.

He's also been in my stories, and describes one of his "Hunting Rifles" explicitly, a Holland & Holland Double-Rifle in .600 Nitro Express.

No, but I did go through culinary school before that episode aired, so I pretty much knew it all anyway.

When I eat out I one always hit every restraunt that worth hitting and tend to only eat that I couldn't cook my self. Unless some on else is paying or its some guys party I cant be a git then.


I would have to say in that situation I'd raise my voice. Then I'm that kind of person not a mega rich follow the trends type.

It depend's chain wise coffee varryies but I've been in places at least for me an expresso addict that chain coffee is nearly always better. Still coffee chains in the UK don't seam to charge much more that other places of quaility they just up the cost of everything bar the coffee by 100-200% I'm talking £3-5 for a shit sandwich.

Coffee is tricky because of freshness issues at every step. Green beans last a few months, once roasted they are best withing a about a month, once ground they are best withing 20 minutes, and of course every one knows how brewed coffee goes bad fairly quick. My brother works in a coffee shop (read total coffee snob: occupational hazard) and they really do try to use it up after a month. Thy take the old beans, grind them up and put them in cold water over night to cold brew the beans to make chilled espresso drinks. It is a cool way to use up any coffee beans you need to get rid of. Tastes good. There are so many ways to make the coffee too. French press tastes grate because of sub boiling water temp and longish brewing time (4-5 minutes). Espresso of course is very different and requires special equipment. Plus there are a tun of verities. People go on about the all the different after tastes. I can't taste them but I do notice a difference in bitterness, and sourness between different kinds. But fun fact 1 in 4 people have more taste buds than the rest of us. So maybe some people really can tell the difference. But you definitely can't taste the subtle flavors if you put any sugar or cream in the coffee, which is fine. Sugar and cream is delicious. Also I honestly think star bucks coffee tastes weak (Frag it. Am I a coffee snob?).

I drink Coffee without addatives almost exclusively, there is a serious difference between Colombian, Sumatra, Costa Rican and Kenyan

Even within Kona, there is a big difference between the good stuff and the cheaper stuff.

Yeah when looking for a coffee, not for a caffeine fix. I tend to use the sent of the coffee places as a guide. You can tell if they are fresh roasted ect or how old also long as its not a starbucks they pipe in a lot of places some wired coffee smell. No you're not a coffee snob you are on the same par as me someone who knows enough and can tell by taste what you like. Though tbh I wouldn't mind more coffee snob knowledge.

Best coffee I've ever had is at Pilot. The worst by far, Starbucks.

My theory is truckers want coffee with maybe some cream and sugar. Coffee house goers seem to order more creams sugars and other flavorings than actual coffee, so when the coffee is week old and burned to a crisp from sitting in the pot too long and someone not knowing the difference between roasting and burning. Least that's what I've noticed from when I was in college and tried starbucks thinking if all they do is coffee it must be good; and traveling too much.

Psh. There's tons of coffee worse than Starbucks.

Three words: Jamacian Blue Mountain.

I'm not taking out a personal loan to buy coffee.

Agreed but the worse coffee that is sold as quality I'd have to say is Starbucks. I'm partal to what ever beans Costa use for expresso though that's also due the the proximity of a Costa on my way any place.

Besides, *now* the trendy thing is pre-digested, post-shat coffee. Who knows what it'll be next. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

stale 3 day old re heated crap?

I know the type they're talking about. Kopi Luwak, an Indonesian coffee brewed from the partially digested beans that civet cats eat and poop back out. The partial digestive enzymes apparently really bring out the flavor.

Whoever is marketing this is a genius! Why? because people are buying it! I wish I was awesome enough to sell people actual crap to consume.

Honestly star bucks probably tastes weak because that IS what most people like. Coffee is to bitter for many people. Also the funky flavored coffees do taste good, like candy, but I like candy. Who doesn't like candy?

Also I don't get the bad stuff enough to know the good from the bad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lick.gif)
Also I don't drink the good stuff all that often. Bad for your heart you know.


Some one already is. And they are selling it for $100-$600 a pound. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak


Also I know someone who tried to buy "moose poop in a bag from Alaska" there were multiple bids on ebay and he lost to some other guy who really wanted his moose poop. I don't know what he wanted to do with it but one can make ridiculous speculations. It is funner that way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lick.gif)

That's the stuff, Doc. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Good times.

Indeed, Badmoodguy88. People buy it because they *like* it. People also *like* McDonalds.

I don't like candy. I like coffee. I know I'm a sick individual; I blame math and physics.

The beer line raises my hackles. Beers have just as much variation as cheese. Perhaps more simply by including the Belgians.


BlueMax

Random Coffee fact, it's not a bean at all, it's the pit of a coffee fruit. Starts round and splits in half while being roasted. The Coffee plant grows wildly in North East Africa and Yemen, everywhere else that grows coffee has had plants originally from those places transplanted.

You may now spend Karma to improve your Knowledge: Coffee Skill by 1

you should now sepuku.