The Best Fish Sandwich(es)

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

I know how to scramble eggs. I want to know how you guys do it?

This is off-topic as well as off-forum but, seeing as how you asked: Other than ensuring fresh eggs, answering that question is a bit like explaining how long to stir a Martini. For a basic scramble, this is my approach:

I use a heavy Teflon omelette pan that I reserve for eggs; it's almost never experienced soap and never a dishwasher. The flame should be fairly hot but not too hot. The salted-butter added to the pan should be enough to lend its flavor without predominating or, even worse, making the result the least bit greasy. I rotate the pan to disribute the melted butter well, occasionally pouring off a few drops of excess.

As the eggs begin to solidify in the pan, I keep them moving by stirring them gently with the tines of a plastic kitchen fork until they reach that ephemeral moment when they are still a firm-but-oh-so-slightly-moist custard and but still shy of becoming even slightly dry. If I hit it just right, that slight moisture is no longer present when the eggs reach the plate yet they still haven't turned the least bit dry. The least bit of brown, of course, warrants a disqualification and the dog might well get a treat.

No great secrets here; just a degree atention born of love and respect that is, I'm sad to say, usually missing.

To me, the preparation of Martinis and scrambled eggs is North America's answer to the Japanese chanoyu without so much of the excessive, somewhat fetishy fanfare. But, like chanoyu, it's practiced only by the more discriminating. It's a ritual characterized by a deep respect for the process. When properly conducted with quailty ingredients. the desired potential of the ingredients is fully realized. Finally, it generates the kind of peace of mind essntial to the full enjoyment of the end result.

My current partner's very old Honduran madre has cooked over an open-fire or in a wood-fired oven all her life. She speaks of "talking to the fire." It seems to me that the same applies to whatever is being prepared and the best chefs are similarly conversant with all aspects of the preparation. Me, not having the talent or temperament to be a gourmet chef, I stick to the short-order elegance of things like scrambled eggs and Martinis.

Tom

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

Seagulls. Rats with wings. We used to feed them when I worked at Cedar Point (America's Roller Coast). One guy was trying to train them to eat out of his hand. Nasty.

When we go to the beach we feed them too. Bread with a habanero hot sauce. Keeps them away every time. May be a bit cruel, but they recover.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

Seagulls. Rats with wings. We used to feed them when I worked at Cedar Point (America's Roller Coast). One guy was trying to train them to eat out of his hand. Nasty.

He was talking about pigeons, but the same might apply to seagulls. David Quammen, in his essay entitled "Superdove on 46th Street" in his Wild Thoughts from Wild Places remarked."A dour person would say that they're precisely the birds we deserve." But then he said he's "not quite that dour." With a Martini currently in hand, neither am I. -Tom

Rusty: That's funny because the longshoremen in ports all along the East coast used to do the hot sauce on a scrap of bread trick on the seagulls. On the other hand, we spend a few weeks in a condo on the beach at St Petersburg every winter and we enjoy feeding the Laughing Gulls - especially when we learned that the people in the neighboring condo building did not like it because the gulls, after eating our scraps, have a habit of going to the neighbor's pool for a drink and a crap...

Cunamara: You almost got it right. But, one must start with a medium temperature pan, and add whole eggs. When they have set up a bit, they are then broken up with the spatula, producing discrete bits of yolk and white; the perfect scrambled egg when combined with the remainder of your directions.

MFK Fisher said something like, You should scramble eggs in a cool pan, and the whole process should take about 20 minutes
while you carry on a stimulating conversation with a friend or lover.

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Cunamara: You almost got it right. But, one must start with a medium temperature pan, and add whole eggs. When they have set up a bit, they are then broken up with the spatula, producing discrete bits of yolk and white; the perfect scrambled egg when combined with the remainder of your directions.

By "hot but not too hot," I guess I meant something like high-medium. I used to start with a somewhat cooler pan but, as I became more deft at it, a somewhat hotter pan worked better and never takes anything like 20 minutes. And, as there's no accounting for taste: "discrete bits of yolk and white"? That's so unheard of it my pan that I neglected to mention that I mix the broken eggs just enough to ensure that the yellow and white are thoroughly blended. -Tom

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Michael's photo of the whitefish sandwich rattled my memory about a great plate of whitefish and an equally fine whitefish sandwich at a Traverse City restaurant in the mid 80s. We did a lot of asking around to find out where to go in town for the best whitefish. Could lleechef have served up that memorable fare?

When I heard part of the mass written for Leonard Bernstein's funeral, I thought about those Traverse City meals. The mass written by a close friend, surprised folks with the line, "Thank thee Lord for this tasty plate of fish."

OK, 'fess up, where did you have that fish sandwich? I was cheffing in TC in the mid 80s! Wow, maybe you did eat my food......

I don't think I've ever told you this, but I ate at Trillium in I think it was 85. Might have been 87. It was either at the begining or the end of a relationship, and my memorey of the food is intermingled with how bad the relationship ended. And it was my fault. That's another story.

Anyway, I don't remember asking to see the chef, but I wish I had.

OMG, that is just wild! I was there then and was certainly responsible for your meal at Trillium. Small world........Is my friend Pete Peterson sill at Tapawingo? How about Phil out at Window's??? I liked living in Michigan, the food was much better than when I moved on to Boston where they at the time thought haddock, cod and scallops were gourmet foods.........

quote:

Originally posted by CheeseWit

If there's a "best" fish sandwich, there has to be a worst. My nomination: Gefilte fish between two pieces of matzo.

CheeseWit,
Add slaw and you've got a winner... er, loser.
Don't forget the Cheese Whiz!
And maybe a little halvah.
Not Under Rabbinical Supervision At The Moment, Ort. Carlton in Pareve-For-Now Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I love matzohs straight out of the box... low calorie, filling, and - seriously - I always get a downright spiritual feeling when I'm munching down on one.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by CheeseWit

If there's a "best" fish sandwich, there has to be a worst. My nomination: Gefilte fish between two pieces of matzo.

Hows about lutefisk between two pieces of lefse. Oh, wait, that's another thread!

Dearfolk,
Somewhere this intersects to conjure up thoughts of Jewish Vikings. I think that single Scottish Ale I drank at Copper Creek Brewing is coming home to roost, folks.
Ach ja - oy vey, Ort. Carlton in Almost-Viking-Cold Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

I wonder how that sammich would taste if you added just a little livermush?

Can you make livermush with schmaltz?

Clothier,
Oh, dear - I suppose you could... but there's probably not a Synagogue in Shelby, N. C., The Livermush Capital Of The World... although there is one in Gastonia, 20 miles east... so if not we don't have anyone Rabbi-wise up there to ask - and certainly not Rabbi Wise!
My off-the-top-of-the-head answer is "Yes, and it would probably be tastier than if you were using fat pork!" - Use chicken liver, schmaltz, a little chicken meat (preferably dark), some corn meal, seasonings... you're making me hungry! Now you're gonna invent Kosher Livermush!
Gracious, I thought we were talking about fish back there someplace halfway down the road to Caroleen (that's near Cliffside). Well, there's a fish camp on 29/74 right on the river outside of Belmont....
I'm out of half-witty comments at the moment. Everyone - take a deep breath.
Not A Gas-tonian Tonight, Rumble-Free Ort.

Ort.: Jewish Vikings? Have another Scottish Ale and warm yourself up in Athens, Georgia, because, yes, we ALL know where YOU are and love reading your posts as you are a wise sage that eats at 4AM then does write 6-8 pages like a Whirling Dervish.
PS....note to myself......to actually MEET Ort. in 2004.....wow......I hope he doesn't bring ALL his 45s to lunch.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Ort.: Jewish Vikings? Have another Scottish Ale and warm yourself up in Athens, Georgia, because, yes, we ALL know where YOU are and love reading your posts as you are a wise sage that eats at 4AM then does write 6-8 pages like a Whirling Dervish.
PS....note to myself......to actually MEET Ort. in 2004.....wow......I hope he doesn't bring ALL his 45s to lunch.

They won't eat much.
I will.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

quote:

Originally posted by JimInKy

Michael's photo of the whitefish sandwich rattled my memory about a great plate of whitefish and an equally fine whitefish sandwich at a Traverse City restaurant in the mid 80s. We did a lot of asking around to find out where to go in town for the best whitefish. Could lleechef have served up that memorable fare?

When I heard part of the mass written for Leonard Bernstein's funeral, I thought about those Traverse City meals. The mass written by a close friend, surprised folks with the line, "Thank thee Lord for this tasty plate of fish."

OK, 'fess up, where did you have that fish sandwich? I was cheffing in TC in the mid 80s! Wow, maybe you did eat my food......

I don't think I've ever told you this, but I ate at Trillium in I think it was 85. Might have been 87. It was either at the begining or the end of a relationship, and my memorey of the food is intermingled with how bad the relationship ended. And it was my fault. That's another story.

Anyway, I don't remember asking to see the chef, but I wish I had.

OMG, that is just wild! I was there then and was certainly responsible for your meal at Trillium. Small world........Is my friend Pete Peterson sill at Tapawingo? How about Phil out at Window's??? I liked living in Michigan, the food was much better than when I moved on to Boston where they at the time thought haddock, cod and scallops were gourmet foods.........

Pete's still there. What a nice man. He let my nephew (who was about 8 at the time) help him make his dinner one night when things were a little slow. My folks eat there all the time. My mom was buds with Mickey, his old matre de. He just thought she was funny was hell, and he always found a spot for her when she called.

Pete Peterson is one of the best and nicest chefs I've ever met in my circle of chef friends. I was also enamoured (culinarily of course) with Chef Milos Chielka (first Master Chef in the US) of the Golden Mushroom in Southfield.

Cunamara: With all due respect to your evident good taste, culinary experience,and all-round good citizenship: your egg recipe is chopped up omelette, not scrambled eggs. And, we should not take Mary Frances Kenny Fisher too literally - she always liked a bit of exaggeration to illustrate her point. As I remember she was stressing that scrambled eggs should not be hurried in a hot pan- like you, she did not want any brown in her final product.

But, I must now admit, that my hurried research in a number of cookbooks supports your practice of beating the eggs (usually with the addition of heavy cream) before adding to the pan. It aint easy being correct in a sea of traditional ignorance about a proper scrambled egg technique - but I will perservere in my firm knowledge that I know how to scramble eggs, even if the rest of the world wrongly does it some other way!

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.
Dearfolk,
Somewhere this intersects to conjure up thoughts of Jewish Vikings.

Hi Ort,

This is theoretically quite possible. If you know your history. Viksings came from Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The Norwegian Vikings sailed to Greenland and some say even North America, the Danish Viking sailed to Western Europe and the Swedish Viking sailed to Russia which already had a significant Jewish Population. Not to stereotype the Vikings or Swedes for that matter, however there was alot of Raping and Pillaging going on. Therefore there is a good chance that there are many Jewish Folks today of Russian descent who may have some Norske blood in them.

Being from West-central WI, the heart of Norwegian country this time of the year it is amazing all of the Lutheran churches that have their Lutefisk dinners. But for the topic on hand, fish sandwiches, in the La Crosse WI area we have a place called Fazzee's that has a nice fish sandwich.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

A friend on mine used to be a waiter at the "Shroom" when Chef Milos was there. He had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. And that, coming from a waiter, is about the best compliment you can get. He said the family meals (the food the kitchen staff cooks for the staff) where unbelievable.

Oh, and he still has the copy of the test Chef Milos gave to the waitstaff before he would allow them to be hired. I barely passed.

Thanks for the info on Chef Milos......if the waitstaff loves the chef, wow, there's a winning restaurant. I always knew him to be a gentleman and a culinary scholar but then I never worked for him. And one can only imagine the staff meals......morels with everything?
While it's certainly NOT Roadfood, nobody I ever knew had a complaint about the Golden Mushroom.
Now what were we talking about? Fish Sammiches????

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.
Dearfolk,
Somewhere this intersects to conjure up thoughts of Jewish Vikings.

Hi Ort,

This is theoretically quite possible. If you know your history. Viksings came from Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The Norwegian Vikings sailed to Greenland and some say even North America, the Danish Viking sailed to Western Europe and the Swedish Viking sailed to Russia which already had a significant Jewish Population. Not to stereotype the Vikings or Swedes for that matter, however there was alot of Raping and Pillaging going on. Therefore there is a good chance that there are many Jewish Folks today of Russian descent who may have some Norske blood in them.

Wanderingjew,
This was a topic of discussion one night at Copper Creek (we don't just DRINK there!). One of the regulars there is (of all things), by his own description, a Jewish Gypsy. His forebears are from Romania. He is Rom on his father's side and Jewish from a female ancestor three or four or five generations back.
The very concept of Jewish Vikings actually came up in the same mental thread as my mention there of Jewish Leprechauns. Y'see, there's this fairly sizeable old, old Jewish community in Dublin... where "Sure an' begorrah" becomes "Sure an' menorrah"... or something like that. (There has to be a better Yiddish pun than that one lurking somewhere under a four-leaf clover....)
Food-speaking, the Irish Jews of Dublin have an entire cuisine that is half-Jewish and half-Irish... I kid you not. Kosher corned beef with cabbage sounds mighty good to me on a cold-as-blitzen evening in Athens, Georgia, where it isn't supposed to get this way... and where our Synagogue dates from 1872. I wish I had a plateful of it right now, even though I'm not really hungry.
This subthread may be wandering off topic, but I think we all try to learn something here. That being the case, I've learned 10,000 times more here than I've ever endeavored to teach.
Sauntering Off Directly, Ort. Carlton in the Reasonably-Well-Heated U. Ga. Library in Athens 30601.

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.
Dearfolk,
Somewhere this intersects to conjure up thoughts of Jewish Vikings.

Hi Ort,

This is theoretically quite possible. If you know your history. Viksings came from Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The Norwegian Vikings sailed to Greenland and some say even North America, the Danish Viking sailed to Western Europe and the Swedish Viking sailed to Russia which already had a significant Jewish Population. Not to stereotype the Vikings or Swedes for that matter, however there was alot of Raping and Pillaging going on. Therefore there is a good chance that there are many Jewish Folks today of Russian descent who may have some Norske blood in them.

Wanderingjew,
This was a topic of discussion one night at Copper Creek (we don't just DRINK there!). One of the regulars there is (of all things), by his own description, a Jewish Gypsy. His forebears are from Romania. He is Rom on his father's side and Jewish from a female ancestor three or four or five generations back.
The very concept of Jewish Vikings actually came up in the same mental thread as my mention there of Jewish Leprechauns. Y'see, there's this fairly sizeable old, old Jewish community in Dublin... where "Sure an' begorrah" becomes "Sure an' menorrah"... or something like that. (There has to be a better Yiddish pun than that one lurking somewhere under a four-leaf clover....)
Food-speaking, the Irish Jews of Dublin have an entire cuisine that is half-Jewish and half-Irish... I kid you not. Kosher corned beef with cabbage sounds mighty good to me on a cold-as-blitzen evening in Athens, Georgia, where it isn't supposed to get this way... and where our Synagogue dates from 1872. I wish I had a plateful of it right now, even though I'm not really hungry.
This subthread may be wandering off topic, but I think we all try to learn something here. That being the case, I've learned 10,000 times more here than I've ever endeavored to teach.
Sauntering Off Directly, Ort. Carlton in the Reasonably-Well-Heated U. Ga. Library in Athens 30601.

Hey Ort!

My older brother married an Irish Catholic girl. They have two boys ages 5 and 8. On St. Patty's day I always proudly announce that I am part Irish since my nephews are!

Kosher Corned Beef and Cabbage...hmmm...now that gives me an idea!

On the topic of fish sandwiches, come to Pittsburgh, PA for a plentiful bounty of establishments that offer up fish sandwiches. I believe that this is because Pittsburgh, was, and still is, a very catholic area. Many people, including my mother, still eat fish on Fridays...

My favorites include: Original Oyster House (in Market Square)
Roland's (in the Strip District)
Tambellini's of Bridgeville
The Rhythm House (also in Bridgeville)
Benkovitz's (in the Strip District)
Emil's (in Rankin, PA)

You can order fish sandwiches at any of the above restaurants every day of the week. Most used Atlantic cod or whitefish for their fish, and they do not SKIMP on the portions. Most sandwiches are equal to four McDonalds fish sandwiches. They come on hoagie rolls or really fresh homemade bread. Prices range from 4.75 to 6.95, but are worth it. Two people can easily split one of these sandwiches. I eat at least one a week, and am amazed at the new places that i come across. Even local taverns offer fish sandwiches. A great Pittsburgh tradition.

Also, many churches have fish fries on Fridays during the lenten season. They are worth checking out. Sometimes the fish fry is to go from 4 to 7pm, but they are sold out by 530pm.

Another reason to visit Pittsburgh-fish sandwiches!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by jm199


Another reason to visit Pittsburgh-fish sandwiches!!!!!

You forgot Wholey's. I see you lived in Mt. Lebanon. I lived there for five years. How are the Saloon, Bado's and Atria's doing. I miss those places!

WOW, I just had 2 potato and mushroom knishes, otherwise I would drive down to Strip now.
The best one I had outside of Pittsburgh was Sail Loft in Boston.

chinesegirl new to Pittsburgh

wanderingjew-all three restaurants are still there. Bados is the best of the lot. the Saloon is just for drinking. Atrias has two other locations, including one in PNC Park. They are all very successful.

Bados is now known for having Matthew Gould of that TNT fake reality show work there before he starred on it.

I am not a fan of Wholeys...i grew up with their kids in Mt. Lebanon. If you think the Kennedys are fat drunk and stupid, you should meet the wholey clan. Enough said. I wouldnt give them a penny for one of their sandwiches.

Oh well, check out my comments on ORAMS donuts too....www.orams.com

by the way, i graduated from Mt. Lebanon with Mark Cuban, the BILLIONAIRE owner of the Dallas Mavericks....i knew i should have been nicer to him in school!

quote:

Originally posted by jm199

wanderingjew-all three restaurants are still there. Bados is the best of the lot. the Saloon is just for drinking. Atrias has two other locations, including one in PNC Park. They are all very successful.

Bados is now known for having Matthew Gould of that TNT fake reality show work there before he starred on it.

I am not a fan of Wholeys...i grew up with their kids in Mt. Lebanon. If you think the Kennedys are fat drunk and stupid, you should meet the wholey clan. Enough said. I wouldnt give them a penny for one of their sandwiches.

Oh well, check out my comments on ORAMS donuts too....www.orams.com

by the way, i graduated from Mt. Lebanon with Mark Cuban, the BILLIONAIRE owner of the Dallas Mavericks....i knew i should have been nicer to him in school!

I lived in Greentree so we were neighbors. What was the name of that seafood place at the bottom of Greentree Road? On the way to Bridgeville?
But I grew up in Sewickley (says she snarkily).
And having lived in Boston for years I don't know if you COULD get fat, drunk and stupider thatn the Kennedys but somehow the Wholey Clan DID manage to do it. They just didn't get the publicity.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

quote:

Originally posted by jm199

I lived in Greentree so we were neighbors. What was the name of that seafood place at the bottom of Greentree Road? On the way to Bridgeville?

Wright's Seafood House

quote:

Originally posted by jm199

wanderingjew-all three restaurants are still there. Bados is the best of the lot. the Saloon is just for drinking. Atrias has two other locations, including one in PNC Park. They are all very successful.

Hi JM,

Almost forgot to mention CiCi's on Washington Road. One of my favorite breakfast places in Mt Lebanon.

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.
Dearfolk,
Somewhere this intersects to conjure up thoughts of Jewish Vikings.

Hi Ort,

This is theoretically quite possible. If you know your history. Viksings came from Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The Norwegian Vikings sailed to Greenland and some say even North America, the Danish Viking sailed to Western Europe and the Swedish Viking sailed to Russia which already had a significant Jewish Population. Not to stereotype the Vikings or Swedes for that matter, however there was alot of Raping and Pillaging going on. Therefore there is a good chance that there are many Jewish Folks today of Russian descent who may have some Norske blood in them.

Wanderingjew,
This was a topic of discussion one night at Copper Creek (we don't just DRINK there!). One of the regulars there is (of all things), by his own description, a Jewish Gypsy. His forebears are from Romania. He is Rom on his father's side and Jewish from a female ancestor three or four or five generations back.
The very concept of Jewish Vikings actually came up in the same mental thread as my mention there of Jewish Leprechauns. Y'see, there's this fairly sizeable old, old Jewish community in Dublin... where "Sure an' begorrah" becomes "Sure an' menorrah"... or something like that. (There has to be a better Yiddish pun than that one lurking somewhere under a four-leaf clover....)
Food-speaking, the Irish Jews of Dublin have an entire cuisine that is half-Jewish and half-Irish... I kid you not. Kosher corned beef with cabbage sounds mighty good to me on a cold-as-blitzen evening in Athens, Georgia, where it isn't supposed to get this way... and where our Synagogue dates from 1872. I wish I had a plateful of it right now, even though I'm not really hungry.
This subthread may be wandering off topic, but I think we all try to learn something here. That being the case, I've learned 10,000 times more here than I've ever endeavored to teach.
Sauntering Off Directly, Ort. Carlton in the Reasonably-Well-Heated U. Ga. Library in Athens 30601.

Jewish Leprechauns? Wouldn't that be Leprecohens?

Here is another find for fish sandwiches, and GREAT bar food in general...it is the Rhythm House, located on Washington Pike (Route 50) just 1/4 mile off the 1-79 exit for Bridgeville...just had a HUGE fish sandwich for 5.99....it was great and was the size of two normal sandwiches.

my mother had a STEAK sandwich (not that crappy stuff that is wafer thin, a real steak!) for 6.99 that could have fed both of us. Both came with a great pickle and chips. They also serve wings, pasta and other bar food. The food was hot, the portions huge, the hoagie rolls fresh, and there were plenty of napkins. Plus they have VITAMIN I on the menu (also known as Iron City Beer). Check them out. Great food, not greasy, fresh ingredients. They advertise their hamburgers as consisting of ANGUS beef...

OOOPS...forgot to mention that Bridgeville is about ten miles south of Pittsburgh, PA.....now back to our regular programming!!! Sorry!!

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

So the Mrs and I took the kids yesterday to get flu shots, and the reward they picked was lunch out. The place they picked? Mickey D's.
Anyway, I ordered a fish sandwich. I gotta tell ya, it was mighty tasty. It was the perfect representation of a fast food fish sammich.

Here is some interesting information for you!

McDonald's: Worst
Filet-O-Fish
470 calories/26 g fat

Quarter Pounder
530 calories/30 g fat

Large French Fries
540 calories/26 g fat

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
540 calories/ 34 g fat

McFlurry
630 calories/24 g fat