LivetoCook

Seeing what you paid for them, I would cut one open to see if any surprises are on the filler part. They look like some of the national (for locals) brands. Re-banded and they do not look like any of the 4's that I do have and had in the past. Again give it a whirl, you should be able to tell quickly.

Salut J-P, Welcome to another Mtl boy and cheers to all. JM

A junky, yes I am... I do a Habanero sauce, I will dig out the recipe and will post here... This is so good (and not because I make it) that I need to keep it secret for a couple of days so I can hide my share... The problem for me is the quality and freshness of the peppers to make this. Living in the North, our local ones are not to the fullest because of the cool evenings. So what I get is hothouse and they go fast, are expensive and what I can get is limited. Wish I was living in the South like New Mexico or in similar areas...

On a T-shirt, what a statement!!!! Great work!

This is a difficult one... As mentioned above, the company with the meal is always important into making or breaking a meal. But, I must say that the Michelin stared restaurants are always a ''unique'' and memorable experience. In my book of fantastic and out of this world was chef's Ferran Adria of the late El Buli and Joan Roca's (the chef of the Roca Family) of El Celler de Can Roca, both in Spain. I could go on for a long time on this subject... But for anyone living or visiting in Montréal, you should visit my friend Alain Loivel at Le P'*** Plateau on Marie-Anne Street. The food is always fantastic and the benefit here is your can bring your own wine. This guy is a French chef from the South-West of France... So, duck, foie gras, porc, red deer, house cold smoked salmon and all is always very good. I have never had any déceptions there. Again being a small place they have 2 services on the Fridays and Saturdays, one at 5:30 and the second at 8:30... Do the second... If you do not want to be pushed out of the place if you are late and draging your feet on the first.

You Havana travelers, have you tried the Chocolate Museum in the Old Havana. This is interesting chocolate, very different from what I am used to. The hot and cold chocolate beverages are great and what else than a Great Habano after this. For myself, I still think that some of the best dark chocolates are from France (www.valrhona.com). I am not by far putting down the other countries... including Canada, one of my favorite is Olivia from the Ottawa area. This guy makes all dark types and some of his ''raw's'' (unroasted) are just fantastic. He does have a web site; www.oliviachocolat.com

Many thanks JDO for the rice recipe.

What a great way to describe a great meal... with great company!!!

Sounds great... try the fries in duck fat the next time...

Modernist Cuisine is probably(and most certainly) THE most complete and ultimate reference book(s) for the cooking trade today. It certainly outclasses anything else out there covering everything including molecular and sous-vide cooking. I can highly recommend it and the condensed one volume issue is a way to go without spending a large sum of money. This work is the most updated and modern work available today. Worth (Sorry... a must) getting this if you are a serious beginner, pro, or anything in between)!!! The other mentioned is not familiar to me, sorry.

Always looking for the family recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. I would be interested to find out what you use for the Guacamole, Refried Beans and Spanish rice. I had some refrieds some years ago in N-Mexico and stupid of me not to ask for the recipe... these where so good. Thanks for posting,.

Good technique...

Recipes and procedures...P.L.E.A.S.E

Do not remember seeing this name brand, but being Japanese, it should be great. I have a slew of knifes including Wusthof, which is a favorite for meat because of the rapid honing vs. Japanese who are harder, Global and a couple of other high end Japanese makes.

These look great... nice job!

Certainly are interesting views in this thread... It is to me that a lot of comments are correct and they certainly could not in any way ''fuel'' a valid argument from either side. Taste and procedure that satisfy a cook cannot be disputed. As for steaks on my behalf, the one thing that I am looking for is HEAT and lot's of it. So with a conventional gas unit the only temp you can expect from it is in the 650 deg F range, maybe up to 700 with oversized holes. In my book you need a minimum of 1200 deg F... this is infrared (gas) or charcoal. This is the main reason that so many steak house do a good steak and they use gas(infrared)... cheaper, cleaner and faster.

Oh!!! By the way, if you guys with the Behikes are worried about smoking these, I do volunteer

Just returning from Havana and having bought some Behike 56 as singles and a complete box, I can say that the band shown by SUAVEJ & TOAD 680 are exactly the same as the ones that I have. I have also seen the conterfeit copies of the Behikes and Cohibas. They are nothing like what we see in the photos here. We could give them an ''A'' for effort, but to no avail could they even dream of getting a final note of over 40%. For the unaccustomed, it possibly could fly and they are getting better. The boxed Behikes that I bought are from a Casa del Habanos, while the singles were from a multitude of shops and they all have the same ring as shown. The top one where the head is shown, I see the little waves going about. I would say that these are the real stuff, otherwise I got plucked myself. But smoking them and knowing the sources, I would have to be confident that these are the true.

Just returning from Havana and there certainly was some pleasant discoveries and of course some déceptions. On top I need to place San Cristobal as the best overall meal in Havana during the 2 weeks. All was simply perfect, my seafood plate was a masterpiece, the fish filet was absolutely perfect, the shrimps, extremely tasty and again perfectly cooked. On the finale for this plate, the 2 lobster tails that were cooked to perfection. The best I had in Cuba and I lost count after a few days. My partner's main dish, beef, was also very good and the appetizer (the house special), a plate for 2 that included many of the house's specialtieswas an experience. The service was a 10, the chef owner(what a sympathetic and warm guy), who is Cuban, has worked in Hong-Kong and a couple of other places before returning and opening this spot. The decor is fantastic with possibly the largest old clock collection in Cuba. Our dinning neighboors were the French ambassador and his wife, the room next door was some staff from the Canadian Embassy. For me, this place is one more reason to go back to Cuba. No.2 is Dona Eutemia on a little dead-end street off the Cathedral Square (Plaza). This is very good all around and inexpensive. We had a few different dishes as we went there twice, my highlight dish was a monster lobster plate cut up and served with a sauce that was simply delicious. Again here the service was excellent No.3 - Ivan Chef Justo's, near the Revolution Museum. I had a lamb dish that was simply great. No.4 - La Terraza, bring your appetite, great BBQ. The lamb leg...yest the whole thing was done very well and let's just say that I did not have a biog breakfast the next day. The chicken is great, the porc also, it was not overcooked like many other places. No.5 - Cafe del Oriente - A chic State restaurant, very good wine selection (great deals on Torres' Spanish and Chiliean's and the food was good and plentiful. Deceptions... La Guarida, is success going to their heads? Rice dry, potatoes not done too well, one of the friend's dish was overcooked... Mine was ok, 4 out 4 deceptions and considering the cost - overpriced. El Aljibe...Cold food and service, out for me, it was good but... El Imprente, I am not sure if it is spelled right, but an old printing shop in old Havana, nice decor, but the food was cold like the service. Certainly an honorable mention needs to go to the steak house in the Parque Centrale hotel, service, steaks done to perfection as ordered and a decent wine list.

MDF, HDF, I frown at these initials... First and foremost with these materials is the origin; manufacturer, country, year made. As mentioned above, the glue technology is very important here. I know that there has been major improvements over the years. But, it is still glue and for looks, natural wood is number 1. I have seen the beginning of this industry and the question that remains in my mind is the ''glue''. How does it do with some of the wood fibers chemistry over time? Especially here into an enclosed environment with Rh of +/- 70% over a long period. A good friend of mine mentioned to me, and even being stubborn, I listened to him. ''Understand that you have a little fortune in cigars and you want to go cheap on your humidor...'' So, it is... message received. 10mm cedar and decent woods in the construction. Just like a cigar, a beautiful cabinet or piece of furniture well built with natural materials is a piece of art.