In my time in the kitchens I’ve rubbed elbows with all manner of folk, the varied sort that inhabit that tumultuous underworld of the line cook. They are a calico mixture, even within themselves, sometimes part poet and philosopher, as well as bits of hooligan and delinquent. But it may surprise you that a good number of these gutter chefs know a thing or two about fine cooking, and it is by their example that I have any proficiency in the art. It seemed strange to find that

Some folks have the idea that a game bird is just like chicken. This is a dangerous misconception. Get that straight quick. The chicken is a preening pampered prissy little lay-about, primping and prancing around the farmyard, or maybe just stuffing its face in some closed in wire cage. Wild fowl are another story. The game bird is an ornery, scrawny, bad-tempered cuss of a critter whose life is dedicated to thwarting your intent. Their natural taste can be described most aff

The Fat Jack is a dependable and surprisingly luxurious sandwich that crosses all social boundaries, enjoyed by bus-boys, bankers and beauty queens alike. It traces its origins to the company lunch wagons at fish canneries along the east coast. The necessity to feed large groups of men cheaply introduced novel ways to present leftover fish scraps as a meal. Starting out as little more than a glorified tuna salad sandwich, the Fat Jack established itself through years of innov

The thigh is the best part of the chicken for a quick meal. Loaded with flavor and packing a good helping of meat, the chicken thigh is by far the best cut of the bird. Unlike the laborious breast with its excess of dry white meat, or the spindly drumstick with scant scraps of sustenance, the thigh achieves that perfect combination of juicy taste and satisfying quantity. The skin can be removed if a leaner meal is desired. The thigh is flavorful enough on its own that it need