Benedikt is in the hotseat!

[sis]

so how do you tell the difference between an young bull and an old sausage cow?

[Benedikt]

so how do you tell the difference between an young bull and an old sausage cow?

a young bull or also young cow or ox (castrated bull):
the fat in a youn animal is white to ceamy white and firm to the touch. in an old cow it is yellow and your finger will sink into the fat if you dig in slightly.
young meat us bright red ( think of fire engine), old meat is dark red.

[Periwinkle]

For good beef - what do you think is the best supermarket in Moscow?

What is the biggest cultural challenge for you in Moscow or what do you find most difficult?

[Benedikt]

For good beef - what do you think is the best supermarket in Moscow?

What is the biggest cultural challenge for you in Moscow or what do you find most difficult?

but you pay a price. BUT if you are friends and acquainted and a regular customer at ANY of the open markets meat stallholders, you might be surprised what they come up with. and of course you must know your cats, because friends or not, knowledge is better then disappointment...

since i did not come 'straight' from the west to Moscow, but via Africa, Asia, the USA and Southern Europe, there is nothing that can 'challenge' me here anymore.

What i do not like though and never will get used to it, is the unorganized way of the public transport. in Austria even for the busses and trams we have a timetable and you can be sure if it says 8.14, the bus or tram is there. and if not, due to an accident or other reason, at least in the bigger towns, each station or stop has a loud speaker, that tells you what is happening and any alternative (routes or transport).

[ezik]

First of all: thanks for taking the Hot Seat. You've been a member forever, probably one of the most respected people on Expat.ru.

Some questions:
- What type if cook are you: experimental, fusion, classic, traditional?
- What do you enjoy the most in your profession?
- I don't know any cooks who made it to being a World Leader in politics. Yet, I think that cooks in general would be good political leaders, as their disposition is all about making people happy. Do you agree or disagree?
- What is the best market to get fresh food and the best herbs?
- After a long winter, soon I'm going to kick off the datsja season. Main ingredient is going to be, of course, the apple/onion/pepper marinated shashlik that they do wonderfully in Bykovo. What side-dish would pleasantly surprise my guests?

[Benedikt]

First of all: thanks for taking the Hot Seat. You've been a member forever, probably one of the most respected people on Expat.ru.

Some questions:
- What type if cook are you: experimental, fusion, classic, traditional?
while i like to esperiment, in the end i want my guests to be able to see what they are eating without having to consult the mendeleev tables.
also i want to leave the restaurant happy and sated, NOT stuffed, and not having to go to a McD because they are still hungry.
and we all know, special russian diners, are very fickle, one moment yo uare in and after 6 month you are out with you fusion and molecular cuisine, but good, clean trafitional cooking will always have aplace.
as my signature says, and good fresh products, and yo uwill ahve happy clients for a long time to come.

- What do you enjoy the most in your profession?

i think the answere would be more appropriate, what did i enjoy most. i started young, left home when i was 22 and besides South America and down under i have worked all over the place. i am still in contact with guests, ex colegues or just friends and aquaintances. seeing the world also has told me and thought me to be tolerant towards the weakness and cultural habits of others. what might be 'normal' for 'us' might be totally not understood by us and the other way around.

- I don't know any cooks who made it to being a World Leader in politics. Yet, I think that cooks in general would be good political leaders, as their disposition is all about making people happy. Do you agree or disagree?

yes indeed i do, because it would be much easier and definitely more enjoyable to discuss the worlds problems over a good steak and a nice glass of wine.

- What is the best market to get fresh food and the best herbs?

always good but pricey and they tend to cheat, Dorogomilovsky market, behind Kievskaya /Evropeisky shopping center. special if you do not know the language and products.
for herbs, any open market will do, for instance we ahve in Strogino, and every other rayon as well, the farmers market, lots of products not from the Moscow region, Lipetsk is big here, they can make double the money in one day, what they do back there in a week. the best and FIRST strawberries, freshest milk, yogurt made from 33% cream, fair enough for a price. because these little traders have to sell more or less in one day, cold storage over night is expensive, the prices there are hard to beat.

- After a long winter, soon I'm going to kick off the datsja season. Main ingredient is going to be, of course, the apple/onion/pepper marinated shashlik that they do wonderfully in Bykovo. What side-dish would pleasantly surprise my guests?

corn on the cob, a nice potato salad NOT with mayo,dangerous anyway out in the heat, baked potato, no one does it, everyone likes them, eggplant,whole, not peeled, salted ,pepper, garlic, little oil,wrapped in foil and baked on the side of the grill, the same with big WHITE onions.

[Willy]

Hey how's them eggs Benedikt?


When is your birthday?

And on really hot days do you wear underwear?

[Benedikt]

Hey how's them eggs Benedikt?


When is your birthday?

And on really hot days do you wear underwear?

that is the sixth of May.. and i was born i n1951 if that is of any interest.

when you look up wiki yo uget about 20 different explainations about the eggs benedikt, i did NOT invent them. to bad, i would have put o na patent and be rich by now...
and about underwear, i work in the kitchen and there it is ALWAYS hot, so if only for hygienic reasons, and also private, i always wear underwear, nothing is left to swing....

[MickeyTong]

Happy Birthday, Benedikt

Small children can be very fussy about what they will eat and what they will not even taste....Do you have any tips for encouraging kids to eat a variety of foods?

Should I heat a pan first before putting in the oil, or should I heat the oil and the pan together?

Why does my pee smell funny after eating asparagus?

Most men I know don't like celery. Most women do like it. Why?

[Willy]

that is the sixth of May.. and i was born i n1951 if that is of any interest.

when you look up wiki yo uget about 20 different explainations about the eggs benedikt, i did NOT invent them. to bad, i would have put o na patent and be rich by now...
and about underwear, i work in the kitchen and there it is ALWAYS hot, so if only for hygienic reasons, and also private, i always wear underwear, nothing is left to swing....

Hey happy birthday! The big 60!

[FatAndy]

Alles Gut-Gut-Gut zum Geburtstag, Genosse! Prosit!

[Benedikt]

Happy Birthday, Benedikt

Small children can be very fussy about what they will eat and what they will not even taste....Do you have any tips for encouraging kids to eat a variety of foods?

make it interesting for them. let them help in the kitchen, even if it will be a mess the first few times. don't force them to eat something that they don't like, but also no stories like 'it is good for you, so eat it up'.let them eat what they like, but include the 'good' things. a cheeseburger does not need to be junk food, if you make it yourself, use good meat to make a patty, a good brown roll for the burger and salad and toamtoes and pickles. no gooey mayo, and leave out all these artificial sauces. and even spagetti bolognese, buy good spagetti, durum wheat, make the sauce yourself, don't add tons of parmesan and add a fresh salad. i know leaves are for 'rabbits' but buy some other varieties besides iceberg and lettuce. and make a nice salad with ruccola, corn and the like.


Should I heat a pan first before putting in the oil, or should I heat the oil and the pan together?

i put the pan on the plate, and then add the oil, putting a complete 'emty' pan on a hot plate, could lead to deforming of the pan, after a few times and pouring cold oil into a hot pan is inviting desaster.

Why does my pee smell funny after eating asparagus?

some of the chemicals and enzymes react with your body chemistry.

Most men I know don't like celery. Most women do like it. Why?

it is not conidered 'manly' to crunch down o na celery stick, but a woman can do and suggest the most erotic things, just nibbeling on the green stalks.

[mattology]

Although I heard that celery is a natural variant of Viagra...giving you enough ink to last for hours
So there is some good reasons to nibble on them green sticks even as a man

[Benedikt]

Although I heard that celery is a natural variant of Viagra...giving you enough ink to last for hours
So there is some good reasons to nibble on them green sticks even as a man

a candle light dinner, or just some nice food, a warm shower, some champagen i nthe abth room, a good massage, the room should be warm and yo ushould be wearing no jewellery, nothing that can scratch or hurt and you do not need any celery, oysters, spanish fly, nutmeg, or any of the million concoctions that make only the producer and distributor rich.