cookbook from my daughter that's pretty damn good with home cooking soul food recipes(photo below) Anybody get a good one?
So, who got any good books for Christmas? I got a
- Thread starter The Peeper
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All I see are a bunch of red blood cells flowing into a giant you-know-what. And a set of lungs in the background.
I got "Nuts! A 101st Airborne Division Machine Gunner at Bastogne" by Vincent Speranza. Should be good.
I’ve read a lot of the 101st airborne books. Most are just trying to cash in on Band of Brothers and aren’t very good. Haven’t read this one so let me know if it’s good.
A couple of years ago I received “Hell I was There” by Elmer Keith. Lots of truth stretching in there but if you are fond of the American West, hunting, and shooting sports, it’s an interesting read. Back in the day, Jack O’Connor was the editor of Outdoor Life and arch rival of Elmer Keith. I already had Jack O’Connors Big Game Hunting books and I recommend them over Elmer Keith’s book. A few years ago I fulfilled a dream of hunting some of the same area and riding the same horse trails that Jack O’Connor and Teddy Roosevelt had hunted back in the day.
Unpopular take perhaps - RSJ amd his restaurants are overrated and over hyped. Decent food….. but that’s about it for me.
Tim Smith was a professor of mine my freshman year at Mississippi State - Early American History
RSJ is an outstanding idea guy and has great thoughts when it comes to food and restaurants…
The execution ain’t always great but that’s because he’s never satisfied and wants to do something new when the opportunity presents itself.
I bought his Christmas book last month and told him that I hope he’s still doing his tours when I retire in a few years because I’d like to go on one of them…
I’ve had ok to good meals at his restaurants. Haven’t eaten at them enough to probably be a fair judge but I feel pretty certain they’re not great. but also not sure how easy it is to run multiple concepts in Hattiesburg and Jackson and them be great. I feel like that’s a little easier to do in more densely populated areas. Maybe easier to find chefs that can keep it at a high level without the owners presence as opposed to managers?
Just a guess because I know we have plenty of good chefs and I don’t know who in Mississippi successfully runs more than a restaurant or two at most. Would love to know of an exception if there is one.
Interesting guy. Did a lot to help end the war and afterwards he did a lot. But a good writer he is not. The book is awful.
BLITZED: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler. It’s pretty good so far. The Nazi’s were seriously methed up. No sarcasterisks.
You are 100% entitled to you opinion but let me take the other side. I’ll admit RSJ is an acquaintance in the same field so let me respectfully defend for 1 second:
There is no harder business day to day than the restaurant business. Brutal margins, staffing is always a challenge, & customers in general demand a higher level of service than other industries. Ex: folks will wait silently an hour late for a scheduled Dr appointment and then worship the ground the socially challenged Dr walks on as no one in his office apologizes and he rushes you through your visit in 5 mins speed talking. In a restaurant, you can be packed to the rails and folks will become irrationally furious over French fries that weren’t 208 degrees or waiting 5-10 mins more than “ normal”. Then want to talk to who is in charge like a retarded pos for their inconvenience. It’s a weird business.
That said, his flagship concepts are incredibly successful and consistent, esp if you judge them in the proper context:
Ed’s- fast casual burger joint that’s fun and good.
Tabella- casual Italian and is cheaper than Olive Garden but much better. Crazy value proposition
Crescent City- casual Nola-inspired menu that’s been rocking for decades. If I took an out of towner to MS and had to have 1 dish to impress them, Catfish Plaquemine would
probably be it.
Mahogany Bar- since expansion it’s better then it’s ever been. The cocktail program is really well done and high-end. It’s reminds me of the upscale rooftops bars I hit in Manhatten over the summer.
Midtowner- it’s better executed Cracker Barrel. Country breakfast and blue plates. Who can be mad at that?
All in all, if you’re judging RSJ’s group by Michelin stars or some crazy high standard, then I guess we all suck because not many do it better in the industry. In MS there are only a small handful in his league as a restauranteur. If you’re comparing apples to apples they are all good. Now if you’re comparing Tabella being “good” to Chaz at Polita Osteria or Scott Koestler’s $220 prime, 45 day dry aged bone-in ribeye…. that’s not matching contemporaries.
Fair enough for real. I’m a regular at Pulito, Elvies, Koestler, Shapleys and Two Rivers. Props to them all. Didn’t mean to diss RSJ properties at all. Guess I got a really bad taste in my mouth with TASTE !! Took a large and important client there on the hype and left sorely disappointed. Ive eaten at all his restaurants. Mostly pretty good. It’s a tough business no question.
You didn’t disrespect at all. Like I said, I’m biased. You named some great places btw.
With Taste, I’d give Fant (who I don’t know) some time. The Jackson market is absolutely brutal and I always worry a bit when restauranteurs from Starkville, Oxford, & Hattiesburg give the metro a run. It’s a different animal.
Man, I totally misspoke. I’ve only been to Taste once, but was impressed and I’ll be back.
I was referring to the old Enzo that Taste took over their location at Renaissance.
But agreed, the restaurant business, especially in the Metro is tough.
I like Dan Brown novels.
Just read The Secrets of Secrets that sent me down a rabbit hole into the CIAs remote viewing program and quantum entanglement. Super fascinating
Just read The Secrets of Secrets that sent me down a rabbit hole into the CIAs remote viewing program and quantum entanglement. Super fascinating