No Tangent Tuesday: Melons, Spinal Tap, and Restaurant Red Flags

In this episode of Cooking Issues , Dave and the crew dive into wide-ranging conversations spanning fruit obsessions, culinary technique, and the realities of running restaurants. The show kicks off with upcoming travel plans to Cologne for a Jägermeister demo, followed by a spirited debate about melon varieties, including the Bonnie melon and the elusive true cantaloupe. Other topics include: Excitement (and confusion) around the new Spinal Tap sequel, with cucumber-related deep cuts. Basil and mint gelato experiments using a Ninja machine versus traditional blanching, and the tradeoffs between flavor brightness and oxidation. A lively roundtable on early warning signs for failing restaurants—menu overhauls, partner conflicts, front vs. back of house struggles, and the burnout of opening staff. Social media’s role in modern food success stories, from French dip lines in NYC to the “must be nice” mentality in kitchens. Listener questions on dry-aging pork, carbonation system design, calcium treatments for vegetables, and substitutes for elusive yuzu juice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.