Welcome to the redesigned ruhlman.com, with great thanks to Leah McCombe, the designer, and Kyle Crouse, the programmer. Please forgive us if it takes a few days to work out any bugs. Most of the changes are cosmetic, but a couple of new items have been added. I’m going to try to offer signed copies of most books via paypal and see if this is practical. Also, I’ll be writing a second blog, called The Elements of Cooking (using terms or ideas from the book), on which I hope to address issues of fundamental cooking technique.
It’s been an active week on the blog with the book tour and the Next Iron Chef brouhaha. It’s my policy not to delete posts unless they are truly harmful in some way, but I urge commenters to post only words that you would say aloud to whomever it is you are addressing. Just ask yourself if you would before hitting the button.
In response to the vitriol, I would offer this:
Among my favorite books, if not my favorite book ever, is Brendan Gill’s Here At The New Yorker . In it he says too much is made of life’s being serious:
“In fact,” he writes, “not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the argument that life is serious, though it is often hard and sometimes terrible. And saying that, I am prompted to add what follows out of it. That since everything ends badly for us in the inevitable catastrophe of death, it seems obvious that the first rule of life is to have a good time; and that the second rule of life is to hurt as few people as possible in the course of doing so. There is no third rule.”
Comments and criticisms on the new design are most welcome!
Michael,
Great site, worthy of a man of your stature. I agree with Christa Seychew, Buffalo loves you! We would be honored.
The best to you always.
Wonderful new masthead! Beautiful red and clear links to well-organized features directly below.
Less happy about:
1) Not all images are legible, at least to this Mac user. I was googling a recipe and came across your praise of Heidi Swanson’s new cookbook. Image files appeared as names and little blue squares filled with white question marks.
2) Where’s the new blog devoted to elements? I don’t see a link. If there is one, it might be given greater prominence.
3) I am not a fan of the new trend of placing a narrow body of content in the middle of two very wide margins, each of which is nearly half the width of the central strip. The layout is superior to ones that interrupt text with ads, but I find it a bit distracting.
I love the new format but agree the font is a bit small/difficult…love your comments along the way on your book tour…also photos of the food you cook! you should have an “Elements of Cooking” show!!
Oh, and here’s the latest installment on my blog covering the lunch with Tony:
http://skawt.org/blawg/?p=20
Many,many thanks to Skawt for the posting on your blog about Bourdain and the picture.Also the pictures from last week at The Ferry Building were really great too! Hey, I read many moons ago Bourdain said that he was going blog here so he could really open up and say what he wanted to say, I know he (and Ruhlman )have been super busy, but his signature poison pen has been absent for a long time. Come on , the common folks are hungry for that sort of stuff. Ruhlman…still no comment on my Nashville, was it that bad, let me have it, I can take it, I have lived here for 60 years. But really thanks to Skawt for this week AND last week.
Skawt says:
“where he demanded raw chicken – which he then proceeded to stuff into every orifice of mine that he could find. (I am still picking pieces of chicken out of my nostrils and left ear.)”
Coulda been much worse Skawt…Chicken Cesar Wrap from Costco.
Thanks for the laughs!
I finally figured out what bothers me so much about the wind-blown picture: the lack of context. It would be okay if the background were included, if you were standing on a beach, or a hillside, or your own back porch — somewhere, anywhere that wind-blown hair would look natural. It would also be okay as is if you were a teenage Hollywood starlet. But given your age and profession, it’s just silly, and it makes you look vain and self-dramatizing. That’s not the impression you want to give, is it?
P.S. I am not saying that you’re vain and self-dramatizing, okay? Just that I think the picture makes you look as though you are.
To: Anthony Bourdain
Re: Ruhlman poisons his readers
Dear Mr. Bourdain:
In regards to our conversation on the afternoon of Saturday, November 17th, I am submitting the following details of the sordid escapade which resulted in my being incapacitated by food poisoning for nearly a week, instigated by none other than Michael Ruhlman.
On Sunday, November 11th, shortly before 2:00pm, Michael Ruhlman staggered into the Book Passage bookstore in the San Francisco Ferry building, smelling like the floor of a taxicab. In an attempt to be amusing, I introduced myself with the following:
“Hi, I’m with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Warthog Anus. Have you seen this man?” And then I held up a picture of you, Mr. Bourdain. At this point Mr. Ruhlman shook in a fit of ague, started swinging wildly with his travel mug full of Jaegermeister and cough syrup, and screamed incoherently about someone named Buford. He caught me a lucky clip on the side of the head, wherewith he dragged me outside of the store to a sandwich counter, where he demanded raw chicken – which he then proceeded to stuff into every orifice of mine that he could find. (I am still picking pieces of chicken out of my nostrils and left ear.)
Needless to say, this resulted in my ending up with Salmonella food poisoning, which you are aware does some quite nasty things to the digestion. I have, in fact, expelled nearly three times as much water as I have taken in during the past week, and now when I sneeze only dust comes out.
It is hereby my recommendation that whatever medication Mr. Ruhlman is on to control this behavior be doubled immediately, as its efficacy is no longer sufficient.
Love the new design, Michael. Very crisp. Keep up the good work!
@m – Bourdain mentioned the jerk who confused Pakistan with Beirut at his lunch signing today in SF.
He also plugged Ruhlman’s book, without even a swipe at the hair. Very decent of him.
Hey Artn,
As soon as I get my act together today, I’ll be youtubing about 12 minutes of the talk — segments on Gordon Ramsay, why the audience member who asked about Pakistan (as opposed to Beirut) is an idiot, etc. I’ll let you know when it’s up.
I wanted to drop you a note to tell you about a food show on WNPR in New Haven, CT Faith Middleton’s Food Schooze. It’s on Wed and Sat for a hour and covers CT, Long Island and RI. No one loves or get into food more then Faith and her buddies. Oh she also has a book show on Fridays. One of her book buddies is from RJ Julia book store in Madison, CT. They do alot of readings and talks with an amazing list of writers.
Maybe you already know about them, they both have websites so if you don’t check them out!
All the best with your new book!
Lisa
I wanted to drop you a note to tell you about a food show on WNPR in New Haven, CT Faith Middleton’s Food Schooze. It’s on Wed and Sat for a hour and covers CT, Long Island and RI. No one loves or get into food more then Faith and her buddies. Oh she also has a book show on Fridays. One of her book buddies is from RJ Julia book store in Madison, CT. They do alot of readings and talks with an amazing list of writers.
Maybe you already know about them, they both have websites so if you don’t check them out!
All the best with your new book!
Lisa
mr
finally your site looks as good as your new hair. i love it and you twoce a day (fucking be bim bap).
Nice work on the Daily Gullet on eGullet.org
The new design is swell, Michael.
I only just took a look at your Elements of Cooking blog (I’m really looking forward to learning new things from it!) and wanted to pass on this feedback:
You need some sort of header (not necessarily a different graphic) to distinguish that blog from this one. It may be that your staff are already working on this.
I felt this feedback post was the best place to put this.
Thanks so much!
Ruhlman, what about Nashville ? I live about 20 miles north of Nashville, which would about 40 miles from where you were. I am about 10 minutes from where Johnny Cash lived. Now owned by Barry Gibb(burned to the ground)I hope you had fun.
Keep the small font, looks fine.
Hi Michael–My husband and I had the great fortune to score some tickets to the sold out Bourdain talk/book signing in Santa Cruz tonight. Bourdain, you should know, mentioned your hair and the words “Breck commercial” in the same sentence when asked about Next Iron Chef.
(His affection for you was quite clear … congrats on the site redesign, it’s quite stunning.)
Would be interested in hearing more about the Santa Cruz Bourdain talk, m, especially what he said about Ruhlman. I guess I should have copyrighted that “BreckBoy” moniker that I gave Knowlton, ‘cuz everyone is using it now! LOL. My 5 minutes of fame…!
Michael,
Very nice webdesign. And very interesting (photoshopped?) picture of your kitchen. How on earth can you open your oven door to put a turkey in?
@Corey – if you don’t mind, could you send me an email at fiatlux.blog@gmail.com?
PayPal is the devil. If you don’t want to endure the hassle of getting an honest merchant account and gateway setup just register as a seller on Amazon and list your signed copies up there.
Love the new look!! (Then again, I’m obviously partial to red ;-D).
So where do I go to get a signed copy of your book? I’m all about it!
They look harmless. Friendly. They turn icky and annoying on a full belly. Public safety officials urge you to not feed them and to avoid them at all costs. In case you need help in recognizing one:
http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/07/c3/39/5f_1_sbl.JPG
Michael
During my earlier post, I forgot my most pressing question! Since your books and also AB’s are on many of our Holiday wish lists…what are YOU asking (hoping) for this season? Just curious!
Thanks
Looks nice and clean. Thumbs up. I’ve been through redesign launches a bunch of times (in the job I’m *supposed* to be doing right now) and typically the negative comments outweigh the positives at first, and, if not performance-related, the complaints diminish after people get used to the new design. Of course, you have a very friendly audience (usually) — judging by the comments, you’re already off to a great start.
BTW although I’m not a designer I agree with Justin D’s comments. The font size here seems fairly standard so readers may want to adjust on their own machines, as they’ll see this size elsewhere. Until we all lose our eyesight, that is.
@Darcie:
“…stirred with hand-cracked ice….”
Now, if I may say so, someone pledge allegiance to Darcie, and, right now!
A lady who makes her martini w/hand cracked ice?
Awesome.
Someone propose, and now (that is, if someone already hasn’t
)
My last OT post, too.
Although, I must say that, I wish this blog had a section for OT posts, since it’s really not far off from being a fanclub-of-Ruhlman type page.
He’s a rock star!
But, I don’t know how he feels about Iggy & the Stooges just yet, so, we’ll see.
Outback.
Yes, I’ve done that – no shame, all people need to go somewhere, and fun is where one makes it.
I enjoyed watching TNIC, and the regular show in general, but I always have questions about the preparation that I can’t find answers to. I’d like to see, if you are able to divulge that kind of info, how much prep work is allowed before the show, how much prior knowledge has been attained, and is the secret ingredient really secret. Like the lamb’s tongue with sword fish. did symon just have that in the hip pocket, or did he plan to use that ahead of time? I realize you have to do certain things for the magic of TV, but inquiring minds like to know these things.
Enjoy your writings, btw, looking forward to the new Essentials.
I think Senor Ruhlman should be a weekly guest on Party Line With The Hearty Boys, and Monsieur Bourdain could pop- up, now and again, as a Nancy Drew-type protagonist.
Culminating in… Ruhlman and Bourdain flogging The Hearty Boys with sticks of homemade Salumi.
I hope that Db Sweeney concurs.
Darcie, what type of Martini did you fix for yourself? If it is one I like, then you’re forgiven for your poor attempts at insulting me, as well as for blaming the world for everything that didn’t work out.
And, are you related to Darcy Tucker of Toronto Maple Leafs fame?
Corey (if I may be so presumptuous), sorry, no relation to the hockey player. Although I have lost some teeth (pulled for orthodontia).
Unfortunately, I agreed to join friends at the Outback Steakhouse
so I was unable to fix the martini myself. I had to settle for a dry Beefeater martini, stirred, no olives. It was acceptable. At home, I usually make a Plymouth/Noilly (best I can get here), stirred with hand-cracked ice, and occasionally a dash or two of orange bitters.
I humbly await your blessing.
Blaming the world for things that didn’t work out?? I didn’t like my job so I quit. EOS.
I don’t think people really want to read about us, so this shall be my last off-topic post. So long, and thanks for all the fish!
I REALLY hate going to someone’s website and being hit in the face with a bunch of cheesy advertisments. But in a day and age when names are for sale (the Boston Garden became the Fleet Center became…etc.), I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. But I am surprised. I thought you were better than that. Isn’t it enough that we buy your books?
@ Corey Haim and Eggs,
It’s no surprise that you are a lawyer (I work with them daily, unfortunately, and frankly I assumed you were one. I almost became one but luckily came to my senses). I am no longer a caseworker because the pay is abysmal and the frustration level high. I still don’t know exactly what I want to be when I grow up (OK I do but I have to win the lottery first
.
After my post I thought to myself, ‘how you could you fall for that troll?!’ I guess it was pre-martini grumpiness. Two martinis later and all was well.
Too bad they don’t have sarcasm emoticons. Sometimes it’s tough to ferret out the tone of a post.
Now back to the important stuff: good food and good writing! I am wondering if Mr. Ruhlman is regretting his decision to solicit comments.
I love the quality of the photos that you have been posting lately. So incredibly sharp and clear! I would love to see a photo album with pictures changing often enough to remain fresh and relevant.
Matt’s tip about the CTRL and scolling bar on the mouse works fine for me re: font size so no issues there. I don’t love the adverts, but do understand the reason behind them.
Thanks for your patience during the NICA debate, it has to hurt to hear your character questioned, yet IMO you rose to the top like sweet cream! Or is that smelling like a rose?? and always…MR, AB and MS – love you ~~rock on brothers!~~
Michael,
I just opened ruhlman.com on my boyfriend’s laptop and all the (blog, books, bio) were “below the fold”…have you and your team considered either decreasing the depth of the main image, or adding a row of text links above the main image, maybe upper right corner? If I hadn’t known to scroll down, I’d never have known all that important stuff was down there.
Are you sorry yet that you asked for comments? …lol…
Cheers
I like the look of the new site. I think that it’s sleek and perhaps more appealing to first time visitors, a slew of whom I’m sure have headed your way since NIC and the arrival of the new book. I’m looking forward to being able to order a signed book and add your second blog to my list of regular reading.
Speaking of book signings, Mr. Ruhlman, is there any chance we might ever see you here in Buffalo, Cleveland’s sister city?
re: Previous comment about the ad…never mind, it’s supposed to do that.
I guess I really DO need another cocktail.
Great new blog design. I love it. There are a couple nit-picky things that only a web designer would notice.
1) the site is barely wider than will fit in a fullscreen browser at 1024 resolution. It’s so close, just bump down some margins and maybe shave off a few pixels of the right column width to get rid of that horizontal scroll bar.
2) There’s no rollover for the main nav. I assume this just isn’t done yet.
3) Moreso than text being too small, I think the leading is too small (space between lines). If that’s bumped up and each line is given some space it’ll make the text easier to read, small or not.
It’s 90% perfect though. Great job and congratulations.
Not sure if it was already posted but if the font is too small for you, click on “View” and go to “Text Size” and adjust accordingly.
Perfect. Can I have your kitchen? I love the new book. I would pay for an online subscription to a version of your book with a link to an interactive demo. I am surprised that with all the work going into a cookbook that someone hasn’t videotaped the kitchen work and made that available as a companion to the book as a CD ROM or at least an online resource. Anyway I look forward to this new design and the new section.
I like it…unless you already changed the font size, it’s fine for my 48 year-old (today!) eyes.
The ad on the left keeps doing strange things though. Sometimes it’s REALLY BIG, and then it gets back into its box. Maybe I just need another cocktail.
Sweet kitchen in the homepage shot. Yours?
If you’re in Cincinnati for dinner next Tuesday, make sure you try JeanRo, if you haven’t already. There’s also a new tapas bar attempting to bring ideas from molecular gastronomy to Cincinnati.
“Ctrl + “+” usually works as well.”
That is so awesome,it really does work.
It’s elegant and beautiful (kitchen photo). I’ve only recently discovered you, Ruhlman, and am enjoying “House” at this moment. I too, own a century old, glorious and grand ark which beckoned us for the same reason yours did to your family. Only ours is on Virginia’s Eastern Shore which is at present still relatively undiscovered. Question about stock, is it just me, or does stock smell kind of rank? Just wondering as I’ve got a sensitive olfactory system and am just entering the world of making stock (at age 52!) I respect your writing and the risks you (and your family) have taken for its sake. The “immersion” technique is, I think, the only way to write with any degree of conviction about what one really, truly ‘knows’.
Like the new site design!
My only complaint is that the pages load slower.
I love the idea for a second blog devoted to cooking. Thanks!
Holy crap! Haha, I love the new site! I’m not having a problem with the font size — maybe I’m used to reading Internet fonts (or maybe you’ve fixed it by now). But to respond to the person who suggested how to make it larger, if you don’t have a mouse (i.e., working on a laptop), Ctrl + “+” usually works as well.
I haven’t had a chance to check out all the redesigns, but I was so pleasantly surprised that I just had to say something. -)
re: Homepage Photo (Ruhlman’s kitchen)
Okay, I see 2/3rds of a Mirepoix at work there, but the greens… they do not resemble celery.
Celeriac?
No, can’t be.
Maybe… leeks, as variation on a theme?
Was that for a Matignon (eventual, perhaps, since I see no pork), or were you just being cool, and, instead, that photo defines this blog as being about CUISINE?
Design’s okay. The photo is kinda fey.
Jaysus, Ruhlman. Martha freakin’ Stewart? Do you want us to come back or not?
Seriously, I despise that woman. Please yank that ad. Please.
How to even begin to address Ruhlman’s hair? I’m sure this is what he dreamed of when he started this adventure in blogging. And to be fair, writing comments about another man’s choice of style and corresponding product is making me ask myself some questions about myself too. Not that’s there’s anything wrong with that as our good friend George Costanza might say.
Simply put, I’m looking forward to seeing Ruhlman’s blonde flowing locks every Sunday when I open my paper and see the $9.95 coupon for a cut at Great Clips. Simply put, our Mike is trying to be everybody’s All-American. It’s the perfect combination of boardroom savvy, after-hours cool. That’s our Ruhlman.
There is also a bit of wisdom in our hero’s plan. Look at Presidential candiate John Edwards. He’s paying $400 for something that could be done with a bowl and a comb. If you’re going to splurge, why not on a decent meal and a fine bottle of wine? I would say if anything, Mr. Ruhlman has his priorties straight.
Yes, our good man does have a sense of style. Did you see the suits he sported on TNIC? One word (and it isn’t rented), sharp. Very sharp indeed.
However, the entire situation really boils down to this and the sooner we all realize and accept this, the better off we’re all going to be. It’s Ruhlman’s world now and we’re all just happy to be living in it and along for the ride. A new and snazzy website. A new blog just on cooking techniques. Judge on a prime-time television show. A new book, one that Eric Ripert wishes he had written. Guest spots on another network with a friend who always looks out for Ruhlman’s best interests. Profiles of his home town. LeBron James calling Cleveland home. Symon. As long he can control that potty mouth that rears it’s ugly head every once in a while, I’d say Michael might be looking at the World as his Oyster right about now.
One might call this a banner year, at least professionally and hopefully personally, for our esteemed moderator here. Perhaps those Godfather anaolgies I made in yesterday’s posts weren’t that far off. Maybe Michael Symon was in fact a proverbial Johnny Fontaine and our Ruhlman took care of everything. We’ll know for sure if the next post on the new blog has to do with the proper way to make a cannoli.
@ Darcie
“(Oh, and in case you think I just don’t understand, I’ve been a caseworker.)”
Been?
Has been?
No need to feel insecure, and you missed the arid tone which was supposed to be taken – or mistaken – for being unsmiling, if you will.
And, of course, you took the bait.
If you know anything about triggers, then you’ll know that something as seemingly as innocuous as the competition, TNICA, on FN could ignite a person who has already imploded, to the point of explosion: it doesn’t have to be (so) literal, in order for it to happen.
Even larger than this, you omitted, or overlooked the fact that, it was Bob (del Grosso) who, loosely or otherwise, labeled TNICA as a “sporting event,” and used that as his paradigm for the rest of his post.
re: vocation – J. D., here.
re: New Ruhlman Photo:
Ride like the wind!
Where’s Ralph Lauren hiding in that photo?
Is Kelly Klein and / or Kelly Bensimmon in the offing?
PS: Db Sweeney – owe you a reply on the NICA blog, will get there soon, but any thoughts on our host’s coiffure?
@ Corey Haim and Eggs
—————
How many women and children get abused, because, the team or athlete favoured by the man-of-the-house didn’t meet his expectations, and his displaced rage gets projected and unleashed?
…..
Thus, as lighthearted as your analogy may appear, it’s also a rather heavy topic, too: Especially for those who may work in the fields of Social Work and Early Intervention (whether as attorneys or caseworkers etc.)
Sometimes, a sport isn’t just a sport.
—————
Um, the SPORT is at fault for someone who beats his wife? That’s absurd! Domestic violence is indeed a heavy subject. To try to tie it in with a Food Network television show via a sports analogy is ridiculous and inappropriate. It’s a feeble attempt to inject seriousness into a situation that is not serious.
(Oh, and in case you think I just don’t understand, I’ve been a caseworker.)
Michael, there’s a new conspiracy theory regarding your reasons for updating your blog site. But thanks to one commentor’s tenacity and webarchive, your coverup attempt has been revealed! *snort*
I shouldn’t laugh. *snort* But I can’t help it. Sorry. *snort*
You’d think with such tenacity he’d have archived the photo of Ruhlman staring into his monitor from behind. But nooooo. *sniffs*
Maybe there were clues there too, maybe the screen had stuff typed on it about the conspiracy.
Jeana, Michael’s book tour schedule is under The Elements of Cooking comments (a few boards under this one.)
Pretty, Ruhlman! It actually made me say “Woah” outloud. I look forward to posting on this far-more-aesthetically-pleasing blog.
Figures I’d write about the about page after you changed it! Put it back!
Nice clean design. Only one quibble. The Martha motherlovin Stewart ad running down the sidebar.
It made me want to scream.
And not in a good way Martha.
You should have more content on the front page. You’d be surprised how many people will go to the trouble of finding your page but aren’t willing to spend one more second clicking through what is essentially a splash page.
I gotta agree about Martha. I don’t know if that’s something optional or not, but… ugh.
I think I like the cartoon too. Its not that the new photo isn’t good. It’s that the cartoon felt more personal, as opposed to windswept airbrushed — how did Bourdain put it? Jesus Christ Superstar stage-ish.
Speaking of photos, my favorite so far has got to be the one on the “About” link on the Elements blog. Anyone who has spent any amount of time sitting at a desk trying to write can appreciate that photo and all it entails. Love it, love it, love it.
Very Nice topic thanx a lot (:
Will you be offering recipes on the new Elements of Cooking site?
I found another bug…
I clicked on the “MORE” links for your general NF books and the description fo “The soul of a chef” came up. (I have an old house too and am constantly working on it. Right now, I’m getting ready to re paint the trim. Yuck.
I love the new look, can’t find anything wrong with it. I don’t mind the ads either, they don’t bother me at all. In fact, I just clicked on a book edited by Tahir Shah, sometimes ads are good.:)
BTW, I just ordered a signed copy of The Elements of Cooking.
Very Nice topic thanx a lot (:
Ruhlman,
I have to agree with Darcie on the “windswept photo” thing. It sort of makes you look like Paul Revere or Captain Bligh…I can’t decide which.
But this comes from a place of caring and good and joy and nice.
Classy and a “tighter” design. But I favor cartoon Ruhlman over Fabio Ruhlman.
Love the new format and front page. Matt’s control/scroll trick really works, too.
Do you have any kind of book tour schedule you can list on your site as well? (Either here or in the Elements of Cooking blog?) Maybe you did post somewhere and I missed it…Curious if you are coming to Texas at all.
Change is Good!
I like the new site design, and it’s easy enough to change the size of the font, so the current size is fine with me. I like the three column format: it is easy to navigate.
However, it wouldn’t hurt to edit or replace that windblown photo on the main/about pages. Either that, or make it a link to a Harlequin Romance novel.
I don’t find the ads to be obtrusive. Perhaps I’m just immune. Hey, ya gotta make a living.
Overall, it’s a good design. One small point for those of us Firefox users: have your web folks work on the horizontal spacing so it doesn’t scroll. A tiny flaw but one that bugs me.
I think it looks great!
logical mind: absolutely, it was a blast
I absolutely love that quote, Ruhlman.
I’m also very excited for the new blog. It will be perfect for someone like me who is trying to learn the fundamentals on his own. Any chance you’ll be able to post short video demonstrations or anything like that?
Aaaaah! My eyes thank you for fixing the font problem today. (Matt: I did try increasing it via my browser controls last night, and that didn’t work at all.)
I just went to the Main page….awesome photo there. The kitchen and it contents are to die for. Beautiful.
Ruhlman, I think the new site design looks very professional. It no longer looks like just any other blog site.
I have a question regarding the NIC judging. If you were asked to do it over again, knowing what you know now, would you still participate?
If you run Adblock Plus (not sure if it works in IE or only in Firefox) it takes care of the ads.
Very sleek new design, Michael! But I do miss the sidebar that showed the most recent comments posted. It spared one going through all the boards (including the “dormant” ones).
Is it deliberate that screen tags still come up in red (i.e.,you cannot click onto them and send someone an off-board e-, which you once could, many moons ago, when the tags came up in blue), or is that still one of the lingering issues with Typepad? Just wondering.
Hope you’re having fun and moving a lot of units on the book tour – sorry that means a lot of airport food for you (!)
I love the new site, my trifocals work just fine for viewing it. Your opening rings true for me,I could not have worked 33 years in a public service government job that was very political(I could have lost my job every election)without sticking very close to the rules you quoted.The main thing that I look at is…this is your site and I respect that, as well as you too.
GREAT site redesign Michael! (I’m lovin’ the red banner and home page photo is great (I WANT your kitchen!….just went to the Fabulous Food Show over the weekend and was drooling over the Wolf gas ranges..sigghhh!). Especially after just having finished reading “House” (excellent, btw) it’s nice to see a photo of you cooking in your kitchen. (I can appreciate the work and panic and aggravations you guys went through as we gutted two very old homes in Lakewood (duplex) and Fairview Park (and did all the work ourselves with the help of our very talented remodeler bro-in-law—can definitely say we’ve been through it all and went through the same “house lust!”
…your book has got me itching to restore another old house (uh ohhhhh.. 
but, anyway, from a graphic and web designer’s standpoint, I wouldn’t change a thing with the website! (And, even though I like it, onnnnnnly thing I might change would be to change the color of the navigation text so that color-blind people would have an easier time getting around–light gray or even white would work well). Site design looks very clean (not cluttered at all) and everything is easy to find–great font choices. I primarily use Safari (on a Mac) and it’s working well and all also looks good in Firefox and Netscape (though I’m sure your designer probably already tested this out.
Congrats on going live with the new site! Really been enjoying your blog!
-K
Michael,
So far, I’m liking the new site. (Looks fine on IE on a PeeCee. I’ll have to check it out on Safari on my Mac later tonight) I especially like the picture of you on the home page. I love that kitchen. It was nice to catch some views of it during the No Res. Cleveland show.
I haven’t picked up a copy just yet, but does “Elements” touch on kitchen equipment/supplies in any way?
It was pleasantly surprised to see the new design of the blog this morning! The red banner with the graphic of cooking tools at the top is well-done.
In addition to increasing the font size, I recommend putting lines or bars between the commenter posts. It’s a little hard visually to follow where one post stops and the other begins. Other than that, it looks great!
New site design, but in the photo in the “About” section you still look like you need a haircut.
*sigh*
my god man, what kind of (hair) product did you use for that lead-in picture to the about page? way to tame those flowing locks.
Hi Michael,
I really like the new look and feel of the blog, although I will have to echo the concerns about the small font size. Also, I miss the cartoon of you and not so into the new photo.
Finished “Making of a Chef” last week (best read I’ve had in a while) and really enjoying “Elements” right now. Love your work!
See you on December 3 at B&N in NYC.
Love the new site design. Very nice! I was bummed to see you didn’t make a swing into Florida. The weather’s lovely this time of year
Congrats on the new look!
I’m really liking the new design — clean, modern, uncluttered and easier to navigate. The red banner works, too.
Perhaps the font has already been upsized (or it’s my Mac + antique browser coming through for me), but it’s plenty big enough for these 44yo eyes.
I agree with the posts above – I like the updated site. It looks much more polished, professional (in a good way), and so far, easy to navigate. Good work, Michael (and crew).
Very nice! I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s pretty classy looking.
I concur with those who have asked for a larger font size. Other than that, everything looks fantastic!
Question – the paypal link for Elements… will that get us a signed copy? (I’ve already purchased one, so if I’m getting a second, I want an autographed copy!)
Thanks for putting up with us Michael!
@delGrosso:
The best that you are anybody can hope for is that the nastiness stays at a low simmer and doesn’t boil over like it sometimes does at football (soccer) matches.
That would be “futbol” or “footie,” you foodie.
Now, even with crackdowns, there’s no doubt that random hooliganism still exists in the game. However, U. S. media prefers to spotlight these incidents from (usually) abroad, rather than focus on their own: unless they are so undeniable.
For example, how many drunken (and usually, large) fans at baseball games, fall on innocent, unsuspecting seat mates or fellow fans, and fracture the unknowing persons’ vertebrae?
How many fights take place at tailgating, in bars and so on?
How many women and children get abused, because, the team or athlete favoured by the man-of-the-house didn’t meet his expectations, and his displaced rage gets projected and unleashed?
Or, if their spouse didn’t serve up the meal the way they wanted?
Many.
And I don’t mean Super Bowl Sunday, only.
Just unpublicized, or not as much.
Thus, as lighthearted as your analogy may appear, it’s also a rather heavy topic, too: Especially for those who may work in the fields of Social Work and Early Intervention (whether as attorneys or caseworkers etc.)
Sometimes, a sport isn’t just a sport.
Thanks for reading.
I like the layout of the new look. I prefer this type of font to the previous one. My only concern is that, in Mozilla Firefox, it has deemed the site too wide and added a horizontal scroll bar. I don’t really need to scroll. It’s just a personal peeve of mine. I’ll still read the site if it still scrolls. Lovely work either way.
The site looks great Michael. The words of wisdom you quoted are certainly true to life.
But, this doesn’t mean we can’t still call Bourdain names, right?
I usually read your blog at home with Avant Browser, with ‘ad blockers’ in place to streamline and enhance my net surfing experience; but today I had a quick look using the computer at work and – wow – I was almost blinded by the third-party advertising.
It was so annoying I just turned off immediately! You know, your advertising within blog entries (Amazon links, etc…) is anything but subtle and, occasionally, it already feels like this whole blog is just one big money making experiment – so do you really need the flashing annoyances?
Two columns with more space to the blog entries would be wonderful, because there is stuff worth reading here and the spirited and interesting comments by your readers is one of this blogs greatest strengths.
Regards
For those having trouble with the font size:
If you are using Windows and have a mouse with a scroll wheel, hold the control key down (bottom left on most keyboards) and use the scroll wheel. You can quickly change the font size that way in most Windows applications.
I’m not finding a list of recent blog articles so that I can click to go back to a previous topic. The user can navigate to the previous topic or the next topic using links near the top of the page, but IIRC the previous layout contained a list of a half dozen or so previous articles. That was useful. Could that be added here?
@casa:
“The Brendan Gill quote is paraphrasing the great Kurt Vonnegut I believe. If he just came to the same basic conclusions on his on, all the better.”
Thanks, casa, but I was just playing around with MR, since he’s a Duke alum, and Gates taught there for a couple of years, in the early 90s (after MR’s time!) And riffing on some of the complaints I’d read in this thread, about diversity (or lack of) on FN.
Meant in a fun, and not a mocking way, about that particular issue.
I agree with what’s already been said. The ad should go on the right if you can manage it so it can be ignored, the type is too small and there should be a way to higlight/distinguish your comments. For example, on Scott Adams’s blog (dilbert), he does this:
blah blah poster text poster text
blah blah poster text
[Really? - Scott]
I also agree about the nav colors being hard to read, there are a lot of color blind people and they won’t be able to see it at all.