30 replies to this topic

[Ryan Moore]

OK so I have a question. I know Harry you have a quick way of doing boxes, unfortunately my wife does ours and she is a perfectionist it's terrible. She was about half way through a box with all parsley and didn't like it so she threw it out. She spent 6 HOURS on 4 boxes!!!!! I was wondering can anyone tell me a good tip or how to make the process of making boxes quicker but not look sloppy because I know she will toss it? Any thoughts? Thank you.

[Ric Gilbert]

Ryan Moore, on 11 February 2011 - 08:38 AM, said:

OK so I have a question. I know Harry you have a quick way of doing boxes, unfortunately my wife does ours and she is a perfectionist it's terrible. She was about half way through a box with all parsley and didn't like it so she threw it out. She spent 6 HOURS on 4 boxes!!!!! I was wondering can anyone tell me a good tip or how to make the process of making boxes quicker but not look sloppy because I know she will toss it? Any thoughts? Thank you.

Yeah, good luck with that buddy. I say let her do them and just be quite or you may end up doing them yourself. Think of it as having more time to drink beer.

ric

[Vincent Carrocci]

Ryan Moore, on 11 February 2011 - 08:38 AM, said:

OK so I have a question. I know Harry you have a quick way of doing boxes, unfortunately my wife does ours and she is a perfectionist it's terrible. She was about half way through a box with all parsley and didn't like it so she threw it out. She spent 6 HOURS on 4 boxes!!!!! I was wondering can anyone tell me a good tip or how to make the process of making boxes quicker but not look sloppy because I know she will toss it? Any thoughts? Thank you.

Ryan, isn't it also true that this was the first time Kim had every made boxes? (I'm assuming you're talking about the Ft. McDowelll contest last December.) It takes a little practice to make any kind of good box, whether it be lettuce or parsely, but once you get the hang of it they come together much faster.

There are always going to be folks who want to take shortcuts but good quality work is almost always rewarded in the long run.

[Rick Renaud]

Or you can be crazy like Florida: Absolutely nothing in the box but meat! Not even foil!
Unless of course it's KCBS or IBCA.

[Adam Hollman]

Can a rookie answer a question here? More information the better, right?

So, I have a similar situation. My wife is in charge of boxes. I showed her how to make them and exactly what I want and she is a perfectionist. Now she is much more picky than I am and she will sit there until all her finger tips are green with parsley juice. (Mmmmm...parsley juuuiiiiccceee....)

What was I saying?

Oh ya, boxes. So, we have both had the privilege of attending one of Harry's quick box workshops and I think it has a lot of merit. I do think, however, that it is a technique to be used once you have making full boxes down pat and are completely comfortable with being able to whip through them with confidence, and you have your garnish height all figured out. Stick with doing everything "the long way" until you have a good feel for your routine and timing. Then, you have this great time saving technique in your back pocket that you can pull out when you are in a pinch, or are ready to start making some tweaks to your turn ins. It would suck to have lower appearance scores than you want and be wondering to yourself if it was because you took a short cut on making the boxes.

So, let her work through this and get it figured out before you go changing things up too much. She is probably just feeling a lot of pressure to perform, knowing that what she produces will be going in front of judges. Just try and encourage her to relax and have fun with it!

Hope this helps!

-Adam

[Ryan Moore]

Vincent Carrocci, on 11 February 2011 - 12:57 PM, said:

Ryan, isn't it also true that this was the first time Kim had every made boxes? (I'm assuming you're talking about the Ft. McDowelll contest last December.) It takes a little practice to make any kind of good box, whether it be lettuce or parsely, but once you get the hang of it they come together much faster.

There are always going to be folks who want to take shortcuts but good quality work is almost always rewarded in the long run.

This made me laugh from a good healthy place. I am definitely talking about that time, but she has practiced since then taking your advise and still she thinks they look terrible (She says they aren't perfect enough). I mean she is out of control with parsley. I think we have run through the grocery stores in our city and I think they think we are nuts and are parsley hoarders.

[Ryan Moore]

Adam Hollman, on 11 February 2011 - 01:29 PM, said:

Can a rookie answer a question here? More information the better, right?

So, I have a similar situation. My wife is in charge of boxes. I showed her how to make them and exactly what I want and she is a perfectionist. Now she is much more picky than I am and she will sit there until all her finger tips are green with parsley juice. (Mmmmm...parsley juuuiiiiccceee....)

What was I saying?

Oh ya, boxes. So, we have both had the privilege of attending one of Harry's quick box workshops and I think it has a lot of merit. I do think, however, that it is a technique to be used once you have making full boxes down pat and are completely comfortable with being able to whip through them with confidence, and you have your garnish height all figured out. Stick with doing everything "the long way" until you have a good feel for your routine and timing. Then, you have this great time saving technique in your back pocket that you can pull out when you are in a pinch, or are ready to start making some tweaks to your turn ins. It would suck to have lower appearance scores than you want and be wondering to yourself if it was because you took a short cut on making the boxes.

So, let her work through this and get it figured out before you go changing things up too much. She is probably just feeling a lot of pressure to perform, knowing that what she produces will be going in front of judges. Just try and encourage her to relax and have fun with it!

Hope this helps!

-Adam

I try to be encouraging and tell her they look great but she says I am just trying to be nice. I can't win....anyhow since I never made boxes I don't know how to give her pointers. Her and I work at the same place and she spent her lunch hour and 1 hour after she already got out of work researching turn in boxes.

If you got to meet my wife you would love her, she is an amazing person but sometimes I want to kick her and tell her it's OK. Is there a certain technique you guys use with parsley or with lettuce that I can trickle down to her? I think I have a picture of one of her boxes I hope this works attaching the picture let me know what you think

Attached Files

•  Ribs.jpg   126.84K   64 downloads
•  box prep.jpg   113.62K   63 downloads

[Ryan Chester]

I lay down a short bed of lettuce to stick the parsley stems into. This allows me to get a nice firm putting green. I don't always do a full bed of parsley either. For instance, I only do a couple inch border around the edge of my rib box. Once my ribs are in, you can't see what is under them anyway.


Good luck.

[Ric Gilbert]

Ryan, here's another look at it. She is investing as much passion into her product as you are. Step away, let her have it...concentrate on your passion...bbq. She is trying to give you (and her) 9's in presentation, run with it. Side note,I think my wife and yours would be soul sisters.

ric

Edited by Ric Gilbert, 11 February 2011 - 03:29 PM.

[Bill Bain]

Ryan Moore, on 11 February 2011 - 08:38 AM, said:

OK so I have a question. I know Harry you have a quick way of doing boxes, unfortunately my wife does ours and she is a perfectionist it's terrible. She was about half way through a box with all parsley and didn't like it so she threw it out. She spent 6 HOURS on 4 boxes!!!!! I was wondering can anyone tell me a good tip or how to make the process of making boxes quicker but not look sloppy because I know she will toss it? Any thoughts? Thank you.

Let's see if I have this right, you have figured out how to get your wife out of your hair for 6 hours while you are bbq'ing and drinking beer and you are complaining?

[Rick Renaud]

Can your wife teach mine how to spend more time on ours?

[Adam Hollman]

Yes, use lettuce on the bottom to give the parsley a base to stand in. You can either rough chop it up, or slice it in circles and lay it down flat...iceberg or romaine would both work well. (Harry rough chops romaine)

Those boxes look pretty darn good to me.

Since we are sharing pics, here is a box my wife made for practice a while back:



(Notice the wine glass in the upper right hand corner...mandatory according to her!

One thing I found very helpful was to take pictures as you go. You can see things you don't like in a picture much better than with the naked eye. Not sure why this is, but it is true for me anyway.

[Bill Bain]

Adam Hollman, on 11 February 2011 - 03:40 PM, said:

Yes, use lettuce on the bottom to give the parsley a base to stand in. You can either rough chop it up, or slice it in circles and lay it down flat...iceberg or romaine would both work well. (Harry rough chops romaine)

Those boxes look pretty darn good to me.

Since we are sharing pics, here is a box my wife made for practice a while back:



(Notice the wine glass in the upper right hand corner...mandatory according to her!

One thing I found very helpful was to take pictures as you go. You can see things you don't like in a picture much better than with the naked eye. Not sure why this is, but it is true for me anyway.

Hat tip?

[Ryan Moore]

Bill Bain, on 11 February 2011 - 03:58 PM, said:

Hat tip?

The picture of just the box I think was taken at 3 a.m. in 35 degree weather. She was freezing....but I agree pictures do show you a lot of things that you wouldn't normally see with the naked eye or a tired one for that matter. I will give her your pointers and see where she goes with it.

[Ryan Moore]

Bill Bain, on 11 February 2011 - 03:06 PM, said:

Let's see if I have this right, you have figured out how to get your wife out of your hair for 6 hours while you are bbq'ing and drinking beer and you are complaining?

HA HA HA HA HA ......Not complaining just want to help her, I feel bad that she gets so down on herself.

[Ryan Moore]

Rick Renaud, on 11 February 2011 - 03:27 PM, said:

Can your wife teach mine how to spend more time on ours?

Sure! We take alcohol as a form of payment.

[Rick Renaud]

Ryan Moore, on 11 February 2011 - 05:07 PM, said:

Sure! We take alcohol as a form of payment.

I can only give you 1/2 of what I bring, and you must consume it in front of me. I will probably be bored so I will consume my 1/2.

[mark evenson]

My boxes need work! I agree photos really help. Someone recently mentioned to me that the presentation box should be a picture or a painting. A piece of art. Look at the green, especially where it meets the white at the edges.Is it straight and level like the frame of your favorite picture hanging in your living room? Ah so many boxes to make and so little time!

Mark

[harry stewart]

Garnish is important. But judges are at times being reminded to look just at meats and disregard garnish. I know many seasoned judges that adhere to this philosophy.

[Rick Renaud]

harry stewart, on 12 February 2011 - 08:36 AM, said:

Garnish is important. But judges are at times being reminded to look just at meats and disregard garnish. I know many seasoned judges that adhere to this philosophy.

I have often wondered: if a judge is not supposed to consider garnish, why is there garnish in the box?