Gifted Gourmet

You sure got that right, little ms foodie! Are you now in the Witness Protection Program (hence the fake name)??

Told you that confession is good for the sole ... Are you aware of the fact that some individuals are actually doing hard time in prison for failing to constantly stir their risotto?? Yep, arrested, convicted, and imprisoned by the Risotto Police!

What crime have you committed against food in your own kitchen? I know, for example, that I mishandle lettuce, and don't tear or cut it properly; sometimes, have been known to abuse my corn by overcooking it; my fish is sometimes far too well cooked and too flaky; and my hard-boiled eggs sometimes have that green tinge on the yolks ... and, although, I cook much of this without thinking twice about the intricacies if the preparation, I know I have "abused" the trust placed in me by my food purchases. Are you ever knowingly guilty of a crime against some food in your daily life? Do you promise yourself that you won't do this ever again? Are you a food recidivist? Confession is quite good for the soul .. or the sole, if you are a petrale or dover enthusiast....

Dunno 'bout you but this thread looks like a hybrid between the Travel Channel and Food Network!

Good question! Thank you for posing it .. it is entirely appropriate to this thread ... I rather would imagine that in small villages in eastern Europe, they were dealing with pretty much the same produce and meat/fish sources from the area in which they resided ... The possible exception would be that the Jewish population avoided pork products and they no doubt had their own butcher to produce acceptably slaughtered animals .. and the Jewish population of those villages probably had separate sets of dishes and cookware for their dairy and meat dishes. An example would be stuffed cabbage .. made by both groups but with different names, i.e. prakas or holishkes ... none too certain why but this seems highly appropriate to this discussion.

Thank you from me as well, Swisskaese! I think I wore out my Google key looking for Soupish! (thought it was something one does in their soup!)

Have you ever been here? I have a friend who absolutely adored it and could not stop raving about it! Little Palm Island Resort the dining

Actually I am a classic, purist admirer of the all American Thanksgiving .. nothing ethnic at all ... not a kugel nor a knish nor schmaltz will cross my palate on this sacred day ... But, that said, if I was really pumped about doing something more theatrical, I would order this: kosher turduckens from Rego Park

The earth moved for me when I read this recipe! Much appreciated! But duck before turkey? Maybe I'll just skip the turkey!

Hold on there! Now I am the Social Activities Director on the Good Ship eGullet? The Love Boat without the Midnight Buffet?? I enjoy cooking and if a little Cialis falls into my soup pot, what can I do? Definitely California .. I would say San Francisco because it is marvelous and the food is incredible!

From Michael Wolfberg, on his website If it isn't refrigerated, it will become rancid over time.

the article from the Asheville (NC) Citizen Times Another aspect that we in the South are all deeply aware of is the tendency for many southern foods to be fried in either oil or lard. So where did that type of cooking originate and how did it become so very popular? Virtually a trademark of the cuisine? This article has some interesting ideas from John T. Edge about frying. Read it and see what it evokes within you ... any opinions on deep frying? Do you indulge in this practice yourself at home? Or simply eat it in restaurants?

how about this article?

Many thanks for the link, Dave! Never would have found it without you! Missing TDG ...

My boyfriend went to Cornell in the 70's and decided that the food would be much nicer in a fraternity .. but the main thing I recall having there was liquor ... the food I can't recall at all! I know that their School of Hotel Management at Cornell is spectacular and that they have incorporated much of that thinking into their food offerings on campus!

thanks, Cusina, for your very insightful, honest take on this topic!!

the article I don't know when or where you were a college student but I do know that the food at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus, circa the 70's, was none too spectacular in my dormitory. The choices were not particularly varied, nor, when selected, even particularly appealing. We had paid a room & board fee and, although we did show up for meals, wound up eating more in our rooms with take-out food becoming increasingly attractive, while not especially healthy... pizza, hot dogs, burgers, etc. .... Even worse luck and this was the coldest, snowiest campus in the country, when I was at Syracuse University in my freshman year, the food was horrific! My daughter went to Tulane Unviversity, New Orleans, in the 80's and, as a vegetarian, was consistently unhappy with the dorm food. She wound up buying food to eat in her room more and more frequently. Or even eating at the marvelous choice of New Orleans restaurants whenever possible. Hardly a new problem .. my mother went to Skidmore College in the 30's and refused to eat dorm food, preferring that my grandfather keep a dining tab for her convenience at a local restaurant .. and this was during The Great Depression! So, when I read this article, I was thrilled to see the new food courts opening and successful, in this case, Purdue University ... What was your college food like? Were you in such a state of bliss at being "on your own" and away from home for the first time, that you could have cared less about the dorm food? Did you drink more than eat with the food taking a distant second place in your daily routine? Talk to us!

the article Healthy Southern Food? Sure, I suppose it is possible ...

Jamie's Kitchen was the title ... Calorie Commando Juan-Carlos Cruz, is a close friend of Chris Cognac .. see pictures on one of his threads and text to validate ...

Martha Stewart is pretty good at teaching, step by step, .. and what I liked best was when she talked about if "this happens, do ..." or ways to repair something made erroneously ...Ming Tsai is also easy to follow ... But, not so easy to follow? Nigella ... not many recipes are actually all that specific and the camerawork is all over the place, mostly focused on her, rather than the food.

Isn't that the "Early Bird Special"? served until 6:30 because seniors need more sleep ... Must agree with you about the porions being totally out of control ... and people tend to eat accordingly ...

My standard prep for acorn squash in the fall is to cut them in half, remove seeds, steam them in a pan in the oven, fill halves with a mixture of cranberries, apples, citrus zest, and sugar ... always receives raves ...

No artifice, no bull, no pontificating, no condescending .. just pure teaching, explaining, and genuine affection for cooking .. Jacques Pepin is truly "the real thing"!

More correctly and factually: Doctor of All Things Foodly Gourmet

Sure enough, Randi! Aaaah and Eeewwwww ...