Gifted Gourmet

Because there is no place for the fats to go with Silpat?

Cooking With Tea: Techniques and Recipes for Appetizers, Entrees, Desserts, and More by Robert Wemischner is a wonderful resource! I often use tea in my cooking, many times simply to poach fresh fruit .. jasmine is lovely for that purpose ... recipe here (among others)

What a wonderfully humorous photograph! Hope those aren't paranoid crabs ...

thread on John T. Edge's article here

Different strokes for different folks redux ... When I was a working mother and wife, I had to move rapidly through more routine food preparation. The buying of ingredients was handled more efficiently, with little room for experimentation. Now that stage in my life has passed into history and I can buy ingredients in a more leisurely fashion, linger over new possibilities, prepare my mis en place slowly and carefully, and make new dishes (as well as old standards) at a slower, more measured pace. If anything, I love cooking even more now that I can try new things and buy more exotic ingredients ... reading recipes over and over ... modifying when possible .. exploring more creative ideas, all thanks to eGullet .. this is my inspiration, my muse, for all manner of new dishes! Oh, back to the original question? Slowly, and leisurely ... cooking, like sex, should be enjoyably slow and savored to bring out maximum pleasure ... savoring the sensuality is my main goal now ...

and there will be pictures from you, Jason? waiting breathlessly ...

Pollock is the main ingredient here, Pan ... surimi, an ancient Japanese process by which minced fish is converted into a protein base, used to produce a variety of these fish foods... in this case, imitation shrimp, lobster, crab ... today, kosher surimi (produced under supervision, of course!) is deemed a reasonable facsimile of the real thing .. Louis Kemp Seafoods does something similar but this is not kosher supervised ... source of quote .. sushimanhow it looks .. but, this is important, no cholesterol!

In the summer, I will often drink a fresh lemonade with a meal but don't care for anything too sweet ...

Nick's Poultry in the Bronx Just don't ask me to name them all ... Newsday article In New York City, live poultry markets try to overcome fears of bird flu

article from the NYTimes I know that personally, I find errors all the time and don't always go back if the error is a small one ... but I should ... and I always check the bill in a restaurant before signing the receipt. Happening to anyone else? Personal worst example? Receipt showed $95 for a pack of chewing gum ... I stopped buying the stuff after that! those tiny decimals are actually essential .... Names of stores not required ...

A bountiful bouquet of appreciation for the joys which you have brought to us at eGullet this week, Sara! I can never watch you on television again without saying to myself "she is the real thing!" ... Hoping to see you in other venues in which you can share your vision and intellect on the delights of cuisine! Melissa

For me there are three separate options: When I oversalt, I stir in 1 teaspoon each sugar and vinegar and then I taste again. When I oversalt, I add a sliced, peeled raw potato and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove the potato and retaste. When I oversalt, I can often add cream or more of the pureed vegetables if it is a soup. Does that make sense?

Sounds like a classic win-win situation for both of you women! And the ham and tomato dude? comment triste!...

Turkey Breast Mu Shu Serves 6. 1/4 c vegetable oil 2 large eggs , beat lightly 2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes 1 (16-oz) bag coleslaw mix 1/4 c water 2 T soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 3 T hoisin sauce 1 bunch scallions, sliced bulbs, tops 6 flour tortillas (not low-fat) 2-1/2 c coarsely chopped cooked turkey (or chicken breast) plum or hoisin sauce and chopped scallions Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot cook eggs, stirring remove the scrambled eggs to a plate add remaining 3 Tbsp oil to skillet and heat until hot cook ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes together while stirring (garlic should be just golden) stir in the coleslaw mix and 2 Tbsp and cook gently stir occasionally coleslaw will be wilted should be ready in 4-5 minutes Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 2 tablespoons water, and hoisin sauce in a bowl Add to coleslaw mixture with scallions and eggs cook, stirring, 2 minutes remove from the heat put tortillas between 2 dampened paper towels microwave on high power until tortillas are hot To assemble, spread hoisin on each tortilla top with mu shu mixture, chicken, and scallions, roll up and serve with a plum sauce or more hoisin sauce Keywords: Turkey, Chinese, Main Dish, Dinner, Easy, Kosher ( RG1594 )

As a local Atlantan who deems good food essential to our city, I must commend you on these two choices .. they are both quite exceptional for what they have added to Atlanta's growing (and glowing!) culinary lustre!

Sara, This is indeed most interesting! I know that your own children will one day, after they have families of their own, look upon family as a rich repository of enjoyable cooking experiences ... and, I, too, used my copy of the New York Times Cookbook until the binding fairly wore out. Thank you for sharing this insight into your personal cooking background. I just found the recipe for Ruth Moulton's Spice Ball Cookies and am very anxious to make them for dessert!

Ah, all the more reason to buy that clip-on tasting spoon as shown here

and then there is even tasting spoon fashion

Hi, Sara, As a longtime fan of your books and television work, I wanted to ask you what influences your mother and father had upon your cooking career ... did either provide you with a culinary role model as you grew up? If I recall correctly, your brother made some sort of blueberry pies which you had mentioned in one show. Was either parent, or even a grandparent, an early muse for you? Thanks for offering us at eGullet this incredible insight into your work and thinking all this week!

A very interesting question here ... I only cook for my family and guests and, as such, tend to use whatever spoons are around my kitchen .. nothing formally set aside for tasting really ... I recall that Ming Tsai always tastes with his chopsticks. If I were doing something in terms of professional cooking, I would opt for an instrument like this one .. from Kitchen Carvers because it has such an interesting idea behind it: this is even nicer and is a clip-on no less!

Doesn't she travel with The Royal Bibmaster should she feel the urge for Sloppy anythings??

Because I was around before e coli became a terrorizing household word, my father and I had a wonderful time devouring all manner of raw beef ... he made a sandwich on rye bread with it, which was heavenly ... since only I have maintained that tradition, no one even suspects that I often sneak in a bit of raw beef when alone ... and in public? rare beef whenever I order it out .. bleu, as the French say ...

article from Slate Online Good article and it talks about my favorite: icewines ... Comments from our Canadian chums on eGullet on this piece?

Reminds me of the Fran Leibowitz quote: "Bread that must be sliced with an axe is entirely too nourishing."

Presently trying to decide which of these molds to purchase: molded food options Leaning toward the Chrysanthemum and the Heart ... and even, heaven forbid, the Cathedral! Oy! But each would look so lovely with a rainbow gelatin filling ... Have any opinions for me which to select?