Gifted Gourmet

Two things, if I might: #1 We Atlantans would love to hear what your impressions of the food were ... what you ate ... and #2 Richard Blais is one exceptional chef who will go above and beyond expectations to offer you his best and most creative food. Very pleased to hear that you were (more than) satisfied and we look forward to more details! Lots more! website for ONE midtown kitchen

Some latke recipes call for adding 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda .. does anyone do this? Does it actually make a lighter latke? Or does it change the texture in some way? Can you advise?

Sure thing, Katie: lay out a large rectangle of smoked salmon on Saran wrap cover with a moderate coating of Boursin throw on some fresh chopped chives or scallions roll up tightly in a long roll refrigerate overnight but don't freeze carefully unwrap the roll and slice into 1-1/2 inch pieces platter can be decorated with thinly sliced red onions, olives, small tomatoes or anything you choose really delightful and different!

Tonight is the first night of the long awaited Hanukkah celebration and so I finally made my first latkes of the year: To accompany them: Smoked salmon roulade with Boursin cheese filling: and cream puffs for dessert: Happy Hanukkah everyone!

I usually "layer" the leftovers like an ancient historical "dig" .. and have fun the next day "digging" through the layers of antiquities ... each one is a cherished "find".

Inspired to ask this question by a recent article in the London Times, I began to consider something which has frequently faced me after a holiday meal ends. How do you handle the enormous amount of food after the holiday meal ends? Wrap up and send home packets of food with guests? Stack the shelves of your refrigerator as high as they can go? Toppling towers of goodies leaning precariously, yet far too good to waste?

That was my feeling as well, Pam, and I had to agree with the Elite Hanukkah gelt .. not particularly tasty ... so I now use it as decoration between my dreidels in the centerpiece... but as far as taste goes, I am a Godiva gelt fan ...

Jackal, you are a true CCC ... a Cosmopolitan Culinary Creature!

and we actually happen to have a thread on this very topic right here!

the quiz begins here Tried this and, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, actually learned something new about international dining manners ... give it a try yourself ...

Now, for 2005, there is apparently a new wine for Festivus ... and in these new Festivus glasses, one can complain in style ... the website So, bumping up the Festivus food and dining complaint list of 2004, what are your culinary complaints for Festivus 2005?

Not used as a pet "treat"? Not really fatty like foie gras at all ....

I rather like this sauce and use it for a recipe for pain perdu from New Orleans: Brandy/cognac hard sauce 1/2 pound unsalted butter 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 1 large egg yolk 4 tablespoons heavy cream 4-5 tablespoons cognac Beat together the butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in egg yolk, cream, and cognac and then serve immediately. This is incredible .. hope you'll try it!

Stuffed Turkey in the Style of Lombardy Tacchino Ripieno alla Lombarda the recipe But it really doesn't sound appetizing at all ... a quick Googling showed numerous recipes for turkey liver in/as pet food ... says something, no?

It was so good then and is even more hysterical now, upon a second reading! Thanks, Perlows ... Since this year Hanukkah's first night coincides with Christmas, we are having a Hanukkah dinner here at my house for family and guests .. next year though? Chinese!

the main article from WP the taste test from the Washington Post BEST SEE'S CANDIES Sweet and milky, good chocolate flavor, melts quickly; the foil coin design gives it a slight edge over Godiva GODIVA Fancy, mild, creamy GOOD MADELAINE (of Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) COINS Mild, good break, nice but not very chocolaty TRADER JOE'S COINS OF THE WORLD , Rich but not overly sweet, doesn't melt BISSINGER'S Nice flavor, sweet but tough to peel open FAIR PREMIUM, Has coconut taste, grainy, good-looking ASTOR BELGIAN Hard and rich, sweet but odd aftertaste, very mild BETTER YOU SHOULD PLAY THAN EAT ELITE GELT too sweet, dark chocolate's too hard CHANUKAH GELT bland, no chocolate taste until the end

obituary from the New York Times Anyone who enjoys light beers will have a good understanding of his contribution to the industry upon reading this.

There are many exceptionally good ideas right here! Does anyone do a bagna cauda on their antipasto?

Okay, I am not only an occasional caucasian but Jewish and kosher as well .. the reason we don't eat the green bean Durkee soupy casserole? It is dairy because of the mushroon soup and can't be served with meat because it won't be kosher. I have made the casserole once (for a kosher dairy meal) and found it to be salty with no single real flavor standing out .. as for the canned, greasy onion rings by Durkee? No, mizducky, just plain unvarnished (not varnishkes!)"no" ...

Thanks for the recipe for Matt, Tracey! He is visiting his parents over the Christmas holidays here in Atlanta and I will remind him to log on to find the recipe.

That is precisely what I buy at Costco for my gravlax! I really am none too fond of eating the skin of any fish .. just a personal peculiarity ..

Last weekend I had a divinely decadent cream of mushroom soup which was topped with a crisp golden puff pastry "lid." Elegant! I would, of course, like to replicate this "feat" and try it using other soups and/or dishes under puff pastry. Suggestions?

post here on other fish to cure Cured Snapper Maple Cured Trout Tasso Cured Red Snapper

thread has a few that might be your chewy chocolate chip cookie ...

Okay, if the southwestern version of gravlax doesn't make you hot and bothered how about an Asian variation? This by way of Chef Roy Yamaguchi ... Directions for this : Pour a couple of tablespoons of sake all over the fish, a little white miso paste... combine equal parts of kosher salt, white sugar, and brown sugar (a quarter cup of each), massage this mixture well into the salmon flesh... prepare a mixture of: minced ginger minced garlic chopped lemongrass peppercorns chopped cilantro Spread this onto the fish, lay sliced ginger, a good handful of cilantro onto one fillet (and star anise if you like the flavour). Keep in refrigerator, weighted down (I use a foil covered brick) and try to resist the urge to peek for 24 hours. The next day, open up the packet... the salmon should start to get a little translucent and compact... flip the fillets, rewrap, refrigerate and weight... Wait for another 24 hours. Completed result? The salmon should be a cross between sashimi and lox, almost candied. Slice thinly to serve.