Alex

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions. Jinmyo, I discovered that truc, too -- it certainly makes things much easier. My polenta does tend to be on the thick side, though. I'll increase my water:cornmeal ratio and see what happens. Suzanne, I'll give broiling a try. Wolfert, I'll slow down the process, as I've been grilling/sautéing over fairly high heat. I like that notion of the polenta letting you know when it's ready to be turned.

How about a part-sephardic menu? A chicken tagine, perhaps? Pan-fried gefilte fish with cumin, coriander, cilantro, and garlic?

Thanks for the support. The Michigan suit was brought by a coalition of consumers and a small California winery (not specified in the article). Financial support came from a Napa group, the Coalition for Free Trade, a non-profit foundation of wine industry representatives and legal experts. There's very detailed information on the site about the current status of legal action in Michigan and seven other states (FL, IN, NY, NC, TX, VA, WA). Candles and Kumbayah would be appreciated Letters, phone calls, and e-mails to legislators would be even more appreciated. (Maybe even a contribution to the Coalition for Free Trade.) It's way past time we updated our 70-year-old post-prohibition laws and restored some common sense. BTW, another delightful Michigan law stipulates that you cannot bring any alcohol into an establishment, meaning no BYOB/corkage fee, anywhere. Licensed establishments must buy all their alcohol from wholesalers. Plus, for liquor (i.e., not beer or wine), the wholesalers are merely conduits for the state.

goat cheese red beans edible flowers foie gras Twinkies Oops, sorry -- no idea how that last one slipped in there.

Hire a neighborhood kid to separate them manually. Remember to tell him to not touch any part of his body until he's finished and washes his hands.

After further thought, and consultation with my Inner Chef, I vote for dinner out -- too many logistical hassles otherwise. I think that $25-30 pp is doable.

Any of the above. If Dinner In, then where?

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals just issued a ruling that said the State of Michigan cannot prevent consumers from ordering wine directly (e.g., over the Internet) from out-of-state wineries. Current law requires wine shipments to go through licensed wholesalers. The Court said that this is an unconstitutional restraint of trade. But don't get too excited yet, because... ...of course, the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association is considering further legal action. (Quote from their president: "The court has to step back and say, 'We can't open up the floodgates.' ") It also appears that the state Attorney General's office will be working with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission on another legal step. This issue probably will wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a September 3 article in The Grand Rapids Press. When in doubt, follow the money......

I purchased the Casa Castillo from The Wine Exchange in CA. You can order on-line from their website here. Thanks, sammy. But...I'm in Michigan. (See my thread that I started today.) I'll talk to our local wine store guru to see if they have it or can get it. Gotim Bru is a blend of three grapes, primarily Tempranillo with some Merlot and Cab. This from the vintner, a little over-the-top but fairly accurate: "Castell Del Remei Gotim Bru is ruby-purple in color with rich aromas of cassis, blackberry, cedar, licorice, spice and earth. It is full-bodied with firm tannins and intense flavors of blackberries, black currants, cherries, plums, spice and oak. This wine was aged 10 months in American oak. It is well balanced to enjoy now, but will age well for 10-12 years. It is long, rich and intensely flavorful on the finish." It's under $10 by me (on sale), but your mileage will vary depending on taxes, markup, etc.

Whenever I brown polenta (usually by cooling first, then sautéing in olive oil for 8 min. or so per side), I usually can get a nice crust. However, the crust tends to separate from the inside when eaten. I remember reading someone somewhere recently (How's that for being helpful?) discussing a better browning method, but wonderfully organized me didn't write it down. So, I'd appreciate any feedback about this just-short-of-burning issue. Thanks.

The one "trick?" When I cook -- cook. To wit... Pay attention (especially to the knife work). Say no to multi-tasking, rock-'n-rolling, and serious conversing. Drink a little wine. Keep my head in the kitchen, literally and figuratively.

Thanks, maggie! I just placed a hold on Cooking With Pomaine on my library's web site, ordered Cooking in Ten Minutes in a used hardcover edition through amazon.com, and, wonder of wonders, found (and ordered) The Jews of Poland from amazon.com.uk. Expensive (£28.96), but worth it, I think; that's my family's background.

To expand on Matthew's post... Joe Pagano, at his restaurant, can put together some prix fixe options at any price point. He also makes a pretty decent pizza. (I usually get a traditional Margharita.) There are other restaurant options, of course. Earlier in this thread I noticed that guajolote mentioned the possibility of his parents' house for a shindig. Given that we'll be at Michelle's on Saturday, that means Friday (and a smaller gathering, since everyone won't yet be here). Mr. g, is that still an option? Do people prefer to do that rather than go out on Friday? That would be fun. Saugatuck has cute shops, art galleries, dune hiking or ride, etc. We'd have to see who's coming and when from points east of GR, though. Another wonderful spot is Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park (really good web site). That can be a Sunday option as well. Near Meijer Gardens is Robinette's, a crowded and kind of touristy-hokey orchard and gift shop, but they offer hay rides ($5 adults, $3 kids, ½ hour). No heirloom apples to speak of, though. For those driving to/from Chicago, though, check out this place. There's the fish ladder, but that's a short stop and best combined with other downtown visits (Public Museum, Art Museum, Gerald R Ford Museum, etc.).

Now that you ask, I'm not sure. I tried it only once, and the tiniest bite at that. Maybe it takes a bigger portion, or repeated consumption, to reach a lethal level. Several people I met mentioned how much they liked it, but come to think of it, I don't remember seeing anyone actually eating the stuff. Hmm...

I assume that the skin has been rinsed, etc. and you're referring to the non-acute phase of treatment. Treat it like you would any skin injury from a caustic substance. Aloe is good; so is a topical anesthetic, if needed. Also, kiss the boo-boo to make it better. I'm thinking of the time when I was young and stupid and rubbed my eye after cutting up some jalapeños.

I lived in Japan about 15 years ago and grew to love a traditional Japanese breakfast (miso soup, pickled veg, rice w/ egg or meat [often leftover from the night before] ). I didn't feel stuffed, and didn't get hungry until lunch. I often made a similar meal after I moved back to the US but eventually succumbed to the old ways. Breakfast now is usually a banana and/or other fresh fruit with yogurt, sometimes with a little granola or Grape-Nuts. Pizza usually doesn't make it to the next day but if it does, I'm there, carbohydrate sedation be damned. I concur entirely with your opinion of natto, surely one of the vilest non-lethal substances ever created.

Two favorites... the confluence of asparagus, morels, and raspberries in the spring, and of tomatoes, corn, and nectarines in late summer.

I see absolutely no problem with the aioli resting on the counter, covered, for a few hours. Think of the eggs sitting out in the henhouse or wherever before they're gathered. If you're doing homemade, I don't see much point in making aioli w/o the egg (unless you're allergic, of course). I use one whole egg and one yolk -- kind of the best of both worlds.

Bring your own chef's knife (thanks, Matthew), potato salad, taco filling, and salsa -- claim food allergies if you have to. (There's a thread on this somewhere.) Pan-toast your own tortillas. Go out to eat as much as you can. Unfortunately, it is your mother's kitchen. As uninspired a chef as my mother was, I wish I had a chance to cook with her as an adult, as she died when I was 20. Fortunately, my stepmom was kind and generous. When I was somewhere in my mid-20s I made Thanksgiving dinner for the family down in Florida. The recipe (which, unfortunately, I have since lost) called for browning, then braising, a cut-up turkey. I was at my wits' end because on that day before T'giving I could only find a whole kosher turkey and didn't have a clue how to dissect it. She very calmly took the whole bird apart in what seemed like less than a minute. Who knew?

There's a list on amazon.com here. I just picked up The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, by Bruce Weinstein. Lots of great-sounding recipes with variations, $6.99 + shipping.

Gosh, so many options.... Are you near any likely stores or will this be strictly Internet/mail order? I usually like seeing this kind of stuff in person before I buy, but everyone's different, of course. Ditto Richard, what is "reasonably priced?" I've found good stuff at various times at W-S, Crate and Barrel, B B & B, TJ Maxx, Marshall Fields, restaurant supply, etc., etc.

Styrofoam packs are good. Another thought: Buy (if you don't already have) a very sturdy hard-sided suitcase with wheels. (Or two. ) Load it with sheets of bubble wrap and a roll of tape. Check it outbound. (If you're carrying overcoats, that might be a good place to stash them so you don't have to shlep them through the airport and on the plane.) In Italy, use the bubble wrap to protect the wine. Fill any empty spaces in the packed suitcase with clothing so the wine doesn't move around. You might want to find out the weight limit for checked international baggage and calculate how many bottles you can carry per suitcase.

If I could work 8 hours a day at B&J and 8 hours at a library, I surely wouldn't get rich but I'd be fat and happy. Where did I go wrong?

Tonight was BYOLT (build your own leftover tacos). Leftovers = herb-crusted pork tenderloin from Friday night, grilled salmon from Thursday night, supermarket rotisserie chicken from Thursday lunch. Shredded them all. Also had some newly made refried beans. Extras = homemade salsa (our manager's) and homemade coleslaw (mine) from yesterday's softball team party. Tortillas = some pretty good whole wheat ones from California Also ate some leftover cucumber-wakame salad. Beverage = Huber Bock Beer.

It's out of print (and supposedly will be reprinted in a few months), but run, do not walk, to locate a copy of Chef Sato's All-Natural Desserts, by Satoru Sato. (Amazon and eBay don't have any, btw.) I was able to find one in my local library system. Chef Sato is head cook and pastry chef at Bizen, an incredible organic Japanese restaurant in Great Barrington, MA. His cookbook features "42 Delicious Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Cookies, Muffins, Cakes, Pies, Pastries, and Other Irresistible Sweets." I had his Tiramisu at Bizen last month -- it was wonderful! My cousin says that his Chocolate Raspberry Cake is even better. If you can't find the book I'd be glad to send you a copy of these two recipes plus a couple others. Just PM me. L'shana tova, in advance.