Malawry

Who do you already order from?

I've decided on my menu, mostly: Wings, hot Turkey chili and fixings A small amount of vegetarian chili for the veg guest who is coming Clam dip, with Ritz crackers, which my Bostonian roommie insists are ultra-authentic. A big platter of crudite Popcorn Somebody else is bringing dessert. Two people are on liquid diets--one who is having surgery on Monday, one who had surgery last Monday. (Sheesh.) So I'm trying to think of one more item that will be totally liquid--perhaps potato soup?--so they can feel like part of the gang too.

I have frozen cheese sauce based on bechamel before. It was an experiment at work. The frozen sauce must be reheated gently and whisked frequently to prevent scorching. It will split a little but with care should come back together okay. I say freeze it and see what you think, but be prepared to make fresh if it picked up off-flavors or resists coming back together when you defrost.

This is a very timely discussion for me, as I've put paella on the menu at work tomorrow night. If you had to choose from ordinary Uncle Ben's style rice, basmati rice and arborio rice, which would you use for this dish?

Here is a paper I wrote in culinary school on the subject of Swiss chard. The bright lights varietal, which is available at my local farmer's market, is my favorite for its brilliant colors. I normally saute the stems and leaves separately with garlic and olive oil, and add balsamic reduction or raspberry vinegar at the last minute for a hit of acid-sweetness. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris, variety cicla, part of the Chenopodiaceae family) is a sweet vegetable with firm, fleshy stalks and thick leaves. Swiss chard is also known simply as chard. The vegetable stems range from red to yellow to white in color, with the ribs in the leaves carrying the same color as the stem. The vegetable is common to Italian and Nicoise cuisine. How Swiss Chard Is Used Swiss chard is mostly used as a cooked vegetable. The vegetable’s stems and leaves are generally treated as different vegetables but are often served together. The stems can become quite large and fleshy as they mature, thereby taking much longer to cook properly than the leaves. The stems are similar to asparagus in preparation, while the leaves are akin to spinach. Young versions of the vegetable may have small enough stems that the stems and leaves can cook in the same amount of time. This is particularly true of perpetual spinach chard, which has smaller leaves with virtually no stems. Young greens may also be eaten raw in salads, but raw swiss chard is rarely consumed. Chard leaves grow rapidly, so there is minimal difference in taste between smaller and larger leaves; the older leaves are not noticeably bitter. There are some recipes for pastry applications using chard, most notably tarts. These desserts are rarely seen, but some accounts describe a sweet chard, apple and pine nut tart as a traditional Christmas dessert in the Nicoise region of France. The vegetable has affinities for olive oil, butter, saffron, garlic, nutmeg, parsley, hot pepper, cilantro, basil, lemon, red wine vinegar, pine nuts, mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, chickpeas, pasta, and eggs. The stems and leaves can be boiled, wilted, steamed, braised, or sauteed. White stems may discolor while cooking, so they should be prepared in a blanc to protect their color. Swiss chard is a member of the beet family. To that end, the medicinal properties ascribed to beets are also be ascribed to chard. For example, the juices of chard are reported to have a cleansing affect on the liver and spleen, and chard may help relieve headaches. Generally, the leaves and stems are edible. The roots contain minimal sugar and are not especially flavorful. They are largely inedible. History Swiss chard is known in French as cotes de bettes, bette a cardes, blette, bette, or poire. The plant is part of the beet family, and is very similar to the beet plant except for its lack of bulbous roots. It is derived from the sea beet, which is native to European, North African, and Asian coasts. Swiss chard is a cultivated plant bred for its fleshy stalks and is believed to be native to the Mediterranean. The vegetable has been known in Europe since classical times, and was used by ancient Greeks and Romans as a wrapping for eel. Swiss chard’s long history has been documented through writings for centuries. Aristotle mentioned chard in the 4th century BC; he categorized the vegetable with cabbage and thought the leaves were indigestible. He discards chard as a vegetable of the lower classes. Just the same, soups with chard leaves became everyday fare throughout Europe by the middle ages. Part of the popularity of swiss chard comes from its hardiness. The plant grows well in partial shade and thrives in a wide range of soils. It grows best in rich, slightly acidic soil; gravel-rich soil leads to tougher, stringier stalks. The plant survives multiple frosts well and is therefore available locally long after other greens have ended their seasons. There is no Swiss connection to the name of swiss chard. The vegetable is known in Sweden but is not a native of the region. Storage and Preservation Swiss chard should be stored in a cool, dry place. Do not pack it tightly, or it may bruise. Keep it moist; sprinkle with water if needed. Despite the hardiness of the plant, once picked chard deteriorates rapidly. Chard keeps best under refrigeration in a plastic bag and should be used within a few days of purchase. For longer storage, chard may be frozen. Frozen swiss chard is available commercially. Frozen chard suffers from a degree of mushiness, but it may be satisfactory as an ingredient in a baked dish. Swiss chard does not can well and is not useful as a dried vegetable. Characteristics of Quality Look for vigorous, upright, dark leaves and smooth, shiny stalks on chard. The size of the leaves is not indicative of the quality; the leaves grow so quickly that larger leaves are neither tough nor bitter. High quality swiss chard has no blemishes and features crisp stalks. Color on the stalks and ribs should be vibrant, whether it’s white, red, yellow, or purple. Purchasing Swiss chard is in season in the mid-Atlantic from early spring through December or January. The vegetable is available at area farm markets for about $2 a bunch and can be purchased at a grocery store for similar prices. Wholesale chard is $15.30 per case from L&M Produce. Color and size do not have a significant impact on pricing. Peak season locally is early spring and again in late fall, when later crops begin to mature. Chard is grown across Europe and around the United States. The vegetable does not ship particularly well, so most of the chard sold in the US is from local markets. Swiss chard is not graded in any particular fashion by size or color, although restaurants may specify these properties when ordering from some suppliers. Varieties available include Monstruso with broad, tender white stalks, Large White Ribbed with less tender stalks, and Fordhook Giant with white stalks and savoyed leaves. Charlotte and Rhubarb are the primary red-stalked varieties available. Bright Yellow has yellow stalks and ribs, and Bright Lights comes in colors ranging from orange to pink and purple.

A few oyster memories... 1. Spending a night in the kitchen at 2941. There were kushimoto oysters around for a special dinner they were doing. Chef Jonathan Krinn opens two and hands one to me. We suck them back naked. I'm startled briefly, the brine is so sweet and salty, and I can't speak for a minute. Chef Jonathan says, "Forget it. I'm quitting so I can go in there and eat this stuff with them." 2. Nosing around New Orleans last March, we happen upon a nice farmer's market. There's somebody there who sells oysters. They offer free samples. The only condiment offered is Crystal hot sauce, so we dutifully add a dash and slurp 'em down. The sauce tames the saltiness a bit and accents the slightly fishy flavor. Excellent. 3. Two weeks ago in Paris, I am eager to try the famous Belon oyster. I order a half-dozen at Vaudeville, a good brasserie not too far from our hotel, because it's the first place we've been that they're on the menu. They arrive opened and loosened, arranged on a bed of crushed ice with a few scattered lemon slices. A plate of cocktail rye bread with a pat of very salty butter comes alongside, along with a bowl of mignonette. My favorite touch: a bowl of water with a slice of lemon for cleaning my hands afterwards. I am in heaven eating these oysters, with just a drop of lemon juice to cut their richness a little. I alternate with buttered bread, just to make the experience last longer. In sum, I'll try oysters anywhere and anyway they're served, but they don't need anything fancy if you don't want to go there.

I usually build pizzas on my large wooden cutting board and then slide them onto my preheated pizza stone, on the oven rack. I use lots of cornmeal and never have any problem. If the dough is at all sticky, I stop trying to slide it and return the board to the counter. I use a dough scraper to loosen all the edges. If I lift the scraper gently I can throw more cornmeal under the dough. This usually works and then I can slide it onto the stone easily. Key is to stop as soon as I realize the dough is sticking--trying to force it never works!

Last night: Salade nicoise Creamy corn-crab soup Tonight: Flank steak, seared in butter, topped with Maldon sea salt and a few grinds of "Grains of Desire," a pepper-flower blend I picked up in France A melange of red bell peppers, crimini mushrooms and haricots verts in butter and balsamic reduction 2002 Cousina-Macoul Antiguas Reserve cabernet sauvignon

I'm looking for some interesting New England-y items to put on the menu. My spouse and roommate are both natives of Massachusetts and lifelong Patriots fans, so we're having some friends over to see the game (Pats fans only!). I'll certainly make turkey chili and some kind of wings. I like the lobster roll idea but I'm too poor to execute it, and we had clam chowda last year. If I can't think of anything else we'll end up with Dunkin Donuts munchkins, so help me out here folks.

Wedding was Sunday, June 3, 2001. My sweetie and I were both vegetarian at the time, which affected the menu. Being Jewish we had a Sunday wedding--around 1pm, so the members of his choir could make it in time to sing. (Many of them sing for church choirs Sunday morning.) I figured, people love brunch food on Sunday afternoon, and with brunch food folks won't miss the meat so much. While we were in seclusion, everybody had passed apps. I arranged for a plate of them to be sent to our seclusion room: Zucchini-spinach tyropitas Artichoke bottoms with some kind of mayonnaise Vegan potstickers with ponzu sauce Then we went down and mingled, and eventually we all sat and had toasts. Then my spouse and I were led to the buffet first, to guarantee we had a chance to eat. We served: Some kind of roasted salmon, which I did not eat (I didn't even eat fish at the time) Herbed egg omelets filled with spring vegetables Asparagus and hearts of palm with red pepper coulis Bowtie pasta in garlic cream sauce Potato tart Assorted breakfast breads and challah Wines included some sort of pinot noir and I have no idea what else. I was too excited to drink! The bar was open and featured grapefruit, orange and tomato juices, vodka and champagne for making salty dogs, screwdrivers, bloody marys and mimosas. There was a dessert table which I never saw and therefore can't identify. My family is huge on fruit and the caterer ran out. There was a tiny cake for cutting, a pound cake with chocolate frosting. Kinda dry and uninspired. I made a much better version for our first anniversary, since there was no top tier to keep. My grandmother told me she'd been afraid we'd serve tofu and sprouts--she was thrilled that we served food as accessible and delicious as this. As was everybody else. I don't think anybody missed the meat.

I've never had any problem with freezing veg stock. But I don't do so for longer than two months at the outside--usually it's only in there a couple weeks before I use it up and have to make another batch.

The eGullet Culinary Institute class on stocks includes some basic information about vegetarian stocks that can serve as a good base for making them: Click here. Vegetable stocks are not good for reducing. They will never get tacky-thick because they don't contain gelatin, and reducing them just makes them bitter. I've made "double vegetable" stock by using vegetable stock instead of water to make a second batch, but it doesn't add all that much to do this IMO. Vegetable stocks work well for cooking grains or vegetables and making soups. You can make a vegetable veloute--which makes a terrific base for a vegetarian soup or a vegetable-flavored sauce--but you cannot make a vegetable espagnole-type sauce. I keep vegetable stocks on-hand for soups at work, the stock is a cleaner flavor than chicken stock and it allows my vegetarian girls to enjoy soups with everybody else.

The rack of lamb is the sigature dish at 1789, best I can tell. It's certainly the one Ris Lacoste has promoted the most often, and having sampled it I can safely say it's one of the best lamb dishes I've tasted. Those cheesy potatoes that come alongside don't suck, either. I really enjoyed her crab cake when I had it a few years ago. It was the first time I sampled Maldon sea salt, which certainly enhanced the experience.

I tend to agree with Sam concerning Child's Mastering the Art. Though there are some techniques in there that are so well-illustrated and described (like how to make an omelet) that the book can be useful for some neophytes. I am a huge fan of both HTCE and JOC. I often purchase HTCE for friends interested in cooking as a gift, because I think it's more accessible than JOC. I love Bittman's minimal approach, and his references of "dishes that reheat well," "things to add to chicken soup" etc encourage the experimentation that new cooks tend to shy away from. However, I use JOC much more often--I keep it at work even. Its reference information is far more detailed, and its just a longer book than HTCE so it covers more. I read its recipes when trying something new for my girls (I rarely cook from non-pastry recipes, but JOC is so comprehensive that I know I can find a version to work from of anything). I use lots of the pastry recipes religiously--including the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies and the Basic Pancakes. I love the red ribbon page marker, which more books should have IMO. And finally, it's a treasure trove of menu ideas for somebody like me who makes mostly classic American food for ordinary eaters on a daily basis. If I could only have one, I'd buy JOC. Ironically, until I took the job at the sorority, I preferred HTCE and rarely touched JOC. So these things can change.

Get a big garbage bag. Set it in the sink. Open it and stick a fish inside. Hold fish with one hand and scale with the other, inside the bag. Repeat with remaining fish. When done, throw garbage bag away. You don't really need to watch the scaling process to do a good job with it, especially if you're an experienced scaler--which it sounds like you are.

I don't live that far north, but I do this all the time if it's cold out. I've even been known to stick a covered 3gal cambro of stock out the side door at work when it's below freezing outside. That way I can freeze it when I depart and my poor freezer won't blow a fuse. I've been known to stick trays of chocolates, cookies, whatever outside in January so they cool and set quickly. I'm actually feeling guilty now because my chest freezer (which is not outdoors) needs to be defrosted, and today's a perfect day--I can just stick everything outside. If I wasn't feeling a little sick and jet-lagged, I would have handled this today.

YESH! Way better than Crisfield, too!

Merci beaucoup. The problem with asking at a pharmacy (which did occur to me) is that I only know a few sentences of French. My sweetie is mostly better now anyway.

BTW, now is sale time in the stores; if you want a new Bodum french press pot or other coffee paraphernelia I saw great selections at Printe,ps and Gallerie Lafayette. Machines sold in France won't help Americans much though. And I think gourmet emporiums like Fauchon and Hediard don't "get" sales, so don't look for special coffee deals there. I did enjoy extremely friendly and knowledgeable service from the gentleman at the Hediard coffee counter in Madeline yesterday.

Bonjour ya'll (I've always wanted to say that), We are having a great time; thanks for all the advice. One quick question: any idea where to score some Gatorade, or barring that some Lucozade? I already recovered, but then my spouse caught a 24hr bug and 7up ain't cutting it. Is there a French sports electrolyte beverage equivalent? I really mean it when I say we are having a great time. Really!

Does it have enough salt? That's the easiest fix. I am a big believer in using heavy cream in this type of soup. Also next time use a yellow type onion, not a vidalia--vidalias are not as flavorful when cooked. Try using stock instead of water to add more oomph. And bacon of course, but you awready knew that. I add a little bit of instant mashers to my potato soup to adjust the texture when it's done. It makes a big difference since it makes the soup more velvety and thick.

Yes, Snider's regularly carries the BreadLine baguette. They've had them for years.

Once, I found a recipe for a very low-fat mole type sauce online--the only fat was from a tiny bit of chocolate added at the end. I made a special visit to a Latin grocery and bought all the tomatillos, chiles, etc. For two nights after work I dutifully roasted, pureed, chopped and otherwise processed various vegetables. On the third night I invited a good friend over to join me and my then-boyfriend, now-spouse. We were all vegetarians at the time, and I thought this might not be bad over some chewy tofu--so I made tofu enchiladas and dumped the sauce on top. It was TERRIBLE. Nothing like the darkly mysterious mole I'd had in restaurants, nothing unctuous or flavorful--just crappy pureed veggies with a bit of chocolate and no fat. The tofu just sucked it up and looked dry. Ick. Lessons: Don't make low-fat sauces expecting the original recipe to pop out of them. Tofu belongs in Asian cuisine or otherwise in an intelligent starring role, not as a sub for chicken. Mole belongs on chicken or turkey or maybe pork, and there is no good vegetarian substitute.

Sounds delicious, Pitter. What do you eat it with?

If you just want a classy gentleman on the piano tinkling in the background, that becomes easier to satisfy. Marcel's and Kinkead's both feature exactly that.