FistFullaRoux

It seems like the nuts may be the problem. You might want to try some kind of barrier between the nuts and the caramel. Some pro candymakers will use a thin layer of chocolate or sugar that has been cooked to the hard crack stage. Cool the covered nut (or fruit or whatever) completely. It sound like somehow moisture is migrating from the nuts to the caramel. Humidity and moisture can make a caramel go funky. Macadamias and pecans have a fair bit of oil. Especially if they are roasted. That may somehow be interfering with the natural aging process of the caramel. Also, sometimes older nuts will behave differently that fresh ones. You may want to try getting ahold of some fresher ones and see if that makes a difference.

Bobby Rivers and Marc Summers are both old radio guys. That's the reason for the emphasis on the voices. I will admit to catching the occasional Top 5, but only if there's nothing else on the tube, and I don't feel like starting a new project, because I will be up until 3am otherwise. I just tell myself it's educational, being the trivia freak that I am. That being said, one show actually upset me. The top 5 things that taste like chicken. The usual suspects were there, gator, frogs legs, duck (duck?). But when they announced number one, I actually got upset. The number one food that tastes like chicken is... Chicken. My reaction to that news was to mutter "assholes" under my breath and change channels. I then fumed about it for an hour. I felt ripped off.

A 4 hour layover won't allow you to accomplish much in the way of motoring around the metroplex. DFW airport is actually in Irving (and part of Grapevine and Euless), sort of just north and equidistant from Dallas and Fort Worth's city limits. Not that you can tell. There's no break between cities. With a 4 hour layover and your end destination as Tulsa, you would almost be better off renting a car in Dallas and driving to Tulsa if you were looking for adventure. You would get there at about the same time. Otherwise, with the delays and the sheer size and level of craziness in the airport, you might as well stay put and try to bring some decent takeout with you. You won't starve in an airport, but you won't have the meal of your life.

One of the other reasons I'm looking forward to going home for Christmas. There's a tree in my mom's yard. As long as they don't get a killing frost between now and then, they will still be fine come Christmas. The older I get, the more I have cravings for these things. By the way, the mandarin oranges in cans that you can get from the grocery store are the same thing, peeled and in syrup. They are also called clementines in some markets. They are available, and just about any store can get them. They are grown all along the gulf coast.

I'm a Cajun. If it don't eat me, I eat it. I was raised on a dairy farm. Little boy cows don't make milk. And you only need a few bulls. We always had a freezer full of veal. I bottle fed some of them. I am fully cognizant of the circle of life and all or the dirt, snot, blood, and shit that goes with it. I am still an avowed carnivore. This is not (for me) an animal cruelty issue or whatever. Foie gras and all the stuff that goes with it is an industry, to be sure. Yes, people make their living from it. Some people make a LOT of money from it. And many things are made from that duck other than just the liver. Agreed. There is a great culinary and artistic movement based on it. Agreed. But the people who really want the stuff will find out how to get it. The ones who don't care about it never even knew where to find it in the first place. One liberal county in California decides to outlaw the sale of foie gras. Let's not lose focus of the issue. The agriculture lobby is not a limp dishrag. If the farmers start getting hard hit by those two restaurants not being able to sell foie gras, you can bet that they are going to step in on behalf of the entire industry. In the meantime, both of those restaurants are getting free publicity from it. They are probably booked solid for the next year anyway. The holidays are here, and that's when the prices spike a little anyway. Duck will continue to be served in restaurants. If they have to start wasting the liver, it will eventually sink in that "Since we have to kill the things anyway, why don't we let them sell the liver?" It makes no sense to kill an animal and waste any usable part of it. Ask McDonalds. Even PETA agrees with that one. All that means is that the supply will go down, and prices will go up, probably temporarily. I think it's more a matter of the one part of the animal being more prized than the rest of the parts, and the animal being raised only to allow that one part to be perfect. Everything else is gravy, so to speak. People eat pig's feet because it was a use discovered after the hog had been picked over. Foie gras on the other hand is the reason for some of these ducks existing. Sort of like shark fins or rhino horns or baboon noses. I think that is what the issue is. If foie gras were like oxtails, there wouldn't be the uproar about it. But it is still part of the now dead animal. It can't be transplanted and it can't be sold. It is wasted. They will figure that out.

Also, remember that Sonoma is a very very very small part of this larger thing we call America, which itself is only a fraction of this little blue marble we are stuck to. So you might have to drive farther for it if you live where it's "banned". Besides, just because it's banned does not mean that people can't get it. People get plastered in dry counties all the time. You see booze on the beach, you can find unpasteurized foods from other countries, and lots of other things slip under the radar. Sonoma is not the only place in the US, or even California, that you can get foie gras. I've never even been able to afford the stuff, but I still lead a full and worthwhile life. Even if it goes away in more than that 200 square mile area, I think we as a species will survive. I have to work on Thanksgiving. Pardon the vitriolic response. But I think you are overreacting...

I've had a couple. Cub scouts. They are kinda bitter raw, a little better when roasted.

Haven't written in Haiku since college. Let's see if I still got it. It flaps, runs, swims, flies. Braised, roasted, served how you wish It makes no diff'rence Ev'rything is food. Prepared with skill, makes smiles grow. Get in ma belly! I ate too damn much flickering lights before me Pass the pink bottle... Edited to say = Obviously. I can't count. 5-7-5, not 5-10-5. Maybe I just invented a new form of haiku.... Anyway, the submissions above have been edited. rrrrrrrrr

It's spreading. I kid you not. I belong to a public service organization, and we had a convention recently where one of the highlights was just that. Well, the chicken, not a turkey. We also had another chapter run the similar contest with a cow. This is in Alabama. There are also several bars down near Intracoastal City that still do the same thing on a regular basis. Yes, the <name of animal here> drop is alive and well in rural America.

Also, if you are staying in a hotel, check their Thursday menu. If you aren't, check some of the nicer hotels in town. That is usually the best bet, I've found the few times I've been out of town on Thanksgiving. They do the whole shooting match, turkey, fixin's, dessert, all of it.

Boudin can be kind of subjective. Everyone has different criteria. Some like more rice than others, some want more pepper or onion, some want thinner casings... It's all about what you grew up with, and what is familiar and good to you. There is also a little regional difference. Morgan City isn't quite the same as Opelousas. Just keep trying them until you find one you like. I do know that the odds of finding something in metro New Orleans will be difficult. Try the outlying areas. Acadia and St. Landry Parishes seem to have more boudin makers per capita. Once you find a supplier, order a bunch. It freezes well, and heats up nicely. After thawing, use a rice cooker (if you have one) or gentle steaming, and the frozen stuff will be fine.

You know what else burns like crazy? Roux. Especially the dark ones. How I decided on my username... Propped the wooden spoon against the side of the pan when reaching for the trinity while making a dark roux. Spoon popped somehow popped up (roux covered side up), and I instinctively grabbed it. I'll put that burn up against the grabbing the metal handle just out of the oven. Oil sticks. And I had to finish making gumbo left handed. It was back in my drinking days, though, so a cold beer in that hand for the rest of the day went a long way toward making it feel better. The next day truly sucked.

As far as home remedies for something that has happened more than a few minutes ago (I really ought to read these posts better), Aloe vera, as suggested by tryska is a fine salve for minor burns. The operative term being minor. If there is any peeling or scabbing, you really should at least have a doctor look at it. If you are talking about a red spot or a small intact blister, pretty much whatever feels good is OK. Of course you know that oil based things are out, right? No butter. It's good for a lot of things, this not being one of them. I used to work as a physical therapy tech, and we did a lot of work with burn patients. I won't go into graphic detail, but suffice it to say, I am paraniod at crawfish boils now. But we would wash the area with Betadine (available at drug stores) using gauze pads with lots of water (the shower should work) and cover with colloidal silver salve. Be careful with the silver salve, as it can stain the skin light blue if used for an extended period of time (like weeks and months). Cover loosely with gauze, apply a cream/salve/lotion that will eliminate contact with the air, keep it dry and clean. Visit a doctor for any increased swelling, opaque drainage (I know, ew), fever or other sign of infection. OTC analgesics for pain. And are you up to date on your tetanus shots?

I'd suggest a doctor as well. The ice/water immediately following a burn is to cool the surface and prevent further damage from the heat. If it is a large burn (bigger than a quarter, for instance) ice alone may not help the pain. I had a soldering iron jump at me once (I was fixing something, and when I grabbed a part, I hit the cord, causing the iron to hit the inside of my forearm. Luckily, I had volunteered to help sell cold drinks for a local festival. I spent the next 3 days elbow deep in ice water, so that helps. Doctor. ASAP. Even if it's just for him/her to write a scrip for a few painkillers to get some sleep at night, and some sort of salve which may actually help. You still reading this? Why aren't you at the doctor's office yet? Seriously. edited to reflect that doctors can be female too...

That sort of seals it. Even though I do enjoy the occasional whiff of truffle, I'll never again be able to enjoy it. (shudder)

See #3 of my above post...

Top 3 cheeses: 1) Italian 2) French 3) Other Thank you for your support.

Looks like the winner would be one that hasn't been invented yet. A cast iron wok with a flat bottom and a heavy tight fitting lid. It's a Dutch oven! It's a wok! It deep fries, it sautes, it bakes it braizes and it grills. Hell, if it was thick enough the lid itself could be a grill.. hmmmmmmmmmm The patent is mine, I tell you... ALL MINE!!!! muahahahaa......

Heck, it's closer than that. I'm in Birmingham. Atlanta is closer than the Sister-in-law. She's buying dinner for the family from WinnDixie. Already cooked. The problem is I'm the one on call for Thanksgiving. I had to be on call for one holiday, so this one is mine. So, I'll take my chances with the cafeteria. They treat people well on the holidays...

If you have a pizza stone, you can do something similar. Heat it up, pull it from the oven and put it on a rack or an upside down cookie sheet. Cover it with a towel, pile the rolls on, then cover the whole thing with a towel. It's easier to use a container of some sort, then you can leave it on the table, and they will stay warm during dinner. Me, I have to work that day. I'll be having a turkeyish substance from a hospital cafeteria. Ya'll be thankful about getting to be with friends and family. Frozen rolls ain't so bad.

Re: the rolls. My bakery experience gets a workout. You can make the dough ahead of time. Portion it out and freeze immediately. Early on T day, before the craziness starts, pull them from the freezer and get them to room temp pretty quickly. (You can even nuke them very carefully, checking for hot spots every few seconds. Give each roll a quick knead to eliminate any dead or dry spots, then allow them to rise.) In commercial kitchens and bakeries, there is something called a proof box. Anything that you can do to approximate that effect will help things along. You want a high humidity warm (90-120 degrees) environment for about 30 minutes. Your mileage may vary. A little steam wouldn't hurt either. Although, most breads, even from bakeries, are frozen. Voice of experience. I've spent too many nights baking 15 varieties of bread, including parkerhouse rolls. I only had to mix about 5 of those varieties, and 3 of those were premixed in a bag. I only added water and yeast. Do yourself a favor. Get the frozen parkerhouse or potato rolls. They make a fine and consistent product when handled with a little knowhow. Thaw and rise quickly, then bake them off as early as the night before. Once they are cool, you can keep them in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temp, then pull the needed amount and reheat last minute. To reheat: Get a couple of non glazed ceramic floor tiles (about 6"x6" are the best size) from a home improvement store, even a couple of broken ones will work, pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes at whatever temp the oven is being used for, wrap them in clean towels, place them in a metal or glass bowl or a wicker basket. Pile the rolls on top of that, then cover the whole thing with a clean towel or two. The hot stones will heat the bread gently and prevent a hard crust from forming. It takes another 15 minutes to heat them up, just give them a shake every once in a while. You can put them on the table to do their thing. It's one less thing to worry about, and you can't burn the heating stones.

Wow. It sounds like you had an adventure. Even if some of it was disapointing, it gives you a chance to one-up the next group of people you know who go to NOLA and don't make it out to the countryside. Next time you are planning to go, give some more advance warning. If they are in season, I can have a crawfish boil set up and get you to some more out-of-the-way spots. But I'd be traveling from Birmingham. And at least you've been to the real Cajun country now. And only the one tourist spot. The Tabasco factory is a unique institution, and you would have kicked yourself if you hadn't gone when you were so close, even though you found it too touristy. You still go to the French Quarter, right?

A garlic press. My wife bought it from one of those in-home demonstration pyramid scheme things for $15. Then I went to BB&B and got a stainless steel board scraper for $4. And we had a little contest. If I ever have to mash a really small potato, I'll dig it out and use it, though...

So this is going to be for a splash screen? That may very well chase off more customers than it would attract. I would work on convincing them that they would be better off spending the time and resources on developing the backend. Splash pages have really fallen out of favor, and the majority of people who are confronted with them tend to either click past them, or find another site. Those pics would be great for some other marketing thing, but once you bounce a pic down to usable size at 72 pixels per inch, you might as well go with a shot from a webcam.

I've always been a fan of ratatouille...