lovebenton0

When cooking for a stringent sodium-restricted diet the unsalted butter can make a difference. So for some of us it is more than just the impact on a recipe. There never seems to be any dusty unsalted butter at my grocery store.

Bunch of great ideas here. So glad you started this thread. Zig-zag in his favorite colors -- even guys have those. Or a sunburst with yellow center flaring out through fall colors in the rays. Thinking about the checker(chess?)board suggestion -- use fruits as game pieces. OMG teepee that shell cake is too pretty to eat -- but I bet it was delicious.

It is finally fall in Central TX! Good to have something to celebrate today. Enjoyed warming up the house with the kitchen humming while preparing Rock Cornish Game Hen with Lemon-Garlic Sauce from Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of South-West France. And a baby Japanese eggplant/tomato/sweet onion gratin with vegs from our garden, and crushed buttered Parmesan croutons made with a variety of home baked breads. Would have been nice to have some havarti for the gratin but we had no complaints. I recommend the game hens, so tender and juicy. Sauce is a silky cream/lemon/garlic/chicken stock/Madeira wine infusion that . . . well it's good to have the lovely hens to put it on because it's too gauche to just drink it. Something so satisfying about whacking the eggplants into small dice, ripping the white sheath from the lemons, and simmering the sauce this evening. Ah, food is therapy once again. Eunny, yes, I did. And congrats on the new job! Will that be new shoes as part of the table decor?

Fifi, it is not that Kaffir lime trees are illegal in TX. The reference you saw was probably to the importation of citrus from another state. Because TX is a citrus producing state it is illegal to import citrus from an outside source. The asme is true for CA and AZ. I remember quite vividly making a road trip to AZ several years ago with a friend. We had loaded up with trip food. Among the items we had was a big bag of TX oranges we picked up at a market somewhere on our way. When we got to the AZ border we had to declare them -- the bag was big and obviously bulging with luscious oranges. We were told we could surrender them right then -- or we could go inside, use their juicer, and drink all the OJ we could stand while there. I never drank so much OJ at once in my life! We still couldn't finish it and they just poured the remainder down the sink. We had to buy AZ oranges.

Lots of good info there, a great thread. It was snowangel that really introduced me to larb. Now I'm so addicted I want my own tree! Thanks for providing the larb link for everyone.

I got a baby specimen at Howard's on Koenig, if that helps. ← Oh yes, jess! That helps me tremendously. Thank you! How big was your baby? And do they carry more established trees too?

I appreciate your concern. This is in a completely different context, chezcherie. The Kaffir lime trees are native to Thailand. They are also known as Kieffer and Kuffre. But the most common usage I have seen is Kaffir lime trees. Maybe they don't have seeds. I have never seen one of the limes in the flesh, so to speak, so I don't know! I just know I love cooking with the leaves and want my very own source. edited to add: Sorry, I did not realize when I posted this thread this morning that I had not capitalized Kaffir in the initial post.

I'm in Central TX, and you are where? Ztejas in Austin specifically offered incentives. (Still does as far as I know -- but I've not been a personal guest recipient in a while, so shoot me if I'm wrong. ) For some reason they called these incentive coupons "Scooby Bucks." (Was that just a particular oddity with them or am I missing inside restaurant info? ) The server who sold the most upsell items was rewarded with the most points toward Scooby Bucks. These Bucks could be used by the employee or by employee's guests, applied toward purchase price of menu items. I have eaten for free there through the generosity of friends. I must say also that I have never been the victim of upselling me out of the pleasure of dining there. As Shelly mentioned in her situation there would be targets for upselling. You weren't being gigged throughout the meal. Additionally I have known other places in various areas, but time and distance prohibit me from mentioning specifics. In general, a couple restaurants in Houston -- that was years ago, three I knew in the Chicago area, and one in Tuscaloosa AL. One specifically around Daytona Beach. At that one, we were on our honeymoon several years ago, spending a couple of days on the beach before a short cruise to the Bahamas. So we were just winging it. We found a charming little lagniappe Cajun hut up the coast right on the beach. (Wonderful food -- and no I don't remember the name.) We happened to hit a slow time for them and our server spent a lot of time with us out on the deck just talking about the area and asking us about the TX Gulf Coast. We were enjoying the interaction and let's face it we were on our honeymoon and how much more open can you be than that? At one point during the off and on conversation she asked us if we'd like to add another course -- we were basically doing an informal tasting. She had a recommendation. We already had quite a bit of food, but then some of it was leaving with us for a later sunset snack on the beach and we were waffling, "Maybe so . . . " She just looked right at us and in a low voice (I wasn't completely deaf then ) she said if she could add another course to our order that would give her more points for a "beach day." Boy did she read us right! We really weren't offended (honeymooners, remember? ) and we just went for it. We took it with us and scarfed it later on the beach. I hope she got her day. I do read menus. I like menus. I'm a foodie and I just like to know what's available and what's up. I am also functionally deaf in public situations even with a cochlear implant (restaurants are awful, even painful noise producers!) and do have to depend on what I read. I also understand the dilemna for servers. If it were me, because I appreciate this as a diner, I would be specific in asking some one if they wanted to order another drink, basket of bread, etc. I would not offer "refills" to people, which can translate to no extra charge. Also "Would you like to order the blah blah blah dressing (or whatever)" as opposed to just asking them if they'd "like" it. When it comes to those extra (out priced) specials I'm just fairly stumped, the dilemna still exists. Does the server offer the wine menu again to the customer? -- that can be intrusive. The quick offer is less so, yet not informative. And endamame at $25 a shot? How the hell are they going to sell many of those if the server announces that price up front?

I have a lot of these, passionately hugging my eight foot rose tree with vines of jewels. The early blooms have already produced these beautiful red fruits. Mature fruit is about 3/4" in diameter. Dozens of green babies are still growing in their crowns of thorns. Once ripe they are edible, they are sweet. But what can I do with them?

What we know is very little. What we want to learn is -- everything we can. Chef Metcalf in Vancouver, and myself and Central TX, each want to have little Kaffir lime trees of our own. Now we know our geography and climates are wildly disimilar. We also hope that will allow even more latitude in sources and tips for growing these coveted beauties. For the trees themselves: Does anyone know of specific sources? Not necessarily online sources. There are shipping problems for Chef Metcalf, as US sources shipping to Vancouver would necessitate a risky layover in Customs. Texas, as a citrus producing state, will not allow commercial importation of citrus trees from another state. For me to actually see the tree before purchasing would be preferable. Any nurseries sources in the Austin area? However, I'm willing to be open to anything! To propagate our own from seeds or cuttings are also options. Chef Metcalf asks: Is it better to do it from seed or propagate stems? Can you propagate the stems from the grocery store . . . if they are really fresh? And what would the difference be between the two methods . . . propagation versus seeds? Can anyone send us seeds ? I would add: What about grafting? Better to graft than not to graft? Best choices for grafting to? So, please, hit us with all you've got. edited for typo.

In a previous life my ex and I were at his brother and SIL's house in Syracuse for T-Day one year. She is Italian -- very Italian -- and a marvelous cook. Being the other cook in the house at the time I was helping in the kitchen and knew what was on the menu. (My BIL was a professional cook but always declined to participate in T-Day preps -- that was her thing start to finish and she wanted him out of there! ) We starting loading the table to serve family-style with one heavenly Italian dish after another. When my ex came to the table he looked it all over and then just went with it, taking just a little bit of everything. I could almost see the wheels turning. After he finished his sparse plate he sat back and my SIL (little hurt look on her face -- the woman had knocked out an incredible feast!), asked him if he wanted more of anything. "No thanks, I'm saving room for the turkey." She just burst out laughing. "What turkey? We are Italian, not Pilgrims!This is traditional Thanksgiving in my family. You better eat up or hit the cafeteria!" What a moment! What a glorious meal, and what pleasure to partake in other traditions. But I absolutely had to roast a big turkey for Christmas that year -- which is not tradition for me at all.

I never deep fry -- anything! -- including the tots. But when I do pan fry it's always in the cast iron skillet and the six or seven minutes it takes, after the carmelized onions, or with garlic cloves, is a time well spent. If I don't have that then into the oven they go, and baked longer than usual. Never add salt to mine, I leave that up to personal table abuse. Jason, the extra crispy are good. Also has anyone tried those little "totlets," small discs of Tater Tot sibs? Don't remember what OreIda is calling them. They have an even larger crispy crunch to soft inside ratio. We get those sometimes. Lend themselves well to tossing with grilled onions and roasted pepper.

That sounds great, Maybelline! Are drying your own pumpkin? If so please do tell. I alternate with the soup, as I like to use whatever strikes me at the moment. So it could be anything from say wild rice with orange flesh squash and sweet onions, to a spiked up pepper pot soup with potato and cabbage if the turkey is smoked, or fat egg noodles with baby carrots, cauliflower, etc., and a creamed stock base. Or white meat turkey tortilla soup. Then we can also go into roasted turkey with herbed dumplings.

Gladly share my recipe, Curlz, thanks for asking. Acorn Squash with Apricot Nutty Rice Great for stuffing partially baked acorn squash halves, then finish baking stuffed with the rice, this is also good baked in a casserole. But then you miss the lovely squash. Serves 6 3 acorn squash 1 small box wild rice (1/2 cup) 1/2 cup brown rice 3 1/2 cups water 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp butter Orange/Peach/Mango juice 3 tbsp brown sugar 6-8 dried apricots, diced 3 tbsp butter 1/3 cup broken pecan pieces 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 large egg 6 pecan halves dipped in butter for garnish Bring to boil wild/brown rice together in water w/salt and butter. Reduce heat to low and cover, cook for 50-55 minutes. Meanwhile halve acorn squash lengthwise and remove seed pulp. Make a thin cut on the bottoms so the squash will sit upright after stuffing. Rub squash halves with a little cinnamon/ginger and brush with melted butter, including the bottom cut. Place cut side down on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until the squash is beginning to soften. Drain water from rice into measuring cup. Add enough orange/peach/mango juice (or OJ blend of your choice) to make 2/3 cups. Add diced apricots and pecan pieces to rice. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, butter, and egg with juice. Pour juice mixture over rice. Stir lightly, until rice is coated. Scoop into 6 acorn squash halves (or into a 1 1/2 qt casserole if preparing alone). Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Garnish: Dip pecan halves for garnish in melted butter and top each mounded squash bowl after 20 minutes baking time. The first time I tried this -- one of those oh so carefully planned and executed T-Day creations (based on my pantry at the moment ) -- I used all brown rice for the stuffing. Still very good but not as kicked up and nutty as the wild rice combo suggested by Richard Kilgore. I have made it this way ever since. Attempted to edit for weird formatting in submitted post but it's just not happening.

OK. Pulling this back to topic for a moment -- I do know that some restaurants reward their waitpersons for the amount of items they upsell to customers. This can take the form of actual monetary value as in employee comps for meals (even comps that may be used for guests of said employees) or in accolades for "employee of the month" which may be reflected in choice shifts or other considerations such as time off. Now I don't have a problem with that per se, however, when the waitstaff pushes the extras at every turn -- never mentioning pricing -- or allowing it to seem as though the offer is part of your meal (as in the bleu cheese dressing mentioned up thread) I am aggravated. It is disruptive to my dining experience to have to continually either decline said offerings throughout my meal or to ask for pricing when the item is something that sounds good. It is also true that I don't think everyone wants to hear "Would you like another basket of bread -- that's $5.00," --or "A $2.00 refill on water/soda/lemonade?" from the server. More to that if a soft drink of any kind is offered as a "refill" not an ordered item then I am charged for it after that has not been specified on the menu (price per glass/cup) I am likely to feel screwed. What is the problem with being specific on the menu? Reminds me of the old "Coffee . . . $.50 Warm ups . . . $.50 Half a cup more . . . $.50" At least that was honest! Price listed as per cup/glass/bread basket/etc. on the menu -- or a simple "No Refills" would suffice. If you are orderingan item it is not a refill. That puts the responsibility on the diner. We are usual 20% tippers -- including comps. I assume the waitperson isn't paid enough for the hard work they do, and often have to deal with testy customers that expect them to miraculously know the moment a need pops into one's mind. Unless the service was really below par for the circumstances (and let's face it that can vary greatly dependent on the level of chaos in any situation) we expect to reward the server for pampering us a bit. That's an important aspect to our dining out experience. If the waitperson has been intrusively upselling us all evening I am less likely to feel as though the "extra" tip is justified and will fall back closer to 15%.

Thanks for that link, marie-louise. Binders R Us!

Mmmmm! Tater Tots, no longer a guilty pleasure! Sprinkle with Tabasco sauce. Dip in sour cream and hot salsa. Pop in the oven with grated cheese -- sharper the better -- and melt under broiler. I have never been subjected to the TT casserole trauma. Never even heard of it. Whew! What a way to ruin a simple good convenience food. Yeah, patti, they are good with chili and cheese on top. Y'all have Sonic Drive-Ins? They've been serving up the Tots that way for years. Just ask for it. And you can get 'em instead of fries. I bake the little guys sometimes, but the mr loves 'em fried so I relent. And aren't they just better that way? Especially if you caramelize some onions in the pan first and use minimal oil to get all that goodiness. Also really good in breakfast tacos instead of the usual taters. Have to give credit to a taco stand in Austin for that one.

Shrimp Caesar salad (with some of the leftover shrimp from skewers last night), pecan smoked chicken legs with bbq sauce slathered on for the last 20 minutes, and cut corn sizzled with sweet onion, garlic, roasted green chilis and a good dose of salsa verde. Finished off the garlic bread from last night too. More spooky candy for dessert.

The other holiday (Christmas) thread has prompted me to ask . . . Thanksgiving? Traditonal dinner? Traditional gatherings? Or off the kitchen wall do as you please? We now spend Thanksgiving at home, hosting for my mr's grown daughters, often my MIL, and sometimes also my mom and oldest brother. I love a turkey for Thanksgiving. It's just not the same without it. And I roast or smoke a really big one every year no matter how few or how many people will be here. Turkey makeovers are top on my list for foods to enjoy during late Nov and early Dec. Part of the tradition -- turkey enchiladas, turkey soup (with stock made from the carcass), turkey sandwiches of course, both sliced cold with fresh whole cranberry relish, and open face with gravy. Sandwiches come first, starting that evening and are always top choice for the first post days. The rest of turkey gets sealed and put in cold storage so I can grab a bagful when I want for the other makeovers. Always something new to try. The night before is pie time, and the girls love to help with this. Pecan pie and pumpkin pie or my pumpkin pecan cheesecake. It is our thing to do together for the feast. (Their next major contribution is clean up time and they are so good with that! Their thank you gift to to me. Of course others are more than willing to jump in and let me sit that out after doing the do for a couple days already. ) I have already made a couple dozen assorted rolls and at least one loaf of bread earlier in the afternoon, usually before the troops start to gather. Breakfast on T-Day often starts very early with homemade sweet potato cinnamon rolls, or mincemeat coffee cake, and big pots of coffee. Lots of pots. Dough I make the night before and let rest in the fridge to finish quickly in the morning while still yawning before the bird is on. Nothing like some sweet carbs to hold us for a few hours. Then the marathon really begins. Typically I look forward to making stuffed acorn squash (wild and brown rice with cinnamon and ginger, dried apricots) to be prepped and baked. Dressing -- sometimes both cornbread and traditional bread dressing -- but always cornbread, which is made from the big pan I baked two days before. I like to let it get a little air dried when I break it up after cooling so we have that mix of soft and crispy after baking. Always bake in a separate pan with chicken stock, sweet onions and various add-ins; sausage or mushrooms are favorite basics. Baked sweet potatoes with plantains and pecans. Then there's the fresh green beans or asparagus to saute as bird is coming out of the oven. Menu is completed with whatever else anybody brings to the T-Day table with them. The early breakfast goodies fortify us until we start a light late morning munch on veg and cheese, a relish tray of olives, homemade pickles and candied watermelon, sometimes crackers or toasties. We eat early in the afternoon, so we can eat more later. Depend on pie, omelettes or oven omelette, rolls and coffee for post-turkey brunch Fiday morning. As my son used to say "Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, Mom. It's just all about the feast, and saying thanks to everyone I love." So what do you eat? With whom and where do you spend your T-Day celebration?

It has been several years since I lived in SMA, sadly for only a summer. I loved it there and was reluctant to make the necessary journey back home. Because of the time span my memory fails me on names of restaurants (and I can't locate my journal right now). However Trattoria for Italian on San Antonio St is a very good place if you're in the mood for that. The restaurant is located in a wedge at the end of a building where streets converge -- if that makes sense to you. It is fairly close to the Posada d'Allende, in towards the center of town. There is also a restaurant -- damn my memory! -- just down the street, opposite direction, almost next door to the Posada d'Allende that I would recommend. It is across the street from the Instituto d'Allende. Tacquerias are a must when exploring around town. The sights and smells will tell you which is best -- I'm sure you remember that. For me nothing was better than a piked pork roast or bifsteak on a little corn tortillas with fresh abundant salsa on the counter. And lime chili corn -- eote! from a street vendor hauling hot ears, with a bucket of slathering goodies. Besides that I would seriously recommend snooping the street scene. Some of the best classic interior Mexican food can be found at those vendors. Some around the Iglesia area were very satisfying. For local cuisine you might follow the golden rule -- eat where the locals eat. Sorry for the vagueries, but do hope you have a great time. When you return perhaps you can post where you did eat.

Great topic, Melissa. Very well composed responses from everyone. I don't know that what I have to say is so different from the others, but it is the take me to another level emotional response I want to feel when experiencing fine food from a true Chef. I expect a Chef to deliver as fine a meal through classic "honest" cuisine (whatever that restaurant cuisine may be) as he/she can with an "honest" signature dish. To have my "sing the body electric" button to be turned on with each course I have chosen. Because we eat out only occasionally and then to enjoy the full experience, I expect a chef to transfer his/her spirit and inspiration to the rest of the team. To be pampered by the food in my mouth as well as the service attending me. We eat good, very good food at home, so if we are looking for a Cheffed restaurant I want more than just good. I want a total experience. I want to feel that this was prepared for me. I want to come away with a desire to return, to try something new next time, feeling that the Chef is competent to deliver. OK, so I want a lot.

OMG! Newsflash! NY Cheesecake Slays Southern Pean Pie! I don't eat out often enough to have noticed this trend. I guess that's why I'm glad I can make it at home anytime we can't live without it. No shortage of pecans here. Oh, or was your "staple" the Pie sublime itself?

I just had to pop in to say that I agree with Mayhaw Man. No roux to thicken the stew.

I agree with all of you! No -- the Italian Sausage soy product (or any other soy sub for meat) is not something I would serve as the main ingredient or a solo item. The thing to remember is to brown whole first, then brown again sliced as you cook. I think the reason it works as an addition to this soup is that the sausage herb flavorings are there and after it is "twice-cooked" it holds shape and texture well, very unlike alot of soy -- certainly nothing like tofu. The soup is also spicy. If nothing else if you do eat meat the recipe is wonderful with the real thing. I was a vegetarian for several years -- not vegan -- and cooking with beans, cheeses, pastas, rice, eggs is always great. I assumed those would be on an "already got that" list. Mushrooms also are good as a main ingredient, as they absorb flavors so thoroughly and are very versatile. Mushroom stock or broth is good and wine, beer, etc., makes most any sauce a little finer. Along those lines something easy and delicious, and quite portable, would be Spanish tortillas, not necessary to have any meat. And so much Tex-Mex food is cheese and bean based making that a natural option for me when I need to feed vegetarians.

Birthday dinner at home last night. I did all the "inside stuff" and my mr drove the grill. Skewerd x-lg shrimp (marinated in lemon juice, red pepper, lemon thyme and powder blend garlic) with sweet onion slices and rings of red Anaheim peppers, brushed with light olive oil/chili oil before grilling. My usual lemon/horseradish red sauce, but we really didn't use it, shrimps were too good without it. Whole catfish fillets rubbed with lemon and my cajun mix, light olive oil, then grilled. Served catfish with a home mayo-based pickled roasted red pepper/lemon/garlic sauce for dippin'. But didn't dip much of that either. Fillets were beautiful and luscious. Baked French bread, then broiled split loaf with lots of butter and minced garlic. Salad of torn Romaine hearts, sweet onion, purple onion, and lots of avocado with bleu cheese and big parmesan and butter multi-grain croutons. Halloween chocolates for dessert. Maybe one of the last "still summer here" grill meals for a while. We are promised some cooler weather. Will be posting soups, braised meats and vegs, soon I hope.