Tam

Love the links you are providing to your native foods, enjoy all the specific info. Great blog. A few questions though: What is "father's favorite" dark sauce? What is Barroca (a soda/pop/carbonated beverage)? Is your deck/BBQ enclosed? What is the fan for? Am jealous of your weather. We are sitting at -5C/20F with about 10cm/5" of snow in western Canada. Sounds like you are having a lovely week. I would also like to emphasize the time zone difference: I am following all entries. Keep up the great news.

I am in awe.

There is a thick Polish soup called flaschke that I partake of quite often. It is a very rich meaty broth with onion, garlic, a little carrot and wonderful soft strips of tripe (the consistency of noodles). The Polish butcher in my nearest city makes it. It is truly a comfort on a cold winter night or when suffering the after-effects of alcohol. Very soothing to the palate and the tummy. The butcher tells me that is takes a long to make with many changes of water and hours of simmering. He learned from his family in the old country. I am glad he learned because I love his soup.

Eureka! Now that I am educated, cannot wait to apply this technique to my stirfries. I had no idea that this was the step to create professional results. My thanks to stellarWOK for resurrecting this thread or I would have remained lost in my ignorance. Eatingwitheddie is truly a saviour.

My uncle married an Australian lady he met while travelling abroad. They now live in Canada (his and my country of origin). As we are a family with strong Ukrainian roots, her cooking has been quite a novely to us. We all often share recipes of hers since her dishes are tasty and new to us. She makes lovely baked goods (snacking cakes, squares and lamingtons). As well, her range of appetizers is innovative (ie. chutney cheese spread). Due to her influence, I own a few Australian Women's Weekly cook books and quite enjoy the breads, desserts and seafood recipes therein. Obviously my aunt comes from a country and family of good cooks. Don't let us down, Misgabi.

Tried your recipe today with great success. Just the smell alone created a sensation and it is garnering rave reviews. I am looking out a window at a full winterscape, five inches of snow and quite cold. Thank you for for my warm, satisfied belly. Suddenly, outside doesn't seem so bad.

Are you Howard Hughes' daughter? What is this business of being afraid of "double-dipping" and "germ infested saliva"? Do your dining companions all have exotic diseases that can be transmitted by "double-dipping"? Have you never shared a common glass or bottle with friends? Or even strangers? I think that double-dipping while ill is quite rude. Why care to share a disease? Hence the rule amongst our group. We are usually ten plus at our suppers so many cross-contaminants exist. As well, double-dipping assumes familiarityand strange dining companions have not earned that yet. Guess it is a comfort level in particular for me. I cannot recall sharing a common glass, etc with strangers. No cold sores yet so I consider that success.

Many years ago, my close buddy shows up with the new girl (who has a cold) to a group supper at a japanese restaurant. As we all share platters of gyozas, the new girl and I share a sauce plate (one sauce to two diners). The group has a longstanding rule of "no double dipping", however, she is new and obviously raised in a cave. So, she proceeds to double dip with her germ-infested saliva and I quickly cease dipping. At the end of the meal, we divvy up the check and find out that we are short. Another buddy and I make up the difference and later realize that the double dipper did not pay her way nor did her escort pay her way. This event is infamous in our group - she had the nerve to double dip and then leave her debt for us - she just gives and gives and gives (germs and debt)! Buddy is now married to the double dipper and they are never invited for meals.

Have brined duck as per instructions on foodtv site for alton brown: good eats. Was delish, however agree with Dave that it would be unnecessary for confit and potentially interfere with true confit character and taste.