jo-mel

If you can fit 2 or 3 of the small sternos in, it might work. You want to heat the spot under the broth, not just lose the heat up the chimney. IF --- you do use charcoal, you can light them under the broiler in your stove. Then CAREFULLY transfer them to the hot pot. I've lit them in the fireplace, also, but either place is fine. HOWEVER -- the charcoal is HOT, and the base of the hot pot gets VERY hot!! You can burn a good table if you don't prepare carefully. One time I used a very thick wooden cutting board, and the heat not only charred the board, but penetrated through. Another time I used one of those asbestos stove thingies that displace heat. It still charred the board underneath!! If you have time, ask at a hardware store what would be best. The other thing to be concerned about is using charcoal in a small enclosed area. You don't want to burn the Oxygen out of the room. Not good for you!!!!! The room I've used the hot pot in, is big and drafty, so I wasn't concerned, but in a small place, a door should be left open. At any rate, you are going to have to give us a full report!!!

Do you mean the brass hot pot with an aluminum basin, the hollow chimney, and a grate for charcoal? The heat distribution would be intense as the chimney should be filled with live coals -------plenty of heat!! It gets so hot that the noodles catch on to it ---and brown!! I don't use my metal ones very much, any more, but I do use an electric one, made in Taiwan. The moat surrounds a low 'chimney' that heats up enough to keep the broth at a good boil. I preheat the broth on the stove, first When too much is added the the pot, the boil goes down, of course, so I always make sure the food is at room temp, and I don't put too much in the pot, at once. I had a language teacher that used to have hot pot in his tiny apartment. There would be 4 of us at a little card table, and he used an electric hot plate and a stainless bowl. That broth bubbled away!!!

If there are peanuts inside, I don't care what color they are. If they are just plain M&Ms, then their gimmick is lost on me.

I was under the impression that the muscle flesh was not involved --- that destroying the animals was to stop the infection from spreading to other animals --- not us. Was I wrong? Last night I ate hamburg because DH wanted his favorite meal for dinner. (Hamburgers, mashed potatoes and canned peas. Do you see what I'm up against? Being married to a Dinty Moore/Chef-boy-Ardee gourmet, is not very challenging!) Actually, beef is at the bottom of my meat likes, but I don't plan on avoiding it.

My most memorable broth from a hotpot was one with oysters. It was not an all-fish hotpot. but rather a mix of everything, including raw oysters. I thought the lamb might dominate the other flavors, but it didn't. The oysters didn't dominate, either, but it was there --- and that broth was wonderful! I've never used blue crab. Were they whole?

A neighborhood couple is coming over for 'dessert' (heart healthy), then when they leave, DH will head for the sofa to snooze till 5 of 12. I will be at the 'puter and at 5 of 12, I will pour 2 glasses of cheap bubbly, wake DH up, watch the ball go down, down, down, kiss DH, swallow the cheap stuff and go to bed. Anyone want to join us? heehee? Actually, I will also follow my routine of stepping outside and looking at the 2003 sky and wonder what 2004 will bring. The night of 2000, I saw a shooting star, and thought it was a harbinger of good things to come. How innocently wishful I was! (I miss Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians)

Dunlop's "Land of Plenty" (Sichuanese cooking) Duffy's "New York Cooks" - 100 best from New York Magazine. ( a Christmas gift)

I read somewhere that Prosciutto was a good substitute, but I don't remember the source.

For a ham that doesn't need to be cooked, the Von Welanetz's "Guide to Ethnic Ingredients" recommends Westphalian ham - the redder the better. They also say the best substitutes are Smithfield and Virginia hams , which need to be cooked.

Add 4 more from me. ----Christmas presents. I really had to laugh when I opened one present from a dear DDIL. It was the latest edition of The Joy of Cooking!!!!!! I have over 350 cookbooks and one time mentioned to this DDIL that I never had a copy of this basic of basics. So VOILA! She bought me one! She has her Mother's copy of the 1951 edition, and it was fun comparing the two versions and seeing where and how far the book has come in those years. The new one probably wouldn't even be recognized by the first edition ---which was in 1931, I believe. Anyway, I have added almost a yard in your trek to the moon.

actually, I believe that it means that it has some form of meat in it, but has vegetables as well ... more aptly defined as: "of or designating various Chinese-American dishes prepared with mixed vegetables such as water chestnuts, mushrooms, and bean sprouts." ETYMOLOGY: Chinese (Cantonese) shap kam, mixture, subgum. rather enjoy the term "subgum" .. always think sublingual ... Just to further expand on 'subgum' ----I also think it means a variety of ingredients - usually ten. Literally it means ten brocade/tapestry or 'ten varieties'.

I thought I was aware of some of the various levels of adherence. (I'm not Jewish)I had lived with a Jewish family when I was in High School, (not very strict) and a few years ago I did a Chinese Demo for a Temple, and was required to have all my foods checked by the Rabbi, buy all Kosher meats, and buy a new wok. (very strict) But one time I was at Moishe Peking, in NYC, with a Jewish friend and she was explaining the various restrictions, including differences between countries. She grew up in a Kosher home, & was a strict observer. I asked her is she ever wanted to eat ice cream as a dessert, after dinner, say as Pie A la Mode . She said "Sure! But all we had to do was go outside the house and eat it on the front porch." !!!!?????

It didn't sound like the same recipe as described in a search. The HongKong Gas Company's 1978 edition Chinese cookbook doesn't have any reference to any Macanese or Portugese chicken recipes. I guess it just stuck to pure Chinese. The history of the 'piri-piri' chicken is fascinating. Origins of dishes are fun to read. Whenever I've been in China, (or HK / Macao) I've kept a food log. I just looked to see what I had when I was in Macao in '95, and at the Solsada Restaurant, I have an African Chicken listed. I described it as "stewed in a red/brown sauce with cinnamon. Tasty but chewy." It was served with boiled potatoes. I guess I had a stewed Portugese version?

I am not familiar with the dish, but I found this recipe in a 'google' search. Would this be it? http://www.tamaraskitchen.com.au/recipes/rec_single.asp?309

I was curious about the Chinese Solar Calendar and 'googled' it. I found more than I probably need to know in the last 2 paragraphs at this site: http://www.indoflorist.com/holidays-chinese.html It seems as tho it has to do with spacings of 15 degrees longitude, and the date and time when it is at 120 degrees East. Both the Dong Zhi and Qing Ming seem to qualify. (If I read it correctly) Reading about the sweet tang yuan, I was going to mention that most of the Chinese people I knew didn't like them. But I thought it was just something that was peculiar to those people ------BUT ---- after reading the comments here, I had to laugh! Do most Chinese not like them?? I happen to like them, but I don't like the syrup they come in.

Is it because the Lunar calendar follows the moon, while the solstice follows the sun? The sun always passes that point on the 22nd or 23rd of December. (Or didn't I understand the question?)

Bookmarked for later reading--------as I am on my way to NYC to have Dim Sum with Jewish friends!! (I'm not Jewish) One of the couples had their wedding in a Chinese restaurant with a wonderful Chinese banquet. AAMOF -- my last 3 times in Chinese restaurants was with with Jewish people! I look forward to reading the article --- and e-mailing it to my Jewish friends.

From what I've read, maltose is not as sweet as sugar, and because it is naturally dark it adds color.

Presumably because there's only one steak or one chicken dish on the menu. If there's more than one, we'd need to identify the dish in more detail. Even with meat choices --- people will say "I'll have THE Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms" or "THE Chicken with Orange Glaze" or "I'll also have THE Grilled Lamb with Onion Marmalade" --- meaning there is more than one of the dish. I don't know if we've heard this way of ordering and it caught on, if it is an affectation or what. If I don't catch myself, I fall into the habit, but I try not to.

All the points, from both sides, are interesting. I have to admit that when a waiter comes up, all chummy, and says "Hi! I'm Kevin and I will be your waiter this evening", I have the urge to introduce myself, and all those at the table, by responding: "Hi! I'm Jo-Ann, this is my husband, Jim ---- " and so on around the table! Why do we say "Ill have THE Steak, orTHE chicken, or whatever?

Foie gras wrapped in cotton candy? HUH? How was it?

I put a half pound on just reading this thread! LOL!

Chicken broth with garlic and cayenne pepper. Followed by more broth/garlic/cayenne. I was on Prednisone for 13 months, a few years ago. Miracle drug -- horrible stuff. It had a mind of its own and wouldn't let me go off it.

At the D juncture of sector AB - now known as QP, an LO can be drawn to the BC position giving you QP+LO ------or is it LO-QP? Or is it --------- ARGHHH! ----fageddaboudit!! It's easier to bone and stuff a duck! Please Project ---- DON'T ask how to bone and stuff a duck!!!!! LOL!

I'll go with "One picture is worth a thousand words" myself, ----- or a Chinese Grandmother. The proof, tho, no matter how perfect the pleated dumpling, is in the eatin'. No words, please. We want samples!!