sequim

Church supper casseroles.

I have to admit being in the minority with a couple others here, but I bought the cookbook last year and loved the forward by Judy, then began reading the recipes and was put off by it. I found the ingredients too precious and the recipes too long and involved. However, everyone is raving about it, so I feel I need to tackle it. I want to like it!

Yep, applesauce is easy and we do it all the time. Choose good apples diced, leave peels on if you like a rosy color. Add sugar to taste, cinnamon if you like. Just cook down over low heat until it's the consistency you like. You can probably guess if you need to add any water, but not necessarily. We like our applesauce chunky or you can puree it.

I have to weigh in on the side of those who enjoyed the book as I just finished reading it this weekend. The retro illustrations were the perfect touch and I found myself dogearing every other recipe. I found her stories endearing if alittle too precious now and then, but overall very entertaining, reminding me of my own attempts at "educating" people and family around me into the finer points of eating and buying the "right" types of food. Then I came upon the eGullet posts this morning and I was so surprised at the intense criticism of it and her, so much that it took away my pleasure of the read. I remember a similar experience in graduate school - how the intense critiquing and analyzing just took away my pure pleasure for the literature once it had become dissected. I wonder if people would have enjoyed it more if it were known to be fiction? For me, I found her voice humorous, loving, self-deprecating and quite aware of her food snobism. She's willing to let it hang out which I think is admirable. I think it's great that she's so young and had such an appreciation of good food. She's also willing to learn and grow as a writer as seen in her interview which I also read - sure I think it's over the top to compare her to MFK Fisher. It's a book that I'll keep and I look forward to trying the recipes.

I learned by flipping flour tortillas - no mess at all - and I needed to toast them anyways. The obvious - slope-sided pan and plenty of oil helps. I still cringe when I'm flipping potentially messy stuff.

I swear between your pics and Bleu's blog, I'm going crazy over France this week.

Ah. Speak for yourself, my friend! It is one hell of an act to follow, though - no question. Thank you, Lucy... I think. Yes, definintely. Thank you for leading, and showing, the way. Ah ha! Does this mean that you're next.

Bleu's blog was a lesson in living the simple life well. Bleu, you say you didn't know French when you moved there, yet your words have such a (to me anyways) french lilt and rhythm to them. I'm so impressed that you seem so happy and at home there. I loved reading your daily posts especially since I was at the same time reading "Paris to the Moon" about an American who moved to Paris with his wife and child. They too were integrating into the society, reporting on it as outsiders and ultimately making it their home. I'm sure your complete story of coming to Paris would make for wonderful reading too if you were to expand on your writing!

Actually I work downtown and do it all the time, in clear view of the police station, cop cars, bike cops, whatever, just to test that theory, because that's what the "wait for the light" followers always tell me. It's just not true, it's a myth to keep you guys under big brother control!

Hopefully every roast chicken I encounter will have a roasted chicken heart and I won't have to fight anybody for it. The roasted neck is the second best bit.

HA HA, yes that's the extreme of politeness, to the point of absurdity. This has bugged me ever since coming to live in Seattle. I blatantly cross the street and look at the standing people/sheep in the eye to look at their reaction to me "breaking the law" hee.

Thank you Paul. They have some very yummy looking stuff!

That's good to know because even here in Seattle, I went looking for duck breasts and could only find frozen. Same with rabbit. I was wondering how it would be, and so passed on buying it.

This is true. Allow them the benefit of having something they didn't like and leaving it.

More owners should speak up like this. If no one does, these people won't have any idea that they are ill-mannered or will feel that they can get away with such behavior. Why stoop so low that you are grateful for business such as this? I agree, I hate to see wasted food. All you can eat, means EAT, not leave.

This has been a great topic, thanks for bringing it up and following it through (first and second try, Robyn) and also thanks for the beautiful pics Mark. I haven't done duck before but this has definitely inspired me to go for it.

That's why I gave up on it. I could never get it as thin as I wanted and more specifically as consistent as I wanted. With raviolis and similar types of pasta, I was never too concerned about it being ultra-thin, but the inconsistencies drove me batty. Anyway, one of these days I am going to invest in a stupid pasta rolling machine (sort of holding out for the kitchen-aid stand mixer and attachment; not exactly affordable on school loans right now). I got one for xmas and it's not one of the notable ones mentioned so probably cost around $40, not too expensive, compared to other things you can buy for the kitchen. And it is so worth it! Once you have your pasta machine, you can eat cheaply forever on all the variations. If I never left Italian food cookery, I'd still be happy.

My mother calls me spoiled. I say I just don't want to eat food that's not good quality. For me it happened once I started cooking more and delving into the world of cooking well. Yep, it's sad, you've lost your innocence and tolerance of mediocre food. I really agree that something should be said in a restaurant but I am mostly quiet and passive, grumbling to my dinner companion but that's it. I don't want to do that anymore. In fact, the poor food frequently happens at the more expensive restaurants! I feel so disappointed and then I go out less.

At least you have a pasta rolling machine. I have made it by hand with a rolling pin for the last time. Must invest. Please tell me about your problems with the rolling machine... Mine has been perfectly behaved from the time I took it out of its box. I am in awe of someone who can roll thin.

Cool, it works! Now I wish all the forums had this, it's ever so hard to find stuff...

We enjoyed the collection of tequillas there.

Finally I made a meal that I feel worthy of posting here... Monday dinner - Had fresh strawberries and asparagus, mmm, what to make? Used Moby's recipe for asparagus ravioli but with improvisation. I used a puree of blanched asparagus, fresh lemon juice, egg yolk, mizithra and romano cheeses. Threw in a dab of pesto I had. Made the ravioli from 3 parts typo '00' flour and 1 part semolina (the Red Mill semolina is more cereal than flour so can't use very much). The filling was wet and I feared disaster as I had to patch some up! However, they held up. After simmering for a couple minutes, put in pan with butter, grate romano over with ground pepper and serve. Dessert - Strawberry souffle - omygoodness, did they puff up high. Wish I had a digital camera. Wine - French Sancerre leftover from a few days ago. Sometimes I feel weird spending my whole evening cooking away...

I love lamb, but it's a stinker too. I love the taste and the smell of food cooking but not the aftersmell. So keep the fan on, open the sliding doors, light the aromatherapy candles. It all helps.

yep, I got the same message.

Holy Canoli, where are you getting La Crema Pinot Noir for $12? Around Seattle, it's $18-$19. I love it. Edited because somebody already beat me to this exclamation!