ludja

It is excellent to make homemade cajeta (a mexican caramel sauce). Bayless has a recipe in a few of his books and I know there are already some cajeta threads out there.

One could also think of using the compote as a tarter/spicier replacement in dishes where you might use applesauce-- with porkchops, potato pancakes or in a potato-sausage or poutry hash. Hmmm.... cream or goat cheese on a slice of good bread with some compote on top also sounds good.

I was puzzled as to how the couscous was 'incorporated' so I looked up the recipe; Here it is So in garnishing the tartlettes did you cover the whole tartlette with a single layer of Israeli couscous? It is interesting, but not something that I could automatically picture 'working' without trying it--so it's nice that you did! Also, are the tarts served warm and then the couscous mixture cool on top?

It sounds delicious!

What makes your French Rhubarb Tart special, ludja? Any chance you could share the recipe? I adore rhubarb and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. ← Hi yslee, Sorry for not getting back to you more quickly. It's a rhubarb frangipane tart from Linda Dannenberg's Paris Boulangerie. So basically, in a partially prebaked tart crust you add in a ground almong custard and pieces of rhubarb before finishing the baking. I copied it from a library book but can't track down the copy right now! I definately want the recipe so when I get the book out again I'll link to a post on it.

I was just reading Nick Malgieri's Cookies Unlimited from the library and he has a recipe for ANZAK biscuits (cookies) from Australia that I had never heard of... Also, The article mentions no refrigeration for two months so I think these guys are hardy. This recipe I found online is the same as Malgieri's. He also mentions that it is good to store them between layers of wax or parchment paper in a sealed container. It is great you are doing this; maybe it will inspire more of us to follow suit! If you don't mind me asking, is there a general service online or elsewhere to hook up interested people with military 'adoptees'?

One of the coolest threads I read right after I joined egullet was this foodblog by jwagnerdsm. It chronicles a week in the year he and his family dedicated to eating local food in Iowa. Check it out if you haven't read it yet! It's an inspiration.

Both photos of the kheer are also making me drool. The sliced (and blanched) almonds looks so pretty on top. I must now make some as soon as possible. Adding my thanks for a terriffic blog.

A great salad from Alice Waters: Blood orange/sherry vinegar vinaigrette with roasted beets, toasted walnuts and blood orange sections. The flavors contrast very nicely with the rocket, err.. arugula

It sounds like a great variety of spring produce! Do you mind mentioning the farm you use? (I'm interested to see what's available where in the country and the info could also be useful to others in your area...) Thanks, and welcome to egullet!

really simple-- like canned soup + grilled sandwiches (or just toasted)-- egg salad, tuna fish, canned sardines and hard boiled eggs, canned salmon. maybe someone else could make these, along with a salad... Good luck with your recovery.

Lots of good suggestions. I think drying the frys is particularly important though...

Don't know if it is all over Europe, but in Austria it is very traditional for guests to bring fresh cut flowers. Also, there, the birthday person typically hosts dinner for everyone at their house, or they are the host if the group goes out to dinner at a restaurant.

This sounds like a great menu, drawing on the rustic roots of the area and you could build on it if you want to. The grilled beef will be a complement to the pinot noirs or other reds you might have. I might use butter lettuce and a lemon vinaigrette (Meyer lemons if you like or can get). To this you could add avocados and thinly sliced radishes or else add spring peas and fava beans and fresh goat cheese. You could also grill some vegetables, like artichokes as a side dish. For dessert, a nice fruit tart with what is season in your area as tanabutler and eje mentioned. (?strawberries, rhubarb?). I might like an almond tart (nice with dessert wines if you have them or a ricotta tart or panna cottas with a compote of strawberries and blood oranges... Another choice, strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream, straight on or maybe with a black pepper or herb syrup? For another CA spring seasonal main dish: poached spring salmon (it has a lighter taste than later season salmon) serve with an olive butter or salsa verde... Or you could use poached salmon in a first course salad (nice for your white wines?) -- toss with a vinaigrette and cucumbers, peas, fava beans, asparagus or some combo and serve on greens. think seasonal, fresh, accent on wonderful fruits, herbs and vegetables... Anyway, I realize you just asked for a main course but it's hard for me to resist playing with menu ideas this time of year! Sorry if I missed this, but is your party happening in CA? edited for silly spelling...

[bump] Anyone willing to share? It would be fun to hear what people's CSA boxes are yielding in different parts of the U.S. I was amazed after perusing the LocalHarvest link above to find out how many CSA farms are located all over the US. Have some people started using this in the last year or so after hearing about it on egullet? How's it working out? Besides affecting how one plans menu's for the week, has it changed your cooking???

250 grams of mascarpone and 200 ml. of cream, whipped together with some vanilla and sugar. I love mascarpone.. ← Thanks chufi... yes, mascarpone is great--and doesn't need more than cream, vanilla and sugar! I recently made a mascarpone "sorbet" that was delicious. How did the chocolate-almond-cinnamon squares turn out? If the recipe is not too long (and if you liked them), would you mind posting it? I think it's a great flavor combination and more interesting then the typical dessert bars or squares. Nice menu selection on your dinners. They also look great.

sounds wonderful... If had to vote for one--Chicken Tikka Makhni, just b/c I'd love to see your version.

Difficult to even read this thread being now far away from Lobsterland... A famous food story in our famly is from the days when my Mom worked for a few summers in Martha's Vineyard when she was young. The stories were from when her boyfriend (now my Dad) came to visit and they would get Lobster Rolls from a little stand run by an older lady named Mrs. Grieder. They always claimed these were the best lobster rolls. Interestingly, Mrs. Grieger is mentioned in Louise Tate King's and Jean Stewart Wexler's The Martha's Vineyard Cookbook. (good cookbook by the way w.r.t to recipes and lore of the Vineyard, written in the early 70's). I had heard of her careful, personal ministrations to each roll previously from my parents. She was writing before Ben and Jerry's became a phenomena obviously--and I admit to making my rolls with medium sized (but not huge chunks or finely chopped) pieces. Her recipe has a small amount of minced celery in there. (1/2 cup to 2 cups lobster meat) along with mayonnaise and a "sprinkle of lemon juice" and s&p. A little grated onion is optional. The accompanying drink was freshly squeezed lemonade. Did anyone else ever get a chance to eat there back in the day? (The bulk of my lobster roll eating has been at home (back East) after a lobster dinner; always saving enough claws, knuckles between the bunch of us to make some good rolls). Nice adaptation johnnyd. I can manage that out here!

Nuts are great with grains as well, such as in a pilaf or with bulgur. Doesn't look like you have surfeit of almonds right now, but one of my favorite simple pilaf recipes uses broken up vermicelli sauteed in butter until lightly browned. Then add rice a toast a little more. Add chicken stock, rice and salt and cook until done. Garnish with toasted almonds. This would surely be good w/other nuts as well. Lots of good savory recipes using ground nuts from India, the Middle East (Wolfert books are a great resource) and Spain as well.

Mmm.. the tamales look great, good idea to try another batch tonight to *imprint* and improve the technique. Silver tequila (I ususally use Herradura) and Cointreau Margaritas are my favorite. They are certainly adult cocktails that go down very easily. I make mine a little less sweet: 2 oz silver tequila, 1 oz Cointreau, 2 Tbs lime juice.

Gins come in a wide variety of flavor profiles as well with respect to juniper and other botanicals and flavorings and this certainly contributes to the final outcome of the drink. This is especially true for 'simpler' cocktails like martinis but can also make a big difference in something like a gin and tonic. Under the influence (oops, a pun) of more senior mixologists on egullet, I have just started experimenting with different types of gin for different cocktails. There are a quite a few threads addressing this topic on the forum. For some gin cocktails, the careful measuring of ingredients is also important in striking the right balance. Again, using the martini as an example, the amount of vermouth really affects the end taste and the difference in the optimal amount of vermouth or in another drink, of bitters, for eg., can be quite small. The *optimal* amount is guided by the type of gin and also ones own taste. It's certainly fun experimentation and I've started taking notes on all my drinks, noting amounts and brand names for my favorite drinks. For starting one's experiemnts on a particular cocktail there is again, lots of info in this forum.

For others, here's Patrick S.'s thread on banana desserts: click Lot's of great idea plus Patrick tested several recipes.

Thanks JFinLA; I"m really excited about their premium almond paste. I adore desserts with almond paste and would like to try that along with their almonds.

Great parmigiano is also nice shaved over a raw salad--v. thin slices (from a mandoline or mandoline-type device) of raw mushrooms, fennel, radishes, olive oil, lemon, s&P; then topped with shavings of cheese. Or shavings of cheese over lightly dressed asparagus that has been roasted or cooked to crisp-tender.

Thanks for this idea PPX; sounds quite interesting... and I'm one of few apparent weirdos who doesn't really like rice krispy treats! I like the idea of a little salty component in them. Also thinking it would be good to bring along on hikes but I don't know how susceptible rice krispie treats are to travel. If it's not extremely hot will they hold up a bit or do they get really gooey right quick???