Varmint

Yes, if we can do it, the kitchen will be done well in advance of the pig pickin'. Yeah!

See that little black rectangle at the eating bar? That'll be a post that goes smack-dab through the middle. It'll tie into the steel I-beam supporting the ceiling running above the eating bar. Obviously, I need to get an engineer in here to check it all out.

Well, it's been nearly a year since I truly focused on this thread. I just wanted to give you an update. I'm hoping that we'll be able to increase our budget on the project so I can do a full fledged renovation. It still may be cost-prohibitive, but I'm now comfortable with doing a complete renovation with which I'll be happy. As you know, I currently live in a maze. THis is what the design essentially looks like, based on a drawing by Dave Scantland: When I last posted, I had come up with a compromise set of plans, one that could be done within my meager budget. They looked like this: After a year of reflection, I've decided to open up the kitchen entirely, and I'm looking at this plan: What I've done is do what I and nearly everyone else has suggested from from the beginning: get rid of the ovens and closet that just appear to get in the way. I've solved the oven problem by now acquiring a 48" dual fuel range that has 2 ovens. Another problem arises, however, as I don't currently have the wall space for such a large range. Moreover, we need to replace the closet. Where two problems converge, a glorious solution arises!!! We'll build a new closet in the current hall area next to the bath, creating 2 more feet of wall space. This also eliminates the clear line of sight from the living room to the bath near the kitchen, which is a great thing. The center of my kitchen is filled with this strange openness, something that is totally unfamiliar to me. I'm not sure I can handle this!! What will this cost? Beats the hell out of me. I'll wait until the end of the year, see what my bonus is, and then go from there. I don't need fancy cabinetry. I don't have to replace the fridge or freezer. I'll just be buying a new range and a hood and a couple of new sinks. Flooring? I'm not sure what I'll do. Maybe tinted concrete, as I don't mind working on that. The current tile doesn't bother my legs. So, there it is. Note that we've already closed off the back door near the driveway, so that step is done. We'll be expanding our pantry by a foot or two. Comments?

William, most of the better butchers are found in the Latino markets. I believe the News & Observer ran a story about this recently. I'll see if I can't find a link.

She crab soup Turkey Stuffing Buttermilk mashed potatoes Gravy Cranberries Green beans with olive oil pressed 11 days ago!! -- PUNGENT Maple syrup-glazed carrots Acorn Squash Deviled eggs Pickled okra Caramelized pecans Homemade sourdough bread Bourbon pecan pie Pumpkin pie Dutch apple pie Caramel cake Prilosec

Of course newbies are invited, although come Labor Day, I suspect you'll be a veteran of eGullet.

Since you said you were going to be in Durham on Sunday, another idea is the Sunday brunch at the new cafe at Gugelhupf. I have been to the bakery several times and, while I haven't tried the cafe yet, I have a hunch it will be extraordinary. ← Strong call, Brent. Gugelhupf is an incredible bakery -- it's even worth a trip from Raleigh, it's so good.

The skillet/broiler method is clearly the best. It produces a charred crust and gets the top nice and hot -- all in about 7 minutes. You don't need a cast iron skillet, either, but it looks good.

The Q Shack is fine, but not worth a detour. I suggest going to brunch at Crook's Corner or any meal at Mama Dip's, both in Chapel Hill.

There will be no competitions at this pig pickin', because every dish prepared here will represent the gold standard. We would not settle for anything but perfection.

Cereal. Love it -- always have and always will. Hell, I used to put sugar on my Cocoa Puffs. These days, I just stick with Frosted Mini-Wheats (spoon size). There's nothing like a raw roof of your mouth and your teeth feeling like they're wearing sweaters after eating a couple of bowls of Cap'n Crunch. I actually ate an entire box of Apple Jacks at one sitting when I was in my mid-teens!

My parents and in-laws all demand that I cook Thanksgiving dinner, just as long as I don't make anything "too weird." Thus, we're very traditional, but everything is made with the best ingredients and lots of love!

Interestingly, the dairy industry worked hard to get the federal government to enact anticompetitive legislation to protect the butter industry. Specifically, taxes were imposed on oleomargarine under the guise that it was less healthy than butter and when mixed with the yellow dye that made it look like butter, represented a misleading product. Of course, the constitutionality of the federal government taking such protectionary measures was highly questionable, and with the shortage of butter during WWII, the margarine tax was repealed. Thus, it became a cheaper alternative.

The best way to learn, unfortunately, is to witness a pig pickin' first hand. However, I think Bob Garner's first book discusses how to do it. Your chance to witness a pig pickin' first hand will come over Labor Day weekend!

Folks, this thread is about whether or not Southern food traditions are dying. Let's keep to it.

It's up to each and every one of us to ensure that the culinary traditions of the South are not lost. We can gripe, moan, and complain all day, but we need to teach our children how to make the biscuits, the greens, the chicken. These traditional foods will not become a relic where the only place to find some facsimile will be at the local Cracker Barrel -- as long as we don't let it happen. Chef, you'll find a lot of kindred spirit here on eGullet and in the SFA. I encourage you to keep speaking up about this issue. And then show others how to carry on these great traditions.

Cafe des Artistes is still on the short list of restaurants where my corporate law partners eat as guests of our NY clients. What was once considered cutting edge is now viewed as "New York old school", and I use that term favorably. The food is reliable and not adventurous (which is necessary for these types of functions), yet the feel of the room is still vibrant.

I have to put on a dinner party for 16 for my wife's co-workers. Most of them could be considered "country folks" who don't care for fine dining, but I always try to do something a bit different for them. This year, I'll serve them two types of beef: grilled, aged sirloin and then beef cheeks. I won't tell them about the beef cheeks until they're done. I do need to come up with another name for this cut, however. Any ideas? Another problem with this crowd is dealing with a laundry list of dietary concerns: lactose intolerance, allergic to shellfish, chocolate and nuts, don't care for seafood, won't eat red meat, and so on. I'm still serving the beef, because it's Mrs. Varmint who doesn't eat the red meat. I'll cook some tuna for her.

Blenheim's Ginger Ale. Red top, yellow top, or even the diet white top. You can just have your friends load up their cars when they drive by South of the Border on trips to the South.

The chicken and pastry version of flat, unleavened "dumplings" is much more of a Southern dish. I generally make the dough-balls, but I usually add some scallions and herbs to them. Bill Neal has a great recipe for C&D in his first book.

Wow. I had the fortune of talking to both Jack and Austin at the SFA Symposium last month and didn't see this coming at all. I'm glad that Austin has found another great institution to join, albeit at a mellower pace.

All I know is that my high school chemistry teacher had us make some rum as a -- ahem -- "project." It was nice to have all that fine scientific equipment for the project. And the school board never learned about this experiment. Methinks my teacher might have lost his job if he tried to do that today. Good luck, Matt!

Victor, I live in Raleigh, and there's lots of good choices in the region. Tell us a bit more regarding what you're looking for. Cheap eats or high end? As far as barbecue is concerned, Raleigh isn't the best spot for it. However, Allen & Son just north of Chapel Hill is a top-notch example of NC barbecue, so it's worth the 25 minute drive. We'll take care of you, just help out a bit!

With another glass of wine. The burns weren't bad -- so scars. Damn, I thought I was going to get that "GI Joe Look" after all, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. The livers were fine, but I'm not a huge fan of chicken livers. Something to have once in awhile, but not something I'm willing to risk my skin over!

I've fried a lot of food in my life. Chicken, fries, hush puppies, Moon Pies , but when I fried some chicken livers on Saturday, I had more pops, splatters, and explosions than I've had with any other food. The livers were put in seasoned flour, milk/egg wash, then bread crumbs. The oil was at 350. The reaction was volcanic. I have the ruined clothes and the burns on my face (just missed my eyes) to prove it. Are some foods just nastier to fry, or was this just a strange occurence?