Sandra Levine

If you ask nicely, maybe Rachel Perlow will tell you how to make mango sorbet.

Let me add my thanks for this interesting report and for the beautiful photos.

My grandmother did all the cooking. My mother knew how to make two things: Banana cake (Settlement Cookbook) and Rice Krispies treats.

Yesterday. browsing in a remainders bookstore on Carmine Street, I found a cookbook called The Armenian Table. Voila! A recipe for kaymak! Mystery solved. You start with cream, not milk. You bring a quart of cream to a simmer. Every so often, you scoop some of the cream into a ladle and pour it back into the pot from a height of about 12 inches, making sure that the skim is stirred back into the liquid. You keep going for about 45 minutes, until the cream is reduced by half. Then you transfer it to a flattish container. After a night in the fridge, you've got kaymak. It's served by cutting it into a square or triangle to be placed on or alongside pastry. Clearly, this artery-clogging delight is like eating the equivalent amount of butter, but I'm going to have to try it anyway, just to see if it works.

I made a good Philadelphia-style banana ice cream the other day. I whizzed a pint of very rich Butterworks heavy cream and one and one-half bananas, in chunks in the blender until the mixture was smooth, then added sugar to taste, about 1/4 - 1/3 cup and a splash of rum and stired until all was blended. Then, into the Donvier for 20 minutes, turning the paddle two or three times every 3 minutes or so. Very simple and pure.

Banana Ice Cream This is a Philadelphia-style ice cream, that is, not made with a custard base. There are no eggs in the recipe 1 pt best heavy cream 1 bananas 1/4 c sugar 1 T dark rum Whir the cream and chunked banana(s) in the blender until smooth. Add sugar to taste and rum. Mix until thoroughly blended. Turn mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Keywords: Easy, Fruit, Ice Cream Maker, Dessert ( RG1341 )

Banana Ice Cream This is a Philadelphia-style ice cream, that is, not made with a custard base. There are no eggs in the recipe 1 pt best heavy cream 1 bananas 1/4 c sugar 1 T dark rum Whir the cream and chunked banana(s) in the blender until smooth. Add sugar to taste and rum. Mix until thoroughly blended. Turn mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Keywords: Easy, Fruit, Ice Cream Maker, Dessert ( RG1341 )

I've eaten sea cucmber right here in NYC's Chinatown, as well as some other exotica, but traveling, it has to be cod's tongues in Newfoundland. They are not unlike fried oysters, unless they are large, in which case there is some gelatinous stuff in the middle.

The oysters and pearls dish at Per Se almost made me burst into tears tonight.

Coconut milk can substituted for the liquid in rice pudding, or you can simply steam the rice and add coconut milk with some sugar dissolved in it, spoonful by spoonful, until the desired level of creaminess and sweetness has been reached, a la Jean-Georges Vongrichten.

Plastic food towers? Wow! Do you have a picture?

Monica, I'm loving your blog.

I live in an underserved area as far as food shopping is concerned and Fresh Direct has been a godsend. I've been very pleased with the quality, especially of fish and vegetables.

In addition to the chicken feet, my grandmother always included what she called a "soup bone," a knuckly beef bone with some meat still on it. You have to skim carefully at the beginning, but it does give that extra depth of flavor.

Where is it?

Make much more of this stuff than you think you will need.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the grilled cheese sandwiches you can get at Borough Market in London, outside the Neal's Yard store. The best one is made with Montgomery cheddar, scallions or shallots and a dab of mustard on Poilane sourdough bread, pressed. Most delightfully pungent, melting and crispy at the same time. Some people call this the "Lippy."

Citron

I use the non-electric white ceramic Melitta with its own separate filter cone. You boil the water in a kettle, put a filter paper in the cone, ut the ground coffee into the filter and pour the water over. Nothing simpler or better.

There's a place in Lee, MA named "From Ketchup to Caviar." The food is much better than you would think.

Lemon mousse for a big crowd or lemon curd tart for a few

I have Wedgwood Lotus, which went out of production almost immediately after we bought it 28 years ago. We need replacements for several pieces, but it's just too expensive.

I don't know the origin. I learned imost of it verbally from a friend and added the currants after tasting someone else's chicken liver pate that included them.

I used to make a very simple but elegant chicken liver terrine using the following method: Saute some chopped onion in butter until the onion is very lightly golden. Add chicken livers and saute for a minute or two. Cook through until the rawness is gone but do not allow the livers to become grainy. Puree everything in a blender or food processor with a little cognac. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whirl once more in the blender or food processor to incorporate seasonings. Stir in some currants. Turn out into a nice serving dish. If you intend to unmold the pate, line the dish with plastic wrap first. Chill until firm.

This was truly amazing. Where do you get your energy?