Angela Alaimo

Well, I don't want to turn into a snob, but boy, they sure make it tempting sometimes. However, I grabbed the last of what was my favorite dish, the Turnip Risotto, and brought it home. Today I looked in the container and there isn't as much left as I reckoned there would be. So they either liked it, or it got thrown out. Perhaps the best strategy would be to take the familiar food and prepare it in unfamiliar ways? That would make it interesting and fun for me, and they wouldn't think they are part of a science experiment. I like Busboy's suggestion to use humor--and I did get the Les Halles cookbook and have asked for the autographed copy of Bouchon for Christmas, so it already looks as if I'm trying to be French. (need an emoticon with a beret!). They do sort of consider me the cook in the family, so here's hoping they will tolerate my forays off the traditional track. Though I thought my son was going to resort to fisticuffs when they poo-pooed brining a turkey without having ever tried it! Hmph. Talk about being snobby! Too bad for those guys--they had fresh turkeys marked down at the market today, as they have to move them or lose them--we're going to BRINE it and they are going to miss out. Oh, ok, maybe we'll invite them over so they can give it a try. Now that would really be showing them some love. Angela

Yesterday we went over to our brother and sister-in-law's for Thanksgiving dinner. BIL was making the turkey--I made the sides. If you count the roasted garlic treat I threw in for him, I made eight. I reckon you could call my offerings non-traditional, although I used common and seasonal ingredients, like turnips, collard greens, eggplant, cannellini beans (not all in one dish!). MIL brought a bunch of stuff she'd bought at the store. Of course, everyone fell on her grub and BIL's Ruffles with onion soup mix + sour cream dip as if it were their last meal, and I had to plead with them to just try some of mine. They are all coming over to my house for Christmas dinner. The other day I was thinking of offering a cheese course, as the local market has begun stocking a delicious Spanish Manchego, and it's good enough to inspire. Of course, they would probably not "get it", especially if the cheeses aren't cut into chunks and served in a plastic box from the Shop Rite. And what on earth would we be doing eating CHEESE after the main part of the meal? Aren't we just supposed to shove it into our maws while we wait for the turkey's skin to get soggy, as BIL has wrapped it so tightly in foil while it's resting, that it is now in a Turk(ey)ish Sauna! So now I have a dilemma. Do I cook the way I want to cook, and keep hoping they will eventually come around, or cook what they want and are used to, because I want to be polite and welcoming to my guests? Granted, none of the In Laws have ever cooked anything as bad as what some of you have been subjected to, but there have been a few things that were heading into that ballpark. And there are a lot of things better in life than a shrink-wrapped russet potato with a little exhaust vent that you "bake" in the microwave "In Only 8 Minutes!" Angela

Hi Robyn. It's sort of fun to fill the kitchen with food, even the ceiling, isn't it? I am only making sides for Thanksgiving, as I'll be dining elsewhere. but I had the immersion blender out to chop nuts and herbs, and I thought of you. I counted, and I'm making 7 sides and some roasted garlic, and so far I've finished 2 and they are so delish I hope no one else likes them so I can act sorry and shlub them home and eat them myself. One is collard greens with pancetta instead of a ham hock. I am not saying I'm terrific, but these made me groan and feel I'd had one of the best dishes ever. Huzzah to collard greens. One dish I'll be finishing tomorrow is called Turnip Risotto. Step One is to dice turnips into rice-sized pieces. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. Finished detail to follow, if you like. When I made a parsnip puree I used the blender, then pushed it thru a fine sieve. A little time-consuming, but the stuff was like velvet. Push it thru a sieve, tamis, whatever you've got, to get the texture. The velvety texture is like an ingredient. Happy Thanksgiving! Angela

Last time I was in Key West was 10+ years ago. We ate and drank a lot, and the drinks, I think, outweighed the eats (Oy!). Yep, they did. But I remember one day, I was hot (it was August!) and thirsty, and tired, and so we stumbled into the current Sloppy Joe's, and after refreshing ourselves with some good beer, on a whim I said, "Oh what the hell. I'll have a sloppy joe." It was the best sloppy joe I ever had, and I am not too sloppy in sloppy joe creating, when the whim arises. Actually, the best thing of all to do is be adventurous, be willing to walk and walk, and find some of the neat stuff there for yourself. From what the others have said, it's changed in 10 years. But shoot, the locals fancy themselves adventurous and free-wheeling, so why not be a little like them? Hope you have a great time there! Angela

I love my immersion blender! It also came with a little container with a blade that you chop nuts, etc., and make breadcrumbs. It also has a rather odd attachment that you screw onto the bottom of the blender itself and ta da! You can whip cream in a minute. Just make sure you wash it off well first if you used it for say, pureeing soup, before you want whipped cream. Robyn, maybe you could make parsnip foam to go with the parsnip puree. Angela