Jake

Last night cannellini beans baked with apple smoked bacon, herbs, bay leaf, carmelised onion and tons of garlic topped with herb butter just before service and accompanied by grilled merguez sausage. Side was a cucumber/onion/tomato salad.

Pam, what a great blog! Thanks for all the information. The kosher discussion had me laughing as I remembered my first encounter with a Jew who was supposed to keep kosher. I was about 7 or 8 and shared my ham sandwich with a young friend. I couldn't understand how it was that she'd never had a ham sandwich before. I learned a lot the next day when the child's mother screamed at me in the schoolyard and later telephoned my mother! She wasn't allowed to play with me after that. Nice parents, huh?

Unbelievable!! Be interesting to see at what price point they sell them. I'd love to do a side by side comparison.

Any type of salad and fish (or any other protein) on the grill. Quick, easy and healthy. Hummos and accompaniments as munchymom suggests is a frequent quick meal as well. So is edamame and miso or noodle soup.

Quick dinner last night of grilled chicken marinated with shoyu, wine, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar, juniper, pepper etc. and a salad of pea shoots, grape tomatoes and scallions. Tonight will be hot pot 'cause it's damp and rainy and wet, and I'm lazy!

Thanks for starting this thread, hathor. Look forward to reading/seeing all your experiences.

Touch wood (and anything else available) I have never personally had a fire in the kitchen. However, I have been present for two separate ones that I managed to get blamed for because "you should have known I'd screw up!"!! First fire was at friends for dinner. Neither of them are cooks, neither particularly enjoy it. The wife had gone to some trouble and purchased prepared chicken kiev from a restaurant they frequented to pop in the oven at home. We were sitting in the other room having a cocktail and the the guys were in the basement moving something. I mentioned a burning smell. Friend tells me not to worry, she hasn't cleaned her oven lately. A couple minutes later I suggest that it's really strong, should check (the smoke alarm goes off about now). Walk into the kitchen and smoke is pouring out of the oven. She opens the door (against advice and before turning off said oven) just as her husband runs in the room. Entire oven is on fire.....she pulls the somewhat scorched chix out of the oven and the hubby THROWS AN ENTIRE BAG OF FLOUR ON THE FIRE!!! Yeah, I tried to stop him. Needless to say, we got the fire out without any further damage and they replaced the oven. Had a lovely dinner of salad, veg. and take away! Second time, Easter dinner at close friends. 18 people expected. Close friend (also not a really proficient cook, but a great hostess) proceeds to shove, push and jam a very large turkey into a very small pan. I arrive early with veg, hors d'oeuvres etc. to smoke pouring out windows, sirens in the distance. Great hostess thought she didn't have enough of something. Hubby out with kids. Turkey in oven. Leaves home. Turkey grease leaves pan. 'Nuff said. Pretty f'n hysterical, let me tell you. Also fun watching 40 year old woman get lecture from parents about kitchen safety!!

Dinner yesterday was a special birthday celebration for a friend; Salmon tartare with red oinion creme fraiche Creme of asparagus soup Pan roasted duck breast with a sour cherry sauce/reduction, sauteed spinach with garlic confit and rosti Creme brulee with blood orange garnish

I'm hoping to try baguette or ciabetta, if I can get rid of the SO for the day and have some time!!!

Marlene, I'll bet Canadian Tire still carries them in the stores.

Marlene, I have an old (15 years probably) Black and Decker electric skillet. It is heavy, deep and maintains heat well, and evenly. I doubt it was very expensive, but I'd buy it again in a second. It has some sort of non stick finish as it cleans up fabulously, but doesn't scratch. Here's a pic of what they sell now, still really cheap. Electric skillet

I'd like my book to be appealing to novices and professionals. I think that I will provide technique intensive details such as kneading at the beginning of a chapter and not repeat with every bread recipe. ← That's a great idea, so many books are really only appropriate for one or the other. Please keep us informed of your book progress as well.

Wendy, looks delicious. I'd be interested in the recipe for the cabrales phyllo rolls if you wouldn't mind.....

Kris, so glad you're blogging again. I admit to being a pocky addict (I can always sneak one of those when I can't sneak a cig!) and I have introduced my SO to the joys of pocky as well. Of course, he often insists we buy the "Mens pocky". I'm not sure if it's because he likes it better, or if it's just the name. You 'd think by 40 they'd get over that! Your kids are still beautiful, although I can see how much they've grown since I last saw a photo. Really looking forward to the blog.

Tonight was rotisserie chicken (cavity stuffed with a head of garlic, a lemon, fresh herbs) potato and leek gratin using a mustard cream and peas. Pinot grigio to accompany.....actually the second bottle, the first evaporated while all the cooking was going on!

Well, I tried pain de campagne this weekend and was fairly pleased by the results. The crust was crisp, yet chewy and it tasted great. I would really appreciate any comments, suggestions, criticisms etc. as to how it's supposed to look, especially with regard to the crumb. Many thanks. My apologies for the poor quality photo of the inside, my SO was trying to be helpful with something besides eating the finished product!

I'm sorry about that Tammy. It looks pretty good from over here - I would have been happy to sit at your table! ← I think a big part of the problem is that I just ended up not particularly being in the mood to eat what I cooked. Especially after tasting it all afternoon getting the flavors right! ← I'm that way most of the time. Especially if I'm doing 3 or 4 tricky courses -- by the time I sit down a glass of wine and a piece of bread usually suffices! My good friends understand this now and realize they don't have to be chefs to invite me to dinner -- it's a treat not having to cook it!

Format for your bread recipe is fine, industry standard in NA as far as I can tell, but with a bit more detail for novices. However, I am trained rather than a novice and am familiar enough with dough that I would have no questions -- except to say that I will likely mix and knead in my KA unless there is a particular reason not to with this dough. Will await the second part of the recipe.....thanks in advance.

Anything you make will be appreciated. Mac 'n chees, lasagna, soup anything easy to heat up. Depending on your area, perhaps a gift cert. for a restaurant that delivers, with a copy of the menu?

Dinner tonight was at the SO's request as it was cold and rainy all day. Green salad and freshly made pain de campagne followed by lasagna (trad. meat sauce, fresh ricotta, mozz.). Dessert was Lemon Meringue Pie made from my mom's own recipe -- too bad I'm too far away to get lemons from her tree.

How about a recipe for one of the easier flatbreads, stuffed or not, that someone not too familiar with the cuisine could whip up??

We all know what risotto looks like, I think Liam is an adorable substitute. The happiness of the home he is growing up in comes through very strongly in your posts. Thanks for sharing.

If only! Thing is, if I did gut the fuckers, *I* would be the one to go to jail! How messed up is that! Pat ← Yep, some countries just don't get the "justafiable homicide" defence. Damn shame. As the sig line says -- real friends will help you bury the bodies!

Yep, touch 'em and die!! With regard to engraving or tape. I HATE tape on my knives, engraving is cheap. From the flag you're from Canada, if you're from Toronto go to one of the little stores in a mall or a jewellery store that does engraving on premises -- they will engrave while you watch -- said knives are never out of your sight!

May I chime in and thank you all, chefzadi, Paula, Clifford Wright. For those of us that know next to nothing about North African cooking and culture other than having tasted some wonderful dishes, this is a fabulous topic. A course in it's own right.....and where else but eG! Thank you all, I am following this thread faithfully, and learning so much.