woodford

A heavy chinese cleaver should do the trick. You need something substantial to get through a big squash. And please be careful-pounding away at the squash is an easy way to hurt yourself.

Finished Amanda Hesser's "Cooking for Mr. Latte," and found it to be utterly charming. Just a real joy to read. And thanks to glenn for recommending "Cosmopolitan: a Bartender's Life." I couldn't put it down. A real peek "behind the scenes"-it appealed to the voyeur in me. The writing was so elegant. My husband, the non-foodie, started looking at my copy while in the hospital waiting room (I was having a minor procedure) and told me he couldn't wait to finish it, he was so rapt. Does anyone have any recommendations for books about Southern cooking? Something with anecdotes and humour, maybe a memoir?

My snickerdoodles are legendary.

My Mom once accidentally subtituted powdered sugar for flour in a recipe for potato soup. The results were interesting.

If I remember correctly, Catfish Plantation is an upscale, sitdown sort of place. "Catfish King" was by the highway, a drive-thru joint with a limited menu of greasy-but-good fried catfish and accompaniments. Can't get that kind of food here in Canada.

Some for your list: "Big Night" "Like Water for Chocolate" "Chocolat"

I have no idea if it's still around, but I have fond memories of the "Catfish King" in Waxahachie. The hush puppies, specifically. How about Brahm's? They used to make a good hamburger.

Geez, I feel bad about ratting my Mom out like this, but hearing all of these stories has reminded me of a sad, sad fact. I didn't taste real butter until I was 18. My mother always used margarine. I don't even think I was aware that margarine was fake food-it was all I knew. The first time I tasted real butter was a profound moment.

I know we have some pretty sophisticated palates here, so we must have all come from gourmet families, right? My Mom made a mean roast brisket, a great beef stew, fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy that I still dream about, and biscuits and gravy to die for. But she also served a dish she called "Spam Casserole." Layers of mashed potatoes, velveeta, and sliced spam in a baking dish, baked until the cheese melted. Good God. The worst part was that my sister was a very picky eater, and Spam Casserole was one of the few foods that she absolutely loved, so we ended up eating it way more than I care to admit. What crimes did your mother (or father) commit in the kitchen?

Definitely! If I had to pay for even 10% of the books I read, I would go bankrupt. It's a great resource for those of us who have more curiosity than cash.

kbmannon- That's too bad about the spelt. My husband has an allergy to the wheat, not the gluten, so that's how we can use it with no problem. On occasion, when we are out of spelt, my hubby will make a pizza crust with rice flour, and it is tasty, but its' texture is very dense and crunchy-like a thick cracker. Not like traditional pizza dough at all. Another resource you might look into is low-carb cookbooks and websites. So many people are low-carbing these days, and all types of flour are carbohydrates, so there are bound to be ideas out there on how to get your pizza fix without making a classic pizza "crust". Good luck.

I'm reading James Villas' "Between Bites." Before that it was Calvin Trillin's "Tummy Trilogy." How about you?

Wow! So Pancho's is still around! Some of my favorite childhood memories are of eating at Panchos with my huge (20 cousins) family. Do they still have the little flags on the table that you raise when you want more food? And those sopapillas! You folks down in Texas don't know how good you have it. Y'all can turn up your nose at Panchos and go to any number of better Mexican restaurants, but I'm a Texan living in Canada now, and Panchos is much better than the Mexican I've tried up here. Sorry to veer off the candy topic. Just had to wax nostalgic.

It was a kitchen-themed Christmas for me this year. I am just starting out and still equipping my kitchen, so most of this stuff is basic, but here is my list: a loaf pan, a rasp/zester, a meat thermometer, a potato ricer, a George Foreman grill, a stand mixer, a chinese cleaver, a salad spinner, dishtowels and cloths, a cast iron skillet, a french press, and a cookbook. ("Barefoot Contessa Family Style") My New Year's resolution? To use it all.