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khm99

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  1. The Oscar broadcast is March 5 at 7:00 p.m. CST. Is anyone having a get together? What sort of yummy treats will you be serving? I haven't decided on a menu yet and am searching for inspiration!
  2. khm99

    Thompson's Turkey

    I made this a couple of years ago after being inspired by "The Man Who Ate Everything". In my opinion, it was not worth the hassle of acquiring the long list of spices and ingredients. The stuffing turns out more like a salad/chutney item, than what I would consider "real stuffing", which ought to be buttery and starchy and chock-full of turkey goodness. The meat was tasty, fairly moist and is indeed perfumed by all the items in the stuffing. The skin, in my experience, was a failure. I very, very carefully excavated my turkey from the black crust and while it was beautiful and tasty, but I really missed the crunchy caramelized texture that you get from long direct exposure to the oven's heat. I am sticking with my traditionally brined and roasted turkey from now on. This was interesting as an experiment, but not very soul-nourishing which a Thanksgiving turkey really should be.
  3. My favorite toppings for hot dogs were co-opted from my father. He used to eat Best's Kosher Dinner Franks topped with sliced raw onion, ketchup and kim chee. That's right, kim chee. It's really delicious, kind of like spicy sauerkraut. Just don't breathe on anyone immediately after consumption.
  4. I just moved into a new house a month ago and for the first time ever I have all my cookbooks in one room and am now able to count them effectively. 478 including 33 on the way from bookcloseouts.com. When I counted them last week I immediately decided that I really needed more...it's a sickness, I know.
  5. I know it's a traditional combination, but I was a little leery of sliced strawberries topped with balsamic vinegar and powdered sugar until I tried it. That's one of my favorites now. Continuing in the pepper vein from the earlier posts...and one of the easiest recipes ever: white bread toast slathered with good butter and topped with freshly cracked black pepper. Do not substitute anything. Must be white bread, must be good butter, must be freshly cracked pepper. Yummy.
  6. My husband and I referred to our then in-utero child as the "niblet".
  7. I am of Japanese descent via Hawaii, My aunt who had beautiful black hair nearly untouched by grey in her 60s attributed her raven locks to the daily consumption of nori (dried seaweed - the kind you find wrapped around sushi).
  8. My husband is a big fan of their Blood Sausage with Barley on the Burr Ridge buffet. Do they have that on Archer? They seem to have it consistently at Burr Ridge. I too love Bobak's when I find myself needing an infusion of pork products, which seems to be about three or four times a year for me. I think their only weakness is their desserts, they always look good, but end up being either unpalatably dry or a combination that is strangely offputting (red jello layered with chocolate mousse and banana cake for instance). But who really needs dessert after all those entrees? Anyway, the Burr Ridge store has a really wonderful Danish bakery two doors down (Kirsten's Danish Bakery). Best pecan danish I've ever tasted. Mmm.
  9. I TiVo'd "The Tonight Show" on both Monday and Tuesday and no sign of Chef Cantu. Did I just miss a brief glimpse of him during my TiVo fast-forward? Jay Leno annoys me no end, so perhaps in my eagerness to avoid Jay's nasal intonations did I miss the whole point of my efforts? Did anyone see the segment? Thanks!
  10. Maybe my family were the only ones insane enough to think this up, but I fondly remember raised yeast donuts split down the middle, toasted, and then buttered. Mmm, talk about gilding the artery-clogging lily... I bet that would be good with Krispy Kremes
  11. Ate at Moto on Wednesday with a party of four. What a wonderful experience! The food was amazing, the service was impeccable and very enthusiastic and friendly. I did not take pictures, but am sorry I didn't because some of the courses pictured in the thread look quite different from what I had, although the descriptions are identical. Given the gentle cooking most of the dishes had, I was amazed at how intense the flavors of the food were. In addition to the inventive flavor combinations and the innovative plating, I think this is the most surprising meal that I ever had. I couldn't wait to see what was coming out of the kitchen next, and although I was completely full at the end of eleven courses I was sad when it was over. This is the most fun I've had eating a meal. I can't wait to go back!
  12. I was just talking to my brother about Carlos' two nights ago whilst dining at Moto. He claimed that prior to Moto, Carlos' was the finest meal that he had the pleasure to eat recently. I think I need to give this place another try someday after I forget about my experience at Carlos' in February. My husband and I decided to dine here this past Valentine's Day, figuring that a temple of fine dining would not stoop to such tawdry tricks as a heart-shaped dessert, etc. All of which are things I deplore. I thought wrong. I was a little surprised that not only did they require a reservation and a confirmation within 48 hours of our reservation (not that big a deal), they also required a major credit card and promised dire things would happen if we didn't show. Well, I was immediately reminded of that scene out of "L.A. Story" where Steve Martin was told that he "cannot afford zee duck". O.k., whatever, maybe they have been constantly burned by no-shows, although I was somehow hurt that they felt I would do the same. So, the long-anticipated day arrived, we get to Carlos', and am immediately taken aback by the profusion of mylar balloons tied to each chair. Heart-shaped mylar balloons mixed with regular pink, red and white latex balloons. Two or three per chair to be exact. Also, since this was the first (and only) time I visited Carlos', I was shocked at how close together the tables seemed. Perhaps they crammed in a couple of extra tables for big V-Day since I was pretty sure later that my table was a white-tablecloth covered folding table, but I can't be 100% positive. Anyway, the meal was good. The sauces were delicious and probably the best part of the whole meal (which I unceremoniously sopped up the remains with bread). There was one dish, however, salmon served two ways, that I was rather unpleasantly surprised by. Cold salmon was served atop of a chilled upside-down glass salad bowl with straight sides (presumably the second part of the dish was underneath). Now, I am not a particularly tall person, and having something, oh, 4 1/2 inches higher than the plate that needed cutting was rather awkward. Not to mention the fact that my silverware was making disconcerting "chink-chink" noises against the underside (being used as the top) of the salad bowl as I cut the salmon. The bowl was also sliding around on the underlying plate as I cut, giving me the brief fantasy that perhaps I was the victim of some sort of Fancy Restaurant Punk'd episode. I was never so happy when the servers took away the hated upside-down salad bowls with a bit of a ta-da! to reveal my next course. And then there was the dessert. Remember how I mentioned how I hate all things cheesy and falsely sentimental on Valentine's Day? Well, the (included) dessert was indeed heart-shaped. A heart-shaped chocolate cake with a molten center. Not only was it the done-to-death gee-look-Martha the center is liquid flourless chocolate cake, but it was garnished with a raspberry sauce (for that festive Valentine's Day look) and heart-shaped whipped cream piping and bam! lots of powdered sugar on the plate. I mean, come on, really! To add insult to my injured sensibilities, each lady in the room was presented with a box of chocolates and a red carnation at the end of the meal. Gee how thoughtful, you shouldn't have, you really, really shouldn't have. Maybe I am being a bit harsh, but if there's one thing I hate, it's paying over $300 for an evening of condescension and awkward moments. My husband and I were able to have a good laugh over it a few days later however, after the sting had worn off a bit, so perhaps it was not all a waste. God save us all from Hallmark card inspired ideas of romance being shoved down our throats on holidays.
  13. You know what drives me nuts? Ultrapasteurized heavy cream. Doesn't taste nearly as good as regular stuff, can't make creme fraiche or clotted cream from it, and it's EVERYWHERE. Arrgh!
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