purplewiz

That soup is just beautiful. Thanks for reminding me to use the lemongrass I have in the fridge! Marcia.

That's a heck of a cliffhanger. Which restaurant are you going to? ← Whoops, sorry, no cliffs intended! I wanted to go to Restaurant Kevin Taylor after seeing their Restaurant Week menu last year, but they had something like only Tuesday at 9pm open when I finally got around to making reservations. So I promised myself as soon as I knew when it was this year, I'd get a reservation. I've wanted to eat there for awhile, and it just didn't happen with the chaos of this past year. I'd be going to Rioja, but my birthday is less than a week after Restaurant Week ends, and I'm going there for my birthday already . I'd rather try somewhere new (and after the menus are posted, we're going to do our best to stretch the budget and try somewhere else too based on what sounds good. Marcia.

It looks like the Restaurant Week page is updated with this year's list of restaurants, but the links to the menus are not yet working. I went ahead and made a reservation at the one restaurant I wanted to try most last year but couldn't get into - I don't care what they're serving, I'm sure it'll be good, I want to go, and they were already booked at my requested time on the day I wanted to go (but I got a reservation an hour later, so I'm pleased). The link is the same as last year: http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant/Restaurants.asp Prices are also the same according to the web site: $52.80 for two or $26.40 for one (not including tax and tip). (I hope it's ok to just bump and use last year's topic!) Marcia.

No, I don't think they would be. They have a texture more similar to bean threads when they're boiled - great for Asian soups and there's an "ants on a log" dish that's a sauce made from ground pork and other goodies served over bean threads that I have a recipe for around here somewhere. But I think the shiritakes are too chewy or glutinous to be a good substitute for Italian pasta. Oh, that looks WONDERFUL! Sorry the smoked ones were too much, but they're lovely in the picture! Marcia.

Vaguely Asian Noodle Soup: No recipe, just thrown together from all the yummy ingredients I was inspired by at our local HMart. Very good, very filling. Marcia.

I can either send you the "official" recipe, or send you what I did to make that soup . The two are related, but the official recipe has like real measurements and techniques and stuff. It used to be in RecipeGullet before the board changed... I guess I've been on an Asian soup kick, because this was last night's dinner, made from all the amazing ingredients I found at our local HMart (which I found from the Denver Gourmet market thread over in the Southwest Forum): Shiratiki(? almost no carb yam noodles), choi sum, fish cake, shrimp, pork shu mai, and a broth with only one Thai chili which made it almost too hot to eat, but oh, it was tasty. Marcia.

Thanks for the pointer to HMart, BekkiM - since my plans for today were cancelled, I took the opportunity to head out there and check it out, since I ran out of dried fungus last week. I wanted to weep with joy. Thai birdseye chiles. Chinese Eggplant. Choi Sum. Chinese Broccoli (what is the official name of that? This is how they labeled it.). Keffir lime leaves. Fish cake. Shiro-whatever noodles (the yam noodles). This instant Miso soup I always call "cup o' miso" that I haven't been able to find for about 3 years. Not to mention all the samples they were giving out . I had to restrain myself because it was so crowded there was a wait for wheeled shopping carts, so I had to make do with a basket. I have one heck of a soup planned for dinner tomorrow. Oh, yeah. I'll be back. Marcia.

The grocery stores I do most of my bulk shopping at have in-store Starbucks. So...*sigh* Starbucks coffee or iced tea in the summer to sip as I wander around the store. My excuse: it cushions the blow when I see how high prices are this week. Marcia.

It's more reduced carb than dead low carb, but it's really good - I'll PM you the "recipe"! Marcia.

It's been cold and snowy here, so I've been in the mood for soup for dinner a lot: Broccoli cheese soup Hot and Sour Soup But my, doesn't that caviar service look lovely! Marcia.

In 2007, I will eat at one new restaurant a month. It's a good resolution that works for me, so why change it? Yup, sure did. Found some good ones and some really terrible ones that at least make for good stories later (a partially fried rubber duck leg is NOT duck confit). I will make one new recipe a month. At least. I'm giving myself this one because I did make more than 12 new recipes last year. Unfortunately, due to life blowing up, there were some months in which I didn't make any, but I believe the spirit of the resolution has been kept. I will find a new local supplier of my favorite sugar free chocolate sauce. Sure, I could mail order it, and I will if I have to, but I'd rather know somewhere close by. Sadly, no. But we have moved and have a much richer pool of suppliers to explore. The search continues. I will learn more food Italian and food Spanish. (Recognize the ingredients and be able to read a menu) I think I have. I didn't do any formal studying, but there are a lot of dishes I don't need to read the English translations for anymore. This is the year I will try deep fried twinkies. Or deep fried Oreos. Or deep fried pizza. Or deep fried Snickers. Or....you get the idea. I've been meaning to do this for years. No, I'm not going to make a steady diet of it, I want to TRY. Yes, yes, no (pizza), and yes. The Twinkies and Oreos were disappointing but edible, the deep fried Snickers was disgusting. And we also tried deep fried Pepsi which is the worst thing I ate last year - two bites each and we tossed the rest. I will taste foie gras again. I did. I will use all of my kitchen equipment. Kind of. I have come to the conclusion that there are certain specialty items I keep around because when I need them I NEED them, and they're too costly to keep replacing. But see next resolution... I will give away all the cooking gadgetry I don't use during the year (which doesn't have any sentimental value, which is most of it). Goodness, yes. As part of the move the kitchen cabinets were emptied and Goodwill was the recipient of boxes full of unused or lightly used gadgetry, often complete with instruction manuals. We got rid of a LOT, and a lot of it was from the kitchen. Which is good, because now I can buy new stuff I will update my restaurant review/food blog on time. Nope. I've pretty much abandoned it for lots of reasons. We will continue to eat according to our plan. And so we have. My kids will continue not to exist. That's pretty much a done deal at this point. I will teach anyone who really wants to learn almost anything I know how to do. I gave out a lot of cooking advice to my friends online (when they asked me!), everything from browned butter to cooking temperatures to flavor combination suggestions. I also freely admitted to things I didn't know. I will read my foodie magazines within the month of their date. No more backlogs. You bet. And I immediately threw them out if there weren't any recipes I wanted to make, or dogeared the pages when there were recipes so I don't have to read them again when I go looking for interesting things to make. I have a LOT fewer cooking magazines around now. Marcia.

You were maybe busy doing everything else ? Thanks for the photos and the blog - now I know what to look for when I'm headed there! Your last dinner looked so incredibly good - thank you for sharing it with us! Marcia.

Putting my stuff in the cabinets and rearranging it so it makes sense is how I start. I make the best guess I can when I start, and then tweak it as I actually start cooking. It's also putting my stuff out on the counters - the coffee maker, the coffee grinder, the toaster - that makes it look like we live there. I then tend to cook my favorites - stuff that I know inside out and backwards like zucchini fritters and grilled steak and impossible pie and fried eggs - to test out the equipment. Things where I don't have to worry if it's the recipe or the stovetop - I know it's the stovetop. (And our new cooktop is a piece of crap that we're going to replace ASAP, but that's another story.) Marcia.

Thanks very much for the pointers - I'm not sure when we're headed down there again, but it sounds like a great place to have a warm cup to brace ourselves for the family ahead! Marcia.

It had been so long since I'd seen A Cook's Tour I'd forgotten how good it was. And jsmeeker, I agree with you, we were remarking how much younger Tony looked then. Years pass for all of us, I suppose.

Which Allegro coffee do you get? The Whole Foodses (what is the plural of Foods which is already plural?!?) here also serve it, and I've been soundly disappointed by it. In fact...I tend to get my coffee shipped in from New Mexico. Thunderbolt blend from Rio Grande Roasters, which used to be found at Raley's and apparently is now still being carried since Albertson's took them over. My in laws live in Rio Rancho and I have friends in Albuquerque and I get them to run by the grocery store any time they're heading up this way, or when we visit I stock up (and on red and green chiles). Does Ohori's have a web site? We drive through Santa Fe on the way to visit my in laws, and I'm never averse to a culinary detour! Marcia.

tim5150, you did a great job photographing your blanquette! Looks delicious! A few pictures from recent suppers to show that there's nothing exciting going on in my kitchen these days: A pork roast that turned out really nicely. And a more typical meal: the mushroom soup from the Les Halles Cookbook (with thyme instead of parsley because I like thyme better) and pigs in blankets. But I did get a little holiday baking done: Marcia.

I will eat at one new restaurant a month. This is a carryover from 2005 or so, and it works so well I keep on resolving it. I will make one new recipe a month. (See above.) I will give myself credit for months going forward if I make 2 or 5 new recipes in a previous month, because life has a way of getting in the way of cooking as much as I would like. I will find a decent butcher, a local source of King's Cupboard Sugar Free Chocolate Sauce if one exists, and the local Penzey's (which I know exists, it's just not close and it keeps snowing when I keep meaning to get there). I will learn several more Southwestern dishes. I will teach my husband to cook something other than stir fry and soup out of a can. I'll probably involve the crock pot. I will read food magazines in the month in which they are dated.

It had its moments, but add me in with the chorus of "the scripted stuff really didn't work and was awkward at best". I've found I really dislike the scripted/storyline shows like Tuscany. Marcia.

Bruce, that Puerco looks delicious. I admit I have a real weak spot for pork in various chile sauces.... Tonight's entree: Eggplant moussaka, mostly after a friend's recipe. I have no idea where she got the recipe from or even if it's "authentic", I just know it's good. I tend to grill the eggplant slices instead of fry them because 1. it's easier 2. I love fried eggplant but I find it tends to make casseroles and the like greasier than I care for, and 3. I love smoky flavor. I also used some coriander and ginger because I was out of nutmeg.... Marcia.

Thin-skinned hard squash ("winter squash") like acorn and delicata grill up beautifully. Cut in half. seed, slice about 1/2" - 3/4" thick. Coat lightly with oil and grill until soft and somewhat caramelized. I agree with a large hunk o' meat. Think of the stereotypical Winter Feasts of the past, and there's always a whole animal (or at least a significant chunk thereof) at the center....cooked over an open hearth. That's grilling in my book! Grilled root vegetables? Peeled, sliced medium-thin, put in foil packets with seasonings? Marcia.

We also have a cat we call the Mighty Breadhunter (real name: Oreo, seen in my avatar). We had to get a special breadbox to keep him from eating the bread, since he can open drawers.Marcia. One night while we were on the computers, we heard this meowing of a type we'd never heard before. We turned around to see Oreo dragging in a bag of rolls (which had been punctured and holes eaten out of every one of them) - the meows sounded funny because his mouth was full and those were the calls of a cat bringing his prey to his clan. What could we do but praise him for being a good provider and have something other than rolls with dinner....? Marcia.

Marcia, according to my friends "in the biz" 80% is "ground chuck" 90% is "ground round" and 93% is "ground sirloin". HTH! Edited cause I cain't spel wurth a dam... ← Well, that explains it then! Thanks for the translation table ! Marcia.

It sort of worked...you need the QUOTE tags around the portion of the previous post you're quoting If you press the "" reply button, it gives you the whole of the posting you're replying to in the QUOTE tags, and then you can just edit that down as long as you leave the first and last QUOTE tags alone. Then you can just type your text after the closing quote tag! Does that help? Things I'd tweak: since I wasn't using ultra-lean ground beef in the meatballs, I partially baked them off first, then added them to the soup. Unfortunately, they still left the soup a bit greasy for my taste (and I loves me my dietary fat !), so I think next time I'll parboil them first even longer, then drain and add into the soup. I know the recipe calls for ground sirloin, but around here we don't generally see ground chuck or ground sirloin, we just have 80% lean, 90% lean, and 93% lean. I suppose parts is parts. Also, I thought the 1" meatballs were a bit large. I'd like to go to 3/4" meatballs so I have more of them. I thought they were a bit underseasoned, but then I realized I forgot to add in the salt and pepper. The broth was outstanding, and so were the mushrooms. The parmesan was really, really good on top. Maybe I'd add a glug of sherry to finish next time, maybe not. My husband asked if this recipe was a lot of work, because he'd like to see it again. Oh, and since I live at altitude, I automatically planned for extra time for the barley to cook! I hope you enjoy it when you make it and post pictures here! Marcia.

The Mushroom Barley Meatball soup from November's "Food and Wine". I want to make a few tweaks, but it's definitely a keeper. Marcia.