Abra

The Alaska spot prawn season has started, and I made a great dinner tonight. Sorry, no pictures. For the prawns I used this wonderful recipe. With the shells I made a rich stock, then stirred it into a risotto/paella fusion rice dish. I meant to make risotto, but then it turned out that I had only bomba rice. I cooked it risotto-style, with the prawn stock, amontillado sherry (no fino in the house) shallot and celery, a pinch of saffron, the kernels from an ear of corn, some tiny (frozen) peas, and a dollop of butter. Piled the prawns over that, and zowie. That was good. I might have to make spot prawns every night for a few days, while they're on sale (only $9.99 a lb) and so perfect. If you're in spot prawn territory, what are you making?

Wow, Eden, major kitchen lust here! What hall is that? I am so impressed with both your menu and the scale of the undertaking, and cooking in period costume as well. Dress like a scullery wench! And speaking of that, what are you using for dishes? And if something washable, yegads!

The current F&W issue has an article naming the 15 people who have made a real impact on the world of food this year. So I'm looking at the list of names thinking "How out of it can I be? I've never heard of a single one of these people." But then, as I read, I see that one is Cachaca Dave! He's heartily say thanks. Very cool, Dave!

gfron1 and ammcomb - WOW! Patrick, too funny! I made that same apple cake on Friday, and was very underwhelmed. It looks like you diced up the apples, which is the smart thing to do. I spent the time doing the finicky arranging the recipe calls for, and then it was almost invisible in the finished and sliced cake. I was out of rum, so I used Calvados, the whole 3T, and it wasn't too much, especially given that there's no vanilla or salt in the recipe. I even used my home-dried raisins, and then regretted wasting them in such a boring cake.

Fabulous, Eden! You know we'll all be hanging on your every word, and if you need an extra hand in the kitchen, just give a shout. I can certainly testify to the "amazingly patient husband) part!

Bravissima, Judith!

That's interesting, Dave, because I'm pretty sure it's cycling in my current freezer that's depositing so much ice inside well-wrapped foods. Once I pre-scooped out ice cream balls and set them on a tray in the freezer, which normally freezes stuff rock hard. I checked them once, they were solid. When I went to serve them they were puddled, which just about made me cry since it was for an eGullet party. And yes, the door had been shut tight.

Such beautiful photos! But they can't match my enjoyment of your spelling of "wonton sex." There are so many places I could go with thawt, but I don't want to distract from the beauty of Umbria.

I've never had tajarin, but I'm fascinated by the idea of so many yolks, since I can get farm eggs with bright orange yolks (and I'm guessing you can get them in Portland too, at the farmer's market). So it's something like 1 lb flour (00?) 3 whole eggs 20 yolks proceed as usual?

Hey, you know, I never even though of a rebate, although I always do think about energy efficiency. I am so checking with my power company! I know the chest freezers are more efficient, but my back doesn't want one. Lifting stuff from the bent-over position is something I try to avoid. But I'm loving the multi-door ColdTech concept. Now there's a trick solution! I don't see any prices on their website, nor do I know if they sell to home users, but they sure look cool, and expensive. I've never heard of Woods before, but I see that they are available here, so that's something alse to explore. I really don't see the need for door baskets and shelves, to me they're just a waste of space and the stuff in them is prone to melting. I wonder if there's an upright without door storage.

My pre-antique upright freezer is crapping out. It's glacial in there now, with huge mounds of thick ice, and I fear the torrential drainage of all its frost when we wheel it outside to a slope conveniently located above the neighbor's house. Food is getting icy and I'm getting cranky. It's time for a new one. It lives in the garage, so looks aren't important. History has shown that I will never defrost, so I think it has to be frost-free. Big is good, since I like to put up summer stuff in the freezer every year. Other than that, I have no firm idea. I've searched around and see scattered references to freezers, but no one thread recommending what to buy. Do you have a freezer you'd be proud to be seen with?

That's a gorgeous dinner, and I love the card players. It seems like something you'd never see here, since they'd be wanting to turn the table. I'm with you on the rose and the Prosecco, and I'd like to be with you on the faro. In fact, I bought some recently and haven't figured out what to do with it yet, so will you please cook some and I'll cook along? Is your recipe at all like this one?

I'm glued to your blog too. It's what we all say we'll do when we retire, but so few do. It was a good question, why you come back at all. Care to take a stab at it?

Well, I have to say that Klary and Dennis are heartwarmers and homeopeners all in themselves. It was a wonderful time, and if I could figure out how to convince them to move here so Klary and I could cook together all the time, I'd be right on it.

Cool, Judith! Is your home in that lovely building?

Wow, that's a glorious tribute to our PNW parties. What a fun bunch of great cooks we have here, and having you and Dennis with us was such a treat. Come back any time and we'll try to outdo ourselves!

I don't have a bread machine anymore, now that I have a huge stand mixer on the counter and use the dough hook to knead, but when I did I thought the bread machine did a great job of kneading. I didn't like to bake in it, but for the knead/proof phase it was excellent. Only for small batches of dough, but home bakers often only want a small batch of dough.

I adore that anchovy pasta at the Fountain. It's really seriously spicy and garlicky and with tons of anchovies - a perfect date night food! I'm guessing that Lorna will be re-creating that pear and blue cheese tart, it sounds so good, and like just her thing. It's so nice to see our part of the world through such appreciative eyes. I had to laugh at Dennis having yogurt and granola while you had pancakes and bacon. Men!

Golden Szechuan looks really good, especially that pork belly. At first I thought it was some sort of demented towel-drying arrangement - how clever. And the crab would be my next pick for sure, although the dumplings look really good too. What is thready bread, some sort of cruller? Such a weird texture - it almost looks like it's made of crab. I wonder how they get it to do that. That Artigiano coffee is definitely the prettiest I've ever seen, and I've seen some pretty coffee. Did it taste as good as it looks? And it's so interesting to see beer served in wine glasses, that's a new one for me. I'm really delighted to see all these early and wonderful parts of your trip.

I don't actually get how to make skinless sausages. When we did the hot dog trials my husband was wishing for skinless dogs, but neither of us could figure out how it's done. Has anyone done it successfully at home?

I'm here to vouch for hhlodesign's braised pork belly and sao bing sandwiches. That's one of the best pork sandwiches I've ever tasted in my life! We're getting another week of sunny and warm days, but braising weather is just around the corner, and I have some beautiful short ribs in the freezer.

Ling's tart was great, and was almost as good for breakfast the next morning. The wine was a La Meridiana Malaga, which is absolutely worth trying if you're ever lucky enough to stumble over a bottle. Those moon cakes look incredible, so light and un-stodgy. I really enjoy even the run of the mill ones, but those look exceptional.

Lots of interesting-looking foods there, but I think I'll pass on the silkworms and ricefield snails. I'm such a wuss! I don't see any peaches in your pictures - is it a peach festival in name only?

gfron1, about those calissons. I've only had calissons d'Aix, which I adore beyond reason, and I've always heard that they were the one and only real calissons. How would you compare those calissons de Montelimar (more famous for nougat, so far as I know) to those from Aix?

I prescribe glucosamine and chondroitin for your finger. You probably already take it, though. I'm morbidly curious about the marshmallow/wiener combo. You toast them together so the marshmallow goops all over the hot dog? Then eat the hot dog all sweet and gooey? Say it isn't so! If you could teach us to make salmon candy so it has the real taste and texture I'd be eternally in your debt!