devlin

Thank you so much. That was very helpful.

Thanks folks! I'm wondering whether wrapping them in plastic wrap would adversely affect the texture, make them sweat, that sort of thing.

I'm mailing four different types of cookies to my brother in New York, but I'm not sure what the best method is to do it. Suggestions?

Bought this a couple of months ago after I'd leafed through a copy at a bread oven conference. So far I've not worked very far into it, but I got it more specifically for the near-encyclopedic aspect of it. Really useful in so many ways, and fabulous for the baker's formulas. I'm happy to hear the ryes are good. They're my next challenge.

For burns, try an antibiotic cream. For me, it's worked better'n anything and helps heal pretty fast.

Two varieties of biscotti: anise/sambuca flavored and cantuccini to dip in vin santo. And a family recipe from since a million years (my mother was Norwegian), fattigman bakkels, a gorgeous, somewhat finicky cookie to make, but well worth it. My family always ask for these when they come for Christmas.

I do a sort of hash as well. Use left-over gravy and fry shredded turkey and left-over stuffing til everything's thoroughly permeated with the gravy. Also, one of my new favorite things, even better than pot pie, turkey savory pudding. Be sure to top the thing with cubed bread before baking. Good sourdough is best, but anything'll do.

I use a not very well insulated cooler, just a big plastic box, really. This is where I always proof my sourdough starter. Attach one of those clamp-on lights to the edge of the box and train it on the jar. In the summer, I can do this in my laundry room with the box only partially covered (with a thermometer near the jar so I know what the temp really is). In the winter, it's too cold, and it's sitting in my dining room right now and the box is entirely covered with both the lid and a large bath towel. It's kind of an eye sore, and I'm trying to figure out a better method so I can put it back in the laundry room. I've considered moving it upstairs to my bedroom closet, but haven't done it yet just because that seems like more pain the neck than I'd prefer. I'm also considering using the oven in the same way I use the box, rigging the light so I'd be able to use it pretty much the same way I use it now in the box.

I make big batches of chicken at a time and get lovely, small batches of both stock and schmaltz which I salvage and separate and either freeze for later use or use a bit of stock liquid (or gel after the batch of chicken has been refrigerated) with dressing in salads. Schmaltz is fabulous for frying liver as well, with a little wine.

I make big batches of chicken at a time and get lovely, small batches of both stock and schmaltz which I salvage and separate and either freeze for later use or use a bit of stock liquid (or gel after the batch of chicken has been refrigerated) with dressing in salads. Schmaltz is fabulous for frying liver as well, with a little wine. edit to note I'm only in the habit of repeating myself when exasperated with husband or animals. I'm gonna let egullet explain its own peculiarities.

I make big batches of chicken at a time and get lovely, small batches of both stock and schmaltz which I salvage and separate and either freeze for later use or use a bit of stock liquid (or gel after the batch of chicken has been refrigerated) with dressing in salads. Schmaltz is fabulous for frying liver as well, with a little wine.

Thanks! I appreciate that.

Sure, for the most part I'd agree. But it also seems to me that a thread like this, one that is surely about the food business, is at the same time a deeply personal blog, which would necessarily include the ways in which something as dramatic as profound political events affect the way one lives every day, and most especially the most significant political event in a four-year span, and so we might allow ourselves (and most especially the author of the thread) a little indulgence to ruminate a bit on how the profoundly political affects the way we get through what are already difficult days. I'm not saying it's appropriate to drag every political thought we have into every thread or conversation on a food forum, but I think it may be important to consider the context. For example, to bring it up in the thread on releasing baked goods from pans, such commentary would probably be entirely beside the point, unless of course one might have been so distracted by the election that one was having particular difficulty in the moment getting the hang of performing the suggestions offered precisely because of the election results. I know, it's kind of a ridiculous example, but that's my point. But it seems to me that in a thread like this, a very personal thread about starting a business, working one's ass off 20 hours a day seven days a week while trying to stay sane, something as profoundly significant as one of the most difficult elections most of us has ever lived through might pertain to one's sense of emotional stability which might affect the way we approach our work, and maybe especially a new business. I'm going through a similar thing. I've just been through a few months of hell trying to get a brick bread oven built, get a business off the ground (not to mention trying to take care of a barnful of horses and a husband and three dogs), and I gotta say, the election and the past year leading up to it has been hell to traverse. And the election just heightened my own sense of panic and sense of threat. It affects everything. As they say, the personal is political. And this is a very personal thread. Even though I agree with Mel's politics, I should note that I'd be equally okay if she were on the other side of my politics and blogging about how the results of the election affected her in a positive way. It's her blog. Still, it might be helpful to both Mel and others of us in similar situations to be able to commiserate a bit. edited for screwy verb tense

I was happy to read Mel's disgust and just had to give the nod back. I loved Molly Ivins comments to the Berkeley School of Journalism last month. Noting Bush's visit with the Amish community during which time he noted his own faith, and that God spoke through him, Ivins commented, "I dunno, I would have thought God would at least know how to pronounce 'noo-clee-er.'"

This thread is freaking me out for so many reasons. First, it's such an affirmative thing, taking your own destiny by the hand (or the balls, as you prefer) and making it happen the way you envision it. On the other hand, I read some of this last night, dipping in here and there, before I went to bed (actually it was about 3 am and I was reading and contributing here and on a political forum and a horse forum and watching news all at once), and I went to bed in an absolute panic, which isn't exactly new for me these days, but I'd been hoping the election might change that. Instead, I'm fighting a desire to crawl in bed with a bottle of sambuca. Your place looks fabulous. Congratulations. I'm wowed and inspired.

Great ideas. Thanks. I'm going to have to do some exploring. But first, I'm off to shower and get out to perform an important civic duty. Have a wonderful day, folks.

The next question. Does anybody have a resource they might share for cake circles? I've found some web sites that sell them in small packs of 10 or 12, but they seem to be pretty pricey for a thing you'll use once. Other web sites appear to sell only by the case or skid. Any suggestions for better places to purchase these? Or do I give up and make them myself? And what would I use to make them?

And of course that makes such good sense it makes feel stupid . Just had one of those "duh" moments. I've gone through Friberg's book and couldn't find any help there, nor in any other book I've got on hand, so this is tremendously helpful. Thank you Sinclair.

Okay, thanks, I'll look for it.

Yes, please! I've just started producing cakes and the like for a couple of local restaurants, and I've got one tea cake (soaked in buttermilk and unbelievably moist and dense) that I wouldn't know how to get out of anything but a springform. I've been eyeing my aluminum pizza peel as a thing to resort to, but I'm afraid I'd end up smushing the whole cake beyond repair. I'd be beholden, that's sure. Devlin edit: I meant to say I'm eyeing my pizza peel as a thing to get this unbelievably wet cake off the bottom of the springform because even with the parchment paper I've been afraid to try to get it off, it's so dense and moist and heavy. Any help and encouragement would be a big help. As it stands now, I'm afraid to try.

What the heck is mahleb? If I can't find it, is there a substitute? I live in the middle of nowhere with access only to Wal Mart groceries unless I want to travel a bit.

Golly, the do what? Seriously, you really should stop being so darned nice. Just tell us what to do! I don't recall the ka'kat, but I'll try to take a look at it later. And although I want very much to say "I'm in!" my inlaws are arriving on my doorstep sometime tomorrow evening or Friday as part of their annual Spring migration from Florida back north, so I can't make any firm commitments except to getting ready for them. Still, I'm gonna check back. Maybe we could turn it into a family thing. They'd love it, come to think of it.

Meme, thanks for the links, they're exactly what I need. Here's one I found particularly useful for science- and garden-challenged people like me. http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00030.asp Very clear instructions on exactly what to do and what to use for making a compost tea. Fabulous. I'm saving these for my husband and to take with me when I start to put this stuff together. Snowangel, having just moved into a new home, I can understand some of your frustration. Starting over again is a pain in the butt. It happens with us whenever we're transferred, and we invariably have to make the brand new place horse friendly where there have never been horses. But I envy you your knowledge. Even though we're both just starting out in new surroundings, you at least have all that gardening experience under your belt. That's a lot.

Please, no more with wait staff who introduce themselves. I'm not interested in getting to know the wait staff, I just want the damned food. And referring to themselves as "servers." I feel like I'm in whore house or something. Not food, but still....

Those are very welcome and helpful responses, thanks so much. Although, maybe I was actually hoping you'd all say, No! You can't possibly do it now! I've just spent the morning directing the guy who pulled up with a semi full of building materials for the oven, and more for adding on to the barn, concrete blocks outside, other stuff in the garage, more fencing out back, etc. The oven's finally starting to feel real. Yikes. But some day I'd like to move into a place that's already fenced. Fred, I agree that small goals are best. I'm having to rein my husband in. But he's got way greater reserves of energy than I do. Except when it comes to shopping malls, and then he's unaccountably exhausted after about 20 minutes. What's with that? CL, yes, most hay is usually full of the seedy stuff. I think it's unavoidable. And I'd never put fresh horse manure on anything. I'm scrupulous about cleaning the back pasture around the barn because it's good pasture, and I still have to remind my husband that fresh manure isn't good for anything but killing grass. I used to board my mare with a couple who always cheerfully instructed me to just toss manure into the field because, "It's fertilizer!" Made me nuts. lovebenton, the tea manure thing intrigues me. I'm gonna try that.