johnnyd

I always get results with chicken stock w/"trinity roots": ginger, garlic, onion - fresh of course, and lots of it. Add parsley, celery, lemon peels and hot pepper flakes. Works everytime. Udon noodles in it sometimes adds substance. I also have fresh sliced ginger on a low simmer in water all day for sipping. I heard on the radio once if you heat some red wine with any and all citrus fruit in the house, GFruit, Orange, Lemon, etc to a boil, then let cool. Have a cup of that and you pass out for twelve hours. When you wake up you're cured!

GUARANA ...hands down favourite! Find it in your closest Brazilian store

Thanks Paul and all who tackled the lobster stock technique. After a hundred or more chowders, I find a twenty minute simmer from cold water for my lobsterbodies or local shrimp shells will yield a flavorful, yet grayish broth. The local shrimp are sold at the end of their season (2 to 4wks) with eggs around the bellies which I try and save, the flavor is awesome, the stock is almost black. The chowder I make uses whatever's fresh, usually white fish like haddock, cod or cusk (which holds it's shape after cooking) but the background I aim for and get is crustacean. The color is not an issue, and I coarse strain the stock to ensure some tasty bits make it in but no cartilage. The result has a rustic "downeast" quality with big flavor. Lately, I've added diced onion, celery and green pepper to the salt pork rendering, then maine potato before stock w/bayleaf. Simmer about 15, add fish (one inch pcs), then heavy cream at the end and only to what's beeing served that day. I make sure I always have a quart or two of the base in my freezer, stock as well. I have to try Paul's sweat method next, and see what happens. Aiden is on the money re: fennel and garlic, best to add later unless the broth is half the meal. I could see using that for an oyster stew...hmmm... I feel like eGullet is like one gigantic brain about food...

I had a friend come visit who insisted that the lobster bodies I make into stock for chowder MUST be roasted first. I disagreed, thinking (but not knowing) this was for beef and veal bones only. We went ahead with his way. It made a killer lobster bisque, but the effect on my chowder was unattractive. What do you think/know about this?

But seriously folks... I can tell the eG foodblog is not going to go away, it's too wonderful. Might as well start developing strategy to get the pix we want, eh?! loved the gateway, B!

"Why, your bread has been the first thing I think of when I awake in the morning! Since I come here so often you must know how I adore it. Just the other day I was chatting with my friends and told them how incredible your bread really was... and they didn't believe me! So... in order to show how wonderful your bread was, I simply had to come by and take a picture! Now your bread will be famous! And people from all over the world will see just how good it is!"

Hi Susan, how's the beach down there? Fuggles is Shipyards only IPA, but I have to say I prefer Chamberlain and the Prelude (available Xmastime only). It's a bit dicey up here, beer-wise, in that there a LOT of great micros and the competition is fierce. I thought nothing would pry me away from D.L. Gearys Pale ale and his Hampshire Special, but what a difference a couple years makes. I'll report back when I perform rigorous testing of all contestants! Johnnyd

You say tomayto and I say tomahto, You say adductor, and I say abductor! adductor! abductor!! grocery! convenience!! Let's call the whole thing good! Let's Eat!

Omigawd!!! That was delicious GGirl, thanks! I'll have to drive down and eat there soon. Is there real fado sung there at night sometimes?

The little chewy thing is a tendon that attaches the abd-muscle to the shell. Both sides (top/bottom) also grow onto the shells. These things actually cause the scallop to "swim" through the water. It's really quite cool watching them clap the shells together as they dart along, then they stop and settle on the bottom wherever they land. As they lie on the sand, the shells separate about a half inch and a membrane stretches between them. This is a filter for tasty bits they eat. When they sense little food, off they go. Dry scallops freeze well! Buy 'em quick! They must be canadian, I bought four huge scallops at $13/lb Sunday for ceviche but this purveyor deals locally as a strict rule.

You can ask your local fish counter-person for "dry" scallops which are untreated with tripolyphosphate. They run twice the price, but really worth it. If you ask enough times, they might get around to getting some. MANY purveyors claim all their scallops are "dry" vs "wet" but you can tell wet scallops by the milky watery stuff that develops in their container. Dry scallops freeze beautifully. I tried my hand at diving for scallops here on the maine coast and was told the only part of the scallop allowed on-shore was the abductor muscle. We had to shuck our catch and throw the roesac, shells etc. over the side while we made for port. Deviation from this meant a loss of license... if caught! A friend who visited from Europe was horrified, so we smuggled a few live ones in a cooler so she could prepare them her way. Dee-lish!

If anyone can book a room in Maine around August I'd be impressed! We'll see what happens. Are you threatening to leave that sticky city and come slurp a few Damiriscotta Oysters with me? As you know, I'm an expert on 'em!

Fantabulous! You guys look great! The food looks delicious! What a blast! I suppose I should start planning the 1st Annual eGullet New England Lobster Bake for us all NOW!!! Maine is indeed the only habitable place in the country come August so start riding your bikes now so you'll be here in time... besides, I've noticed a few posters betraying their proxemity so WE can at least hoist a Gearys Pale Ale and tear into some steamers together. Great pix HValley! I have to try the oyster dish at top. They are very good here in the Gulf of Maine. Do I spy bean sprouts in that bowl as well?

I wonder where the old sidekick was? I thought Alton was great but without that guy interrupting with "SQUISHY-SAN!" all the time kinda disappointed us! (Yep, we had a party...) Looking forward to tonight...

I recall that this particular 13th was a Friday! To your fellow eGulleteers pay you pennance for so lucky a choice! Blog on! PS: No clamming? Any oysters from the Sound yet?

Does this mean I get my sleep rhythms back to normal???

I recommend Lucy send a pound of that Alpine Coffee from 4/17 (page 2) to the next bloguer along with Loic's exlicit directions for brewing! I have a feeling that stuff had something to do with 1) setting the tone, 2) sparking creativity, 3) staging appetite and, of course, getting her out of bed to perform the miracle that was this blog! In fact... Send some to all of us!!!

Battle Durian, anyone? run away! aaaaurgh!

... and look in today's NYT for the HUGE half-page color ad in section A, same graphic. That couldn't have been cheap! OOooo, those guys mean business! Also noticed from FN schedule posted above that this program is occupying TEN CONTINUOUS HOURS of programming on 4/25 - 4/26, from 6pm to 4am!!!! I'll be curious about who the ads are for... y'know, so we know who to hit up when eGullet-TV is launched...

Local Fish Market just received FRESH sardines from RI. Doesn't happen often. I'm a big fan from when I lived in Portugal in my teens where they grill 'em on the beach and serve with a "salsa" of diced tomato and onion. So I bought six fresh sardines for $1.35, cut the heads off, cleaned out the tiny stomachs, then sprinkled seasalt and fresh pepper all over. The dressing/salsa had slightly sugared juarez vinegar, fresh thyme, hydro-tomatos small vidalia salad onions, parsley and evoo. Fried to a crisp, slathered with salsa, served with sliced baguette and Sancerre. It was so good I rushed back to the market and bought another dozen before they closed... for $1.99! PS: also at the market: shad roe appearing for it's annual 2 week window. Hmm!

W-Wh-Wha- WHAT??? A day or two???? We've all been following the set-up for this fabulous dinner including the legendary Oyster Casserole, we've all wished we could be there, we've just found out you guys had jellyfish on the table, now we have to WAIT?!?! Sigh! HV! Imagine yourself on the line after a brutal Friday night and a flustered hostess has just seated a four-top a half-minute before closing... y'can't back down! Fire aps! Set salads! PULL TOGETHER FOR THE TEEEEEAM!!! WeWantPix! WeWantPix!! WeWantPix!!! PS: Request Void If Hangover Prohibits Posting... in which case, hell, take the weekend off!

I know the type, thanks! Good luck in your venture!

Outstanding. Thank you B! You've succeeded in making me weep at sunrise before a busy day. I'll carry Chez Pierre at the back of my noggin for comfort. Please, somebody start arranging publishing details... many have written how unique this blog has been, describing it as a pinnacle of their internet experience. I concur. A Hardcover copy would be nice. Paul, who on earth would name a place La Poubelle??? Isn't that "trashcan"?!?

CambyRat, Your first post posted loud and clear. You couldn't have picked a better bunch to begin exploring this marvelous medium. Enjoy yourself and don't be shy. Nice marination for tofu BTW (By The Way) Johnnyd

When I saw the tartiflette pix I realized how famished I was, so I ran upstairs and whipped up a version using smoked virginia ham and grated basque fromage du pays. Delicious! We had a dish like this on a regular basis when I lived in Vaud, Suisse. Bleu, you are most kind to let us all peek in on your semaine typique(sp?) and your pictures are luscious. I've been a member only a month and I am thrilled daily seeing what everyone has been up to, explore the Culinary Institute, sample such fabulous writing, and share experiences. Not only is my job in peril, but my wife is thinking about starting an eGullet Widow's thread...