thursdaynext

Does anyone have any feedback on Iluna Basque or Alegrias? I'll be in SF in July, so am trying to put together a list of lunch and dinner possibilities. (Important things first, right?)

I catered a friend's birthday party last Saturday & one of the appetizers I prepared was ancho peppers stuffed with chorizo & potato & queso fresco. Rick Bayless has a similar recipe online here. His peppers are acompanied by escabeche.

ditto

YKL, Are these the same as zong zi? Yum.

Ahhh yes! Also morels.

I grew up eating them the same way as Modern Day Hermit, but I think they're great that way, too! Chicken hearts are also a fast substitute for the beef heart strips when making anticuchos. However, they ARE getting harder to track down. You used to be able to buy packages of only hearts (also turkey hearts), then it was the "hearts and gizzards-mostly gizzards" mentioned earlier. Now I have to ask for them in advance.

I've used OpenTable since 2001, making reservations in advance of travel to other cities. There's never been a problem getting prime time seating, or any problems with my reservation at numerous fine establishments across the country. That said, I've never been to NYC, so perhaps the restaurant situation is different there.

Count me in for 400- latest acquisition was Chinese Gastronomy after reading about it in another thread.

Maybe if they were exceptionally large I would tenderize- the regular ones that I buy (6"-10" body) seem to be fine in most recipes without the extra treatment. (I like a little "tooth" to mine, also). I think it's more important not to overcook-

Ika Sugatayaki Unaki don any fresh tempura Yum

Bleachboy, I never had any idea they could be like pigs-in-a-blanket! However, tonight I happened to be surfing Food TV & came across a segment on Top 5 about the Kolache Factory in Houston. They have shapes and fillings I'd never seen before. My grandma is from a town in eastern Iowa that is home to many families with Czech heritage & we have always known the kolache as a sweet. Thanks for the new info. I also see that there was an earlier thread about this topic when I did a quick search to get back to your post. PS I checked out the picture in morda's link- the photo shows pretty much what I think of as kolaches, though the ones I remember are a little more "puffy."

I got nostalgic when I read your post! IMHO, Kolaches should have a slightly sweet & yeasty dough. And they should be "puffy," not flat like a danish. Grandma used to make them for Xmas eve- besides apricot, I remember cottage cheese, poppy seed and prune fillings.

Have been enjoying this thread as I jumpstart my day- this line really made me laugh

True- nothing worse than wasting enough threads to turn the dish bitter! I just wondered why one would bother to use yellow dye in that case? Must be the weight of tradition.

It has got to be a cost issue- otherwise why even bother with the yellow dye? It appears that people expect saffron in the dish & would rather fake it than omit altogether.

It's not that I can't be bothered but I go to much greater lengths and make more complex dishes (or more of them) when I have someone else to cook for... I enjoy the socializing and also the process of doing the final stages of food prep while a friend or friends hang out in the kitchen/dining area and we chat. There is also the satisfaction of seeing the pleasure friends take in well prepared food, especially if it's something they would not customarily make at home for themselves. I couldn't agree more!. That said, I do have a few easy favorites for solo nights: Omelets- there's usually something interesting in the fridge left over to fill them Chicken piccata- yum! Jumbo shrimp (at 12.99/lb, this is the time! ) Pasta, chicken, whatever, with pesto- I seem to always have a batch on hand 'Course, there's always grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup!

Not like scallops!! I was drooling after seeing the photos! s'kat I ENVY you your dinner!

Al's Oasis on I-90... Oacoma, SD There's a reason it's still 5 cents a cup

I usually prepare paella outdoors, using a (non-stainless) steel pan. Mine is 18". This link gives some basic tips about outdoor cooking: tienda.com You can also use a gas grill, but it's a little trickier to finish the dish.

1. Earliest remembered disaster: I was preparing my first home-cooked dinner with parents of then-boyfriend. Assembled the roast, potatoes, etc. & got them into the oven. Later started to feed potato peels down the disposal & jammed the disposal, causing sink to overflow onto floor. During Laurel & Hardy attempts by all to fix & clean up the mess- turned roast into charcoal. Good thing everyone likes Chinese take-out. 2. Next remembered disaster: Invite several good friends over for first attempt at cajun food. Prepare red beans & rice, but neglect to taste-test. The results so incendiary that eye sockets start sweating and lips blister. Good thing everyone likes Chinese take-out. 3. Whoa! Toasted, Can't beat that story! Sorry about your pet cat, too.

Although this is a dish I've long associated with N.O., the first time I tasted "BBQ" shrimp was years ago at Gershwin's in Dallas. A quick check of their website & I note at this late date that it's no longer on the menu. At home I always use the recipe from Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen. His is one of the versions I've seen that includes beer.

The local Fuddrucker's is pretty consistent quality-wise & I like the fact that they will split a burger such as the 2/3# between two baskets (costs less than ordering two 1/3# sandwiches).

Chimay Blue is widely available.

The Pyrex Digital Probe Oven Thermometer/Timer is the one I currently use, similar to the Taylor and Polder probe model others have mentioned. I've tested the probe against my hand-held meat thermometer and it has been consistently accurate within a degree or two.