Smithy

Ohhh, Franci! That gateau looks moist and tender, and sounds luscious. Do you have a link to the recipe you used?

I am fond of their Aioli Garlic Mustard. It's redundantly but aptly named: a very garlicky mustard, well suited to mixing in sauces or coating chicken prior to baking. When our family first discovered it we went through a few jars just using it as a dip for chips and crudites. I don't know whether I'd still enjoy that now. I also very much like their jars of bruschetta topping, and their interesting pasta sauces. It's easier to find jarred vodka pasta sauce in regular grocery stores now, but once upon a time TJ's was the only source I knew. Edit: oh yes, and their sundried tomato pesto! I always go away with jars of that stuff: perfect in pasta sauces and skillet dinners.

Maybe you addressed this earlier; if so, please forgive my inattention. Are those chocolate statues hollow? Would they be made with just any old chocolate for the fun of it because nobody will ever eat it? What are the meat cones wrapped in? The savory equivalent of a waffle cone? I want some of that jamon iberico, with or without the diacriticals. Was that more or less typical of the price?

I thought the bear cookies couldn't be outdone, but the owl cookies may be even more cute!

Ranz, there's my new technique for the day. Thanks for the inspiration and the link. Both your lamb and his prime rib look brilliant!

Asparagus, olive oil, parmesan, walnuts? pine nuts? lemon? Edit: I just spotted your recipe for asparagus pesto in RecipeGullet. Thanks!

It's hard to know what's best! It's all exotic and wonderful - and I also particularly love the wookie cookies.

Saturday evening, pretty forest, beautiful weather. The campfire was laid but not lit. We sat out, enjoying the energy and creativity of children in nearby campsites. (One camp had run out of water and 'hired' the children from another camp to bring them water - one 1-gallon bottle at a time, a buck a bottle. One little girl was using her scooter to speed the process. As she rolled she sang a ditty about "I'm on my scooter with a bottle of water, and when I'm done I'm going to have a DOL-LAR!" with new lyrics at every pass.) Just as we lit the fire, a neighbor came by with a plate. "Do you like grilled chicken?" he asked. Well, of course we did. He looked relieved. Their day's fishing had been so successful that they had cooked too much of the backup meal. What a windfall!

Please tell more about this pesto! You're making it from the unpeeled woody bottoms?

Do you need tortillas as a quick step, or will you be making your own with the masa? How's your stock of cumin and cilantro? Think you might need beans? Lard?

It looks like it's just a plastic bottle of the right size to collect the tar that condenses from the smoke. Is that what you mean? My question about the tar collector is whether the tar flows easily enough that you can empty and reuse the bottle, or sets up so firmly that the bottle has to be replaced? Next question: what sort of pellets? Can you get different woods in pellet form? Could you use chips instead?

What Deryn said! Did workshop attendants get to keep those snazzy aprons?

Do you mean you won't be happy with the baguettes you get (or make) home after this? The photos are so wonderful! I had no idea there was so much going on in the world of cake toppings.

huiray, that's a beautiful haul. I'm looking forward to finding ramps soon, either in our woods or at our farmers' markets. The capacolla and salami look wonderful, too. Will you use those for snacks, or in something?

Thanks, Thanks for the insights and information! (Alas, there's more rain than needed in East Texas, and much less than needed in West Texas. The dry line runs right through the state.) The shrimp is pretty similar to what you describe. Several years ago I started experimenting with pasta cooked in minimal water (compliments of Harold McGee) and with fresh shrimp. When I get it right we call it "Shrimp Bolivar" for the site where I first made it. Fettucine or linguine, cooked until nearly done, drained and tossed with olive oil, garlic, butter if I'm feeling decadent. Meanwhile, saute the shrimp in butter and/or olive oil, dried parsley and oregano; toss all together with grated parmesan and fresh parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. When it's right, it's stellar; otherwise it's still good. The secret seems to be having the best shrimp and garlic possible. Tornado watches formed ahead and behind us, but not at our current location. We were glad not to have delayed moving on to northern Arkansas; we've had rain but today it's finally clear and sunny. We had planned on campfire cooking yesterday, but it didn't clear quickly enough. We chickened out and used the stovetop instead. A question for the bread bakers who might be reading: when a loaf collapses as soon as it's released from its proofing basket after the final rise, does that mean it was overproofed? I had 4 loaves going yesterday (a huge batch of bread for a class I'm taking). Three formed beautifully and rose well in the oven, but the final one - which had to wait for oven time - collapsed into a sad flat frisbee as soon as it was out of its bowl. I tucked it in on two sides to make it look like a long loaf, and it did spring up some in the oven, but it's still pretty flat compared to the earlier loaves. I consoled myself with a new wine. Not bad: a little light-bodied, but with enough petite syrah backbone to stand up to the chicken spices.

I don't know whether we'll get to this before we arrive home, but I'm looking for ideas. This bag of shelled king crab legs is one of our few remaining purchases from the Gulf. What's the best thing to do with them? I think they must already be cooked, since the shells are off. If I'm correct, that means (a) a gentle warming, with (b) some good sauce. I'm thinking along the lines of garlic/butter lemon for some and ginger/soy for more. What else should I consider?

ElsieD, they're pretty good tasting, too. I've been eating them for breakfast and incorporating them into dinner or salads. Sometimes the best plans don't work out. We don't like making reservations for campgrounds and usually don't have to. This time there was no room in a National Forest campground a short drive from the Gulf, and we had a longer drive than planned. We lit for the night in northern Texas. It rained. This was dinner: and this was the view in the morning: Our next proposed stop was also wet; it rained and stormed much of the night. This campground has a number of sites marked with caution signs that they're prone to flash flooding, and we were glad to have chosen one on higher ground. Still, all that water coming out of the sky has its benefits: Dinner used more of those tomatoes, a mystery sausage and smashed potatoes: Edited to remove duplicate photo

That's surprising, but thanks for the information. I'll remember that the bread's quality matters in panzanella! OK, here are more ideas: - bake as is, then dice, toss with oil and seasonings (including salt), and toast for croutons; - bake as is, then whizz into bread crumbs that can be seasoned at will; - make a panade (I like the recipe from Zuni cafe) although it may be just as much a flop as the panzanella, for the same reasons. Lisa may have a better idea, though: work salt into the dough, or make something small like pretzels to be coated with salt later. Could you make crackers with it, or pita?

This must be a blast for the kids as well as you! Years from now, some of them will still remember how much fun it was. Who knows? Some may become cooks or chefs - or diplomats.

On the way off the peninsula, we stopped at a produce stand. This was the haul:

Shelby, judging by your posts, you do very well in the middle of Kansas! But I know what you mean about seafood. I always have mixed feelings about leaving the area. We aren't finished with seafood, but we've left the Gulf Coast with its stilted houses and its waterborne sunrises. Dinner the night of our departure was fresh bread, JohnT's excellent oyster pâté and leftover ceviche. JohnT, thank you for your recipe!

Welcome back! Did you come away with ideas for new things to try? Or was it all exceptionally well done but familiar to you?

Willie, are those rotisseries turned by hand, or have you set up a motor of some sort?

So much fresh seafood, so little time! I used a day when we didn't need to move to mess around in the kitchen, while the surf roared and we enjoyed the view. The previous night's storm had brought the trawlers closer to shore than usual. We've had calm weather here, but only rarely: just enough to lure us back most years for another try. This time, we got our exercise simply opening the door enough to go through. Over on the "Dinner 2015 (Part 2)" topic, liamsaunt was gracious enough to share her recipe for creamy avocado dressing. I had the ingredients and the time. This is a keeper! The shrimp I'd peeled the night before, then not cooked, needed treatment. It became ceviche. I steamed oysters (except for a couple I snitched raw) then mixed up JohnT's oyster pâté for another night. Finally, I mixed up crab cakes for dinner. Crab cakes, ceviche and bread were seafood overkill, but that's why we come to the Gulf!

I made a batch of this dressing and am thoroughly enjoying it. Thank you! It's a keeper.