Smithy

I think under the circumstances you wouldn't want it to even taste like there was ale, even if there wasn't. What about substituting a good flavorful beef broth? Or, er, I'm thinking out loud now...what if you were to mix a cola or, er, Dr. Pepper? with that beef broth? You'd get some carbonation and a lower pH, and those might help mimic the activity of the nut brown ale marinade without actually tasting like it. If this sounds like an appalling idea, I'll plead ignorance of the flavor of Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce. ;-)

Thanks for that update, Paul. It can be embarrassing to admit mistakes in public, but you've probably saved someone else from a similar mistake with worse results.

Great idea! Of course, it has to be on September 19, "International Talk Like A Pirate Day". (This link goes to the first annual singalong video. )

OK, Martin - now I'm sorry I didn't buy in on the sale. Make sure you report on their use, complete with photos, please!

The cover art on the new book is beautiful. Thank you for giving us a look into cookbooks many of us could otherwise not understand. Thanks also for the link to Concubine Chicken that's most like the original!

Thank you for the descriptions! I have heard of snakehead fish and their predatory behavior. The other descriptions are also interesting. As for the Highest Ranking Concubine Chicken: those sound like ingredients as available as they are appealing to this particular westerner. If you feel you can post proportions, I would be grateful; otherwise, I'll just mess around until I come up with a likely substitute and then rename it. I promise not to shame you by association.

I'm with Andie: I love my equipment and gadgets. Several years ago we remodeled the kitchen, which meant emptying ALL the cupboards, drawers and shelves, and boxing most of it up for several months. It was painful. "Why do I have this?" I'd exclaim in some cases, and those items went away. "I'd forgotten I had this!" or, more commonly, "I've been looking for this!" were the more frequent thoughts. When we moved into the completed kitchen I had to figure out where to put things, but there wasn't an appreciably smaller amount of stuff; since then I've added more. Maybe, just maybe - when all is said and done - I'd pick my vintage Wearever lemon juicer. It's been in the family since Mom rescued it from a discard heap in the early 50's. Getting harder to find. If I had children, I'd pass this on to my favorite.

Welcome, Graeme! You've come to the right place...you'll find lots of information about using immersion circulators at home, and sous vide, and other Modernist cookery here: successes, failures, discoveries, questions and answers. Come on in and join the fun!

...or marigold petals, which also look different and which have no discernible flavor. Is Iranian saffron better than Spanish saffron? I always thought that Spain set the gold (heh) standard.

Thanks very much for posting about this book. It sounds like a lot of fun, for someone who could read it. I'm enjoying going through your list of dish names. Some of them are interesting and amusing. What on earth could "Buddha Leaps the Wall" be? Or "General Crosses the Bridge"? "Train of Thought Tofu?" What would be the "Best Concubine's Chicken" or "Dragon's Well Shrimp"? I look forward to reading more about this book. Any descriptions you might care to post of those interestingly-named dishes would be welcome. "Cook until done", indeed. :-D

What about zaatar? Can you find that easily where you are? If not, that's another to consider.

Sam, please elaborate on this. Are you saying it isn't possible to burn or scorch something in a copper pan, or are you saying that it's much more forgiving given your level of knowledge (for instance, approximate heat level needed for the task) and your stove? Are you using a gas stove? Sorry if I've missed this information uptopic.

Welcome to the forums, ChefNaim. What type of foods do you particularly enjoy cooking, and/or eating? You'll probably find people here who feel the same way that you do, and who are eager to exchange tips, encouragement, recipes or stories..

Welcome to eGullet, Leilani! C'mon in, look around, and join in the conversations! You've touched on two of my favorite topics already. You may enjoy these related topics: "Larb Laab Larp" (so old, some of the photos won't show up, but the topic could stand a revival ) A brief search turned up several topics involving Sriracha sauce, a perennial favorite here: Sriracha in "Ready to Eat" forum and, to include current events: SRIRACHA plant in Irwindale, CA in trouble Whether you join in on existing topics or start your own, we're glad to see you here!

...and with photos for the rest of us, please!

Those cookies are beautiful. Sometimes, the basics are best.

I'll bet that's going to be good, although perhaps still a bit startling depending on the answers to these questions:Do the eyes remain intact, a la the second Indiana Jones movie? and Is the brain in there also? If so, what would be its texture by now?

Welcome to the forums! Feel free to ask questions, participate in the discussions, and post about food topics that you find interesting. Do you have any particular food or cooking interests?

I have a couple of pieces that I allowed to stain past the point of no return. The only damage I've noticed is to my pride. Do use their cleaner and work to stay ahead of the stains - in other words, don't let them get bad if you want to maintain the pristine look.

I hadn't read about substituting peanut butter and sesame oil for sesame paste before. That's a good trick to keep in mind.

Welcome to eGullet! It sounds like you'll fit right in here. This crowd includes scientists, accomplished bakers, enthusiasts of almost any cuisine, and cooks of every skill level, and we all love to teach and learn about food and cooking. Come on in and join the discussions!

Ramps for basil. That's quite a switch in flavor profiles, isn't it? I'll try it sometime if I ever lay my hands on ramps at the right time. This topic is great fun! I look forward to reading more, and savoring the recipes from afar. Afar, I said. I. Do. Not. Need. To Buy. Another. Cookbook. Yet.

Wow, that's a great price if the setup works as advertised. $50 for the induction unit and the pot? I don't need it, but this is very tempting.

keychris, those Easter animals are darling! Are the shells themselves also edible, or just the contents? The egg is also awesome - and I understand that one's edible all the way. Very creative!

You make an excellent point about the oil. My oven has a measurable drop in temperature, as measured by my Sur la Table digital oven thermometer placed on a middle rack, whenever I open the door. I was surprised at how pronounced it was: 10 - 15 degrees F. I should add that I was also surprised by the swings in temperature of this particular (electric) oven, even with the door closed. I don't know if I still have the data, but I discovered last fall that it overshot the initial target temperature by at least 20 degrees (F) when I was setting for 350F, and once it was supposedly at the target temperature it oscillated something like +/- 10F. The best way to stabilize temperature in my oven was to add thermal mass, in the form of pizza stones on top and bottom racks, and use the convection feature. In other words, my oven may not be typical.