petite tête de chou

An oldie but goodie thread... staff meal, what did you eat at work today?

I love that you kept the cilantro leaves *on* the stems. Too many folks strip the stems and toss them out.

I guess that's a 'no'. ← I've fried the smaller white flour and whole wheat tortillas before. They don't get quite as crunchy as the corn but they're still good. Definitely worth your time.

Are you sure it was beef in that pie and not four and twenty blackbirds? Love the pie funnel.

So far this is the best post I've read on eGullet this year. Thank you for your enlightening, literate post, Chappie.

And those windows will provide a light-filled kitchen so that you may continue to take wonderful pictures of your wonderful food.

Yay for Marlboro Man's favorite sandwich, Kim! I visit her site every day, too!

I don't recall them ever calling for bread in ANY of their bolognese recipes, much less Wonder Bread. I just double-checked, and no bread is listed in their weeknight bolognese (which uses dried porcini mushrooms to boost the flavor, hardly a noxious substance). In the recipes that do call for bread, they specify quality white sandwich bread, preferably homemade, but if not like Pepperidge Farm. I cannot find where they have ever called for Wonder Bread or similar squishy stuff. I can understand the hate for those who have experienced bad customer service. But the vitriol toward Chris' homespun soliloquies (which I find good for a laugh) and toward their quest for "perfection" I don't understand. My cooking improved immeasurably thanks to CI. I now feel much more confident and while I do branch out to other authors for more sophisticated recipes, I still turn to CI for reference and grounding. ← I subscribe to their website and I checked their bolognese sauces for bread, too. It's not to be found. Wonder bread was considered a "do not bother" product after their tasting of white sandwich bread. Also, *I* have a loaf of Wonder bread in my cupboard at this. very. moment. My husband considers a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on squishy white bread with a glass of milk a childhood treat...so lets not assume who has what in their pantry based on what website they subscribe to.

Cottage cheese, blue cheese and ice cream aren't safe from my vacuuming maw. Perhaps I blow through them so easily because I don't keep them in the house? Self restraint is not one of my shining qualities.

I'll second the Kim Shook guess.

Those giant peppermills remind of 1970's haute cuisine. Mmm not so hot, methinks.

The Cook's Illustrated recipe for "The Best Oven-Fried Chicken" has been incredibly popular in my household. I use crushed garlic Melba toast instead of plain and it's just wonderful!

Baking, such as yeasted breads, cakes etc. To me it's the most technical and demanding of a cooks skills.

There are some great pictures of nettles at their various stages of growth here. Aside from their stinging hairs there isn't a definitive feature of nettles (such as squared stems on mint plants and their relatives) that tell you "Ah ha! This is, without a doubt, a nettle." Just look at those pictures and your plants very closely. With your gloves on.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has one of the best recipes for nettles that I've ever had. Risotto of nettles and wild herbs.

I loved ice cream as a child and love it even more now. As a kid I had no concerns with cholesterol, weight or acne and ate it with sticky-faced abandon. And now? Well, I consider it a national treasure and relish every cold, creamy spoonful.

I'm glad that he's okay. In this day and age of rude, spittle spewing, swearing celebrity chefs he's always seemed friendly, ready and willing to laugh at himself and focus on his love of food...coddling an egg instead of an overinflated ego, if you will.

You're right, it's not just the booze. It's a stunning lack of manners justified with a sense of entitlement. Really distasteful.

Actually, I don't think that this is strange or neurotic. Neither my husband or myself will eat potluck food primarily because we see who does and doesn't wash their hands after using the bathroom. Many don't. That is enough for both of us to politely decline the offerings.

Jerky and fruit. They sort of balance out each others extreme qualities...at least that's what I'm going with. I'll have a plate of watermelon and mango chunks with a half dozen strawberries and a slab of peppered or teriyaki beef jerky on the side. I'll do this a couple times during the day, changing the variety of sweet, juicy fruit. Thank heavens for frozen peaches and blueberries! Then, right before bed a few squares of Black and Green's 85% dark chocolate. Mighty interesting dreams.

A few folks mentioned how they felt about being touched by a server on the following thread...Irritating Server Habits

Agreed. Consider the salty batch as a base. Cook up a pot of peas and keep adding the salty soup until it tastes right. Hope your friend loves pea soup and has lots of peas!

That paneer dish seriously sounds like it's right up my alley. Creamy, spice-laden and mysterious. Plus, I love all things curd. Thanks for the link. Knowing that you love Ernie so much your parting shot of the fork buried in the neck of a peep is too funny!

I don't think that I've ever been disappointed in any tea selection. If all that is offered is some generic brand of astringent black tea I actually consider it a bit of a childhood treat. My mother would add cream and sugar to black tea and call it "Boston Style." As a little girl I always thought that had something to do with the clouds of cream unfolding in the cup. Edited to add that while I don't bring my own tea bags I certainly don't see anything wrong with doing so as long as one pays whatever is normally charged for tea. That's simply polite.

Something about that glossy, gorgeous meat reminds me of China, perhaps?