andiesenji

As I recall, it was stretched out into a long, thin rectangle, sprinkled with the toasted onions and grated cheese - I think I used romano because it is sharper that parm - today I would probably use Asiago but I don't recall it was easily available then. Roll it up, seal the edge and ends and let it rise and do the diagonal slashes and spritz it just before going into the oven.

Pickled asparagus, depending on how it is done, is much tastier than the plain canned stuff. And there is one of the organic frozen companies that offers extra-long asparagus spears that are lovely. I have ordered some fantastic pickled long green beans and asparagus from a place in Orange County, along with some other specialty items that are unusual or difficult to find. Right now the name escapes me. They have some incredible condiments and the honey and jams and jellies are exceptional. I always spend too much there but I always get free shipping! I'll close for now and go look for the name, just in case. Found it! I had to do a Google search for "source for La Dunkerquoise waffle cookies" Which was in the front of the cupboard where I keep goodies. The name is My Panier. I "discovered" them when a friend who lives in Orange County recommended I try their slow cooker spice blends. Naturally once there I "found" a few other things that sounded interesting.

Freeze dried sugar snap peas. The frozen sugar snap peas are lovely too. I use them a lot and they are crunchy and bright green.

I made them often when I was catering. I didn't assemble them "free form" I used a fish poacher that I think I had used twice years before and it was just hanging there doing nothing. It was IDEAL for making those composed pressed constructions, I lined it with commercial plastic wrap with long "wings" to wrap after it was composed and it was one that had a perforated plate in the bottom, besides the rack, so I used that as a press, after wrapping it and weighted it with three bricks. Having the sides straight made it much easier to trim and then slice, compared to my unfortunate efforts before i found that using a "mold" was preferable.

Yes. That's the one. I think I have a couple of editions of that book and another one about vegetables. As I recall, there was a cheesy onion bread that I baked a lot from that book.

There is no such thing as "too many bread books" - I think at last count I have about 40 or maybe it was 50. I still have the "formulary" they gave us when I attended Dunwoodie in 1956 and the Cornell Bread Book (1960), A World of Bread (1960s) can't recall the author. I think I frightened my husband with all the baking I did. He was used to Wonder bread, which I would not buy. I finally converted him to real bread and then his mother and dad. I baked 6 loaves twice a week, three for use, three for them. My MIL couldn't understand how I could "do all that work" just to make bread.

An ice pick works. I used to use them before I got the wicked sharp and long chef fork (Lamson Earth forged 12 inch). Expensive but it has more than paid for itself.

I have a couple of the very long, very sturdy chef's forks, which are extremely sharp, I stab deep into the squash in several places and roast it in the oven for about 45 minutes. It should have softened enough by then to cut with a big knife. Or you can use a clean hand saw. I have one just for use in the kitchen. They aren't very expensive and much safer than using an axe. One of the men at the produce market will split them in half with a machete - after I purchase one. Hubbard squashes are available here in all sizes from Acorn squash size to basketball size. And there are Red Hubbards as well as the Blue Hubbards, which are the old variety. I have used them both and I have never found any difference in the flavor or texture of the flesh. Hubbards were favorites with people in earlier times because they kept better and longer than other winter squashes if kept away from damp and heat. And one squash could easily feed a family with several children. And the squash is very nutritious. In flavor, Hubbards are similar to banana squash, turban squash or butternut and most eating pumpkins. It has very dense flesh, not very watery, which is why it is the longest keeper. It is great for pies, both sweet and savory and when combined with bacon in a savory pie, is unbeatable. I use thyme, marjoram and a hint of sage, sprinkled on chopped onions in butter, just barely colored, mixed with the cooked pumpkin and crumbled bacon, you can leave it in bite-sized chunks or mash it a bit but leave some texture. Turn it into a lightly-baked pie shell from the store - 10 minutes in a 325 oven - bake it for no more than 20-25 minutes and serve hot. I generally serve buttered noodles or pasta with just oil and garlic with it. I don't have a "recipe" per se, I just wing it and it always turns out fine.

I forgot to add that when we had the Halloween block parties, this was a soup served in mugs. We used a ladle and CANNING FUNNELS which made filling the mugs much neater with fewer spills. I was congratulated for the idea by several moms, who often served soups to their families in mugs. And by the owner of a daycare center who said she had a canning funnel but never thought to use it for anything except canning. When I was catering, I used them all the time to fill bowls neatly with everything from soup to nuts - especially with dry things that bounce. P.S. Hubbard is especially good for soups. Roasting it first so it caramelizes a bit, produces a much richer flavor. I used to grow some monsters - I had a band saw to cut them, sometimes cutting across so I had large "wheels" that I grilled on the barbecue instead of in the oven.

This recipe is also on my blog. I served it often when I was catering - I have reduced the recipe to a reasonable size. I have also prepared it when we used to have block parties - and made 5 gallons on my portable cookers after the '94 earthquake when we had no gas and no power. I had 4 big propane containers and I fed the neighborhood with chili, stew, this soup and potato soup. Provence Style Pumpkin Soup An original recipe by Andie, 11/5/97 Two medium-sized pumpkins required. One to cook for the soup, one to hold the soup. Or you can use any winter squash, Hubbard, Butternut, Turban, etc. ‡‡‡‡‡ ( The “bowl” pumpkin does not have to be a pie or sugar pumpkin.) Flesh from a medium large sugar or “soup” pumpkin, 3-4 cups, approximately. (PRE-COOKED) 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence seasoning 1/3 cup shallots, cut into small dice or 1/2 cup onion 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 cup apple jelly 1 quart chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half if you want less fat) You can also use sour cream. Preheat your pan and melt the butter. Add the shallots and ginger and sauté over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add the herbs de Provence and the nutmeg, continue cooking for another minute or so, stirring constantly. Add the apple jelly and stir until it has melted and blended with the other ingredients. Pour in the chicken stock and increase the heat until it is simmering, Reduce the heat and add the pumpkin. Cook at a low simmer for about 20 minutes. Either use an immersion blender to puree the contents or remove a cup or two at a time and blend in a blender until it is smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot, bring to a simmer and whisk in the cream. While the soup is simmering, cut the top off the second pumpkin, remove the seeds and scrape the inside well. Pour two quarts of boiling salted water into the pumpkin, swirl it around and pour into sink, allow to drain upside down until ready to use. Place the pumpkin shell in a bowl to hold it steady, ladle in the soup and serve with croutons, toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds or finely chopped toasted nuts. ‡‡(A pumpkin in which to serve the soup is not necessary, it just makes a nice touch and is a good way to use an extra pumpkin, particularly the non-pie or sugar pumpkins sold at Halloween.) Variation: If you have onion confit (caramelized onions) on hand, you may substitute them for the shallots or onion in the recipe. Use 2/3s cup and add with the apple jelly, just before adding the chicken stock. This recipe does not have to be limited to pumpkin. Any winter squash, Hubbard, acorn, butternut, banana, turban or even some of the more exotic squashes, may be used. I have also made it with sweet potatoes, using the “white” variety. Croutons to go with the soup. Cinnamon spice Croutons Preheat oven to 400° F. 5 slices French or sourdough bread (hearty artisan bread) cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. 3 Tablespoons melted butter 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Place bread cubes in a bowl. Add the melted butter and toss to coat cubes evenly. Sprinkle spices and salt over the cubes and toss until evenly distributed. Spread evenly on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Prepare no more than a day ahead, crisp briefly in hot oven if not crisp when ready to serve.

My pumpkin pie recipe is not as sweet as most. I can't stand most because they are much too sweet. it is a pumpkin custard pie - uses 6 large eggs. My recipe actually fills a 10 inc pie dish. I note that if you use a 9-inch prepared pie shell, butter a small pyrex baker and bake the remaining batter in it. The pie with the big leaf was made with Hubbard squash. The one with the moons was made with canned pumpkin from Trader Joes.

My Oster French door countertop oven. It fits a 15-INCH PIZZA PAN, which I use a lot. I still have my 19 year old Cadco, which takes 1/2 size sheet pans, but a big round pizza pan or my 14 inch baking pans will not fit. The Oster has performed beautifully for me. I have baked some very TALL sponge cakes in tall tube pans with the "feet" and they had almost 2 inches of clearance. Can't do that in the Cadco. And my Ninja Coffee Bar 2nd generation.

I remember reading the rant when I first joined eG in early '04 and it occurred to me that I should duck below the line of sight because I am a raisin "appreciator" and I had been drying my own raisins for decades. At the time I think I had about six or seven seedless varieties drying in the Excalibur because at my office, we had a patient who worked for a grape grower near Delano and every time she came in for an appointment, she would bring a couple of crates of table grapes - samples of all the types they grew. After sharing them out with the others in the office, I hauled home the rest and dried them. The others were always fine about this as they knew that after a couple of weeks, baked goods containing raisins would appear. I like raisins in baked goods. Yes, oatmeal cookies without raisins are "meh" as far as I am concerned. Cinnamon raisin rolls - and RAISIN BREAD, which my grandpa's cook baked in the winter time when I was a child and fruit was not available as it is now. (WWII was still going on) Ditto raisin pie. Although her's was a raisin - nut pie, often made with hickory nuts and there was a hint of vinegar which gave it a bit of tang. And raisin-coconut candy. Raisins put through a food mill with dried coconut, formed into "ropes" then cut into segments and tossed in powdered sugar.

I posted a few months back about a fairly new product for thickening anything with or without heat. I showed a peach pie baked and a strawberry pie unbaked. I have used this product for puddings, cake filling with cream and toasted almonds, piped into pastry horns, flavored with fruit powders and for savory applications, mixed with heavy cream flavored with herbs and horseradish to "ice" a pork roast. I thickened brewed tea (lapsang souchong) with it to make a sauce for grilled pork chops.

My ex neighbors gave me half of a banana squash, split down the middle. So I have a 3 ft long, 10 inch wide chunk of squash that can double for pumpkin. When they lived next door we used to raise different types of squash and trade our extras. I can no longer garden but they have a mini "ranch" and grow a lot. Their half is going to be turned into calabaza en tacha - Celia's method produces chunks of candied squash with a faint citrus flavor and cinnamon. She uses the Mexican piloncillo that is nearly black, breaking it up in a granite molcajete - not the porous kind - until it is granular and she "toasts" it before making the syrup for the candying so it has a hint of "burnt sugar" which I love. I have tasted candied pumpkin or squash many times and never tasted any quite like she makes. I cut off a chunk and microwaved it and this squash is quite sweet. I am cutting the rest into pieces and will pressure cook them and process into puree. It should

And it makes great sandwich rolls. I use it for both the round oversized rolls for Muffuletta sandwiches (smashing them flat just before putting the pan into the oven), and for the long - "torpedo" rolls with pointed ends and making a linear cut down the side just prior to the oven. And I spritz the tops with water.

I did not state that the knife was "targeted for a place with no grapes." Similar knives are made and sold in the U.S. (mine is a 40-year-old DEXTER), France, Italy, etc. I happened to mention the PBS slow food series that had a much longer segment on the famous Turpan grape festival in Xinjiang where "hundreds of grape varieties are grown and there are several grape-tasting events during July and August, the peak season.." Other provinces were mentioned that conduct festivals associated with food and with the harvest. As I recall they mentioned a "Hungry Ghost Festival" and others. Certainly there has been huge promotion of Chinese wines and grape production for wine at the world wine tastings. And one article stated "At the same time, there are new wineries in Hunan Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Jiangxi Province making wines with the wild Vitis davidii and Vitis quinquangularis. And this is not from a "propaganda" source but from Decanter, published in the UK. I don't believe my information is "bunk." I think this one is from China. And this is one used by a friend that bought it in France. They vary in blade length and curvature, some are more hooked, but they are called grape knives in many catalogs or pruning knives. And according to my friend, who grows grapes, they are preferred for grafting vines onto rootstock.

It's the frame of a spoon holder without the pan. I have one exactly like it. Mine came with a wall grid system with several cooking tools and this could hang from a hook or sit on the counter. It was not practical for heavy ladles or long spoons. Wooden spoons were fine. I've got this one also.

This is the California law. Open season all year. And it is allowed in National forests, some state parks, etc. Many are hunted on private land, farms, vineyards, cattle and sheep ranches to minimize crop damage and injury to domestic animals. "Tag return for successful pig hunters is mandatory and provides the data comprising this report. In the 2015 – 2016 hunting season, tag sales decreased 8.3percent from the 58,288 tags sold in 2014. Furthermore, 3,927 wild pigs were reported taken, representing a 2.2 percent increase in the number of successful tags returned from the 2014 season of 3,844. A total of 53,430 wild pig tags were issued making overall successful tag return 7.3 percent. The top six counties for pig harvest were: Monterey (21.7%), San Luis Obispo (12.3%), Kern (11.8%), Mendocino (8.7%), Sonoma (7.5%) and Tehama (7.5%). These six counties accounted for more than 69 percent of reported take. Of the reported take, 52.9 percent (2,079) indicated a male was taken, 45.6 percent (1,792) indicated a female was taken, and (1.4 percent (56) left the gender portion of the tag blank). Dogs were reported being used on 4.1 percent (160) of returned tags. Finally, 86.4 percent (3,394) of all returned tags indicated that they hunted wild pigs on private land."

Grape knife. Use for harvesting grapes. I have one I used to use when I had currant bushes, perfect for cutting the bunches off at the stem. A similar knife is used for cutting greens. I know they grow a lot of grapes in your area because there was a segment on PBS "slow food international" about the grape harvest in a tourist resort that has a grape tasting event. Found a reference to it.

Sir Spice (formerly Pepper Passion, from which I have been buying for years) is also sold out. You can inquire when the new crop will be in. The pepper is in short supply because of some unfortunate natural disasters on the island - the same that devastated the vanilla crop.

The boar meat I show above is from a huge boar killed in Mendocino County. They get into the vineyards near the national forest and do a lot of damage so some winery owners invite a few hunters to their places and in some cases even host them with free rooms - if you know the right people to contact. Usually the maximum size of the males is around 200 pounds with the occasional one getting a hundred pounds larger. However, there have been "sports" that get much larger - like this one which was too heavy for the feed store scale in Ukiah - which had a max weight of 500 pounds and this was after the guts were removed. The hunter was curious and about a year after the kill, he submitted part of the meat for DNA testing and learned that this one was a cross with a domestic pig - the "Large Black" which is a massive hog. There is a breeder of these hogs near Eureka, in Humboldt county, which is right next to Mendocino and in fact they had had a couple of hogs escape a few years earlier. There had been stories of much larger than normal wild hogs in the area for some time. I have also had javelina, the much smaller Mexican wild pigs. They are even more dangerous because they run in packs and will attack anything, even horses or cows. In the fall they feed on pine nuts - a preferred food - and the meat is rather sweet when they are killed in early winter. For years my next door neighbors would go back to the ranch they owned in Durango, Mexico and bring back javelina in 55 gallon drums filled with brine and have big barbecues where they would barbecue the whole pigs, for about 24 hours. Delicious.

Cranberry pecan scones baked late yesterday. Nothing like the heavy lumps of dough served in many commercial establishments. Split, toasted lightly and buttered this morning. Flaky and tender.

My helpful cousin emailed me this map showing the 2016 feral hog "catch" in Missouri. He lives in the light green patch at the bottom, right next to the black patch. He is in the process of putting up new fencing to protect his livestock, horribly expensive but necessary.

The wild boar that are hunted in California have lovely meat. I have had it many times. Back in 2004 I made carnitas from wild boar and took it to an eG potluck. It was well received. This is a full-size sheet pan with some of the meat from the boar that I butchered and portioned for the hunter whose wife was not interested in learning how to fix it. I prepped the "saddle" for him for a barbecue, cut and wrapped the rest for the freezer and got a hindquarter and the neck for my work. This is the way pork is supposed to look, definitely not "the other white meat."