andiesenji

← How timely! I just ordered her new book - I have had the Grilled Cheese book for some time and like the way she writes and expect to find some interesting combinations of cheeses and pastas. However for the plain dish for myself, I will probably to stick to my old "instant" method, humble as it is.

Cultured butter is developed with a lactic acid culture mixed with the cream which is then allowed to stand overnight or about 12 hours or longer, at room temperature, for the culture to develop. You cannot use ultrapasteurized or ultrahomogenized cream - Manufacturers cream is pasteurized but not homogenized. This site has an excellent and easy method explained and illustrated. Usually in the washing phase, butter paddles are used, however you can use your hands but do wear gloves. Otherwise, use a broad wooden spoon, I use the bamboo rice paddles like this.

This is not a cheap solution, but if you have a problem with any kind of odors, cooking, fire, etc., this air purification unit is the best for the job. I used one when we had the brush fires and my house smelled like the inside of a barbecue. One of my friends whose home was flooded in the rains last year, used one and it killed the horrible mildew odor.

I always test the oil with a cube of bread. It should brown and crisp in 30-40 seconds.

I love cookbooks and have collected a huge number. I have to be seriously annoyed to chuck one in the trash, however it has happened. A few months ago I was thumbing through a cookbook that I had received as a gift but had never examined it in detail. It was filled with wonderful photos of dishes - NOT one dish pictured was identified anywhere in the book and the recipes on the near pages had no relation to the photos whatsoever. Some were covered pies, with no indication what was under the crust. Some were vegetables or had identifiable vegetables in them and some were poultry or meat that could be identified but I don't want to hunt through 200-plus recipes to figure out which one is the one shown in the photo. I stood on the deck and sailed it into a trash container. Another book I discarded had some glaring errors in the recipes themselves. I recall in particular that a recipe for a potato dish listed all the ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE POTATOES. Another recipe had a long list of ingredients and some were duplicated, in particular, salt was listed three times, parsley was listed three times and oil was listed twice. Needless to day, I did not waste much more time on this one but dumped it immediately. Obviously that publisher (a major house) needed a better proofreader.

I grew up in a family that was well off financially but would probably have been considered frugal because nothing useful was ever wasted. Sheets that had become thin in the center (where most of the wear occurs) were cut up and hemmed for dish towels or cut into strips which were braided together, then sewn into circles or ovals to protect the table from hot dishes. A big kitchen serving a very large family uses a lot of dish towels but I don't recall anyone in the family ever buying them as a specific item. There were fancy ones received as gifts and sometimes bought at church fund raising events - home made ones that had designs that had been stenciled onto the fabric or with embroidery, cross stitch or similar decoration. These were usually reserved for tea towels, to place on trays, etc. We did get flour in 50 pound sacks and those were always saved and washed, but usually kept intact as sacks for the cornmeal that was ground at the mill on the farm.

I don't know if any of you soCal folks are familiar with the Bicycle Shop Café on Wilshire. I haven't been there for a few years but always considered it a fun place with an interesting menu, including some of the best crab cakes outside of Louisiana. I took some friends, who were visiting from Australia, to the place quite a few years ago - long before the advent of digital cameras - and hauled out my old Nikon and explained to our server that my friends were from Oz and wanted to document all the places they visited on their trip and the foods they tried. He said there would be no problem, as long as I didn't take photos of the other patrons (a fair number of easily identifiable entertainment people frequented the place and wanted their privacy.) I said all we wanted was photos of the food and my friends. The manager came to the table a short time later with a couple of plates, one dark, one light, and asked on which one would be better to plate the food so my photos would come out best. I felt that was extremely thoughtful and showed they thought of the customer first. It was daytime, we were seated next to a window and I didn't require a flash and got beautiful pictures. I also got photos of many of the antique bicycles that hang from the ceiling and was invited by other patrons to take photos of dishes served at nearby tables after they learned that my friends were visitors from Oz. I also got photos of my friends with several of the staff and one of the staff took a photo of my friends and me. It was a delightful experience and I have recommended the place many times because I do feel that it is a fun place, their food is priced at very reasonable rates and the service has always been excellent. They will also prepare many of their menu items for takeout and I have taken advantage of this a few times over the years, usually when attending an event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and meeting out of town friends. I have never been disappointed. I don't understand why a chef would not want photos of their specialties in circulation. In my opinion, if the plating is attractive and the patron reports the food is good, that would seem to be as good as paid advertising, better, because it is unsolicited. I know that I have seen photos here on eG that have certainly made me want to visit the places where the particular food was served. Perhaps it is paranoia of some kind. I wonder if they never have Japanese tourists in the restaurant, because they take photos of everything!

You could also make a very nice bread pudding.

You could always make this which has been published all over the internet - RecipeLand, RecipeSource, several baking sites as well as in Diane Mott Davidson's book "Killer Pancake" It is very good. What to do with all the Egg Yolks Bread 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup warm water 3/4 cup skim milk 1/4 cup melted butter 1/2 cup canola oil 1 tablespoon chopped orange zest 1 teaspoon salt 4 egg yolks lightly beaten 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (to 4 cups) 3/4 cup sun-dried cranberries 1 cup chopped pecans Butter a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the milk, butter, oil, zest and remainder of the sugar, and the salt and stir into the yeast mixture. Add the egg yolks, stirring well. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition to incorporate the flour thoroughly. Knead 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and satiny. Knead in the cranberries and pecans. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and let rise at room temperature until it is doubled in bulk. Using a wooden spoon, beat down the risen dough for about a minute. Place the dough into the buttered tube pan and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes until dark golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Place on a rack to cool or serve warm. Once cooled the bread is also excellent sliced and toasted. Makes 1 large loaf. I should add that this is one of the bread recipes I use for making "Monkey-Bread" - After the first rise, I knead it down, form it into a long "rope" about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, cut it into pieces with a bench knife then dip each piece in melted butter, roll it in cinnamon and sugar (or for me, cinnamon and Splenda) then pack it into a tube pan, let rise and bake. I do it with or without the fruit and nuts.

I sometimes buy them at Smart & Final because they have the large ones, - I just measured one and it is 32 x 34 inches. Occasionally I buy the medium weight unbleached muslin, wash it, because it shrinks a lot, then cut it to the size I want. My sewing machine has a narrow hem attachemnt that makes a flat, double-stitched 1/4 inch hem and it takes little time to finish the cut edges. If I get the 40 inch width I only need to hem them on two sides - it shrinks to about 36 inches wide. Many years ago I used to buy the Curity brand diapers, which were about the same type of fabric, extremely absorbent. Woolworth's and Penney's used to carry them but I haven't seen them for years.

I suppose that if they have a notice "posted in a prominent area visible to the public" banning photography in their establishment, then they are probably within their rights. However, if they do not have such a notice posted, or they have at any time allowed TV cameras or any person other than an employee to take photos in their establishment and the photos were published in a newspaper or magazine, (or on line) then it would be my opinion that they do not have a leg on which to stand, in spite of the reputation of the attorney. However one does have to get a release if a person's face is in the photograph and that photo is published. I have often taken photos in restaurants - in fact at one place that offered a wonderful brunch, the chef at the service line had two bus boys come over and lift the covers of the chafers so I could more easily take photos, then two more chefs came out of the kitchen and posed so I could get them in the picture also. They were obviously very proud of their presentation and were happy to have me taking pictures. They even moved an ice sculpture so I could get a better angle on it. Some of the other patrons also pointed out some of the things I had missed.

2005 has been a wonderful year for learning about new methods of preparing foods, finding new sources for exotic (or mundane) foods or ingredients or spices and how to use them. My belief has been reinforced that a passion for food and cooking crosses all national, cultural and ethnic boundaries, promoting friendships between people that otherwise might never have met. No wonder that the breaking and sharing of bread and salt has been a sign of peace between strangers since prehistoric times. Thanks to eGullet, I have many new and interesting friends who have taught me so much. Thank you!

You will find a good selection of recipes at the Cat-Tea Corner, as well as an extensive list of links to tea shops, tea vendors, tea information and other interesting information. Cat-Tea Corner Afternoon teas are a more formal affair. You are not alone in thinking that "High Tea" would be a fancy tea. There are tea rooms here in the US that have the same mistaken idea. The term supposedly takes its name from being served at a "high" table, usually the kitchen table, sometimes a dining room table, rather than the lower and smaller parlor or drawing room tables and people would sit at the table as they would for any other meal. When I was a child tea was served at 4:00 in the afternoon and included an assortment of small "finger" sandwiches, tea cakes, scones, biscuits (cookies) and an assortment of jams, jellies, etc. Dinner was later in the evening and this was to fill the gap between lunch and dinner. This site has some excellent Afternoon Tea REcipes

You can pre-bake any pie crust for a very short time, perhaps 10 minutes (less than you would a blind-baked crust) to avoid soggy bottom crust. Or you can paint the crust, after it is in the pie plate, with melted apricot jam or some kind of marmalade, allow it to cool and set up, then add the fruit to the pie shell then the top and bake. This will keep fruit juices from soaking into the bottom. If you start the pie at a higher temperature for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temp and finish baking at the usual temp, the bottom crust should bake faster and brown nicely. If baking in a glass or ceramic pie plate, increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees. This also increases your chances of having a nicely done bottom crust. Incidentally, Trader Joe's now has a prepared pie crust in the dairy section that is excellent.

I use a tiny bit of Dawn power dissolver, scrubbed with a wet nail brush then immediately wiped with a wet towel and then rubbed with a cut lemon or a few drops of lemon juice. That even took the stuff out of the butcher block next to the sink. Whenever I have to use the stuff now, I work on the top of the washer or dryer because I always manage to spill a little.

Some new soups at soupsong.com Rain here yesterday and more coming today and tonight. It is cold and a heavy gray overcast. An excellent day for making soup. Now I just have to decide which one. When so many varieties are available, it is sometimes difficult to choose. My housekeeper suggested I try a Hungarian cabbage soup that is made with smoked pork butt and I just happen to have one in the freezer and I have plenty of cabbage, both white and red. It is actually a sweet and sour cabbage - she says her mother also makes dumplings to cook in the broth and bakes a hearty brown bread to serve with it. (I think I will skip the dumplings this time, as both bread and dumplings seems like a bit of overkill carbwise.) More later on the results.

I missed that. But for those of us who are old enough - there was that hilarious scene with the huge gelatin mold in I Love You Alice B Toklas. Peter Sellers at his best. I can highly recommend Cold Comfort Farm. Even people who say they don't care for English comedies, end up chuckling then laughing out loud in spite of themselves.

I will second the vote for Anson Mills grits, however these are NOT quick cooking grits. They require time - a crockpot is a good choice for this.

Has anyone seen the movie (on DVD) Cold Comfort Farm? In the wedding feast scene there were probably 10 or 12 molded gelatin offerings of various colors. Set, I believe, in Sussex.

I just remembered another early Christmas gift, delivered in mid-December - a basket containing several kitchen and bath items made with lavender. This from someone who has been to my house many times - must know that I have a huge herb garden with -- no, wait for the intro --- lots of lavender, several types. And should know that I never use scented candles, do not use scented body scrubs, do not use scented lotions because they all contain things to which I am allergic. Lavender the plant is not a problem but the chemicals in lotions and soaps certainly are. The bath "tea" bags were particularly interesting as all of my friends know that I have arthritis and the reason I have a rather "fancy" space-age shower with multiple shower heads and even warm air dryer nozzles, is because a tub bath is extremely difficult. Fortunately my housekeeper likes the stuff......and likes to soak in a tub!

I'm sorry, Karen, I can't say I'd want it on my counter, but it's kinda KEWT! ← also how can you resist a toaster that has this extra special feature: ← I received a toaster a few years back (because I know you collect toasters, Andie) with a bright yellow smiley face on each side - I mean the whole of each side was a bright yellow smiley face. It too had two slots, not wide enough for half a bagel and not even long enough for a standard slice of bread - the only breads that would fit in it were the small "compact" loaves marketed by Orowheat, etc. My collection may be somewhat ecletic but not that weird. I couldn't stand smiley faces when they first became popular and still can't. That toaster didn't help! Talk about something with which to scare little children............

I just had a thought, after looking at the photo again. Turn them upside-down and stick candles in the hollow bases of the stems.

I am fixing Hoppin' John on New Years Day! Always do, even when it is just me. We always had it when I was a child (for some reason I often got the lucky dime!) and it wouldn't seem right without it.

Pack them away in storage and in a few years offer them on ebay. Some of the most gawdawful stuff ever produced in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, sells for unimaginable amounts. like these! that are called "depression" glass but were made in the 50s and depression glass was made in the 30s.

Another cookbook arrived today, gift delayed by zip code error: Spices of Life by Nina Simonds.