schmoopie

I love this topic! my husband has been teasing me about the number of cookbooks I have for years. It should be noted that he doesn't complain about the number of meals I make from them or use them to inspire me, of course. It was wonderful to be able to report that I have a fraction of what most everyone else has!! 121 on the kitchen shelves - 45 in the closet and about a dozen loaned to various friends = 178

My mother is from Nova Scotia and as I child I spent every summer and many a holiday there. I ate fish and chips for as many meals as the family would let me get away with during each visit. I have had a hard time recreating what should be a simple "fish fry" at home. I've tried several recipes, several types of fish and a few different oils, all with "close, but not quite" results. Is there someone out there who can save me and help me recreate my childhood favorite?? And, while I'm at it, does anyone know of a good restaurant, street vendor, hole in the wall, etc. in Manhattan that serves really good fish and chips?? Thanks bunches!!

Thanks so much for all the info. I feel pretty silly not mentioning where I live!! I think I'll leave the rosemary and sage outside this year and see how they do. Maybe I'll try drying some. I'll pot the marjoram and thyme and moving them indoors. I just hope they don't die of shock. I guess trial and error is the best way to go. Thanks again!

I planted basil, sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram outside this spring. I know the basil won't last through the winter so I've picked it all and have a freezer full of pesto. However, since I've never "gardened" before (obviously), I'm wondering whether any of the other herbs can withstand the cold and if not, what should I do with them? Any help would be appreciated.

Adam, Technically, (I think) scampi is italian for a small lobster like crustasean (sp). In the US, we cook shrimp "in the scampi style" meaning, butter, garlic, oil and herbs. This is according to Lidia of Felida's as well as other italian cooks I know. Many people refer to it as "shrimp scampi". So I guess the answer to your question is the former rather than the latter description. I myself have never heard that scampi means spicy in the US, but then again, my experience pales in comparison to the rest of the members.

Last night my husband and I couldn't decide between scampi and scallopini w/lemon & caper sauce. So, I cooked both! I added tarragon to my usual scampi recipe and mixed the butter w/sauteed garlic and seasonings (read this somewhere or another) and found it made a huge difference over just butter, oil and raw garlic. I'll be making it this way from now on. There were green olives, capers and carmalized lemon slices, along with the usual garlic, shallot, oil combo with the scallopini (I used chicken instead of veal). I separated the two items on the plate with sauteed yellow and red swiss chard. My husband was a very happy man.

Yummmmmmm, Morel's are beautiful!!!

I've so missed your "essays" (since I read and re-read your whole site some time ago). I'm enjoying it all so much. Very, very envious, though. I have one question. Would you be willing to adopt me as "Fat-Sister" so I can go with you next time? I can find a cozy spot under the nightstand too and I don't need to be walked!! Laila

Let's all pretend I know how to spell sandwich.

My husband likes cold meatloaf sandwhiches. As a matter of fact, he has me make them just for sandwhiches.

Ellen, I have tried every way known to man to soften brown sugar, including the apple, wet paper towel/microwave thing. Nothing has every worked. So, I now store my brown sugar in a sealed Foodsaver bag or canister. I can't tell you how much aggravation that machine has saved me, not to mention money saved on food that would have otherwise spoiled had I stored it any other way.

I'm afraid that after posting this I'll no longer even be allowed in to read what you guys talk about!!! Broccoli casserole made with cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, garlic and mayo. But you must understand, I only make it when my step-daughter asks for it.

While making a large batch of chicken stock this weekend, I was flipping through the boob tube and came across one of those infomercials hawking a new pressure cooker set. They talked about how quickly you could make stock in a pressure cooker. That made me remember that guy on the Food Network, Alton Brown, doing a similar show on stocks cooked in a pressure cooker. Has anyone tried this, and does it actually make a quality stock in less than half the time?

My mom and I have always made a sausage and chestnut stuffing inside the bird. Last year, I convinced my in-laws to allow me to bring the stuffing for their Thanksgiving dinner. (You have no idea how happy my husband and I were that they agreed - my in-laws serve frozen vegetables and stove top - ugh!!) This meant I had to make the stuffing outside the bird for the first time. I have to admit, it was a lot better than what we've been used to from inside the bird. It had the same awesome flavor, but had a nicer texture, a fresher taste and not at all soggy. My mother, however, won't hear of it. Lucky for me, I have to do it the same way for her this Thanksgiving because we have guests who do not eat pork so the stuffing can't be cooked inside the bird. She's using another type of sausage for the inside-the-bird stuffing she insists on (see my gourmet sausage quest).

What happened to Apple Jacks and Captain Crunch? They were my two absolute favorites which my mother tried to supplement with Cheerios (yuck) to make herself feel better. As an adult I tried to satisfy my inner child with Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, but it didn't quite cut it. I should mention that this information is confidential as I will only buy my stepdaugher Kix and it could blow up in my face ;)