ElfWorks

during my stint at whole foods, i saw things that customers did with the samples that would curl your hair (or staighten it if its already curly)! unless i happened to be standing right there the second a store employee put the samples out, you couldnt pay me to eat from the samples!! lordy, i am sitting here shuddering from the memories! lisa

this must be one of the signs of impending apocalypse. damn. i am getting scared! xo

yaknow, it isnt about the freebies, it's about the THOUGHT behind them..... lisa

damn. that was sweet. i love stuff like that. thank you for sharing. lisa

i am fine with that date also. lisa

so, if the topic has been discussed before elsewhere, should we not respond here? xo

at a wedding a couple of years ago at the grand floridian in disneyworld, one of the banquet waiters noticed i wasnt eating my salad (it was chockful of shellfish which i am very allergic to) when i explained this, he whisked it away and brought me back a plate full of the MOST DELICIOUS FRESH FRUITS. oh my. it was so good. and that waiter was a doll. he took care of me and my date all night. three yrs later i still remember his name (woody) and when we got back home, we both wrote management about how fab he was! and about 4 yrs ago, i was having dinner at a local restaurant for my bday. i made the reservations for the ten of us but didnt tell management it was my bday. i was late getting there and called them to ask them to please go ahead and seat the party without me. well, when i got there (about 45 mins late) the owner was sitting in the bar with my friends and they were on the third (or fourth) bottle of comped wine and heaven only knows how many appetizers! we were seated immediately, the owner picked up my meal and in the time from when i had called in late (at which point they learned it was my birthday from my friends) and the end of our meal, the owner had the pastry dude make me a birthday cake!! i could go on and on. why more bar and restaurant owners dont GET that kindness will make them more money than just about anything else, is beyond me..... lisa

and, btw, if any of you pastry chefs/restaurant owners become rich and famous off of this recipe, could you send me a few sheckles? xo

i know i am supposed to put this in recipegullet, but the ingredient wizard hates me, so here, for your enjoyment, THE BEST ITALIAN CREAM CAKE RECIPE IN THE WORLD (compliments of lisa's dear-departed grandmother) ITALIAN CREAM CAKE 1/2 C BUTTER (RT) 1/2 C SHORTENING 2 C SUGAR 5 EGGS, SEPARATED 2 C AP FLOUR 1 t BS 1 C BUTTERMILK 11/2 t VANILLA 3 1/2 OZ CAN GRATED COCONUT 1 C CHOPPED PECANS Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar, beating til smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and soda. Add alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and pecans. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 3 greased and flour 9-inch cake pans at 350* for 20 to 25 mins, or until done. Cool and frost with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 1/4 C BUTTER (RT) 8 OZ CREAM CHEESE (RT) 2 C SIFTED XXX SUGAR 1 t VANILLA 1/2 CHOPPED PECANS 1/2 C GRATED COCONUT Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, mixing well. Add vanilla. Spread between layers and on top of cake. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE 1/2 c BUTTER (RT) 1/2 c SHORTENING 2 c SUGAR 5 EGGS, SEPARATED 2 c AP FLOUR 1 tsp BS 1 c BUTTERMILK 5-1/2 tsp VANILLA 3-1/2 oz CAN GRATED COCONUT 1 c CHOPPED PECANS Cream Cheese Frosting 1/4 c BUTTER (RT) 8 oz CREAM CHEESE (RT) 2 c SIFTED XXX SUGAR 1 tsp VANILLA 1/2 CHOPPED PECANS 1/2 c GRATED COCONUT Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar, beating til smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and soda. Add alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and pecans. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 3 greased and flour 9-inch cake pans at 350* for 20 to 25 mins, or until done. Cool and frost with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. Frosting Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, mixing well. Add vanilla. Spread between layers and on top of cake. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut. Keywords: Dessert, Cake ( RG1053 )

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE 1/2 c BUTTER (RT) 1/2 c SHORTENING 2 c SUGAR 5 EGGS, SEPARATED 2 c AP FLOUR 1 tsp BS 1 c BUTTERMILK 5-1/2 tsp VANILLA 3-1/2 oz CAN GRATED COCONUT 1 c CHOPPED PECANS Cream Cheese Frosting 1/4 c BUTTER (RT) 8 oz CREAM CHEESE (RT) 2 c SIFTED XXX SUGAR 1 tsp VANILLA 1/2 CHOPPED PECANS 1/2 c GRATED COCONUT Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar, beating til smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and soda. Add alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and pecans. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 3 greased and flour 9-inch cake pans at 350* for 20 to 25 mins, or until done. Cool and frost with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. Frosting Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, mixing well. Add vanilla. Spread between layers and on top of cake. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut. Keywords: Dessert, Cake ( RG1053 )

ya know, im a little confused... if the folk fest is imminent, why isnt it raining?????? xo

forgot to add this: http://www.beckervineyards.com/ lisa

would it be easier to just get another girlfriend????? (or, pardon my previous assumption, another boyfriend?) seriously, go buy yourself a crockpot. soups and stews can be a breeze to make and are loooooow carb. do you have a weber or some other kind of grill thing? hibachi? learn to grill. it is easy and fun and will make the cliche bachelor-throwing-a-dinner-party more fun! what are your favorite foods? if you start there with the learning thing, you will find it easier to learn how to adjust seasonings and cooking techniques etc... as you already know how you want it to taste. lisa

HI, LDLEE! as a graduate of TIVY HIGHSCHOOL in kerrville, home of the fighting tivy antlers - not the whole deer- just the antlers, i feel particularly qualified to answer your questions. this will be the 2nd yr ever that i missed the folk fest. i do have 4 of the bestest of the best recs for you. 1. the tortilla factory. it is on jefferson behind the heb (across the street from my dentist, but that doesnt help you unless you break a tooth) HAVE THE CHALUPA COMPUESTA. i cannot stress the importance of this enough. you will be back here singing my praises for suggesting this. 2. hill country cafe. on main (i think) (ask around) the best diner-type food anywhere!! they make the best BLT in the WORLD!!! 3. hill top cafe. outside fred. http://www.hilltopcafe.com/default.htm AMAZING FOOD and a GREAT WINE LIST and GOOD MUSIC! 4. becker vineyards. also outside fred., but on the johnson city side. I AM ADDICTED TO THEIR VIOGNIER. and last time i checked, they had lavender growing at the vineyard for lavender honey..... have a good time and tell rod hi for me! lisa

shame shame shame. . . . . lisa

one should always have some chamomile on hand for tummy aches or insomnia. lisa edited to add: i realize that you arent actually looking to medicate your guests, but EVERYONE should have some chamomile around.

Dear Mr Brown, First of all, you are fab and your show is fab and your books are fab!!! I recently lost a beloved recipe for ITALIAN CREAM CAKE, and in the process of looking for another one that is similar, I have become obsessed with discovering the origins of this southern staple. I suspect it is about as italian as GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE is german, which is not at all. I have also discovered that I am thoroughly enjoying reading about food history. Can you recommend a good source (website, book, email address etc...) for food history and origins of recipes? Also, do you have a fave food writer? xo lisa

now THAT is funny !!!!!!! xo

michael chiarello has an unbelievable tasty corn chowder on his website. i am not sure what the rules are about posting op recipes, so i will just tell you that is where it is and that it is outrageously good! xo

i remember from my days as a whole foods market employee that we sold clotted cream. i do not remember the brand tho. i also remember having to fight the urge to sit and eat the whole thing with a spoon....... (edited to add an "m" in remember) lisa

this is the recipe i use. i got it off of the net three yrs ago and i love it. i cant remember the site they came from, but my notes say that it is an adaptation of a patricia wells recipe. FINANCIERS WITH CANDIED ORANGE 1 2/3 C xxx sugar 1/2 C unbleached AP flour 1 C almonds, toasted (at 450* for 5 mins) cooled and ground to fine 3/4 C egg whites 3/4 C unsalted butter melted and cooled 3 T candied orange rind 2 T candied ginger 1 T soft butter for molds preheat oven to 450* combine sugar, ground almonds and flour and then sift. stir in unbeaten egg whites til completely blended and then add the butter, orange and ginger. stir til well blended. butter molds and fill to rim. place on thick baking sheet and bake for 7 mins. reduce oven to 400* and bake another 7 mins. turn off oven and let financiers rest in oven another 7 mins. remove from oven and unmold when completely cooled. lisa

i would just like to say, from a newbie point-of-view, how much i appreciate and have enjoyed this thread. it has given me a view of threads i might not otherwise have dug up in my wanderings, not to mention a scary insight into some of yall! keep em coming as i am loving this!! xo

i know this post is kind of late in the game, but may i add that the best meatloaf recipe is, without a doubt, the one from cooks illustrated about 3 yrs ago. i tried every meatloaf recipe i came across in an attempt to duplicate my grandmothers and it wasnt til i got to this one, which was absolutely NOTHING LIKE GRANNY'S that i was satisfied. it is sooooo much better than hers. it is just tooooooo delicious. xo

wensleydale with cranberries.... toooooo delicious!! try it sometime!!! xo