HungryChris

http://www.myspicesage.com/apple-cider-vinegar-powder-p-1300.html?gclid=CPeRnZD3-rkCFeoWMgod3hUA1w HC

One of my absolute favorite subjects, which started out as a financial challenge and turned into a passion. It is kind of like a hobby now. Today, I have homemade white bread and tomatoes from my garden. I like to make sandwiches a la minute at may desk. I have many favorites and even some routines. For example, I will truss and roast a chicken on Sundays for a chicken dinner and then chicken sandwiches maybe one or two days at work and then into the pot for soup (made a pot of red last night, some tomatoes, beans, a little pasta and even the last of the kimchi in the fridge). The night before I will portion out a serving into a small pot and keep it in the fridge and put it on the stove to heat while I shower and put in a thermos to bring to work. Sometimes I put some frozen dumplings or a few slices of roast pork, some dried tree ear mushrooms, some sliced bok choy and some beef base paste along with a nest of dried oriental noodles and chopped green onions into a quart container. The take-out soup containers work great. At lunch I will fill it with hot water available for tea drinkers and let it steep a bit for a ramen like experience. As the economy suffered my company cut back on just about everything (raises included) and the once thriving cafeteria slowly went down hill, until finally the contractor refused to return. Now we have "The Market Place" a group of vending machines and microwaves that some people treat with a business as usual attitude. To some, the idea of packing a lunch is just not in the cards. I find that strange, indeed. HC

Kono's Surf Club Cafe on Pacific Beach, San Diego can't be beat for breakfast. HC

I also like the TJ's brand, but it too goes mild in just a few weeks. I like use it in a cocktail sauce that has a kick and it seems most stores do not move the stuff fast enough to keep it hot. HC

I bet it was grappa.

I can't get past the cornflower nails on the left hand.

I don't do that kind of volume, but use a funnel and ladle for putting soup from a pot into a thermos. I got so tired of cleanup I now put the thermos in the sink with the wide mouth funnel in place and move the pot next to it. Same kind of thing. HC

My take on the soup, which was a favorite as a child, was it was all about the broth, as the name suggests. It was rich and hearty and punctuated with barley, carrots and, I think, potatoes. I have made a similar broth when cooking ox tails, and also beef cheeks for some other purpose. I remember being reminded of the similarity in the richness to Scotch Broth, although the soup was made with lamb. I am thinking that if you were to make a beef barley like soup, only using braised lamb shanks as a base, you would be well on your way. HC

I was able to grow shishito peppers in abundance this year. We took a three week excursion to Italy which meant that some of the fruits were allowed to get pretty big over that time, Many were too thick skinned and carboard seeded for the traditional prep. I found that if I removed the seeds and cut them up they fry up into nice additions to salads. The bottom line is that they are way easy to grow and growing them offers a huge savings over the $10 a pound premium charged while they gain popularity. I encourage anybody with a bit of garden space to go for it. HC

Chris, Thanks for all your work on EG. I have oft marveled at how well you managed to keep so many plates in the air as well as you did. Deb and I have made many a day trip into the Ocean State based on your informative insight and I have ventured deeper into the depths of charcuterie braced by the encouragement of your posts. Many thanks and Godspeed in all of your endeavors. I hope you will continue to keep us all entertained with your observations and conversation. HC

I have been pickling beef tongue for several years and have tried various methods, but never sous vide. So I can't be of any help there. What I do usually is pack it in the fridge submerged in Morton Tender Quick solution that I have also injected pretty well into the interior. I let this stay undesturbed for as long as 2 weeks. Then I soak it in a few changes of water, then gently simmer for a few hours with peppercorns, bay leaves and a little vinegar. The skin peels off easily after a few hours and would be unpleasant left on. The last time, I cured it, then par boiled it and smoked it. The end product was quite good, but the skin had to be tediously removed with a fillet knife after the par boil so I think I will just go back to the gentle simmer from now on. The first several I did had a center where the core had not properly cured and were the color of pot roast, but tasted fine. HC

I am a habitual lunch packer. At first it was for the economics of it, but has evolved into something I enjoy. My first experiences with cooking were large in scale (there were seven of us kids) so I quickly got comfortable with large batches. I still prepare them and portion them out. I have become a container freak or sorts. Here are a few of my regulars: Rotisserie chicken (usually Sunday night) one of the finest meals when fresh off the grill followed by chicken breast, chicken salad sandwiches and soup for lunches. Fresh kielbasa, when I can find it, baked with rinsed sauerkraut, sliced apples and onions. (I got this from a Lufthansa meal that I loved). Stuffed peppers Stuffed cabbage (freeze very well) Pasta and sauce (I prefer short product like ziti or rigatoni for lunches at work, less flicking of sauce onto my shirts) A quart container with a heaping Tbs of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base, some dried black fungus (Tree or Cloud Ears), sliced baby bok choy,a few slices of roast pork or frozen dumplings and two bunches of the dried noodles that come in clumps in a big bag at any Asian food market topped with a dash of Sriracha. At work I put tea water into it and mike it for a nice ramen-like soup. Salads of all kinds, but roasted beet, marinated mushrooms and sliced potatoes in oil and vinegar with onions and fresh herbs is a favorite that keeps for days. HC

I had some fresh fried shrimp on a visit to Savannah, GA that was a revelation. Until then, fried shrimp was a non starter for me.These were really the best shrimp I have ever had. In my quest to try and do it myself here at home I have not had much luck. The product that is advertised as Fresh Gulf Shrimp in the flyer also has a much smaller in the store that reads "contains sulfites". I have tried some from Whole Foods that looked beautiful, but dissapointed in flavor. I would also like to try salt and pepper shrimp with the head on, but no luck so far. HC

I just recently tried the frozen mushroom ravioli with mushroom truffle sauce. In addition to being quick and easy to prepare, it was quite good. I'll have to get more before it is discontinued. http://traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=225 HC

Glad to help, Katie. Shad and steamers, now that sounds like a grand meal indeed! HC

This is how I treat them: Rinse thoroughly until the rinse water is clean. Make up a batch of cold salt water. I use kosher salt and don't really have a set mix, but add salt until it tastes like seawater. You will need enough salt water to cover twice as many steamer as you have. Put the clams in and sprinkle about a tablespoon of fine cornmeal on the surface and put the whole thing in the fridge. I usually do it overnight. If you have done it right their little necks will be stretched out and they will be moving the water as they expel the sand they have in them within an hour or so. When it's time to cook them, put them in just enough fresh water to barely cover them and bring to a boil. Cook them only until they are all open. When you pour off or ladle out the broth to serve, remember there will probably be some sand or grit in the bottom of the cooking pot that you will want to leave behind. I usually serve about a pound and a half for a decent portion, with melted butter, of course. HC

I agree with Holly about Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook. They have delivered great fried clams on the most consistant basis of just about any place I have tried.

Granted, it's easily been 10 years, but I used to get rennet tablets at my small town local drug store. They seemed to be a standard commodity. HC

I would also add Bag Balm to the list. HC

Today I went to the Asian Market on Park in Cranston looking for my favorite Kim Chee Pride brand Kimchi which Panda Market in Norwich seems to have stopped stocking. I was looking for the large round jar and had to settle for two of the the quart sized. I also took a look around Freedom Seafood next door. It's kind of unwelcoming and has little on display, but did have live dungenous crabs in tanks which is worth noting. As I was making my way out of the area, I happened to see Phu Lam Market which I had never visited. The store was open, but looked as if it would not be for long. Most of the shelves were bare, refrigerated cases empty and the patrons seemed to be picking over leftovers looking for bargains. Any news? HC

I thought it was milder than I expected too, Shel_B. Next time I will put it out in the morning to ripen and see if I can get a little more tang. I also wonder how it would be baked in a pastry shell with some berry preserves or Prosciutto. HC

I recently tried the goat milk brie and liked it a lot. The size is perfect for one or two people or packed in a lunch. HC

I happen to think tongs are great and always have a clean set at the ready. Like any other tool in the kitchen, they are not suited for every application. If you are a butcher, you can manage to destroy things with other kitchen tools as well. I think that not allowing them in the kitchen sidesteps the real issue. HC

After watching them serve fried pig ear sandwiches at the Big Apple Inn on the Food Network or Travel Channel, I thought I would give it a try. I braised them for several hours. At that point the crunch was a little disturbing. I tried frying them and was not at all impressed. I took the remaining ones and sliced them into strips of finger food size and pickled them in a garlic and distilled vinegar brine for several days with a few hot peppers. The results were unusually good. I was also amazed at how jelly like the braising liquid was when chilled. The next time I do pickled pigs ears (and I definitely will) I will also do a batch of chicken liver pate and top with some of the braising liquid perhaps with a bit of decorative color. HC

I just created wish lists at Amazon and B&N hoping that if another deal comes along they will let me know. HC