MicBacchus

Just one more for me but a biggie - Vegetables: From Amaranth to Zucchini. I've been coveting this for awhile and thanks to some gift certs from students and and a 25% discount from Borders, this one is mine - just in time for the farmers' markets!!!

Wow! Quite a wonderful gift; where in the world did he find the whole set? ← It was a 'Buy It Now' on eBay. We watched a set go for about $230, and this was offered at $175 including several supplements. The only qualifier is that I need to make at least 1 recipe from each volume - what a chore

My dear husband just gifted me with the entire Time-Life Foods of the World series so that's what - 54? more. I will be waiting for the delivery guy every afternoon

Do NOT smack them!!! Treat them with the respect they deserve, even if they aren't the Bay's finest

Curried deviled eggs

Thanks for the rec, highchef, it's on my wish list already!

where are you from? ← Maryland - altho I lived for 2 yrs. in Baton Rouge and fell in love with Cajun/Creole cooking

I've followed the "Cookbooks - How Many Do You Own?" thread. Now I'd like to ask - which is the one you have that you'd rescue if you could only pick one? I've purchased several based on what many of you have purchased or written about, but I guess I'm ultimately looking for the creme de la creme - an ultimate collection.

"Anyplace, as long as my wife is at my side, and she made it" - quote from Mr. Micbacchus

Here is one of my favorite baste blends from Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian (Libyan and Egyptian origin): paprika cumin chili pepper melted butter salt all in proportion to your taste for chicken, best done on a charcoal grill

I agree with misscindy -eating steamed crabs is not just about eating and getting filled up - it's about sitting, being with friends and enjoying life. There is a difference, tho, between crabs steamed at crab house and those steamed outside with a wood fire (done by those who catch them themselves via a trotline - my ex used to catch/sell crabs to supplement a teacher's salary). You'll never know how much better woodfired-steamed crabs are until you've tried them. My deceased uncle (who remembered Balto bars that offered free crabs just to get people to buy the beer) said that our wood-steamed ones were SO much better. As for crabcakes, less is more. My mom was from KY but made the best-ever crabcakes - just some Old Bay, Worcestershire, mayo to bind and grated toast, then sauteed. I've eaten those at G&M (at Mom's insistance), but thought they were a bit bland. To a Marylander, crabs and crabcakes are a very personal issue.

Friday (busy weekend, a bit behind) - Slow-cooked salmon with herbs, mushrooms, and tomato fondue. So good - I wish I'd doubled the recipe!

These awesome pictures have piqued my interest in learning even more. Can anyone recommend their favorite Vietnamese cookbooks? Thanks.

I agree with simdelish - it's a great place and the staff is very helpful. If you come in looking for a specific wine, they also suggest others that are similar for comparison. You can also get a taste of the wines that are reduced.

Add 4 for me. My Wish List at Amazon is building up and calling my name...

Last week, a local store had asparagus on sale so... roasted asparagus, brussel sprouts and cherry tomatoes . The asparagus and tomatoes fought over which was the sweeter. It was so good, I went back to the store next day, and we had it all a second time!!!

In some ways, my Mom was ahead of her time - homemade french fries and bread as opposed to frozen/store-bought. But, don't you know, because all my friends had the other kind, I wanted theirs instead of appreciating what she made. Mostly she fixed very basic, uninspired foods tho: pot roast, pork roast, fried chicken, etc. She had one cookbook which I never saw her use. BUT, I never thought twice about her spaghetti sauce - tomato sauce, Accent, garlic salt, and ground beef - it was okay because I didn't know better. Once I ate my future mother in law's sauce, however, a whole world opened up, and I began to experiment.

Years ago I lived in Baton Rouge for awhile and was poor (husband in grad school at LSU) but did learn how to make chicken and sausage gumbo. Years after, former husband brought lonely Air Force man for a home-cooked meal, and I fixed chicken and sausage gumbo. After serving it, Air Force man told me he was from LA . At the end of dinner, he said it was as good as his grandma's, and she was a great cook . As my son (who was born in Baton Rouge) grew up, a traditional Christmas Eve seafood gumbo evolved which included crab and fish he caught during the summer, and at age 6 he wrote his first 'recipe'. So gumbo has a special place in my heart. Helpful hints: Have your mis en place fer shur for this one. WATCH the roux!! Make the gumbo and eat it the next day for the first time. You can add the herb mix to the sauteed vegetables and then add them to the roux. Except for the roux, this is a fairly forgiving recipe, and you have a lot of leeway in combining everything.

Saltines - old college habit My Polish cousin like it on his radishes - not sure about this Best of all, grits: spoonful of grits and piece of butter, eat, repeat

Made carnitas this afternoon. The smell make my husband crazy - he could hardly wait to eat. They turned out perfectly, enought for tomorrow too! Thanks to Jaymes and all posters who helped out with their comments.

3 more for me - Gourmet, The Far East Cafe (nice pics), and Mexican Family Favorites as mentioned in the Carnitas thread.

Found this thread and will be making carnitas for what appears to be another snowy Sunday. I also ran across Jaymes' Mexican cookbook in Border's today and scooped it up. Very simple but very 'comfort' food oriented.

When one comes into the city from the 'burbs for a night out, distance and parking are always paramount in the consideration - unless you do Metro, which is usually doable. (My perfect world would be where I didn't have to drive FOREVER to get what I'm looking for. But then, peace, quiet, privacy and space do have their advantages...) Having come to the Hill this past summer when we discovered Eastern Market, it is great that there seem to be new restaurants in that area. Can't wait to try it out!

My confession: 1- Does anyone know of "Golden Skillet"? (Haven't seen one in years - couldn't pass up the chicken livers). 2 - Haven't heard of chicken livers at Popeyes . My downfall - they're building a Popeyes w/in 3 miles of me - love that 'Cajun Spice' 3 - Quiznos - the spicy Italian - and the Peppa Bar (where's that commercial with the animals - what were they - rats!?!

Be honest, when you're starving, stressed, & haven't had a chance to get anything - at least the very first bite tastes WONDERFUL. Then you chew, swallow, and later wonder "What was I thinking? That tasted GOOD??" (Spoken by someone who deals with junior high students all day). ---A glass of wine