Chris Amirault

I think that storebought masa can't be used because it's been limed/nixtamaled. Atole masa has no lime in it. I don't have my book handy, but I'm pretty sure that's correct.

I think it's pretty doable, actually, with several components that can be prepared in advance. Then again, the outer limit of doable was this 2009 insanity, with nearly everything prepared a la minute.

Here's the working menu. OaG is Oaxaca al Gusto; ECM is Essential Cuisines of Mexico: Cena de Navidad de Oaxaca Oaxacan Christmas Dinner 2011 escabeche de pescado horneado escabeche of fish OaG 142 salsa de camarón fresco fresh shrimp sauce OaG 95 * * * * * pollo en mole negro costeño chicken in black mole from the coast OaG 153-4 estofado OaG 39 calabaza tierna guisada stewed pumpkin OaG 214 quelites guisados seasoned greens OaG 87 pico de gallo grapefruit and pasilla salsa OaG 52 salsa de ajonjoli sesame seed sauce OaG 154 chiles jalapeños en escabeche pickled jalapeño chiles ECM 237 * * * * * tortillas arroz a la menta rice with mint frijoles negros black beans * * * * * Del Maguey 100% Tobala Single Village mezcal Chinaco Añejo tequila margaritas Castañedas Dos Equis XX Amber horchata atole de cacahuate peanut atole OaG 361

Sorry -- "the" should have been "my/our." I'm piecing together a few different celebratory dishes from throughout the book to try to form a somewhat coherent whole.

Any updates? I'm thisclose to deciding to cook the entire Christmas dinner from this book.

Yep: our walk-in/three-seasons room has stock, stuffing, root chips in water, butterscotch pudding, turkey, and a few other things in there. One of the benefits of being in New England! Interesting... already cooked them but an idea worth trying next time. I've got a sore back but I'm on schedule for tomorrow. Oaxaca Old Fashioned and the couch for now.

Well, then I guess it won't be the first time I've sacrificed authenticity. Perhaps, in this case, for quality.

Cardamom, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and a bit of fresh thyme. 80% turkey meat/20% pork belly (mostly fat), minced onion, plus some bacon ground in for good measure; milk/egg/breadcrumb mixture as well. They're really tasty. Going to finish in the oven in 1/2" of hot stock.

~$20? I think?

I'm combining my usual sausage/meatball approaches with the spices in the frikadelle recipes I've been reviewing. Too bouncy and bland, is that your concern?

Like last year, I've started a topic on tricks, tips, trucs, questions, advice, and pats on the back. I hope everyone will head over, watch, and join in!

Like last year, I'm doing prep all day and night today and of course busy tomorrow too. So, once again, I thought it would be good to start a topic on all this prep and cooking we're doing. We can share ideas, ask questions, all that. My menu is here -- sans the green beans, which I've removed from the list. I've decided to go a whole new way with the dark meat, making meatballs instead of roasting or braising the legs & thighs. I'll report as I go. What tips do you have this year? Or do you have any questions that Society members can answer? I've got the window open all day!

Given that I forced my wife and children to carry 50 lbs of corn in their luggage from Tucson, I'm probably not qualified to judge, either. However, I know of several people (including me) who would regularly buy it if available.

I use Mrs. Wages pickling lime (click), but for the life of me cannot find the corn anywhere online or elsewhere. Thus I recruited my wife and two young children into a life of muledom on our last trip to Tucson. Details here.

Cynar & maple syrup? Interesting.... The root chips are pretty simple: slice 'em thin, let 'em sit in water overnight, fry 'em up at ~350-275 or so, dust with the salted ras al hanout. They disappear like ice on a hot sidewalk. Oh, and I'm making up the meatballs as I go along. I'll do my best to document.

I've always thought that as well. Of course, there's the benefit of being at the stove at the moment the trinity hits the roux, one of the truly remarkable sensory experiences in cooking.

I think that the Laphroaig Quarter Cask is extremely variable. I had a bottle I liked a while ago, and when I replaced it the next bottle was... weird. QC issues? I dunno. A side-by-side was odd, as if I had two entirely different bottles.... My current favorite is the Aberlour A'bunadh, which I think is a remarkable value and a stunning bottling. I usually have the Jura Superstition on hand, too, another affordable gem.

I guess I think that the JTD bitters go well with the Cocchi. Made this Bijou variation tonight: 2 oz Plymouth gin 1 oz green Chartreuse 1 oz Cocchi 2 dashes Jerry Thomas Decanter bitters Stir; strain; no garnish.

Just made a few tweaks on a meal I can't change much: Thanksgiving 2011 ras al hanout root chips Carpene Malvolti Extra Dry Proseco Superiore NV * * * * * smoked roasted turkey breast with red onions & oranges kalkun frikadeller (Danish turkey meatballs) gravy pecan stuffing with sage and pancetta mashed potatoes roasted carrots & parsnips loubieh wa hommus bi-ziet (Lebanese green beans with chickpeas) brussel sprouts with bacon and sherry cranberry sauce with ginger & orange cucumber & vidalia pickles Teruzzi & Puthod Terre di Tufi 2008 Sean Minor 2009 Red Wine

This year I am totally stealing this frikadeller idea. Skål!

ThatNateGuy, you are hereby ordered to do a side-by-side analysis on taste, texture, and all other factors upon receipt. Report back. This is not a drill.

We've discussed gum/gomme syrup quite a bit elsewhere (click here for my recipe in the dedicated topic). I've fiddled around with xanthan and guar gums a bit in non-cocktail applications, and I'd say that it's worth tracking down the arabic for this one. Gum syrup with arabic has a malty quality that's not present in those other gums (by intention, I believe). I also think that the meringue-like foam you get with egg white drinks using gum syrup is out of this world -- though, again, I haven't done any side-by-side comparisons with those others.

2 oz Whitley Neill Gin 1 oz Cocchi Americano 1/2 tsp Leopold Bros. absinthe 2 dashes Jerry Thomas Decanter bitters Stir, strain, lemon twist. A very nice variation on the usual theme, with the floral, citrusy notes of the Whitley Neill and the floral, citrusy notes of the Cocchi grounded by the JTD bitters. The Leopold Bros. bind it all together.

Given your location, I'd blast McGill with all I have and talk to the Montreal tourist bureau.

I am extremely happy with the 3 mil VacMaster bags I got on Amazon. The two sizes I have are 6-12" and 10-13". I don't know whether the 10-15" bags would fit (I think it'd be too close for comfort), though I can't really imagine doing anything bigger than the 10-13" bags. Meanwhile, the 6-12" bags are long enough for four cups of stock but can be easily trimmed for smaller amounts. Happy to answer more specific questions.