Carrot Top

Just from force of habit I use canola when making fries at home (which happens once in a blue moon because I do not like cleaning up from all it entails ). Holly's eG tutorial also suggests canola. Curious, I took a look tonight at what Cook's Illustrated suggests, for their research accuracy is so detailed. They like peanut oil, with an optional 4 Tbs. strained bacon grease added to every 2 Qts. for flavor if desired. Interesting. ...................................................... Ah. More notes on nomenclature. . .the potato they specify is the "Russet Burbank Potato, often called the Idaho". ....................................................... It seems to me that making french fries "well" at home has to do with knowing not only the procedures but also knowing your stove and whichever pot you are going to use. The varying degrees of heat that different stoves have the capabilities (or not) to give off is startling, and of course different pots handle heat differently too. It's just getting to know the timing in your bones, so to speak, and sometimes that just takes practice. So suffer the browned or limp-ed fries Until you've had a couple of tries Soon you'll find where pleasure lies But till then Hey They're still potatoes! (And what could be wrong with that?)

It's also important that there be enough oil used to start with. . .generally for home cooking the formula lurks somewhere around a five quart pot, two quarts oil, and three of four faceless (but type-specific) potatoes. There are two separate camps of how to avoid overbrowning for small batches. One is to soak the cut potatoes in ice water (till almost frozen) before frying, the other is to warm the cut potatoes (spread out on a plate) slightly in a (gasp!) microwave just before dropping into the oil. One focuses on not overbrowning, the other focuses on not lowering the temp of the oil when the potatoes hit it. Another one of those potato/pohtahto things. The third method, of course, is to take in a lost sous-chef who has good french fry credentials and experience and let him live in the kitchen just waiting for the chance to make "french fries".

It appears that we "might could'a been neighbors" a ways back, Kendra. My children attended elementary school in Peterstown, right over the hill, when we had a home in Bozoo for some years. As an "outsider" (ah. . an ex-New Yorker even) it surprised me at first, the general attitude you mention above about the "natives". Most that I knew while living there had a huge laugh and a toss of the head over names like "white trash". They really didn't give a hoot what anyone called them. Life was not full of money, perhaps, but it was full of loving-pride in small things. The fact that south-west West Virginia hosts an annual "Road-Kill" festival with great humor and yes, great food - is one of the best examples of this attitude, to my mind. Mmph. Don't make no nevermind what they say. Good luck with your book, and another question. Got any recipes or good stories about Beans and Taters?

No doubts or arguments on that count. But names of things can be different at different times in different places. The point is that the potato be low-moisture, high-solid, no? Idaho or no Idaho, McDonald's or no McDonald's, seems to me the same tuber is being touted by both you and Holly. Some may say potato, some may say potahto. No reason to call the whole thing off.

From "The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America": The trademark name perhaps is a cause of confusion. I've never heard it in that form, but it likely was well-used at one time, particularly in formal specs for ordering from vendors. The "Idaho" part of the name might have been dropped for easier day-to-day verbalization. . .(?)

My favoite is trotters. Not yer mommers. Porcine. Not cute at all. But tasty, mm mmm.

I would tend to agree with Culinista. The reasons I can see would be lack of direct access to Japanese cooking as practiced in the home, and language. Someone mentioned this earlier in the thread. Each language has ways of conveying meanings that are not easily translated into other languages, and it is a theory that language drives thought and understanding. Here is a link to site that I enjoy for learning more about Japanese foods and seasonality, in a direct and useful manner: The Seasonal Japanese Kitchen. The great thing about life is that each day offers the chance to learn new things about every aspect of the world (including ourselves! ). A neverending opportunity. ( Ha! I just re-read this to proofread and had to laugh at that last sentence. Obviously I meant to say "neverending" in terms of things to learn, not time to learn them in. )

Budino di ricotta is similar, too, but not quite as simple (nor quite as light ). The flavors of the base can be altered with citrus zest, or rum, and sometimes bits of chocolate or almonds. . . P.S. I just googled some recipes for this and find that most have eggs added and are cooked. In the recipe I've used for many years there are no eggs and the "pudding" is uncooked. But I must say some of the pages translated by google from Italian into English are absolutely hilarious. Translation, budino di ricotta

There once was a florist from Rye Who had dropped so much food on his tie That when asked for a rose He'd place tie to his nose And shout "Wouldn't you rather have pie?"

Brilliant! Easy-grab for gluttons.

The slitting lengthwise of the cukes is not something that I have done myself, Toliver. I've made the pickles with just regular scrubbing up and minor pruning of bruises if neccesary. But I would suspect that as you surmise, it is to allow the mustard flavor from the pickling solution to enter the cucumbers more rapidly. To my mind, it is not a neccesary step but someone that *has* done this might chime in with good reasons for it.

Yanno, you may be onto something there, Steve. Smelt would be very easy to grow from a test tube as they are very small, and remembering from my childhood, the only flavor I can remember is from the seasonings or breadcrumbs. Then, instead of being served on newspaper (as small fish are wont to be) on a picnic table, pages torn from that old Economist with its spelling errors could be used to soak up the extra cooking oil and bits of fried batter instead. Adds a touch of class, don't cha know. Gotta keep those biotech guys busy somehow. Better this than many other things, methinks. Heh.

This subject seems to be emerging more into the mainstream media with this recent article in The Economist. The viewpoint of this article focuses on presumed better health/hygeine controls. Interesting, and it will be curious to see what sorts of growth in this industry will be happening in the near future.

You give new meaning to the expression "putting on the dog", Steve. Sounds like something children would love. Or dog-lovers! Taco Bell should do this.

No, bobmac, these are actually a "fresh" pickle. I've never known anyone to try to preserve them in the usual canning procedure, though *if* they are sold commercially anywhere it surely must be possible, but I would not know how that affected flavor or texture. The taste of the pickle starts off with the taste of the mustard being gentle, then as time goes on it becomes more and more intense and the cucumbers become softer rather than crisp. Depending on whether they are being cured at room temperature (the vinegar, salt and sugar preserve them) or in a cool basement or in a refrigerator the curing process will take varying amounts of time. So the pickles are rather *alive* in a way , altering their own taste as they are cured. When they have been pickling for a long time, you can expect to see some very puckery-looking faces on whomever bites into them. That's a LOT of mustard there. . . Note: The pickling solution is not re-useable for a new batch after using it for a batch as the cucumbers give off liquid. This is a very old-fashioned recipe. It is great fun to make it in an old clay pickle jar, but lacking that, it can be made in plastic containers in small batches or plastic tubs for larger batches. Be sure to weigh down the cucumbers into the liquid with a weight. (Whatever works. . .a brick on top of a plate or if you are artistic an old unwanted bit of statuary. . . )

Here is a link to a recipe for Mustard Pickles, which is the same recipe that my family from Maine makes *except* our recipe uses white sugar rather than brown, and all the pickling ingredients (which of course is everything but the cucumbers) are heated together till everything blends well, then cooled before pouring over the cukes. (The vinegar to be used is either cider or white - I prefer cider.) There is nothing like a Maine Mustard Pickle that I know of. A taste to remember.

Pate a choux swans are pretty things, and very easy to make. And packages of food "to go" wrapped in tin foil shaped as a swan are also always enjoyed. Two books on "playing with food" have remained on my shelves in the face of consistent and determined weeding for many years. Both by the same author, Judith Olney. "Entertainments" (foreword by George Lang ) has chapters on "Staging with an Artist's Eye"; "Dramatizing a Scene"; "Managing a Summer's Crowd"; "Seducing an Audience"; "Experimenting with Entertainment Patterns" and "Celebrating Rituals of Winter". Probably my favorite "design" from the book is that for "A Surreal Fantasy". Second to that, "A Matisse Patterned Luncheon". Her "The Joy of Chocolate" book has more regular type of recipes but also includes fun chocolate work stuff such as chocolate cabbages and chocolate sacks filled with mousse and fruit and other similar ideas, and she makes the idea of creating these chocolate fantasies quite accessible for most home cooks. This site, Family Fun, has a lot of "playing with food" ideas. Do I play with my food? Not too much lately. Not enough time, and the choice between playing with food or with dangling participles has to be made. Probably the extent of the food play would be to take the biggest dollop of sour cream that I can, and watch as it lands on an excellently browned pierogi gleaming with shiny caramelized onions. That's enough fun for me. Very easy, too.

I atone for the sin of every single serving of stuffed zucchini that I have ever had the temerity to place before any human being or family pet. I would like to atone for every single serving of stuffed zucchini that anyone else has ever served, too, but that would be presumptuous.

October is officially here, Genny! What was the final menu? Do tell. Rather compelling topic, actually, "stuffed things". It comes to mind that throughout the annals of history, many things were stuffed. A rather homely activity. One must wonder whether it is the thing to be stuffed or the thing that is stuffed that is more important in the recipes. A chicken or egg question, rather. So many recipes! For all courses! And undoubtedly there would be many more things that would benefit from being stuffed if any decent stuffings could be found. In the category of 'Things Stuffed that are Odd' I would probably list Stuffed Derma, Stuffed Deep-Fried Pizza, and Haggis. But that is just me. These things are absolutely not odd at all to many many people. In the category of the Ultimate Stuffed Thing I would have to list 'Turducken'. Just take any assortment of birds and start stuffing them into one another till no more can be done. One might say "obsessive". But then again one might just say "thorough and detailed" about this dish. Myself, I like to think of nuts being stuffed into things. The mind wanders through the possibilities! Nuts inside dates, nuts inside roasted birds with other savory things, etc etc. ................................................. Anyway, I guess everyone has some favorite stuffed things. Mine would be, not imam bayeldi (which is lovely and has a great story of course) but a roast breast of veal stuffed with rice, spinach, sausage, cheese. . .artichokes with a simple breadcrumb/butter/anchovy/garlic stuffing. . . .squid with tomatoes, onions, raisins, parsley. . . .fruits like grapes with gorgonzola or figs with mascarpone. . . and for true comfort really what can beat stuffed cabbage? .................................................. Looking forward to hearing the details of your own "Getted Stuffed" activities! Sounds mouthwatering.

There actually is a point of no return with some of these creations. Fritters might be an option. With a cheese sauce on top. It depends on the basic taste of the stuff. It sounds to me as if this is a Hostile Pot. I would dump it with a "good riddance" then eat good fresh things *unless* economy demands it. And yes, hide the big pot(s) next time.

........................... There once was a poulterer from France Who wore goose feathers rather than pants Each morning he woke And as the dawn broke He engaged all his geese in a dance. His concept was "Poulet Heureux" (Gastronomic confreres: furieux!) But his roasts were so succulent They brought all un-buckle-ment "Delicious!" they cried, curieux. One chill morn he suffered priapsis While roasting a fat goose while capless His feathers they crisped No more joyous bliss! Tout fini! Est son nom est "hapless". ............................................................... (With apologies to the French language )

With the vital and life-giving ingredients of a small carton of sour cream and some cloves of fresh garlic, the following user-friendly* Garlic Cream Dressing can be made: 1/2 C sour cream 1/3 C mayo 1/4 C half-and-half 3 large garlic cloves, chopped 2 T white wine vinegar 2 T olive oil or other gentle salad oil 1 and 1/2 tsp sugar (so sue me) 1/2 tsp salt Fresh ground black pepper to taste Blend all together in a food processor or mini-blender till smooth. Chill for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve on many things. *NOT stranger-in-the street friendly. Must be shared with whomever one wants to speak to for a common bond.

There was an old codger from Bruges, Whom no female had ever refused. Chimay, mussels and fries Then framboise on her thighs, Left all parties highly enthused.

So October is "Get Stuffed" month?! Why, fancy that! Fine weather for it. Suitable to the theme might be imam bayildi. A dish so luscious that, as its title infers, the priest whom it was originally presented to fainted (for whatever reason - this is often in dispute as to *exactly* why) because of it! Eggplant is still in season in your geographic location, I think, Genny. . .?

Skinny Tom, so verbosely a Locavore Most people thought him Quite a Bore Bold tales he told, repetitiously sold As he choked down Damp Cabbage and Turnip Cores One day his fate Left nought on his plate (the winter had been quite hard) Reaching the cupboard, his hand grasped his supper Lucky he'd had some wheatgrass jarred! But the jar was not true No rubber to seal For rubber, it was not local So fermented wheatgrass left Tom poisoned dead His bandana so gently caressing his head As it suddenly shuddered and hit the table The epitaph he left, it told his tale: (He been sure everyone wanted to know) "As I've always said, Ten miles draws the line For whatever it is that I choose to dine! As I lay to rest, I've not tasted the best, But do safely reside in my pride."