Special K

Here's what my friend has to say: For a taste of old Arizona, I'd hit a Cowboy Steakhouse, especially, Riata Pass in the desert north of Scottsdale, I know that you can get steaks in NYC but can you sit outside under a Palo Verde tree and smell the wood burning open fire.

You say polenta/I say grits. I always use stock in my grits simply b/c I think it adds to the flavor (along w/ hot sauce, salt, pepper, & some times cheese). Grits are usually a coarser grind than polenta but what ever you put in to them does not change the fact that they are grits. If you cook rice in stock it is still rice so why should grits be any different? I agree, Lan4Dawg. I almost never use plain water to cook anything when I can use (or at least add) stock or white wine or OJ or some other flavorful liquid instead. For grits it's vegetable stock. Why not? I've never had any complaints! And I never have gotten the distinction between grits and polenta. In fact, I've often served "polenta" to guests who would never in a million years touch grits. Yes, I'm devious that way.

I have friends who live in Phoenix. I'll ask them and get back to you. I would send you straight to the Arizona Kitchen at the Wigwam, but I think it has closed since we were last there.

I have a friend who lives in Tampa - I'll ask her and get back to you. When are you going?

Hmm. Do the "beefier" herbs contain more oil?

Sez here http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodstorage/a/sagestorage.htm "Be aware that freezing will intensify the flavor of the herb and adjust accordingly." Sage, at least.

Two goodies today: Trail of Crumbs, a memoir by Kim Sunee, and a nice copper egg white bowl. Score! I've wanted that bowl for a long time, but would never pay $100+ for it. Got it for $15.

I no longer live in the south, but I am a Southerner (born in Atlanta to parents born in Nashville). I don't order grits here in Seattle, but when I make them for myself I season them with freshly ground pepper and truffle salt (I use Ritrovo Selections brand - I've tried others, and they don't have nearly as much truffly goodness). OK, maybe not authentically Southern, but oh, my, is it good!

"New Yorker" usually has one big food issue a year (I think it shows up around August or September). I get American Express's "Departures" magazine (no, I don't have the Black card!), which usually has one or two interesting articles about food. Oh, and "Sunset" and "Coastal Living," and of course "Martha Stewart Living."

I experimented with slow-cooking a frozen roast last week. Other than the fact that I was too chicken to use the low setting and left it on high for too long so that it was a bit overdone to my taste, it worked a treat. I'm going to do it again this weekend - on low. So convenient, to just be able to take it out of the freezer, sear the outside and plunk it in there with some seasonings!

Thanks, John. I'll check it out. Thanks also for the reference to Taubes' book - I have it on order.

I think they're talking about pre-civilization man - literally cave man - before there were nomads or tribes, before they learned to herd animals and do even any rudimentary farming. The idea is that if they could kill it with a rock or maybe a spear, or pick it off a tree or find it growing wild, they could eat it. The paleo diet enthusiasts say eat food only if it can be eaten raw (doesn't have to be raw, but it could be). I don't think anybody's going to ask me to eat raw meat (except steak tartare) or seafood (except oysters). I'm guessing cave men learned how to use fire to roast meat before they began to farm, etc. I'm not sure I buy it either, JAZ. I'm just gathering info. But regardless of the premise, the diet itself doesn't sound as radical as Atkins. Thanks for your input.

This is the "Eat meat, eggs, nuts, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables/Don't eat dairy, cereal, legumes, starchy vegetables, sugar, processed foods, or salt" diet. It looks a lot like Atkins, but with fruit and some vegetables. It's touted as more of a "healthy lifestyle" diet than a weight-loss diet, but apparently you can lose unwanted weight on it as well. It's supposed to be helpful for those of us with "Syndrome X" AKA Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance). Anybody out there have any experience with it? I think I'm going to have to try it. I never had much luck sticking with Atkins, but if I can have some vegetables, this might work for me!

I bake a lot of goodies but I never eat them myself. Sugar has a weird aftertaste to me; I prefer artificial sweetener in my tea. But I could eat those cool chocolate oranges that break apart into segments (Trader Joe's are good) until the cows come home - apparently the orange flavor masks the sugar aftertaste. And another vote for Two Buck Chuck. I do enjoy a really good wine when I can get it, but for every day, I'm fine with the Chuck.

Pretty much any "convience food" that comes in little packets - oatmeal, grits, etc. The packet stuff isn't always terrible per se, it's just that making this stuff "from scratch" is much cheaper, and usually takes no more time, really. Also, I know what's in mine - and what's not. But I have to admit, just last night I decided that my poor arthritic hands deserve a break, so I've given myself permission to buy cut-up butternut squash and the like.

Great idea, just a favor please ? Run it by my sous chef, cleaner and chief cheerleader (wife) first , she agrees we are good to go ! I'm sure you two are joking, but just in case, DON'T DO IT! The egg will explode, if not in the microwave then after the egg is removed from the microwave, where it can do a lot of damage (ever caught a piece of very hot flying eggshell in the eye?).

I use stemless wine glasses (got mine from Cost Plus World Market - got a set of 12 so I'm covered if any break, but none has yet, it's such a perfect design - cats can't knock them over) -- and the best part is, they stack! Like Nakji, I use them for other things as well. I have sets of 12 of two different plates (both thrift shop finds - one plain blue, the other white with a blue pattern - they work well together). The only problem with stacking them all in the cabinet (which is quite wide) is that they are so heavy the middle shelves are starting to sag - I fully expect to come home one day and find that the shelves have snapped and all of my dishes are broken! If I had someplace else to stash half of them, I would, but that's not an option. I need to replace the shelves or find some way to reinforce them. I'm thinking of cutting pieces of board to fit in vertically, like load-bearing dividers, but that will make it awkward to get to some things (it's a corner cupboard). Your cabinets are beautiful, Shalmanese! (We need a green-with-envy emoticon.) As to your question, I have a set of graduated metal stacking mixing bowls with lids (Costco) a set of glass ones (another thrift shop find) and a bunch of the little silicone pinch bowls for prep, and various sizes of lidded plastic containers (which all stack neatly into one small area) for storage. Yes, I have to pull out the largest container and dig around for the smaller ones, but that's no big deal for me. I also have several small rectangular lidded glass bowls, which I like because I can see what's in 'em, and if it's something that's nuke-able they can go right into the microwave with no BPA worries. As to cutlery, we got two sets as wedding presents (37 years ago!); one "every-day" which I never really liked (from my dear MIL, who meant well but had completely different taste in flatware), and one "special" which I love (nothing really fancy, just Onieda American Colonial stainless, but it's special to me 'cuz it's was from my Mom, who asked what we'd like ). When my sister got married, she got the same set from Mom, and started using it for every-day - and that's when I decided life is too short to use cutlery I don't like! So now I have just the special set, which, sadly, is no longer made (but I know about Replacements Ltd. so if I need more I know where to look - in fact I just put a few things on my Christmas wish list!). Which is a long-winded way of saying, keep looking, find something you love, get a "starter" set, start collecting, and get rid of everything else.

I don't parboil either. I thought that was just to save time, and when I roast potatoes it's usually when I'm slow-roasting a chicken or a big hunk of meat. I just cut baby potatoes or fingerlings in half lengthwise, toss them in a big ziplock bag, add a generous amount of olive oil, pesto, and a lot of salt and pepper, and then I massage the bag until everything is fully coated.* Then I convect roast them (one layer in a half-sheet pan) at whatever temperature whatever else in the oven needs, until they're fork-tender (no need to turn them). Occasionally they get a bit overcooked - well, they look overcooked - and while they might look sad, they're really good that way, too. I have also roasted potatoes with the chicken or roast resting right on top of them, as Chris Hennes does, at higher heat when I'm short on time. *You know what? It just occurred to me that since I season the chicken or meat the same way (in a big ziplock bag), I could probably just throw the potatoes in with the chicken and season them all together, saving a step (and putting one less ziplock bag into the landfill). I think I'll try that next time. edited to identify which Chris

Emily, it might turn out that you cook them differently depending on when you want them - a bit longer to eat right now, and a bit shorter if you want to refrigerate them for later. It will be interesting to see what you discover!

This also makes them much easier to peel. As for the yolk turning green, yes, you are overcooking them; it just takes the ferrous sulfide reaction a little time to manifest itself. Follow Anna N's advice and you should have no problem with the yolks turning green.

Chicken, and eggs - or should that be Eggs, and chicken?

I think I am a deliberate, even meditative cook. I can and often do turn out a good, quick meal for the two of us, sure, but I'd much rather take the time to plan a feast for a crowd; shopping, measuring, chopping, slicing, dicing, and then cooking low and slow, filling the house with good aromas. I like to set the table with the best china, and carefully match the wine to the food, and it's nice if there are (unscented) candles and flowers . . . The whole time I'm playing in the kitchen I'm thinking not just of how good everything is going to taste, but also of how pleased and relaxed the people at my table are going to be. This is why I love putting together holiday meals - everyone expects the cook to pull out all the stops, and I love pulling out all the stops! If I had the time (and OK, the money) I would do this every day. I welcome every chance to cook this way. If there's no holiday, or no guests, I'll do it for just we two, and freeze the leftovers. Or I'll make stock. Same thing - the same motions and good smells and time, and all along I'm thinking of all the good meals that the stock will be a part of one day. My Mom, who has zero interest in cooking (or in eating, really, except to survive), recently tried to give a nod to my love of cooking by sending me several different kinds of scone mixes - "just add water!" Ah, Mom. She really means well; she just doesn't understand what I mean by "cooking." To her, cooking is the work someone has to do in order to feed hungry mouths. To me it is much, much more. It is love.

Nope. The potato trick doesn't work. You will have to add more liquid as well as more lentils, etc. The salt has to be diluted out. Edited for clarity.

Oh, yes it is, cteavin! You are a genius! For next time, you might try individual meatloaves - they'd have to be pretty bland, probably, but kids love food that's scaled down to their size. Serve with the usual mashed potatoes, etc., on small plates with the smallest cutlery you have, and they'll love it. My niece and nephew used to love having this, anyway, and it certainly changed the way I make meatloaf - the smaller ones (just bake on a sheet pan, freeform) are really, really good - lots more "extra good nibbly bits," as my husband (a big kid himself) likes to say. Be sure to save one or two for yourself! Of course, what they'll probably want every time they come over is your pizzas, tortillas, and REAL graham crackers!

Aww, that's great! Lucky Devan! (Wow, a polite, well-spoken 18 year old boy!) He'll probably remember that dinner for the rest of his life. You have done a very good thing, my friend. This is absolutely what Thanksgiving should be all about. I think my husband had the same experience his first Christmas with my family (we were about 16 years old then). First, we had a sedate little dinner party with his parents; very sweet. Then we went over to my folks' once-a-year blow-out party, with all the lights, the non-stop Christmas music, the huge tree with more gifts under it than anyone would believe (my mom has been known to wrap boxes of Kleenex "to fill in"), the huge commotion in the tiny kitchen with about five cooks (mom, aunts, neighbors, people I've never laid eyes on before or since), everyone trying to work at once, the game on - loud! - in the den adjacent to the kitchen, that room crowded with rowdy fans, the sugared-up kids and the dogs underfoot, somebody at the main table wrapping last-minute presents (or "fill ins") so it can't be set yet . . . oh, the poor guy didn't know what hit him, but I must say, he soon fit right in! Christmas was the only time of the year we felt like a real family (because of the visiting relatives). I miss it. These days, 40 years later, all the family is scattered or gone, and my husband and I are back to sedate little dinner parties; very sweet, but . . . (edited to fix typo)