janeer

I spent three horrid years in Nashville, but did come away with a huge appreciation for this "Picnic" iced tea. I like to make it about 8 hrs before serving and leave in the cinnamon. I sometimes sub unfiltered apple cider for some of the juice.

As someone who teaches ethics, I love this discussion.

jrshaul, that looks great; are those fresh sour cherries or last year's?

if you are going to include "hoagies worth having" I think you have to mention pizza and custard and real bagels and Kaiser rolls. Also should be on your list from my own experience: Taylor Pork Roll. I just don't understand the absence of the Chicarina soup...the stores seem to have all the others.

I love all blue cheeses. But the one you will love, and perhaps my favorite for its all-around perfection and versatility: Maytag.

Where do I begin? As a huge fan of finger food, I could go on and on. But I will simply say my secret words for starting a memorable dinner: something deep-fried.

As mentioned on my blog a few weeks ago, on my recent trip to Rio my host made her "famous" ginger-honey caipirinha. It was very good, smoother and softer than other caipirinhas I've had in that great city.

I will. Thanks for the info.

You are welcome; well-deserved. The only cookbook I packed for my 2500 mi trip back East for the summer (no Kindle edition...).

What a nice story; thanks. I feel lucky to have been to both their restaurants, separated by nearly 25 years.

I have made the red grapefruit-lemongrass syrup and made two drinks with it: one with vodka, orange, and lemon; one in a very lime-y (gin) gimlet. I had to sub for the store-bought additional grapefruit juice as I didn't have it and was out of fresh, so used coconut water (seemed right), and jasmine water for the rose water, because I just can't find the damn stuff, which I know is hiding somewhere in the cupboard. Beautiful color, very nice, a little sweet I thought--I might cut the sugar next time. So when I made the first drink with vodka and orange/lemon, I added a few drops of bitters...but the gin drink was just right with an equal amount of cordial. Hope you don't mind, Katie, I wrote about you/your book on my blog (link below). The more I look at your book, the more interesting it seems. You've moved it into the kitchen, and I like that.

The whole roll? Ha. No. Just individual large sheets.

Yes; when you see the words "bigger" and "fluffier," you know it's not a real bagel anymore.

Any stock, glace de viande... I don't have the patience or tolerance for the smell. Although I do occasionally cadge some off chefs who make it fresh for their restaurants. And in a pinch, I have used a stock cube . Don't judge me..... I must strenuously disagree. There is no comparison to homemade stock.

You should autoclave it in a pressure cooker for an hour instead. Safer and faster! Ha, yes, the autoclave. And maybe a sterile full-body protective suit, just to be sure.

Same. And I use them for many non-kitchen things as well. By the way, has anyone else notices that the Bounty select-a-size have disappeared from stores, to be replaced by packages proudly proclaiming "one big sheet" ( or something, I don't buy them). I am beside myself.

i am pretty much with Anna and heidh on this. Never rinse (I am a broken record on this). Store at cool room temp if possible;if humid, in the fridge, with a paper towel.

I don't. If dirty I wipe them with a paper towel.

I received my copy of Katie's book on Saturday, and have gone through it in my usual methodical fashion. Congratulations, Katie! The book is a hardcover, spiral-bound notebook (lays flat), nice trim size, good paper, well-designed and photographed, and an index that needs work (I used to work in book production, so...). Katie's book is well-written, no-nonsense (that's a compliment), clear, well-organized, and attractive, with a sense of humor. The book is at once efficient and accessible and creative: it gives a sense of possibility and invitation and high standards without being intimidating or pretentious. This is someone who knows the measure of what she does, and makes neither more nor less of it than it deserves.The emphasis is on hand-wrought flavor and freshness, and how easy and worthwhile it is to do this--both the classic (grenadine, two methods provided) and the surprising (celery syrup). What are the chances that I would have on hand both lemongrass and ruby grapefruit (local), the basis for her Ruby Red Grapefruit-Lemongrass Cordial? That will be the first thing I try. Next will be (since I also have a pineapple) the Smoked Pineapple Syrup. And there is a recipe for bitters. Tempting, no?

Ishpingo is the flower of the Pastaza Cinnamon tree (Ocotea quixos). Think of it as a darker, more earthy cinnamon flavour; I think you could get away with blending about 1/4 tsp of ground cloves or perhaps allspice into 3/4 tsp of cinnamon to get the bass note while retaining the cinnamon taste, but I've never actually found a true substitute. It's very difficult to even describe the flavour of the spice - cinnamon buns is one of the few applications ishpingo has in sweet cooking; I would normally consider it to belong squarely to salt cookery, since I use it quite a bit with beef and lamb, and goat when I can get it. Thanks. It seems like you use it the way I often use cardamom.

Has anyone else had the problem of their store no longer selling Bounty select-a-size, just one big sheet? I am beside myself...

Ha! I've been missing pizza, Italian, delis, and bagels, since I went to college in the 60s. It's something to look forward to when I go back for the holidays.

I don't actually have a recipe but I have made bbq sauce this way for decades and without fail people tell me it's the best. I do use ketchup--but thinned with as much water (1:1). Start by sauteeing onion and garlic in vegetable oil. Add ketchup and water. Add very fresh, high quality spices, never blends: chile powder (I use an ancho powder), cayenne, dry mustard, s, bl pepper, brown sugar, molasses, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cumin (tiny bit), coriander (tiny bit), and a kind of secret ingredient, caraway seed. Simmer. Strain out the onion. You just need to play it by ear, tasting til it is what you want. It should be dark and, I think, what you are looking for. Once you get it, you can try other additions: maple syrup, fennel seed, thyme. Always strain.

The same person I mentioned on the late arrival topic you started cannot get a meal together. She does one thing at a time. Nothing seems to be in progress when people arrive. She wonders at how I get everything, hot and finished simultaneously, on the table at once. It is painful to eat at her house. But I go because I love her. We each have our strengths. She sets a beautiful table!

Well, we have similar pet peeves. I had a very good friend who was unable to show up on time, sometimes at all, for dinner invitations.I did have "the talk," and she really stepped up and made her best effort hard for her but did it for me. It made a difference. In addition to braises and a la minute, I recommend dishes that can be served at room temperature. Especially first courses and apps. And then, things that hold well. This is how I discovered that chiles rellenos in sauce hold beautifully for up to an hour. Other than that good friend, I just stopped inviting people. Who needs it.