janeer

Took me a while but here it is. I made lemon meringue pie today and had 2/3 c of juice in the wink of an eye. And fitted over a small bowl (it has a little lip, the perfect size for a measuring cup)

Thanks for the blow-by-blow, David. I share your horror of the untoasted hamburger bun. I never realized this event was so substantial--I always sort of assumed it was second-rate because of its associatoin with Bon Apetit, of which I am not a fan. Bad bias, I guess. I may have to go next year. I am moving to Tucson and Vegas is not that far...

I had never been in a Walmart until over the holidays when I was looking for frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp ( a common item where I hail from originally) and nobody, not Whole Foods, nobody, had them...except...Walmart. I ran in and got them and ran out. And they were cheap.

If I understand you correctly, I think I qualify as conservative about everything. And I am WAY more conservative than you about guacamole: avocado, lime, salt, cilantro. Stop. Try it, you'll like it.

I almost said her.

Martha Stewart

Liquid Smoke is a completely natural product

I think one question is what achieves the traditional taste. Olive oil is a SUBSTITUTE for lard; it changes the taste. Frijoles refritos made with olive oil? Not for me, thanks. Ditto chiles rellenos.But where I can, I do use less.

Why....I just *happened* to have posted it over here.... It's a long step-by-step, but the results are well worth it. Thank you!!

Raised glazed doughnuts. I just love them. I end up feeling hungrier than I started, and somewhat sickish feeling. Because I eat too many.

Forgot that one. Agreed; and it keeps very well, I find, so easy to have on hand.

I read the article a few times, and looked at the slideshow... Where does it say the milk is unpasteurized and unhomogenized? I did see that they have a pasteurization machine, but does that mean all their milk is pasteurized (although I assume it is, since in most states, it would be illegal to sell unpasteurized milk in such a fashion--pun unintended)? The article says they used to sell their raw milk to a co-op, but not if they still sell raw milk in addition to pasteurized milk. According to the article, antibiotics are only used when cows are sick. They don't claim to be organic (if they were, I think they would be required to remove cows from milking for a period of time (or perhaps permanently?) after being given antibiotics). And I don't see anywhere in the article that hormones are mentioned. And I would hardly say the milk is "conventional". The cattle are certainly treated better than your average dairy cattle. I would imagine stress-free cattle might produce better tasting milk than regular cattle, and these cattle are certainly treated well enough to have less stress. Plus feed makes a difference (I thought grass was supposed to produce better tasting milk, but I've never done a taste test comparing hay-fed cow's milk to grass-fed cow's milk). The way these cattle are treated reminds me of wagyu. Really, the only way to say if this particular milk is worth the premium price is to taste it. It would be terribly small-minded to judge it as being a rip-off without having tried it. Anyone want to give it a go? I would, but I'm in Canada and don't have a whole foods within 500km of my house. Perhaps it should be put to the test, as you say. A competing farmer claims "...Arethusa's milk is inferior because the owners use antibiotics—a forbidden practice in the organic world. He considers it to be "conventional milk." They say they only use them when sick, as you note. No evidence on either side, just testimony. I'd be willing to try it...if I can find it here... and compare it to that from the KY dairy that I buy from.

Honestly, I've avoided MC because I don't have the time it seems to require, and don't want to be frustrated by that. I think most women don't have the time. Maybe if I had a wife... the gadget thing is another thing. If you can't cook it with 2 knives and a saute pan, is it food? But seriously, I'm open. Plan to look this summer...when I have more time.

LARD. You can't make Mexican food with lard. Other than that, what everyone else says: all dried chiles should be staples in your pantry; whole cloves, whole cinnamon, whole peppercorns, whole anise seed, raisins, pepitas. Dried black turtle beans. Cotija and/or farmer's cheese. Masa harina. Cider vinegar. I recommend making your own crema (so you need heavy cream), and of course, your own tortillas, both flour and corn. You should always have tomatillos, chorizo, and chipotles in adobo in your freezer or pantry. May I suggest also some Knorr ham stock--a very handy substitute. Fresh: the best tomatoes you can find; epazote; oranges;poblanos and serranos (my favorite pepper); cilantro; red onions; garlic; eggs; red cabbage.

I find I never go to Whole Foods, unless I am looking for a certain cheese, given the lack of cheese shops in Nashville. I get good veg and meat at various international and farmers markets. And, as previously mentioned in other posts, being an East-Coaster I don't eat fish while I'm here, just in the summer when back in RI. I think WF IS expensive, and also sort of...too pristine for my taste. Like for suburban ladies.

I may do this when I get back to RI this summer. I am obsessed with eggs: the perfect food. In RI there is a coop called Little Rhody eggs that is commercial/supermarket but local, plus many, many offerings from egg farms, which I will compare. And report back, of course. I think it would be hard to be completely blind, though; while most are brown, some are green and blue. I guess I could limit the test to brown...

For those of us for whom this kind of thing is heaven, will you share the recipe or web link?

Thing thing is, this is NOT unpasteurized or unhomogenized. I buy unhomogenized milk seasonally at local farms--it is a little more expensive, and worth it. This is $4.50 a gallon conventional milk, hormones/antibiotics and all. But single farm. I agree that the real deal is worth the money. I remember drinking it warm from the cows at my uncle's

Interesting, and pretty.

I suggest you peruse some old New England cookbooks; most will have recipes for shrubs. Unfortunately, I am moving and all my books are packed, or I'd cull some for you. But basically, you can make a shrub by covering fruit with vinegar, letting it sit for a bit, straining it and mixing it with an equal part sugar, boiled down a bit. Or do something like this. Shrubs were traditional hot weather drinks on farms, believed to be real thirst-quenchers. I do love the sweet-sour taste in a drink.

Saw this article in today's WSJ. The heads of Manolo Blahnik are selling their own milk at a premium price. Apparently sold at Whole Foods (in the East, I'm guessing). Anyone tried it? What do you think about this? Doesn't seem like anything special beyond the particularly pampered cows.

Yes, it is incredibly secure for deep-frying and you can even cover the whole surface with newspaper for quick clean up. I love this idea.

You describe this as if the clotting on the top was a bad thing something to be "fixed"--the attitude that has ruined a lot of our foods. It was always our favorite part. And yes, we scooped it out, as a treat. In New England we still make a dessert with Irish Moss that is similar to blancmange. Irish moss is basically carrageenan

In the 1980s and 1990s I was a big huge red wine drinker. William Hill (affectionately called Bill Hill) was a fave--have no idea what it's like now, but it was massive. Big Zin drinker for decades, too, always. Now...not so much. Malbecs either. I've gone back to France and some softer US cab savs, occasional OR Pinot Noir. And I've been back to (unfortunately expensive) French Chablis for a long time now. Just don't like American chards anymore.

It is a function of our large commercial agriculture and supermarket distribution system in the U.S. I am able to buy "real" cream from spring to fall at farmers markets.