YoChefGregg

What an exciting time for you and Ellen. I to can't wait to read your book. Is this your first child?

Great pictures, thanks.

Caramel sauce for caramel. I once, and only once, used a recipe that called for brown sugar, gran. sugar, flour, water, margarine and vanilla. Boiled until thickened. What a nasty recipe. Real caramel is so easy to make, I was ashamed of myself.

I agree with the choice suggestion. 3 or 4 simple items. Your salad, pickles, corn relish, carrot raisin salad, pasta salad, etc.

For an Alsatian pork. Brown the shoulder. In a large oven roasting pan layer bottom with sauerkraut, turnips, sliced onions, sliced and peeled granny smith apples and waxy potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the shoulder on these ingredients then layer with the same ingredients again. Season with salt and pepper. Pour a dry white wine over. Shoulder should be 3/4 covered by vegetables and wine. Bake until shoulder is tender. Smoked jowl meat can be added for a nice smoky flavor.

Until you become comfortable making caramelized sugar, use more water to dissolve the sugar. This will increase the time that it takes to brown the sugar, but the process is much more forgiving. It is still a pretty fast process. (Most old time chefs don’t use any water, just a tsp or so of lemon juice). You can probably use the highest heat that your burners can generate. Just keep a close watch. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and the solution starts to boil. Some times one can get hot spots in the pan that you are using. Spots where the sugar browns faster than others. If this happens, swirl the pan gently. Then wipe the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Keep an eye on the pan when browning starts, because things go very quickly once it starts. When you add a liquid to your caramelized sugar, do it off of the heat. Stir your liquid in and add more as needed to control the consistency. Stir over a lower heat until all of the seized sugar dissolves. Caramelized sugar always seizes up, just stir and add enough liquid. If you are making a savory sauce, once you add the recipes flavoring items, add water or some kind of low salt stock to control the final consistency.

How are you and your husband doing? I had my thyroid removed just over a year ago. I can certainly feel your pain. Best wishes for a full recovery.

I am most in the "zone" when I've got 3 or more tasks going at a time, or working on the line during a rush. It's such a great feeling when everything that has been planned and prepped, all comes together.

Thanks so much for sharing your travels with us. I love your written travelogue and the pictures. Particularly the open and welcoming faces of the people that you met.

Fresh French bread with butter, topped with Maldon sea salt is one of my favorite snacks.

Protein has a coiled structure. Water is found between these coils. As protein coagulates, this coiled structure tightens, forcing out this water. If a ground meat mixture is over worked, there is less natural space for this moisture to remain once it has been squeezed from the protein matrix. If over cooked, even properly mixed ground meat preparations will have a less than desirable texture. Just my 3 cents worth.

Prison pizza and fries with lots of ketchup.

This is a joke. Right? The end times are certainly upon us.

Yes, except as was already noted, when kitchen staff are gratuitously gunned down and no one notices. Babette's Feast.

Bobby's Flayed, Rinds of all Kinds!

Here is an explaination for what a London Broil is, .How to cook London broil

.......shake any jar/bottle up for use, without tightening the lid first. I don't relish the thought of having to clean relish off of the ceiling again.

Thanks for the good wishes. Maybe we'll try luting our own next year. Here is a true lover of Lutefisk, http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=73352 Forum Host Note: Posted edited to activate the hyperlink

Our lutefisk this year was not one of our best. The fish was at it's worst. Every negative comment was summed up and laying insipidly in our oven proof dish. I can't wait for next year's attempt. GOTT NYTT åR

I can purchase dried cod from my local fish market, although I never have. I certain that many of us eat things and do odd things in the name of tradition. Christmas eve wouldn't be the same without Lutefisk. My two Sudanese foster sons even try it. They can appreciate the history behind the dish.

I have always used purchased lutefisk. Unfortunately the quality is variable. Sometimes it is nice and firm and one has no problem using a fork to eat it. At other times it is quite jelly like and one needs to use a spoon. Christmas Eve always sneaks up on me. Lutefisk making takes about 2 weeks to complete. Lutefisk eating is an acquired trait. I almost like it now, with lots of Dijon béchamel, after about 46 years of eating it at Christmas. My daughters and nephews look forward to trying it each year. They are always surprised that it hasn't killed anyone at our dinner yet. To all of you other lutefisk eaters......... Var Så God,

Does anyone else serve Lutefisk as part of their Christmas Eve smörgåbord?

Is anyone else as tired of Emeril as I am? The FN must be conceding the 8 o'clock hour to other channels. His kitchen techique is so pedestrian. I hope that the FN is searching/grooming other kitchen talents for their own programs.