lperry

Please don't use the bird netting. I thought it was a great idea too, until a morning was spent untangling a panting barely-alive bird caught in it. Absolutely horrifying. Bird netting in the trash. Give in. Plant another bush- one for you, one for them. -Linda

Eggs sunny side up. Every time I need the yolk to be whole, I break it. If it doesn't matter, they come out perfectly. Maybe I have yolk anxiety. -Linda

Third on the portabellas. You can do a nice balsamic marinade and then top with some cheese (swiss, fontina etc.). With a nice toasted roll, this one can add to a really nice grilled meal. Also good are individual pizzas on the grill. Get some dough from a restaurant and then grill one side, flip, top with veggies and cheese, close the lid for a few, and you have a great smoky pizza. For some reason, the dough never sticks to the grill - even without oil. I guess it's the high heat? You can do them as small as you need to. A really nice dish is to take some new potatoes, evoo, salt, pepper, and any herbs you may have, wrap it all up in some foil, and throw the package on the coals under the grate. Mmmmmmmm. Happy grilling! -Linda

No kidding! I think it's one of those ant and grasshopper things. I just feel better with a full larder. I've been doing some chutneys, and I think that's where the next batch of mangoes will go. I like the parfait idea as well. That sounds nice and summery.

The fruit has been excellent this year and I find my shelves overflowing with jams and preserves. I have enough for the gifts that I usually give, so I'm trying to come up with other ways to use up my supply. I've got mango/lime, pineapple/ginger, cherry, mayhaw, pear/ginger, and peach. I don't use added pectin, so everything is of fairly soft consistency. So far I've come up with the following ideas: 1. Fill a cake or sandwich cookies 2. Mix into a plain ice cream base (will this work?) 3. Eat biscuits and jam for breakfast every morning for the rest of my life (not a bad notion) Any suggestions would be appreciated. It's only July and I have always had a strange compulsion to put food in jars all summer long. Please help! Thanks, Linda

Their website has a neat little video that shows an egg being cooked in a pan that was cut in half. The half in the pan cooks, and the half on the cooktop does not. Really interesting! -Linda

I went in and ask them about it. They have a 4 stage wheel grinder. And they do it on weekday only. They also will not do japaness knifes. ← Does anyone know if they have somebody who is skilled? Or is it just the regular store staff? -Linda

I make yogurt and it usually takes at least six hours to set and longer if your heat source is not really warm or stable. I set my covered bowl out on the deck in the summer heat in the morning and it is finished by the time I get home from work. That is anywhere from eight to ten hours. It's possible that you didn't wait long enough. -Linda

Hold the mango on end with the stem pointing up. Look down on it and you will see that it is fatter in one direction than the other. Since the seed is flat, you can tell that it runs parallel to the longer axis. Now get a very sharp knife, start at the stem and cut down to the board from top to bottom just against the flat part of the seed. You will be able to feel it with the edge of the knife. Voila. One half of a mango without a seed. Turn and do the other side leaving the seed by itself, then take off the little ring of flesh remaining. Score the cut off sides like you would an avocado (down to the skin), push up in the mango skin to flip out the fruit, you sort of turn it inside out, then you can cut it from the skin. Or you can just peel it. It's much easier to peel when it is off the seed. Does that make sense? -Linda

Lemon verbena and white peaches. There is a lovely recipe for this jam in Christine Ferber's book, discussed here in this eGullet thread. If you don't do any preserving, just macerate them together with a little sugar and lemon juice and eat as is or serve over pound cake, ice cream etc. Come to think of it, that sounds like a great sorbet.... I grew lemon verbena in the ground in Florida, but I'll be trying it in a pot this year. I've been told you just need to take it inside over the winter, and don't panic when it drops all its leaves since it is a deciduous plant. Like Andiesenji said above, just hang on and it will come back. -Linda

I will admit to having to look up "syllabub!" It sounds so gorgeous and delicious. I need more plants! I can always rely upon egulleters to inspire me. Summer desserts, here I come.

I can't imagine an event of any significance without devilled eggs. Weddings, funerals, engagement parties, garden club meetings, all holiday gatherings, and other get togethers where the comment from the ladies is always, "Oh, I really shouldn't.... well maybe just one." My grandmother and aunts still make them with the homemade pickle relish. I have strayed from my roots and use mustard and a bit of hot sauce. I also have the dubious distinction of owning four old egg plates, each of which will hold a dozen halves.

EVOO, coarse sea salt, snips of thyme, and a sprinkling of meyer lemon juice. Roasted pepper perfection. Thank you! -Linda

Many thanks for the links and ideas. I'm going to try making a syrup for sorbet, and I'm thinking I could make an interesting cocktail too..... Thanks! -Linda

I spent yesterday constructing a potted herb garden on my deck. One of the things I planted was a scented geranium, and I plan to plant more. This one is called "peach" although it smells citrusy to me. I have used rose scented geraniums before in cake pans to flavor cakes, but after that I'm at something of a loss. The label from the plant nursery says use in "jams, jellies, ice creams etc." OK, so do I make a simple syrup? A tea? Does anyone grow these? Which ones do you like the best and use the most? Please share ideas and recipes. Thanks, Linda

I love roasted vegetables, but I always end up forgoing them in the summer because I can't stand the thought of a 450 degree oven. Has anyone ever had success outdoors using a grill? All I've done is the aluminum foil thing, and that just makes steam. I want that crispy brown stuff..... -Linda

Wonderful blog! I'm so happy to find that other people are out foraging. I'll be trying some things with horsemint now..... -Linda

Absolutely. Everyone was friendly and helpful. I also had two tour guides, friends, both native to the area and of Italian descent. Wonderful people all around, just not as obsessed with cooking as I am so they couldn't help me with recipes. The food was just incredible and now I'm doing my best to replicate it in my own kitchen. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'll try the oil/herbs/salt tonight. -Linda

Oh dear, apologies for the faux pas. I did experience that Philly attitude, although it was in a crowd situation. Di Bruno's must have served ten other customers while I lingered over things and asked questions about the different cheeses (southern certainly stands out here). I was clearly out of place in the loud hustle and bustle. I think the poor guy behind the counter took pity on me . He recommended some amazing cheese, though.

We had some at Villa di Roma, then bought some at Di Bruno brothers. I saw them several other places including the shop that had the fresh ravioli (Superior Pasta?).

When I was in Philadelphia a few weeks ago I was introduced to marinated roasted red peppers. (I know, sad that I went this long...) I tried Googling for a recipe and I haven't been able to reproduce them just right. I'm guessing that I'm making it much more complicated than it really is. Maybe just EVOO, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and salt? Can someone help with a recipe and proportions? Many thanks, Linda

It's that time again! I've got bowls of ripe mangos and key limes calling my name. Preserves tonight! Is anyone else putting up yet? -Linda

Oh, that's that wonderful scented heart shaped leaf, isn't it? Piper auritum I think? Please do share the recipe if you find it. Even if it makes a mess, I'm more than willing to clean again! -Linda

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll go with the deep pot AND the screen. I've always used my old cast iron skillet. The dish was pozole with mole verde. I combined ideas and ingredients from Rancho Gordo's posts in the pozole thread, Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen, Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and a few things that I remembered from Diana Kennedy's old cooking show. Garnishes included lime (I couldn't find sorrel), avocados, shredded cabbage, and cilantro. I tried it first without any of the garnishes simply because I love the corn taste and I wanted to try the mole on it's own, "unadulterated" if you will. I agree with you - mole verde is just incredible in flavor, texture, and color. I've never tasted anything like it, and now I wish I had made more! I am hooked. -Linda

Last night I made a mole verde for dinner. When I poured it from the blender into the pan, I expected some spattering, but nothing on the level that occurred. It was like the mud geysers at Yellowstone times ten. I immediately tried to stir it down with one hand while reaching for a pot lid with the other, but I still ended up with a rather spectacular mess. Even the stove knobs ended up in the dishwasher. Fortunately, the mole was worth it! So here's my question. I have made mole before, but never mole verde. Is it the higher liquid content that causes the spattering? Is there a secret to keeping it in the pan? Should I have a backup man standing with a spatter shield? Or should I just plan to make it when the kitchen needs a really good scrubbing anyway? Thanks- Linda