JeanneCake

Sometimes I find old(er) milk and white callets don't fully melt and I wind up pressing on the stubborn bits to get it fully smooth; I think the felchlin callets (they call them rondos I think) are thinner to begin with so you hopefully won't encounter that. I'd use them.

You mean the parchment you line the baking pan with, correct? You need to spray the pan, then put the parchment down and then spray the parchment. It might help to dust the towel with confectioners sugar before you flip the cake out onto the towel. I've never tried it but I wonder if a silpat would help, instead of the parchment. Then the cake won't stick once you flip it onto the towel. And once you roll it in the towel leave it loosely rolled until you fill it. I would use Bakers Joy if you can get it. Ive had mixed results with other sprays. A tasteless (e.g. veg oil or safflower) oil works too.

How deep is that cake tin? If you have a shorter tin, try that; I've found over the years when I bake in a 3inch tall cake pan and fill with a (US) standard batter recipe, the cake is short and doesn't bake as well as the same recipe in a 2inch tall pan. I think the cake strip being wet helps to further insulate the sides of the cake so the whole of the batter rises evenly (as opposed to the sides setting first and the center of the batter has no where else to go except rise/split as it bakes). The strips do get manky over time, and we've replaced several cake strips over the years; I've heard anecdotes about people using torn strips of bath towels instead of the purchased strips!

We use "cake strips" which is a long strip of an insulation-type material (about 1.5 wide) long enough to go around the outside of the pan and it pins in place. It helps to bake a more level cake (or, more level than not using it). We mostly use it on the larger square cakes we make. Some people use rags or strips of towel (bath towel, not paper towel). You soak the cake strip in water then you pin it in place and into the oven it goes.....

I'm seeing a lot of ads for Immi (brand) ramen on my social media feed and I'm wondering if anyone has tried it? I'm thinking of getting my husband some ramen packets because there's only so many nights I can make the Gochujang Buttered Noodles (which are not ramen, I know, not even close) or the Vietnamese version. He's in a noodle and dumpling phase (he likes Dumpling Daughter for those so the freezer is well stocked!) and I'm thinking of putting some ramen packets in his Christmas stocking ....

My favorite recipe comes from Rose Levy Beranbaum who got it from Campton Place in San Francisco. It calls for equal amounts of cornmeal and flour, heavy cream, butter, corn kernels (which adds a lot to the recipe but I've made it without and it's still good). Google the recipe and see if it's something you'd want to experiment with.

I was thinking the exact same thing.... where could I put this (mostly because the bread machine Christmas gift will take up the remaining counter space we have). I'm going to leave for work now so I can't be tempted....

Sold! I just told my husband about my (our) gift to the kid, and he's all excited LOL. The book is a great idea, thank you! And yes, I'd love to have your recipe. I'm certain I'm going to get the BDC20.

My son is asking for a bread machine for Christmas and based on this thread, I'm planning to buy a Zo, and will probably get the larger model (because I'm of the opinion: go big or go home). This paddle thing that has plagued @TdeV makes me wonder - is that an isolated issue or something the rest of you with Zo bread machines also experience? I'm hoping the machines will be part of the Black Friday sales frenzy somewhere!

I ordered a turkey from the local farm, so we'll have that and the usual sides. My personal favorite is the brussels sprouts with chestnuts recipe from Epicurious (and I came late to the brussels sprouts fan club) but I don't bother with the chestnuts if I don't have them. I like this recipe with baby brussels if I can find them. It's only going to be the 3 of us and I am looking forward to a day off from work

I'd go with equal weights of grated quince and water, simmer til it's soft then add the sugar and let it boil/reduce...

I love bluefish! The only way I can get it now is when our fishmonger does smoked bluefish, which is infrequent. My father used to go fishing for blues every so often and he'd grill it; he and I were the only ones in the family who enjoyed it. He did something similiar to Rickbern's method with some oil, herbs and lemon. It was delicious!

In Hawaii, for example; a luau is a celebration and it has foods associated with it (kalua pig, poi, lomi lomi salmon come to mind) so perhaps there's a traditional South African celebration that has a menu or foods associated with it?

You could look for US gingerbread cookie recipes, they often call for molasses but you can sub out lyle's for the molasses. I am fond of the gingerbread cookie recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Christmas Cookie Book. Add a little more flour to the dough and you won't have much spread. I chill the rolled out dough overnight in between parchment sheets and it doesn't spread (it puffs more than spreads, this is more a factor of how thick you roll it - if it's thick it will be pudgy, if you roll it thin it is firm to the point of crisp when baked)

I use a spatula. Having said that, if all I had was a large spoon (think serving spoon with a wide bowl), I could see using that. If you're holding it as if you were making a quenelle (at a slight angle) - you've got a curve created by the spoon as you move it through the mix and that helps bring the mix up and around.

Baking in thin foil tins could be contributing to the sides/ends rising fast and then folding in; have you ever tried this in a metal pan?

Welcome! I'm happy to hear your friend loved your cake; there is nothing better in the world than food made with love, for those we love and care about. We look forward to have you with us!

I am also eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy! I'm guessing I'm going to be like a kid with the newest Harry Potter book, reading it by flashlight in bed under the covers 🤣(jk) and seeing what's new. I've worn out two copies of TCB, many of the recipes we use in the bakery came from that book.

Did you already try Amazon? Any luck there?

We started eating the gochujang buttered noodles because it got mentioned here, and now it's part of the regular rotation and we have it at least twice a week! I also started using gochujang in other things as well as black vinegar, and sriracha based on mentions here; I started making popsicles after being inspired by @bluedolphin. I'm also eating more savory foods for breakfast, like you - coarse bulgur with miso and spinach is a favorite no matter what time of day it is. I would consider myself an adventurous diner, but being with all of you has inspired me beyond just what cookbook or magazine I happened upon. Plus, even though I don't know many of you "in real life" I trust your judgement because I've "known" you for so long ETA; I apparently can't spell dolphin correctly on the first try

I have a vague memory of my brother and I begging our parents to get Spaghetti-Os, we saw ads for them constantly on TV. And our school friends talked about having them (and McDonalds too). So one day, my mom bought a can, and we had it. It was awful. We spit it out but she made us finish the can since we insisted on having it. Maybe through the wonders of technology, pasta in a can has improved in the last 50 or so years?

I'm curious about what a "bug pie" is (dessert menu, last line on the left), if I'm reading it correctly

Fascinating, I'd not heard of egg coffee before. Hopefully Starbucks won't hear of it and ruin it! Welcome to eGullet.

1) I miss Toliver 2) so, an oreo with different designs on the cookie, and red glitter in the filling? 3) I could probably soak oreos in Coke and get the same thing as the drink they're probably going to charge big bucks for LOL! Maybe we're paying for them to filter/strain the cookie bits out LOL!!!! Seems like this pairing is a stretch. They've run out of ideas. Now, an oreo with a Dr Pepper filling or Cherry Coke filling or day glow Mountain Dew - that might be something

This can open up so many different avenues - is it a cultural norm that diners wait until invited by the host to help themselves to a second (or the last) serving; or do you announce your intention to have more after you've finished your first plateful, or do you say to hell with it and eat however much you want, not indicating your intent to take the last bit? Or is it manners that (at least those in the US) should have been taught as children what the societal norms are that govern genteel behavior around a dinner table (at home, at a restaurant, at someone else's home). It makes me think of the parties my parents had when I was a child; there was SO MUCH FOOD! My mom didn't have to cook for a week after those epic parties and I carried on that tradition. We hosted an Open House the Sunday before Christmas and it was open invitation so I had enough food for 200, just in case So running out of food, and having a "last piece" wasn't a thing in our house (Sadly we stopped having the Open House parties when I opened the bakery. I still do cook far too much food if we have guests though.)