LindaK

I've never heard of a DW with a top rack w/ smaller front-back dimensions than the lower rack. I just took the front to back measurements for both racks in my Bosch and they're exactly the same. Weird. I'll ditto everything on your "love" list and add another: the height of my top rack is adjustable, it's easily moved higher/lower by 2". It might sound insignificant, but it gives a lot of flexibility. When you need a little extra space up top (ex: big bowls), move it down. When I want to wash large baking sheets or the baffle filters from my vent hood and need extra height below, I move the top rack up. Don't like: the silverware container. it's awfully small.

Can you brown clarified butter? I always thought it was the milk solids that browned. I've only made it with whole butter. This is one of the great pasta sauces. When I take the time to make homemade agnolotti, this is the sauce I use. I like to fry some whole leaves for garnish (when I'm plating the pasta) but otherwise stick with the chiffonade.

Interrupting the experts for a report by a pressure cooker novice. I purchased a Fagor Duo and finally got around to giving it a test drive. I kept things very simple so I could pay attention to the equipment, not the recipe. Did I mention that I was afraid? Expecting explosions at any moment? I must have read the user manual twice before even trying. Warning: excessive description below for the benefit of other fearful newbies. My maiden voyage with cannellini beans last night was only semi-successful due to cowardice on my part. Nervous about the cooker, nervous about using it on my high BTU range. As a result, I kept the heat too low and got spooked by steam coming out from around the operating valve, which I had not expected. The pressure indicator didn’t move, even after 5 minutes. Fearing malfunction, I shut off the heat and just let it sit for a while before opening the pot. To my surprise, the beans were almost cooked through, needing only a little more time on the stove to become tender. A little internet research and re-reading of the manual helped me realize that the steam release was normal. So today, I bravely tried again with some risotto. This time, I fearlessly began by using medium high heat on one of my mid-BTU burners (15K) and ignored the steam (note: there really wasn’t that much). Big difference. The pressure indicator popped up in under 2 minutes (I used a timer), and the steam release stopped completely. I turned the heat to its lowest setting. Still cautious, I recalled the instructions to continue on the lowest possible heat setting w/out losing pressure. So I moved the cooker to my simmer burner and finished it there. Six minutes later, I had risotto. It still needed the last step of beating it with a little butter and cheese, but the final result was delicious. Not quite as creamy as the traditionally cooker version, but perfectly al dente, not overcooked at all. Very exciting! Next try will be stock.

When I was shopping for appliances a couple of years ago, I was definitely in the anti-stainless camp. I was reinstalling my almost new white Bosch dishwasher and wanted a white fridge too. I looked and looked for a 36" white fridge with the features I wanted and couldn't find one, they were all stainless. So I gave up and bought stainless. It's grown on me, I'll admit. Maybe it's my kitchen, which has very pale grey walls, but the stainless looks very neutral. I've gotten over the no magnet thing. As for the range, I had options because was buying a BlueStar, which can be ordered in 190 different colors--only the range top itself is always stainless. I was VERY tempted, despite cautions from friends about resale value issues. Indecision kept me in the all-stainless camp, which I somewhat regret. Not because I mind the stainless, but the color would have been a lot of fun. If I move and re-do another kitchen, I'll go with color next time. If you're curious, you can play with the most popular color choices here. As for cleaning it, microfiber cloths work great. All in all, I find it much less trouble than I thought.

Do Pepperidge Farm Goldfish count? Love my goldfish. My other favorite is from Trader Joe's, their Pita Bite cracker. For a basic cracker, they have a lot of flavor. Good with anything.

This is a good point. I was previously quoting prices from my local farmer's market which requires that the food be grown at the actual farm, so it's all local enough that they can transport it on the morning of the market. However, there is another St. Louis market, the Soulard Market, which has been around since before the Civil War, and actively touts the fact that its produce is up to 50% cheaper than what you can get in the supermarket. Which for many things it actually is. If I need a whole lot of lemons or limes, I'll drive down there to pick them up. But of course, no one is growing lemons or limes locally in Missouri. So it's less of a farmer's market than just a vegetable wholesaler discount outdoor warehouse. Chris, I used to shop at Soulard market too, for much the same reasons--and the fact that you could buy morel mushrooms in season! On my last few visits, I've stopped by the excellent Tower Grove Farmers' Market. The prices are higher than Soulard but still seemed reasonable to me. Of course, I haven't shopped in a StL grocery store in a long time. Farmers markets will get started around Boston in the next couple of weeks. But I've (informally) done this sort of price comparison before and found prices at our farmers markets to be comparable to those in grocery stores such as Whole Foods, more expensive than lower-priced chains. For quality, though, worth it, if you can afford it.

Heidi, thanks for the fish porn. That selection puts to shame anything I can find here. It looks like there's a good selection of prepared seafood dishes, too. Any favorites? Did you buy anything?

I'd assume that the oven cooking would "toast" them sufficiently not to require pre-toasting. They might burn, though, especially if you roast your cauliflower with little oil. In a hot skillet, they're ready in seconds.

When I lived in the midwest and didn't have access to really fresh seafood, I discovered trout. It was best cooked whole, it always stayed moist and had more flavor. My technique was the same, only the interior seasoning or filling changed: - open fish, salt and pepper, light smear of olive oil - add seasoning/stuffing - dredge them lightly in flour, cook over high heat in a skillet to brown on both sides, then finish in the oven. My two favorite preparations, per trout: - one finely minced clove of garlic, 1-2 fresh sage leaves cut in a fine chiffonade - a few strips of sauteed pancetta and 1/4-1/3 cup cooked chard, chopped A friend of mine often smoked trout fillets--fantastic.

There's a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey that I love--in a bit of hot oil, toast mustard seeds (I use brown) and cumin seeds, combine with good, plain yogurt, season with s&p. The recipe uses this with boiled potatoes for a potato salad, but it's so delicious that I always make extra. It's very good with steamed cauliflower. You could probably skip the yogurt, but the toasted mustard seed/cumin seed combo is wonderful. Lesson learned: they burn very quickly, be careful.

Fantastic, Heidi. I am so looking forward to this blog. I'm glad you didn't do this during the depth of winter, I don't think I could have looked at those gorgeous garden pictures without sinking into self-pity. I hope you'll give us a glimpse of some of the small local grocers and restaurants I've heard you mention. I seem to recall a Japanese bakery and an Indian grocery that had me envious.

At around the same time that Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse, Madeline Kamman began a cooking school outside Boston, and in 1974 opened a restaurant, Chez La Mere Madeleine. Though it was widely celebrated at the time, it closed only 4 years later. Accounts as to why vary. However, even with this brief lifespan both school and restaurant were influential. Some good chefs, such as Jimmy Schmidt and Gary Danko, studied/worked with Kamman during this time.

Great job. I did the gut kitchen renovation thing a couple of years ago. A pain, yes, but I rather enjoyed it too. That is one big refrigerator. Interior shot at some point, please.

Ditto everything Brian said. I too have been surprised at the high masa/water ratio I need to be successful in getting the tortillas to puff. Always more than any written recipe directs. Experienced tortilla makers, why is this? The other success factor for me has been getting the correct pan temperature. Finding the right heat level is one of those things you must play with, so much depends on your stove and your pan. As with crepes (for me, anyway, a good analogy) the first one or two are usually discards. But once you figure it out for your pan/stove, you've got it. Finally, I've noticed that that tortillas puff after their second flip or (for me) they don't puff at all. Many flips don't help, they just make the tortillas tough and stiff.

Good Heavens, you really are a very new member of eG. Welcome and you are correct, I was at Perolas. I shall look for Segovia Meats next visit for their chorizo and also remember to ask for Epazote. I have both Masa Harina and a press and making my own tortillas is on my list. I confess that it's not very near the top right now. It's all so new to me that I have a lot of easier things to try first. Thanks for all the suggestions and enjoy yourself on eG. Darienne Brian, welcome to eGullet! Darienne, I'm a novice at Mexican cooking too and only made fresh tortillas for the first time last year. They are so easy and so delicious that it's worth the small time investment. As Brian said, there are some great topics here to walk you through the process. Start with Making Tortillas at Home.

From my first time baking with Penzeys double-strength vanilla extract, I've never used another. High quality vanilla beans and the bean:alcohol ratio is 2X that of regular single strength extract. I'm sure other high-quality extracts are excellent. But if you're using an extract, I've found that the difference between a good one and a mediocre one is noticeably different. Even better, I should learn from Andiesenjie and make my own.

I can't believe I'm actually thinking about how good this sounds for 5 am on a Friday morning. Until now my menu consisted solely of a large pot of coffee.

"Bistro" as a synonym for casual dining. The latest food truck outside my office has proudly named itself "Asian Bistro."

Saturday??? I'll be watching at 5 am on Friday. I'll likely be late for work. If I could find some, I'd toast with a glass of British sparkling wine. As for food, I hear they're serving canapes and cake, not a formal dinner.

Thanks, EatNopales, I did wonder whether the cob was an important flavor component. When fresh corn is around, I'll use it. Overall, I found the final dish to be informal eating of the finest kind. And regardless, I'm not embarrassed to eat with my hands, when it's practical, even in many restaurants. So far no frowns of disapproval.

It's not heavy at all, it's a brothy soup, not a stew. The broth is very flavorful but light-bodied. The potatoes add some weight, I suppose you could leave them out but I liked them. Other than that, the ingredients are fish, shellfish, and fresh vetegables. Unless you don't want to turn on the stove at all, I think it would be perfect for summer, a one-dish meal that's really special. I did miss having some bread to sop up the extra broth. I didn't make tortillas. Next time. I made this this weekend and it turned out well though next time I'll change what broth I use. I only had about half as much chicken broth as the recipe called for but I had a good bit of shrimp stock. It ended up being a little too shrimpy. Next time, I'll try all chicken stock or chicken and fish. Also, I cut the corn like he does in the book (into crosssections of the whole cob) but it ended up just confusing everybody as to how they should eat it. I finally just reached in my bowl and pulled mine out and ate it out of hand at which point everybody else followed suit. Overall it was a delicious dish and very little work if you already have the guajillo sauce made. Sounds like I got lucky. I only had chicken broth and was worried that it would be strange with seafood. So when I simmered the broth and guajillo sauce together, I threw in the shrimp shells (from the shrimp I'd peeled for the recipe) and a couple of extra shrimp. It only took an extra minute at the end to strain them out before proceeding with the recipe. That, with the final addition of seafood, resulted in a very balanced broth. From what you've described, I'll stick with that from now on. Living in the northeast US, I won't have access to fresh corn on the cob for another 4 months, so I used the last bag of last summer's corn (stripped from the cob) that was in my freezer. I can easily imagine your problem. Sounds like the cross-sections are for pretty but not practical eating.

Ricotta gnocci are quick and easy. There's a Corsican version in Dorie Greenspan's "Around my French Table" that is fabulous--it calls for spinanch and fresh mint, yum. You can see my pics and description over in the "Cooking with ..." topic: here. Bonus: they freeze perfectly.

Same problem here. I'm enjoying my new Blendtec but it doesn't like small quantities either. I wonder why they don't offer a mini blending jar as an accessory, I'd buy one. So I'm still using my stick blender for small quantities. I generally use it with a pyrex measuring cup, they're deep enough so that the mixture doesn't spatter. And extra convenient if you're using it to measure.

Pam, I am lost in admiration for how you make so much work look so easy. And I am seriously craving yesterday's dinner of latkes, lamb, and lemon meringue pie.

Envy...I love favas and very rarely see them fresh. We just don't have the climate here. There's a recipe for "Pureed Fava Beans with Broccoletti Di Rape" in Marcella Hazan's Marcella's Italian Kitchen that has always stuck in my head, both because the recipe sounds delicious and her prose is so striking (as usual). She uses dried favas but I'll bet fresh are better. My description: favas pureed with a bit of bread/milk panade, topped with garlic-sautéed rapini and good evoo. Marcella's description: poetry.