Dani Mc

I can finish a whole bag of the Gingerbread Men in one sitting. And I love the mint Milanos. Sorry!

I used the onion soup recipe at school (with the variation of adding white beans...it was on the menu, I had no choice). I deglazed with sherry and balsamic. Since it had to simmer longer because of the beans, the flavor was incredible! We served it with braised savoy cabbage, and a petit buttermilk thyme biscuit. Our instructor didn't want us using established recipes (we're supposed to be focusing on technique), but I had bought the book the weekend before and couldn't wait to try it out... I've since made duck confit (don't know what I'm going to do with the meat yet) as well. I'm not sure where WS gets their recipes, or if they test them. But I know all the recipes in this book work. I put a lot of stock in someone who tests their recipes before putting them out there...been the victim of untested recipes too many times. ← I'm very impressed with WS cookbooks as well. I have the 'Simple Classics' book, and every recipe I've tried has been sound. I have one friend in particular who is addicted to the Mac and Cheese!

My father did this with a bagel. You were fortunate to walk away with just a band-aid. Daddy had to have surgery to get some tendons restrung, and he still has nerve damage. Cooking barefoot is probably the dumbest thing I've done. Nothing like bubbling hot pan juice narrowly missing the top of your foot to get you to put some shoes on. I got a few splatter burns. I don't want to think about what would've happened had I not jumped away in time.

How stiff are the wires? I bought a similar one but the wires were too flimsy to hold onto anything with any weight to it. I tossed them out in the trash. ← Pretty strong. I use it for picking up large filets or anything with a lot of surface area. Its heavier than your standard tongs w/scalloped edge, but its also easier to grab small and/or delicate things with these. Plus, its Swiss. There's something about that and the weight and the design of the things gives it a 'thank you kitchen mistress, may I have another?' feel to it, and I'm kind of into that. I wouldn't use it as my only tongs, but as part of a tongs arsenal. In reguards to the numerous garlic gadgets: I only have one. My global chef's knife. It slices, it mashes, and when held under running water, it sucks the garlic smell off my hands. I WOULD like a few more microplane graters. I have the one for a fine grate now, need something for a coarser grate.

I'm a big fan of these tongs: Kuhn Rikon. $20 at Surlatable.com

My Orka silicone oven mitt is pretty awesome. They say you can reach into boiling water with one on, but how many times do you have to do THAT? Get it because its dishwasher friendly for easy cleaning.

:jealous: Just remind him how much it would have cost had you bought all the books they have taken recipes from. ← Dude...Ebay. There are some complete sets for sale as we speak. Get ye there and start bidding. I'm missing 5 books: Crackers and Cookies Fish Shellfish Classic Desserts Preserving I saw a couple of the Desserts books today, but right now I'm really hot to get Fish and Shellfish. If you see them, definitely let me know.

I was in London at least once a month for the past 9 months, and while there, I always made a trip here: Pham http://www.london-eating.co.uk/4108.htm the atmosphere isn't the best, but the sushi is.

ummmm....add 23 for me. Just got 23 of the books in the 'Time-Life Good Cook' series. husband will not be amused.

cinnamon and brown sugar.

that is stone cold evil. And yet, hilarious.

Turkey w/prosciutto and hazelnut butter crust accompanying gravy Potatoes gratin w/blackfoot mushrooms stuffing (or as we call it-'crack'. that shizzle is guuuuuuud). haricort verts (should've been haricort verts w/roast shallots and fennel, but I didn't buy enough shallots. oh well) apple pie w/vanilla ice cream (from the Baking In America cookbook by Greg Patent).

I got the Oxo last week, and used it for the first time on potatoes for dinner tonight. Its fantastic. I've never owned a mandoline before, as they either looked to big and scary, or kinder egg surpise flimsy. This one is neither. Solid on the table-didn't have my usual fear that the thing was going to go flying off the counter, and I would somehow flay the skin from my forearm. Good size hand guard, and the blade selector is indeed easy to use. Jaz, I don't know what was wrong with your rep, I was able to grasp the concept immediately, and I am notorious for being kind of dumb in that department. Seen The Simpsons epi where Homer tries to put together the outdoor grill, gets frustrated, runs at it in a rage and just hammers the pieces together where he thinks they should fit? Thats me. I love oxo, because their stuff looks good, its durable, and the design is intuitive. I glanced at the instruction manual, but it was so obvious what did what, I could've thrown it out immediately. Great design team there. Anyway, I've only used the plain slice setting, so I still have some playing to do, but even if I only use it to get perfect 1/8" potato slices, I'm happy with it. Definitely worth $70. *edited because I just realized I actually spelled it 'potatoe'.

Well, I've had the thing for over a month now, and have only made the mushroom and onion soups so far. My husband won't let me go beyond them. The minute he sees the book come out, he starts pulling out onions and gruyere. I can't blame him, it really is the best recipe for french onion soup we've ever tried. Love the mushroom soup as well, but husband hates the texture when its pureed, so I just slice the mushrooms and skip the blender step. Will have to start cooking on the DL if I'm going to get beyond the first chapter.

only 39. I have many waiting to be bought on my amazon wishlist. I envy the 100+ collections some of you have. Sadly, I don't think my tiny apartment will hold much more. I've already started setting aside volumes that need to be put into storage. Maybe I'll have to rotate my cookbooks in and out of the storage unit by season, like I do my clothes.

wings, oh gawd, wings. there's a chain here called Atomic Wings. The guys who run the one on 12th and 1st ave now know my voice, and my exact order: single order w/suicidal hot sauce, extra ranch dressing salad w/goat cheese and walnuts. My favorite hangover breakfast is a bag of honey roasted peanuts and a coke. That tends to get weird stares at the office.

Thanks for the lowdown on pigs tail. Thats one of the dishes that has been calling my name, since I recieved my book. I'll have to start looking for some tails soon. Back in October, my husband was invited to the publisher's party in London for Bourdain's new book, and Furgus Henderson was also there with 'Nose to Tail'. It was held at St. John's, and according to the hubby, was actually quite a fun party. I was extremely jealous that he got to go, and I was stuck in new york, but he did come back with signed copies of both books for me, so all is forgiven.

oh sweet jeebus, my dad likes a very similar thing. I just don't understand. I have asked myself the same question, btw.

Haribo Gummi Bears (the kind in the gold bag), left open on the counter overnight, so they get good and hard. I hate super soft gummi bears. dry cheerios straight from the box wheat thins. wheat thins with american cheese slices. cheese popcorn. I've been able to satiate the cravings with the more acceptable 'smartfood' cheese popcorn, but sometimes I just crave the MSG in Wise Food's 'atomic orange' cheese popcorn. Wendys fries, salted to oblivion, then dipped in a frosty. Damn, but that's sooooo gooooood. Old school Kraft mac 'n cheese with franks hot sauce. Maybe a hebrew national cut up in there as well, if I'm feeling extra trashy.

If the service is bad because the staff are pissing about, then no. If the place is obiously slammed, and people are doing the best they can, yes. If the food is bad on the first visit, probably not.

HA! Love Doom and Failure Cake! Broken Sauce Dance of Rage Furious Whisking Arm of Fire