pam claughton

Thank you, both of you. I do love olives, but something about this pungent smell seemed odd. It's good to know that good wines can have this quality though. Pam

I just got back a while ago from seeing this movie. I do not remember the last time i laughed so hard and so often at a movie. I am also a writer, and this movie was just a delight from start to finish. It works on so many levels, and I think especially because these characters have so many flaws, but Miles really does grow and change for the better, and the scene where he is enjoying the heck out of his 61 cheval in the fast food restaurant is just perfect. I hope it does well at the Oscars. I also saw Miles/Paul Giamatti on Jay Leno the other night, and he was hysterical. The guy knows nothing about wine, and says he just visited a few wineries, got familiar with the swirly motions and went with it. He also said he likes wine, and as long as he can catch a good buzz, the wine works for him. Obviously a good actor! :) Pam

Hi Bill, I'm from the Boston area, not Chicago, but I did use one of the national wine clubs, the California Wine Club. I was a member for several years, and really enjoyed it. For a while, when times were very good, I had monthly deliveries of both the regular wine and their premier or special collection wines. The regular wines came 2 per month, and I think the other did as well. The regular wines were from mostly small California vineyards and would retail for under $20, usually in the $8-12 range. The special collection were a bit more expensive, anywhere from $30 to $100. I found their service excellent, and the selection very good, and each shipment also included a newsletter with background information on the wines and usually a recipe. If you like California wines, it could be a good option for many. Hope this helps. Pam

This is first for me. I love wine, but my knowledge of it is very basic. I opened a bottle of Westport winery's Reserve Cabernet/Merlot blend, poured a glass, then leaned in for an appreciative sniff. Olives. A very distinct smell, and one I've never encountered in wine. I didn't love the taste either. It wasn't vinegar, but it wasn't a wine that I liked. I then saw that it is a 1995 bottle. Do reds sometimes taste/smell of olives? Or was this wine probably on it's way out? Any thoughts? Thanks, Pam

Hi Diana, Great blog so far, love the pictures, especially of the market. I'm another one of those people who enjoy the shopping as much as the cooking. I could get into a lot of trouble in a market like this. I'll also enjoy picturing warm sunny Florida this week, as we head into another deep freeze, and a serious Nor'Easter that isn't supposed to start until 3 this afternoon, but it's already lightly snowing out. I lived in Tampa many years ago, and am trying to remember why I ever left! Pam

My fav? Cooked on the grill, about a half inch thick and cooked so it's medium, a nice rosy pink, yet cooked. Then onto a soft bun, topped with equal amounts of mustard and ketchup, onion, a sliced pickle, and sauteed mushrooms, oh and a dab of blue cheese is always a good idea. :)

Wow, I can practically taste that Thai Chicken Pizza, it looks amazing. Pam

Vanilla and buttercream frosting. Yankee Candle actually makes a candle that captures this smell perfectly, called Buttercream. You don't even have to light it, but if you do, it will smell like a freshly baked and frosted cake. It always makes me hungry. :) Pam

My breakfast experiment, Silver Palate's Rough Oatmeal, cooked slowly with chopped apple, cinnamon, and a dab of butter. Will make this one again. Pam

For me, it's Taco Bell, crunchy corn tacos, burrito supreme. Used to love the Taco Maker, but they have all gone from this area, they were the absolute best. Other guilty pleasures....McDonald's or Burger King, or Wendy's fries.....I'll take any of them. Though I don't actually go out and get them, if someone puts a hot Krispy Kreme in front of me, I can't say no. At least once a Summer, I have to get a fried Fisherman's platter, eat the whole thing, and then feel miserable. At least once. Pam

Pray describe a little more. Belly or strips? ← Ludja, Do you mean at Fanueil Hall? If so, I will have to check it out. :) Pam

Okay a few ideas here. First of all, can't beat a Hawaiian, ham and pineapple, though you can improve it by using proscuitto. :) Years ago, I ate at Spago in LA and had the most delicious pizza ever, and then was beyond excited to find the recipe for the pizza in the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous cookbook.....great pizza dough recipe there, using honey, and salt. and the topping is diced chicken, cilantro, jalapeno, and monterey jack cheese. You can make it as spicy as you like, and it's a great combo. Two other excellent ones come from a local chain here, Bertucci's The Sporky, features chunks of Italian sausage, and dollops of ricotta, along with the usual pizza sauce and mozzarella. But my favorite there is the lemon cream brocolli and cheese. It's a white pizza with a lemon alfredo sauce, cheese, chopped broccoli and chicken. Yum. Pam

Thank you! I just may try to make a little shrimp stock, and see what happens. Pam

A simple, flavorful way to use it is just to add to plain white rice or pilaf. It adds a pretty yellow color and subtle flavor. I worked in a restaurant on the Cape for years, and people always raved about the rice, and it was nothing but white rice and tumeric spice.

That sounds good too, maybe I'll marinate in sherry, and still use a little white wine too. Thanks!

Great suggestions, thank you. You can never have too much garlic, and I love hot pepper. Will give that a try.

Shrimp Scampi is one of those simple dishes that you'd think would be a snap to make, and it probably is, but not for me. Though I cook all the time at home, this dish just never comes out quite right. It's always just ok. There's always something missing. Would love to hear if anyone has a killer recipe for it? I made a version last night with butter, garlic, cream sherry and parsley, and it was blah. Thanks! Pam

I've never had these steamed, always baked from the chinese bakeries in Boston's chinatown, sweet, plump, melt in your mouth pillows of dough and pork. Yum! Am looking forward to trying these.

Actually, I came up with a great soup that didn't use ham. I sauteed up the veggies, onions, and carrots, then cooked the split peas with chicken broth and some new potatoes, and then added tons of cooked chicken, and let that simmer a bit. I added a generous swirl of balsamic vinegar at the end, and it was surprisingly good! Next time I make it, I might add a chopped apple for some added sweetness, for some reason, I think it might work well. We'll see. Pam

My step-mother is Thai, and two Thai mixes that she often uses are easily found in most Asian markets, both under the brand MAESRI, one is a chilli garlic seasoning mix, a sauce packet that you heat and serve over fish, and another sauce packet that you stir fry with chicken and cashew nuts. Both are excellent. I also took a Thai cooking class a few years ago, and the one thing I have made over and over again are the fresh spring rolls, with soft, pasta like wrappers, filled with thin rice noodles, mint or cilantro leaves, chopped veggies, and shrimp, and served with a spicy sweet dipping sauce. They are addictive, light and delicious. Pam

I LOVE risotto. Everything about it, actually. It's total comfort food, even making it, is a calming relaxing process, stir and taste...mmmm. There's a great little cookbook, simply called Risotto, that has loads of great recipes. My copy is stained and well used, though I usually just make the basic recipe, and add whatever I feel like at the time. Chicken and mushrooms are always at the top of the list, Butternut squash, sage and parmesan too. I like to make pan fried risotto cakes with the leftovers. Quickly sauteed in butter until they are golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy in the middle. They remind me of hash browns. Pam

As long as it's cooked al dente, I'm happy with just about any dried pasta. I haven't found a real difference in taste among them. I usually just notice the taste of whatever is on the pasta itself. Pam

I just use a knife, chop off the ends, then slice in and peel off the first layer, along with the skin. Quick and easy.

Only time I'd do side by side is if there's no choice, like in a curved booth with a round table, so you're actually sort of at the 90 degree angle anyway, or at the bar. Sitting at the bar is always fun. Or at restaurants that give you one of those cool corner tables where you are at the 90 degree angle. Otherwise, across.

Thank you. I have shallots so I shall test this! I never really understood why some recipes called for shallots, now I know! ← I love shallots, and sometimes use them instead of onions just to give a little more complexity or little something extra to a dish. Sauteed shallots in butter makes a nice pasta sauce just on it's own with a sprinkle of grated cheese, salt and pepper. It's also great in omelets, sauteed in butter first (see the trend here?) :) Pam