pam claughton

I agree. When I buy a new cookbook, I sit down and read the thing front to back, just like a page-turning novel. I like lots of little stories and info about the food, or restaurant life or anything that might be of interest. Sometimes, this backstory info makes me more interested in trying a recipe that I may have passed on. Pam

This is my favorite way (so far) to have calamari, which lots of spicy peppers so that the oil has a nice kick to it, but the fried batter is still crispy. :)

Gorgeous pictures, mouthwatering menu. Thanks for sharing! :)

Nanna, I'm curious, what is Icelandic food like? What are some of your classic dishes? Pam

Scott, I would advise you to speak with an agent before agreeing to anything. If you have a strong hook, and potential retail partner, you may be in a good position to negotiate. An agent could best advise you on what would be most beneficial. It might not be in your best interest to agree to a flat fee. You could be giving up quite a lot......or not, depending on the terms. An agent that specializes in cookbooks could steer you in the right direction. Be sure to let them know that you have strong publisher interest. Several agents that come to mind, among the many that handle cookbooks, are Doe Coover, Lisa Ekus, and Jane Dystel, but there are many others as well. Pam

Genny, My idea is a new twist on a beginner's cookbook. I pitched it to a few publishers, and they are interested in seeing the proposal, so I am planning to get that out this week. I hadn't thought about blogging the process. I do have a fairly new food blog, so if there is any good news to share, it will be there. :) Pam

Jamie, Thank you for posting this! I appreciate the insight and information. I'm a bit of a research junkie, especially when it comes to the business side of publishing/marketing and now cookbooks. Pam

I'm not looking for any specific help, was just curious who else is floating around out there and to be honest, am procrastinating a bit, taking a little break, before diving back in. :)

Are there many cookbook writers here? Or aspiring ones? I am working on my first cookbook proposal, and wondered who else on egullet might have already published a cookbook, or is working on or thinking about doing one?

I actually started a thread on this a few months ago, at http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=62234&hl=oprah I also posted on my blog about it, http://efoodie.typepad.com/efoodie/2005/02...bout_the_w.html I do think, unfortunately that most Americans don't see this as a real threat. But, in all fairness, it is not being presented to us as one. The USDA is quick to reassure and stress how safe our beef is, yet they are reducing testing. Well, of course they are. The less cows they test, the less the chance of a positive result. And we are still feeding cows other dead cows and animals in their feed....yeah, that's what they mean when the feed says 'meat by-products', all kinds of lovely things like rendered dead animals...a percentage of which possibly has the disease and is then being fed to cows, who then develop the disease. But, if they don't do this, then the price of feed will increase dramatically, as will price of beef, and we can't have that can we? Oh, most commercial dog and cat food has those same meat 'by-products'. Unless you buy a special kind that costs much more. Which I now do. Oh, and I only buy organic beef now. Cuz the truly frightening thing, to me anyway, is that there could be thousands of Americans that have Mad Cow disease now....but we won't know it for another 5 or 10 years. People wrongly assume that because no one has symptoms, that no one is sick, and that may not be the case. The frustrating thing, to me, is that this is something that could be rigorously tested for, and most importantly PREVENTED, but prices would rise.

I don't find this article the least bit sad, nor does it make me angry. I actually found it fascinating, the way a scientist might view a perplexing test result. Because this woman is just so completely different from people like us, who love food. She doesn't cook because food just isn't that important to her. Can you imagine? A kitchen that is spotless because it just isn't used? People like this do exist, and live fulfilling lives without obsessing about or even enjoying food. She even says that going to restaurants for her isn't about the food, it's about the whole experience, the social experience. What fascinates me is I just cannot fathom how someone could not be interested in food, but every now and then I meet someone like her, so I know they are out there. It's a glimpse into a completely different lifestyle, and no, I don't think I'd care to have her for a dinner guest. I like to eat with people who enjoy food. But, she might be interesting at a cocktail party. :)

Yes--baked, stuffed lobster or shrimp. In Central CT anyway, this is getting more difficult to get in restaurants Growing up we made this at home and I still make the shrimps (harder to get lobster out here). The recipe we have used for years was procurred from a local restaurant. No competing seafood in the stuffing... it is incredibly simple and delicious and is one of my favorite recipes for lobster or shrimp. Stuffing: Dry bread crumbs, chopped medium walnuts, lemon juice, melted butter and tomalley and mashed coral (for lobster), parsley if you like and salt and pepper. Pour a little more melted butter over stuffing before baking. ← This stuffing is so good with walnuts. Your version sounds wonderful.

There have been more than once instance, but the most memorable was when I got the bright idea to add a little sweetness to my scallops in bacon, by drizzling them with maple syrup. Within minutes, they were on fire and spewing black smoke everywhere. Maple syrup near the top of a broiler is NOT a good idea. At least my grandparents learned that their smoke alarm does work. :)

The North End, for all the reasons already mentioned. But also, my little hometown of Plymouth! From where I live, I can walk down to the waterfront and have my pick of excellent seafood restaurants with fantastic harbor views, like Isaacs, the Mayflower, East Bay Grill, and even a good Italian one with a view, Mamma Mia's. There's also a great waterfront family owned fried seafood restaurant and complete fish market, called Wood's, that has the freshest fish, and good prices. From here I can stroll up Main Street, have breakfast at one of several options, a cute little diner called the All American where I get Green Eggs and Ham....scrambled eggs with pesto, or a small bistro where they have homemade foccacia bread for toast. There's an excellent Indian restaurant, deli, Italian bakery, my favorite Mexican restaurant, Sam Diego's, several pubs, more restaurants, loads of shops, and a coffee shop, Kiskadee, where two local young men have built quite a following, with internet access, live music, fresh baked goods, and coffee that they buy and roast themselves. And just a short, less than five minute drive away, is a great butcher, Piantedosi who also has gourmet items like demi-glace and Italian breads (a related family business), and Quintals's fruitstand has fresh veggies and fruit. :)

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread....or any kind of cranberry bread. We've always had this around the holidays, and I made it years ago in Florida for Thanksgiving. I had just graduated college and we had a collection of students over who weren't able to head home. None of them had ever heard of cranberry nut bread, and thought it was quite bizarre...until they tasted it. :) Pam

I think baked stuffed lobster is probably a native new england dish. When it's split and filled with buttery crumbs and chunks of seafood, either crab, scallops, shrimp, or just more lobster.... It's about time for me to have one soon. :)

If you want to really treat yourself, eat at No. 9 Park, right on Boston Common, by the State House and Beacon Hill. www.no9park.com has menus to check out. The restaurant is exceptional and has homemade pastas that melt in your mouth. I just got back from a cooking class earlier tonight in Boston, taught by the chef, Barbara Lynch. One of the dishes we sampled was prune stuffed gnocchi in a foie gras butter wine sauce. For Seafood, I'd suggest Jimmy's Harborside, right on the water, by the World Trade Center in Boston. It's been around forever, and the waiters have all been there that long too! Fresh, New England Seafood, and by far the best baked stuffed lobster I've had anywhere (and I've had them just about everywhere in Boston). Right around the corner from Jimmy's is a much more casual mostly fried seafood restaurant that has also been around for ages, called The No Name. Legend has it that their Fried Clams are the best in Boston. Another option, with locations throughout the city, and one right on the water by the Boston Aquarium, and by Fanueil Hall, is Legal Seafoods. Yes, they are a chain, but a local Boston one. All their seafood is as fresh as can be, and it has a touristy Boston feel to it....also has an excellent baked stuffed lobster, and crab cakes that are full of big, sweet chunks of crab. If you like Italian, don't miss a walk through the North End, near Faneil Hall, or if you want to sample 18 different kinds of oysters, head over to South Boston's new B&G Oysters, which also has traditional lobster rolls, fried seafood, and wines picked especially to complement the fresh, raw shellfish. I haven't been here yet, but am dying to go, especially since Barbara Lynch of No. 9 Park, told us why she opened this second small restaurant. It was because she couldn't find a restaurant that offered more than one kind of oyster, or that had the kinds of crisp wines that she wanted to go with them. Cambridge has plenty of diverse ethnic restaurants. There's a great Indian one right in Harvard Square, think it's called the Bombay Club. I ate there once and loved it. There's also an Ethiopian restaurant in Central Square, that I almost went to a week ago, but had to cancel. I've been told it's great, and very inexpensive. Asmara. Here's a link w/more info on them, http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/citizen/ALON2-05.HTM There are other seafood restaurants right in Fanueil hall too, casual, and even takeout. There's a Todd English restaurant there too, called Kingfish, that could be hit or miss. I've eaten there a few times, and it's been good or bad, it's just not consistent, so I hesitate to really recommend it, as I've heard the same feedback from everyone I know who has eaten there.....sometimes good, sometimes not. There's a ton of great places to eat in Boston, hope you enjoy your visit. :) Pam

Catherine, I was in Borders again today, (yes, it's an addiction), and her two earlier books, Tender at the Bone and Comfort me with Apples were on the buy 2, get 3 trade paperback table. So, I have loads of Ruth to look forward to. Thanks for the heads up on the recipes...I just checked out your blog too, and just subscribed to it! :) Pam

I stopped into Borders today, looking for a magazine, nothing else.....and ended up with a pile of books. All the intriguing Spring books seem to have arrived in the stores this week, among them the new Ruth Reichl book, Garlic and Sapphires, the Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise. This is my first Reichl book, and I've fallen head over heels. It is such a fun read, about her experiences going undercover in all kinds of New York restaurants. It reads like a novel, except that I've never had a novel induce such mad cravings...she even makes sushi sound delicious. Has anyone else read this yet? Or her earlier books? Are they similar in tone? Off to find something to eat... :) Pam

If you are worried about 'fishy' taste, I'd definitely go for a mild white fish, like sole or haddock. Dip it in flour, and pan fry in lots of butter and lemon. Or bake it with a topping of breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers, butter, and lots of lemon. :) Pam

Thank goodness I have a bag of tortilla chips to snack on as I read this thread, because I am salivating. Don't remember the last time a thread made me so hungry. I've never made enchiladas, and look forward to trying these recipes. Now I'm really looking forward to lunch tomorrow, made plans earlier to meet up at a great Mexican restaurant that I haven't been to in years. Will have to try their enchiladas. :) Pam

We always make an eggless pasta dough. It's simple and easy. <a href= "http://efoodie.typepad.com/efoodie/2005/03/retro_raviolis_.html">This recipe </a> is for a large batch, but you can cut it down. I posted it on my blog, so just scroll down.:) Pam

Easter always meant ravioli to me. My grandmother made them every year, and I used to think that's what everyone ate. I never once had ham for Easter! Her ravioli were amazing, homemade pasta filled with spinach, sausage and three cheeses, in a slow simmered tomato sauce flavored with meat. I actually <a href= "http://efoodie.typepad.com/">blogged about it today, </a>and posted the recipe, which I'll be making again soon. What we do now though is fun, and gets bigger every year. I think there will be close to twenty of us now, including cousins and new boyfriends, who will all be meeting up for a long, lazy brunch at a nearby hotel. One of those great places where they don't rush you, and there's ridiculous amounts of delicious food, including my favorite, a poached salmon with dill and fresh lemon. Funniest thing though, is after feasting like this, we go back to my sisters in-laws, and she immediately puts out more food, great stuff, like homemade spinach pie. Pam

Pan, The closest "other" vegetable to salsify is burdock root (gobo in Japanese). Salsify has a somewhat more delicate flavor. It's sometimes called "oyster plant" because of its flavor. Both salsify and burdock are crunchy, but dense rather than watery or juicy. ← I'm not that familiar with burdock root, either. Lucy's right: I'll have to try it myself. ← Pan, I had it recently in a restaurant, and loved it. I had it as a fettucine type sidedish with scallops. The salsify was shaved into thin strips, cooked, and dressed with truffle oil. The texture is similar to cooked artichokes, and there is a hint of an oyster flavor, which matched really well with the sauteed scallops and truffle oil. It's a dish I want to try to recreate, if I can find some salsify locally. Pam

Now that I work from home, I cook more, and eat better....however, I also eat more....need to watch that. Last night, dinner was a big salad of Boston lettuce, really ripe, sweet avocado, sliced strawberries, walnuts, and olive oil/vinegar dressing, and tortilla chips. Breakfast today, slowcooked oatmeal, with sauteed, diced apples, cinnamon, maple syrup and a dash of salt and hot sauce. Lunch, went out, had a broiled haddock sandwich, with cajun seasoning. Delicious. Dinner, have a beef brisket braising in the oven, marinated it all afternoon in redwine and tons of garlic. Smells heavenly. Will have that with roasted asparagus tossed with sea salt and pepper. May need to make a batch of homemade guacamole to snack on as smell of dinner is driving me crazy, and it won't be ready for hours. Pam