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Google [venison sausage]! I'm not a big fan of venison, but combined with nice fatty pork you can make all kinds of tasty sausages. SB (a rare nothern MN non-hunter)

I'm a big advocate of having a full home cooked meal every evening, but on rare occasions when GF is working late or out of town I'll skip cooking only for myself and dine by grazing. Tonite being just such a time, I started off with a leftover piece of yesterday's frittata between two slices of homemade potato bread. (I could have finished off the frittata last night, but forsaw this possibility.) Next I had half a dozen Saltine crackers with Cheddar cheese and a stalk of celery spread with Skippy Peanut Butter. Then, a bowl of Maruchan Ramen (chicken) and another piece of Skippied celery, followed by eight Ritz crackers with Skippy. It doesn't seem like much, but I'm not hungry. And it was better than take-out or junk food. Later, I'll have a slice or two of a pumpkin quickbread I made last night. What do you have when you "graze"? SB (could have eaten a few potato chips, if I'd had them)

Step 1. Milk your water buffalo ... is a daunting enough prospect to dissuade me! I "made" mozzarella from curd purchased from the now defunct Egg Farm Dairy in NY, and one thing I found was that the water had to be really hot. So hot it was painful to put my hands into! SB (the cheese was really good though )

Maybe the difference matters more from the horticulural point of view? How are "peas" and "beans" defined in other languages? SB (mono-lingual) (at best)

While I've never been south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi at the same time, (a character defect I intend to remedy soon!), I have it on good authority that one of the defining characteristics of a north/south orientation is whether or not you put sugar in your corn bread. There's supposedly an old Southern saying; "If there's sugar in the corn bread, there's a Yankee in the kitchen!" SB (Thinking that could be a clue in a murder mystery? "Your Honor. My client couldn't have poisoned his wife. Lab results showed there to have been not only arsenic, but sugar in the fatal corn bread. As a true Southern Gentleman he would never have put sugar in his cornbread!")

What I like best about Tony Bourdain: TB: No funny hats SB: No hats period TB: No Karaoke SB: No singing period (junior college musicals excepted) TB: No Dancing SB: Hasn't danced since the war TB: Likes Nari SB: LOVES Nari! SB (might even sing and dance, in a funny hat, in such circumstances? )

And .... that's just what I did! I had some Italian sausage, and small amounts of a couple different kinds of cheese. Here's the method I used. I just googled [frittata recipe] and chose it at random. I made a five egg frittata in a 7" dish so I cut five minutes off the initial oven time. SB (not too bad! )

I'll do a frittata every couple months, usually on a using-up-leftovers Sunday night. I usually include some crumbled bacon or browned sausage, and add shredded cheese on top just before transfering it to the broiler. I have incorporated leftover hashbrown potatos successfully. SB (not a bad idea for a long weekend ending meal tonite?)

Horticulturally speaking, peas have tendrils, beans don't. Culinarally speaking, it depends. SB (and how about coffee "beans"?)

Heads Up! Serbian Orthodox Christmas is next Sunday, January 7th. My Serb relatives will gather at our cousin Dr Mike's place. I don't know if he'll roast a pig or not, bit it will probably be that or lamb, along with many appetizers, sides, breads, desserts and wines. I'll let you know how it goes. SB (has to do his Serbian Christmas shopping)(when everything's on sale )

I'm anxious to see the new season of shows. It will be a great test of Tony and the production staff not to strain the premise and try topping some of last year's great episodes, but to just let the show be itself. (kind of like a tv example of the sophmore jinx) SB *** knocking on wood ***

I like this style. They're effective, neat and decorative. Besides, it's the kind my Grandmother had.

After watching the show a second time, (and was it really just four months ago that it first aired?), I have to say .... it was even better than I remembered. It was, in fact, the best thing I saw on television this year. SB (wondering how many of those Marines may still be on duty in the Middle East this Christmas)

The Beruit Episode is on again tonite. SB (Peace on Earth ......

I think if you add it later it will still turn out alright? SB (per Julia, if there's a noticable difference pretend "that's the way it's supposed to be" )

Looking at the photos I can't help but wonder why everyone doesn't move to Hawaii? SB (me in particular)

As long as you asked: Don't Bogart That Joint is a song from the 60's movie Easy Rider. Bogart, as a verb has taken on have several meanings, all roughly associated with the above. SB (remembers it well )

I admit the concept may not seem as attractive early in the morning, but you can make rye pasta by using about 25% rye or spelt with a tough flour like duram to make up for the lack of gluten. The rye lasgne noodle sounds good. Ham & Swiss Lasagne maybe? SB

I wish! I even eat canned vegetables. I think some are better in both taste and texture than the frozen. Just put a serving in a ramekin and mic it for a minute. The secret: lots of butter and garlic!

Aunt Bee's book is still available! One of the best parts are the little snippets of dialogue from the original tv show: BARNEY (Don Knotts) in the diner: Let's see.I'm not too hungry this morning. I'll have uh ... orange juice, bowl of cereal, stack of wheats, three eggs over - make sure they ain't runny now Olive, bacon on the crisp side, white toast buttered, hash brown potatoes, and coffee - coffee and cream. OLIVE: Does my heart good to see a thin person eat. ...... BARNEY: Did you know that knitters and crochetters seldom have stomach disorders? ...... ANDY: If I was a criminal and I was heading through the woods, I'd stop off at Emma Brand's house. BARNEY: You would? ANDY: For sure. Now you know there ain't a day goes by that Emma don't make a batch of pies and put 'em in the window to cool. Well, you know it's pretty hard on the average fellow to pass by without sniffin' and a-hunerin' for a slice of pie. You can just imagine what that's gonna do to a starvin' excapee. Yeah. Let's go over there. ....... AUNT BEE: More pie, Mr Darling? BRISCOE DARLING: I'm ample ma'am. Three cuts of pie is my high water mark. ...... ANDY: Oh, hi, Opie. You're just in time to join Barney and me for lunch. Aunt Bee made us some extra special baloney sandwiches. ...... STEVE: Imagine a person responding to their own three and one-half year old post? AUNT BEE: I took the liberty of fixing you a little snack.

Here's the technical dope on ripening bananas. Notice that bananas that were picked before the green-mature stage and/or exposed to temps below 58 for even s short while may never ripen properly. SB (likes the nice black ones for Banana Bread! )

You can never have too much marzipan! When I was young I used to love the marzipan strawberries that came in the Harry & Davids Christmas Gift Baskets we got every year from my Grandfather. They were so good I always wanted to save them for a special ocassion, and had to hide them from my younger Brother and Sister, who considered Christmas a special enough ocassion for the purpose. By the time I usually remembered where I hid my treasure they were hard as rocks! Why not take your brother's idea one step further and make up a whole marzipan village! SB (probably still has a few strawberries stashed away?)

I think somebody made this on Iron Chef? SB

They use a lot of Grogonzola and Sage?

I have Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, and it's one of my favorite cook books! I don't think their differences conflict with as much as compliment each other. The Amazon.com review of the dvd companion to the book says it best: "The complete Emmy Award-winning series. 10 hours, 22 Episodes and over 85 recipes. Julia Child and Jacques Pepin join together with fire, fun and culinary genius in what has become another classic hit for public television. Viewers are charmed by the special magic America’s favorite cooking duo conjures up in Julia’s legendary kitchen and enticed by the mouth-watering great food they prepare and enjoy. Julia’s and Jacques’ warmth and conviviality shine through the programs along with their spirit, whimsy and remarkable skills, as they offer techniques, tastes and recipes at the heart of today’s cooking. From Hamburgers and Halibut to Chicken Pot Pie and Artichokes, they reach the hearts of the audience who loves them for their easy camaraderie, step-by-step instructions and great talent." SB (simply MUST get the dvd!)