srhcb

The first time somebody hired two bartenders?

Having caught, killed (tougher than you'd think), cleaned (again ....), and cooked a turtle, I can see where Mock Turtle Soup might be a good idea, but having grown, picked, peeled cored and cooked apples, I can't see how Mock Apple Pie makes any sense? SB

srhcb, I think you are thinking of arabic gum, that is why many brands turned to the name gum acacia. ← I should has said "false" rumor. SB

It's a good alternative thickener, but xanthan has an alternate use in gluten-free/lactose free baked products to add "mouth-feel". Don't ask me how it works though? I have a cousin who is both gluten and lactose intolerant and I tried some various baking recipes for him. An odd asside; there was a rumor that Osama bin Laden's family controlled the world's supply of the substance, which is produced in Sudan.

fig ice cream SB (or maybe trade somebody from MN who likes figs for some wild rice?)

Now why you gotta go and be all superior, my money ain't good enough. You must have the same irrational dislike of post offices that I have. ← I really don't like to sell wild rice since I get the nicest hand parched rice the Indians reserve for personal use. Whatever I trade for I usually share with Lou. Some trades I've made in the past include home roasted coffee beans, licorice from Holland, unusual spices from places like South America, Asia and Eastern Europe, a selection of gournet mustards, home made jam and jelly, a vintage cook book, etc. There are some commercial brands I would endorse, Christmas Point and Ramy being two of them. Notice these are both gray/green in color rather than black. This is what you look for. You'll see a lot of wild rice on eBay labled as "hand parched", but I doubt if most really is since there are very few people still employing the old labor intensive methods. In any case, it's probably all superior to what you'll usually find in a gourmet shop. SB

DISCLAIMER: This is neither an offer nor a solicitation I have been known to trade hand parched wild rice for interesting or unusual products from other regions.

Maybe Minnesota wild rice isn't reallly "rice", but the California product is neither "rice" nor "wild"! Actually, the biggest difference is in processing. It California product seems to be more for decoration than eating. If the grains are black, they're burnt! Even most of the rice that's hand harvested here in MN is commercially processed, but some of it is pretty good, ie: not burnt. Old fashioned, hand parched wild rice is the real thing, but it's generally only available directly from the source. SB (plys his "source" with free coffee and donuts all year)

I like guys like Bob.

This year we had record breaking hot and dry weather this spring and summer here in Northern Minnesota. Even the oldest people I found asked couldn'r ever recall anything like it. We weren't sure what effect this would have on the wild rice crop, especially since the lake levels were so low due to the lack of rain. Just this past week my friend Big Lou was able to check out a few of his regular spots. He reports more wild rice than he's ever seen, and he's been ricing every year since he first went with his Native American relatives over forty years ago! The rice is just starting to ripen, so barring horrific rain storms or an early frost he should begin harvesting in about a week. Today wild rice is a luxury product, and many, like Big Lou, rice for traditions sake and a little extra pocket money. But it's interesting to imagine how a bumper crop like this year's would have been appreciated back when the rice comprised a significant part of the tribes' diet or, more recently, provided many families with a major portion of their yearly cash income. On a more personal level, Lou should have plenty of time for ricing. His wife has kicked him out of the house (again), and he's living in his RV, so he can be literally "on the job site" when he gets up in the morning. This is somewhat reminiscent of the "rice camps" of olden days, when the men would pitch tents on the shores near the rice beds and harvest all day and drink and tell tales all night. SB

I hate to admit it, but I print them up and save them in the cupboard above my range hood. It's pretty low tech, and not very well organized, but I've never lost them in a crash.

We could cover the cake with an inflated prophylactic and have an accurate rendition of the Minnesota Viking's home: the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome! SB

Personally, I don't peel the peaches, or hardly any other fruit for that matter. I like the added color, and in rustic dish like cobblers and crisps I don't think the loose peel is distracting at all. SB (waiting for his yearly fix of Frog Hollow Cal Reds!)

THE Episode is on again in 15 minutes! SB (will watch again! )

According to the most recent article I could find her PBS show is in production and scheduled for April 2007 airing. I've emailed Sara's web site for clarification. SB (hopeful)

I can't find any mention of Sara Moulton's rumored PBS series on either her site or the PBS web page? I hope something hasn't gone wrong? SB (will be very sad )

For me it's all about the camaraderie. I live in an area that might be considered a culinary backwater. Information was always available through books and magazines, and products and equipment by mail order, but the opportunity for the pleasure of learning and sharing through personal contact hardly existed before the internet. THANX SB

I'm only 15 minutes into the Beirut episode. I think this is what those who invented televsion had hoped it was going to become. THANX Tony et al SB

Perhaps I'm just adept at recalling subliminally planted old safety lessons, but I honestly never put anything on the stove top. I don't even set utensils I'm using on the range. SB (fortunate to have a large center island)

I think you answered your own question .... No chef wants to compete against "grandma"! Interest in Eastern European food and culture is trending upward right now. Since there's been so much "cross-pollinization" of the various cultures, regardless of political boundries, I think a restaurant based on the entire region's cuisine, perhaps specializing in one particular variation, would work. As always, it comes down to location, location, location. SB (and $, $, $)

Wow thanks....now I have to see it even more!...damn I have been waiting for months to see it and cant....arrgh! ← I meant it most sincerely. It had a spontaneity that works so well for Alton. You and "Jack Dunphy" are my two favorite LA cops!

I didn't expect much from this show either, and the promo ads didn't help. I found myself watching both episodes though, and found them very entertaining. I think the production had a lot to do with it. The Cakes style owed more to Discovery Channel's American Chopper than any other food Food Network show. In fact, Goldberg was kind of like an Alton Brown/Paul Tuttle Sr character? I think leaving off prices of specific cakes was a good idea. The fact they're well done, and in demand, makes the point that good work is not cheap. Judging by the size of the staff, and a guess about the cost of building and equipment, the overhead is pretty high! SB (can't believe he enjoyed a show on cake decorating!)

The Chris C/Alton B episode was one of the best things I ever saw on Food Network! SB

Of course! Is there anyplace where that isn't a common phenomenon? If so, I'd like to know about it. Perhaps there are some places that suffer from regional self-deprecation. ← Here in Minnesota, thanks to the Scandinavian influence publicized by NPR's Prairie Home Companion we modestly proclaim everything to be "above average". Foodwise, I guess this translates as "Hot Dishes" made with "Cream of Lutheran" soup?

Being rather "rolling impaired" I tend to use a lot of graham cracker crusts. chefpeon's suggestions were all good. In addition, I offer the following thoughts: Were your graham cracker crumbs soggy to begin with? An opened pack of crackers or box of crumbs will pick up moisture pretty quickly. When they say "press" the crumbs into the pan, press hard. I use the bottom of a small glass to press the crumbs firmly in place. I assume the "pretzel-like" crust refers to the added salt? It would be interesting to use pretzel salt?