tamiam

Sometimes I just don't think. I was making a chocolate/coffee glaze to top some holiday cookies. The ingredients were bittersweet chocolate, butter, heavy cream, thick espresso powder coffee. I did not have enough bittersweet, so, like a dunce, I substituted 2 oz of unsweetened. Needless to say, my glaze is broken--the butter is separating and it became gritty. Can anyone help me--either a save for my mix, or a quick glaze for a 9x13 pan of cookie that consists of a choc/coffee brownie layer, frosted with a cinamon cream cheese frosting? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks.

This is my first year of making more than 1-2 cookies for the holidays. It's been fun. It's also given me a new appreciation for all the effort all the cookie bakers have made over the years. Here is my list so far: Richard Sax's Oatmeal Ginger Shortbread (super easy very tasty and addicitive) Richard Sax's Pecan Puffs (aka Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Tea Cakes,etc.--a really light as air version of the famous cookie. There are no eggs or vanilla, just flour, sugar, butter, pecans, and pwdr sugar. Really good). I am not familiar with Sables, but the recipes look similar--what is the difference? Maida Heatter's Pecan Passion (brownie bottom with caramel pecan on top. I made these for my "keep out of the kitchen for I am the best of all baker's" aunt, and she called asking for the recipe) Gourmet Magazine's brown butter cookies -- nice, but not equal to the incredible buildup in the magazine. Did I do something wrong? Best of Gourmet Capuccinno Brownies. I am avoiding rolled cookies, for the hassle factor. But the downside is that bars and rolls have a kind of homey look. Normally I prefer the homemade look, but I find myself wanting something beautiful to add to this collection. Any suggestions are more than welcome. I've really enjoyed the thread.

It is too bad that Tamarind Tree failed an inspection and was closed. It is also too bad, and perhaps downright irresponsible, that the Health Dept kept them on the closed list for up to 10 days after they passed and were allowed to re-open. Based upon long-term experience, they really care little about their obligation to the businesses and pubic who pay taxes and fees to support them, or about consistently and fairly applied rules, or high-quality defensible technical work. Do I like my restaurants clean? Absolutely. Do I trust Public Health - Seattle & King County to be judge and jury? Not at all.

Homebrewing is going strong at my house But seriously, many small towns have joined the ranks of big cities and feature homebrew shops and knowledgeable brewmasters who want to share what they know.

Well, I certainly do not claim any expertise, but the shop that just sharpened my knives, advised me to use the steel on my Global. I trust their expertise as knife makers as well as sellers of wonderful Japanese blades.

Hi Abra. Glad to see that you are blogging and cheffing again. And really putting in the road miles too. You must have superpowers that let you cook creatively and well, plus post while driving. Looking forward to sharing your week.

Tried to satisfy my sweet tooth tonight by making my favorite brownies. But I kept getting interupted by the phone, the dog, the Hitchcock movies on Turner Classic Movies. Melted the chocolate, amped up the flavor with some really really good cocoa powder, stir and bake. But when I checked up on the brownies in the oven, I saw they hadn't spread at all. They were dull colored, lumpy, looking rather like a mess the dog might make, if you get my drift. Yup, I put in half as much sugar, and twice as much flour as I was supposed to. Yuck. No sweets for me tonight.

One of my gift-giving problems is that I have a hard time thinking of non-food gifts. I know there are other choices out there, like toys and music and clothes and books, but I end up thinking about neat gourmet treats and cookbooks and gadgets...I mean anyone can use a microplane, and it is so cool to be able to share with someone who has never tried one before. A favorite homemade treat for sharing was a jar of a homemade spice rub, tied together with a cedar smoking board, hot mit, and a recipe card. And a microplane with a hunk of Permesan or good chocolate. A salad spinner with tongs and a bottle of homemade vinagrette. Some of the best gifts on the receiving end include a nice roasting pan to replace the big ugly I had before, and last year when my b.f. bought me a new chef knife, and I bought one for him.

Looks like my first visit to Wildwood was just a day or so before yours. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Even though we arrived early for our reservation, and had just come from work, so were dressed very very casually, the staff was gracious and helpful. The menu had so many inviting dishes that it was difficult to choose. Everything was very autumn seasonal, with most of the dishes calling my name. We shared an endive salad garnished with pomegranite and candied walnuts. I ordered a pork scallopine dish that was good, but not great, as the thin slices of meat were tough and overcooked, but my friend's beef dish was a real winner. For wine, we had a fabulous Patricia Green Pinot which I will make a huge point of finding again. I really liked the way they serve their tea, with fresh loose tea inside of hand-filled mesh bags. Service was knowledgeable, well-timed, and helpful. The table bussers are a bit too assertive, but that was only a small flaw in an otherwise very lovely evening.

I just had three knives sharpened at Epicurean Edge in Kirkland. The store is like a knife wonderland, the staff extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and my knives....so sharp that I could take up a side gig doing elective surgery.

I second Tighe on certain select items at Rascals. Not everything, but try the Asian soups. What a wonderful surprise. Who'd a thunk it? If you are in that part of town, and have a hankering, that is the way to go.

Ice cream.

Hi Abra--You could also get Gabriel's recipe from Jan or I. We got it while taking his Vietnamese class. My recollection is that the rice flour is very low gluten so the dough is really sticky and needs lots of kneading.

An article in my local paper claims Bank of America-Visa has a program that will automatically add 20% to your restaurant bill, whether or not you chose to include a tip on your credit card receipt. Maybe you left cash, maybe someone else picked up the tip, maybe you decided not to leave one because it is fast food restaurant with no service, or maybe the service sucked. Whatver the reason, isn't this supposed to be the customer's decision--certainly not B of A's, and certainly not the restaurant's? According to the article, some restaurants don't even know that their credit card machine has this feature, and they don't know how to turn it off. It is supposedly a temporary hold, and is supposed to be removed, or corrected, after a couple of days. It is beyond my comprehension that Bof A and Visa, who are supposed to protect the customer, could possibly justify a practice of padding bills, especially in a way that doesn't show up on a receipt. Temporary or not, it is just wrong. Plus, if you've ever tried to clear up a billing error, perhaps you too have learned not to trust the system to get it right. Has anyone else heard of this? Is there any reason to argue that it isn't just completely and totally wrong, wrong, wrong? (edited to add that this seems to be a Bank of America policy that impacts Visa cards, perhaps not a policy by Visa, who simply fails to stop it from happening) Article right here

The Dish Free coffee outside while you wait to get in, and they make a pretty darned good corned beef hash. Mmmmmm.

You are one nice grandaughter-auntie. Can I join your club?

I have two kinds, one is called a June-bearing and the other everbearing that came from that nursery on Bond Road, selected for happiness in the local climate. Both make gorgeous medium-sized sweet berries by the handful, This made us very popular with all the little kids in the 'hood. I have them in a raised bed fortified with lots of compost, and pretty much don't take care of them at all. They send runners that root very shallow, so they seem to be endlessly share-able. My initial 12 plants turned into many more between their 1st and 2nd season, (not bad like mint or oregano, just prolific). The only thing I dont know, and one of you real gardeners might be able to advise, is do you have to wait for the berry season to end before transplanting (my gut says yes)??? If so, the everbearing is still going, but much slowed down. The June's ran from May - July, and are done now. In any case, it is probably best to take them before the house sells, as in soon, cuz I have an agreement with the great and good powers of the universe that the house will sell really fast once we put it on the market next week. In other words, PM me, and we can make a plan.

I love spinach!!! What a good idea. BTW, would you like any strawberry plants? Edited to add, strawberry offer is open to anyone, but Abra lives closer than most of y'all. I am in Bremerton.

I moved into my new home about 3 weeks ago. I know that it is not even time yet to think about gardening for next year, but I missed all this year, and I can't help myself. Plus it beats unpacking all to heck. The previous owner planted a lot of native plants, which is right on all the way. She especially liked ones that attract hummingbirds . Most plantings are woodsy garden and rock garden types, with some beautiful choices. One thing that I love about the place is that it is in the woods, and it is also sunny and bright. Best of both worlds. There are chives, sage, and thyme in pots, but all of them look pretty haggard either from age or heat. There is a rosemary in the garden that is different than the ones I've had before. It is a bright green color and has a weeping droopy way of growing. Hope it survives the winter. Best of all, when I was weeding yesterday, I found BLUEBERRIES!!!!!!! I am planning to dig some strawberry plantlets from my previous garden and bring them over (not that anyone would be able to tell anything was missing from the strawberry jungle over there). Other than that, I will find out if deer and squirrels eat tomatoes. I've not gardened around deer before and could never learn to sympathize with those who complain about those graceful pretty beasts sharing our space. I dream of growing and sniffing lemongrass and a kaffir lime (indoors? it is sunny inside too so it should work). What about onions and garlic? Or a kiwi? Anyone who has thoughts on gardening in a woodsy area, I'd love your advice.....BTW, garden-wise, I am in the inexperienced dreamer category.

Thanks for sharing. Even though I live much closer than you do, I have never made it out that way before. Your photos and delicious descriptions make me want to though.

I was in ChefWendy's party at Elemental several weeks ago and agree with all she said above. Phred is rude, controlling, persnickety, arrogant, and seems to forget who is paying the bill. The only time he shows his helpful side is when you are following along with some kind of uncommunicated will of his. All of that could be interesting and even fun if the food was outstanding, but it was not. The menu was basically high-end takes on diner favorites--foie gras in the meatloaf kind of thing. You would not know this by reading the menu though--you can only find out what is being served by daring a conversation with Phred (the very guy who just forced a guest to stand, jacket on, without a chair, while personally attacking her, because he wanted to impose some kind of pointless rule and he didn't care that she just walked in and had no idea. Then he has to deign to tell you what it is you have the option of buying from him. In the end the food was nice--not worth driving out of your way for. The attitude was a pain in the arse, and heck, I can get it at work for free. And the game of not telling you what you are drinking shouldn't be forced on people who don't enjoy playing it that way. Just because someone can cook or pick a nice wine does not make them some kind of superbeing for the rest of us to bow down to. Except maybe if it is me

We have these too, I call them "free-range" parsley I had all my herbs except the rosemary & lavendar in pots so they would be up where I could reach them more easily to care for them & to harvest, but the parsley made a mad leap for freedom & is now thriving right next to the pot where the parent plant is barely alive... Yet another thing poor Bill has to mow around... ← That reminds me of my 8 yr old niece who was visiting someone else's garden.....she kept asking if she could go "hunting for salad"

I am hoping to move to a new home soon, so have not planted anything this year. That means my whole small garden is sprouted from last years' plants. I have a rosemary (did poorly in a pot, then when I moved it into the garden it took off and is now quite gorgeous), several Italian parsleys that have self sown, mint and a few oreganos (which are both in the mint family and will take over the planet if left to their own devices), and two kinds of strawberries. My strawberries rock--at least the ones that the bugs are willing to share with us. Also, Abra gace me a mail order source for lemongrass, which I want to try once we settle into a new place: Richter's Herbs