foodie52

What intrigued me from the clips is Tony's inability to describe the flavor of the pea ravioli. It tasted like essence of peas, simply put. Nothing else. Is it the intensity of the flavor that blows you away? Or is it the process of getting there? Doesn't Thomas Keller do a lot of the same things? (I'm thinking about his soups.) I think that watching the show is, in one way, going to be frustrating for me because what Tony is describing is something that I have had no experience of at all. At least on most of his shows, I've been able to identify with some of the flavors. This show verges almost on Science Fiction? I have a feeling there will be an award or two after this airs.

Hey, claire797...did you ever make that cake? Or are you too busy practicing your Bake Off recipe??

These guys here sell a cream so thick that you have to spoon it out from the glass bottle. The problem is that the cream is available during the winter holidays only. Their cow Molly, tours the state in her very own air-conditioned van!

Everybody in the world gets one shot at my cooking. If they like it, they are invited back. If not, they are off the list. I'll go to restaurants with them, rather than cook and be offended.

In today's New York forum, Fat Guy talks about a meal he had at ADNY. He describes a dish of razor clams which are topped with almond butter and then broiled. This got me to thinking: what are the applications for nut butters? Of course I've used peanut butter to make Thai peanut sauce. But there is such a variety of nut butters available: cashew, almond, macademia, hazelnut. How do you use them?

I drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sea salt, then pop them in the oven to roast on high heat. After I take them out, I let them cool, then scatter some citrus zest over them. I usually use lemon, but orange would work great as well. So would tangerine, come to think of it...

I never used to cook with brown rice: I've been using it now pretty much exclusively (except, of course if I'm doing anything ethnic that required white rice). I've found that as I've gotten older, TEXTURE has become more important to me, in fact, just as important as flavor in my foods. I've developed a love of chewy foods! Brown rice satisfies that requirement more than white. I've also substituted whole wheat pasta only when I plan on eating it plainly, say, simply sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic. I use either the shapes or the flat noodles because they don't clump as much as the spaghetti.

If you drink flavored coffee, you're ingesting propylene glycol. Vanilla nut....Southern pecan...Amaretto....they are all pg based. The flavorings are made in a facility that also makes "good smells" for products like bleach. I know this because I've toured a flavors facility and spent a few years mixing up the flavored coffees where I work. I've always wondered what would happen to your insides if you drank enough of that stuff.

I use leg of lamb. My butcher cuts it into chunks for me. Anything else will be too tough and require much more cooking. The recipe I used this last time is from egullet. It turned out really well. There are lots of good curry recipes out there, all of them different. I put a couple of whole Thai chilis in my chutney while it was cooking down, to give it some heat.

Adam Balic's bio. It sucked me into egullet.

My first Campari experience was sitting late at night in the Piazza de Signioria ( spelling is wrong...)in Florence where Savonarola was burned. The building across the piazza was lit from below. The air was hot and heavy. We were too poor to stay in a nice place so were avoiding our room at the B&B. We were hot, tired and dirty from our train trip. That Campari was the best thing I had ever had. 30 years later I still remember how wonderful it tasted.

Made lamb curry the other night, using Jaz's recipe. After seeing the price of Major Grey's chutney, I decided to make my own : bought about $8 worth of mangos, some golden raisins and spices. I made over a quart for about $10. And it was really , really easy and tasted great! Anyone else make chutney regularly, and if so, what kinds?

We sell Cheddar flavored pork rinds and Cinnamon and Butter flavored pork rinds. Can't keep 'em on the shelf. It's all part of the Atkins diet, bless their hearts.

I work at the North Lamar Central Market : my job description is actually "Foodie" or Food Expert. Hence my name online. I've been there over 8 years and have forged wonderful relationships with customers. I've seen customers pregnant...then with newborns...then with school aged kiddos. I've had a few customers who have passed on. One was a wonderful portrait artist whom I commissioned to do a chalk portrait of my daughter's dog for her birthday: she did it with great good humor and much talent. When I went to England, I brought a bag of treacle toffees back for an elderly customer who hadn't had them in 50 years, but had wistfully mentioned them in the course of a conversation. I brought canned passion fruit puree for another elderly customer from Australia because it had been years since she'd had it. I just mention all this because my job has given me a fine sense of community that hathor talks about. And when the time comes that I no longer can work 40 hours a week pounding that cement floor, I'll revert once again to being a shopper, knowing that I'll probably spend at least an hour of every trip socializing with the grocers!

Bibs. Why not just one large bib per person? With printed logos on them. Or Ronald McDonald's face. Except that it might make you lose your appetite. But then, hey! What a way to solve the obesity/fast food dilemma! You know, I'm going to regret this post because someone's going to jump on this and make a fortune....and not share it with me.

I hope you were suitably entertaining during the drive.

Your best bet for borage is actually at a plant nursery that has a good selection of herbs. Buy a plant, keep it on the windowsill. Pinch off what you need when you need it. Great conversation starter as well: "What's the plant?" "Oh, it's borage." "What?" "Borage. I put it in my Pimms."

Yes. In spite of my gin experience, I have 4 bottles of Ribena in a cabinet right now. We buy it whenever we find good deals on it. I love it hot, in the winter. Icecream sounds fabulous. Would make a great sorbet as well.

You're allowed one bottle: your flight leaves in an hour. What do you buy?

One more thing. I don't know what part of the country you're in, but the weather also plays a big part in how much people eat and how hungry they are. I'm in Texas and I've been to summer outdoors weddings where all you want to do is drink iced tea, a few nibblies and put your feet up. It's too darned hot for real food! One friend of mine's daughter is having a late evening wedding because of the heat, and is only having desserts.....unmeltable ones, at that. She wants the ceremony outside, and the reception outside. Nobody is going to eat a lot.

That's pretty funny. It's true that when I think about margaritas, I usually think about a prefab. I HAVE had exquisite hand made ones with fresh lime juice, on the rocks, gently shaken. In fact, the last time I ordered a margarita that way, I swear the bartender was tempted to propose marriage to me! Margaritas just can't get no respect.

Everything's relative, isn't it? Some people spend 25 to 30 bucks for a night out at the movies....tickets, popcorn, drinks, sitter. Others spend $25 for a chunk of salmon that will afford them great, albeit brief, pleasure. Same difference, don't you think?

Drank Ribena and gin in the 70's in university. Haven't drunk gin since then. I was soooo sick....

Campari soda with a twist of lemon! That's really hard to find in the USA. Nothing hits the spot on a hot summer's day like Campari. I don't know why I don't keep a supply of this at home. I think I'll go out and get some right now!

How tacky. I can't believe they were putting that good tequila into margaritas. That seems totally bizarre to me.