Pam R

No such thing as late. The beauty of the eGullet Recipe Cook-Offs is that they keep on going. I'm going to see if I can find some small cukes this weekend.

I ordered: # Quick Pickles: Easy Recipes with Big Flavor # 1 of: Ball Blue Book of Preserving # 1 of: The New Preserves : Pickles, Jams, and Jellies So there's no canning, but they're left unrefrigerated? And then once they achieve the right doneness, you toss them in the fridge? And all it takes is 3 days? Has anybody had Bubbie's pickles? I'd like to try to produce pickles that are close to those . . they taste amazingly similar to the ones my own grandmother used to make.

It depends on the subject. As a publisher I was working with said to me, "Why would we include pictures? What would they be? One soup, two soup, red soup, blue soup?" I like colour pictures. But I think they're much more important in a pastry book than a slow cooker book (though I still like a few pictures in the slow cooker book).

If it's a 'private party', can a special occasions license be used?

Like, how quick? Does this work? I have wondered about this (never tried it) - I assumed that there wouldn't be much left in the liquid to pickle another batch, going with the idea that the original vegetables would have absorbed all the good stuff and released water. I've taken the plunge and ordered a pickling book (ok, 3 books). They won't arrive for at least a week. Since I haven't pickled anything in about 25 years, I figure I need a little planning time. I have no garden, so I'll only be able to use things that I buy, but I have a great little seasonal produce store in my neighbourhood - so I should be able to pick up some cucumbers later in the season. Cucumbers are the only thing I have ever done, and it's been so long since I did them, let's assume I haven't done anything. If anybody has any tips, I'd appreciate them. And suggestions for other things to do would be great.

Whenever you're ready - we'll be here. Just make sure to take pictures. And in the meantime, let us know what kind of pickling you'll be doing. Vegetable? Brine? See my questions above. Do you pickle every year? Please tell us about asazuke. What are you pickling?

Welcome to the eGullet Recipe Cook-Off! Click here for the Cook-Off index. This time, we're focusing on pickles. Pickling is a preservation method that uses vinegar or a brine and versions of pickled vegetables, fruit, fish and meat can be found throughout the world. Whether you've wanted to try your hand at tsukemono (Japanese pickles), kimchi (Korean), Moroccan preserved lemons, pickled watermelon, good old kosher dills, or any other pickle, now is the time to do it! There are no restrictions here - let's talk about refrigerator versus 'canning' in a hot water bath. Let's argue the merits of vinegar versus salt. Whatever we do, let's help me figure out how to make my grandmother's dill pickles! There are a few topics on pickles/pickling, including a topic about half and full sours, one on pickle terminology, this topic looked for perfect pickle preparations, and this one introduced a new, quick pickling technique, and most recently, we've had some pickle chat in the Cradle of Flavor cooking topic. If that's not enough inspiration for you, reading Fruit of the Brine, a Tangy Memoir may be just the trick. And don't forget to check the 13 recipes in RecipeGullet! One last thing. If, like me, you haven't pickled anything since you were five, I've asked for and received a few book recommendations: Quick Pickles by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby Ball Blue Book of Preserving The New Preserves : Pickles, Jams, and Jellies by Anne V. Nelson Pickled: Vegetables, Fruits, Roots, More--Preserving a World of Tastes and Traditions by Lucy Norris and Elizabeth Watt Who's in?

Rocky Road Ice Cream. Frozen Marshmallows = Good. Actually, we were once saddled with cases of 'mellows and froze them to keep them fresh. They were fine when thawed.

$1.99/lb Canadian.

I sell them - so I'd suggest an ethnic (Jewish or European) store. And as others have suggested, just ask a butcher. Even if they're not on display, they shouldn't have a problem getting them for you.

Yeah, mine too. I've never been a fan of the Caesar. But I've been making a variation of this salad for years. Pears, apples, strawberries, feta, chevre, pecans, almonds, etc. It's all good.

I am as thrilled as you are. Bring them on. They've started to arrive here as well, though the bag I bought yesterday are not yet what they should be, I love cherries so much I don't care. The bag says this batch is from 'the USA'. I can't wait for the BC cherries to start arriving. They'll sell them out of trucks on the side of the roads into and out of the city. My first choice is to eat them as is - a bowlful for breakfast is a good way to start the day. But I did make a cherry/rhubarb compote for a column last week that would be great served with vanilla ice cream.

I've never brined one. What kind of chicken was it? (Empire, Marvid, Chai, etc.?)

Please tells us about the Muslim Bean Pie. Looks great - what is it?

Right. And my point is that I don't fully agree with that premise.

Don't forget - gefilte fish as we know it is not what gefilte fish once was. As odd as it sounds, the fish balls of today are the classy, updated, new version. And they are what we think of when gf is mentioned - and that's what I remember my grandmother (from Poland of course) making. But if you ask my dad, he remembers when she made 'real' gefilte fish. Gefilte fish literally means "stuffed fish". If we revert back to a stuffed, whole fish - can we call it a modern day version? My question is: Why must we change things? If somebody is on Atkins, fine. They're not going to eat a knish or a piece of cheese kugel with sour cream on it. But if they want some good tasting Jewish food, they can learn to make it or find somebody who does. It does exist and people are eating it.

I would point out, however, that "kosher" doesn't necessarily equal "distinctly/uniquely Jewish cuisine." Take a kosher chicken and roast it with potatoes and carrots. You've got a meal that most any observant Jew would eat. However, is this "Jewish food"? Millions of non-Jews who regularly cook the same thing (with or without using a kosher chicken) say "no." I wasn't saying that kosher = Jewish. In fact, that's why I included the words 'and it's nor just the kosher set'. By that I mean that people who do not keep kosher and do not care about kashrut are still coming in regularly to buy knishes and blintzes (whether those are Jewish or not - I think they are). I completely agree with the fact that just because the food is kosher does not make it Jewish. I also sell kosher nori and pickled ginger and other items that happen to be kosher.

I'm coming at this question from a unique point of view. I grew up in a kosher catering company, write kosher cookbooks and recipe columns and in the last few years I set up and am operating a speciality kosher food store. From my experience, Jews do indeed eat kosher food. And it's not just at the holidays (though there is certainly a bump at those times) - and its not just the kosher set. We produce our own knishes, blintzes, kugels, kasha, kreplach and verenekes and a variety of other ashkenazie dishes - there is a demand for all of these items all year long. Sure we have the 'kosher' customers, but we also have the young, double-income, assimilated couple who could care less if these items are kosher, but they want Jewish food. We bring in lines of 'Jewish deli', Sabra and Shamir salads (hummus, matbucha, harissa, etc.), borekas and kibbeh that fly out the door. Buckwheat, couscous, matzo meal and potato starch are stocked daily. This is in a city that doesn't have a huge Jewish population I find this as well. I went to a Moroccan/Israeli Passover dinner this year and was introduced to a very different cooking style than what I would normally do. It really irks me that people say Jewish food as a whole is bland and heavy. Sure there are dishes that are heavy (cholent? cassoulet anybody?) Any cuisine can be bland and heavy when not done well. But that's a simple generalization that's not fair. Cook with good ingredients, do the food well, and it's a whole other story.

We made a very exciting announcement this morning. Thanks to a generous gift from CaryMax, the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters is happy to make the following offer: Any Society member who becomes a society donor during the current spring fundraising drive will be automatically entered into a drawing for one of three demonstration tickets to the 2007 World Pastry Forum, a $1,500 value! Please take a look at the announcement over here for more information.

I've never tossed them right on the coals, but find that the foil technique works well. Last week when I smoked the beef shoulder, I used two foil packets, one on either side of the weber. There was no shortage of smoky flavour. I'd say give it a shot next time.

I use wood chips too and never add any. Do you put them right on the coals or wrap them in foil and punch a few holes in the foil?

Frozen chocolate covered bananas were always my first choice when we were taken out for ice cream when I was a kid. They create their own sorbet-like qualities, like you say.

I believe the older eggs whip up better than fresh. Somebody who worked for me for a while told me that while in culinary school she was taught that one shouldn't use your hands for separating eggs because the natural oils in your skin will be too much for the eggs to whip well. I think it's hogwash.

When I was young, my father would use the Weber kettle occasionally to smoke a duck. No brining, just seasoning the whole birds with some salt, pepper, onion & garlic. A pan in the middle of the kettle - no water in it, just there to catch the drippings. Charcoal around the pan - perhaps a couple of wood chunks. C'est tout. After a couple of hours the skin was crisp and the meat was juicy. Sorry I can't give you specific temperatures or times - that's not how dad works. My guess is that he smoked them at a higher temp. No additional cooking was necessary.

I'm not sure it's the preferred way . . . maybe it's regional. I don't think it's nearly as popular or available around here as it was when I was a kid. Peter - is it all bags around there? Or do you have the option of plastic jugs, paper cartons or bags?