mhadam

mmm..ginger.... *yum* but can you consider it a spice? I'm figuring you mean fresh ginger, grated on order?

I replied already...as for spice: paprika... perfect in rubs, perfect to roll goat cheese balls in, perfect to sprinkle over apples and pears stewing, etc

I haven't used as much cumin as you should. I'm making a pork roast tomorrow for dinner, how much would you suggest for a rub?

in that case... my favorite herb is mint, spice -- would have to be paprika

As I sit here (at work) flipping through the new Better Homes and Garden's mag reading a special on cardamom I started to think about spices -- and what my favorite spice is. Salt is necessary as is pepper, even sugar for understandable reasons...but beyond that what cannot you cook without or add to every single dish? Would you considers herbs (in the fresh form) spices? Like mint or sage. What about flat-leaf parsely...it's more than a decoration (we all know that). Would that be a spice? Mine... dried... it would have to be rosemary, fresh... mint.

I don't recall if Gourmet listed the origin. I think it was more of combining pistachios with cardamom and claiming it was Middle Eastern. I'll see if I can find the mag tonight. maggie

Chicken pot pies (no bottom crust) but with a buttery chive/sage flecked top crust. Salad of romaine, shredded daikon and shredded carrot with a vidalia onion vinagrette. Caramel Apple coffee from Gloria Jeans. *happy sigh* don't you just love cold weather.

I found the recipe in gourmet last year. It's delicious, I make it all the time to have with tea. I also like to make a glaze flavored with orange juice and zest to spread over it. I'm sure you could whip up a nice rose water glaze. 3/4 cup shelled natural pistachios (4 oz) 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup whole milk (2% works well too) 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 large eggs Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 by 6 pan, then line bottom with wax paper. Butter/flour routine. Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground, I've also bought ground pistachios and it's worked well too. Add the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt and pulse once or twice to mix. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time (beating after each addition). Then add the milk and vanilla, mix well, then add the flour and beat till combined. Spread the atter evenly in cake pan and bake in middle of oven til the tester comes out clean, should take about 20 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for roughly 10 minutes and flip it out onto a platter. Glaze it if you wish. It doesn't need much, just enough for a beautiful sheen. It's excellent warm (if you can't wait) but it's delicious at room temperature. Enjoy.

I have a recipe for pistachio (flavored with cardamom) cake that's light and moist and can be cut into little squares perfect for nibbling. I can send it over if you like.

Dinners, saturday/sunday breakfasts/lunches we eat at the dining room table. There are four placemats (handmade with a beautiful design of the coast we picked up in Cape Cod) on the table when there isn't a tablecloth. We use fine paper napkins and our usual plates (ikea -- white with a blue trim) and normal stainless steel silverware. If it's a holiday or special event or on those random 'let's be festive' occasions, we whip out the china (Noritake white porcelain with a plantium band) and my grand mother's silverware and two of a dozen linen napkins. Any other meal is in the kitchen on our blond wood table that is covered with a large fruit basket, a bread box we don't use (husband likes it for show) and a large vase filled with tea bags (in the wrappers). Looks very nice with all the different colors of the wrappers. There is a table runner on the table though.

We love there garlic cheese bread -- two slabs for 1.99. Umm..what else....the lobster ravioli , the brie (great price beats the grocery stores and whole foods), the jars of stuffed olives (1.99 for a pound). Venison burgers (4 for 2.99), the chocolate, the orange flavored pelligrino (which I can't find anywhere without going into the city), the sales on the wine, and the terriyaki sauce. It's wonderful.

Butter -- 1/2lb on the counter (except in the summer), rest in the freezer Potatoes/onions/shallots: never, in the bottom drawer of the cabinet in the cellar Herbs: Fridge or freezer or oven to dry (depending on when I plan on using them) Greens: crisper Eggs: Used to keep them on the counter, now fridge Sodies: Cellar Wine: Cellar Garlic: fridge (i know, i know) Flour/sugar: cellar on a shelf Nuts: Bulked freezer, except for raw unsalted peanuts -- those are in a paper bag in the cupboard or peeled in a tupperware counter in the cupboard waiting to be tossed in something, or toasted almonds: ditto in the cupboard in tupperware (I go through nuts like crazy) Tomatoes/eggplant/squashes: in baskets on the dining room table/kitchen Bread: (2lb polish rye) -- one pound in the freezer, half a pound in the fridge, another half on the kitchen table Bread: (bagels) -- freezer

I just have to say congratualtions to the parents who taught their children well. It's comforting to see children with experienced tastes who have the knowledge to say "I don't like this b/c...." and not just whine and refuse to eat something b/c it looks weird. I'm hoping that when John and I have children they will have open minds and be willing to try "good" food. I'm worried that they'll end up like most kids and not appreciate food till it's too late. I'm worried that I'll push too much and cause them to back away from food. And I'm terrified they'll have food allergies. *sigh* anyway...good luck with the lunches :)

a can of herring in a rich tomato sauce with several slices of polish rye

I eat the meat/gristle/fat from the bone and gnaw on the bone to get the juices and marrow. But with a properly cooked neck bone or wing both I can actually chew it to a pulp and eat it. Never had a problem with it. And of course this is done in the privacy of my home.

I'd have to say of neck bones, duck is my favorite.

mmm..pickled pigs feet with a horseradish and mayo sauce on the side.....yum

*happy sigh* finally someone who understands though it seems no one else likes fat or bones or strange normally inedible parts of animals...

When I make them I add about half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of sugar(depending how many I'm frying) to the flour mixture and have frying the tomatoes till golden brown, pop them into the oven till they are fork tender (usually 3-5 minutes)

mmm...crispy ham bits.... or duck fat...perfect to spread a piece of polish rye with a sprinkle of salt or hot wings...the perfect bite size bones to nosh on

Yes! Someone who understands. And for that matter any skin on meat. I don't understand the trend of skinless/boneless meat. There is so much flavor from the bone that seeps into the meat (and vice versa) Not really a bone issue but something I quite enjoy. Fat! A nice piece of fat from a steak or prime rib. The minute you get it in your mouth it starts to melt and tastes llike butter...mmmmm......

I'm not a feather fan either. But the gristle...I don't know what it is...my frugal nature of not wanting to waste anything or the simple pleasure of having a clean plate and bones? Even as a child I would take my parents' bones and gnaw the top off to much their dismay

mmmm...bones. Nothing better than biting into a chicken bone after finsihing off a big bowl of soup. Or gnawing on rib bones after they were braised or roasted or grilled and are oh so flavorful. My favorite part of a chicken leg bone is the top part of gristle and connective tissue. Yum Yum Yum. I will bite into the bone to split it and suck out all those yummy juices. Very barbic but very good.

What you may want to do is juice a bunch of them and keep the juice in a jar in the fridge. You will have lime juice on hand to enhance any dish. And you can candy the lime zest and keep that on hand for decorations or great nibbles

a salad of sliced tomatoes and red onion, basil, mint, splash of homemade mint vinegar, black pepper and salt and a couple slices of french bread to soak up the vinegar and tomato juice.