Jaymes

Hey, isn't that Rachel Ray's fave knife???

Did I have pork? Am I a southerner? Of course....ham hocks and black-eyed peas. Wouldn't be New Year's without it. And collard greens cooked with a hunk of fatback, which is also pork. And cornbread, the batter for which was poured into a skillet sizzling with hot bacon fat. Pork pork pork. Oink oink oink.

Up to Maggie, since it was her idea.... but I think it'd be fun. I'd do it. A soupathon group grope, eh?

Ah yes the cold soups of summer. That will be wonderful, too. Gazpacho Cold Cherry Soup Cold Avocado Soup This is going to be one of my favorite threads. Maggie, what an absolutely fabulous idea.

So I've been thinking this over a little more. Every country where I've ever lived or visited has at least one great soup that they are so proud of. And of course, most countries and cultures, have many more than one. I used to think it'd be fun to do a sort of 'Round the World in Soup' project. I actually started it once. I did the famous Greek chicken lemon soup....Avgolemono to start. For some reason, kids and real life kept intruding upon my plans. But your project has reminded me how fun and intriguing the subject is.

Applause, Maggie. I absolutely love soups. Especially Mexican. But here's one I've recently enjoyed. It's from Senegal. Thanks to Suzilightning for sharing it with me. Senegalese Chicken Soup 2 T finely diced onion 2 T butter 2 t curry powder 1 T flour 4 C chicken stock 4 egg yolks 2 C heavy cream 1/4 finely-diced chicken Handful toasted coconut to garnish In a large saucepan, over medium heat, saute onion in butter until translucent. Add curry and flour and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks and cook for one minute more. Press through a fine sieve. Serve hot, with toasted coconut to garnish. If serving cold as appetizer, chill until serving time and garnish with toasted coconut.

AND, it's the perfect gift to haul around to the neighbors for New Year's Day. Just put up some in pretty jars and tie a little decoration around the top. I schlepped jars of TX Caviar to friends and neighbors for years. Especially fun when one is living somewhere else. The whole concept is new and intriguing to non-Southerners.

I'd suggest you google 'Texas Caviar.' You'll find lots of recipes. They're all pretty-much the same. Although some have jalapenos and some don't.

That's one advantage internet giving has....you plug in your credit card number, and you get charged. It's not so easy to put it off, and then forget about it. I think it's great. Our first impulse seems to be generosity, and first impulses are so often the correct ones.

The only thing I have a really hard time remembering is the whole 'spoon-going-away-from-you-in-the-soup-bowl' thing. It just seems awkward. So although I try to remember it if I'm dining with someone that I know knows, it sure doesn't come naturally.

Yes, Jaymes, I did and if you make me some of those salmon and boursin rolls you mentioned last week on another thread, I will share it with you! Atlanta, Georgia, eh? Well, maybe I'll just do that one of these days. My sister lives there and if I'm ever forced to go, I'll be needing to find something to do to avoid spending time with her.

Manners International website The 'brie question' was the one I was most interested in, and the link isn't working. Did anyone read the answer? Frankly, I have no problem with those folks that try to dig out the soft 'innards,' since that leaves more rind for me, and it's my favorite part. Heheheh.

And, if I'm in the next seat left of the other person, when I ask that person to pass the potatoes or salad, the food has to be passed all around the table instead of directly to me? Well, when you first sit down at the table and there are many dishes that need to be passed to everyone, there must be some sort of generally-accepted system to do that. Most folks are righthanded, so it's easier to pass things to the right. I've always understood that 'rule' to apply only when things are getting passed at the beginning. I've never seen anyone pass stuff by any means other than the most direct later in the meal.

The Brits are reporting Brits, Canadians report Canadians; That's just the way it is. These are people with whom we can identify. It's just human to immediately think, "I wonder if it could possibly have affected anyone I know?" So, when any large tragedy hits, the reporters begin with the larger numbers, and then focus on the impact closer to home, increasing emphasis with the lessening distance. Therefore, wherever one was living during the Twin Towers nightmare, the coverage went: "And so many people were killed overall....including so many from our country...so many from our state...so many from our town...and your dear friend and neighbor." I don't see anything wrong with it. That's just how it is.

Oh my. So I should have just consulted the "bible."

This subject has gone from merely interesting to downright fascinating. I have ordered the book you mention, French Colonial Cooking from Amazon and am eagerly looking forward to perusing it. Also, I think you're spot on when you suggest that the original rum in the dish probably was replaced with cognac/brandy in the French cafes of Saigon, because it would have been much easier and cheaper to use that than it would have been to count upon a steady supply of rum. And John, from your post, it sounds as though you were in Vietnam in 1968. During the late 60's, I was living in Hong Kong and the Philippines.... perhaps we crossed paths.

I know you want to put an end to this thread but I just googled omelette soufflée au rhum and got an incredible number of recipes and a pix that might be familiar to your father. 1956 must have been a nice time in Sai Gon, long enough after Dien Bien Phu and long enough before we came; my eggs in 1968 never looked as good as these. Actually, this thread is turning out to be considerably more interesting than I anticipated. I did click on both of your links (which I very much appreciate your taking the time to research and post), and am ready to expand upon my father's efforts to recreate what appears to be a most wonderful dish, indeed perfect for "les visites impromptues." There are very few places my father has not been in his 84 years of an utterly remarkable life. And the stories he tells of Saigon in 1956 are right up there.

I think that this is the definitive word on this. It makes perfect sense. So thank you. And also to the rest of you that contributed, especially Jonathan with the link, thanks to you all. From both me and my father. Now, some of you should try this simple delight and let me know how you liked it!

Now there's a mental picture.

Try these folks: Gourmet Award Foods Northeast 4294 Albany Street Albany, New York 12212 Telephone: 954 384 8005 Toll Free: 800 490 3463 Fax: 518 456 1429 I know they wholesale Mexican Coke to other parts of the country.

Don't know about most of us, but I prefer it without it. I use: chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, lime or lemon (or even a little vinegar for the acid if I don't have fresh citrus available), garlic, a special salsa de jalapeno that I make just to put into the guac. And sometimes cilantro. Or, as I said above, when I'm in a "purist" mood....nothing but avocados, lime and salt. With sliced jalapenos en escabeche on the side. I also use this "purist" version when I'm making the guac as a condiment...like for fajitas or tacos.

"Might even"? You can't start your gumbo without one of the "Holy Trinity."

A quiet, unassuming man in South Louisiana knew. That's who. As opposed, I suppose, to the previously-mentioned quite unassuming man in South Lousiana?

We watch a lot of CCTV -- Central China Television. They've carried footage shot from helicopters that show people desperately trying to cling to buildings, trees, buses, but being swept away, their heads bobbing like melons in the rushing, raging torrent. It's heart-wrenching, to say the least. I, too, offer my condolences to those of you in the affected regions, and will watch to see if our eGullet folks in the area have made it through. And as for me, I'll be counting my blessings today.