Suzanne F

Okay, Suvir, as long as today is Confession Day: I usually make "Double Fudge Brownies" based on the recipe off the package of Nestle's Chocolate Chips. But I make my own additions and changes, and "accidentally on purpose" mess up their instructions. So now it's MY recipe, and here it is: 1 C. granulated sugar 1 C. brown sugar (light or dark) 2/3 C. butter 1/4 C. water 12 oz. (by weight) chopped bittersweet chocolate 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 eggs 1 1/2 C. AP flour 2 T. cocoa powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 C. chopped nuts or flaked coconut Preheat oven to 325º F. Combine sugars, butter, and water in a saucepan. Bring just to boil Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate is melted.* Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Add gradually to chocolate mixture. Blend in nuts or coconut. Spread in a greased 13" X 9" X 2" pan. Bake 50 minutes, until done (clean pick in middle). Cool in pan; cut into squares or rectangles. (Makes about 48, or some other number depending on how you cut them.) * Alternate method: melt half of the chocolate, and mix the other half into the batter with the nuts. (This is what the original recipe called for, but I've never done it.)

Don't mind a bit. I was just explaining it in the context of your instructions here. At any rate, I usually DO remove the food from the pan before I deglaze; I find it easier to work with the fond that way. And of course if I'm making a pan sauce for a sauté, how else? But you're right, for dishes that get further cooking, it's not a necessity.

Not for that reason My mother always used what she called "root parsley" -- which I think was actually parsnip -- and so did my mother-in-law. And dill. What I, and I think a lot of the others, have been talking about is a basic, fairly neutral stock that can be "doctored" in any way you like, later. If you like yours with that added flavor, fine. It's really all in what YOU like, anyway.

Only dump it if it's BURNED. Otherwise you're throwing out FLAVOR. And a much deeper flavor than you would have without it. Of course, it won't all dissolve back into the liquid, so you may have to strain out the solid bits, but it is very much worth the little bit of extra work.

But I thought that was the Republicans' main argument against allowing a change in the ballot, not only that the deadline had passed.

Okay, but how will the argument that "Torricelli pulled out ONLY because he 'knew' he'd lose" hold up in court? How could anyone prove that was the reason?

eew.....yuck... DO they really make a garlic mayo? Who would buy that? You are teasing Jinmyo and I? For we admit to using Hellman's.... I am sure this is a bad joke. 1. Yes, they now make a line of several different flavored mayonnaises, all in squeeze bottles. As I recall, the "herb" one is just (or mostly) parsley (no doubt dried). I'll bet a lot of people who LOVE mayonnaise and think they'll be a little adventuresome will buy it. Ahem, I bought it, but only because I love to try new products to see if they are as horrible as I fear they will be. This one is; it tastes like, well, Hellman's "Light" mayo with garlic powder mixed in. Not an unpleasant texture except for being too stiff, but ugh that acrid taste. Now, the Hellman's with LIME JUICE is not half bad -- for Hellman's. (I always figure that the rest of the country always gets these new products before NYC does, so other people might know about them.) 2. Teasing you and Jin? Oh, no, never. I don't believe there's any shame in using a decent, consistent product for convenience. Now, if you had both said you used some no-name generic brand, then I might rag you a bit But I've seen Hellman's in some very fine kitchens, so I would never fault you for using it. 3. for Bux: yes, there is a date on Hellman's, but it keeps way beyond then. That stuff is almost indestructable! Sometimes I wonder if it's even real food, it lasts so long in the fridge.

Jin -- do you have Hellman's-in-a-squeeze-bottle up there? (Plain and/or flavored) If so, what do you think of it? For that matter, what does ANYBODY think of it? Apart from it being a rip-off, pricewise? I doubt the "Garlic Paradise" version will ever replace real aioli for me -- but maybe it will for people who eat in chain restaurants?

Forgive this most basic question from one who is still learning to crawl, never mind walk, but: what does that mean? Exactly what would I be doing at this step? Thanks. "Deglazing" means: after you take the stuff out of the pot, pour in a little liquid and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan (called the "fond"). Keep scraping those bits up into the liquid as it boils. As long as the fond isn't burned, it has a ton of flavor -- after all, it's the concentrated juices from the veg and chix. Plus this makes it MUCH easier to clean the pan later. I'll bet you've been doing this all your life; but now you know what it's called.

I have had to resort to Hellman's once when catering for a group of 225. Embarassed as I was to do that, I felt it was the best I could do. So, here... I have come clean. You mean you're both human? Aw, shucks. It really helps to have a 30-quart mixer available when you need to make that much mayo. I think that's the size we used at Le Bernardin when I was there. Every few days. But since then I can do it in my sleep.

They say they were the first to make fresh shelf-stable mayo without any additives, just sunflower oil, egg yolks, wine vinegar, preservative-less mustard, fresh lemon, and salt. "Thanks to an extremely refined emulsion using a carefully considered technique, our mayonnaise can be kept fresh many months, the container unsealed or not, but always tightly closed." Then they talk about the "insurmountable barrier" they have in place against bacterial contamination, and how before shipping everything is tested for [a whole list of organisms, including E. coli, staphyloccus, and salmonella]. That's it, though. I guess how they REALLY do it is a trade secret.

There's a tiny Middle Eastern take-out shop on Fulton Street, just east of Broadway (NYC) -- called Alfanoose -- and they have "Mojadara" as one of the side dishes. Lots of fried onions on top. Delicious, fresh food there: foul mudammas, tabouli (made the right way: first and foremost, parsley), fatoush, falafel (with lots of vegetable salads available for garnish). Meat dishes, too. Just thought I'd mention them, because I love their food.

They don't hold an edge very well, and are difficult to sharpen. The fillet knife is sooooooo thick. Granted, it could be my sharpening technique, but since I don't have that problem with other brands, maybe not.

Damn, you're good! Page 123.

I figured it would be better to go directly to the source. So: what do the folks in New Jersey think will/might/should happen now that Torricelli has withdrawn? Will the State Supreme Court allow Lautenberg on the ballot? Will Forrester finally develop a position on anything? C'mon, I know you guys and gals think about other things besides food (... and booze ... and drugs ... and the opposite sex ... and rock 'n' roll. At least, I hope you do! )

WOW! Thank you, Dave. That was a terrific post. I learned a lot.

Yeah, they're pasteurized. But it's got to be something more than just that, since the emulsion never breaks. What, I have no idea.

Worse: I'm a trained cook with an MBA

Okay, okay. So maybe I was a bit too rough. BUT: Catering is the one part of professional cooking that civilians think is so cool and easy, anyone who "loves to cook" could do it. That is so not true. Catering is a BUSINESS, and yes there are rules and regulations to be followed. If Malawry had said she was doing all the prep and cooking at home, then I REALLY would have gone through the roof. In many places, that is illegal; and those who ARE legal (and pay all the fees) rightfully hate those who do not follow standards of professionalism. Which include the research, the meetings with the client, the contract, the staffing and sometimes arranging for the equipment, and, oh yes, the prepping, cooking, packing, storing, transporting, setting-up, serving and clean-up. No, I am not now a caterer, although yes, I have been. What I always hope to be is PROFESSIONAL.

If you're talking websites, I like Knife Merchant. Good selection, good prices (some lower than PCD), and very helpful.

And the heads float

HOW COULD YOU, JINMYO!?!?!?!?

I've found that "brining" them gives a more even salt flavor: dissolve salt in water, add the clean seeds, mix thoroughly, drain, then bake. Haven't tried any other flavorings, though.

This time wearing my home-cook toque: For an all-purpose stock that I can tailor later as need be: First, the chicken: wings, bones removed when cutting up birds, giblets, skin, real pieces of lesser-quality birds (e.g. Perdue-type here in the US), and carcasses of roast chickens that I've saved in the freezer. If I remember to get some when I'm in Chinatown, some feet, too. The mirepoix: carrot, celery, leeks if I have some (or leek greens, again saved in freezer); if no leeks, no onion-type ingredient. The herbs: only parsley (and again, might be frozen stems). The seasonings: no salt, maybe a few whole peppercorns. Put it all in a big pot, cover with cold water. If I have any old chicken stock in the freezer, I'll usually add that too as a "starter" (sort of my version of pot au feu). Bring to a boil, then immediately turn down to simmer. Skim off scum if I remember to. Let it simmer for 2 - 3 hours. Strain through many layers of cheesecloth or through a cloth napkin. Chill overnight. Remove fat. Put back on the heat and reduce if it doesn't taste strong enough or if it didn't gel.