Jean Blanchard

I guess I never really thought about how many recipes reviewers actually tried before they did reviews. Now that I know that they don't do what I would consider to be the level of research needed to truly give a book a reliable review, I will certainly look at those reviews with a more critical eye. Jean

Don't know where they come from but a small amount of apple cider in a glass with a couple of drops of liquid detergent and a few minutes later, they're floating in the glass. Works for me anyway.

Wow, vilasman, your friend thinks she knows EVERYTHING? How's that possible? I can't imagine most top chef's thinking that there isn't something they can learn. Isn't that why they travel, taste the food of other chef's, read constantly?

I made the caramel, peanut topped brownie cake. It took longer to cook than the recipe indicated and it still was undercooked in the center. After that, I made bread which took about 1/3 longer than it was supposed to. My oven is definitely, suddenly off. The upside is, it was still great! Just a little fudgey in the center. Served it proudly to company yesterday with a little coffee ice cream. Everybody remarked that even though it looks like it will be over the top sweet, it was wasn't. So far, everyone who has tasted anything I've made from this book has run out to buy it.

Danielle, I so envy that you live so close to some of my favorite places to shop and eat. It's a long drive in from the 'burbs. Dinkel's, what can I say. It's an institution. Try their stollen around the holidays. Glad you enjoyed the pot roast. Thanks again for blogging!

Danielle, Thanks for sharing your week with us. Wishbone is a favorite of my husband because they have biscuits and gravy and I feel my heart seize up everytime I even look at it. I've never made it to the Green City Market but one of these days.... Do you have the Molly Stevens, All About Braising cookbook? If you don't get to the Thai Grocery, I highly recommend the Zinfandel Pot Roast. Just a thought. It was great seeing you and all the other egulleters at dinner. I completely agree with your assessment of the food. Next time I go, it's a light sandwich and LOTS of dessert.

Legourmet, Those all look fabulous! Hope you can post as many recipes as possible....especially the poppyseed cake...no, maybe the apple cake...no maybe..... Jean

Okay, I'm seriously considering buying this book but before I do, I'm wondering if any of you have done any actual cooking from it yet. If so, what's your thoughts? Jean

So glad you made it to Pastoral! It's a phenomenal shop with some great wine selections also. There is a Viognier that I get there that is sooo good with cheese and also that fennel raisin bread...I know, you don't like raisins...too bad. The bread comes from Bennisons's bakery in Evanston. That's a whole other trip...get the croissants! Your kids will love them, as will you. When my girls were your kids age, I was very big into Julia Child (and everything French) and they love to tell everyone how I made them chocolate filled croissants for their after school treat because that's what all of the little French school children ate. I think it's great that you're introducing your kids to so many different foods. I know it made mine more adventurous.

Show us the pictures to the Italian Market!! Even though I frequent many of these shops, you're introducing me to new ones. Jean

I made the applesauce bars for the second time last night. My co-workers were very grateful! I can't believe that it seems that no one but me made the chocolate cake on the cover (can't remember the name and I'm at work). It was the first thing I made. I encourage everyone to give it a try. It's really wonderful!

Danielle, Welcome to Chicago! Although I'm in the suburbs, my daughter lived in the Lakeview, Roscoe Village area for a time and we got to know it well. Stanleys is great. It has "gentrified" since we first started going there but still a great source for reasonably priced produce. You'll see people from all walks of life there. You won't be far from Sam's when you go so you should try to combine the two. Pastoral cheese is phenomenal. Be sure to go on a day when they have the fennel, raisin bread available (maybe Tuesday - call ahead, it's great with the cheese. Intelligentsia is also nearby so there's another thing you can combine! Good luck. I'll be following your adventures. Jean

I also used to like Kahlua based drinks and outgrew them. However, I had several bottles from my yearly trips to Mexico that I felt obliged to use. I reduced it to syrupy consistency and poured over ice cream...yum. Sorry though, no recipes to make your own liqueur.

I made the chocolate chip cookies for my granddaughter. I used a good bittersweet bar, chopped up as suggested. I thought maybe she wouldn't like that because 8 years don't necessarily like anything too "gourmet." Quote from granddaughter, "I don't know what you did this time, but don't make those other ones anymore!" Becca, glad you'll be joining in soon. Make the chicken with bread salad from your Zuni cookbook. It's excellent!

Okay, this is getting boring. I made the applesauce spice bars (because the picture looked SO fantastic) and they were as good as it gets. Everything I make from this book is as advertised... really wonderful and so easy and probably like most of you, I have hundreds of cookbooks. I guess I can take this kind of boredom. This weekend, I was at a cooking class and I started talking about this book. My 2 sisters-in-law went out and bought it the next day. Guess I won't be in charge of all the baking anymore! Jean B

Only thing I've made from this book so far is the brioche and it was excellent. In fact, I've got some in the freezer that I need to pull out for french toast. Jean B.

Kim, I can't really answer your questions but I can tell you that the best pound cake recipe I've tried lately is the rum, vanilla cake in Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook. You can play with the flavoring but the texture is perfect.

These are all great ideas! It's only 10:00 AM so I'll need to wait until a little later in the day to actually taste it and judge how sweet it is. Maybe I'll try one of these drink suggestions and then try cooking with it. Should I be worried that I already have the ingredients in the house to make most of the drinks??? Ginger ice cream...that's a strong possibility.

Your blog is absolutely beautiful! The porchetta truck reminds me of our last trip to a market in Tuscany. I had never had nor heard of porchetta. For anyone who wants to try a "smaller" version, there is a good recipe for mock porchetta in the Zuni cookbook. Thanks for letting us live vicariously through you!

I have to bump this up again. Doesn't anybody have a drink I can make using this stuff?? Jean

Thanks for that background info. It'll make watching her a little more interesting. I think that while Giada has the low cut outfits thing going on, Nigella is far more sensual. All I know is, most of the men don't really seem to care about how well she cooks. Don't think I'm going to learn much from her though.

Checked the bottle, it's a liqueur. I've no idea what it tastes like but my husband thinks that somebody brought it to make martini's.

Lime curd is an excellent idea! Dorie, hopefully I'll be able to catch up with you in Chicago. By the way, I think the rum vanilla cake is even better the next day.

I have this bottle of ginger liquor and I'm sure how I even got it. Must have been a really good dinner party! The problem is, I don't know what to do with it. Any suggestions? Jean

I've never seen her shows before so I didn't know what to expect. I would think that she just might be everything a man would love in a woman. She's very comfortable with who she is and she should be. She's beautiful, sexy and she loves to eat the food she cooks. What man wouldn't love that? That said, I have no clue as to how much I'm going to enjoy her cooking skills yet.