cakewalk

I did this with the first packet of vanilla beans I ever bought. I thought they were so special, I couldn't use them for just anything, it had to be for something exceptional. Of course they turned into brittle cardboard. I have other stuff as well, but I periodically "purge." I look for specific recipes that use "x." I might be wistful for a little while over its disappearance, but the truth is that I always get over it. (And you will, too.) Never knew there was a name for it. Very nice to know this is a shared trait!

I haven't made them in a long time, but they do tend to be sweet. Most blondie recipes have an equivalent amount of sugar as brownie recipes (albeit brown sugar for the flavor), but blondies don't have unsweetened chocolate in them, so the balance is very different. I might try to make some later if I have time. I don't make them often enough to have a "go to" recipe, but I will try either Kerry's or the one in Joy of Cooking, since I use their brownie recipe more often than not. (Maybe I'll make both.)

I thought the whole idea of blondies is that they're a cake with a brownie-like texture but don't have any chocolate in them, so adding chocolate chips would sort of defeat the purpose. Then again, I'm not a big fan of chocolate chips in brownies, either. I think the cake should speak for itself. (So to speak.)

I love that shop. I was walking West from Union Square the other day and I noted that it wasn't there -- however, I am not sure if I was walking on 17th or 16th Street, since I was just ambling. I'll be in the area again this weekend so I'll make a point of looking for it. NY Cake is a fun store, albeit expensive fun. And it's right near a Trader Joe's, which may well clinch the deal. I second the suggestions for Dominique Ansel (forget the cronuts, try everything else) and Chikalicious. Ignore Max Brenner. There's a newish(Jewish) bread bakery on 16th just west of Union Square. Exceptionally good stuff (at exceptionally high prices)

It's not just about the gadget. (And it's certainly not about paying "premium.") It's about the way you and the gadget get along. There's a learning curve, and you have to figure it out by deciding what you like to do, then buying gadgets (or utensils) that are meant for that activity, then using it and discovering whether or not you get along with it. There aren't too many short cuts, it's a process. Small example: I like to bake, and over the years I have bought many offset spatulas. This type, that type, large, small, you name it. After all that, my favorite utensil when I frost or fill most cakes is still the back of a tablespoon. But I had to try out all those offset spatulas in order to find that out. So it's not just about the gadget. (And aside from all that, I agree that a good knife is a must.)

It is interesting to learn about different varieties of fruits and vegetables for informational purposes. But asking about the "best" for salads (or whatever) is something else. "Best" is the one you prefer.

Tell us more about the single head garlic. I've never heard of this. Why do you prefer it? Is it milder than "regular" garlic? How much would you use in comparison to regular garlic, where a recipe might call for one or two cloves? How do you store it once it's peeled, if you don't use it all? I'm going to look for this. Thanks.

Keep us posted on what you use and how it works out.

I'm not sure about the distinction you're making. I don't buy it packaged, I get it from a neighborhood store that sells it in bulk from barrels. Their fine semolina is floury in texture and is really quite fine, the coarse semolina is not coarse like cornmeal, it is also somewhat floury but less so, and it's a deeper yellow than the fine semolina.

I replace equal amounts of flour in the recipe with semolina, anywhere between 1/2 to 1 cup. I usually use coarse semolina, and it often needs a bit more water and some extra kneading. (But I do it all in my Kitchen Aid.)

I saw that post yesterday and just ignored it because the salami turned me off, never even looked at the recipe. But I looked now -- I'm not sure, but I think the oat flour would give it a bit of a chewy texture. I often add 1/2 cup or so of semolina flour to bread dough for that reason, it gives the bread a nice chew. I'm not really sure what oat flour is, and I'm wondering if putting oatmeal in the food processor would give me the same thing as a bag of oat flour.

Don't know what to do with the cute little eggplants, but great idea for a thread. Many years ago when I first discovered Kalustyan's in NY (spice shop, sauces, everything, mostly Indian but also pan-Asian) I used to buy things and then go look them up on Google. I still have various unopened packets of things, I might join in.

You don't need no stinking boxed mix! This is the basic recipe I use (adapted from joepastry.com). If I bake something that uses an extra yolk or two, I put the egg white in a zip-lock bag and freeze it. When I have 12-13 whites, I make an angel food cake. This one has a bit less sugar than the average angel food cake, but it works well and I like it better because it's less cloying. You're very fortunate to have raspberries in your garden! Still, I'd keep them out of the cake and follow pbear's suggestion. 1 cup cake flour (4.5 oz) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 cups (12 large) egg whites, room temp 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp lemon zest (or orange, or whatever) Preheat to 350 F. Whisk flour and salt. In mixer bowl with whisk, whisk egg whites until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Whisk until soft peaks, then slowly add the sugar and then the flavorings, whipping just to barely stiff peaks. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture onto egg whites, fold it in, add another 1/3 of the flour, fold, etc. until all flour is incorporated. Scrape batter into pan, tap lightly on the counter and/or gently run a fork through center of batter to allow any large air bubbles to escape. Bake about 40 min until cake is golden and springs back when lightly pressed. Invert pan and allow it to cool, upside-down, completely. (Do not forget this step!) Run a knife around edges of the pan and around the tube to release it. The cake is best the day it’s made.

What everyone else said. Also, this recipe seems to have an enormous amount of sugar, even for an angel food cake (which is generally very sweet). But 2 1/2 cups of sugar to one cup of flour is very imbalanced, and might be contributing to the problems you had. I don't add anything to angel food cakes except some citrus rind and a bit of juice, or some vanilla. It's got enough work to do to rise without creating obstacles, and I think pbear's suggestion is a good one. Lately I started making angel food cakes in my pullman loaf pan. It fits perfectly (large pullman) and I like the way it slices much better than cake from an angel food pan.

I think the Boston Tea Party really put an end to tea as an American way of life. It's been more than 200 years, but the US is still not known as a tea drinking country. Interesting, the way that worked out. There certainly seems to be more variety in the past 20-25 years or so. Tea used to be synonymous with Lipton. I'm not much of a tea drinker myself, but there are times when I like a good cuppa. (Preferably someone else will have made it.) I think the history and the different cultural traditions that surround tea are always fascinating. My father always had a glass (not a cup) of Lipton tea at night, with a slice of lemon, which he sipped slowly with a lump of sugar between his teeth. Very Eastern European. I like tea with fresh mint, and it's the only time I'll put sugar in tea.

I think they're called crumpets. Anyway, every country has its own name for particular items, no? Many years ago a friend from England moved to the States and was in a diner. He ordered from the menu a sandwich with chips, expecting French fries. He got a sandwich with some potato chips on the side. That's just a matter of getting used to cultural changes in language. (Like when an old roommate once asked if she could borrow one of my jumpers. I had no idea what she was talking about.) I don't think the OP is referring to those types of differences in naming food items, interesting as they might be.

The (very selfish) issue I have with naming things incorrectly is that it doesn't help the learning process. Cheese is a good case in point. I don't know much about cheese at all. I taste things and buy what I like. I'd like to know that there is at least some level of consistency even if I buy cheese at different places. Whole Foods used to have a Stilton that almost literally made me swoon. And then it was gone and they had all these other things that said Stilton, but they were clearly something different. It may be that they were different types of Stilton, in which case it would be very helpful to learn that.

I don't cook with it. It's wonderful when I'm baking, to quickly take the chill off milk and soften the butter a little, since I don't always plan ahead. And melting chocolate without using a double boiler. It's great for reheating and defrosting. It definitely has its uses and gives a big "assist" to baking and cooking, although I wouldn't use it directly for either.

I have three, and I think they're one of the greatest inventions since the wheel. I also have a box grater, and I sometimes use that when I want things more coarsely grated. But lemon rind on a box grater? Even the fine holes? It tears the entire lemon apart. Try a microplane, you'll never go back. I usually grind a lot of ginger at one time in the food processor, put it in a ziplock bag and press it flat, then freeze it. Break off bits of ginger as you need it, works great. But wait -- a food processor? Why use a food processor when I can use a box grater?

This has been my experience with them. Although what were once "luxury items" are no longer "luxury" so much as "out of the ordinary." I think at one time WF's offerings were unique. This is no longer the case, so their prices have to reflect that.

This is probably not what you want to hear, but anyway: I think cherries are the only fruit that I will not cook or bake into any dish. I've tried, but I remember always being disappointed, not necessarily because this dessert didn't turn out well but because I knew the cherries would have been better eaten "straight." If you have good, fresh cherries, I vote for eating them out of hand. They simply cannot be improved upon.

I freeze cakes all the time. I don't vacuum seal, just wrap well in plastic and then foil. I've never frozen anything with filling or frosting, just loaf cakes, pound cakes, etc. I've kept them in the freezer for months (sometimes I forget about them), and they've been fine. I also sometimes mix and then freeze the batter in a zip lock bag. When I want to use it I let it defrost overnight in the fridge and then pour it into a baking pan in the morning. Works beautifully.

Yes, that's true. But maybe these newfangled inventions will help to change that, if they become more accessible. Currently the stuff is inaccessible even for most home cooks who are interested in it. I think that will change in time.

Nah. They need to create food that doesn't splatter. It is interesting. I think the real test of Myhrvold's "stuff" (how's that for an all-encompassing word?) will be how it filters down for usage by the average person without thousands of dollars of disposable income. And I think some of it will, it just needs time. I'm not following him as avidly as most of you, but still I find it to be exciting. Remember when air travel was an "elite" thing? Now it's a commonplace. (And we grumble about the crowding.)

I might have misled you here -- the ball doesn't break off as part of the cookie cutter. I meant that after you bake the cookies, the ball will usually break off (like the giraffe's neck) and then you can just use your imagination.