swissmiss

Thank you for your response Micha. I think you are 100 percent right about the peel/rind nuances. Maybe I'll start with your version.

I have some beautiful oranges, and would like to make some candied and chocolate-covered orange peels. An Internet search gave me a few recipes, which are not consistent. I thought one had to boil the peels twice, but the Food Network's recipe (courtesy of Gourmet magazine), only calls for a 10-minute boil. Any help and recipe will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I received it and have started reading it with great interest. I haven't had much time lately so I haven't finished yet. Nonetheless, I look forward to the discussion!

I enjoy cooking more every time I do it. I always enjoyed baking, but not so much cooking for non-special occasion, probably because I wasn't very good at it. Now that I have learned some techniques and gained some speed and efficiency it is so enjoyable! It is similar to learning a new language: the first lessons are frustrating and unrewarding, but the first time you understand a conversation makes it all worth it and opens up a whole new world! Thank you Stellabella for this relaxing thread!

When I was in high school I spent a summer working at a grocery store that had a cheese counter. One of my duties was to inspect the chevres (goat cheese) daily for mold. If I found any, I had to grate it off, rewrap the cheese, and put it back on the shelf....

No, pretty late--around 6, and it was pouring! I also really enjoyed the Barnes & Noble a little further up on the South side of Rte 17. I like Paramus, but too bad that everything is closed on Sunday.

I went to Chef Central yesterday and no sign said anything about matching other stores' prices. But yet I didn't look for one or asked about it. You could probably call and ask. I really liked the store, which wasn't crowded at all (neither was Rte 17!). They have a great selection and I found everything I was looking for aside from transparent squeeze bottles and tea oil. Their prices were decent on certain items but yes, expensive on others. All in all a good experience and I'll definitely go back there.

Well I'm taking the risk and going tomorrow. If nobody gets Xmas gifts I'll blame it on egullet.

Double 0, are they consistently more expensive than other stores, or only for some items? And how much more expensive are they? I just want to make sure it's worth the trip from anywhere close to northern NJ but not quite there

I "googled" it, and the store was apparently opened in 1999 (with a redesign in 2000--see architects' site below). It is in Paramus Town Square. Let me know if you go! Link to architects' site Should this be moved to the NJ board? Edited to delete phone #, which is actually the corporate office.

cajungrocer.com Link carries Steen's cane syrup. I don't know if it's the right kind for Ti-Punch though. Otherwise, many Caribbean-interest websites sell typical products, so probably cane syrup too. Did you try searching on Google?

This is really interesting! I'll play too. What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Mostly homemade food, with a little more prepackaged meals when they became more available in Switzerland. We were taught to respect food and not to waste it. We ate a lot of Swiss and French-type dishes, but my mom always loved experiencing with ethnic dishes. We've celebrated Christmas with Moroccan tagines, for example. Was meal time important? Very, very important. We'd better be home at 6, to help setting the table for dinner that was promptly served at 6:30. Even in high school we had to have extremely serious excuses not to be there. I hated it at the time but now really appreciate that special time we had together. Was cooking important? Yes. Cooking, and mainly baking, was a group activity for the women of the family. As kids we always made edible gifts, such as truffles, for Christmas. My mom enjoys cooking very much, and wanted us to share that love. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? Verbal reprimands, and a smack when needed (pretty often). We were taught very strict table manners. Who cooked in the family? My mom. My dad loves everything gourmet, but only cooks when the only alternative is starving. For him it's a woman's job. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occasions? Before my teens they were only commons when visiting other family members, because we couldn't really afford restaurants often, but later on they became rather common, often weekly. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? We ate before the guests arrived and then were allowed to participate in the "aperitif." When did you get that first sip of wine? I really don't remember. Probably not before my early teens. Was there a pre-meal prayer? Yes for many years, and then it stopped. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? No, but we always eat cheese and bread on Sunday nights. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? I replicate some of the basic principles, i.e. good food is important, homecooked meals, etc. And when I have kids I want us all to eat at the same time, which is a concept a bit foreign to my American husband! All in all, I hope to replicate most of that culture to my future family. Thanks for that trip down memory lane. It made me realize that I miss these meals that were often quite turbulent!!!

A good, cheap wine is Robert's Rock, a shiraz-malbec blend from South Africa. It is not widely available in stores but can easily be ordered and costs about $6.50 a bottle. I don't know much about wine but enjoy this one very much.

Thank you for your fascinating answers so far. I am also amazed by the photos on your website. Do you use/read cookbooks? If yes, which ones do you favor and why?

Go to Ole Tyme Grocery on St. Mary's for fantastic po-boys (probably not what you meant by great Cajun food but well worth the trip!). Prejean's has really good Cajun food, but it's not really off the beaten track. Are you just going to Lafayette for a few days and are looking for a typical experience there, or is your intent a bit different? If I know a bit more it'll help me think of a few more places.

Some friends just cooked for us from the Babbo cookbook and it was absolutely fantastic. They prepared Braised Short Ribs with Pumpkin Orzo. I would recommend it for a dinner party.

Rochelle, Since you want to focus on food writing, have you considered externing at a newspaper, a magazine, or a television show? Would you consider doing your externship somewhere else besides D.C.? And thank you for yet another great read! I can't wait to hear about your catering experience on Saturday!

Thank you Suzanne!

On the question of refrigeration, can anyone tell me how long I can keep an open container of tahini paste in the fridge? I have had one in there for quite a while and am a bit afraid to open it to make hummus.

The story of my life... I feel so good when buying healthul foods, thinking I'll eat a peach and start doing yoga or go to the gym or something, but in the end we all (at least Wilfrid, Malarkey, and I) know what happens...

Thank you so much for your recommendations. I can't wait to try some of them. Rail Paul, I should have specified Union and Middlesex counties as my idea of central NJ, but will drive for ribs!

Does anyone have any recommendations for a place with good barbecued ribs in central NJ? Thank you!

I never buy bottled pasta sauce, but if I did I'd get Sauces 'n Love because it really tastes homemade. Tried Emeril's and Lydia Bastianich's at the Fancy Food Show and they were absolutely awful. I even tasted them again on the last day to give them a second chance, and they were just as bad. Very, very sad when you consider that Emeril's is (according to their promo material of course) the bestselling pasta sauce in the US.

Thank you so much for the recipes Saffy, and for the link. I think I will have to experiment this weekend!

Sorry Rachel. That's what was listed on Fox News' website.