CKatCook

I am sorry, I thought that piece totally made Alice Waters look elitist. When she was standing front of the farmer that sold the grapes and said, something like just don't buy two pairs to addias. What went threw my mind was "tell that to a welfare mom" it was way unrealistic, between that and the fireplace in the kitchen..her message was lost. But I do agree that attention needs to be paid to where our food comes from, but I think most people just look for what they can afford these days.

Growing up in Seattle my grandfather never drank coffee or tea. My mother who was from the south drank alot of iced tea, mostly lipton. As I grew up I started studying and getting into medicinal teas and holistic health. My interest expanded from there into different teas just for the pleasure of drinking the tea itself. I would go into the tea business if I had the money, and may do that once the economy clears up some.

A question about grass and weed control. This the first year for this space and I am buying my tiller and tilling up a small area. Here in zone 7a, the last frost kill date is april 10th, so I doubt I will plant before then, but to get the ground ready they say to use a black plastic weed barrier down for a while... What does everyone else do?

I am just shameless...I watch the show for the pure joy of watching GR twist off at these people. I mean, what was up with the chick that walked out wanting to go home when the whole thing just began? I agree with everyone, the nerve of that women trying to teach manners to GR...um, NOT a good idea! When they said she was a culinary instructor I was thinking from a real school, not her own classes that she charges for. I really think they find maybe one or two contenders (the one lady that cooked with her father and wanted to make him proud, the other that made the veal rolls that was well liked, although the comment about being pretty was a riot) then the rest of the people are there just to make Ramsey scream.

Just beatiful!! I cannot wait to see the rest!

I saw this and was more interested in how Sirio was not willing to explore new ideas. Now, I never even so much as worked in a resturant, but it seems to me that in order for the place to remain open it is going to have to change with the times. Just my opinion...

OK, dum question time.... What can you use for citric acid?? Does someone know where to get it or is it just lemon juice? (I was looking at the link for the recipe in Gourmet that was given in this thread)

What I do with chicken is a little trick I read in Food and Wine this year is to cover the chicken in kosher salt and whatever seasonings I want, let it sit in the fridge overnight, then rise and fry. The chicken is very, very moist and tender. Works great with roasted chicken as well.

Thanks for that...I am going to have to give this a shot.

when the can of grease sat on the stove to catch the drippings....and was reused. when you could take your macaroni salad to the church function and no one got too paranoid about the mayo in the salad (you know I ate more food that sat out all day at picnics and never got sick, maybe I just lucked out) microwaves did not exist...

My little container experiment from last year went so well that I am going to start an in ground garden this year in the my new house. The next good day (it has been so cold here, you just don't want to be outside for anything!) I am going to get some soil from the yard and have it tested and see where I have to go from there. This being the first time EVER planting anything in ground I am having a hard time deciding what all to plant! I know tomatoes, cukes, sqash.... I am excited about this year's garden!

This month is was anything spicy...siracha (sp?) on anything. Jalapeno stuffed olives. Taco bell's mexican pizza with siracha on it. YUM!

Oh what fun!!! I am game!! I don't know if I can get my DH to go along with all "A" foods for a whole week. (I think I am understanding the game right??? Please correct me if I am not) Or does each meal have to have an ingredient with the letter of the week?

Did I see right and that the season premiere is on Jan 29th?

Lost? The taste for just about anything processed, cheap chocolate, boxed food of any kind. But every couple of years or so I HAVE to have kraft macaroni and cheese w/ spam mixed in. I don't know why, my mother use to make it when I was young so maybe that is it. I know it is nasty, but man when I gotta have it, I gotta have it.

I bend my knee to you. Artisinal cream cheese and butter? I am not worthy. ← No joke...I bow to the master...

I bet that is good, I use to eat spam and macaroni and cheese all the time as a kid...

I am definately, firmly in the pie camp. A well made cake is a work of art for sure, but a pie is something you can pull up a chair and dig your fork in...a well made pie crust trumps cake... let THEM eat cake... I will take pie!

I think I have drooled through this whole thread! I have never heard of any of these kinds of sandwiches and when I really stopped and thought about it, it does sound good! When I was a kid my grandfather would take us out for hamburgers, and we would put fries on the burger and pour our chocolate shake over the burger...it was so good! edit to add: Now, one thing I have not had since I moved to the southern part of the US is a good egg salad sandwich. They just don't seem to be that common here...

I too recoiled at the thought....I just would not risk it...

So not the professional here.... how about an infused panna cotta? like cardamon? with some kind of sauce.... chocolate dipped cannolli, but stuff with something usual...like a ginger, lime something... just some thoughts.. (I am like you, sometimes the traditional stuff is just plain good!)

I don't see the mediterranean imports on 5620 N. May Ave. Has a great import meat and cheese section, imported olives, etc. I hear they have lamb for cheap in the back if you ask for it. I never put that to the test, though.

The honey crisp apples are in here and every year I eat myself sick because of those apples. And I today was no exception...

I about fell out of my chair with laughter. *ahem* the blind leading the blind?

I saw in David Leibovitz website/blog a chocolate chip cookie that contains mesquite flour. They are very interesting...this was taken directly from his site. Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies About 60 cookies Adapted from Super Natural Cooking (Ten Speed) by Heidi Swanson I got quite a bit more cookies than I thought, since I make them Euro-sized (you Americans and your jumbo cookies!) so feel free to freeze half of the dough in a zip-top bag for use another time. Tip: If you form them into mounds first, then freeze them, you can simple pop them onto a baking sheet later on. Feel free also to chop up your own chocolate and use those bits in place of the chips. 2½ cups (330 g) flour 1 cup (160 g) mesquite flour 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt 8 ounces (220 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 cups (400g) sugar 3 large eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups (230 g) rolled oats or a mixture of rolled grains 2 cups (360 g) chocolate chips Two baking sheets covered with parchment paper or lined with silicone baking mats. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). 1. In a bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 2. With an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. If using a mixer, stop it once or twice and scrape down the sides. 3. Add the eggs one at a time until completely incorporated, then the vanilla. 4. Add the flour mixture in three batches, incorporating it as you go. 5. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. The dough is quite stiff at this point and if you're not using a powerful standing electric mixer, you may wish to roll up your sleeves and use your hands, like I did. 6. Drop mounds, about two tablespoons of dough each, evenly-spaced onto the baking sheet. 7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just beginning to set. Heidi's admonition in her recipe should be ringing in your ears at this point..."Don't overbake these; if anything, underbake them" certainly holds true. Oh yes, and my secret: Here's a tip to help keep chocolate chip cookies moist when they cool: When you pull the cookies out of the oven, take a tablespoon and tap the top of each cookie once or twice to flatten any peaks and level them. Then let them cool as usual for the moistest, chewiest chocolate chip cookies imaginable!