Kim Shook

Brunch after church today was at the opening of a cheese shop inside our favorite cidery, Blue Bee Cider. The cheese shop is called Truckle Cheesemongers. We got some cheeses for later and had cider, a grilled cheese sandwich and a Idle Hands (local bakery) baguette for brunch: I had the pippin cider – from Virginia heirloom apples. Mr. Kim had the Hopsap Shandy – dry-hopped with Cascade, Columbus and Citra hops (whatever that means). The sandwich was so good: Tarragon bread and some kind of Cheddar cheese.

Decided to do Bourdain's boeuf Bourguignon for a dinner party last night. I did it for the first time ever in the IP and I confess I did it a bit ass-backwards. I asked @JAZ for advice and she helped me decide that I could do it. I was going back and forth between Bourdain’s recipe and Janet’s advice and somehow missed that I was supposed to cook my meat for about 30 minutes and THEN cook my vegetables about FOUR minutes. Everything tasted wonderful, but my lovely and oh-so-expensive cipollini onions disintegrated. 🙄😊

Every Fall since 2009 - when I got the recipe from @Lisa2k – I get the urge to make this Fig/Mascarpone/Apple Tart. Along with her Green Apple Ice it makes the most perfect, seasonal dessert. I put it together over the last few days for a dinner party we gave last night. I started the ice on the 11th. I did the crust a couple of days ago and baked the whole thing day before yesterday. Pressed into the tart pan: I love that this doesn’t have to be rolled out and transferred to the pan. The mascarpone/fig filling: With the apples and glaze: And drizzled with apple cider caramel sauce: And Green Apple Ice: Gratifying moans and groans ensued!

Ok, so I made a batch with the $18 pickled ramps and I am deeply relieved to say that we actually prefer the cheaper (not to mention infinitely easier) substitution of scallion greens and cocktail onions. Even after sitting for three days, the ramp version is just not as sharp as the cocktail onion version. I'd love to know other folk's opinions.

That is absolutely gorgeous cheese. It reminds me of the Gorgonzola Dolce we get at Wegman's. They scoop it out of the middle of a huge wheel like ice cream!

This is so weird. I meant say "me too", but I just went back to the page, which I left open and NOW I can see the entire recipe - the whole thing, except backwards - directions, then ingredients. I honestly would never, ever drink buttermilk, but putting it in as an ingredients in biscuits, fried chicken soak and this dressing provides a tang I like a lot.

Everything sounds delicious. Now I need some chicken liver mousse! Happy Anniversary!

Like the whole Michael Graves line back in the 90's.

I agree with everyone, especially @chromedome. It looks like something that people who insist on a show kitchen with top of the line stainless appliances and miles of granite and then never cook would have in their kitchen.

I really wish now that I'd saved all the unused stuff. I would mail it to you if I had!

I think it certainly could. I saved it and will use it in something!

Going to the Library of VA tonight to (I hope - first come, first served) hear Michael Twitty talk about his book, The cooking gene : a journey through African American culinary history in the Old South, which I haven't read yet - but I have it on hold at the library. Looking forward to it very much - I've read by and about him and his food journey and he is just so interesting and smart.

Well, that was a quick eighteen bucks: It'll have to go some way to being an $18 salad dressing. 🤨

Toasted Havarti w/ Dijon mustard on sourdough: I love Aldi!

I love the angry little fellow on the gyoza platter!

Remember that steak and cheese sauce and broccoli and cheese sauce I made? We have a lot left over. What do you think about freezing them?

Ingredients: ramp bulbs, distilled vinegar, water, sea salt, mustard seed, dill seed, and pepper flake.

Thanks so much. It worked just fine. Got a little dark on top: Nothing that gobs of butter wouldn't fix:

The stickiness and scratches is why I can never bring myself to buy used Tupperware. I loved the tumblers, but they don't sell the same ones anymore, sadly. That ham holder was BIG and deep. I'm already sorry I didn't keep it.

I have a wonderful husband: I put this on my Amazon wishlist thinking maybe someone would get it for me for Christmas. It came in the mail today❤️. It is especially timely because I'm making The Dressing for a dinner party on Saturday!

That all sounds fantastic! That turkey is hilarious - alien baby, indeed! Your stock is gorgeous😍! The Dutch Potato Casserole sounds very much like what I've heard called Potato Fillling. I tasted it once at a fire house fundraising supper in PA and fell in love. Carb on carb is my kind of erotica LOL. It sounds like a wonderful mix of a feast - traditional and new, ordinary and exotic. Just perfect for the day!

Honestly, we love this gravy so much that I'd still make it even if we didn't cook a whole turkey. This gravy, some dressing, mashed potatoes and turkey cutlets and we have Thanksgiving any time.

@Margaret Pilgrim - thank you so much. I hope Momma and I have a good time. She has dementia, so you never know what you're going to get. I was up there at 2am night before last because she was raising hell and threatening to leave and then yesterday she was so sociable and hilarious, we had a crowd around us visiting with her. The gravy is done: It tastes great. Every year when I start it, I get this fear that it somehow won't turn out that time. It has never failed me yet! It is always a little disheartening when you start with a gallon of liquid and you end up with less than half that amount of gravy. 😁

I am planning to make an apple tart for the dinner party on Saturday. I've make it before, but not for a LONG time. It has a base of mascarpone and fig and the apples and glaze on top. I really need to make it on Friday. With the mascarpone, I know it needs to be refrigerated. I'm thinking that I should refrigerate unglazed, bring to room temperature on Saturday and glaze when room temp. Does this sound right?? Thanks!

Not @rotuts, but here's Mr. Kim's method. I started The Gravy today. Turkey necks, onion, celery, carrots, Bell's seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, and tomato paste ready to roast: Roasted: Lots of good fond brought up with some white wine: I made the stock in the IP instead of the slow cooker like I usually do. It took 90 minutes of pressure cook and 15 minutes natural release, instead of all night. Looks, smells, and tastes wonderful: It's all in the fridge now. I'm hoping to make the actual gravy tomorrow. I'm not really sure when this will get used. We often have our "holiday dinner" in January. We will invite parents and various strays who aren't too tired of turkey. My MIL has made it pretty clear that Jessica and I won't be contributing to Thanksgiving. She told Jessica that "her family" likes very traditional food. I admit this makes me feel weirdly left out. And honestly pissed on my daughter's behalf. Her cousins grew up being schooled in pie-making by this grandmother, so they will have their "traditional" sleep over at grandma's Thanksgiving Eve to make pies. I know full well I should get over it after all this time. I'll try again this year. 🤐😉 It actually might get used this Thanksgiving. My MIL is probably going to have dinner at 5pm. I will go to the nursing home at 2pm with a Thanksgiving dinner for my mom and me that will look for all the world like I made it. 😁 I have found a place that does a really nice Thanksgiving dinner plate with all of Momma's favorites. A nice dollop of my gravy should help.😉