Kim Shook

Well, we are back and it was a wonderful and whirlwind trip. Everything was just exactly as it should have been from the touching and fantastic memorial service for my friend (short of an appearance by the Rockettes, it was everything he would have wished for) to every bite of food we put in our mouths. I have a huge party tomorrow night (actually tonight - it's 3:45am), house guests, laundry to do from the trip and have to be at the store to open in 3 3/4 hours, so my report will have to wait a bit. Should I post it and pics here or start a new thread? Thank you all so much for all your advice! You helped make this a once in a lifetime trip for Mr. Kim and me! Kim

Oh, Miz D! So glad to see you blogging again! I am late to the party, but enjoying it so much! I have been out of town and have a billion things to do this weekend - big party tomorrow night, out of town guests and work tomorrow morning at 7:30am and here I am avidly gobbling your blog at 2:23am! As someone who hasn't yet reached the 100 lb. mark in weight loss after having a gastric bypass, I am in awe of your achievement! I can see that I really need to get on the fish, soup and veg bandwagon! I am enjoying this so much! Kim

Ok, guys - here we come! We should be leaving tomorrow morning as the weather allows. We deliberately planned this memorial service for after the bad weather and now we get a snow storm. Don't forget that on the 20th we plan to go over to Pegu after dinner - should be there about 10pm, I guess. We'd love to meet some egulleteers. One more question re: Pegu. I am a big ol' sissy when it comes to drinks. One thing is having had the gastric bypass, it is like drinking with a two year old: two drinks and I am bombed, then sick in about 5 minutes . I am also a bit immature when it comes to flavors - no scotch or bourbon. If an umbrella wouldn't be out of place in a drink, you can bet I'll love it (to temper that a bit, I do love an absolutely perfect VT). Will they think I'm an utter dweeb if I confess all to the bartender/server and just let them surprise me? Can someone recommend something within those guidelines? Luckily Mr. Kim drinks anything and appreciates all kinds of flavors, so we won't be complete rubes. Hope to see some of you! Kim

Ann - I am so sorry that happened to you, but very glad that you and Moe are alright. That is a horrible experience - our house was robbed when I was in middle school and we felt so violated - kept finding stuff that the creeps had taken and we hadn't noticed right away! Don't stop posting, though! Even without the pictures, we all love your food so much! Kim

Also tomato sandwiches.

I made the Ginger Mascarpone Ice Box Cake - like Marlene did: Marlene's cake was prettier than mine, but this was a delicious and incredibly easy dessert - I wholeheartedly recommend this recipe! Kim

Doddie, what a fantastic journey you took us on! Thank you so much for your generosity! I loved 'meeting' your men and you and getting to see a bit of the world I never thought I would. Kim

Great info on the little tripods, folks! I will keep an eye out! Had friends over for dinner tonight and we had: Butter Lettuce Salad w/ Candied Walnuts (no picture - it's the same salad we had recently). Lamb Stew w/ Cipolline Onions & Potatoes on Sara Moulton's Creamy Baked Polenta, Brussels sprouts w/ Pancetta and Rosemary Focaccia: Dessert was Ginger Mascarpone Ice Box Cake w/ peach sauce: The polenta recipe was interesting - you bake it rather than cooking on top of the stove. The recipe is in Recipe Gullet. It wasn't quite as easy as the recipe indicates, though. After the initial baking time, I had a solid mass of mush and a lot of liquid. I just used a potato masher and a 'boat motor' and ended up with delicious, creamy perfect polenta - a real keeper recipe! I also substituted milk for about half the water called for. The ice box cake was the same one that Marlene made a few days back and it was wonderful. Everyone loved it. It is from The 150 Best American Recipes, a book that is being discussed in this thread. This was one of those (for me) rare meals where I was completely happy with everything that I made. The stew was delicious and was wonderful on the polenta!

I finally found someone who appreciates this cake: I tossed the cake outside for the birds and have come home twice to find her nibbling! We live in the suburbs, not the country and this lady has been hanging around for months!

Shellfishfiend - I think what you are doing is hitting the http:// button up top rather than the IMG button. You are linking to your photos (which, btw, are beautiful!) instead of posting them. Kim

Thanks! That makes sense. I have also wondered about putting the cake board in before baking and now I know that will work, too! Steve - I love your left handed pig avatar! Kim

Ok, I just got a new set of springform pans. Out of the package they are assembled so that the edge is up - there is a lip. Not so that there is a tiny platform effect, if you can picture that. I always wonder when I am using a springform which direction is correct. Logically, it seems to me that when you have it in so that it forms a platform, it is easier to get the cake off. But they are packaged the other direction. Am I making any sense here? And does anyone know the correct way? And if it is lip up, why? Ta! Kim

Here is the link for the spice cooky recipe. It is an Elinor Klivans recipe - I love her stuff - never had one of her recipes be anything be delicious! Blether - yep, those are chives, which I also love dearly. The creamy sauce under the roast beef has chives and capers in it . I do not have a tripod, and I really should invest. Do they make little ones that you can use table top?

Mr. Kim is hosting a poker party tonight and I am serving: Roast beef appetizers: (isn't my picture pretty? Sorry, but I think it's my best effort since I got a digital!) Buffalo Chicken Dip w/ Chips & Texas Caviar on Crostini: Chocolate Chip and Spice/Molassas Cookies w/ Sugar Babies: Can you see the melted Sugar Babies on the edge of the Spice Cookies? And the cutest candy, ever: (sorry it's blurry) Kim

Doddie - I am loving this blog. I always enjoy the vicarious travel with outside-of-the-USA blogs and yours is no exception. I love seeing the familiar (the chocolate strawberry shortcake) and the totally unfamiliar – the incredible Korean restaurants! By the way, don’t know if you have had the time this week to read the Dinner thread, but I did make your ‘crab’ and ham salad and loved it. I described it to a lady today at work (I work in a food market) and gave credit to my ‘friend’ in Korea. Hope you don’t mind me claiming you thus! I also wanted to say how much all your ‘instruction’ is appreciated! I don’t think I remember another blog where the blogger was so responsive to requests for help and teaching! I have learned a LOT in this blog! And look what I found everybody!! Kim

Brooks, the promise of hearing more from you is the only thing that makes you stepping down at egullet bearable. Your posts are always full of fun, information and history. Can't wait to see what you write about next. And, yes, CAKE! Kim

Daniel - I'm glad to see you, too! You and your lovely meals have been missed! Judith - the trout is gorgeous! Drooling, here! Marlene - thank you for the 1 millions clarification. I read it as posts and thought my computer was broken ! (And those biscuits ) Gruzia - beautiful shrimp! I love that recipe and like the idea of adding tomatoes! Susan - I am finally convinced. I am going to make potstickers as a family project when my 'baby' comes home from college this spring! I figure the three of us can make a few billion. They are just inspiring! Also, I think I said this to someone before, but no one in my house eats liver, so I want to have dinner at your house!! Dinner tonight was Doddie's Ham and 'Crab' Salad on a croissant (and pretzels & carrots just to fill up the empty space). Thanks for the recipe, Doddie - even Mr. Kim liked it and he's not a 'Krab' fan!:

I was thinking the same thing and was going to suggest a birds and bees theme, poultry and honey, like a honey-glazed chicken. ← me too but I felt to silly to tell hehehehe ←

This looks a lot like the recipe I've used with the exception of the Sugar Babies. I add a cup of Ginger Baking Chips from The Ginger People. (Ok, sometimes I add 3/4 of a cup and 1/4 cup of teeny tiny mini-chocolate chips. Because...chocolate and ginger.) ← ooooh! Thanks for that info. I just bookmarked their website to order some of those chips. Ginger is Mr. Kim's very favorite flavor in the world and I'm always looking for ginger recipes - those sound incredible!

Marlene - I am making that ice box cake this weekend for a dinner party. Any hints to pass on to me? This should probably go on the pastry board, but since here was where you posted about it, I thought I'd post here. Kim

Susan, why don't you just PM Dorie and ask her if she has the recipe you want in her files? I'm sure she'd be glad to help! Kim

The problem is that, especially with home freezing, cooked chicken tends to get really tough and spongy. Does anyone have a solution to that?

Well, the squirrels are loving it. And, of course, I am sitting here at 1am jonesing for something sweet . I swear I would eat a Little Debbie if we had one. Guess I'll have a bowl of cereal. Guess that's another thread ! Kim

Here you go! Tried and true. And make sure to notice the Sugar Baby option ! Kim

Fantastic - I just got that from the library yesterday - I will flag that one to try! Ta!