Chezkaren

Stunning!

Pulled herb-roasted turkey breast, dill mayonnaise, havarti, cucumbers and salt and pepper on Farm bread or maybe Provolone, artichoke spread, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, red onion, gold peppers, cucumbers & avocado on farm bread or one last suggestion Old-time egg salad and thick-cut bacon with green leaf lettuce on Multigrain bread wait, I lied Julienned chicken, sun-dried tomato aioli, avocado, red onion, tomato and arugula on Sourdough bread

I can already hear the groans my reply is going to create but I got a garlic genius from Williams Sonoma (at least I think that's the name). It sort of looks like a pepper mill but you put the garlic in and twist the top which forces the garlic through a grate and then a blade slices them off into uniform pieces. Really comes in handy when I'm making garlic salad and everyone (and by everyone I mean me) can see all the nice pretty uniform dices of fresh garlic.

That would be Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, already mentioned upthread, directed by Ang Lee, a joint Taiwan/US production, if memory serves. ← Thanks!

I can't remember the title but I saw a Japanese (?) film in the mid-80s about a father who was a chef and his three daughters. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Before responding to bars/taverns with live music -- what type of music does he like. We have a pretty varied selection of music venues here and, if I know his music choice, I'll be able to narrow the list down. A really good bbq joint here in town is Judge Beans on 12th (I think...they just recently moved locations). However, it is TEXAS bbq -- not that there is anything wrong with Texas bbq. Their brisket tacos are a favorite of mine. And if he goes, tell him to get a side of the cowboy beans! They also have live country music on some nights. There's another great bbq dive that you can get to-go bbq. Their "dining room" consists of a screened in porch with 2 or 3 picnic tables. I'll try to remember the name and get back with you. Karen

Hi Fwed -- Hope you don't mind but I'm stealing your idea! Karen

I'm not a big sweets eater which is odd considering my chosen profession....but mango and coconut make me throw up a little bit in my mouth. Oh and any coffee flavored dessert.

This is the recipe I use. 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter 3 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. corn syrup Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate Nuts of your choice -- I would roast them but I wouldn't salt them. Combine sugar, butter, water and corn syrup. Stir to combine. Once boils, stop stirring and boil until it reaches the color you desire (I shoot for a lovely amber color and it never does me wrong) -- or you could use a candy thermometer like most normal people do. If you use the thermometer, I think you need to boil it until it almost reaches hard crack stage -- someone please correct me if I'm wrong. After I remove from the burner, I slowly whisk until it comes together (you'll see what I mean). I've been finding out that if I don't whisk it after removing it from the heat, I have separating butter issues. Pour onto buttered jellyroll pan and spread with a off-set spatula (be careful not to drag your pinky through the hot toffee or else you will get a nasty burn....not that I've ever done that!). I've been using Badaine's suggestion to dust with some ground nuts prior to spreading the melted chocolate on top. It's been working great. Spread with melted chocolate and sprinkle with almonds. Let the chocolate set up and then break into pieces. Karen

This is a great suggestion, too. I'll try both. Thanks!

I really like the suggestion of a thin layer of ground nuts on the top. Will try today and report back either in frustration or elation. Thanks everyone! Karen

Here's the deal: I'm making English Toffee to sell in tins at our stores. It's your basic toffee recipe -- sugar, butter, corn syrup and water -- and is topped with dark chocolate and chopped walnuts. I'm having problems with the chocolate separating from the toffee. Mind you, this isn't as simple a solution (at least in my mind) as "she must have messed up a tray" (or something along those lines). It separates on the same sheet tray! Some times not at all but most of the time it's separating on about 1/4 of the tray. 1. I made 15 sheet trays of it today. Some I made with Plugra and some I made with regular unsalted butter. 2. I've put the chocolate on some of the trays while the toffee was still warm and on some of the trays after the toffee had set up. 3. I've varied the amount of chocolate I'm putting on it. 4. I've tried breaking the toffee up right after the chocolate has set up, after it has sat out room temperature...I've put it in the walk-in to set up and I've put it in the freezer to set up. Doesn't make a difference. Please help. This is the first day of 4 that I'll be making it -- I'm taking the weekend off because if I have to look at another tray of toffee right now, I might just go insane. I'm seriously thinking that IT senses my frustration and is just separating now to spite me. Any help will be much appreciated.

Peppermint Ice Cream! We have it every Christmas Day with homemade hot fudge sauce.

Plus 1 more at www.abebooks.com but it's going for $100! Ouch!

One quick thing I just remembered: after the awards ceremony, they were taking "good" pictures of the pieces. Anyway, someone walked by the table the winner's piece was sitting on, hit it and shattered into a trillion pieces. I was standing next to the mess when Jeffrey Ward (the winner) walks up to his table to witness the total destruction of his piece! His comment was something along the lines of "well, now I don't have to figure out what to do with it".

I created an album of all 5 competitor's pictures in ImageGullet. Still trying to figure out how to link it into my reply. The album is entitled "Pastry Challenge 2005 - Memphis" Will provide further details of the competition tomorrow. Too swamped in the kitchen today to devote much time to it. Sorry. Karen

I made a call and the Elvis cake competition will be going on at Graceland/Heartbreak Hotel (as othafa9 said already) and the Rock 'n Roll sugar/chocolate competition will be going on at the Peabody.

Interesting turn of events. Could there, perhaps, be 2 separate competitions going on?

Update: The theme for this pastry challenge will be "Rock 'n Roll" and they are doing both a chocolate showpiece and a sugr showpiece. The Peabody is having a welcome reception on Monday, 11/7 from 6-7 p.m. in The Corner Bar to meet the judges and competitors. The Peabody's Executive Pastry Chef Erika Davis is also going to be one of the judges and I believe Susan Notter is competing but I don't know any of the other competitors. I'll be attending so if any eGullet members are going to also be attending, let me know. I'd love to meet you. Karen p.s. I searched around on the Food Network's website but couldn't find any additional information so if someone reading this is more computer savvy than I am.....

We always have corned beef hash with "poached" eggs on top made in a cast iron skillet with foil as the lid for poaching/soft cooking -- we use canned corned beef hash but you could make some yourself....maybe salmon? Works well for any meal of the day.

Qualita out of California carries them - don't know if they have a website but their number is 1-800-611-4010 Also try Regency Wraps, Inc. out of Dallas - 214-357-0099 They both carry the same ones --single portion cake boards with tab (round, gold) 4" Item #K-ITTTABRD10G They also have various other sized round ones from 1 1/8" to 4", oval, square, and assorted - hexagon, octagon, triangle, tear, hearts. Hope this helps. Karen

What about sauerkraut balls? Don't have a recipe but they taste like they contain sauerkraut, pork, and some type of dough/filler....then deep fried. Good walking around a festival with a cold beer in one hand selection.

Well, I just read through this entire thread and couldn't find my favorite so here goes: pancakes and/or waffles, butter, creamy peanut butter, maple syrup and powdered sugar. and I've always got to put butter in my chili.

Wow -- you are on the ball! Thanks for the confirmation. I've been meaning to make a trip to Memphis. I'm friends with the PC at the Peabody so.... Karen

I heard that there is going to be a Pastry Competition on November 6-8, 2005 in Memphis, TN but that's all I know so far -- besides that one day might be at Graceland and one day at the Peabody. Has anyone heard any further details about this?