Lisa Shock

I can get them at the local Mexican food market, in season. The top looks like a green onion, but the bulb is much more developed, maybe up to 2" in diameter. They have a stronger flavor than green onion, yet retain the fresh 'green' character so they are different from completely mature storage onions.

I have seen the UK show on BBC America, it's much better.

Fresh, green garbanzo beans at the mexican market and the pink baby ginger when it's in season at the pan-asian mega-mart.

Some of the answer depends on the potato variety. Waxy types will work better than mealy types. The reheat will have to involve high temperatures and low moisture, such as a quick saute. They lose the crispness when refrigerated, so just warming on a steam table won't re-crisp them. The only potatoes that remain crisp when cold are those that have no moisture left in them, in other words, potato chips.

How's the flour tortilla situation? If you cannot find those, they are easier to make than the corn ones and they use more common ingredients.

I'd like to point out that the large volume of oil required to use a commercial fryer also means that it isn't economical for most home cooks. Even in a commercial kitchen, proper care of the oil is essential for ensuring a profit. That said, my tempura parties would be a lot more fun (and I could invite more people) if the food were made in larger batches. I'd also be more likely to make potato chips from scratch, something I generally only do once every few years because it's too easy to eat them all up as you fry them in a home-sized pot.

I like to have a variety of them on hand for different applications. Probably my most infamous use, among friends, is as an addition to the water when boiling large dice potatoes for potato salad. It helps keep the shape very crisp and clean so my potato salad is very precise looking. I also use it as an additive to the water when boiling other non-green vegetables, like tournèd carrots, or diced turnips. I also use it as a flavor balancing agent in certain sauces like glazes, and dips. I can second the use in salsa. I learned to make salsa back in the 70's when lemons/limes were still seasonal fruits in supermarkets, and often very dear in price. Certain regional salsas do not use citrus fruits at all, since they were not traditionally available there. I also like to experiment with it in salad dressings which may seem obvious, but, changing the type of vinegar can make a huge difference!

Thanks! I liked James and Alasdair, and thought they had some really strong potential. I'll keep an eye out for the show. And, with regards to the Cheerful Soul, I am glad that some good has come from the show. I know that Russell and Michelle had a lot of hard work ahead of them, but, it's good to see that they've been able to stick with it and that the public has taken to their concept. I really thought that the how had a lot of potential, I always wished that it would cover events a bit deeply and that the contestants would be chosen a bit better. So, maybe one day we'll see a revival of sorts.

It was on BBC America. I have not seen it anyplace else.

You don't say what sort of venue is involved. Most places require that a health department certified facility provide any foods. If it's at a private residence, it doesn't matter, but food safety will matter. You will need containers to store food as it's made, to transport the food, and to keep it safe and palatable onsite. Then, there are the myriad of tiny details such as serving platters, tables, tableclothes, napkins, condiment containers, coffee urns, etc. Utensils will still be needed for coffee, iced tea, etc. There will also need to be people freshening the food displays and keeping up with any discarded items or accidents that wind up placed on the buffet tables. And, there is the whole issue of layout planning, in addition to menu planning. It's a ton of work, I say attend and enjoy the wedding. You don't need to spend 80+ hours working it.

Yep, looks like there won't be any more seasons of The Restaurant, known as Last Restaurant Standing in the US. I personally enjoyed the first two seasons, but found the third to be weak and very flawed. I look forward to more shows with Chefs Blanc, Willingham and Moore. Perhaps this time with fewer constraints from producers.

I occasionally make simple syrup from a light brownish-color cane sugar we get here in Phoenix that's made in Mexico. It's not brown sugar or turbinado, just a less refined sugar -a bit like old-time loaf sugar. I like to imagine that my drinks taste a bit more like Jerry Thomas' this way. Sounds like panela: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela Not quite. The stuff I use is just marked 'cane sugar' but is granular and light brown, with no stickiness. But now that you've reminded me that the local marked carries panela, syrup made from that is next up in my rotation! Thanks!

I occasionally make simple syrup from a light brownish-color cane sugar we get here in Phoenix that's made in Mexico. It's not brown sugar or turbinado, just a less refined sugar -a bit like old-time loaf sugar. I like to imagine that my drinks taste a bit more like Jerry Thomas' this way.

Agreed. I like to make mixed vegetable risottos, especially in springtime, and vegetable stock adds a pleasing light flavor. (I usually make mine with at leeks, along with other vegetable trimmings.) I also use it to make summertime minestrone, with more vegetables and fewer dry beans. For the dry beans, I tend to use dry mung and azuki beans in summer, just for a lighter feeling. I also have a great vegetarian pho recipe that starts with vegetable stock. What I do to make it a bit better is grill/char the vegetables then roast them before making the stock. It really adds depth to the final soup.

The leaves have varying strengths, and the two of you may have been using different sorts. That said, it's always best to allow 24 hours for this sort of dessert to set properly.

http://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/eten-veiligheid/schadelijke-stoffen/natuurlijke-gifstoffen/in-planten/peulvruchten-en-bonen.aspx http://paleohacks.com/questions/308/non-paleo-lectin-content-of-green-beans-vs-dried-beans It's difficult to know exactly what variety a particular person is growing in their garden. They aren't poisonous to the point of killing you immediately, but, they certainly aren't beneficial to health. They contain both Phytohaemagglutinin and lectins. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytohaemagglutinin

They are mildly poisonous, although not as poisonous as the mature beans, and I cannot really recommend their consumption.

The water content in fresh berries (strawberries are the worst) can fluctuate wildly. Many of your problems, at least in a sorbet or gelato, can be addressed by checking the brix of the final mix before spinning. You need to be at 26-27% for optimal texture.

I like to make flavored mayonnaise in my blender.

I tend to make pizza on the grill. (I don't have decent high-temp oven, so the grill works better.)

Roasted potato with Beurre Noisette.

You can always rig up an independent chilling setup with another sheet pan holding lots of ice that is cater-wrapped to hold the ice in. Just set the pan with the stencil on top of the wrapped ice, and then into the fridge, if possible.

Are you using the instant type puddings, or the regular?

It always works better if everything is at the same temperature. Also, you may not have beaten the yolk & lemon together long enough. You really need to get the water dispersed very well before adding any oil.

Well, at least if the package is sealed well, the herbs will be potent and fairly fresh. I can recall visiting people's kitchens where they had jars/cans of spices that were a decade+ old, and had been purchased to make one specialty dish and never touched again.