Lisa Shock

I have seen references in the past, I recall seeing an Italian woman as a guest on some cooking show 20+ years ago making Easter pie and the crust was essentially the same as fresh pasta, just not boiled. I remember finding that a bit perplexing. I usually make my own version with a more traditional French crust.

I salt the water in addition to adding vinegar. We have city of Phoenix water, but I cook with water from my reverse osmosis filter, so the water should be pretty neutral at the start. BTW, the carrots I mentioned are added to the salad raw.

Yeah, people marvel at my potato salad because I carefully cut the potatoes into large dice and add a couple tablespoons of vinegar to the cooking water so they remain very cube-shaped when done. I usually add jullienned carrots to the salad for contrast, and to show off the knife skills. A few days ago, I was called upon to make the vegetables for a corned beef dinner, and I used two separate pots -each with some of the liquor from the beef along with extra water as needed. In the pot for turnips (quartered), potatoes (whole) and carrots (tourne-d) I added a little vinegar and cooked each item separately so I could get them perfect. I added baking soda, just a tablespoon, to the pot for the cabbage, and it remained a lovely green. Anyway, other starchy vegetables benefit from acidifying the water. The two warnings are: it will turn green vegetables a really ugly brown-khaki color, and watch out for starches that take a long time to cook, like dry beans. You don't want to add acid at the start of making baked beans, or they will never soften. This is why old-time advice is to avoid tomatoes in them. (you can add acid at the end) Bonus recipe: I have made really good rice with lemon juice subbed for part of the water (about one whole lemon for 2 cups dry rice, with a little grated peel) -both white and brown rice cooked normally and were very tasty. (you can add a little white onion at the start, and maybe toss on some cut cauliflower to steam for the last 5 minutes) The lemon's acid didn't seem to affect the rice much.

Just one small tip, don't forget the lessons about how acid can affect various starches, for example how a touch of vinegar in the water will keep boiled potato cubes looking crisp and clean.

Try to incorporate local, seasonal items -and make sure that the judges know that you did. I know that it's hard to face a challenge where you can do almost anything. Contests where you have to work with a specific ingredient are less intimidating. That said, choose your ingredients carefully, and go for flavor over form. Trying to force food into a form (say, a napoleon) never really works. Whereas, talking about 'how can we explore olives?' will lead to creative answers. I would go with tried and true flavor combinations, with, of course, impeccable plating. One of my friends who has won national-level competitions won a pastry event with a plated dessert that was essentially red raspberry filled pastry and lemon sorbet, with a bit of almond cake. I asked her about judging, because I figured that something exotic would win, and she explained that a judge told her that they were relieved to eat her dessert because so many entries were too weird and not well thought out, and hers was simply delicious. I am guessing that you get to choose your theme. If this is the case, do your research carefully. You don't want to call something 'Santa Fe style' when it is in fact a Texan specialty. Make sure you can answer questions about your dishes with authority and intelligence. Good luck! (most people like Italian food, so I'd start looking there)

I wish that it would contain recipes using weight rather than volume measure for dry items, unlike most of the recipes currently posted.

The show about the Cheerful Soul was better than the entire third season. I really enjoyed seeing the process of opening their new place.

Enrollment in community college is booming and many are desperate for instructors.

Are you making the same volume as at home, and, are you using the same type of bowl?

Also, did you shock the pan once you pulled it off the heat?

This is the sort of situation where a thermometer is very useful.

My guess is that it's related to temperature. You got some caramelization or maillard reaction because of relatively high heat. A lot of factory-made candies get some texture from being pulled, and drying a bit, on long machine lines that are warm due to friction but not too hot. I stopped eating White Rabbit after the first Chinese tainted milk scandal, and honestly, I don't trust that it doesn't have some sort of optical whitener in it -or other, worse ingredients off-label.

I've been excited about the show since the ads started airing. I'm glad that you're proud of it, we've seen a lot of recent food shows where the producers guided content to personal conflict rather than exploring the potential in the food.

I second this. The Oxy Clean agitate-then-soak method is a lifesaver.

You may wish to check out info on Dr Dean Ornish, he did a series of clinical trials demonstrating reversal of heart disease (and cholesterol) through diet.

I just saw the finale, and, without spoiling it for anyone, I can't believe what happened. I am overawed at the stupidity of it all.

So, let us know how it turns out!

My pet peeve is places where the backs of chairs are sloped, meaning that a purse cannot be reliably hung on the back. I greatly appreciate chairs where the uprights of the back are slightly higher than the center of the back, so a purse will stay hooked on fairly securely.

What kind of cutting board are you using?

It's extremely close in flavor to the best quality beans, without the storage hassles. It also saves a bit of time, since you don't need to cut open and scrape beans. So, it's useful for high volume production in terms of time-savings, and home use because you never have to worry about dried out old beans.

HERE is a link with a brief explanation of the types of cinnamon.

I had a Dornfelder a couple years ago, it was pretty sweet. It was also fruity and tannic. It was a bit as if someone added cane sugar to a Shiraz. The closest I can come would be a Brachetto, or possibly (if sparkling is ok) a red Lambrusco. But, both of those have more of a grape juice flavor to them, which doesn't really match the Dornfelder. There are some small sweet reds from various European countries, Greece and Spain come to mind, but they aren't exported much.

Well, there will probably still be discoloration after refrigeration, but, the acetate method means that you get a good finish quickly and can be done before you put the cake in the fridge. For edges, get s closer grip on the acetate and give it the curve you desire as a result. For a sharp corner, hold it straight and do the top then the sides, or an upper surface then the lower surface.

Don't use a spat. Take a strip of acetate about 6 inches long and an inch or two wide (the stuff used for holding together small entremets), hold an end in each hand and run it over the cake at a slight angle. I can usually get a finish that people mistake for fondant by doing this.

On shoes: get ones with certified non-skid soles and hard tops. You don't want soaking wet feet from having a drink fall on your feet in a cloth shoe like sneakers, and you need protection from falling knives and flying glass. The soles will prevent slip & fall accidents. Buy an ok shoe brand, but don't spend a lot of money because it's best to replace them fairly frequently. The inner structure breaks down before the heels wear out, and this means that there's less protection for your knees and hips (and ultimately your back) if you keep wearing them. (it's a bit like advice on running shoes, after a certain number of miles, retire the shoes) I buy the work shoes at PayLess, and toss them every 4-6 months or so. Taking care of your knees and hips, and back, will help you endure long shifts with good cheer. Good socks are also important, make sure they fit and have a little padding on the bottom. You don't want blisters, and you don't want chafing. You also don't want anything that will trap and keep foot moisture against your feet. Backpacking, outdoorsy places like REI are good places to buy socks.