Lisa Shock

My parents live in the west, and I attended college in naptown for a couple of years. I tend to like dicing the onion very fine, and about half of it superfine -so that some of it disappears into the batter. I tend to use a white onion, mostly because my husband is touchy and doesn't always like it when red onion changes color. But, I'd experiment with different types of onions. I suspect that most places use just one deep fryer, so maybe, you need to fry some fish or other seafood in the oil before sending the hushpuppies in....

I use round placemats. My tabletop is glass and I am trying to avoid scratches. The placemats wipe clean quickly, no laundry involved. The table and matching chairs are very modern, made by Bombo, and I think a tablecloth would ruin the style.

You can cut them into supremes and put them on a fruit tart.

The hard part about packaging it yourself is finding a packaging material that is porous enough to allow moisture in, but strong enough to not break open and not porous enough to allow bacterial growth. You can buy tyvek envelopes at an office supply store, but, I don't know if those have a different thickness or different porosity than the packets, and I have no idea if they are food safe. Rice might help, but it isn't as absorbent as the silica. Terra cotta may work, I suggest baking it to dry it before trying to use it. The silica comes to you sealed in plastic, from a very low humidity factory. Any rice or terra cotta sitting around your home is already pretty full of water due to diffusion from the air. Good luck!

I'd curry some of it. Then, maybe, try it as an enchilada filling.

Well, the Discovery Channel is seven years older than the Food Network, and was showing cooking and food related shows from the start. Lifetime had a cooking-show lineup in the mornings, when it was new. And, of course, PBS has always had food shows. I still know people who don't have a clue that Top Chef even exists. For the last couple of years, my local ACF chapter (don't get me started about the food professionals who don't recognize that on my resume) has volunteered to help out at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. I helped run the door of the venue where speakers appeared. Security and SCF staff alike all uniformly refused admission to every one of the speakers in 2008. I literally had to point to the giant poster hanging above the theater and say, "This is Sam Talbot, he is the noon speaker, he was on Top Chef' and 'This is Dale Levitski, he is the 11am speaker, he was on Top Chef" and "This is Rock Harper, he is the 10am speaker." As a matter of fact, Sam was refused admission on five separate occasions. It got to be such a joke that I just gave him paid admission ID bracelet. -This is supposed to be the biggest culinary event in Phoenix, run by supposed foodies.

When I was in pastry school we got them from Shamrock, a distributor like Sysco. I see that JB Prince has carried them, but is out of stock right now. You could try emailing them to see when they will restock. I also found SilicaGelPackets.com but you'll have to contact them about shipping to Canada. Remember that the silica inside the packs is not edible, but is GRAS (generally regarded as safe) according to the FDA. The packets made for food packaging are generally the ones with the tyvek outer bag. The cotton ones are ok, but not recommended because germs can eventually start feeding on the cotton. Try to avoid gel packets that have colored gel which acts as an indicator, as these colors may not be as safe. You may wish to keep checking amazon.ca since I find small manufacturers selling things directly there quite often. If you can find someone selling plain silica in tyvek, whether or not it's marked for food, you should be ok. Good luck!

I don't agree. Julia had the #1 show on PBS for quite a while -back when most of us just got the big 3 networks plus PBS and maybe one or two UHF channels on our tv's with rabbit ears. She was on the cover of Time magazine in 1966. She was famous enough for Saturday Night Live to do a parody of, without in-depth explanation.

There have been food related celebrities in the media for a long time. Back before TV there were radio shows, like "Mystery Chef." Then, TV came along and so did a bunch of local and national food celebrities (Does Poppy Cannon ring a bell?) whom we have all but forgotten, primarily, IMO because their shows were less about food and more about their own cult of celebrity. Now, it's true, times have changed. On the one had, chefs are no longer considered to be part of the 'downstairs' servant crew; they are respected professionals. On the other hand, fewer home cooks prepare everything from scratch on a daily basis. We remember Julia Child and James Beard because what they presented remained meaningful and useful. Meanwhile, Peg Bracken, who was at one time just as big a household name as Julia, has slipped into obscurity. It's just like the book industry. Every year, since the mid-1800's, thousands of cookbooks get published. Many of them are not worth buying, written by people more interested in fame than cooking. A few are written by craftspeople who want to further the art and science of food, or perhaps wish to document their efforts. (Ranhofer, et al) I'd say that the current perceived glut is simply part of the cheapening and expansion of all media over the past decade. We have more media outlets (500+ tv channels, the web, etc.), and people are simply adding food content to all of the outlets meaning that the sort of celebs who used to, maybe, just have a local radio spot now get on a national tv show.

The fridge may or may not have humidity controls, these are sometimes labeled as 'energy saving mode off' or condensation settings. That said, the minute you pull something out, condensation may form because of the humidity in your air, like a glass of ice water. So, I'd avoid the fridge. Dessicant packets are a lifesaver here. If the pops had been wrapped as they were made, then sealed in a tub with dessicant, it may have saved the day. (assuming you use less corn syrup next time!) You can buy these packs, you can also save them whenever you get them in things, and refreshen them by baking on very low for about an hour to dry them out. (store in an airtight container) These are those little white packets that come with new shoes, luggage, etc. With humidity that high, I don't think I'd trust making them in advance. Stores are only able to keep them because they have AC, and the accompanying low humidity. As for dusting sugar, almost any is probably fine, but avoid the types with cornstarch like regular powdered sugar. Superfine should be good. You can make your own superfine, colored or not, in a blender or food processor, just run it for a while with the lid on very tightly. Hope this helps! Good luck!

I understand. My favorite place to eat cheap is the Blue Burrito Grill. It's a fast casual place, you order at the counter, and they have unlimited chips, salsa (4 kinds), and softdrinks including three China Mist tea flavors. My hubby and I manage to eat there for under $15 for the two of us, including drinks. As you can gather, it's not fancy, but it it is filling and fast. They have a commitment to making healthy food, so they don't add fat to the beans and they can tell you what is in everything. That said, there is plenty of cheese and guac on the menu, and if you wish, you can make a pretty decadent meal there. The burritos are large enough for a whole meal, although my hubby and I like to share one of their side salads with our meals. (the side salad is pretty big) They have a bunch of extra things that aren't on the menu, so ask the order-taker for info. They generally offer spinach or whole wheat torlillas, and they can smother things in 'enchilada style' red or 'green chile style' green sauce. I'm pretty sure they have a bunch of 'add meat or chicken' extras, too. The closest location is on Shea, just east of Scottsdale road.

I must stand up for the slow cooker. It's a huge help for the vegetarian cook, and anyone interested in frugal foods. I use mine primarily to cook dry beans, which is something I do once or twice a week. I also occasionally use it for New Mexico style flat enchiladas, and for root vegetable stews. I especially like using it in the summertime, because it doesn't seem to heat up my kitchen as much as simmering beans on the stovetop does. I like the fact that it is self-contained and safe to run while we're asleep or not at home -something I would never, ever do with my stove.

They give you a jacket to wear to class, so, you'll look like pretty much everyone else. Just remember that the banquet at the end is a fancy dress occasion, where people do wear tuxedos and ball gowns. Hmmm, I will do some taqueria research. I tend to avoid many places because my husband and I are vegetarians, and it's traditional to put lard in the beans. This means that at many places we can eat the salsa, guacamole and chips, and that's about it. We do have a small local chain called Macayo's that is ok. as in better than most places found in the mid-west. But, it's not a heart & soul cooking-like-mamacita-did place. I used to live in Santa Fe and got really spoiled with all sorts of good food served in really humble settings. There is also the -berto's phenomenon. If I weren't a vegetarian, I'd try a few of these places -they always seem to be busy. But, I'll look into better places. I need to get out of a rut, too many of my regular places have closed in the past year!

Just a note to inform people that Tapino is closed. I drove by last week and saw a 'for lease' banner on top of the main sign.

Yeah, I discovered that sandwich bags are permeable when my vet asked me to bring a litterbox sample in with my cat for her exam. I wore gloves while using a clean scooper then washed very well after double-bagging the sample in name-brand zippered sandwich bags. And, my car was filled with litterbox odor anyway. I later asked someone about it, and they said it was a matter of cost, but it also ensured that people didn't accidentally create botulism-friendly environments in their fridge or kids' lunchboxes.

The type of plastic used in regular sandwich bags, cling film, and trash bags is permeable to most gasses. They add multiple layers for the freezer bags, but gasses still travel through it. http://www.keepsafe.ca/barriers.htm

I tried making drinks with gari for the ginger contest in another thread. Muddled gari with gin was perhaps the worst combination.

I don't deep fry in cast iron because I tend to use canola as my primary all-purpose kitchen oil. Unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have open bonds that iron oxide can attach to and cause them to become 'rancid' when heated. Rancid fats may not have any off taste, so you cannot detect them with your senses. But, they are known carcinogens. (basic Durk & Sandy stuff) Deep frying in a saturated fat should be fine. But, we're vegetarians in my household, both of us, so no lard, and we avoid transfat, so no shortening. I just whip out the stainless lined copper rondeau for deep frying. We are still looking at getting the 7qt round Le Creuset casserole, but, we simply don't deep fry that often. For small batches of fried foods, like falafel for 2, I use the stainless-lined copper frying pan.

I'm kind of amazed that no one complained about there not being any potatoes in the meal! It looks good, and it is pretty amazing that they liked a meal of real food instead of boxed mixes...

I have an old cast-iron one that is the perfect pot for making baked beans. I have also, on occasion, baked bread in it. I tend to use my 6 quart copper pot for soups and large quantities of sauce.

It's not just a matter of a rule or a fine. In most places nowadays, health department reports are available to anyone online, meaning that diners for years to come would be reading about the place having a sanitation violation. And, believe me, that online report wouldn't have any mention of customer service issues in it. Not to mention the fact that in some areas, a health inspector can simply close a place down for a day, a week or until they are available to have a second inspection added to their calendar. There's nothing like having 'closed by County Health Department until further notice' signs on your front door to scare off business for years to come.

My family moved to Maryland when I was ten, and I lived there off and on through college. I was taught by locals to use Old Bay Seasoning in hush puppies.

Evening seminars were free, and, although the rooms got super-packed with people, they allowed non-paying guests (spouses, parents, etc.) to attend. Maybe we could have an eG gathering one evening? Maybe just a trip to a local eatery, nothing fancy -if there's a night with no extra events.

I live about 3 miles away, so I just stayed at my house. There were some evening activities, don't know how they will work out this year. Every night, in 2006, they showed a free movie in the competition area, on a big screen at 8pm. They even provided free popcorn. Only a dozen people showed up. Films included: Eat Drink Man Woman, and Mostly Martha. There were 4 evening seminars that I attended, generally running from 6-8. As mentioned previously, they were: a master class in sorbet, a master class on savory quick breads, a seminar on handling customers and running a pastry shop, and a class in chocolate. There were a couple of cocktail parties where everyone, students (attendees), instructors and competitors got to mingle. I had a really great time at these; at one I sat at a table and Nicolas Lodge and his partner joined me and we had a lot of fun, at another I hung out with the Japanese team and learned a lot about practicing for competition. You do get lunch every day as part of the package, plus a fancy dinner at the end. (Bring a ball gown or tuxedo!!! I am not joking!) Dinner for the other 6 nights is up to you. There are food options at varying price points in the hotel, and some fast food just down the street. (including an In-N-Out Burger, if you're into that) I recall several nights where people went in groups to local eateries. I recall giving Keegan Gerhardt and a group of a dozen people some recommendations on places to eat. Ok, after all of that, my reply is that I think you could do ok staying at another, cheaper hotel. Just count on getting back to the room around 8-10pm and perhaps buying dinner out. Also, this resort is kind of on the edge of town, so there isn't anyplace really nearby -so you won't be able to walk from one hotel to another. You'll need a car, or have to count on taxis. If you're flying in, I'd add the cost of a rental car to the overall price when you compare rates. Also, be warned that Phoenix is a really huge city in terms of acreage. Maps may be deceptive to you. I personally would not stay anyplace further south than Lincoln Drive (aka Glendale to the west of HWy 51, but, the west especially the lower west, is pretty ghetto) and even that is a fairly hefty drive. I know that there are several hotels around Scottsdale Road and Bell that are reasonably priced and the neighborhood is safe and near a decent shopping open-air center with restaurants & a Trader Joe's. (Sleep Inn comes to mind, but, I don't have any basis for recommendations.) Hope this helps!

I haven't taken any of their hands-on classes, so I don't really know, I was hoping someone else would reply..... Well, we're two weeks away, and I am pretty excited!