[eG Foodblog: rarerollingobject (2011) - Mealtimes at the University of]

Any chance we might get to see the final version of the beet-root cured salmon?very interesting combination, beets, salmon and vodka! You go girl!!!

[Fresh Pork jowl/cheek]

I think that the jowl is the meat on the bottom of the mandibular bone.

[Cooking In and On Leaves]

in yucatan (southern state of mexico) they cook a pork butt in banana leaves called cochinita pibil.

[Wild salmon - cold smoke]

any ideas for curing other then brown sugar and kosher salt?

[Wild salmon - cold smoke]

I just had 8 lbs. of wild caught salmon sent to me. I would like to do a cold smoke on some of it, unfortunately I live in Texas where it is really HOT in May. I have a Weber kettle and a monster custom made smoker (5 ft long, cast iron with a smoke box on the side). I'm looking at a couple of skin on fillets that are about 8 in. long by about 4 in. wide. I'm thinking about setting a couple pieces on a pan filled with ice and smoking them with some peach wood for about 15 min. and then curing them with a brown sugar, alderwood smoked salt and maybe some bay leaves and a splash of vodka reposado tequila. Any ideas?

[what to do with live crawfish - purge?]

Do I have to purge these little mudbugs and if so how do I go about this? I have about 40 to 45 pounds of live crawfish.

[The Beef Tenderloin Test]

Grilled medium rare and topped with a compound butter made with roasted serrano peppers and gorgonzola is divine.

[Fresh Hens of the Forest mushrooms]

I just received a bag of fresh mushrooms someone gave to my wife that grow in Iowa or Idaho

can't remember which state exactly. They are fresh and have a very odd shape, no two are the same size and I am told that they are called Hens of the Forest. I have thought about roasting them and using to top a pizza or to make a duxelle and use in omelletes. Anyone

out there have any more info on this type of funghi or suggestions on how to use them?

[Oddball Snacks]

Jicama sliced into 1/2 inch wide sticks with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of chili powder and salt is pretty good. Stuff goes great on cucumber spears as well.

Tasty and healthy snacks.