esowchek

I would recommend the quarter-turn method, too. However, if the crust is going to be round, you might want to look at the "Pie Crust Bag," available from King Arthur. Dorie Greenspan includes it in her list of holiday gifts for bakers. She describes it as follows: "It looks like a slipcover for a pillow, but it helps you roll dough out to the perfect thickness and diameter. You put your disk of dough in this zippered plastic bag (I flour the bag) and roll, roll, roll. Even if you’ve never rolled out pie dough before, you can look like an ace with this gadget." Sounds like a good idea. Ellen

I did a quick search for Bernard Loiseau + Cuisine at www.abebooks.com and found a number of copies of his books listed for sale, both new and used. All are in French - it does not appear that any of his works were translated into English. I often used abebooks to purchase French titles. It is not a bookstore, but a consortium of booksellers, so frequently you will find the same book listed at several different prices. It all depends on the seller. Bonne chance! Ellen

I am in total agreement about Jell-O. I think it has to do with the consistency. I do not like aspic either. #1 on my list: asparagus, both green and white. Ellen

We are having Cranberry Upside-Down Cake - I made it last year and it was a big success. In fact, a friend asked me to make one for him to bring to his mother's Thanksgiving Dinner. I use the recipe from Everyday Food Magazine. I am also making a Maple-Nut Tart (combined pecans and walnuts) and my current favorite, Pear Custard Pie. Ellen

Comice pears with val d'aosta fontina - my favorite fruit/cheese combination. Tarte tatin made with pears instead of apples. It just seems like an "autumnal" kind of dessert to me. Ellen

Either of Fran Costigan's two books, Great Good Desserts Naturally and More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (referenced above), are a good place to start, and the results are delicious. If you would like to experiment on a smaller scale, try Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero and Sara Quin. The Apple Cider cupcakes are just right for Fall! Ellen

courgette - it sounds so much nicer than zucchini sfogliatelle - because its fun to say Ellen

Emily, I would suggest checking out the following website: www.pylosrestaurant.com. Pylos is a Greek restaurant in New York City and Diane Kochilas is their consulting chef. Click on either the lunch or dinner menu, and there is a short but descriptive explanation of each of the dishes listed. This should give your dad a good idea of the kinds of thing to expect. Ellen

Just beautiful, inside and out! How inspiring! I am wondering, now that you have downsized in terms of square footage, whether you have changed your cooking style/preferences in any way to accomodate the smaller space? Ellen

I would like to second the recommendations made above. Here are some specifics: The Art of Greek Cookery, by The Women of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, which was their first recipe collection published in 1963 by Doubleday. This is a basic introduction to Greek food, and is still my favorite Greek cookbook. Shortly after it came out, Craig Claiborne featured it in an article in the New York Times, which resulted in excellent sales for the book. The Regional Cuisines of Greece, by The Recipe Club of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, published by in 1981. This book, by the women of the same church (which is located in Hempstead, NY), was published almost twenty years after the previous bookin. It includes more recipes and expands its coverage to include dishes from all parts of Greece. The Glorious Foods of Greece: Traditional Recipes from the Islands, Cities and Villages, by Diane Kochilas. I have all of her books but this one, published in 2001 by William Morrow/Harper Collins, is arranged by region, making it extremely useful if you are looking to explore the food of a specific area. Unlike the first two books, which have virtually no narrative accompanying the recipes, this one provides excellent historical and cultural information on all of the regions, as seen through their food. Not only are the recipes good, but it is also a good read! I think what I like best about all of these books is the real love for their cuisine that these authors, all Greek women, express through their recipes. And now that more of the ingredients - specifically some of the regional cheeses - are available here in the US, it is great to be able to try out many of these dishes at home. Whatever book(s) you decide to get, I hope that once you have them you will enjoy cooking from them! Ellen

I would like to add two films that have a lot of food in them, but are not exactly food movies. The first is Delicatessen (1991), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (the director of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement). This is a truly black comedy in which it really is better not to ask what kind of meat was used to make the saucisson. The second is The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), directed by Luis Bunuel. This is a surrealistic film without much plot, but a main thread involves six people who just want to sit down to dinner and enjoy their leg of lamb. One of the six is played by Stephane Audran, who later went on to play Babette in Babette's Feast. Both of these films are available on DVD. Ellen

Oh, and I thought I had posted this correctly, but I guess I messed up. AB, Ruhrlman, Ripert and Gabrielle Hamilton will be at the 92nd Streeet Y in NYC on 10/23 Thanks so much for posting this information I was able to purchase my ticket on-line today. However, as an update, a friend who tried this afternoon told me that it is now listed as sold out. Ellen

There is also a Ukrainian kishka that is made in two ways. The first is with pork, pork blood, buckwheat and spices, and the second is with pork, rice and spices (no blood). The casing is pork intestines. An excellent source for both is Kurowycky's Pork Store in New York. I was once invited to the home of an Irish friend for Christmas Eve dinner, at which she served black pudding and white pudding. The white pudding tasted a lot like rice kishka, but I believe that oats are used instead of rice or buckwheat. Ellen

Annie, even though we have never met, I have been following your thread with great interest, and rooting for you all the way. My mother always said that when you have to make an important decisions, think about what you will regret five years down the road and choose accordingly. I do not think that you would ever regret leaving those recipes behind. I think that the return of your cat and your excellent medical report (keep up those monthly self-exams!) are an omen of good things to come for you. Thanks so much for posting the good news, Ellen (another one!)

This happened a number of years ago. My (now ex-)husband and I were invited to dinner with two other couples at a popular restaurant in NYC called Maxwell's Plum. For an appetizer, on the host's recommendation, we all ordered the artichoke with vinaigrette sauce. Conversation was very animated, and I was not really paying attention, but my husband excused himself to go to the men's room. While he was gone, I noticed that his plate was practically empty - no scraped leaves on the dish, no fuzzy choke... At that moment, I knew. When I asked him about it later, he confirmed my suspicions: he had attempted to swallow as much as he could of the fibrous part of the leaves (ouch!) and had almost choked on the choke. He had never eaten an artichoke before and, after that experience, I am sure he never ate one again. Ellen

I second the objection to "amazing" and would like to add the word "awesome" to the list. I cringe whenever I hear this word used, which seems to be about every 15 minutes! Also, I know it is pretty inoffensive, but I hate it when "mac" is used for macaroni. Ellen

I have made the Margarita Chiffon Cake from the recipe on epicurious.com (originally from the September 1999 Bon Appetit) many times, and it always gets rave reviews. The first time I made it, I mistakenly doubled the amount of tequila and triple sec in the glaze (by accident, really!) and I have been making it that way ever since. The cake is not overly sweet, and the margarita taste comes through. I have served it with and without the strawberry compote - either way is fine. Enjoy it on Cinco da mayo! Ellen

Please check out Bette Hagman's "Gluten-Free Gourmet" books, particularly "The Gluten-Free Gourmet Makes Dessert". As wheat allergies have been discovered to be more common than previously believed, great strides have been made in producing gluten-free flours for baking, and Ms. Hagman is the pioneer in this area. I have made a number of her cakes with quite tasty results. In place of butter, I would recomment Earth Balance brand Natural Buttery Sticks - they are dairy-free, non-hydrogenated, and contain no gluten, no casein, not nuts or eggs, and can replace butter stick for stick. Ms. Hagman also gives equivalents for egg substitutes. Please be careful about spelt - since this is an ancient form of wheat, many people who are allergic to wheat cannot tolerate spelt either, and it is not recommended for people with gluten-intolerance or celiac disease. Wheat flour has a relatively high gluten content that other flours cannot match, so they cannot be substituted equally. Additional ingredients are required to add protein to provide structure to support the cake. These are rough allergies to have, but it does not mean that a delicious cake cannot be made to satisfy even those who are non-allergic. In fact, if you don't tell then, they probably won't know! Good luck!

A friend's son called tofu "Toad Food" - with an appropriate facial expression to match. He never did manage to get his son to eat it. Ellen

I was a bit unsure whether a recipe could be posted within a reply, but now that I have seen several other posts containing them, here goes. This recipe for Sauerkraut Studel is adapted from a recipe for Sauerkraut and Mushroom Strudel that originally appeared in the November 1979 issue of Gourmet (p. 56). Although I love mushrooms, somehow they just did not work for me in this combination. An all-mushroom strudel, on the other hand, is a wonderful idea to contemplate! In this all-cabbage version, the filling is similar to the one used in sauerkraut pierogies, my very favorite ethnic comfort food. Sauerkraut Strudel 1 ½ lbs. sauerkraut ½ cup finely sliced shallots ½ cup minced scallions (include some of the green for color) 3 tbsp butter 2 tsp caraway seeds (optional) 2 tsp flour 1/3 cup sour cream 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (omit if using caraway seeds) 4 sheets phyllo dough (12 x 18 sheets) 8 tbsp melted butter ¼ cup dry bread crumbs Rinse sauerkraut in cold water and drain. (I prefer to use the young sauerkraut that comes in a jar, rather than the kind that comes in the plastic bag or in a can, but either of these will work just as well). Put sauerkraut in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, rinse in cold water, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Chop the sauerkraut and set it aside in a bowl. In a skillet, cook the shallots and scallions in 3 tbsp butter over medium heat until softened. Onions can be used instead of the shallot/scallion combination, but I like the more delicate taste of the shallots. (If using caraway seeds, add them to the shallots/scallion mixture and cook to soften them and bring out their flavor.) When the shallot/scallion mixture is almost done, sprinkle with 2 tsps flour and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to make sure the flour cooks but does not become too dark. Remove from heat and add to the chopped sauerkraut. Stir in 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill and season to taste. (When using caraway seeds, I omit the dill because I think the flavors clash.) Let mixture cool to room temperature. Have phyllo ready, covered with a dampened towel. Lay one sheet of phyllo out on another damp towel or piece of plastic wrap, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. bread crumbs. Top with another sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. bread crumbs. Spread half the sauerkraut mixture in a 1-inch band along one of the long sides, fold in the short sides to contain the filling, and roll up (use towel or plastic wrap to help roll). Arrange the strudel on a buttered baking sheet. Make second roll the same way. Brush the tops melted butter and bake in moderate (350 degree) oven 45 minutes or until crisp and golden. Let cool 5 minutes, cut on an angle in 1-inch slices, and serve warm. I like to eat mine with a little more sour cream. If you would like to try it with mushrooms, reduce sauerkraut to 1 pound, make duxelles using 1/2 lb. mushrooms separately and add to cooked chopped sauerkraut. The key is in making sure that the mushroom mixture is as dry as possible.

Yum, that sounds right up our alley. I too would love to have your recipe. Thanks, everyone, for such a nice welcome. I know I am going to enjoy being a member of this list. I have the recipe and will be glad to send it. Since I am very new at this, what is the best way to do so? Thanks for your instructions in advance. Ellen

I would add another vote for congee. My introduction to this wonderful comfort food came during a visit to San Francisco. I was staying with a friend who is Chinese and I was thrilled when she invited me to accompany her on her Saturday early-morning shopping rounds (some tourists visit landmarks and historic sites, I like to visit food shops and bakeries). It was great fun - a real adventure - and, of course, we had to stop for a mid-morning snack along the way. That first creamy spoonful was a marvel! Another recent favorite is foul madamas. A new and rather short-lived Middle Eastern restaurant opened near my office, and this quickly became my preferred lunch. Their version used fava beans, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and a little lemon juice (I think), and was served with paper-thin pita bread made on the premises. The beans were so creamy and the onions so sweet! I am neither Chinese nor Middle Eastern, but both of these dishes would rank high on my list of all-time comfort foods. The fact that hey come from culinary traditions that are totally different from my own makes them even more fun to eat.

This is my very first post, and I hope I can contribute some useful information that I just learned from the box of my most recent frozen phyllo dough purchase. I, too, always thought that refreezing phyllo was a no-no. That is why I was quite surprised that the manufacturer suggests promptly rewrapping the unused portion, sealing it, and refrigerating it up to one week or "refreezing for up to two months." I have not personally tried this, so I do not know what the consistency would be after a second defrosting. Another thing that surprised me is that phyllo now comes in 14" x 9 1/2" sheets, which means I no longer need my straightedge and pizza cutter to remove the overhang when I make spinach pie in my 13 1/2" x 9 1/2" pan. It also eliminates the need to come up with creative ideas for using all those phyllo scraps. When I do have leftovers, one of my favorite things to make is sauerkraut and cabbage strudel. If you like savory strudels, I highly recommend it! Ellen