suzilightning

kim- i feel as if i could walk into your kitchen and know where everything is. you have the same (except for the dishwasher) layout as i do. check out the blog i did last august. i think we are about equal on the wallpaper front but i think my yucky kitchen floor trumps yours!! have fun with the blog and can't wait to see more of otis and your food.

chris- love the lists. now since we have a fidge magnet for a public library can we see the 641 area of that library? or at least the list of what you are borrowing?(the portion you would be willing to share) suzilightning - librarian goddess

wow. not that i could actually get into a club like that(mid 50s, fat and not wearing high heels EVEN for my beloved husband)really loved this piece about those who help keep the peace among those who perhaps have overindulged and/or are doing a bit too much of a mick jagger strut to show off. when i worked in several places with bars for after hours fun we always made sure to keep our "help" well fed so if some yahoo gave one of the waitresses or kitchen staff(at one place all female except for the head chef) a problem they would be quietly but quickly removed from a harassing situation. love the prose and that sentence is a killer - especially since i live in bear territory.

i also grew up with both the Scotch Broth and Pepper Pot soups from Campbell's. now, when i make Scotch Broth for my mil and i, i use Laurie Colwin's recipe(sorry i can't find a free link online - if you want the recipe pm me and i'll send it to you). so, so simple and tasty. and katie's description is how i do the barley as well. a bit of a cruch and richness.

cheese the way john likes it over the weekend. didn't open the Roaring 40s since we had other blue to finish but had the Tintagel and the Welsh. creamy and prefered the Welsh with the garlic to the Tintagel with the herbs. unfortunately they were semi soft cheeses and his alimentary system was a bit bothered the next day. i think they may get integrated into a potato gratin or brought to work for snack time. we served with this

over the weekend for johnnybird pan roasted salmon with a tomato vinaigrette over rice

or virginia... don't see any of those happy cows. though that is beautiful bacon.

Red Wine Brasato with glazed root vegetables from the February 2007 Bon Appetit but ONLY to make Shepherd's Pie with Parsnip Topping(though i made it without the parsnips - didn't have any in the house). That was one of the best things I have ever had and the leftovers really are better than the original dish. Braised Tarragon Chicken from Sara Foster. I am in love with recipe and make it about every other week.

Prawns Nacional had everything johnnybird likes but .... no.

wow- didn't know about that! the place i bought this had about 5 or 6 of those little wheels all going for 9.50 US.

one of the vilest concoctions i have ever tasted was a caraway beer johnnybird brewed a few years ago <SHUDDER>.

if you liked Mayle's book(thank you it is now on my list to read) try his French lessons: adventures with knife, fork and corkscrew or Acquired tastes.

jeff- if i have a stinky cheese i wrap it in parchment then put them in a zip top bag. course i try not to buy more than we can eat within 3-4 days. cocktail party and wine tasting? count me in. here is what we have to try this weekend. one of my favorite blues!! the next two i haven't had so it will be fun. i'm actually thinking about serving the last two with an english ale.

that was one thing my mom always got. when we were cleaning the flounder and found the roe we put it aside for her. she soaked it in a little milk for about 1/2 hour then lightly floured them and shallow fried them. served with the flounder itself, some boiled potatoes and lima beans that was breakfast!

KIM you are welcome. i love the anne books as well. currently Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking. love the narrative around the recipes. Napa: the story of an American Eden by James Conaway. a bit of a slog but interesting. hoping it will pick up Suburban Safari by Hannah Holmes. what really goes on in your back yard throughout the year. most of the food stuff is what various animals, birds and insects eat. i don't want this book to end All Dressed in White. various authors. ok. this is my gym book and is a collection of Regency romance stories. not too much food though.

johnnybird has now taken to eating his egg sandwich with ketchup on one side of the bread and mayo on the other... can't do that but it's what he wants so he gets it. after all he is definitely worth it.

from one suzi to another suzy... give me your snail mail address.

only ONE herb?!! spice is easy. ginger. though in my earlier years it was the pregound kind. my grandmother and later my mother used just a smidge in the soft molasses cookies they made and much more in the homemade gingersnaps. those gingersnaps with a mug of "coffee"(for a young kid it was more like 1/3 coffee, 1/3 milk and 1/3 sugar).... i still love that taste to this day. of course the store bought gingersnaps make a wonderful gravy for sauerbrauten though i have learned that some slices of fresh ginger in the marinade is wonderful. herb...tarragon or thyme...tarragon or thyme...tarragon or thyme... this is soooo much harder. i love both of the tastes. tarragon with chicken and lemon. thyme with onions and mushrooms. tarragon in my beloved green goddess dressing. thyme.... ok. tarragon wins.

exactly why i use the "Bag Your Own" line and tote my own - unless i need paper bags to put my junk mail in for recycling - then i bag in those

ok, dave does it have something to do with it's dung-like appearance?

does it mean button? as in a small button of cheese?

if you are inteh mid-Hudson Valley around Millbrook you might want to checkout La Puerta Azul. with johnnybird's family up in that area - and surprise of surprises - his father actually liking the place i've eaten there several times with both john and my sister-in-law, julie. a stunning space that can get a bit cramped and noisy on the weekend. so far we have had the empanada de carne, flautas de carniteas, mole de pollo coloradito, bistec a la punta and the chile rellenos from the menu. last time julie had a special of a sopa topped with perfectly cooked filet. haven't tried the tequila flights but did do a tasting of the tap beers where they allowed me to sub one brew from the second flight for one in the flight we were getting. thank you!! so far everything we have eaten has been wonderful. perfectly spiced and not over sauced. it is really mexican food with nary a burrito or other tex/mex item in sight.

Looks good. You might be interested in the Cashel Blue website. Interesting that the bacteria is the same as Roquefort which means that it also the same as Stilton. A comparative tasting might be interesting as both are from cow's milk. The Blue d'Auvergne is bound to be a hit and has the advantage of being the 'nomme de plume' of a famous eGulleteer from here in France. Enjoy & report. ← i really liked the cashel. i'd buy it again in a hearbeat. the taste lingered in my mouth for what seemed like 5 minutes or so. the bleu d'auvergne was ok - just not as intensely flavored as that cashel was. course i was the kid whose favorite mid-afternoon snack was 3 ritz crackers with blue cheese on them so go figure.

bruce- john liked it and it seemed to work really well with the sweet potatoes and the fish. it was a compound butter i made using zest and juice. i'm thinking it should go well on salmon and broccoli.

we had our easter dinner saturday up in poughkeepsie(johnnybird's hometown). my 40 year old sister in law got instruction in making a basic mac and cheese. i think she did pretty well for her first time. the ham with attendant pineapple rings and too sweet syrupy sauce. but my mother in law has aways made the sauce - i did persuade her to NOT put it on until the last 15 minutes or so and to serve the extra on the side. finally the accompanyments: the ever faithul green beans with garlic and honey dill carrots the next thing we are going to work on is how to time out a meal.