Peter the eater

Happy birthday, that's a lovely ring! I'm enjoying your words and pictures. I figure I could survive for around two years in your basement.

You have clearly never had a wild Snow Goose.

I'll add that this person is likely right-handed, which eliminates around 10% of the population.

Mmmm . . . free beef fat . . . we're not talking about shoplifting are we? <smarmy smile emoticon> Does it look like suet, all pelletized, or is a big sack of big white waxy chunks complete with membranes and other tissues? I didn't know you had Sobey's in Manitoba, I'm a big fan.

I think you have hit on a major problem with many contemporary food purveyors. In these days of burgeoning visual food media I suspect appearance has overtaken flavour way too often. Things can look a lot better in a sexy magazine image or even grocery flyer. I recently went to one of the better restaurants in my city (chef Ray Bear's Gio in Halifax) and what I got gets 9/10 for looks and 6/10 for taste. I give him high marks for creativity, but audacious flavour combinations can backfire - and there were some thermal issues. Specifically, I had a cheese plate with Guinness ice cream. Sounded and looked great, but the blue cheese was way too cold and the ice cream too warm, and the two flavours together . . . not a match made in heaven. Plus there was a bit of foil hidden in the cheese, unintentional I am sure, but present.

Um . . . the "heat gun" link above refers to a Pentagon report on US Air Force missiles. I imagine you are talking about a somewhat less powerful tool.

Is this the same place Anthony Bourdain "pigged out" while doing his No Reservations show in Quebec?

I am a big fan of the Julia Child technique from "The Way to Cook": steam bird breast up for an hour, braise in oven for an hour, uncover and roast in oven until crispy brown. It works well for geese and ducks although the bigger and fattier birds need more cooking time. In my experience, wild ducks can be very lean and may require no steaming at all whereas the grocery store geese seem to be the fattiest and may get two hours of gentle steaming.

Handsome meals everyone! Here are a few of my own: some good stuff from our garden (zuke, spuds, escarole, parsley, chard, sage): went well with a grilled ribeye: and steamed clams: and today a T-bone with eggplant and cheesy mushroom cap:

Fantastic photos! I have to get me some huitlacoche - apparently it translates to "Raven feces".

This is a very cool blog. I want to go to Spain more than ever, having almost made it twice, both times thwarted by something. I see J-A had a paella on night. Since your passion for food and for Spain is so obviously large, can you describe your ideal paella for us? I have a feeling I have never had the real thing, only lame-o wannabes.

I look forward to seeing some photos of your seminal duck dish as I am a major lover of (eating) ducks. Anatinophiles rule!

I have always thought of myself as more of a "pumpkin eater" although, like Anthony Bourdain's great fear, I will likely return in a future life as an edible mammal.

You're not making it with say, fish from Lake Ontario right? Given that most (if not all) of our available ocean fish has been frozen at some point, I wouldn't be that worried over the parasites. However, cod isn't exactly a species that I'd choose for this either. I have a mental image of a beautifully prepared Lake Ontario coho salmon ceviche in a crystal goblet . . . with a two foot lamprey still attached. I have had great meals at home by "cooking" raw seafood in an "acid bath" although I don't think I have ever tried it with fresh water fish. I generally slice the stuff super thin so I would probably see most parasites if they are present.

Thanks Che. Would you add extra lipid like bacon strips on top or baste with oil? I assume your rabbit is uncovered during the slow roast? Incidentally, your avatar reminds me (among other things) of how much I used to love a good cigar.

That looks lovely, thanks. I assume 4-6 rabbit legs means 4-6 hind legs? I sometimes forget that those downunder are seasonally opposite to me, do rabbits have a season? I like the idea of steaming a whole rabbit, then easily removing the slightly cooled meat for use in a stew-like dish. This has worked well for small chickens and birds whose anatomy is unfamiliar to me or are simply bone-ridden. And the steaming water has concentrated flavour. Has anybody done this sort of thing? Maybe a store-bought rabbit is too lean for this approach, one that works better on fatty foods like pork ribs and waterfowl?

While shopping for groceries today I was feeling a bit reckless, there was a trace of swagger in the way I pushed the cart with my two melon-eating kids facing me. And then I saw something unusual - a 2 kg (4.5 lb) organic rabbit, all wrapped up in plastic without any fur or innards. And it was half price (around four bucks, that sealed the deal) so I scooped up the juicy pink carcass and brought it home. Now I need to come up with a meal plan in the next 48 hours (according to the label) or it must be sent to the scary freezer in the cellar. Around here the strategy seems be to be "make a pie" which sounds okay, but surely there are other ways to elevate this creature to something a little more special. I don't want my rodent to freeze! Over the years I have eaten and/or seen a few nice rabbit dishes featuring things like olives or prunes, but as best as I can remember I have never cooked one. I'm looking for ideas. . . time is running out.

I rarely if ever peel the mushroom caps. The gills on big mushrooms like portobellos, IMO, can be a little bitter and most certainly affect the colour of food if mixed in with other stuff.

Personally, I think this is a positive evolution in grocery shopping. I'm afraid I would feel compelled to start sampling everything, or maybe go "turkey bowling" in the aisles. Only then would I consider "hustling up the floozies". Our liquor stores occasionally serve food, like when the Captain Morgan Rum guy comes to town, so why not?

Check out Bon Appetit, July 1997. The cover shows a grilled pizza just as described above, grill one side then flip and add pre-cooked toppings. Grilled on a pizza is one of the greatest uses for eggplant, in my estimation.

Nice job JD, as usual! I have been vacationing "without internet" for the last few weeks and was thrilled to get a full dose foodblog from Maine, start to finish in a single sitting. Fantastic! Each summer I "rent" a full season of 24 (starring Canadians Keifer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert) and try to watch the whole thing in real-time, though I have not actually done it yet. This egFoodblog was equally dramatic and entertaining but no where near as exhausting.

That's very funny, I too have the same sack o' limes, although not quite that low a price. I panicked and froze the lot of them, so I'll be following this thread with interest..

Jaimie Oliver's butane stove is no better nor worse than the near identical alternatives, just pricier. And the case it comes in is crap. I use the George Foreman grill for the few things it does well: chicken with skin, grilled cheese sandwiches and salmon trimmings. I had a Martha Stewart non-stick pot that had a lifetime guarantee. It lasted two years.

I go through phases when it comes to burgers. Currently, I like a good smear of peanut butter (the "just peanuts" kind) and some hot peppers. Oooooh baby!

Faced with a dearth of zukes last year I made stock. It sucked. We sometimes have the blossoms battered and fried, and I have pickled them. AFAIC, the best way is grilled with oil and salt.