Carolyn Tillie

And I was told last night that my brother-in-law invited three 'orphans' from his work (which is okay with me) and to alleviate any extra work for me, bought four store-made pumpkin pies. Now I'm thinking - if he bought the pies on Saturday (knowing how bad they already are), won't they be that much worse on Thursday?!?!?!

Spam. Seriously - my godmother was Hawaiian and what I inherited was her Kahlua Pig and Fried Rice recipes. Other than those two, everything else she ate contained spam (scrambled eggs, sandwiches, etc...)

Fish poacher. I was given a really expensive one almost five years ago and have yet to use it for fish (although I did use it once for a pork loin that was extra long).

My version of wassail: 1 bottle Honey Mead 1 gallon (sometimes less, maybe half-a-gallon) fresh apple cider 1 orange 1 lemon 6 or 8 cinnamon sticks tablespoon or two of whole cloves 6 or 8 cardamom pods other spices as the feeling arises I slice the orange and lemon into thin slices. Pour the cider and the mead into a large, non-reactive pot. Add spice sachet and citrus slices. Gently warm (so as to not burn off the alcohol). Serve with a fruit slice floating in the cup and a cinammon stick... Yum.

Consider soup. Yeah, I know it isn't finger food, but on a cold, blustery day, what could be more home-warming than cradling a warm bowl in your hands... Easy to make ahead and oftentimes, more substantial than just finger food. Easy clean-up if you are offering paper bowls and guests help themselves to the pot, simmering on the stove.

I was trying to find my initial thread on chestnuts (but am not liking the search functions). I've got pounds of fresh chestnuts from a 100-year-old tree. For the season, I will be experimenting with making a chocolate/chestnut terrine as well as chestnut soup with cubes of foie gras and also caramelized chestnuts with roasted root vegetables.

Home-made, only! Go to your local fishmonger and ask for the heads they cut off and normally throw away. I can't think a single pre-fabricated fish stock worth buying (and I'll cheat on chicken, beef, and vegetable in a pinch, but NEVER fish)!

How about a dill-based pesto that you could then freeze up in little cubes which could be used later in various styles of soup?

No truffles, I'll look for them at the Ferry Market on Saturday. Besides, if they had them they would be sold by the case. So then we plan an orgy instead of a measly old Zin tasting...

Brilliant report - and I was terribly jealous to have not been able to join you. I guess there were no truffles to be had, huh?

Cioppino is usually a tomato-based fish fumet which would call for a red wine. I use white wine in Bouillabaisse - a different style of fish stew. Does that help?

Fall 2001, Volume 1, Number 4 Cover Meat Weapon by Andres Serrano, ©1984. A photograph of Laurence Fishburne, hefting a hunk of meat like it was an AK47. From the Editor Celebrating American Food by Darra Goldstein “Public image – self-presentation – has always been important to America’s national consciousness…” With a quarter-page, black-and-white photograph of an ice cream sign, “Freezo” with the commentary, ”Just what do the towering ice cream cones of countless roadside stands tell us about our collective psyche?” Borborygmus - Rumblings from the World of Food Letters to the editor regarding previously-published articles. On Cooks and Cooking by Michael Symons In which the author slams Albert Sonnenfeld’s review of Symons’ book, A History of Cooks and Cooking. Digesting Veggie Tales by John T. Edge Critiques the animated movie that utilizes vegetables as anthropomorphized beings. Crosscultural Food Training in Texas by Ken Rubin About the Chochran Fellowship Program. With a quarter-page, black-and-white photograph showing …Fellowship participants at Eaves Bros. Quality Seafood, Austin, Texas. The Return of Classic Service? by Janet Fouts Comments on the loss of European-trained ‘classic’ service in American eateries. World Food Media Awards Small announcement declaring the journal was nominated for the Jacob’s Creek World Food Media Awards. Correction Correcting a citation in the Spring, 2001 journal on the Eggbeater article. Crossworld Puzzle – Answers Orts and Scantlings Talking Turkey by Mark Morton Brief notes on the Fall bird, with notes on the origins of its name and the names of some of its parts (drumstick, for example). Watched Pot The Pitcher by Tom Spleth Tom Spleth is a ceramist and painter. He was recently an artist-in-residence at the Kohler Company (WI). His work is in the collections of the RI School of Design, the Corning Museum (NY), and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution (DC). In the journal, Tom offers a two-paragraph introspection on the Pitcher with a half-page, full-color reproduction of a piece by the artist which looks like quilted fabric or hand-made paper (hard to tell). Opinion Include Me Out by Fred Chappell Very well-written document of one man’s encounter with Southern-style, sweetened ice tea. With a half-page, black-and-white photograph of the author with a bird (cockatiel?) on his head. Poem dinner, 1933 by Charles Bukowski when my father ate his lips became greasy with food. With an eighth-page, black-and-white photograph of the author, looking as though he is trying to gag himself on three of his fingers. Feast For The Eye Sandy Skoglund’s ‘Cocktail Party’ by Ellen Wiley Todd Skoglund is an interesting artist, known for bizarre installations. This article shows a two-thirds page, full-color photograph of her installation, Cocktail Party from 1992, where an entire room, furniture, and guests were covered in Cheez Doodles. The author, Todd, purports an erudite analysis of the work. Personal History Family Style by Frank Bergon An introspective look at Basque restaurants in California’s San Joaquin Valley. With a half-page, full-color photograph of the Basque Hotel, Fresno, California, and a quarter-page, black-and-white photograph of the banner on Lauck’s Inn, Madera, California which says, “Basque Family Style.” Photographs Carrie Mae Weems Serves Up Substance by Vivian Patterson Social commentary on poetic photographer, Weems. With two, full-page, black-and-white photographs Black Woman with Chicken and Black Man with a Watermelon, and a quarter-page, black-and-white photograph Untitled (Eating Lobster) Local Fare Boiled Peanuts by John Martin Taylor On Southern cuisine, specifically boiled peanuts. With a third-page, black-and-white photograph, Untitled (Steven’s Pies) by Carrie Mae Weems. Visionaries Imagining the American Institute of Wine and Food: The Legacy of John Ronsheim by Adam Kowit The history of the AIWF and its founder. With a half-page, black-and-white photograph of Ronsheim, circa 1975 and a two-third page, full-color reproduction of a letter from Ronsheim to Jeremiah Tower. Investigations ”Don’t Eat That”: The Erotics of Abstinence in American Christianity by R. Marie Griffith Very bizarre article about Christian-based weight loss program. With a half-page photograph from First For Women magazine of a woman holding a chocolate cake and an open bible with the caption, “My Faith Helped Me Lose 45 Pounds!” Additional quarter-page illustrations include four in black-and-white: ”Gluttony” during the Renaissance, engraving by the Flemish artist Philip Galle from his Series of the Sins ca. 1600; ”Gluttony” in Modern Times from C.S. Lovett, “Help Lord… The Devil Wants Me Fat!” (Baldwin Park, CA: Personal Christianity, 1977). ”The Spirit is Willing but the Body is Weak” from Harold Hill, How to Flip Your Flab Forever, 1979; and a photograph of Overeaters Victorious founder Neva Coyle. Also two, quarter-page, full-color illustrations: Cover of Fat-Burning Bible Diet and a detail from Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper with the caption, “How The Good Book can help you melt off 15 pounds in 30 days!”; and a book cover, Slim For Him. ”My Problem is Watery Custard”: Reading the Confidential Chat by Laura Shapiro Introspective commentary from a food historian on researching women and cooking from the late 1940s through the early 60s. With a quarter-page, black-and-white photograph (circa, 1950) of a woman making vegetable soup, and a half-page, black-and-white photograph of a busy housewife from Life magazine, June 16, 1947. Edible Activism: Food, Commerce, and the Moral Order at the Park Slope Food Coop by Even Jochnowitz Too much information on the coop movement and politics that reside therein. With a half-page, black-and-white photograph of a white board of produce notes [that] keep members up-to-date on boycotts and stock and a third-page, full-color picture of a Tofu Turkey. Memoir Laurie Colwin: A Writer in the Kitchen by Willard Spiegelman A look back on the life and writings of Colwin. With a full-page, full-color photograph of Colwin at her garden gate. Interview Mr. Clarence Jones, Carolina Rice Farmer by Jennie Ashlock A formal interview with an overview of the rice industry. With a two-thirds page, black-and-white photograph of Jones at home. Essay Interactive Foods for Children; Marketing Child’s Play vs. Playing in the Garden by Laura B. DeLind A program to get children educated towards food production. With a full-page, full-color photograph of a young participant in the Children in the Garden program at Growing in Place Community Farm and a half-page, black-and-white photograph of Children at the Growing in Place Community Farm, in Mason, Michigan. Illustrations American Classics by Thorri Hringsson Two interesting painting depictions; one, a full-page, full-color depiction, ”Summer Plates”, 1997 and a third-page, full-color reproduction of ”Lobster in Aspic”. With some short commentary by the artist. Origin Boston Cream Pie by Greg Patent Recipe sleuthing determines the origin of this uniquely-American cake, called a pie. Included in the article is the Parker House recipe. With a half-page, full-color photograph of a pretty-great-looking sample, plus a quarter-page, black-and-white reproduction of The Boston Herald announcement of the opening of the Parker House, 1856. Archive What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking by Rafia Zafar Commentary on the book, What Mrs. Fisher Knows… originally published in 1881. With quarter-page reproduction of original title page. Spilled Beans Kedgeree by Sylvia M. Henderson An investigation into this Anglo-Indian dish, which became an American staple. With quarter-page, black-and-white photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt presiding over dinner on the porch at Val-Kill Cottage, Hyde Park, New York. American Icon Julia and Me by Nancy Cobb Chronicle of meeting the Grande Dame. With a half-page, full-color photograph of the author and the High Priestess. Photo Essay American Ice Cream Stands by John Margolies Five, full-page, full-color photographs of ice cream stands from various states including South Carolina’s Daisy Queen, Utah’s Arctic Circle, Illinois’ Velvet Freeze, Ohio’s Igloo, and Tennesse’s Kream Kastle. Chef’s Page Lucia’s Restaurant, Minneapolis, Minnesota by Lucia Watson Recollections of Vietnamese cuisine in Minnesota. With quarter-page, black-and-white reproduction of an original recipe for Concepción’s fish soup. Notes on Vintage Volumes The Cook – An Early American Culinary Magazine by Jan Longone Looking back on an early (1880s) food journal. With a quarter-page, black-and-white reproduction of a cover from September 21, 1885, and a quarter-page, black-and-white reproduction of the Weekly Retail Market Report, same date as cover. The Bookshelf Books in Review including: Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover’s Companion to the South by John T. Edge The Last Days of Haute Cuisine: America’s Culinary Revolution by Patric Kuh Bitter Harvest: A Chef’s Perspective on the Hidden Dangers in the Foods We Eat, and What You Can Do About It by Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes From Fireplace to Cookstove: Technology and the Domestic Ideal by Priscilla J. Brewer Can She Bake A Cherry Pie? American Women and the Kitchen in the Twentieth Century by Mary Drake McFeely Whitebread Protestants: Food and Religion in America Culture by Daniel Sack The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America edited by Bruce Cass; Jancis Robinson, Consultant Editor Rooted in America: Foodlore of Popular Fruits and Vegetables edited by David Scofield Wilson and Angus Kress Gillespie The Olive in California: History of an Immigrant Tree by Judith M. Taylor, M.D. Bookends A few additional reviews... Whistleberries, Stirabout, & Depression Cake: Food Customs and Concoctions of the Frontier West by The Federal Writers’ Project; Foreword by Greg Patent Salmon Nation: People and Fish at the Edge edited by Edward C. Wolf and Seth Zuckerman Lagniappe Water Toast by Ashley Shelby The lost art form of an alleged Indiana delicacy.

It is also worth drinking now - what a fabulous wine this is and I have enjoyed it every time I've been lucky enough to find one. This year is one of my favorite Musars...

Turkey sandwiches. Seriously - the only time I can drink a BN is with a turkey sandwich (usually leftover from T-Day).

Yeah, thread already started here.

That was exactly my thought - excelsior, I'm curious, are you doing this for fun or as a profession? Not that it should make a big difference, but I am also curious about the potential for doing such a large amount on a home stove that might not have enough BTUs. If doing it at home, perhaps a smaller-portioned recipe is in order.

Not wanting to be too nit-picky (referring to the Unpalatable Words thread), it is CARAMEL - not Carmel (that is a town in on the California coast). Secondly - can you tell us what your caramel recipe consists of? How do you make it? That is the best way for us to determine what is happening, scientifically, to your candies.

I buy it often - makes GREAT mimosas!!!

I like the idea of a get-together - but I seriously doubt you will want any of our leftovers (based on last year's <ahem> feast).

Ciya is located at Kadikoy, Caferaga, Guneslibahce Street, No: 43 (if that is correct). Some of the names of what Musa prepared don't mean much to me - other than I LOVED it. He served the following: Sogan Kebabs Figs with Milk Kilis Kebap Hidden Pilav Batata Harra Kayut Topik Karga Beyni Bezirgan There was also a drink of Pekmez and herbs into which something ground-up was stirred in (pinenuts?). It made it pasty but was so warm and spicy and good. Also, there was a dessert that was somewhat explained to me - these large, flat, dry thin white disks (18 inches in diameter) were soaked until maleable and served like a lasagne, with pomegranate seeds and delectable liquids (yogurt?). I just know that I've got a lot to learn about this area of the world and need to find some books to get started.

My thought - don't complain - be gracious Among my friends, because I'm the trained cook, we were never invited over for meals. "Oh, but you cook so well - I would hate to think what you would think of MY cooking," they would tell me. Well, you know what? I'd me more pleased to have my hospitality reciprocated than to constantly be relied upon to provide the good eats. I wouldn't care if it came out of cans or boxes or mixes. It is the thought that counts and you are lucky to have friends that want your company.

Gee, that was always my thoughts about Gamay... more than six months in the bottle and it was gone.

Summer 2001, Volume 1, Number 3 Cover ”Eyes Momma” by Al Hansen, 1987. From the collection of Flaminio Gaggioni, courtesy of the Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York. The cover is slightly reminiscent of a female shape, constructed of Hershey’s wrappers, however the letters from the word, Hershey, have been cut up to form other words like, “she,” “her,” and “eyes.” From the Editor Something Provocative for Everyone by Darra Goldstein Looking back at the first issue with pride – and expressing excitement about future issues. Borborygmus - Rumblings from the World of Food Sacrifice of the Innocents by Nancy Harmon Jenkins Interesting analysis of the “European food crisis” which includes mad-cow disease, foot-and-mouth disease, and toxic chemicals found in produced food. Food Fight by John Feffer Japanese and Koreans differ over the production and export of kimchi. Almost comical, except to die-hard kimchi lovers. A Feast of Gold by Daphe Derven An account of the COPIA recreation of King Midas’ funeral banquet as determined by Dr. Patrick McGovern of the Museum of Applied Science Center for Archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania. Manger/Eat, no author ascribed An announcement of a book published by Coromandel Express (known for limited editions). With an accompanying black-and-white photograph by Malick Sidibé, Frigo, Bamako, which depicts an African American woman looking into a refrigerator, circa 1960. Cartoon, unknown artist Black-and-white (New Yorker-styled) cartoon of two cows facing each other, one commenting, “Have you tried the lemongrass? It’s disgusting.” Orts and Scantlings Eggheads by Mark Morton A debate on the folk etymological basis of food words. With a half-page, color photograph of racks upon racks of eggs. From the Peanut Gallery Sophisticated by Leila Crawford A limited essay on how trying new dishes makes one sophisticated. Not nearly as well-written as Delicacy by Paul Russell which appeared in the first issue. Illustration Coffee Escaping from a Cup by Rodney Greenblat Black-and-white reproduction of work. Pity, as Greenblat, known for very colorful, juvenile works of whimsy, should only be reproduced in color. Feast For The Eye Picasso’s “El Bobo” by Deborah Rothschild An analysis and commentary on the painting, El Bobo, after Murillo, 1959. Oil and enamel on canvas – reproduced on a full-page in full-color. Lives My Life and Loaves by Andrew Whitley An interesting introspection of the sociology of bread written by an academic becoming involved with a Russian baker. With an intimate, page-and-a-half, full-color photograph of Nina and Three Loaves, depicting a typically corpulent Russian woman, scarf on head, apron on, looking at longingly at theree large, tinned loaves of bread; a half-page, full-color photograph entitled Bread is Our Wealth depicting two women looking into a glass display of bread loaves; and a quarter-page, full-color photograph of Nina Mixing Rye Bread. Poetry The Cup of Coffee by Elizabeth Spires Two, seven-line sets starting: I stare into the cup of coffee, black, bitter, and steaming… Working on the Food Chain Crops, Genes, and Evolution by Adrianne Massey Very extensive, scientific investigation involving the co-evolution of crop plants and human societies with analysis of the natural evolution of fruits and flowers, human interference in plant reproduction, genetic modification techniques, and a comparison of selective breeding, mutagenesis, and genetic engineering. With a full-page, full-color photograph of an ear of teosinte, the presumed ancestor of corn, next to kernels from a modern hybrid corn variety and a one-third page diagram by Aleksandr Larionov entitled Birth of a Grain of Wheat Food Play Vegetable Paper by Michelle Ticknor A brief description on the manufacture of paper made from sliced, dried vegetables. With a one-third page, full-color print of Beets and a full-page, full-color photographic detail of Carrots. Carolyn’s Editorial Note: A few years back, while visiting Catalina Island, someone was making decorative bowls of vegetable paper. I was completely taken by the artistry and spectrum in the works and always regretted not buying one. Investigations Food for the Bawdy: Johann of Bockenheim’s “Registrum Coquine” by Luigi Ballerini A history and commentary on a fifteenth-century cookbook written by the chef to Pope Martin V. Extremely well-annotated. With a full-page, full-color reproduction of Limbourg Brothers, Map of Rome, 15th c. Illuminated miniature from the “Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry,” 1416. Ms. 65, f.141 verso. Musée Condé, Chantilly France and a half-page, black-and-white woodcut of Pope Martin V, from Platina’s Vitae Pontificum, 1592. Food Patterns in Agrarian Societies: The Core-Fringe-Legume Hypothesis by Sidney W. Mintz and Daniela Schlettwein-Gsell Extremely scientific investigation with no less than thirteen graph charts analyzing nutrient, protein, and lysine contents of various foods. With a full-page, full-color photograph of Preserved vegetables and rice, China.. Professor Blot and The First French Cooking School in New York (Part 2) by Jan Longone A conclusion of the article started previously in the Spring, 2001 issue. With a half-page, black-and-white reproduction of the title page and two sample pages of Pierre Blot’s Hand-Book of Practical Cookery,, 1867. Personalities The Countess of Kent by Paula Panich Another well-annotated, well-researched biography of this English lady and purported authoress of A Choice Manual and A True Gentlewoman’s Delight. With a full-page, full-color portrait, Lady Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent painted by Paul Van Somer, ca. 1619. Oil on wood. Fundamentals The Corkscrew by Stephen J. Gendzier A history, with amusing poem, and a page-and-a-third of full-color photographs of ten different antique corkscrews. Libations Port by Ray Isle A very nice beginner’s overview of the mystical fortified wine. With two pictures: one, a third of a page, full-color, of the old chapel at Quinta do Vale do Meào, one of the finest properties of the Upper Douro and an extended view, looking westward up the Douro from a hillside above Pinhào, during a momentary break in the winter rains. Stunning. Origins Hart’s Desire by Nichola Fletcher Very fascinating account of the history of eating venison, starting with a quote from Henry VIII to an account of nine-course, deer-based banquet. Illustrated with a full-page, black-and-white woodcut of a fallow deer, from Edward Topsell, “Historie of Fourefooted Beasts, 1658, and a quarter-page, full-color reproduction of The Pursuit of Fidelity, Tapestry, German, ca. 1475-1500. Dining In Collapsible Table by Digridur Sigurjonsdottir An Ikea-like table, plans for which are available online, which is designed for those with little storage space. With a page-and-a-half, full-color, three photographs of three angles of the table. Chef’s Page Firebird by Ari Nieminen Interesting account of the pre-Revolution-based Russian restaurant in New York city. With a half-page, full-color photograph of a gilded and engraved silver tray in the shape of a lady’s shoe, Russian, 1853. WWFood The Land of Milk and Honey by Miri Zell Donati An account of Israeli food over the past half-century. With a full-page, full-color photograph of dried fruit and nuts at the Lewinsky Market, Tel Avi and a half-page, full-color photograph from the same market of the blessing the fruits of the earth. Spilled Beans Table Service by John Fischer Comparisons between French service (service à la française) and Russian styles of service (service à la russe). With a half-page, black-and-white depiction of Russian service, from Urbain Dubois, “Cuisine Artistique: Etudes de l’Ecole Moderne” (Paris, 1888). At The Movies Chocolat by Jim Stark A movie review – from a foodie’s perspective, “whether it is the rich, dark ganache that Vianne is constantly swirling, the chocolate seashells she displays, the rich and spicy hot chocolate to which Armande becomes addicted, or the little cellophane bags of sexually exciting chocolate pieces...” With a full-page, full-color screen shot of Juliette Binoche, holding her shop’s sign, plus a half-page, full-color intimate moment between actress Binoche and director, Lasse Hallström. Review Essay Why…the taste of sake? by John Kochevar A comparison/review of two books, At the Japanese Table by Richard Hosking and The Essence of Japanese Cuisine: An Essay on Food and Culture by Michael Ashkenazi and Jeanne Jacob. With a half-page, black-and-white image from the Edo period (1600-1868) of making vinegar from rice plus a half-page, full-color photograph of a Samurai drinking table, Kamakura period (1185-1333). ”A Honey of Roses”: The Culture of Food in Shakespeare’s Day by Hona Bell A review of the book Fooles and Fricassees: Food in Shakespear’s England, edited by Mary Anne Caton, with an essay by Joan Thirsk. With a half-page, full-color depiction of costumes from the time of James I and a half-page, black-and-white frontis and title page from Hannah Woolley’s The Queen-like Closet (London, 1675). The Bookshelf Books in review including: The Cambridge World History of Food edited by Kenneth F. Kiple and Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas Feeding China’s Little Emperors: Food, Children, and Social Change edited by Jun Jing Afghan Food & Cookery: Noshe Djan by Helen Saberi The Country Housewife’s Family Companion (1750) by William Ellis Bananas: An American History by Virginia Scott Jenkins Souper Tomatoes: The Story of America’s Favorite Food by Andrew F. Smith The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott Places in Mind: Poems by Catharine Savage Brosman World Food Spain by Richard Sterling Keeping Food Fresh: Old World Techniques and Recipes by the Gardeners and Farmers of Terre Vivante. Lagniappe To Serve and Tease by Nero Blanc A crossworld puzzle for gastronomes.

So, Melkor, what time should we show up????? Actually, I have to cook for my sister, her husband, and two of their friends (you met one of them at my place...). Sadly, for me, any foray into any type of gourmet is distinctly frowned upon with this crowd, much to my chagrin. My sister INSISTS on Green Bean Casserole (and she is the only one that eats it) and Cranberry Sauce from a can (ugh.) As my new winery has a hundred-year-old chestnut tree providing me tons of fresh chestnuts, I suggested a chestnut stuffing which Sis poo-poo'd. The whole thing is getting very distressing from that standpoint. My only salvation is the wine - I have tons and will be quite plastered enough to get through the day...

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