Carolyn Tillie

The book is rather rare. I bought mine from Charles himself and even then there was a several-month delay as they were being printed in England and even then, in very limited numbers. It may be out of print at this point. BTW, Perry was acting as translator of this 13th century cookbook, known as the Kitab al Tibakhah.

It is springtime and while I generally prefer red wines (yep, even with ham), at spring I would recommend some lighter whites. The biggest problem with Merlot (and many other reds) is that they are so fruity and tannic that it tends to fight with the sweetness of the ham. BTW, thank goodness you aren't adding a sugary glaze! In highlighting the flavors and smokiness of ham, look for whites that have good acidity which will complement the saltiness of the meat. My consideration include: - Piesporter from Mosel - Alsatian Gewurztraminer or Riesling (tend to be less sweet than those from the lowlands) - French Chablis (nice and crisp!) - a dry Vouvray If you like reds, I would consider something lighter and more accessible than a heavy Merlot or Cab. My thoughts tend towards: - a Barbera d'Alba from Italy - a Cotes du Rhone from France - a California Pinot Hope that helps!

Regarding the cinnamon thing -- I followed one recipe that I found too cinnamony as well and I reverted to simply adding a whole cinnamon stick to the broth while simmering instead of using it as a powder on the meat. I think it made it more subtle. Also, the last time I made my Chicken with Preserved Lemon & Olive tagine, I had run out of dried ginger and used fresh. I think it made the overall dish 'brighter.'

Were they easy to pipe? I'm wondering about your consistency and I have found that the heavier the dough (subsequently, a tad harder to pipe out) is better for rising. If the dough was easy, it may have been too thin to rise.

How very sad -- I've had some on the Inglenooks from the 40s that were lovely and a full flight of BV Latours from the 50s and 60s that were amazing. Interesting that some of your '70s wines held up okay but others (which should have held up fine) were dead. Any idea on the storage conditions?

Devin; No worries about hijacking the thread -- it'll just get its own spin-off at some point. You indicated you were new to pastries... Will you tell us your background and how you landed in pastries? I'm also terribly curious about your "Gin & Tonic" sorbet. Do you think you will be given some latitude to produce and present curiosities like this? I have to admit that I get pretty tired of the same re-tread offerings of desserts and any twist on an old variation is a welcome discovery! Before it got shut down, the chef at Sonoma Saveurs was making some of the most amazing sorbets; Grapefruit Tarragon, Preserved Lemon with Basil, Peach with Chinese Five Spice. They were innovative with a touch of savory that made them all that much more enticing. Lastly, what DID you do with all the papayas?

I'll state it up front -- I really don't care for these mass tastings. There is too much feeling of 50 or so... Managing Rhone Rangers, I went in with a list of must-hits and kept my tastings to a minimum (basically, I showed up with the industry/media folks at noon and left when John-Q-Public were let in at 2:00 and it got too crowded). BTW, if I liked a wine I'd consider buying, I get the price. I'm hoping others (Derricks, I saw you!) will fill in with their notes as I only hit twelve wineries (and made limited notes at that!) of the 100+ that were there: Outpost 03 Grenache - Lively and bright. Still young. 03 'Other' Petite Sirah - Deep and dark and plummy. Peay 03 Syrah - Massive black raspberry nose. Smooth entry. Exciting mid-palate with spicy finish. 02 Syrah - Dark and elegant. Spicy fruit with balanced acidic mid-palate. Ridge 03 California Bugchignani Carignane - Immediate aromas of mineral and vegetable tones. Sharp entry with a dry finish. 01 Syrah/Grenache Blend - Exciting and bright fruit. A tad young but it moves briskly in the mouth with a dry end. 01 California Lytton Syrah - Even and smooth. Very enticing. 02 Lytton Petite Sirah - Tight and chewy 02 Lytton Syrah - Tantalizing aromas which evens outs to full, ripe berry. Rosenblum 02 San Francisco Bay Cote du Bone - Bright and easy to drink. 02 Syrah - Wow factor in the nose. Jammy, chewy aromas which parallel the mouth entry. 03 Petite Sirah - I love a wine you can't see light through... Inky purple with black raspberry and black plum nose. Sweet entry which explodes with fruit and spice. Killer wine for $19! Copaine 03 Grenache - Candy shop aromas. Smooth entry which expands and fills with more tannins on the finish. 03 Syrah, Alexander Valley - From the Broken Leg vineyards. Elegant with dark, dark fruit aromas. Intensely smooth, even entry. Killer for $25 03 Syrah, Gary's Vineyard - Amazing, deep, complex bouquet. Stunning layers on the entry with coffee tones along with the amazing fruits. $30 Beckmen 03 Cuvee le Bec - Candied red-hots in the nose. Spicy entry with full mouthfeel. 02 Syrah - Classic dark berry. Even entry with balanced fruit and layered, acidic finish. 03 Grenache - Candy shop, floral aromas. Full, even entry which explodes with stunning balance. 03 Syrah Clone #1 - Inky dark color, Thick, dark opulent aromas with dark, dark full mouthfeel. Andrew Murray Esperance - A blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. Port-like candy aromas. Truly bizarre sensation of Sweet & Sour in a single sip. Intensely l-o-n-g finish of both Sweet AND Sour! 03 Syrah - Bright and evenly tannic. Enticing plum and cherry. 03 Estate Syrah - Elegant and even Oriental spices combine with the plum and berries to produce a long, dry spicy finish. 02 Hillside Syrah - Port-like aromas that fade to eucalyptus and mint. Seems to enter the mouth like a port as well... Tablas Creek 04 Roussane (from the Barrel) - Kiwi and bright fruits (one of three whites I tried because it was poured before I could tell them not to -- I liked it better than I thought I would!) 02 Cotes de Tablas - Candy shop aromas and sweet-ish on entry. Dry, tannic mid-palate. 02 Esprit de Beaucastel - Intensely ripe strawberry but overtly mineral mid-palate. Rockblock 01 Del Rio Syrah - Like a hunk of smoky, BBQ meat. Aromas and tastes of cherry and cedar. Earth and chocolate. Long and distinctive. 02 Seven Mills Syrah - Unlike the previous, overtly jammy, fruity offerings, this is one of the first wines to smell like, well.... WINE! No jam but earthiness that is rich and bright. Not brett, though! Engaging but still a bit tight. Edmund St. John NV(?) Shell & Bone - So called from the limestone. Another white I was talked into but jeez, was I ever glad! Kiwi and peach aromas that were intensely exciting. Mid-palate of honey'd peach. Complete wow factor. $25 04 Roussanne - Slightly grassy aromas. Creamy finish. 01 Syrah - Dry and vegetal. 01 Los Robles Vejos - Elegant fruit, well-balanced with both dark berries and earth that ended in a bit of a jammy tease. Ehrardt 03 Petite Sirah - Amazind cedar bouquet. Smoth and bold entry. $26 Fife 00 Carignane - Candied cinnamon gives way to strawberry. ?? L'Atitude - Dry, mineral, and thin. 01 Syrah - Jammy nose. Nice swallow (the only trickle that went down my throat by accident...) 00 Syrah - Spicy cedar which slightly paled in the mouth. 00 Petit Syrah - Great, dark, fruity nose with a slightly dry mid-palate. 00 Max - Huge, plummy and big.

Devin, that is so very cool! I've been wanting to dine there just to try the Wellington -- now I've got another reason! Can you tell us what you've been playing around with? This is the dessert menu as it is on their website - are you going to change it at all?

I have a huge collection of cookbooks and many of them are HUGE. My favorite is the one written by Salvador Dali (the recipes are actually from the chefs and restaurants where he ate). Because the book is rare and expensive (and HUGE), when I first got the book I began a practice that continues to this day and preserves the integrity of the bindings and pages: I photocopy the recipes I actually wish to cook and place them in clear sheet protectors. I can then add notes to the sheet and I keep them in three-ring binders (which lie open easier). The plastic sheets also protects them from the occasional spill and I have a fabulous collection from which I have cooked over the years. Oh yeah, and I do this with magazine recipes as well -- easier than keeping the whole bloody magazine!

This totally cracks me up -- when I started cooking my large Moroccan feasts, all my recipes were based out of that Savuer issue (#6, I believe). I photocopied the entire section and put them clear, page covers to protect them. For the longest time THAT was my cookbook and all those recipes became standards for me (especially that Orange & Radish salad). Then... a dozen years later, I meet the very woman who inspired me to cook Moroccan and because I had photocopied only the recipes, it took me some time to realize it was THE Wolfert!

You kinda missed it -- I indicated that

Robert Curry is going to take over at Auberge du Soleil on April 1. Previously, he's been executive chef at the CIA Greystone (unremarkable, IMO). Joseph Humphrey had been at Auberge for the past year and it was actually getting better. Curious what Curry will do to it. Prior to Humphrey, Richard Reddington was the chef "up on the hill," but has taken over the old Piatti restaurant in Yountville which is slated to re-open this spring. Where did Humphrey go? Well he's partnered with noted San Francisco chef George Morron to open a place in ..... wait for it .... the sprawling metropolis of Novato. The only thing I know about Novato is that the NoCal Renaissance Faire used to be there until they got kicked out. Lastly, Kimball Jones, formerly executive chef of Wente Vineyards is going to oversee the newly-constructed Carneros Inn. The Inn has a formal restaurant, Hilltop Dining Room (never even knew there was a formal restaurant!), and the roadside Boon Fly Cafe which is actually quite decent. that's all for now

Send me a bottle and I'll be happy to report back!

I've been reading this thread all along and giggling. I have to say that when the Riffian arrives, it is in a pretty big box. My UPS man was quite intrigued when I told him it was a cooking pot from Morocco. Now, at least once a week since I got my pot (about six weeks ago?) he has asked me about it and I have elaborated on clay pot cooking (I'm a convert, thanks to Paula) On Monday, my UPS man came to my office while I was eating leftover Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives which I had made in my Riffian the night before. I showed him the website to tagines.com. On Wednesday, my UPS man told me that he has ordered his first tagine and wants recipes. Now how cool is that???

Brad, have you tried Pinot? Here in Napa some of the theatre owners don't mind if we pop open a bottle in the theatre (yeah, illegal I know... but it IS Napa and many a-head are turned for such things) and it goes extremely well with popcorn.

In a nut shell, the CIA program is relatively new and is not yet well-recognized within the industry. I have considered it myself because it is close by to where I live, although a tad expensive (I think the classwork involved would add up to somewhere close to $8,000 to $10,000). I did meet a women who sit for their exam without taking the classes. She told me that the cost for taking their CWP (Certified Wine Professional) exam was $1,400. She passed, fortunately. The WSET is a great precursor to the MW (Master of Wine) which is far more prestigious. I have also considered those courses. The WSET courses would be about $1,600 and then the diploma program for the MW is about $2,500 (and yes, takes about five years). I also considered the Court of Sommeliers, but realized it is more service-oriented with some emphasis being given to cigars, mixed cocktails, and actual service. This is fine for folks who want to work the restaurant-side of the wine business, but I am only looking to add credibility to my freelance writing, not become a wine director for a restaurant so I'm not sure the Sommelier program is the best one for me. Lastly, there is the Society of Wine Educators. I am friends with some of the folks who are members of the board of this group, but I can attest that they don't have a lot of presence ITB. I hope this helps!

Perfect -- essentially just like blind-baking a pie-crust, mostly baking your dough would be preferable then all you would have to do is top it (with ingredients that wouldn't require a whole lot of cooking, I would think) and then finishing in the oven.

Wow... can I have a bite?

Marlene, take a look here. It was a photo from the Basic Knife Skills class on eGCI in August of 2003.

eGads... you are going to a Natural Foods expo and I'm sorry to say that there isn't really any decent places to eat within walking distance. But if shouldn't you be getting your fill of Natural Foods at the show? The whole area is somewhat nightmarish with McD's and Burger Kings and KFCs...

I'm curious about the wine you are serving -- honestly, the first two don't appeal to me for two reasons; 1. I can't eat tomatos, 2. Some cooked tomatoes can be too acidic for wine and make heaftier reds taste more tannic. So.... with that in mind, let start looking at the arterial problem. There is one thing to eat cold and/or unmelted cheese with wine and another as a sort of binder in tarts. I wouldn't immediately dismiss using cheese in some tarts for that very reason as it would still be a contrast to the cheese course being served elsewhere. - Pissaladiere: A caramlized onion tart with anchovies or fish paste. (Recipes here, here, or here. - Mushrooms -- lots and lots of mushrooms; wild, chantrelle, wood ear, etc... Recipes here or here. (BTW, this is a GREAT suggestion if you are planning on serving hearty reds -- will complement very well). - Quiche -- again, discounting the arterial factor, using a little egg as a binder could hold together a great plethora of roasted vegetables: sauteed artichoke hearts, zucchini, spring onion, aspragus tips, portobello mushrooms -- (actually this is Queen Elizabeth's favorite quiche). - Spinach, roasted red peppers, olives, mushrooms, and feta cheese. - Pizza style galette... Roll out the dough, rub with oil, and top with sliced (pre-grilled) sausage, a few greens, some roasted garlic, and a LITTLE bit of parmesan cheese: Broil until just melted. Just beginning to get rolling....

Why, yes - on several accounts I COOK in my silver chafing dish (Victorian, thankyouverymuch) and adore my silver soup spoons (which are only used when I'm not using my Victorian consomme bowls). It truly does not impart a discernable taste. And, OnlytheBest, you can come over and have tea with me in any one of silver pots anytime you like!

SEVEN -- The perfect number... - The seven dwarfs - The seven orders of architecture - The Arabs have Seven Holy Temples - In Persian mysteries there were seven spacious caverns through which the aspirants had to pass. - The Pythagoreans called it the perfect number, 3 and 4, the triangle and the square, the perfect figures. - In almost every system of antiquity there are frequent references to the number seven. - Seven liberal arts and sciences - Seven tassles on a Masonic apron - The Goths had seven deities, as did the Romans, from whose names are derived our days of the week. - The Greeks called the "seven" the rational diagonal - Babylonian mythology: When Inanna the Queen of Heaven (the major love, fertility, and war goddess of the Sumerians) descended into Hell, she was forced to pass through seven gates, at each of which she was required to remove one of her garments, until she stood before her sister Erishkigal the Queen of the Underworld, naked and defenseless. She was then struck dead by seven plagues. Later, upon her return from Hell, she passed though the same seven gates, at each of which she resumed one of her garments. - The Seven Sisters is a term used to indicate the constellation of the Pleiades -- but The Seven Sisters of New Orleans were a family of hoodoo women who lived and practiced in the Crescent City in the 1920s - 30s. - In Chinese culture, the number 7 also features rather prominently in some aspects of life. For example, the seventh day of the first moon of the lunar year is known as Human's Day. - I came across a reference (in Encyclopedia Britannica, actually) to the "Shichi-fuku-jin," or the Seven Gods of Luck in Japanese folklore. They're described as comical deities often depicted riding on a treasure ship with various magical implements, such as a hat of invisibility, rolls of brocade, an inexhaustible purse, keys to the divine treasure-house, cloves, scrolls or books, a lucky rain hat, or a robe of feathers. And, from Muddy Waters: "On the seventh hour of the seventh day of the seventh month the seven doctors say "He were born for good luck that you'll see" I got seven hundred dollars don't you mess with me 'cause i'm the hootchie cootchie man..." I guess Escoffier was just superstitious, but any of the above reasons seems good enough to me to turn a vegetable seven times!

Great notes! And pretty brilliant comment... in all the tasting I have been doing lately (which is a lot - upwards of 200 each week), I have been very good about spitting. Then comes the dessert wines which I never seem able to spit out figuring it is my lone indulgence! Did you have a favorite?

Jordan Wines -- pity... they actually make really good juice!