MargyB

I think RichW has it......Chima. http://www.chima.cc it's described as an "upscale buffet" for $44.00....although it looks more like a typical Brazilian steakhouse with an extended salad bar. margy

I ordered a copy from the Archambault site about 2 weeks ago and received the book here in California last Thursday! It's quite an amazing book. I haven't watched the DVD yet though. I don't think my vegan daughter would quite appreciate the artwork & photos though! Margy

Mark...I'm not able to get your blog URL to work....?

That's a challenge for us in the US! It's not yet available here. I was able to order it from a Canadian site, but it's out of stock and won't be available until February. It looks very good....but it's pretty pricey. It ended up being over $70....ouch! Margy

I was in Linen's & Things yesterday and saw what must be the ultimate non-sensical small appliance....a S'more maker! http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?produ...263&cp&kw=smore It's nearly as useless as a chocolate fountain! Margy

We had the most fabulous duck legs in Paris the last few times we were there which on a few menus were described as "candied". They were super tender and the skin was very crisp. I have two nice Moscovy duck legs and want to make something similar....would I follow a recipe for duck confit? (I don't have any additional duck fat other than what is already on the legs". Thanks for your help, Margy

I prefer a protein based breakfast also. When I'm in Paris, I usually go to a cafe and order a croissant with cafe and then add some cheese that I've purchased at the grocery. I always keep some sliced cheese and sausage in my room. I've also gone to several cafes that serve omelets and that works well for me. Margy

I am still in shock! I just returned from a visit to my local Costco. There were some fabulous looking new cheeses that must be available for the holidays. I picked up a piece of Pecorino Romano with truffles that looked fabulous...it was a little over a pound. The signage on the shelf, listed $9.99, so that's what I was expecting to pay. At the checkout, it rang up at $26.93, which surprised me quite a bit! It's my own fault...the $26.93 was clearly marked on the package label, but it was more than I wanted to pay today for a piece of cheese as I had picked up several other nice cheeses. I told the checker that I was sorry, but I didn't want to take the cheese afterall because I hadn't realized the price. She said it was too late and I'd have to take it to the return counter....after it's rung up they can't reverse it. OK....so I head to the return counter and tell them my sad story...they are fine with it and proceed to give me credit on my Costco American Express card. (Costco has a very liberal return policy). The clerk is puzzled as to what exactly it is that is such a high price...takes the cheese and starts banging it on the counter. I said something to the effect that they may not want to do that as it might damage the cheese. Then she told me...."it doesn't matter we're just going to throw it away!". I said, "you can't be serious!" and she explained that any food items that are returned are disposed of. I told her that I hadn't even left the building and had come to the return counter immediately after the checkout and she said it didn't matter. I was so horrified at the waste that I had second thoughts about returning it.....but the paperwork had already been done. Amazing! Margy

Kim....is there a special area on the site for the freezer sale? I see a freezer section....but I'm not sure if these are sale prices or not? Thanks, Margy

I buy the huge containers of whole peeled garlic from Costco and roast a few cups at a time until soft, mushy, golden brown and sweet. I then mix an obscene amount of this with softened butter (probably equal amounts of each), spread it on split sourdough bread and bake at about 425 until golden brown. It comes out crispy and so sweet! Margy

Thanks so much for all of your input......I'll definately check out Ranch 99 and I also thought I'd check out a local butcher shop, Los Gatos Meats and Smoke house. If those sources don't work out, I'll order one from Nimen Ranch. Margy

The most recent post in this thread is from last February....so I'm wondering if there are any recent recommendations for a food processor? My 20 year old Cuisinart has finally packed it in and I'm in the market for a new one. I can't tell from the Cuisinart site which are the newer models. I do want a larger capacity than the 7 cup machine, but I'm not sure if the 14 cup might be too big? I'll be using this for home cooking. Which model should I get? Thanks, Margy

I've been inspired by many references in egullet to pork bellies and I'd love to try doing one. Does anyone know where in the south bay area (california) I can find a supplier? I've tried Andronico's and Draeger's in Los Altos so far with no luck. I'm in Santa Clara. Thanks, Margy

Hi .... I served two types of soup shots at a friend's wedding reception a few weeks ago and they were a huge hit. Both soups were cold and vegan. The first soup was the favorite...it's a carrot/ginger/avocado/curry/lime blend with a garnish of crystalized ginger, lime zest and a cube of avocado. The second soup was a gazpacho made with sherry vinegar and topped with a sprig of cilantro and cucumber. Here's a picture of the first soup:

So how do most of you organize and save your recipes online? I had been emailing them all to myself, with the name of the recipe in the subject line and saving them to a folder on my PC. Unfortunately two days ago, my hard drive died and I've lost it all. I won't even go into all of the other files I lost...sigh. Yes of course it all should have been backed up and some of it was, but not the recipes. Since I'll now be starting from scratch.....how shall I save my recipes? Thanks.... Margy

Lori, I'm enjoying this blog so much! I just love the diversity in the food blogs....everyone is so different! I was especially interested to hear about your DS surgery....I also have had the same surgery....about 4 1/2 years ago. It's always interesting to me to hear how the surgery has impacted others and especially because you had surgery around the same time that I did. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this blog. Margy

thanks so much to all of you for your excellent suggestions! I hadn't thought of getting a drink first at a place with a great view. I'll let you all know where we end up. Margy

I need help! I have a good friend coming in from Canada and would like to take her to a restaurant in SF that has a very "SF" atmosphere. A place with a good view would be a bonus! I considered the Cliff House because of the history and views, but I wasn't very happy with the food when we went about a month ago. I'd prefer not to go to a super "fancy-schmancy" place, but excellent food is a must! Seafood would be good...or? Suggestions anyone? thanks for your help, Margy

The northern California Ikeas all have full restaurants.......I've been to the one in Emeryville and East Palo Alto, and both have restaurants.

I grill asparagus for just a few minutes at a very high heat. I drizzle the stalks with just a tiny bit of olive oil, sprinkle on some sea salt and black pepper and put onto a pre-heated VERY hot grill. It probably takes about 1 minute for grill marks to appear and then I turn them. I take them off maybe 30 seconds after turning. They are fabulous the next day with some mayo. margy

My experience with this was ordering risotto (as a side dish to my entree) at an Italian restaurant and getting rice pilaf! I questioned the server and they claimed that this was risotto. I explained what risotto was and that it was made with Arborio rice and they looked at me like I had two heads. Amazing.

I love the jarred tomato sauces at Trader Joe's. My favorite is the roast garlic, which has huge pieces of whole garlic gloves. The quality is excellent!

I recently acquired a Cameron stove top smoker....so far I've done cheddar cheese (fabulous!) and salmon (a little dry). What are some of your favorite uses for the smoker? Thanks! Margy