zoe b

we have a party to go to, and I was making gougeres and devilled eggs with caviar, but it's supposed to be rainy/icy, so we may stay home & have lots of champagne rumaki lobster some kind of winter salad bread I'm thinking of something soothing & creamy for dessert--flan or rice pudding the other option is steak tartare--haven't had it for around 20 years, and it's popped into my head dmdaniel said-- I dunno, that sugar high can make you crazy....

yeah, I DID use the whole lemon--I kind of like the slight bitterness from the pith, and i wanted all of the texture of the fruit in the marmalade. I also didn't feel like doing all the prep involved in taking the fruit apart, but it may have been a false saving of time... I think, as everyone has mentioned, that the darker color is a result of the mixture being slightly caramelized--which my cooking at a lower temp for a longer period produced. I love caramel, so that is always welcome, and i like the bitterness from the pith, but i'd like a little more fresh lemon flavor--perhaps impossible to get all three flavors at once. David said will check this out--thanks!

I used white sugar. Yes, the lemons were halved & then sliced very thin. They didn't discolor in this part of the process I'm guessing that you're British? because this sounds like the process I found when I went to British food sites. It sounded like a bit more work so I did the Joy of Cooking method. But actually, boiling more of the water off before adding the sugar, as in your method, makes sense. I can see that this would make the final step much faster & perhaps keep the marmalade lighter. It does taste just fine, though. I do like your idea of using brown sugar--I think I'll try it the next time I make this (probably in 10 years, as i think I'll have around 25 jars) no, good question, but it was stainless steel. . Z

I had an extra bag of lemons from Costco to deal with (left over from Limoncello). Decided to make marmalade--all the lemon marmalade recipes seem to be for Meyer lemons. My Ball Preserving cookbook only had a pectin marmalade recipe, so i decided to wing it from Joy of Cooking. The recipe said measure fruit, add 3 cups water for each cup of fruit. Let sit for 12 hours, simmer for 20 minutes, let sit for 12 hours. Add 3/4 cup sugar for each cup --I ended up with a huge stock pot full of the mixture. Joy said to cook in small batches, so I boiled about a 3/4 full dutch oven--probably too slow a boil because I was doing three other things--making cookies, decorating the tree, getting last orders out. It took a long time to reach gel, (slow boil) but also darkened considerably--is this normal? I ended up with 9 jars--now this was only 1/3 of the amount I have--I'll make one more batch, & then freeze what's left over--I think this was only 9 lemons--but big ones.

in the case of ginger, you probably have dried ginger EO--you need an EO made from fresh ginger to get the true fresh taste. also, there are different limes--you'll need to experiment to find the one you like. Basil, in my experience, never tastes or smells like fresh basil, but again, you may be able to find a truer one.

No matter--I just got the older edition from the library & immediately bought it on ebay--it exhausted me just leafing through it. Love his style, and all the anecdotes & snips of food history in it. This is what cookbooks used to be like--hundreds of recipes--rather than the 50 or so you get now.

Kale Chips I just made this crispy kale for a dinner party last week--very unusual--it was generally liked--even by the Hub, who doesn't love kale as much as I do. Go easy on the salt & the oil. I was nervous about it being too bland, & sprinkled it with some Japanese rice seasoning, but everyone said don't do that again! It was better plain.

Oh, so now I WANT this cookbook--does anyone know if the 1999 edition is much different than the earlier edition? There's a big difference in price--I can get the older one on ebay for 4 bucks or so

I think he meant scaled down to 700 grams total weight

to improve even that perfect snack--pull off the super crispy skin around the cavity of a chicken just after removing from the oven, dip in salt & eat.

oh, my word--these are amazing suggestions! I don't know which one to try first. I think the polpette, since it's a gloomy day, and a good one to spend time on cooking something. I'll be interested to see what the Hub thinks of these as he's not a huge fan of eggplant, but does love meatballs--he's always begging for them, and i rarely make them. But i'll make the Sichuan Fish-Fragrant Aubergine next week--I think i've had this at a restaurant, and i love it--wondered how the wonderful texture was achieved--it's great to have the recipe. And Prawncrackers--do you approve of Paul Prudhomme's recipe for the dressing? I've read it, but never tried it-- it does sound delicious.

I have a nice eggplant in the fridge, but I haven't been able to make anything with it, because i can't make up my mind what i want--I love eggplant almost any way.... baba ghanouj --at room temp, very oily, lemony & garlicky, with pitas tempura style eggplant parm--I do love this japanese style--broiled with soy sauce and sugar any other thoughts?

Thirty years ago we were camping in Mexico--stayed for a few weeks in San Blas, which at the time was a sleepy little village with one hotel and a campground for riff raff & surfers. The bar at the campground was dirt cheap so everyone drank there, & we made friends with lots of townspeople. There was a big feast one night & we were invited--a giant turtle had been caught & was made into a stew--everyone enjoyed it thoroughly--except us--it was incredibly gelatinous & gristly & greasy--just awful. Lately I tried unborn eggs--we had a bunch of non-laying chickens, and our niece's African-born husband was appalled that we wouldn't eat the old ladies. He butchered them beautifully--but he BBQed them, and they were truly tough--you could barely bite into the meat. But he sauteed the unborn eggs, & they were delicious.

maggiethecat-- I agree! This cookbook is excellent. Her risotto is wonderful--I make it for microsnobs all the time to convince them about its usefullness. Another wonderful recipe is for Szechuan green beans--addictive. Other uses-- corn on the cob--delicious--stays crisp as it cooks. potatoes--I finish in the oven, though, as I think they are gummy in the mike. squash--I cook for a minute or two to soften them so i can cut them up easily--also easy to skin, then. a few years ago I made a lot of veggie chips--sweet potato, beet, carrot, turnip--pretty good sub for potato ships. drying herbs. yes, cooking almost any veggie--I have a tupperware steamer that works well. Zoe

I must admit that this is my most disappointing book, also--it was a gift from a dear friend, and i truly wanted to love the recipes--but the lack of onion and garlic really does result in bland, tasteless food. I think I guiltily sold it at half.com. And the point about reading a book at the wrong time is so true--probably the only cookbooks I still consult from The Early Years are for reference--Mastering & Joy.

got a domed clay bread baker--sassafras brand--last week at the thrift for $3--works great for the no-knead bread. Need to exeperiment on times for this --my first loaf was a little under-cooked to my taste--i like a little char in the crust. http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=186451&CCAID=FROOGLE186451

I make my own yogurt, used Fage as the original starter--now just save a bit from each batch. I make a gallon at a time in 2 tupperware lidded pitchers. each time I spoon out the yogurt, i tip the pitcher over the sink and whey drains out--so it gets thicker, until by the time I'm at the bottom of a pitcher I get truly thick, luscious yog.

yes, I was from Philly, but my roommate was from Lancaster Pa area--she got sent Lebanon Bologna--heavenly! The thing that I have sent to many young friends & relatives is People Chow--it's sweet, but not too sweet http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,177,152170-231193,00.html this looks like the recipe I use. I always sent my daughter holiday decoratopns for every holiday for her room--from Odd Lots & the Dollar Store--I think they helped a little with homesickness. Z

My gosh--that looks wonderful! Now you've ruined my day--we're heading to Charleston for 10 days, and will eat lots of good food, naturally-- weren't planning on going white tablecloth--but now i want that dinner, too! Z

yes, a good vinegar will help the sauce. There's a Chinese black vinegar that's especially "winy". I like it a lot for cooking. and you can sub beer, too--I've used beer many a time when the wine cellar was empty.

that sounds WONDERFUL. I think brussels sprouts would be perfect with the veal--I'm sorry I missed this.. So how did you cook the brussels sprouts? I'm thinking sauteed? Z

I braised a breast of veal recently--a simple dish as it was a result of freezer shopping one Sunday (my freezer) didn't stuff it, just browned it and braised with some onion and garlic, some fresh thyme, and white wine. added some carrots and tomato halfway through the cooking. It wasn't boned, so I cut it into pieces to serve. Served it with orzo. It was wonderful, and I'll make it again--but messy to eat as there was a layer of something between the layers of meat--sort of a gelatinous fatty skin. So what's the best way of dealing with this? Cook it a day ahead and pull the meat off the bones and get rid of the goop ahead of time? Z

does anyone know about this company? I just picked up a pretty oval 2 qt red casserole from my local thrift and i can't find any info . it seems like it's good quality--very heavy, & has an Iron knob on top, which I like. IN my search someone also looking for info posted that they thought this company was out of business. Z

I agree with all of the above--you could add Elizabeth David's books, also. I think I would start with Well's book--the other books assume a good amount of experience--you can cook your way through Bistro Cooking and then take on any of the other books. have fun!

Yes, I bagged and froze the carcass--am looking forward to making stock with it--duck empanadas sound wonderful--I don't think i have enough meat to do this--we ate like vultures--so I will probably cook white beans in the stock...