Jinmyo

At least she had standards.

Adam, I like fried anchovy bones too! I usually soak in water for an hour or less. Adam's use of milk is the right way to do it. But I love salt so am lazy about this.

I loathe chocolate but I loved watching Torres work with it on his Dessert Circus show. I must admit (forgive me, Special Klc) that I had little respect for "dessert people" until then. One just knows Torres would be able to work any station.

jeez, cathy, that's one of the hors d'oeuvres that i currently make!! add a little parsley and cut 'em in small circles, and there you have it. a *huge* hit at parties, if you can believe it. tommy, this can be great. (Especially with good sourdough bread and mayo, blanched onions, fresh herbs.) One of the few sandwiches I like to slice into tiny, crustless squares. Circles sound fun but more waste. edit: I just saw Sandra's reply. And Holly's right about lobster.

That's amazing.

Easy: Bibimbap with pulled pork, kimchee, shrimp balls, braised cabbage and daikon, roasted mushrooms.

I can't really answer the questionaire because I was rarely in one country for more than a year or so until I was an adult, except for a couple of years in girl's boarding school in England. (Gah. Tapioca.) But meals were always considered to be important. One rule was always serve from the left when pouring wine for the table and such. The other was never ever argue. If one was having a disagreement, do not bring it to the table.

Is that Jinmyo or Confucious? Neither. The waiter's advice.

I've wrapped tofu in fresh sorrel leaves with a bit of ginger and a shoyu wasabi dip. Also lamb with a mint dip. I've also used them when steaming fish.

Steve, that makes sense.

Does anyone know what Toronto bagels are like?

Oh, JD, I agree entirely. Although rabbit is showing up even in supermarkets like Loblaws now, they're wan and pale. Occasionally butchers will have tastier rabbit buit not reliably. Farmed bunnies are often as vague in taste as they are fluffy as pets. Wild rabbit or hare is another matter though. Instead of requiring strong herbs and braising, often a simple grilling or a good sear and pan roasting with garlic and black pepper is enough for a transformative meal. A bit of a light tomato sauce (with the kidney added), some heels of bread, and the rabbit. And thou. As long as thou keepst thy grasping claws away from me rabbit.

Excellent, tommy. Yes, it's best to cook the sausage seperately. Not only so the flavour doesn't overpower but because I've found that the fats that come out are not necessarily the "lipid of choice". Another nice combination is orecchiette with broccoli rabe and lamb, veal, or even pork kidney or chicken liver.

Thanks, Cathy.

Nate's isn't kosher though. Ham and eggs, dairy with meat, that kind of thing. Their smoked fish platter is pretty good though. Herring, sable, lox, whitefish, rye bread (from Rideau Bakery), olives, onion, coleslaw. The latkes and blini are okay too. Their chopped liver is good. edit: I had almost forgotten: The best day and time to order the fish platter is Thursday around 11 a.m. Wednesday is thus obviously the worst day.

Suzanne, I usually get tamarind pressed into rectangular cakes. I just slice off a strip and proceed from there. You know, I've never used frozen spinach but it occured to me a few days ago to pick up a few packages of it for emergencies. How is it? I seem to remember St. Julia abjuring it and casting it behind her. tommy, short ribs done with the bulgogi sauce are basically kalbi. But I love braised short ribs so much that I rarely make kalbi and instead do bulgogi using strip loin.

Well, tommy, the bulgogi sauce I make is quite similiar to the tonkatsu sauce discussed earlier. I puree onion, apple, and a bit of garlic. Press this through a sieve. Add an equal quantity of mirin. Add to this an equal quantity of shoyu. Add a splash of rice vinegar and a bit of sesame oil. Add some good twists of black pepper and some chile seeds.

Disclaimer: Professional kitchen, staff of three. But this is easy enough to do at home. Tabletop grills: Bulgogi (marinated strip loin steak slices), cremini mushrooms marinated in shoyu, ocean perch, asparagus spears, scallions, poblano pepper slices. Chinese chive pancakes. Miso broth. Cabbage and cubed daikon kimchees.

Gourmando, I'd forgotten about Ottawa Bagelshop. Yes, they're quite good. Lesley, I've only eaten Montreal bagels while visiting there. In a few delis and at the homes of people, like an elderly rabbi who was a scholar of Kabbalah. Heh. That's an entirely different thing from taking bagels back to one's own goyische home. Did I enjoy them? Yes. They felt "real" to me. To me, only plain chewy white bagels are bagels. Poppy seeds or sesame seeds are an extravagance. Let alone whole-wheat blueberry bagels. Gourmando, do you know of any real kosher Jewish delis in Ottawa?

There's a place in Ottawa doing Montreal style called Kettleman's Bagels. The bagels are hand-rolled and baked on planks in a wood-burning oven.

jpk8216, welcome. And I'm sure that you have to much to share already.

Ben, although I am as Sophie with regards to pudding pops, the tale was well told.

Yvonne, a nice report. If you are comfortable in doing so and have the time perhaps you would care to elucidate further upon the rabbit. Although my subjective preference would be for taking in the short ribs, this is indeed the time to think of rabbit and various preparations have come to my mind.

Bugs. Big bugs.