hummingbirdkiss

I worked as a server all through high school and college and all I can say to this is "OUCH!!!" ...I loved that I had a great relationship with my customers and when they asked for me (big tippers or not) I was honored they had such a good time they wanted to have me serve them again ..I never ever thought of myself as prostituting!!! my college tuition was paid by tip money so many thanks to all of you out there who do NOT feel this way!!! I tip very well to say the least ..if I get lousy service I consider what the reason is before I short the server ..but honestly ..it is rare someone treats me badly if they do I tip less and leave a note explaining why ... as far as tax evasion ..I paid taxes on my tips ..period

PS I guess I am not a real food purist either..just a bitchy eater! ..... I eat everything I just get a tiny bit bitchy (ok a lotabit bitchy) if it is not "right" in my mind

I won't tell Diana Kennedy about your guacamole if you don't tell Rick Bayless about mine. ;-) ← Ok deal!!! I learned to make guacamole in Santa Fe from a friend who is Mexican and Navajo ..she smacked me when I reached for the cilantro and asked about (GOD FORBID) sour cream!! of course I was born and raised in Providence RI so what did I know? I so adore it the way I make it..the way she taught me... the time it takes to find the perfect fruits... the smell of the garlic and lime ...the feel the mortar and pestel ..of the avocados .....yes I am a complete purist and love it exactly how she taught me ..I have never actually read directions of how to make it but I imagine there are tons of recipes...some people I know put tomatoes in this...she told me this was the only way ..in her kitchen with all the windows open... on top of a mesa with the smell of sage in the air ...to this day I believe this is pure ..simple ..magnificant guac and anything else is avocado dip!!! the other thing I am a purist with is pinto beans ..they need to be fresh ..this past years crop ...I like cooked with only a small pinch of epazote and a tiny piece of fatty bacon ...they need to be cooked perfectly with the beans intact, tender and the sauce almost caramel color ... clam chowder Rhode Island makes it differently and anyone from there knows that ...even different from Mass or anywhere else on the East Coast...I like Rhode Island style clam chowdah ...not the thick stuff you get other places ...thin but creamy made simple with salt pork, heavy cream, tons of clams, lots of fresh cracked pepper and a few potatoes.(still intact) ..that is it ..pure and simple with the clams as the main feature of the dish heaven in a bowl! .... out here on the west coast people make it so thick you can almost stand your spoon in it drown it with of all things dill!!! and think it is better that way..I dont get it then put celery and a bunch of other crap in it? creamy clam broth should be the base not cement!

NO ONIONS IN MY GUAC!!!! LOL NO NO NO!!!! you are right being from Wisconsin does make you think wierd things ..I know that my husband is from Racine!!!

Can you describe how a Mexican lime differs from a Persian (or even Key) lime? I've never had one, nor seen them in stores, but I'm a hug fan of guacamole. Of course, I like mine a bit different : I like to add red onions, jalapeño and a little cilantro to the mix. Do you crush it all up, or try to leave some of the avocado pieces large? I like mine more "chuunky-style". I am really hungry for guac now... ← Chris ...I think it resembles a Key lime they are tiny and taste different than other types ..usually you can get a huge bag for cheap at Mercados...but closest to the Mexican lime I find is the Key lime ...and...nope as soon as you add cilantro ..onions ...and jalapeno you are talking dip to me ..I love all those things but not in guacamole! ...mmmmmmmmmm the most seductive and wonderful food on the planet needs very little to make it right as far as I am concerned!!! when I make it I use the mortar and pestal and when it is done it is not smooth smooth but not really chunky either coarse may be the best word for it I guess? I will eat and enjoy "avocado dip"...but I adore and will go to great lengths to have perfect guacamole ...it is all about enhancing not distracting from the avocado to me ..my favorite fruit on the planet!

guacamole I am a purist with it ...so pure I seldom eat it unless I make it! the only thing I want in there is ... perfectly ripe (not over ripe or under ripe) avocados 1-2 cloves of fresh fat juicy garlic a squeeze of Mexican lime just a hint salt and fresh cracked pepper anything else makes it "dip" to me... and it must be done by hand in a molcajete...starting with the garlic going slow adding each thing one at a time until it is just right I could roll like a puppy in stink for perfect guac!

MAGNIFICENT!!!! you should be very proud of yourself!!!! If you are doing this at 17 I can only imagine your future!!! (insert applause here!!!)

can you find rose extract online or locally? that is what I do then I mix it with water to the desired strength...much better bargain than buying the water that is for sure ....

thank you for the recipe I had no idea what to expect because chicken and dumplings I am sad to say have never been a great part of my culinary history...the few times I have had this dish it was actually awful! so I never even tried to make them ....these noodles/dumpliings whatever are really nice..tender...fluffy and held together perfectly! I put some saffron (and other seasonings in the broth). and onion, celery and carrots for added nutrition for my recovering friend... and it looked and tasted lovely my friend thanks you as well ...she is German and told me what they were called when she was growing up in Germany but I can not pronounce much less spell what she said ... she is 80 years old was a volunteer firefighter for out town well into her 70s this lady is a dynamo when finally she reitred ..not because she could not do it but because she wanted more time with her great grand kids! ..and this is the first time she was seriously ill ..ever she said the dish "is going to fix me right up!" that along with a huge batch of sugar saucers from the recipe gullet made a huge smile on this wonderful lady's face .. so thank you so much again for sharing it was perfect! I wish your mom a full/speedy recovery

I would say yes!

whoops I am sure I knew that ..and I am so sorry! my mistake ...very large geografical one that is for sure good food reasonable prices and Heidi (myself) is a dork! thanks for the correction ...everything else I said is true however and thanks Canuckelhead I am half Canadian and I love my father's homeland beyond reason!!!

ditto on the Julia part..she is the Goddess ....no fail just follow the steps and you will be fine.....but my step mom could burn boiled eggs so I am glad she never tried a souffle

OMG I love this idea I did a 21st bday for one of my kids like this we had 40 ozers and Boonsefarm ...in brown paper bags ..cheetoes with a really nice home made onion dip ...the cake was made of Hostess cakes of all kinds piled up ..you have to have some kind of great decorations too ....like use newspaper comics ducktaped as the table cloth ohhhhh you have to have that spray cheese in a can make little stars on a cracker and then put a caper on top or something for garnish!!!! do not forget beernuts!!! you are a sweety and she will love it!!!

I love Vancouver! OMG I yearn to go there (we do about 6 times a year actually) and are going next month it is a great big sweet onion of a city that has layer after layer of fun things to do ..and honestly even though our dollar has declined I can still find great bargains when I go there if you want to enjoy the place and not spend a fortune I say find a place centrally located on Robson or other ...(I prefer a suite with a kitchen and always stay at the very "lower to middle end"...but wonderful friendly Tropicana. ..on the 12 floor with a great view ...and full kitchen so I can cook the treasures I find during my visit!!) park your car and wander ..I park one time and take public transportation or just walk everywhere ..the city is so easy to get around if you are not driving! you can walk down through the park ..from Robson (just ask at the hotel how to do it) and take the tiny ferry boats to Granville Island and have breakfast or lunch there... you can also eat your way around the world with in walking distance of your hotel... Simba's is a bargain and West African food (I can not remember what street it is on) ...there is Maylasian food ...Korean food....Greek food..Chinese of course!!!....fish and chips..noodles galore ..all kinds of stuff ... wander and read the menus posted on the doors ..you can even buy Cuban coffee and I bring a tiny press to make it for mornings in the hotel with hot half and half ..what a way to start the day with a Cuban blast!!! check out the dim sum thread here in this section ...I can not imagine a trip to Vancouver with out dim sum! or sushi! North Vancouver has lovely Persian food and markets to shop in and there is a place there that makes Lavash right in front of you ..so some feta olives herbs lavash and you are set for a wonderful lunch right out of your hands! you can also walk to and take the commuter train on a complete loop around the city for a few bucks ( I found this out by accident after a few beers when I forgot to get off at my stop) and it is a wonderful way to see the city ..if you like to shop indoors you can get off the train at Metro town for a mall on steroids and have lunch there bottom line my biggest hint is to use the system and try not to drive ..it saves time..frustration is much more fun because you get to see and do stuff instead of fighting for parking or getting stuck in city traffic... I could go on but I will stop my tummy is growling with anticipation! hope this helps have a wonderful time...

not to be off topic or anything but ..I am confused and would love someone to enlighten me... how come something "organic" can not be "refined" ? I thought "organic" was just raised or grown with out chemicals or hormones ect... "refined" is a process of ..well refining things!

DITTO!!! Oxtails were "on sale" up the street last week for $3.99/lb. They looked really good, and yes I bought some, but I didn't have to LIKE doing it..... Also, it may have already been mentioned, but I just really hate paying so much for pine nuts. I use them a lot, and I'm sure if I planned ahead and bought in bulk they wouldn't be so expensive. One way around it, and I'm not saying this isn't a little shady....kind of like the controversy over getting two shots of espresso in a large cup at Starbucks and then filling with milk at the condiment station to save two bucks......hell, maybe it was a subconscious protest of those damn oxtail prices, but ANYWAY... I noticed that the salad bar at the store has a bottle full of pine nuts down by the sesame seeds, croutons, etc. The salad bar is $3.99/lb. You can fit a LOT of pine nuts in one of those little salad containers.......and the rest is history. Sorry if I'm totally evil, or COMPLETELY naive to have just realized this little money-saving factoid.....but all I know is that when my basil comes up this year and I've got "pesto fever", no substituting pine nuts with walnuts for this boy! ← LOL I did the same thing one time with the very pricey toppings ... grabbed the basic salad fixings from a much cheaper place... and then felt guilty and told the guy at the register what I had done ...he looked at me smiled and said "what a brilliant idea why do you feel guilty??? I have a huge family to feed and if you think I will not do this too from how on your nuts!" I am not cheap ..I love spending money! ..I just do not want to work at my job anymore than three days a week I would rather "WORK FOR FOOD" (maybe that should be my new motto I need a cardboard sign and a sharpie I think)

I have never heard of this or tried it but I have a friend leaving the hospital today after a miserable time....she requested "suck your thumb twirl your hair comfort food" this sounds perfect thank you so much Doodad for sharing your recipe hope I can do it justice!

Please share what region you were looking for and what you found?

I totally agree with this ..

I thought for sure Justin Wilson was a Cajun chef no? ...he is "inspired" an not a "real"? I am shattered

Ironically I had a dinner gathering on Saturday...and we had a vigorous conversation about Oxtails ..meat prices.. ..hunting and gathering both in urban and rural areas...and the poor quality/high prices of grocery store meat....we had the table going.. half of us were into taking our time and buying what is reasonable. and in season.. the other half were into what we "want" when we "want" it. regardless of the price...time was more valuable than money...and the conversation was centered around our desire to make a huge pot of "back home style" oxtail soup and gather again for it. soon!.. we were all mutually upset that chain grocers have been charging over $5/lb for them lately and even higher at places like the Metropolitan Market (similar here to WF) ...however ..if you go a few more miles and hit the Korean grocer they are $2.54/lb almost half the price ...our local Mexican butcher is charging just under $3/lb...his are very meaty and nice looking ... half the table said "I dont care I would buy it for the $5/lb. save the trip elsewhere" because they work long hours do not like shopping and want this soup for dinner when they want it ..the other half was like I am ...I would start at the Korean Market or the Mexican butcher and go from there ...(never even bothering at the chain store for a dish like this) because usually the vegetables and stock bones ect will be all there and much cheaper to begin with ... what blows my mind is how can it cost so much in one chain grocer and just 5 miles away a Korean market...is selling them for half the price? same quality and to be honest probably fresher because they move so fast there! where in a place like Albertsons or Safeway depending on the area the oxtails could sit a lot longer before anyone would have the desire to cook them ... we had the logical talk about "yeah but gas costs so much right now is it really worth the savings?" ...my logic is that if I am making Oxtail soup "like back home" then chances are that all the things I need for the soup.....are going to all be less expensive at the Korean Market so why not drive that extra five miles and just buy everything there? all the years of taking the time to hunt and gather pays off when you know where to start your shopping trips for a particular dish you want to make.. if I dont buy on the hoof buying at these local markets has for sure been the best bargain I have found... one thing I notice is that my favorite markets rarely have "sales" or "lost leaders" ..I have asked about this and was told .. ...1. do not have time to do that! 2. if the food is good it sells itself!....I never feel like there is this huge effort to manipulate my spending when I go to a local market ..in fact I have had people who know me take stuff out of my cart saying "dont buy this now come back next week it is going to be half this price and we will have more!"...I love that personal service!!! the products they push in my favorite shops are usually what they have the most of ..and what they have the most of is usually the stuff that is in season and the freshest! for instance ...when Jackfruits are in season ... SE Asian Markets here cut them up and wrap them for you...at the same time they give away so many samples that you can eat your weight in Jackfruits for free and then buy it for very little money...granted I can buy jackfruit frozen or canned anytime I want for an insane price..but if I wait a few more months I can have my fill for very little money... bottom line and what we agreed at the table ..yes we wanted Oxtail soup like "back home" and yes we would try to have it at our next gathering .....since they are easily frozen whomever saw the oxtails for less than $3/lb in the next couple of weeks would go ahead and buy them!

a tortilla filled with tillamook cheddar and king mushrooms sauted in garlic and butter ..fking fantastic!!

this is a very good ..very easy and really reliable recipe sugar cookie

you can just google anything can't you? LOL preparing abalone I really love this shellfish and because it is so much of a treat I think less is more ...I eat it thin sliced with a little lemon

I never think about dining alone I love to be with people but also adore eating by myself ..I like to choose a seat where I can see everything ..I dont read at the table ..(my dad used to yell at us not to while he read the paper during dinner so it is kind of one of those things from your childhood) the only time I ever felt strange ..was one time I was seated..in a lovely place.... handed the menu and asked "are you alone tonight" when I said "yes thank you" the response was "I am so sorry I will be right with you" all I could think was "wtf are they sorry for?" it offended me so much I just had coffee ..thanked them and left ... "sorry" I was eating alone? how strange to me!!!