Huevos del Toro

Cabrales; Try it my way. Buy a wet suit, go to N. California and harvest them yourself! Take cheese and wine to tide you over while you regain some feeling in your limbs. Then use a Coke bottle to beat the h*ll out of them and "flash fry" 'em. Yum!

Moderation! clickety The French eat fatty foods yet remain slim (on the average). Why? Small portions. They laugh at us because we still adhere to the "clean your plate" and "all you can eat" philosophies. Get over it! Eat what you like but small portions. Diets, per se, are self defeating. A change in life style is the only thing that works (in the long run). Rant over! Thank you so much.

I'm not sure if you have to subscribe to the Cook's Illustrated web site in order to access the recipe database but America's Test Kitchen has what is probably the same recipe and it's free.

I've never brined a turkey before but I'm tempted to this year. "Salty" concerns me a littleThanks Not only concentration and time affect the saltiness, but the crystal shape and size of the salt can have a profound effect. If the brining instructions call for 1 cup of salt, assume they mean regular table salt (fine crystals). If using Morton's kosher salt, increase by 25-percent. If, however, using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, double the amount called for. Morton's has a larger crystal size than table salt. Therefore 1 cup will not weigh as much as table salt. Diamond Crystal has much larger crystals. So 1 cup will weigh approximately half that of table salt.

You might consider the Cameron Stovetop Smoker. I've used one for several years and it does an amazing job...and fast too! edited the URL

Dave; I certainly understand the Church of Q. I don't get nearly the sense of accomplishment from the electric smoker but that's tempered somewhat by the consistancy of product it produces. I bought it a few years ago from Cookshack. Although it's not terribly big I had to have someone help me load and unload it from my truck. Its' HEAVY! I think I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $350-$375 but it's up to $425 now. Shipping is "free" so there aren't any hidden surprises. Yes, I've looked at the Polder remote. I'm a sucker for gadgets but this looks like it may actually be useful. I bought 4 regular Polder's when I found them on closeout for about $6 each. I just couldn't pass that up and have given 2 as gifts. I'm keeping the other two.

I've been thinking about upgrading for a while, but this may be the incentive I neededSince my living quarters preclude open flame cooking (grilling and smoking for example) I finally bit the bullet and bought an electric smoker and have never regretted it. It's use us a no brainer. Accurate temperature control, a wood box, stainless steel inside and out, 21 pound capacity, fully insulated. I've used apple, hickory, maple, pecan, mesquite, cherry, and alder in it. I even use a couple of Polder probes, inserted in the little "smoke hole" in the top. One for the meat, one to monitor the smoker temperature (although I don't use that one anymore as the temperature control has proven accurate). It amounts to set it and forget it. The results are quite good, although I do miss the constant fire tending and messing with the charcoal grill. I do, occasionally, cheat a little and fire up a small gas grill for the occasional steak. Oh yes, this smoker is for outdoor use ONLY! It sits just outside my patio door.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's instructions and recipes can be found here. If you decide to forego the boning process, you can buy them ready to cook. They are expensive so you might, instead, enjoy doing the complete process yourself. Hickory Farms has a 15 pounder for $110USD. Or you can also go to this URL for other commercial sources, as well as additional instructions for doing your own.

Dave's advice on pre-measuring the amount of oil needed is well taken. If you'd like a photo series of the process, Jim's Cajun Deep-Fried Turkey Page has it. The other caution points are lowering the bird into the hot oil and retrieving it. Both are opportunities for disaster. However, many enthusiasts do it each year, with no complications. Injecting also helps maintain moistness and adds flavor. In addition, keeping children well away is extremely important. In fact, keeping everyone not actively involved at a safe distance is a good idea.

It's my guess you'll find the press pot gives you a lot more control over the outcome. My drip machine went directly to the dumpster. I like a press pot except I still have to watch the water temp and put up with a little sludge. But all in all a press pot can make a pretty decent cup. I have a couple of vacuum carafes that I immediately decant my coffee into when it's finished steeping. That way it stays hot but doesn't overheat and burn like a drip pot has a tendency to do. Be forwarned; if you're going to become a caffeine addict and coffee aficionado, you'll have to be on guard for the (potentially) very expensive and all consuming espresso beast. You'll go to bed and dream of Silvia and Rocky.

Welcome to the fascinating world of coffee roasting! I buy my roasting and brewing equipment and green beans from Sweet Maria's. You might consider purchasing a few of those zip-loc bags with the one-way valves. That will let the CO2 out when the roasted beans outgas but won’t let any oxygen in. You’ll have fun learning all the little tricks, but the one thing in particular that helped me was keeping detailed records! Dates, times, bean variety, etc. I record time to first crack, to second crack, total roasting time, starting weight, finish weight, appearance when finished (no oil, oily sheen, droplets of oil, color, etc.) Then if I didn’t like the result I could go back to the record, change one thing, and try it again. I let my beans “mature” for 24-36 hours before brewing a pot. I grind literally seconds before brewing. And I don’t keep them in the freezer. There is some controversy over that but I tend to agree with not freezing them. Quite a few coffee aficionados feel that freezing the roasted beans damages the volatile oils that provide the aroma and flavor. You’ll roast in such small quantities that shelf life won’t be a problem. I also tried several brewing methods and settled on a vacuum pot. I bought a Yama and alcohol burner from Sweet Maria’s. The one huge advantage to vacuum brewing is the fact you cannot get the water hot enough to over-extract, with the resulting bitterness. The water temperature is just perfect when it’s forced into the upper chamber. Then the fineness of the grind and the steeping time are the only variables you have to pay attention to. Those are also entered in the log for future guidance. In addition to all the detail stuff, I note my impression of the finished brew. Some have not been to my liking because of the variety of bean so I make a note to not buy those again. I only buy 2 lb. bags at first. I don’t want to be saddled with a big bag until I know that particular bean is one of my favorites. For an interesting read, and links, you might also want to go to Homeroast for additional info and links. Keep the updates coming!

I bought the Forschner Victorinox 10-inch bread knife on the advice of a Cooks Illustrated test. At under $40USD it's a bargain and extremely useful. I'm slowly losing my bias against stamped blades, although I still prefer a forged blade for the weight and balance during chopping chores.

I’ve seen quite a few positive write-up’s for the Zojirushi machine. "King Arthur Flour" carries it for about $150, although I imagine it's available from other sources as well. King Arthur also has a large selection of flours, some of which may fulfill your special needs.

This is one of my favorites. I especially like the coffee. I think it goes well with the chocolates. "Super-Fudgy Triple Chocolate Espresso Brownies" I also like the crunchy exterior. Couldn't these be baked in small, multiple containers so as to expose more surface area to the heat of the oven?

FG; I just received the 12-inch chef's knife from PCD. It's a hefty bugger at 418 grams (14 3/4 oz.). From the knife: ICEL (Edge Resources, Inc.) made in Portugal. For $67.49 USD (includes shipping) it looks to be a heck of a deal. Time will tell, but the balance feels good. Item #ed271741530 Edited to add URL: Edge Resources www.edgeresources.com/mainframe.html You can purchase on-line from them. Although I haven't had the opportunity to really test the ICEL, first impressions are good. I like the balance, weight and handle. It was suitably sharp from the factory. I expect this will take over my heavier chopping chores. If I find anything about it that isn't now apparent I'll post.

FG; I just received the 12-inch chef's knife from PCD. It's a hefty bugger at 418 grams (14 3/4 oz.). From the knife: ICEL (Edge Resources, Inc.) made in Portugal. For $67.49 USD (includes shipping) it looks to be a heck of a deal. Time will tell, but the balance feels good. Item #ed271741530 Edited to add URL: Edge Resources www.edgeresources.com/mainframe.html You can purchase on-line from them.

One-handed opening, two hands at a time but only one egg in each hand. Usually separate with hands but sometimes use shells. Always crack and separate over a bowl, never the other ingredients. That keeps pieces of shell or blood spots out. I can always backtrack if something goes awry.

Would someone please enlighten me on the difference between English style and Flanken style? I think it's the cut but don't know the details, or advantages of one over the other.

Lima beans – I don’t like the “chalky” texture. Brussels sprouts – if they’re overcooked. Liver – My father would cook liver and onions until the liver was so overdone it tasted like textured dust. Now that I know how to cook it I enjoy both calves and chicken livers. Canned vegetables, especially spinach. I much prefer fresh baby spinach. Canned sauerkraut Cauliflower – maybe I haven’t had it prepared properly. Actually, I have a problem with most cruciferous vegetables if not prepared properly. Limburger cheese. I like strong cheeses but that’s just a little too over the top for me. I opened one package and the stench was so strong I carried it, like a hand-grenade, to the dumpster! Espresso from *$’s – That ain’t espresso!

Suzzane F; I find the same thing with my F. Dick knives. Either we both need to change our sharpening technique or F. Dick's are in some way "different" than the rest of my cutlery.

Got a link for this? PCD (Professional Cutlery Direct) is cutlery.com and this is the page with the special offers: http://www.cutlery.com/specials.html Also an excellent source of cookware, and the print catalogs make great reading. Snowangel & FG; I was looking for an excuse to add to my cutlery and the Icel high carbon stainless 12-inch cooks knife is just the ticket. I currently use my 10-inch cooks knife for 80% of my chores. Tried 6-inch and 8-inch but much prefer my 10. But there are times that I wish I had a longer blade for chopping chores so maybe this Icel will fill the bill. And at $59.99 for a forged blade it's a steal. Thanks for the tip. Note: PCD's ordering links are inoperative, at least for me, so I used their 800 number to order. 800-859-6994. The item number is 2e080207 Thanks again for the tip. edited to close tags!

FG; I've been dealing with PCD since the days of B&W catalogs and phone conversations with Terri. I've bought a lot of cutlery, cookware and accessories from them over the years and, not only is their service impeccable, they stand by all their offerings. They treat you like family.

I purchased Chaudier before I knew how to judge quality and performance. Fortunately I was lucky and love my Chaudier. 1. Chaudier 5000 8-inch non-stick fry pan 2. Chaudier 5000 10-inch non-stick fry pan 3. Chaudier 5000 2.2 Qt. Sauce pan 4. Chaudier 5000 3.2 Qt. Sauce pan 5. Chaudier 5000 7.5 Qt. Brazier pan 6. Unknown brand 14-inch heavy aluminum sauté pan 7. Unknown brand 18 Qt. S/S Stock pot 8. Assorted cast iron ware Still need a couple of non non-stick S/S fry pans (for good fond development) www.padinox.ca/shop/US/Shopping.nsf/shop_chaudier?OpenPage

Malawry; I’ve been following your wonderful diary and anxiously look forward to each installment. It makes such a great read that I’ve rolled everything into a single document. You’re up to 34,642 words now! (That includes your eGullet bio as well as some background from your web site.) I think I can safely say there are a lot of people here that are as proud of you as if you were our own daughter! Keep it up!

You might also visit the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum. They have 3800 different mustards, although I'm not sure ALL of them are for sale. But you may find enough variety to keep you busy tasting for the rest of your natural life! www.mustardmuseum.com