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I listened to Ed Levine's Serious Eats podcast interview today with Maira Kalman and Barbara Scott-Goodman discussing their new book Cake. https://soundcloud.com/user-306003081/special-sauce-artist-and My initial reaction was that though they are interesting people "Cake? - really?". But knowing how I can be dismissive without giving things a chance, I listened and reflected, and realized I had a deep history with cakes though my cultural sweets experience is Austro-Hungarian pastries. I'll share my memories and would love to hear yours. My first significant cake baking experience was at around age 10 when I was driven to make the Enchanted Castle cake from the Betty Crocker Boys & Girls Cookbook for my sister's birthday. Scroll past the bunny salad https://popgoesthepage.princeton.edu/tag/betty-crockers-new-boys-and-girls-cookbook/ I used a box mix and improvised on the decorating but it was essentially as shown. Suprisingly I was not pained when the first cut was made; just delighted that she and others were delighted. The next wow cake was when my mom made a tunnel cake with dark cherry mousse for a dinner party. It seemed magical. This was in th 60's before they were a "thing". (see attached image of recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine found in mom's recipe binder) I'd started baking in general and became the designated cake baker for the sweet my dad took to work for lunch. This was the era of bundt cakes and pudding cakes. I unearthed some of the recipe cards and came upon: the poppy seed cake from the olo can, carrot cake from Blue Ribbon Recipes, apple cake with orange juice, pistachio pudding cake, sauerkraut chocolte cake & mashed potato chocolate cake, Maid Heatter's Royal Viennese Walnut Torte- list goes on One Christmas Austrian friends sent us a Sacher Torte complete in its adorable wooden box from the Hotel Sacher. Anticipation was high; disppointment was deep. Dry/boring! - though I did like the apricot jam under the chocolate glaze. In the 80's a Vietnamese friend introduced me to the less sweet style of Asian cakes with light fruitiness and a whipped cream & crushed fruit filling.. Around that time I also became enamored of a roulade cake flavored with pandan from the big Chinese market (99 Ranch). There was a big "cake lull" until I recently baked an olive oil cake with tangerine zest when the pantry was bare. In fact I think I'll make it again tomorrow

@blue_dolphin I like that turnip dish. Saw some little turnips with lively greens at Farmers Market on Sunday - so think I'll try to replicate. They were those little very white ones that Vivian Howard was touting. Plus I like sweet/sour/savory.....and the perfect egg!

Well it was at least fodder for their later conversation - better than rehashing old episdes of Raymond.....

Stopped briefly at farmers market this morning. A plethora of greens and really good cherries. I got white nectarines, apricots, cherries, lacinto kale, red amaranth, fresh sweet onions with tops, young zuke, tiny super juicy Persian cukes, and a few teeny brussels sprouts.

Yes I think a sort of Middle Eastern mezze table with "Israeli salad", olives, fresh cheeses, good bread, pickly things, and fresh cheeses could be a lovely leisurely summer meal incorporating herby grilled shrimp. Along the lines of what member Shain often posts.

Here in Los Angeles the seafood of the Nayarit region of Mexico has a cult following and there is cheese involved. See for example Jonathan Gold's reviewn of Coni's. http://www.laweekly.com/retaurants/jonathan-gold-reviews-coniseafood-2173283

@Smithy We grew lovage briefly for sale at our Botanic Garden. We gave it the nickname "Bloody Mary plant" as the thick hollow stems add a celery flavor to the drink when used as the sipping straw. I used it in salads and as a finishing herb in dishes that benefit from that celery flavor.

@Shelby Great bench! Oh my Ruffles & onion dip - please tell me it was made with sour cream and Lipton onion soup mix?!?

@Shelby Quite a plot you tend! Your soil looks kinda sandy? At least the weeds are easily pullable? How do you water all that?

Out here Trader Joes has fabulous IQF frozen artichoke hearts. On my TJ list.

Nice seaonal local highlighter dish David. I have not been able to get to Farmers Market but will see if I can on Sunday and check out the asparagus and fava situation. The asparagus can be tailing off mid May in my region. As for the morels! - ha the only time I gathered any locals was when a load of mulch in the rose garden brought in some spores that found the right condition! Just a few handfuls I shared with the identifier; but it was a fun treat.

I'm watching one of those goofy Hallmark movies and one of the characters is a Southern cook and served up fried asparagus with Creole mustard sauce. Looks good. Anyone fry it?

Great memory David. I can see your look of wonder in my mind's eye. I didn't grow up with asparagus and honestly can't remember my first taste. Once I had it I was hooked. For some reason I associate it with artichokes. so maybe it was during mom's experimental phase Before the roasted vegetable craze swept the nation I always enjoyed it simply steamed or cooked with minimal water/tight fitting pan lid and dipped in a sharp mustard sauce or mustardy, garlicky mayo. I do enjoy the thicker spears roasted. I served it as an appetizer at a recent dinner gathering to roasted asparagus virgins. They devoured the spears with oohs and aahs. I coat lightly with olive oil, soy sauce, and a touch of honey.

So glad you made it to Cochon. I sat on that side of the room next to a couple who are wine distributors and had just been to an extensive tasting. They were feeling quite social and we shared tastes of all our dishes. I enjoyed each one, but the "lodged in my taste brain" are the fried duck livers with pepper jelly. I see it just says livers on the menu now, not duck. Great reporting!

Well I've eaten and made enough of them with rice paper to think it was something else. Some digging found a unique Hue style that wras the filling in very thin rice noodles and then fries. The images look like yours. What do you think?

The spring roll with the lacy roiugher wrapper is interesting. Do you know what wrapper was?

Not really. The Vietnamese baguettes don't survive the day - you could injure someone with a bonk over the head by next morning. They are baked for same day consumption.

They are deep fried pork skin - chicharones. The skin still has just a bit of meat on it. One of my favorite porky products. There are street vendors that do it on the east side of Los Angeles but I've never had the pleasure. The market I mentioned has a great version.

Those are gorgeous. There is a Hispanic market in town that has the MOST excellent ones. Spoiled me. They are in the deli counter and kept warm so I can barely contain myself from chomping before I exit store. The counter people are super nice and will dig around, turn upside down etc so you can get the ratio you prefer. Craving!!!

I'm very fond of hibisus tea served cold dueing the summer. If you still have access to bulk bins in Hisspanic markes you might grab a few handfuls - usually labeled jamaica. Super cheap. I simmer up a pot of concetrated "tea" and store in a jar in fridge. Then mix with water, ice, and sweetener to taste for individual servings. The concentrate keeps several weeks in fridge. Just the color is refreshing on a sweltering day!

In a longstanding and most probably persistant drought I think we are just grateful for what is until it is not....

Most Mexican cooks I've seen line the press with plastic wrap, unpeel and then to comal.

Food 52 recently did an article on the history of flour tortillas verus corn. Sephardic Jewish immigrants? https://food52.com/blog/21752-flour-tortillas-history

That jello pudding staple is more of a quick stovetopr concoction with cornstarch. However - this David Lebovitz chocolate pot de creme looks pretty dang good as an upgrade https://www.davidlebovitz.com/chocolate-pots-de-creme-custard-recipe/

I think the cuisines of Mexico somewhat like SE Asia are "customizeable" with heat being added by the diner via table condiments. Just like additional herbage or pickly stuff. All your bites can be different; more intersting to me than a homogenous dish.