heidih

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.

Or ketchup!

That is really interesting n the shrimp head fat. What a flavor game changer. Around here I think the orange color is from tamarind.

Do you have Diana Kennedy's Oaxaca al Gusto? Beans every which way. https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/kenoax

@dcarch The composition and nutritional value of both manure and compost vary by what went into making them (including the age of the animal) so there is no direct side by side though some suggest that the NPK of compost is richer. I imagine access and quantity needed are major factors with gardeners using the most convenient.

Yes the advert for Rice A Roni was someone hanging off a cable car on a hill in SF singing the jingle. We had it on occasion. It got my mom into the mode of pilaf using Uncle Ben's converted rice which yields a more al dente grain. Lightly sauteed first in butter or margarine and then water and flavoring was added. Pretty foolproof.

I really like lamb, esp shanks. For some reason goat has not made it onto my plate. There are a number of Halal grocers and Hispanic grocers nearby that carry it and a friend has touted them. I recall chardgirl's excellent blog featuring a goat centered meal and was enticed by this Roads & Kingdoms piece. http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2018/sheep-go-to-heaven-let-goats-into-your-kitchen/ Soon! Anyone here a fan?

What is the dip? I limit my Frito consumption to a yearly nursery tour bus trip otherwise it could be Fritos & dip for dinner every night Oh the unlatchd fridge... We had one of those little 6 pack campers that sit in a truck bed. The labrador was back there when the beer bottles came flying out and opened the caps just enough to turn it into a geyser situation.. We didn't hear anything but Murphy was in complete panic; practically tried to squeeze himself through the little connector window to the cab.

Oh and I handed the book (my old copy) to my son one summer. He needed to prove responsibility to a demanding father... He chose the bunny salad (the one with the canned pear halves). He walkd the mile to the grocery store, and learned to use a manual can opener. Many phone calls later he proudly presented it to his grandparents. I was at work, they took no pictures - grrrr. Then I handed him Julia Child's Mastering the art of French Cooking Volume 2 and asked him to make baguettes. He did, they were good. We had family visiting so he got to share his success. Happy memories. He was maybe 10 or 11 at that time.

I always helped. Great grandma was the chief cook. Made her own soup noodles every week. Definately helped washing dishes while standing on a chair by the sink. But my first "solo" was making my way through the Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cookbook. The passion has only intensified over the years. This one: Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cookbook