Tri2Cook

If you want the liquid centers, go with the "reverse" method of putting the calcium source in the base and dropping into a gelling bath. Either way will work but they can hang around longer that way. Gellan-based pearls are a nice option to the agar version if you're not worried about liquid centers. I like the texture and flavor release better.

I'd been waiting to try that one for a while but was without absinthe. I finally managed to get my hands on a bottle of Lucid (which I realize isn't among the greats but it will have to do) but kinda forgot about the drink. I just happen to have some blood oranges on hand too so thanks for reminding me that I wanted to try it.

I've tried frog legs, alligator and rattlesnake. It's not so much that I disliked any of them, it's more a matter of there wasn't anything particularly exciting about any of them that makes me want to track them down to have again. If I went to dinner and any of them were being served, I'd eat without hesitation but I would never make a long trip or spend a lot of money for them. Frog Legs: just for fun, I once made the Haeberlin Mousseline de Grenouilles and it was much more interesting than the fried frog legs I've had but it still wasn't mindblowing or anything like that. Alligator: I've had it battered and fried, in a stew and used to make sausage. I found that it went completely unnoticed in the sausage. Tasty little bites battered and fried but nothing about it that made it destination worthy. My favorite taste of it was in the stew but that was largely because if the stew itself. The gator in it could have been another meat and it would still have been just as good. Rattlesnake: I once spent a few days with friends in the desert riding dirt bikes when I was a teen. One of the adults killed a rattlesnake that showed up in our camp area, skinned it out and cooked it over an open fire. I remember it as being bit non-descript in flavor and very bony but there was nothing offensive about it either. Kinda fun in the setting but not something I'd go out of my way to get again.

That's the spirit! Trying something new (or new to you) is almost always worthwhile. Even if you're not happy with the result, you are now definitively not happy with it. You know exactly what you weren't happy about. Even if someone had said that it absolutely would not do what it was supposed to do before you tried it, that still wouldn't tell you what it does do. Maybe something will come along down the road that the result would be perfect for. When it does, you'll already know what you need for the job.

Haven't seen them yet but I'm hoping. Our local privately owned grocery store was officially bought out as of January 1 by Sobeys and it seems to be having a positive effect on the produce department. I already got fresh habaneros, collards and tomatillos this year... none of which have ever been in that store since I've lived here.

Maybe it's a backlash to the "Oh, I don't like my desserts sweet" or "I'm featuring a dessert of mullet tails and ostrich tongue" people? Take the sugar out of the dessert and put it in the other courses. If that savory course is on the sweet side, that savory-based dessert will seem even less sweet.

Sometimes there's just a changing of the guard on forums that effects traffic. Whether by design or happenstance, I don't know... but I think eGullet is morphing from playground to library to some extent. Most people are going to pop into the library only when they need the information available and then head for the playground the rest of the time. I found eGullet at what I think was near the point where this swing was beginning to take place. There was a lot of posting going on, people we're enthusiastic about creating fun events within the forums, a lot of really cool interactions were taking place. Search for the "Supreme eGullet Pastry and Baking Challenges" for a good example of the sort of thing I'm talking about. Fun events that encouraged participation. eGullet is an amazing source of information but it feels almost like it's becoming encyclopedic, lots of information but a bit down on the fun at times. A lot of the friendly banter that used to take place in discussions seems to be frowned upon and even moderated out unless it very directly relates to the topic at hand. That's a decidedly unnatural way for people to interact and discourages doing much more than ask question/receive answer/move along. Unfortunately, I'm well aware of what can happen with unfettered internet people so set boundaries become a necessary thing. All of which is to say that I don't think blogs are killing the forum star, I think forums just have rises and declines at points along their timeline as a natural part of their existence. Some weather the declines and some don't. I think eGullet will be okay.

Actually, I think it's pretty cool. I use something similar fairly often during the winter months. When the lady from the semi-local elk farm comes to town for the Farmer's Markets during the summer, I always give her my fall order for things she doesn't bring as standard items at the first market and she brings them to the last market in the fall. A large supply of stock bones is part of that order and part of that supply of bones are dry cured and smoked. I add a couple of those along with the non-smoked bones to get a nice smoky elk stock.

Unfortunately, a work situation beyond my control killed my plan to do a food item as well but I'm looking forward to seeing what others did.

Exactly as it should be. After what I learned from your mirror glazing demo (Has that much time really gone by?), you can put the baby elephant walk/hit me baby one more time remix in your demos and I won't complain. It's been a while since I put much time into macs, worked with them a bit just to be comfy that I could and I break them out now and then for specific uses but that's about it, maybe this will spark a new interest in doing them.

That's really cool Kerry. The art of the chocolatier is not a well-honed skill in my arsenal which is a nice way of saying I pretty much suck at it. So I don't do enough to justify a nice setup like that... but somehow I'm still jealous.

This is sounding really awesome but I didn't bother chiming in with interest because there is absolutely no way I can get away from work during February and March. We have numerous multi-day hockey tournaments in town during those two months and the restaurants and hotels get absolutely slammed. Escape is not an option. I hope everybody has a great time though.

I wish I lived near a Dion's. I'd send you as many boxes as you want at that markup. I guess I'll have to hang my head in shame with all of the quality food being mentioned. A frozen burrito tossed in their microwave is about as far up the food ladder as I get in gas stations.

If I'm desperate in that timeframe, I suppose I have nothing helpful to offer. I rarely eat dessert of any type but if I have an overwhelming desire for something late in the evening on really short notice, it's going to be a stroll to the nearest convenience store to check out the selection of Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Dazs. Sometimes the walk there and back kills the desire and I just toss it in the freezer until someone else eats it.

My desperation dessert is cooking some jasmine rice and stirring in a little butter, sugar and milk. I guess not really a dessert but I like it.

I like the addition of the spinach Chris, I'm going to have to try that. I prefer this dish really spicy. Just shy of face-melting. Probably not particularly authentic but it makes me happy so that's how I do it.

Thanks for that. That's exactly the sort of thing I was curious about. A certain degree of holding time without loss of quality is a worthwhile benefit. A fry that's actually significantly better in texture combined with that increased aavailable hold time is definitely worth giving consideration. I appreciate the reply, I was afraid my question sounded a bit "looking down my nose" and that was not at all the intent.

Thanks for the encouragement. For me, the drink has to be my own baby. Even if it turns out to be an ugly duckling. It's a personal thing. The fun for me in the food challenges I used to do online (TGRWT, Royal Foodie Joust... both seem to be things of the past unfortunately) was the creating. I don't have a delicate ego. If my entry stinks, I hope somebody says so and then tells me why. There are people on eGullet who have forgotten more than I'll ever know about drinks, so any opportunity to learn is a good thing.

In a perfect world, eGullet could make a virtual used bookstore where we could list books we don't want that others might that could be paid for via paypal as eGullet donations. Once the donation was confirmed, we could send the book/s to the person that bought it/them. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world and I can see the potential headaches for eGullet administration that could result from this. Donating to a library or school is always a good option though.

I can't say that I've ever tried just putting peanut butter in a caramel but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I think I'd incorporate it at a later stage when the caramel was still warm but not hot just to avoid risking the oil seperating out but I'm not even sure that that's necessary. My grandmother used to make peanut butter fudge by cooking sugar, milk, butter and salt to soft ball then stirring in vanilla and peanut butter. Caramelize the sugar first and replace the milk with cream and it would pretty much be the same thing as you want to do.

Hmmm. I've already come up with my drink for this MxMo. I've followed many but participated in none. I'm a complete novice at creating drinks but I decided to say screw it and join the fun this time. Best case, I've come up with something not completely horrible and learn what I could have done to make it better. Worst case, I take a ribbing and learn from others letting me know where it went wrong. Either way, I learn. Now I see this post and it makes me want to add a food item to my entry... just when I thought I was finally done.

Tried the Dirt 'n' Diesel last night... 2 oz Cruzan Blackstrap Rum 1/2 oz Fernet Branca 1/2 oz Demerara Simple Syrup 1/4 oz Cynar 1/4 oz Lime Juice Shake, strain, lime wedge. I'm sure it wasn't exactly as intended because I can't get the Cruzan here and had to go with Gosling's but I enjoyed it anyway.

I think that's awesome but I have to ask if it really produces a fry that is that much better for the equipment and time involved? I've been a proponent and hack practitioner of molecular-gastronomy-until-the-backlash-changed-the-name-to-modernist-cuisine for a pretty long time. I'd be lying to say I was in on the ground floor but I'm definitely not new to the idea. I'm all for experimenting and bettering but occasionally I can't help wondering if sometimes we do things more for the idea than the result. I'm not doubting what you did, I'm just having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around it... and I consider myself very open-minded when it comes to food. I spent some time after reading your post thinking about all of the very best examples of fries I've made or tasted and what could be better about them that would make me feel happy about the time, work and expense involved with doing them the way you outlined. I can't find that thing. I'd really like to hear more about what specifically elevated them to that level for you if you'd be willing to share.

Went with Greta Garbo tonight... 1 oz reposado tequila 3/4 oz cherry heering 1/2 oz mezcal 1/2 oz lime juice 1/4 oz agave nectar 2 dashes angostura bitters shake, strain, coupe, no garnish ...and enjoyed it.

Bryan Voltaggio did one on Top Chef. He called it a lime macaron but it's much more similar to a meringue than a macaron. It wouldn't take much imagination or effort to alter the flavor profile. I think I remember there being at least one savory meringue in the Duby's book Wild Sweets: Chocolate as well. I'm thinking it was a prawn meringue or something like that but I'd have to dig out the book to be sure.