FoodMan

Is there an easy way to zest all those lemons? I use a regular vegetable peeler, just do not press hard on the lemons like you would for peeling potatoes and you should get only the yellow skin. I bottled my latest batch yesterday (I will post a pic soon hopefully), so for next time I am planning on adding the one lime peel per Katie's instruction to see if it makes a noticeable difference. Elie

By unsmoked streaky bacon, I would think he means fresh pork belly. But I could be wrong. I just got my copy today and cannot wait to go home and start flipping through it, with or without the pics. Elie

Meatloaf slices, aged cheddar on homemade potato-rosemary bread, drizzled with some of the meatloaf sauce. Elie

That is what it is used for in Lebanon as well (was the brand you bought called Kassatly Shtoura (sp?)). Basically add add syrup to taste to water and serve over crushed ice garnished with some pinenuts and pistachios. Elie

Thanks Susan..we are palnning on celebrating my birthday this coming weekend by going out for a nice dinner since the babysitter (aka mother in law) was busy this past Friday. So, it is not that belated Elie

Last night I made steak sandwiches using thin sliced beef marinated in EVOO, Rosemary, little lemon juice and pepper. The bread was my own (or I should say Jack Lang’s) wonderful sourdough, baked a couple of hours earlier. To go with it I made garlic aioli that was slathered on the warm bread before the pan grilled steak and lettuce were added . The sandwich was served with French fries (double fried) and extra aioli on the side. I am having leftovers for lunch. Elie

I still get regular e-mails from blvd bistro (I signed up for the mailing list a while back) and according to those Pope is trying to start as many markets as possible. So the one in the hights is still going on along with this one (she started this one in Feb I think). Elie

I ordered it around the same time and it barely shipped yesterday (along with Peterson's the Duck Cookbook) . I already have marrow bones in the freezer ready to be roasted. Elie

If these are the only two options then I would go with Pizza Hut or Boston Market over her crap, I am sure they will taste better. Jason- If you make your own stock then you have no business saying one good word about this wannabe MILF . Elie

Monday: Homemade Pizza: Margarita Homemade Duck Procsuitto (sp?), preserved eggplant, chopped onions (the best) Mushrooms and sausage Teusday: A kind of Thai chicken dish. Chicken breast, cooked with fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, garlic, basil, mint, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, thin sliced carrots and celery. It came out pretty good. Wednesday: Linguini tossed with olive oil packed tuna, fresh oregano, mint, salad burnett (an herb that tastes similar to cucumbers!), chopped preserved lemon quarter and sliced celery. Dessert: Crunchy Peanut Butter cookies. Elie

I tried this recipe a while back and it worked well. Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Apple Cider Sauce Elie

Limoncello The best way is to make your own. Very simple with maybe an hour of actual work and produces great results. The recipe I use is almost identical to the one I linked to above. I also use Smirnoff 100 proof Vodka. Elie

Timo- Thanks for posting about this. Too bad it does not seem like they sell fresh uncured olives yet. Did u get to take any with you when you went on the tour? Elie

Many comments in the Chronicle’s (Houston) weekly feature “Whine and Dine” are very irritating (I guess this is partly the point). Stuff like, “Oh, I cannot believe restaurants are still serving pasta and bread” or drivel like “I want to go to a restaurant on my B-Day so I can get a free meal” or one of the worst “I went to Pappasitos and it was noisy” just to name a few. I propose we start discussing (or debating) this weekly feature in this forum, is anyone else interested? I will start with today’s Whine and Dine and one of the dumbest comments I’ve read in weeks: “Maria Zaborek of Houston says she can't believe people are still eating chicken-fried steak. "Ever since I moved here from Chicago in 1978, I knew that CFS is 'heart attack on a plate.' There are far more interesting and healthful things to do with round steak than CFS. Frying, including batter-covered okra, is the sign of a bad cook. Okra is now considered a fiber-healthy food. So, I don't fry it; I simmer it with onions and lycopene-enriched tomatoes!" WOW!!! Was Maria a visionary or what back in 1978??? She always “knew” that the great delicacy is a heart attack on a plate. Elie

Can someone please translate this for me !!! I am not sure what this means. ComeUndone's cookies came out so wonderful that I have to try it after the miserable failure of my previous attempt with the Nigella Lawson recipe. However, I honestly do not understand what this paragraph is saying exactly (I am a little slow today). Thanks Elie

Thanks for the recipe, I will try it soon. Elie

sequim- Sorry to go off topic here, but can you paraphrase the Ricotta recipe for us (or PM it if possible)? I use Batali's recipe and although very tasty, I think it just has a little too much lemon/sour flavor in it which is not always welcome. Thanks Elie

Moby- I've been making pasta for some years now and enjoy it very much. I also loved this class and the ideas for several fillings. My compliments on these pictures as well, they are perfect and look like they belong in a cookbook. Great work. Elie

Thanks for a very informative class. I've too busy so I am catching up now and have one question if it is not too late. I am planning on trying the last salsa (Chile De Arbol) and was wondering what kind of shelf (or fridge) life something like this might have since I do not think I will be eating the whole batch in one sitting!!! Thanks Elie

Correct. I was not born or raised in the US and still think this article was a waste of my time and really not funny. If this is comedy, then I guess I don't get it. Elie

I always boil my milk for yogurt, partly because that is how my mom made it every week and taught me how to do it and the other reason is to kill any existing bacteria that could interfere with the setting process. We had several discussions about homemade yogurt on several threads before. Anyways here is my recipe and it works everytime: yogurt recipe Hope your yogurt turned out well FG Elie

Richard- One of the most popular pickled vegetables in Lebanon are the turnips. You find them in almost every house (I made a batch a couple of weeks ago). They are normally pickled with a slice or two of beets in the jar and turn a nice deep pink/purple color. They are one of the most traditional accompaniments to Falafel. If you have Claudia Roden’s book she has a very good and easy recipe for them. Try peeling, slicing thin and tossing in a salad. I also concur with the suggestions for using in beef stew. Elie

I was surprised by how many "icks" there are on this thread!! I mean parsnips are very mild and and a little sweet. If I had to describe them I would say they taste a little carroty but not as pungent or juicy. The texture is certainly a little more woody than a carrot. I thought anyone who eats carrots will probably like parsnips. Taste however is very subjective indeed and no rules ever apply. As for myself, I love them roasted with other root vegetables tossed with a little honey, marjoram and evoo along side roasted chicken, pork or beef. very yummy. Another favorite preparation that has been mentioned here is the tagliatelle/pancetta. One time I steamed them and pureed them with pears, cream and thyme and served with roasted striped bass, and basil oil. very good as well. Elie

Jin- you REALLY need to start using a digital camera. As always your posts are amazing, I can only imagine how good they look!! Last night we had my wife's specialty, garlic studded roast beef with mashed potatoes. Elie

Thick bone in pork chops marinated in olive oil, thyme and lots of black pepper. Seared in a cast iron pan and finished in the oven. served topped with cream-mustard sauce (reduced stock, cream, whole grain mustard, dijon mustard, white wine and brandy). Alsatian Cabbage on the side: cabbage, bacon, carraway, and onions. Dessert: Corsican ricotta cheesecake with bitter orange marmalade from Wolfert's latest book. Has anyone tried this recipe before? Maybe that is how it is meant to be but I thought it was a little too thin (maybe 1/2 inch) as if the pan needed more batter and the taste was not as... complex as it sounded. Elie