Shel_B

There were a couple of items at BB&B that I wanted to purchase, but they were only available online, and it seemed that one couldn't use the ubiquitous BB&B 20% coupon. I sent an email to BB&B's customer service asking how the coupon could be used for online purchases. In less than twelve hours, I received this response: Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, our in-store coupons cannot be used for online purchases nor do we offer coupon codes. If you choose to place your order online, you can take the invoice, coupon and credit card used to make the purchase to any of our stores and you will be credited for the discount amount. If you are purchasing a gift, or you are shipping your order to a location other than your address, we would be happy to mail a copy of the invoice to you once the order has been shipped. You also have the option to visit your local store to place the online order. Payment is processed at the register, so you will be allowed to apply your coupons. Please note, stores cannot accept coupons over the phone. We hope the information provided is helpful. If we can be of further assistance, please reply to this e-mail or call 1-800-GO BEYOND® (1-800-462-3966) to speak with a representative. That seems like pretty good customer service. Fortunately, for me, I am close to a BB&B store ...

As you probably know, Olney suggests a cock 10 to 12 months old. I once used a capon with pretty decent results, and, although I rarely make the dish, I've grossly compromised on roasters. I can sometimes get an older bird at the local Halal butchers - there's a suggestion for you.

Good to know about the capacity. Thank you. I have some of those containers (not Glasslock, but another brand that's almost identical in appearance), as well as some Pyrex and Anchor Hocking glass bowls with lids. I want stainless to minimize the potential of breakage during travel (not that it's ever happened) and because they make excellent bowls for preparing certain foods. I can prepare the food, store it, and travel with it all using one bowl. That's not to say that can't be done in glass, but it seems like the stainless bowls are the right size and shape in some situations. So, with the addition of stainless, I'll have every situation covered.

It's not too late. I searched for the iMusa bowls and came up blank except for a reference to them in someone's blog. They described it as the iMusa "Top Chef," and the Top Chef is one of the bowls I'm considering, although I don't know if it's the same set of bowls you're describing. I went out to Bed and Bath, which carries the Top Chef on it's web site, but, apparently, not in my local store. I did see a few other bowls that gave me a good perspective on some of what I've seen on line. I hope to make a decision in the next day or two.

I've decided to get a set which has both 3qt and 5qt bowls, plus a smaller bowl. Thanks for the suggestion - we were on the same page.

Not at all my style. I want something that I can prepare the food in and then use for transport. I don't like using plastic at all, especially for food. Plastic wrap for a closure is wasteful - the stuff just ends up in a landfill, or, perhaps, in a recycling center, just like you suggest for the containers.

I generally prefer the rougher textured pastas, but that's because they taste better to me - a fuller, richer taste. These pastas are usually slow dried.

Thanks! That info has just expanded my options <LOL>

Thanks. The fit of the lids is very important as I'll often be traveling with whatever dish I make. I read that some lids don't fit well when a stainless steel bowl has been refrigerated due to different expansion/contraction rates of the stainless bowls and the lids, which are of a different material.

There is no need or reason to apologize. I've read every post and watched the videos and gone to other referenced sites. I've learned a few things, and the results I now get when making pasta have improved somewhat, and my understanding of what goes into producing good pasta has increased as well.

Of course I did that. Many that I found had bad reviews, many came in sets, which I'd prefer not to get. But most important, I don't know what capacity I need for the amount of ingredients I'll be using. Can you help with that? And, it would be nice to get a recommendation from someone who has used a particular bowl rather than just providing a pointer to something they just Googled. All the products I've looked at are described in glowing terms, but when I carefully read reviews I find many are poor quality or have problems.

I need to get a mixing / storage bowl with a silicone, polypropylene, or other soft, durable lid and, possibly, with a non-skid base. I'd like it to be of stainless steel. I need it to hold 3+ lbs of potato salad, a similar amount of fruit salad, and the like. What I need to know is what capacity bowl I would need and if anyone has a recommendation. Mainly the bowl will be used for transporting food to potlucks and sometimes for serving at home. Thanks!

What do you consider a reasonable price, and what size saucepan are you looking for? I have a couple of Calphalon Contemporary skillets that have done yeoman's duty for more than five years, and they are still going strong. It's my understanding that the Contemporary series comes in induction ready stainless. I like the skillets I have so much that I bought another set just to be sure that I'd have them for a long time.

So, how does one make apple butter? Got a recipe or some techniques you care to share?

Judy Rodgers has a nice recipe for a roasted apple sauce in her Zuni Café cookbook - it can be found on line easily enough - and she uses those roasted apples in a nice, simple Charlotte as well. There's always an apple flognarde or clafoutis ... easy and delicious. If you need some recipes, let me know. I can send you a few ....

Thanks for the ideas. Later today I'll be harvesting some kale from our garden, and I'll start experimenting with technique this evening.

Well, I don't want chips, just something that has some light crunch around the edges but where a good portion of the leaf has some texture, but not so much as to become brittle. I'm convinced that with the right time/temp, and proper prep, I can get a leaf that has that crunchy-soft combination. I suspect that the edges of the leaves will get crunchy long before the center part. I do like the idea of kale croutons ... that's brilliant! Thanks!

Your question makes it seem that there are several ways to roast kale. I was just going to trim the leaves, add a scosh of olive oil, maybe some S&P, and put the kale in a slow oven for a few minutes. Right now, I'm not sure of the time and temp, but I was thinking of about 250-275 degrees for seven to ten minutes, with constant observation.

I want to make a roasted kale salad, but I suspect that adding dressing, even minimal dressing, will cause the kale to lose any "crunch" it may have. Is there a way to maintain the crunchiness with the use of a dressing? Perhaps adding the dressing immediately before eating would mitigate the problem. Or perhaps a certain kind of dressing would be helpful in this situation. I'm also thinking of adding roasted crimini mushrooms to the kale along with slow baked and well drained bacon, if that makes a difference. Thanks.

Article in The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/01/pasta-showdown-artisan-vs-industry/33127/

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMUjG07xiA

It can happen anywhere. I trust none of the supermarket olive oil brands, and, sad to say, feel uneasy about buying some of TJ's olive oils. I'm just going to stick to the producers I know and trust. Fortunately, there are many such producers in California, and lots of places to buy their products around the San Francisco Bay Area.

. These additives are the additives of enriched flour. That is required by law I believe.I'm not so sure about that since I have seen the ingredient lists of numerous pastas, and many do not contain these, or any other, additives. If these ingredients are "required by law," how is it Trader Joe's sells pasta without such "enrichment?" Is TJ breaking the law? Shall we call the Pasta Police? <LOL>

I agree with Lisa, but there's also more to the situation. Generally (and I say generally because I do not know how every pasta is made), the pastas made with bronze dies are dried for longer times and at lower temperatures. This time/temp routine changes the taste, and, I believe, the texture of the pasta. In addition, the good artisan, bronze die pastas, are often made with a much simpler ingredient list - frequently no additives at all are used. As an easy example (because I just bought some), TJ's organic Italian pasta is made with just flour and water. Read the ingredient lists of some of the "commercial" pasta brands. The listed ingredients on a box of Barilla spaghetti is: Semolina, Durum Flour, Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)

No, it's not ... I only made the sprouts like that once, so I never got to play around with the idea and refine it - balance the ingredients, add some other ingredients, play with times and temps, etc. I do believe the idea has merit and with some experimentation could result in a tasty and exciting presentation.