Shel_B

<LOL> That's very similar to the dressing I now sometimes use. Mine's yogurt, honey, vanilla bean, and maybe a scosh of cinnamon. I like the idea of the nutmeg.

Don't know - it depends on what looks and tastes good at the market. However, there will definitely be no citrus and no apples.

On the 19th a few people are coming to dinner, and for dessert I want to make a fruit salad. I usually eat my fruit salad plain - actually, Toots and I rarely eat fruit salad, rather, we just eat a few pieces of fresh fruit - so I don't have many ideas for a fruit salad dressing - just one, actually. And the one I have, although quite good, was given to me by one of the dinner guests, so I'd like something different. Any ideas for dressing a fruit salad - nothing too sweet or loaded up with sugar? Thanks!

I agree - many of the recipes I've tasted and looked at are overamped with sugar and other spices making the bread taste too sweet and cloying. The recipe Norm Matthews linked to above has more than twice the amount of sugar than a recipe I'm considering, and more sugar than the total amount of zucchini in the recipe. I'm hoping to find a line where the zucchini or similar squash is more than just a filler, and adds some real flavor (but not too much because I don't want the bread to be too vegetal) and texture. I was thinking that zucchini may not be the ideal squash for zucchini bread because of the high moisture content and the way it practically dissolves when baked (that's the way it seemed when I was on my tasting quest). Perhaps a firmer, drier squash, like a Costata Romanesco might work a little better as it has less moisture and is a firmer squash. Of course, I could also squeeze out the excess moisture from the more typical zucchini - none of the recipes I looked at mentioned doing that, but why add all that extra moisture to the bread?

I've only seen these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwrCDfQy78Y http://www.amazon.com/Toastmaster-2244-Handheld-Can-Opener/dp/B00006IUZV What else might be out there? Has anyone used such a device? Comments?

I though I'd bump this thread as we'll be loaded with zucchini and summer squash in short order, and I'd like to try my hand a baking some zucchini bread. A lot of recipes I've seen are loaded with sugar, and others just don't seem right based on my limited baking experience. I'd like to find a zucchini bread that's heavy on zucchini flavor, but not so much so that the bread tastes vegetal, not overly sweet, and not too airy or fluffy. Any suggestions. There's one recipe I'd like to try except that it uses a large amount of sugar. I'd like to cut the sugar back by about 20% - 25%. Would I have to make any other adjustments to the recipe because of reducing the sugar? Thanks!

I found a place in a nearby town that carries the Cuervo Anejo Reserva de la Familia at what seems to be a very good price. I'll call them tomorrow and, if they have it, that's what I'll get him. Otherwise, one of the Tradicionales, probably the silver. He'll be happy in either case, I'm sure ....

Yes, it's a gift, and I want to get him something I know he'll like. I don't know enough about tequila to try some other brand, especially based on a recommendation from someone I don't know and whose taste may not reflect that of the recipient's. Thank you for your response.

Yes, he's a Cuervo guy, for whatever reasons, and that's why I'm looking for something that I know will satisfy him. I see that there are a couple of choices that will be satisfactory in the Tradicional line, although that Cuervo Anejo Reserva de la Familia seems like it would be a real treat for him, so that's what I'll look for and get if it's affordable to me. Otherwise some of the aged Tradicionales will work, and are probably easier to find.

I found this thread as I had just enjoyed a Kitchen Sink Salmon for dinner and was curious if there was any discussion about using the technique. This was the only mention I could find about sous vide salmon, although I recall some discussion elsewhere that at least touched on the subject. I bought a frozen, Alaskan salmon fillet from Trader Joe's, which was about 3/4-lb and rather thin - maybe about 1/3-inch. After defrosting in it's sealed package, I just put the fish into the kitchen sink filled 1/4-way with hot tap water. The hot water from my tap is 122-degrees and, from a previous discussion on cooking salmon, that seems like a good temp. I just let the fish sit in the hot water bath while I prepared the salad and set the table. Maybe twenty minutes later, the fish came out of the bath and made it to the plate, where I added a slight sprinkle of salt and a gentle grind of pepper. Man! The salmon was just how I prefer it, just barely cooked through. Is anyone else preparing salmon, or other fish, in this manner? Any tip or experiences you'd care to share?

I know next to nothing about Tequila, and I want to get the maintenance man at my apartment complex a gift. It came up in conversation that he's a Cuervo drinker. What are the differences between the various styles and which might be considered the best. Thanks!

The really dark, almost black stuff.

At the TJ's that we frequent, we bring the returns to the checkout stand along with our purchases, and a credit is issued at the register at time of purchase. A manager, in response to a signal, does come over to authorize the transaction.

I second clafoutis, and have several good, proven recipes.

Apart from the sumac I received a good amount of Aleppo pepper. It is now my favorite red pepper. Much more flavorful than cayenne and the typical red pepper flakes that one often uses, and while packing some heat, it's not at all sharp or bitter. I love the stuff and have promised myself to never be without it in my pantry. I now have to start looking for a good supplier here in the States, although it will be a while before I need any. I also received some Urfa peppers, and black cumin seeds. I've not tried them as yet, but soon. I don't consider this to be a "haul," just a nice amount of some new spices to play around with.

The pig sty Safeway stores around here have higher prices than the local Whole Foods that I sometimes shop at. And one small, local chain in the area has higher prices on many items.

Thanks for the Jerusalem link. I don't participate in Facebook in any way.

How much water and how much cornmeal do you use? Is there a need to adjust the amount of wet ingredients in the recipe when you hydrate the cornmeal?

Thanks for all the ideas. The friends who got me the sumac (and other spices) will be coming to dinner in a couple of weeks, and I want to include some of the spices they brought back.

Just doesn't do a thing for me ... sorry.

I forgot about rendering bacon fat in water - probably because I very rarely eat or use bacon. Some people loved the cornbread and some were indifferent. I somewhat expected that based on what some of the people usually eat - lots of prepared foods.

Trader Joe's has bacon pieces - never tried 'em though.

How do you cool an angel food cake upside down? Why is it necessary? Did the cake taste OK?

It's great to see a nice, simple, traditional 4th of July BBQ plate. Thanks for posting the pic.

I will, and maybe I'll pick up a few slices of bacon when I get the lard, make two cornbreads, and compare the results. I could render the bacon fat in the oven, which I wasn't thinking about when I posted earlier. That's much more satisfactory and acceptable than rendering in the skillet.