Dianabanana

No, absolutely no need to apologize. You're all wonderful.

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! I'm not talking about trying to cure severe iron deficiency with clams alone!!! I'm going to take the supplements, but I want to focus on iron-rich foods, too. And not just clams, either. I know lots of ways to get a lot of beef and spinach and other iron-rich foods, but the particular problem with clams is that they're high in iron but you don't normally eat that many of them in a single dish. That's what I was asking about. By God, this is why I love eGullet though!! You all are the best. Thanks for your support and suggestions! (I see how my original post sounded like I was going on the Clam Diet. So funny . . . !)

I don't care about sexy, I care about high-volume clam delivery systems. I'll try it. Thanks! What else?

^ That sounds like it! The cooking method is the only thing that makes sense, too. Googling around, I found a few references to "cochina" clams (also learned some Spanish slang ) but couldn't find any pictures to confirm. They definitely weren't chopped up--I looked to be sure. They were just teeny-teeny-weeny itsy-bitsy little clams.

Just got off the phone with my doctor, who says "you're essentially walking around with no iron." According to him, a normal level of ferritin for me would be 51, and I'm at 4. As in FOUR! So, obviously, he wants me to take supplements, but like any good eGulleteer my thoughts turn first to food. Turns out one of the most concentrated sources of iron is canned clams. The only things I've ever had with canned clams are linguine with clam sauce (not so great with canned clams anyway) and clam chowder, neither of which contain a lot of clams per serving. What could I make that would use the clams more intensively?

The towels: About 30 plain-weave cotton towels from K-Mart or Target. Like floursack towels, they can be used for rolling out pastry, and like linen, they are good for drying glassware (not quite as lint-free as linen, but good enough for me). Terry towels creep me out. *shiver* The in-box: A deep drawer in my kitchen, folded in thirds then thirds again. The out-box: I lay them out loosely over the bottles of cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink. The last one almost always dries before the next one comes along. Despite my husband's grave reservations about this method, I've never in all my years had a single one mildew. I think this method is far preferable to wadding them up in any sort of container, where they will always get smelly and mildewy. The wash: Hot water and lots of bleach.

Okay, everyone can go home now! Doddie wins.

Perhaps chocolate is like another consciousness-altering substance (curiously sometimes found in combination with chocolate!) known to have little effect on new users?

^ Very interesting! I read the information in the link you provided and was glad to see the recommendation for commercial Yukon Golds. I've continued to buy those on the completely uninformed assumption that, because they are presumably not as overbred as Russets, they aren't produced with as many chemicals. I do still notice a pretty big flavor difference compared to organic, though. I wonder if they kill the tops of Yukon Golds with Roundup, too (don't see why they wouldn't). Very disturbing.

Yes, I am interested in the allergy question as well. I know that breast feeding helps to prevent environmental allergies, but does this go for food allergies too? As a purely anecdotal aside, I've long been interested in this allergy/bottle feeding question, and over the years have asked many people if they were breast fed when I learn that they have allergies. All of the allergy sufferers have said no. But we're talking hayfever, dander allergies, etc.--not food.

Ha. Getting real here for a minute, 90% of my pasta gets made specifically because I had no time to plan or prep a meal.

Ssshhhh! If she does that then she won't have any more great stories like this in the future, and I need them for moral support. Keep 'em coming, Nina!

If you read the chapter on potatoes in Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire I can almost guarantee you that you'll never buy another conventionally grown russet potato again. I never have. He tells you everything you need to know about conventional potato growing. I now annoy my husband by referring to conventional russets as "Monitor potatoes" (after the scary chemical discussed at length in the book).

Just *seeing* that or any kind of contact going on makes me cringe. I know. By no means do I intend to implicate the entire male gender, but I have to say that I see an awful lot of gratuitous touching of waitresses while orders are being taken. Is she on the menu? No? Hands off then!

Okay, I'm sold! Does anyone have a lead on a super good price for these?

Oh, God. My dad with his hand on the waitress's ass, and the poor woman so desperate for the tip that she put up with it. Horrifying all around. The husband of a very good friend has a mortifying post-prandial habit of pulling out his keychain nailclippers (what? doesn't everyone have nailclippers on their keychain?) and clipping his nails at the table.

Thank you all for your advice, and I have good news! Thanks to an unexpected Christmas gift from my beautiful and kind aunt, I will be able to buy not one but two knives--big and small! Thank you Auntie Dot!!!

Well! I wanted something from Cradle of Flavor tonight, but by the time I got to cooking I was hungry enough to eat my elbow--so no patience for flavoring pastes and whatnot. Chile Omelet and Stir-Fried Greens with Chile and Garlic it was. I foresee a whole lot of chile omelet in my future. This was my first encounter with sweet soy as a condiment (i.e., not as an ingredient mixed in with other stuff) and I really loved it on the spicy omelet. Pretty addictive. I'm excited to make this for my husband when he gets back.

Wow. I think in the future all questions of the should-I-chuck-being-an-accountant-for-my-dream-of-being-a-chef variety should automatically redirect to this thread!

Seconding the Whole Foods 365 store brand. Also Safeway Select.

I am trying to decide between a 6" and 8" chef's knife. I'm a small person (5'0" tall) with correspondingly small appendages, and the 6" knife feels absolutely perfect when pretending to chop things at the knife store (eGullet version of air guitar). The main disadvantage to a small knife that I can think of is that it will take longer to get through a big pile of something like onions, but I confess that I have not done a whole bunch of research on the issue. I know the larger knife is much more common but the small ones must be made for a reason . . . right?

Ooh, ooh! *raises hand* I know this one! Open them up, lay a very good anchovy on one edge, squeeze a little lemon, grind a little pepper, drizzle a little olive oil, then roll it up like a little cornucopia and serve with crostini. So delicious. Mr. Dianabanana and I killed a whole jar of each (peppers and anchovies) this way the other night.

Nope, I don't think that's it--I've seen those before, and they're small, but these were really tiny. A bowl of them had the texture of a finely chopped tapenade.

I just got back from dinner at Tamarind Tree, where I had the "Baby Clams Rice Cracker" (from the menu: "baby clams marinated with onions, garlic, chili pepper, fresh herbs, and roasted peanuts served with black sesame rice cracker and fresh pineapple anchovy sauce"). This was the first time I've ever seen such infinitesimally small clams and I'm wondering what they were. They were about the size of the tiny black beluga lentils. There had to have been well over a thousand in just my dish. How in the world are they shelled? And where could I buy them?

I got: 1) A Shun Classic chef's knife! 2) A set of Rosle stainless nesting mixing bowls 3) A cool new Pugeot pepper mill--it's clear acrylic with a bright orange top 4) A madeleine pan (Dorie's got all those madeleine recipes in Baking From My Home to Yours that I'm keen to try and now I'm all set)