Katie Meadow

So I used plain matzoh and toasted it. It does crisp up. I learned two things: it toasts very quickly (in other words some went directly from the toaster into the garbage) and never to put the raggedy side of broken matzoh down in the toaster because it gets stuck and things get ugly. I did not attempt to wet the matzoh before toasting, as that seems likely to make an even worse mess. There was a slight improvement over untoasted matzoh in the final product, but matzoh brei is going to have that wonderful slightly rubbery slightly cardboardy texture no matter what. That's what makes it good. Once or twice a year.

Noticed the kale chips, passed, thank you. Had a yen for red licorice so I tried the TJ brand "Cast off the Licorice Lines" strawberry (essentially twizzlers) that boast no artificial anything. Actually they weren't bad at all and I'm ashamed to say how quickly the package disappeared. Good alternative to standard twizzlers, which really are 95% plastic. Not that these are exactly artisanal.

I had an old KA hand mixer (not talkin' immersion type) that lasted 15 or 20 years, but then I had to replace it. The new one was awful--blades were lose and tended to fall out. The last Cuisinart I bought was also terrible. Last year I got a Viking, which came with two sets of different blades, digital control and is on the heavy side. Very satisfactory. I think it cost a little more than the other standard hand mixers, but it was def under $100. I don't own a stand mixer, so I use it frequently.

Assuming you like matzoh brei--or at least the idea of it--what was feh about it, the toasting or the whole wheat?

I'm going to toast the living daylights out of my next matzoh brei.

For a seder I like plain, since I mainly eat it with haroset and horseradish which has enough flavor to make even the box taste good. But for matzoh brei I've always thought onion was a good choice. I would be hard pressed to want to pay for artisanal matzoh, if such a thing exists.

We will be driving up from Atlanta in early May, noodling around the hills, checking out Asheville, birding in Chimney Rock, then continuing north along the Blue Ridge P'way and possibly visiting a friend in Stokes County, near the Virginia border. We don't plan to go any further east than the Lexington/Winston-Salem area, then head back to Atlanta. If there is anything to add to the Asheville threads that would be great, but I expect to spend only one or maybe two nights in the Asheville area. Looking for great roadside BBQ and farm to table foods, down home, not super pricey and with no extra attitude, thanks. We will be two weeks in NY before that, and then several days in Atlanta, so we will already have blown a lot of money on sushi and overpriced food, splurges, etc. I'll be ready for grits and farm eggs and greasy wooden tables. As for Asheville proper, Early Girl has been recommended and it sounds like fun for breakfast or lunch. I guess we will be in Asheville for one dinner, but the rest of our plans are flexible. Also would really appreciate suggestions in the mountains or western parts generally for places to stay: old hotels, small modest b & b's, nothing too extravagant or frilly. If you know of any great farm stays, that might be interesting.You could pm me with that if you have suggestions. Thanks so much!

I just love Valrhona cocoa. I transfer it out of the box, so I can't doublecheck the fine print, but I don't believe it was dutched. None of my go-to recipes using cocoa (I don't do a whole lot of baking) call for dutched, so I don't even keep it around. Surely Valrhona makes both?

I make my own stocks and lots of various kinds of soups. When I make stock I pretty much assume that whatever nutrients from the veggies have pretty much transferred to the stock. Actually I like to eat the carrots that have been cooking for two hours with a little salt, but I toss celery, onion, whatever other stuff was used to flavor the stock. When I get to making soup, different story. Some veggies might cook for 5 min, some for closer to half an hour, depending upon what they are. I have to believe that I'm getting my vitamins and fibre somewhere in the combo of these veggies and the soup broth. Otherwise what's the alternative? A completely raw diet? Where's the fun in that? People who eat lots of veggies (mostly cooked) and modest amounts of protein along with a variety of fruits and carbs don't appear to be malnourished. No one has really answered your question, OP, but if all it took to destroy nutrients was a little heat, I would just as soon not hear about it.

Yes, cut into one and put your tongue on it. If that doesn't frighten you, take a little bite. No way to know how to cook with them unless you have a good idea of flavor and heat. I am surprised how often chiles I expect to be blistering hot are not. Depends on the seed and where it was grown.

One of the best meals ever, but that was more than 10 years ago.

With CEO's like the final voice from that conference with his "F-you" attitude toward consumers and his shameless and bottomless greed, getting America to eat healthier seems almost impossible. This article was the most depressing cynical thing I've read in a while. A shocking majority of Americans are addicted to high levels of salt and sugar and fat. Until fresh foods are as cheap as processed and every one has a decent market within walking distance and good health care is routinely provided to all who can't afford it; until warning labels appear on all fast foods and people have jobs with pay that affords them time enough to shop and cook (or learn to cook), then let's don't blame the victims. These addictions and so-called convenience foods didn't happen overnight. Kind of shocking, when you think about it, how much money has gone into research for so many years to determine the bliss level of foods that have nothing whatsoever redeemable about them. "Bliss level." Isn't that a killer? The manipulation involved is staggering. Who exactly doesn't want the 1% paying more taxes? Who exactly wants to further eliminate health benefits? So depressing.

Agree that Rockers Oysterfellers (yech what a bad name) is very good. I had excellent flash fried Dungeness crab there last weekend. Note that it isn't that close to Pt Reyes, and would take 45 minutes to drive there--you would have to go to Tomales, then take Dillon Beach Rd and then take Valley Ford. If you happen to be in Tomales, at the main intersection of Hway 1 and Dillon Beach Rd is the Tomales bakery, which has some good breads and pastries plus on the weekends is a wild scene with middle age bicyclists and slightly younger motorcyclists. Across the Hway, behind the general store is a relatively new hole in the wall, no tables, where you can get some home made sausage sandwiches and a small selection of specials to go. Very nice. I think it's called K & A.

The recipe I used called for boiling chunks of the potato, celeriac and kohlrabi separately, until soft enough to put through a ricer. The apple was cooked in a little butter and very little water to carmelize, also soft enough to mash or rice with the rest. One whole apple turned out to be a little sweeter than I liked, but a half would have been perfect. I could see eliminating the apple and it would still be great. Just plain mashed potatoes seem to need lots of butter and cream, but this had enough moisture and flavor to need very modest amounts of butter and creme fraiche, which is all to the good as far as my cholesterol is concerned.

Then there's the original geek, the Carnival Geek, the sideshow guy who specialized in the prep work for cooking a chicken.

Love this vegetable! I like it raw, just sliced paper thin and sprinkled with sea salt. Last week I came across a recipe for a root vegetable mash that turned out to be really delicious: it consisted of russet potatoes, kohlrabi, celery root and a very small amount of apple, all riced and blended. The recipe suggested adding some milk or cream, but I used some left over creme fraiche--just a wee bit--and butter and salt and it was awfully yummy, if you like that sort of thing. Adding a little softened goat cheese and garlic might be great too. But I also like it match-sticked and added to various kinds of slaws. And yes, I always see kohlrabi in chinatown, and have bought it several times there. I prefer smaller tenderer bulbs, and they are not always so easy to find; the ones I see in Oakland Chinatown are pretty hefty. The Chinese must stir fry kohlrabi, no? I like the idea of vichyssoise. I could see mixing it with potato and leek for that. Kohlrabi is pretty sweet on its own and doesn't have a lot of body when mashed.

Depending upon how you drive, if you go by Marshall Road from Tomales you can stop at Hog Island for oysters. You can eat them there on the deck or pack them to go. If you are in Berkeley on a Saturday morning you can buy same oysters at the Berkeley Farmers' Market (same deal, take away or have them open for you on the spot.) And you can also get them at the SF Ferry Building. I have never eaten at Osteria Stellino in Pt Reyes Station. There is of course the well worn and well known Station Cafe, just opposite from Stellino. Atmosphere hasn't changed in a million years. The food has never been great imo but it is an institution, and if the weather is warm and sunny, sitting in the back patio is pretty sweet. Excellent root beer float. Saltwater Oyster depot is on my list of to do's--it sounds great. That's in Inverness, I believe, just a short hop from Pt Reyes Station. A great day outing: go through Inverness and stop at Saltwater Oyster (or vice versa), continue on to Abbott's Lagoon parking lot. The walk is lovely, about a mile in to the lagoon and a little more to the ocean. Great for birding, usually lots of pelicans and assorted shore birds, also great for taking a picnic. Last time I was there I saw a coyote walking on the opposite shore of the lagoon.

First cup of Stella flip coffee using my new cast iron heat diffuser. Works great! I put in too much coffee, so it was awfully strong but I used fine grind and that seemed to work. There must be some effect from the steam going up through the grinds as the water heats that gives it a special aroma. Very nice. Typically we drink french press or just drip thru a gold filter and this is a fun change. You do have to flip with confidence, though. And it isn't just to avoid burning the coffee that it's important to wait a couple of minutes for the water to cool a bit before flipping. And btw Andie, I used my heat diffuser to cook a pot of beans yesterday. My stove is powerful and it is hard to get a very low, consistent simmer in a covered creuset pot; this little gadget helps a lot. Thanks for the idea!

If you are first steaming the clams until they open they are essentially done and tender. If they then get cooked further in the parchment packet don't they risk being overcooked?

Yes, as a result of changes in my health my diet has been adjusted in the last few years. Perhaps some of it is chemical, perhaps some of it is just old habits dying. Some things I have grown not to care about and am just as happy not eating: rich fatty meat is at the top of that list. Also cake and whipped cream. I don't even miss ice cream that much, but allow myself a taste once in a while. It's so good! I'm okay with more olive oil and way less butter. I eat more rice and potatoes and less wheat. Then there are the things I miss desperately and treat myself to on ocassion. That's some other thread.

Reading this thread I realize that my tastes have narrowed in the last few years and grown rather quirky. I still like all the food groups in general, although my desire for large hunks of meat continues to decline. I won't touch cooked liver or offal, but I will eat a little pate on a cracker. I don't much care for lamb or gamey meat. I can't abide brussels sprouts; in fact I can smell them even if I am just looking at a picture of them. I don't like broccoli or turnips. I do like cabbage and cauliflower, though, especially when cooked with tomato. I like all shellfish except scallops. I love (small) raw oysters but I'm not a fan of cooked oysters or oyster chowder. Generally I stay away from seafood with tentacles, although if baby calamari is fried well and served with a good dipping sauce I can enjoy it. I hate tapioca and I think bubble tea is especially creepy. I don't like thick squash soup or pumpkin pie and generally don't like anything that tastes like "pumpkin pie spices." I like bananas okay just plain, but I can't stand banana bread or banana desserts. I dislike macadamia and brazil nuts. I don't like swiss cheese or gouda. I'm sure there's more, but why go on? I USED to like most of these things.

Thanks, flame tamer it is! Perfect.

http://stovetopitaly...-Stella-226.htm Okay, this is what it looks like. I just came back from cleaning out my mother's apartment in NY and mailed home two of these very good-looking stainless steel pots. No, she wasn't Italian, but for a while she tried. I can't tell what the sizes are, but the bigger one has a diameter of 3 inches. My Viking stove has a ring of fire that is approximately 4.5-5 inches. Can this pot even be used on my stove? Does anyone know if there is some type of adapter that could be used? I see nothing in my Viking lit (!) that helps me. I'm dying to try out this upside-down method.

Yes, a bread pudding boiled to a fare the well inside a hollowed out loaf, using lamb fat instead of butter. Mmm, saffron and currents. Delish, I'm sure! Must needs be washed down wi' a pint.

Going through stuff in my mother's apartment and I came across her old copy of Ada Boni's Italian Regional Cooking. Really interesting! Don't believe I've ever seen it before. Love the murky colored plates showing barely identifiable food overshadowed by architectural wonders and stormy sea coasts. This book is a dissertation on the word "authentic:" If you can dig it up or grab it by the tail, make something yummy with it. Use whatever you can find in your little patch of the world and it will be distinctive. No food processors, no mixers, just pound and knead. But there's no map showing all the regions! Is this book still in print?