Katie Meadow

Which recipe is this one you mentioned? I am about to cook for a large group of men and this sounds interesting. Thanks, Kay The recipe is called One-Pan Sage and Onion Chicken and Sausage and is easily googled. I made a number of changes: obviously I didn't use a whole cut up chicken, I just bought attached leg-thigh pieces. I tried the sausage with it the first time I made it, but two things happened that I didn't like: the sausages leaked a ton of grease and they ended up tasting rather dry. I'm not a big sausage fan anyway, so I just leave them out and compensate by using a tad more olive oil in the marinade or a very modest splash of broth. Boiling potatoes cut in half and carrots cut in 3rds went in with everything else. The carrots were fantastic. The onions also are fabulous, so be generous with them in the marinade. Considering the lemony flavor of the dish, artichoke hearts might be good too, but I haven't tried that and it and it isn't exactly a frugal addition. I don't keep English mustard around, whatever that is, so I just used dijon. This dish is super easy and believe it or not the skin-side up chicken gets very crispy, as if dry roasted, since the liquid ingredients don't cover the top half. The fresh sage is dynamite. Tips: planning ahead is necessary, since this is best prepped with the marinade the night before (saving you time the next day!) and make sure you have bags that double-seal since the packages in your fridge will be very squidgy, as Nigella would say. I served it with white rice and a simple room temp beet salad on the side.

I catch my own lobsters. Well, no. When my husband was unemployed I started making a giant pot of beans once a week. Sometimes red beans and rice, sometimes southwestern style. The only pricey component is the ham shanks for the stock, but I make enough stock at one time to produce about five big pots of beans, so ultimately each serving of beans is pretty cheap. Now I'm a devotee. But the quality of the beans makes a big difference, so buying the cheapest beans doesn't always pay. I too am a big fan of using poached chicken in soups and rice salads, rather than just eating large hunks of it. But for a company dish, one of my most economical has been a Nigella Lawson baked dish for which I only use leg-thigh pieces. The dish is incredibly adaptable and you can bake all kinds of basic veggies along with the chicken, such as carrots, onions, potatoes. The marinade makes this dish distinctive and anyone who eats it will be a convert to dark meat, and that includes my husband.

Fage plain 7oz (what they consider single serving) low fat (2%) is 130 calories. I just checked the only one I have in the fridge. Not many more calories than the 8oz 0% that Steven mentions above. I'm surprised there's so little different between the low and the nonfat. It strikes me as weird that your containers are 8 oz and mine is 7oz. I only ever buy the 2% any more, so that's all I know.

You could try Rhea's Deli on Valencia. I've never been there but it's in a market with a variety of Asian food products and apparently they make a Korean sandwich that's very good. If you are hanging out in the Mission, you might brave the line at Tartine and see if they have some type of French style loaf that would work for you. And of course then you could get a croissant or the bread pudding, both of which are out of this world. I make Banh mi frequently. I'm pretty happy using Acme Rustic baguettes for mine; a bit crunchier than a traditional Viet roll, but really, one of the best baguettes in the Bay Area, I think.

Clearly without legislation most of us earthlings are not able to regulate our food sources so they are protected from extinction, free from mercury and other harmful chemicals, or sustainably fished or hunted. Good-bye Passenger Pigeon, true cod, Chilean Sea bass, Bluefin Tuna, etc, etc. I'm sure we can all name something we grew up eating and have a wonderful ritualistic feeling about that is either no longer available or unhealthy. If you are going to decimate the planet, that's what you get. Maybe when we were bringing down a skyful of passenger pigeons we didn't know any better. But we do now. Why is it okay for any given cultural habit not to be scrutinized and evaluated as to whether or not it's a practice harmful to the planet? Why should science and progress be trumped by traditional food practices that can only end badly anyway? As for sharks, the population is way way down, the practice of finning is cruel, causing the shark to die slowly as it sinks to the ocean floor, to say nothing of the fact that they are full of mercury anyway. And honestly, although there are not plenty of other fish in the sea, there are plenty of other nutritious soups. If a culture depends upon only one source of food for its livelihood, they better come up with a way to farm it. And if a cultural food practice is deemed necessary to maintaining the culture itself, well, maybe that culture needs to adapt. How much evidence do we need that adaptation to new circumstances is a positive thing? And of course the darker side isn't about the end of cultural traditions, it's about money. The value of shark fins or tiger penises or ivory just keeps going up the fewer sharks, tigers and elephants there are. There is certainly a generational component. My daughter and her friends have grown up in a different world than I did; they are by nature and nurture more ecologically savvy than we were at their age, or than many of us are now. Given the scientific advances in the last 30 years and the increased awareness of just how fragile our ecosystem is, wouldn't you hope so?

That sounds yummy, I'm on it. Just have to get some Aperol.

Okay, so I'm now the proud owner of a little bottle of Fee's rhubarb bitters. What to do with it? We are most likely to mix drinks using gin or rye. I'm thinking a rhubarb rye Manhattan would be nice. Actually I've sampled it straight and I can't say as I get much rhubarb flavor, more like cherry. Actually I'm starting to wish I had a hunk of freshly baked pumpernickel bread and a bowl of tart warm rhubarb. Any ideas for drinks using rhubarb bitters?

eje, thanks so much for the Ledger's tip. I never knew about it, but I've driven by it a zillion times. Incredibly sweet people. So, I bit--bought--the Bulleit. It's delicious! And price seems great, compared to Redemption. The Redemption is $27.99 and the Bulleit is $21.99 at Ledgers. BevMo is now selling Redemption for the same price, but other places sell it for more.

Chobani 2 percent yogurt seems to be an elusive product here as well. I only ever see the non-fat. So for now, I'm very happy with the 2 percent Fage. I think the whole milk Fage is a pretty convincing imposter when it comes to sour cream. Another interesting yogurt comes from Old Chatham Sheepherding Co, and that's probably easier to get for you on the east coast. Yes, it is sheep's milk, and I think the plain is delicious. Maple isn't bad, but I don't usually buy flavored yogurt. Old Chatham actually tastes like the yogurt I had in Greece--more than either Chobani or Fage does--so I suspect that what I had in Crete was a sheep's milk product.

Field trip to Ledger's scheduled for tomorrow, thanks! Blackhawk maybe not so convenient, but I'll try to remember next time I pass by that way.

I'll be visiting my mother in midtown in a couple of weeks and need to fortify myself since she's cranky these days. Where can I find a good selection of ryes (and decent prices) walking distance from 6th Ave and 57th St? The selection of ryes here in the east bay seems limited. I've finally located a source for Redemption, and I like that very much. To me it seems rather delicate (yes, apple-y) in flavor, and I like it for sipping. I've never seen any Rittenhouse here, but I would try it if I found some in NY. Any shopping tips?

If I turn my head 120 degrees I can see my ancient ceramic Dundee jar, filled with funky paint brushes. Just consider. Do you think it is possible that when we all first tasted this stuff, which, for those of us not born into a marmalade culture was new and exotic, it tasted a lot more bitter and grown-up than the same recipe would today?

I agree that puffins are bad, but Barbara's oat squares are quite good, and they keep their crunch.

Love this topic. I used to try and collect 5-ingredient recipes, but 3 is even better. One of my favorites: summer tomatoes, chopped and barely warmed and left to muddle in a bowl with salt and pepper, a pat of butter, eaten over hot freshly cooked pasta or basmatti rice.

You are not alone. My name is Katie Meadow and I'm a marmaholic. No jam, just marmalade. Every day. And it has to be bitter and fine-cut. I find a lot of commercial marmalades just cut up all the peel without taking off the pith, and that makes the marmalade cloudy and, well, pithy. And yes, most are far too sweet. When you find a commercially produced product that's good, let me know. There are a couple of people in the bay area who make good artisanal marmalade, but the price is, as you probably know, astronomical, especially if you go through an 8 oz jar in under three weeks like we do. That's why we started making our own. When sevilles become available late January through March we try to make enough to last the year. It's kind of a chore (I'm not a person who loves making preserves by any stretch), but after several years we've gotten our technique down and can produce five or six jars a session with a minimum of trauma. And we manage to make a few extra to give away. Good luck. I know what it's like to miss your marmalade.

Barbara's shredded wheat seems to age very well in the bowl. It isn't exactly a crisp factor, but even though it loses some of its bird's nest crunch its changes always seem positive if you know what I mean. Do I sound like a lunatic?

I'm very impressed. Last night for dinner we made banh mi. I roasted the pork a la Andrea, and made the pickled daikon-carrot mix, and wondered if I shouldn't learn how to make chicken liver pate instead of buying it ready made.

Thank you all for great suggestions. Finally I got around to this and for a first effort I thought it was great. I made the filling as simple as possible, and checked several recipes from various places for quantities. I ended up using 2 lbs of raw fresh spinach to 1.5 c feta. I used half an onion and 6 or 8 scallions, 2 cloves of garlic, a generous amount of dill, some parsley and 2 eggs and a little grated nutmeg. I used French feta, which is a bit less salty and a little more creamy than some other types, and no other cheese at all. A little pecorino might have been nice, since my feta was not that salty, but I didn't have any on hand. It made just the right amount for a 9x13 baking dish. One of my pet peeves about most spanakopita is that it is too greasy, so I took to heart the recommendation above to use 2 sheets of pastry at once, meaning that every other layer got a modest slick of olive oil. I can see how using salted butter instead of olive oil could be pretty good, so I might try that next time. My husband actually thought I should have used more oil; the filo sheets were so light and crispy they practically floated away. But I kind of liked that. I'm very very glad that I cut through the top layers of pastry before baking. I can see how not doing so would result in much frustration at the table.

Not exactly a secret, but the midtown Halal wagon on the southwest corner of 6th Ave and 53rd St is as reliable as its long line. But at least they are fast. Maybe there's some kind of addictive substance in the white and red sauces (I always ask for both.) There's another wagon in the same vein at 6th and 55th, also good, but not quite as satisfying. I guess I just like standing on line. Whenever I visit my mom in NY--she lives right there--I always get the chicken and rice plate for an easy lunch or dinner. I find the lamb is (reliably, too) rather tough, so I avoid it. The portion is very generous, the red sauce very hot.

Not just you.

I'm partial to the white stone ground grits from Hoppin' Johns, which are easily ordered on line. I've never tried Anson Mills, bu maybe I will. I start my grits in water, but add whole milk at two different junctures. No idea where that recipe came from. Sometimes I add cheese to finish, sometimes not. Depending on what's in the fridge, or my mood, I might add sharp cheddar, or creme fraiche, or even a mild goat cheese. Actually I prefer my shrimp 'n' grits without extra cheese. Grits topped with some kind of salsa are yummy, especially a spicy fresh tomato salsa, so that's an essential for me, with or without cheese, with or without shrimp. And then the shrimp. I've done the shrimp numerous ways: a quick pan-fry or something I clipped from I don't know where called Southern Barbecue Shrimp. You preheat the broiler and cover a sheet pan with foil. Then mix melted butter, worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon or so of golden sugar, fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of Old Bay or other seafood seasoning and toss the shrimp to coat. Arrange them on the sheet and broil, turning them over at half-time; only takes a couple of minutes per side. Using Old Bay and worcestershire doesn't seem very southern, but so it goes. So, I plate the grits, top with salsa and then top that with shrimp. I drizzle on any extra shrimp sauce from the bowl or the foil and that's my shrimp 'n' grits. As for a substitute for grits, well, couldn't you use a coarse-ground polenta? Actually I've stopped using polenta altogether, and if I'm cooking Italian I just make grits instead and tell everyone it's polenta. Edited to add some prices: I just looked at the three on-line sources mentioned. Anson Mills sells 12 oz. of grits for $5.95. Hoppin Johns sells 2 lbs grits for $7.50. Oakview Farms seems to have a great deal: 2 lbs for $5.25. I didn't price shipping.

What about par-boiling or pre-cooking the potatoes? My Dad used to mince the potato into teensy perfect dice, smaller than 1/4 inch, and I don't recall him par-boiling, but the only time I ever tried making hash I partially cooked Yukon Golds. So if you use raw, when do you add them? When the onions just start to get golden?

When I am short on time and last minute inspiration and need a salad for an Asian style meal I do this: slice cucumber very thin. Salt and drain to crisp if you want. Make a dressing of lime juice, thai fish sauce, pinch of sugar. Add chili oil or red pepper flakes to taste. Adding a squeeze of ginger juice might be nice, and a flurry of cilantro. Top with chopped roasted peanuts.

The older I get the simpler I want my dressing. Assuming we are talking about a basic mix of green lettuces, I have taken to using good Italian white wine vinegar. I make an emulsion with a little dijon mustard and olive oil. I don't measure, but my preference is for more olive oil than the standard 3:1 that my mother always used. I like to taste the olive oil, and have the salad not too acidic. I add salt and pepper after a brief toss with the dressing, and toss some more. I sometimes use a small amount of balsamic if I want that flavor. For a fruity salad I would add more balsamic. I also make a lot of warm rice salads when I have leftover chicken or ham or whatever, and for some reason I like to use sherry wine vinegar for that. For avocados or sliced raw fennel I like just lemon and oil, no vinegar, no dijon. I just emulsify briefly, with a fork, can't be bothered shaking in a jar. And I only make enough for one salad. I have no idea why, but I don't like keeping dressing in the fridge. Maybe because sometimes it just doesn't get used and becomes a jar of something icky that I have to deal with.

Mostly maintaining the cut-backs I made two years ago. More home-baked bread. Home-made marmalade exclusively, no store-bought or farmers' market jams. Bulk olive oil only. Less meat, more chicken. More ways to eat chicken IN things instead of chicken as the main event, such as in soups or rice salads or burritos. More big pots of soup, more beans & rice. More potatoes of all kinds, and more creative ways to cook them. Less pricey cheese, and less cheese period. Way fewer olives. Sandwiches for dinner sometimes: tuna melts, banh mi (learned how to make a pretty good one from Andrea's book!) Blt's in summer. Fewer packaged snacks, more stove-popped popcorn. Lots of different recipes for coleslaw. Rye instead of single malt scotch (not a hardship, I'm into it, but it does seem less of a budget-buster.) No to-go coffee, only home-brewed. No more cooking magazines; using the library and more internet sources for new recipes and ideas. Cookbooks have to be gifts (and not from myself to myself!)