Katie Meadow

I have checked this thread and can't find discussion re two latke questions I have, so forgive me if the answers are somewhere else.... 1) I have always used russets for my latkes, but I recently subbed yukon golds for russets when making mashed potatoes and liked the result. Does anyone prefer yukon golds for latkes? 2) Assuming a basic technique of grating the potatoes and using them raw, some recipes specify putting the grated taters in an ice bath. The reasons, I am guessing could be multiple: keeps them from turning brown, crisps them up, and also causes the starch to settle in a clump at the bottom. I have seen recipes that said to toss out that starch. Plenty of other recipes don't address the issue of an ice bath at all and don't make any mention of not wanting the starch. I have done it both ways and naturally I can't really remember year to year whether I liked one method better or not. Anyone have an opinion about this? (Of course you do!)

Dave, fyi there are many used copies of this book listed with Bookfinder.com if you should burn through your supply. It is an excellent source for books, including hard-to-find ones. Thanks, I will take a look at all the above suggestions. Many of the dishes pictured on this thread look fabulous--you are all amazing. I'm overdue for a break from my Italian phase (Siddown, Mario!) I don't know if I will ever get to the point where I am compelled to take pix of my food, but you never know.

Hi all, your food is inspiring. I have made my own somewhat unorthodox pho for several years now using oxtails for the stock along with lemongrass etc, but haven't attempted other dishes. I notice much mention here of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. Would that be a good book to start with? Any other books you like? P.S. Ce'nedra, what is it about Pho you find unhealthy? I skim off all the fat from my stock before I make my soup so it's clean and greasless. Is it something you add later?

Yes, sweet stuff too, absolutely. I know a couple who adore France, travel there once a year, love wine, wax poetic about the memorable meals and who are even thinking about buying property there for retirement. Would you predict the wife drinks a can of coke every day for breakfast? She does, along with many other Americans. Then all afternoon she nibbles at her desk from a box of cheez-its. Must be a balance thing.

I love the dairy vs. no dairy controversy! Everyone has a strong opinion about it, including, of course, me. I've never seen any empirical evidence either but I'm very strongly in the "no dairy" camp when feeding sick people. Even if it doesn't actually increase mucous it does coat the throat with bacterial inducing agents. At least that's my theory--based, naturally, on my extensive knowledge of nothing. When reason fails we fall back on this: it's just plain wrong. My husband poo-poos me, my daughter agrees with me, so that 2 out of 3 right there. Another vote for Pho! With a slice or two of jalapeno and a generous squeeze of lime it's my number one sick food. The poached chicken idea sounds yummy too.

What's healthy is clearly based on any given person's needs at the time, and everyone has a different approach; there are almost as many food issues in this country as there are people. For some it's fat, for others it's calories or sugar and for some it's additives and chemicals. I prefer to simply eliminate certain dishes instead of substituting ingredients to make them healthier; most things that really depend on the flavor of butter just don't translate when you try to use a something else. It would just be awful to make Indian food with olive oil. Mashed potatoes, on the other hand, can be pretty good when made with garlicky oil. The things I need to stay away from (cholesterol delivery systems like butter, cheese, eggs and animal fat) I use sparingly and think of as special treats. Turkey bacon just doesn't do it for me, so I indulge in real bacon just a few times a year in the summer when tomatoes are peaking and a BLT is calling my name. I'll never say never about any food, since that would be so sad! If I have guests and a cheese app seems appropriate I buy my most favorite gooey wonderful cheese and indulge. No leftovers to tempt me--at least not with friends like mine. My solution has been to get into cuisines that use olive oil bigtime, or Japanese and Vietnamese foods which don't rely on dairy. So when I indulge I don't feel bad. I've always been mystified by vegetarians who make tofu burgers or "turkey." There are so many great Asian tofu dishes to be made. Is it a nostalgia thing? Do you miss the burgers of your youth? How could half and half possibly be fat free? How can they even call it half and half? What's in it? It sounds like a hoax.

Geez, why would you want to cook something even you wouldn't eat just because your guests have unsophisticated tastebuds? You may not convert them, but I think most people who eat poorly are usually glad just to be fed. I wouldn't go out and buy esoteric wines or expensive ingredients that are likely to be lost on them, but I would make really nice simple food--even it it's just a perfect grilled burger with lots of fixin's--and at least try to please them. That doesn't take much more energy than making crummy food in the end. Best home-made mac 'n' cheese covers a multitude of sinful eaters, and the worst that can happen is that you have good leftovers. You could even end up being surprised by their appreciation or a change of heart. And wouldn't you rather cook for them than have them cook for you?

What a great forum for spouting off about chefs, even if we know next to nothing about them! I don't have cable or food channel but I have plenty of opinions and plenty of time since I fractured my elbow, have restricted driving capability, can't open most jars and can slice and dice only soft vegetables or television personalities. So here goes (only the living): Lidia: top o' the heap, queen bee, wish she was my mother. How does she keep from splattering and dribbling on those silk blouses? Pepin: what's not to like, especially since Claudine has retired or gotten a job on her home planet or whatever. And I love his life-long friend too, whatever his name is. Also it's sweet that he keeps that little stuffed cat around. Bourdain: only seen him a coupla times but yes, he's reckless and he's hot. Points off for smoking, though; I'd never kiss him. It's hard to say which will happen first, getting poisoned or being hooked up to an oxygen tank. Bayless: he's very strange, isn't he? Sort of compelling and a little weird at the same time, but I like the way he swoons over one little oyster. His food is appealing and he would be fun to eat with on the playa. Major points for elevating the food instead of himself. Chiarello: smarmy, arrogant and sexist. Flay: maybe not so smarmy, but he seems awfully taken with his own cuteness. I'm indebted to him for his "cowboy steaks" recipe, though. Batali: never seen him on tv, but I think I might like him. He must have a sense of humor about himself, or he wouldn't wear shorts and orange plastic footware. I cook a lot from Molto Italiano. Is he really going tete a tete with Gwyneth? Now that's bizarre. Nigella: my husband finds her awesome and pays no attention to what she cooks. I am not wild about her recipes, but she actually comes across as rather straightforward--or at least she used to. Jaimie O: he looks and acts like he's 14--not that that's necessarily a bad thing, of course, but he seems to be getting sillier now that he's on all the talk shows. Hard not to like him, though. Endearing, infectious enthusiasm. Daisy: not very many fans here? She seriously loves her own cooking in a nice way and her food is homey and not at all fussy. I'm sure I would like whatever she cooked, but I probably wouldn't cook it myself. Giada: never seen her except a photo. She smiles and wears tight sweaters. Can she cook? Rachel: well of COURSE I'm saving her for last. I've only watched her a couple of times but she is definitely the most irritating person on tv. I cringe when she says the Eword. As far as I can tell she usually makes variations on sloppy joes, the main ingredients of all her dishes being ground chuck, lots of cheese and prepared sauces because "I know you're as busy as I am." Quick, where's the remote?

Ah, restaurant oversalting has become my personal misery, but I save a lot of money by not eating out much. Seems to me the American palate is used to a very high level of salt, partly due to reliance on processed food. I like salt, but I have had to cut back on it in the last few years, routinely undersalting everything I make--if you go by recipe specs--for health reasons. As a result, going to a restaurant can be like a visit to a salt lick. The ability to build or lose a tolerance for salt (sugar and hot pepper too) has to be pretty basic. However, I have been to pricey places lately where the food was so salty it was inedible, and it wasn't only me who thought so. I thought salt was supposed to enhance and deepen flavor, not become the dominant character (except maybe on a salt bagel.) Perhaps many eGers who cook at home more often than they eat out are also people who use lots of fresh flavorful ingredients and have naturally cut back on salt because the food doesn't demand so much. Just a few crystals of good seasalt is all a great tomato needs. Is it us or is it the chefs? Perhaps a bit of both. In Provence and Venice this fall I found the food less salty generally than it is here. Interestingly, there was less salt in Venice than in France and the food was by no means bland; maybe they let the seafood speak for itself. I also think certain cuisines tend to be saltier, altho I wonder if they are only saltier in this country. I can no longer eat Chinese out--it's far too oily and salty. The upside is I learned to make really good potstickers! Vietnamese food on the other hand is often not so salty. Japanese restaurants work well too, especially sushi, since the soy is on the side and I just don't dip. Smoking? I don't see how it could NOT affect your tastebuds. It affects mine even when the smoker is ten tables away at an outdoor cafe. The one unpleasant aspect of dining al fresco in Provence. Why are the French still puffing away? Okay, another topic, another time.

Wow, topic has rambled! There's some good info on the subject of tangerines, mandarins, etc on the thread called "Is there a general term for little oranges?" Thanks for all suggestions. Dougal, the downsizer recipes look amazingly thorough.

In eliminating cream from blended vegetable soups I've discovered that the stronger more intense the vegetable the less need for cream or dairy. Soups that are made with very delicate flavored veggies, for instance potato-leek, seem to suffer most from no cream. A sorrel or spinach-sorrel combo is potent, and if made using a chicken stock needs no more than one or two potatoes to give it a velvety smooth consistency after blending. The more flavorful the greens the less the potato changes the flavor and simply functions to enhance the texture. Throw on some toasted garlic crouts or a swish of creme fraiche and it's yummy. Works great using olive oil, no butter. Tomato soup works really well too without the "cream of" by roasting the tomatoes to boost the flavor. I do it with canned Italian tomatoes in the winter and use chicken stock (flavor of the tomatoes is so strong canned stock seems fine). All the tomato juices from the can are used and solids get pressed out at the very end.

I got a teapot for a gift two years ago that solved the bitterness or oversteeping problem. It is ceramic (nice Japanese look too, but on the heavy side like Heath ware) with a wire mesh strainer/basket that sits in the rim below the lid. The basket extends down about half-way or a little more into the pot, so when about half the tea has been drunk the water is no longer in contact with the leaves; it stays hot without getting stronger. This allows for a good second steeping, as well and it is easy to dump the leaves. Doubtless this is not an uncommon teapot design, but it seems like a smart one. I'm so protective of this teapot I won't let anyone else in the house wash it. My husband is an enthusiastic dish washer--sometimes too enthusiastic!

I'm bumping up this thread because I have two marmalade needs and because a lot of posters here are from the UK and might be able to help w/names of mail order sources. 1) I'm working up to making my own marmalade and could use suggestions for recipes. Seville oranges are not very available to me here in Northern California. I deeply love a traditional tangy/bitter orange marmalade, but I like lime too and have also tasted a lemon-lime that I liked very much. (It was a farmers market item and apparently I was the only enthusiast, so that particular marmalade has gone the way of all the other things on the planet that have small fan clubs.) 2) As a back-up I would like to find good options for purchased marmalades. Some brands mentioned upthread I have tasted, some I will try, but maybe if I qualify what I like it would be helpful: I like thin cut not thick. I don't like it sweet; I prefer tangy/bitter, or maybe even a little burnt tasing. I prefer marmalade that is runny and clear, not thick and cloudy. Perhaps some of these qualities are mutually exclusive--dunno. So, if anyone has ideas for either recipes, brands or mail order sources I would love to hear about it. Thanks!

Even if the breast meat is moist on Thursday night, 12 hours in the fridge can dry it out. But hey, no reason to waste it. I like one ritual turkey sandwich the next day: fresh chewy bread, lots of mayo, lettuce and tomato and pepperoncini. Take it for a hike along with left-over pecan pie; after a couple of hours wrapped in foil the sandwich knits itself together, the meat has picked itself up out of the doldrums and it becomes a once-in-a-year treat. If it's raining and you have to stay indoors add a little bacon and make a turkey club. Put some cute toothpicks in it! And if you didn't have a left-over turkey, how could you pick out the remains of the stuffing that's hiding next to the leg or way in the back? Cold or warmed with left-over gravy...not too shabby. No one has ever claimed that left-over turkey was heaven on earth, but if you really are sick of it or it's just too dry after a night in the fridge it's easily tossed into the soup pot along with the carcass, no? Truthfully I'm ho-hum about turkey. My husband and I make a very good turkey after about 20 years or practice, but it isn't the turkey that inspires me--what I'm really after is the carcass. Luckily my husband and his mother carve off and covet the meat; I 'm thrilled they want it, since every slice gets me a little closer to the bone. Saturday night I make stock. Sunday night I make turkey soup. Nothing tastes quite like it. Fabulous.

eG is truly amazing. I think of squirrels as enemies and have put a great deal of time into figuring out how to thwart their interest in my bird feeders and my bird nesting boxes. At one point I was so beside myself I thought of getting a small gun or a bazooka to end their happy lives, but I never once considered eating them. No more would I eat a rat or a cockroach. I even found it disgusting that tourists wanted to stand in the middle of San Marco with 30 pigeons crawling on their heads and arms, which isn't really related much to my point. It was my understanding--gleaned from a hysterical and awe-inspiring article in the New Yorker many years ago--that among those who do hunt and eat squirrel, the best part is the brain. I know that a lot of consideration is given to the best way to bang the squirrel's head against a rock. I wish I had that article now, since I can't quite remember whether the idea there was to deliver the final blow without over-scrambling the brain or to crack open the head enough to suck it out on the spot. Bon appetit!

I will describe the madeleine of my childhood. I can't remember what they were called and I haven't seen them for a million years. I grew up on the East Coast but haven't lived there for 40 years. My mother would buy these almost every week during the 50's and perhaps the early 6O's. What were they called and do they still exist? Here goes: They came in a large flat grid, and were easily broken apart into separate cookies like large tiles--maybe square, maybe rectangular, I'm not sure. The "grout" line was relatively wide and easy to break. The cookie was a very simple, waferish thing with a taste maybe resembling an ice-cream cone (not a sugar cone, the other kind.) There was a smooth peanut butter filling inside. The filled cookie was no more than a half inch thick, uniformly smooth and level on both sides. I believe they were sold in a plastic wrapper, not a box. I don't remember ever seeing this cookie with any variations--i.e. no choc coating, no crunchy style, no nuthin' but perfectly basic. And basically perfect. I would not be at all surprised to find they don't taste as good as I remember, but it's driving me nuts that I can't name them.

Last night I made Devil's Chicken and it was a major hit with my husband and daughter. Having a kid who survives on dorm food and caffeinated drinks is a sure way to get appreciated for a nice home-cooked meal. I confess that I cut the amount of pepper in the mustard slather by a lot, but made up for it with liberal used of the hot oil later. I also used a big chicken--5 lbs--and tented it for the first half hour, adding as well a little chicken broth to the roasting pan at the beginning. I ended up with lots of yummy sauce. The chicken was juicy and perfect and the dish was as pretty as the pictures. The caponata with tuna looks delicious, Tupac. But tell me, what do you think I should do with the six gallons of hot oil left over?

Despite some wildly divergent opinions here I'm getting a sense of how important veal stock is to me personally--a cook of modest skills and even more modest ambition. I don't make sauces ordinarily; I do make lots of soups for which I make my own stocks: chicken, beef and combinations thereof with various types of bones. Whenever I buy veal knuckle bones I split them with my dog; she gets one and I throw one into the pot for no good reason, actually, except that one more bone can't hurt. It sounds like making a stock with veal bones results in something most useful as a texture additive for sauces without imparting too strong of a beefy flavor. So, this has definitely been a useful read for me. I am completely unqualified to comment on either the book or the virtues of veal stock. Did I detect some ruffled feathers? Let me suggest we all hoist a few Dirty Bulls as featured in today's NYT style section. This strange cocktail could just as easily be called the Laughing Calf and yes, I did laugh. Veal stock and enough salt to curdle your cud--in a martini? I would be more inclined to dump mine in the soup pot. Cheers!

I'm sure Margo's husband isn't loud. If he was squawking and complaining the whole time she would return him. I have a 10-yr old Kitchenaid which is not terribly quiet, doesn't clean the dishes very well, and has a shallow upper shelf that does a poor job of securing wineglasses. I'm just being patient and waiting for it to completely busticate. If I were shopping for a new dishwasher now I would take a wineglass with me and see how it fits for depth and snugness.

One more vote for Bombay (not Sapphire) when it comes to a basic martini that doesn't break the bank. I don't find it "masculine." I think of Junipero and Tanqueray as masculine and too overpowering for a martini. I also like a gin no one has mentioned and indeed doesn't seem widely available, and that's a London gin called Juniper Green. It happens to be organic, for what that's worth. It's delicate and very nice for a martini. For gin & tonics perhaps a bolder gin is better? I haven't found one I really like. We've used Tanqueray but it's kinda klutzy I think. I haven't tried Plymouth or Hendricks; anyone able to describe them?

I've taken to adding chocolate to any pot of chile with a red chile base. I suppose that's a cousin to mole, although the result is not identifiably chocolate-y as it is with mole. I don't think most people would ever guess, but it definitely does a subtle thing. Works great with black beans. (I also add a short cup of strong black coffee to same; for some reason that's especially good in chile that has pork instead of beef.) When I add chocolate I use unsweetened cocoa, mix it to a slurry with a little water and just enough sugar to make it interesting but not very sweet. Green & Black's organic cocoa is my current favorite. I also added a small amount to braised short ribs that had tomatoes in the sauce, but I was very timid about it and I couldn't even tell if it made a difference. I considered adding a little bit to a roasted tomato soup but then lost my nerve. That might work really well if you have some kind of spicy garnish on the soup, like maybe floating toasts with smudge of harissa aioli on them? But there it is again-- the chocolate/chile connection. It's hard to imagine what in the savory world besides tomatoes has a natural affinity for chocolate, but if you look at the Nutella threads people combine that with all kinds of wacky stuff. I like Nutella with salted peanut butter, so there must be a whole world out there that capitalizes on the chocolate/salt relationship; it's just ready to stick its leg out and trip the salted caramels.

Can anyone clarify some definitions? What exactly is a demi-glace? Google/Wiki has some contradictory info. Some sources say a demi-glace is a reduction of combined beef and veal stock. Others imply that it is a blend of veal stock and brown sauce. As step #1 of our thanksgiving gravy, my husband and I have always made a brown sauce using an old James Beard recipe which specifies as an ingredient beef bouillon. What exactly is bouillon? Is it basically a reduction of beef stock? Would any intense stock be an equivalent? Last year, in an attempt to get away from any canned and over-salted products we subbed some flavorful beef stock we had frozen earlier. It was fine, but I am thinking that a rich or reduced veal stock might be even better (not that I plan on making it myself.) What do you think?

Scallops and banana bread. Those are the only things I can think of that are generally considered appealing that I really don't like. All other bivalves: bring 'em on. I love raw oysters but I don't much care for them cooked as in chowder. Also I am not fond of really rare lamb, as in leg of, but a small med-rare grilled lamb chop I can get into. I don't like liver, brussels sprouts, or pastis, but generally those are not considered things you are "supposed to like" so I don't think they qualify (well, okay, I know I'm gonna catch a lot of grief about the pastis.) I also don't think crummy junk food or most fast food qualifies either. That isn't a category or a food--typically it's just cheap ingredients poorly prepared. Two treats from my childhood that were rare and coveted: caviar and bone marrow. I love them both; caviar with vodka and bone marrow with salt on fresh rye bread. Oh, not to be wet blanket, but honestly it would be prudent and polite not to compare foods you don't like to something clearly disgusting and negative. Keep it to yourself! Play nice.

Dunno! The texture was fine, they were cooked to the right degree of doneness--knife-tender as you say--and the dish looked lovely in the serving bowl. As far as I know I followed the direx closely, didn't make any gross errors or omissions. I cook with fresh chokes a lot, all seasons, and sometimes they are more flavorful than other times, but I've never had a "bad batch" so I doubt the vegetable was at fault. This method of cooking just didn't seem to bring out the best in artichoke flavor. Maybe it just isn't a good recipe? No one (except of course my husband after the guests were gone) said a critical word about them, but no one said anything good either, and there was some leftover--never a good sign when it comes to a small veg side-dish. I choked those down (aww) the next day out of principle. It was simply... underwhelming. You make it and lemme know what you think.

That chicken is inspiring. My kid comes home from college this weekend and perhaps I will make it! I am relatively new to eG and was pleased to see this thread, since I am very fond of this book. I have no other Mario cookbooks; I've looked at them but Molto Italiano appeals in its simplicity. I've made many of the recipes and so far only one has been a failure. Currently I am completely enamored of that simple little clementine dessert w/balsamic and pepper. I have citrus cravings in the afternoon and this is just perfect. Kevin, about problematic: has anyone made the radicchio pancakes? There's a wacky mistake in the recipe. Maybe he has a lazy editor. The ingredients list calls for 4 tbsps unsalted butter. In the direx there isn't a single mention of this butter. That's fine with me, since I try to avoid butter, but what would it be for? I ignore it and they are wonderful, with or without the ricotta salata. I usually have radicchio and eggs around, so this is a perfect emergency meal. I have made the mostarda several times and served it as an app w/the suggested coppa, always to rave reviews. Recently I served a splurge dinner of the veal shanks and it was really easy (albeit absurdly expensive) and really excellent. I find his simple tomato sauce with thyme incredibly versatile. I keep it frozen and use it for all kinds of stuff--like the cauliflower soup and the shanks, but also for my own lasagne and eggplant parm. The failure, by the way, was the Artichokes Roman Style. It was labor intensive and no one liked it. Could have been lousy artichokes, but I don't think so. Maybe I like artichokes better when sauteed til crispy instead of simmered as these are done. I like his tomato sauce on pasta topped with crispy artichoke hearts.