Katie Meadow

My desire for a simple hot dog grips me about twice a year. In other words, I don't eat a lot of hot dogs. My standard is one particular truck that parks on Central Park West near the Museum of Natural History, so that's kind of obscure and I don't know if the dog has anything to do with it or just the fact that he has a great topping. The dogs do seem to be grilled. I've tasted the NYT winner Wellshire Farms. Indeed it is juicy and the texture is pretty good. However, it is so salty it would choke a Central Park horse. I guess one could check the salt content compared to the other favored dogs, but after eating an average hot dog I'm ready to move on and not think about a hot dog for another six months. And why not grill a hot dog if you have a gas grill? It heats up very fast and you don't end up with a pan to wash. Of course maybe you really have a thing for a dirty water dog.

I don't remember any "Christmas" option. Maybe it is more popular now than back then? I lived mostly in Albuquerque, with occasional time in Santa Fe and Taos. Not saying Christmas chile didn't exist! Since 1974 my trips back to NM have been brief, way too brief. I miss it. One of my closest friends was from a multi-generational Taos family and much of what I learned was from her father, who was a great cook. At her family's house you could always count on a pot of long simmered posole and an addictive bowl or red chile, which could be added to the posole to taste. The rest I gleaned from eating at various tried and true dives and cafes over a period of six or seven years. Not an expert, but I ate a lot of New Mexican food.

Okay, I have a question, or really a thought. I lived in New Mexico during the late sixties and early seventies. If memory serves, mixing red and green chile was not common. You got a bowl of red or a bowl of green. You had enchiladas verde or enchiladas rojas. For chile dishes using red chile you used dried red chiles, rehydrated them and made a slurry that could be added to taste or used in a sauce. Or you used dried red chile powders instead. For dishes verde you used fresh green chiles that were roasted, peeled and chopped. Sometimes a sauce was made using tomatillos with green chiles, as in a typical green enchilada sauce. Not one to object to experimentation or necessity or just using whatever is on hand, I get that flexibility is a good thing. However, out of habit I tend not to use green chiles in a cooked red chile/tomato based sauce. The flavors are very different. Perhaps my feelings about chile are simply regional. I suspect that Texas-style, which I really don't know much about, don't follow those formulas. Of course my concept of anything Texan is often hazy. I have this idea that in Texas they just throw chopped fresh jalapeños into everything. Of course if you are making squirrel stew I can't see how a can of Ro-tel and some jalapeños could possibly be a bad thing. (Apologies to Homesick Texan--I am devoted to your recipes for escabeche and queso!) I do love fresh tomatoes and fresh green chiles together, such as in the basic summer salsa that mixes roasted green chiles, diced tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and garlic. But when it comes to cooked sauces or pots of chile/chili I tend to keep them apart.

@andiesenji's beaters beat all. They are lovely. Andie, I have it in the fog of my memory you are a Hobart girl. That company invented the very first stand mixer in 1908. The first electric hand mixer was invented in 1922, but didn't become practical until Kitchen-Aid produced the bullet-shaped light weight prototype we use today. Not that anyone asked, but if you are going to talk about egg-beaters these are important facts bearing on the question of why Zyliss thinks this new style old-style object will be a big seller for them. My millennial nephew and millennial daughter would not be the target audience; they have the electric beaters their parents gave them when said parents upgraded. Top versus side handled: I have a very vague memory of the side handled version, but as a lefty I can't quite see what the problem would be...am I missing something? But of course us lefties are a clever and adaptable bunch.The gears on the top-handled ones work both directions, why not the side ones? I know I had a top-handled version when I moved into my first apartment during my college years, but that was fifty years ago. The hand mixer was the first appliance I bought for myself. Out of sentiment I held onto that egg-beater my mother gave me for about two days. Almost everything a person would have used an egg-beater for I use an electric hand mixer. Or, for appropriate short tasks, one of several whisks I have accumulated. Again, what am I missing here? For what reason would anyone go out and buy an egg-beater unless they live in a cabin without electricity? If my house loses power due to a hurricane, I won't need an egg-beater; I'll be in one. If I lose power due to an earthquake I may have a lot of broken eggs on my hands, but "Where's my husband?" will probably be closer to the top of my list of questions than, "Where's my whisk?" I'll need his stamina and optimism to whisk all those eggs. But back to the left-handed issue and the electric hand mixer, neither of which are actually the topic of this thread. The side-cord is always meant for right-handed people, and it isn't easy to find a mixer that has a back cord or a rotating cord. Just saying. OMG it's time to get a grip and get out of bed and eat some toast.Time's a wastin'. I think I'll light a fire in the grate and dig out my brass toasting fork. Then I'm going to take my old British toast rack, which is the greatest invention of all time for making sure that your toast is stone cold on the journey from the fire to the table.

To clarify: It was always called Williams BBQ, but it was no more Southern than Zabars, a few blocks down on Broadway.They never had any pretensions, nor did any of us upper west-side New Yorkers ever confuse what they made with traditional BBQ meats. It was a one-of-a-kind Jewish/Eastern European roast chicken / rotisserie take-out hole in the wall. It was a very long time ago. No spare-ribs, no Texas brisket, no smoke, no hot sauce. But renowned? Yep.

Hot topic! I used to be a member of the SF Mycological Society. So fun bringing home a basket of wild mushrooms. Lots of chanterelles close by in the east bay hills. The black ones were extra special. Morels less easy to come by. My enthusiasm waned somewhat when I become super sensitive to poison oak, which seems to grow everywhere Chanterelles do. Gets you out into the woods in lousy weather, that's for sure. Lately I have been enamored of Shitakes. Recently I made Vivian Howard's Crispy Rice w/Leeks and Shitakes. I typically use cremini's for the following: David Lebovitz's recipe for Farro with Mushrooms and Bacon. Save leftovers for breakfast and top it with an egg (I know you people are legion!) Mushrooms and eggs always seems like a good idea. As a kid I loved mushroom omelettes. Mushroom and barley--- soup or casseroles. I grew up a few blocks from the renown Williams BBQ on the upper west side of NY (sadly, it is no more) and they made the most outstanding mushroom barley casserole; I'm guessing it had chicken broth and chicken fat it. It was my family's first line of defense for take-out, along with their roasted chickens. I've tried for many years to duplicate that casserole. Always good, but never quite the same. Maybe something about the way they cooked their barley or the kind of barley they used. And unexpectedly addictive: Rick Bayless' Mushroom and Corn Quesadillas, which I think I adapted liberally, but you get the idea. Fresh sweet corn is a must, though, and it's even better with home-made corn tortillas. Out-of-the-park knockout if you saute the corn and the mushrooms in duck fat. This seems like a slam-dunk when you think about that yummy fungus that grows on corn. Not even gonna try to spell it just now, but I can hear that wonderful word in my head. @IowaDee that long underwear story is the stuff of legend. He must have been pretty chilly for a few minutes.

Anything tastes bad after 100 years. What they're selling now are the ones that never sold after the original batch in 1917.

I find that Chipotle Chile powder works well if I don't have a little can. And since I end up throwing out 97 percent of every can I open it makes more sense. If I need extra smokiness I might add just a touch of smoked paprika when using the Chipotle powder but only a touch, so as not to interfere with the flavor of the Chipotle. As for hot sauce I don't typically add it to chile/ chili but I am now a convert to Crystal for a variety of other things. I went on a field trip to Smart & Final with my husband, who buys all his King Arthur flours there and they sell it, so I tried it. Love the vinegar style of hot sauce, but some I've tried are too hot. Crystal is relatively mild (I like that, too) and with only three ingredients the flavor is very pure.

One thing remains clear about Halloween candy: the goal for those stocking up for the big night is to buy candy that is cheap and cheaper. Which bags of candy provide the most bulk for the least money? Is there any wonder almost all of it is bad? After having given out candy for a zillion year and having a child who gathered it eagerly there is one thing I learned: kids, with some exceptions of course, like most of us, want chocolate and value those mini Baby Ruth,, Butterfingers, Mars Bars, Reese PB cups, etc. above and beyond most candies. They love volume, and they appreciate the CONCEPT of a mountain of candy, but they are no more enamored of candy corn, lifesavers, etc or most of the worst candies mentioned above than we are. In other words, whatever stuff you covet for yourself when your kids display their haul is the stuff you should be buying if you want to make anyone happy. Unfortunately many of us try to buy awful candy not only because it is cheaper, mainly because we know we are less likely to eat it up ourselves before the 31st. That's why I never buy m&m's. It's the only mini-packaged candy I actually like. No one in their right mind gives apples or boxes of raisins or home-made anything. Those days are long gone. All candy needs to be commercially wrapped in safe packaging to save parents the extra anxiety. Sewing a costume and sending your kids out into the dark of night is more than enough stress.

My whole life I've been using Hellman's or, on the west coast, Best Foods. I tried Duke's recently and admit it's very good. The overall taste is a bit sharper and saltier and it is a little less stiff, but I like it. Surprisingly when I checked the sodium levels Duke's has a bit less. So with Hellmans/Best Foods, you are getting added sugar and more salt to up the flavor. I'm not too keen on soybean oil or canola oil, but it seems you can't get commercial mayo without it. Using better quality oil would mean raising the prices, and Americans guzzle up so much mayo that would be a deal breaker. Am I too lazy to make my own? Yep.

My guess as to why deviled eggs move quickly is that they are kind of a bore to cook and peel, so if someone presents them already fixed up, well, that's an opportunity. It's like having someone else open your oysters for you. And filling the eggs is tedious if you want them to look appealing. So nice when someone pipes the filling in an artistic flourish. Also mayonnaise hides a multitude of sins, such as overcooked yolks. Plus people really like getting a mouthful of mayo--it's about the most popular condiment in America, not to mention that eggs are a pretty cheap date. They look extra nice in one of those retro dedicated serving platters with the cute depressions. And then there's this: once in a while someone actually makes them really well. Not too often, though. I can get behind them if the mix contains a bit of creme fraiche with a dollop of black caviar on top. If you want to knock yourself out, they look dazzling with a deep pink ring around the white edge after they've take a bath in beet juice.

Today I made Vivian's Crispy Ginger Rice with Leeks. I think I got it on line somewhere, but assume it is in the book. It's totally delicious. I used a bit more leeks than suggested (because I had some huge leeks and didn't read the ingredients list very carefully) and added Shitake mushrooms, which were also a suggested add-in. Love the crispy crunchy rice parts. Highly recommend, especially for rice junkies like myself.

Wow, I'm beginning to think I should just keep doing whatever it is I'm doing. An awful lot of good cooking can be had with a Viking range and one Le Creuset pot. I'll just have to cling to my remorse over the broken Crock Pot like Ahab and his missing leg. Truthfully the "relic" aspect and the mysterious provenance were a big part of the draw. Damn! However, the induction cooktop has given me a great idea. For years I've been complaining about the crappy teeny-flame stove at my in-laws' beach house. It's so slow to heat up a pot of water that I long ago abandoned the idea of having spaghetti when we go out there. At Thanksgiving I have to remind my nephew to start water boiling for his mashed potatoes about an hour before actually cooking them (yes, we're talking a lot of potatoes.) None of the many family members want to spend the bucks on a new range/oven, so this might just be a solution.

I am paying close attention to this thread. I don't own a pressure cooker or a slow cooker or an IP, but I am toying with the idea of getting SOMETHING. I'm leaning toward a simple slow cooker such as the Hamilton Beach Set n Forget. One thing I always find surprising is the number of comments from users who tout the fact that they can't smell what's cooking in any of these machines. I like the smell of the foods I cook permeating the kitchen and beyond. Cooking things quickly is not a priority for me; I'm home a lot during the day. I don't intend to make yogurt in my lifetime. I'm very happy with the rice I cook in a pan. I am not fond of oven braising, not that the food doesn't turn out wonderfully, but I find my Le Creuset takes a beating when it spends hours in the oven. Plus I find it a pain to check on the progress. One concern I have is temperature control. I have pretty good control with my Viking range and can get a very small flame for maintaining a low simmer to make stocks or cook beans. I most likely would not use a slow-cooker for stocks anyway, since I have a stock pot that is bigger than any slow cooker I would buy. Are most slow cookers able to do a very low simmer? Are there any that can be controlled with more precision that just "low, medium, high"? It is possible that my real reason for getting a slow cooker is absurd. Several years ago I discovered a never-used in original box Crock Pot. You know those old brown and yellow colored objects that everyone in the sixties had? During the late sixties and early seventies I lived in New Mexico and every family seemed to have one of those for beans or pozole. The fact that I came across this pristine artifact in my own basement and had no idea where it came from was enchanting and made me so nostalgic. I brought it up to the kitchen and took it out of the box and promptly dropped it on the tile floor! So much for ceramic. On the one hand the whole episode was hilarious. How could such an accident NOT happen? On the other it just sort of irritated me for all the years since that I never got a chance to try it. Hence suddenly I have a strong yen to see what a slow-cooker does.

How sad that the last post about fresh sardines was in 2009. It's been a horrendous week here in Northern CA. We have relatives in Napa and in Santa Rosa. All are safe, so far, but many have not been so lucky. The air is foul all over the bay area. The only bright spot has been the re-appearance of fresh sardines. For several years there was a ban on sardine fishing due to a drastic drop in their population, but all of a sudden they are back, and beautiful. We grilled them today and it was heaven. Of course, not everyone loves fresh sardines, but those of us who do here on the CA coast, they are a treat not to be missed. The prices are wacky. At one upscale fish market they are selling for $10 per pound, cleaned. At Berkeley Bowl they won't clean them for you but they are selling them for under $3 per pound. Sort of exciting, given that fresh wild King salmon is scarce along the CA coast this year and Alaskan salmon is selling for close to $30 per pound at most places. Black cod is up too, above $20 for the first time in memory here. So, sardines! Sustainable, super healthy, delicious!

@kayb Sounds like a good solution. I have no IP. My latest possible solution to making room in the freezer is to dump all the cylindrical mismatched containers I have collected and invest in some good quality square/rectangular ones.

Well, two martinis, or maybe three. The problem is after two I tend to lose count, if not consciousness. Well, my husband is the martini tender in our house, so if there's a fourth Dorothy will be his problem. I'll be watching from under the table.

Oh my god I love this quote! I know a lot of Dorothy Parker quotes but never heard this one. If you read the NYT book review you know the feature profiling the reading habits of various public figures who are asked what literati they would invite to a dinner party. No one ever mentions her, but she would be at the top of my list.

The only reason I would ever participate in this thread is this: to thank you all for keeping everything pumpkin in one place and giving the thread a clear and simple title so I know to avoid it. The only good pumpkin is a jack-o-lantern with a candle inside. And the only edible part of a pumpkin are the seeds, buttered, salted and roasted. The rest of that glop goes right in the garbage. And as you would imagine, I don't have any positive thoughts about that stuff that comes in a can. The invention of pumpkin spice is a crime. The concept of a pumpkin spice latte is an insult to coffee. And just for the record, while I can't abide pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread, I adore sweet potato pie made from real yams or even sweet potatoes (or a mix!), but it must be totally without the spices that make it try to taste like pumpkin pie. Okay, done. My vote for best breakfast the day after Thanksgiving: leftover sweet potato pie and coffee with chicory.

@shain I made the noodle apple kugel yesterday: excellent! I used dried cherries. Loved the effect of a cake when baked in a springform and cut into wedges to serve. And, surprisingly, it holds together enough so that after carefully separating the cake from the springform bottom with a spatula I was able to slide the cake onto a plate. Question for you: My kugel didn't crisp up on the top as much as yours, and even with an extra 10 minutes in the oven it wasn't as brown. Any suggestions? Oh, one thing noted in your recipe: the ingredients list does not include sugar, but sugar appears in the instructions. I didn't use it and was totally happy without. Also my husband did the shopping and came back with some fabulous Italian broad egg noodles; definitely a treat and I think made this a class upgrade from the kugels of my college potlucks. Loved that it had so much apple. Sadly I have to avoid a lot of rich dairy, so this kugel is deeply gratifying.

I'm sort of attached to using Tabasco in a Bloody Mary, but in truth, Crystal, Cholula or other vinegary southern sauces would do well too. Clearly it's just out of habit. Forty years ago there weren't the options there are now and Tabasco must have had brainy marketing, especially in the north.

In the last two years we replaced our Le Creuset 5.5 qt dutch oven. This is the most hardworking object in the kitchen--I use it several times a week. My old one, which was at least 15 or 20 years old, is now routinely being used by my husband to bake round rustic loaves of bread and looks like it came out of Lascaux cave fire-pit. We also replaced our Cuisinart ice cream maker with a newer model that works faster and is way less funky. The old one was about 10 years old. Another purchase (not a replacement!) was a Nutri Ninja Pro, which I find way more effective for smoothies than my funky low-end blender and so simple to clean. Up next and probably soon is a replacement for our Cuisinart food processor. It still works, and it's hard to believe it is at least 30 years old. My husband claims he bought it for me for xmas in 1986-87. The awesomeness of his memory amazes me. Recently it developed an invisible breach and leaks a teeny bit. I can't see a crack, but if it gets stressed suddenly I can imagine I may have a mess to clean up.

I had forgotten about this! JAZ is a genius. This is definitely the best raisin rant ever, covering every possible way that raisins ruin otherwise perfectly good food. I'm so glad she mentions Raisinets. Never has there been a more heinous candy. The quality of that milk chocolate coating is so bad that it is hard to even realize just how awful the raisin is. I say its a mitten crab gonad and I say the hell with it.

Amazing. I am impressed that it says "nutritive dessert." You would have to eat it of course to get the benefits. As for the mitten crabs, I hope you are right that it's the roe that is the delicacy. Makes a lot more sense to me, but what do I know?

Let me clarify: by cheese I simply meant cottage cheese, ricotta, sour cream or other creamy dairy products that are very typical of both savory and sweet kugels, or at least they were common at temple events, potlucks, etc. My mother never made one in her life, so it isn't like I grew up eating kugel, but they seemed to make frequent appearance at various times. Mainly because they are kind of a default casserole for many people when they can't think of something else, and they lend themselves to being eaten at room temp. Apples with crispy noodles, that i can get behind.