ElsieD

I just made Thai Green Curry Chicken from the current issue (February 2009) of Cuisine at Home. It is an amazing dish.

I can't tell you what to get but I can tell you what NOT to replace it with and that is the Cuisinart Grind and Brew. We have one and I wish it WOULD break so I could get a new (other make) one. We like our coffee hot and our machine does not make hot coffee. We always have to zap it in the microwave. You might check the Cook's Illustrated web site for their coffee maker reviews. They put a lot of testing into the products they recommend.

Sparrowgrass, which recipe did you make that wonderful looking loaf from?

Thank you Anthony for sending me the recipe. So I got up this morning and made these. I decided after 30 minutes of baking that they were not brown enough and left them in for another 5 minutes. Big mistake. They were way too crispy on the outside and the insides weren't very soft and doughy either. But, they did taste delicious. They also did not "puff" very much - in fact, hardly at all. They sort of looked like tight little spirals. So what, other than leaving them in too long, did I do wrong? Did I maybe roll them up too tight, preventing them from expanding properly? I used a non-stick muffin tin, is that part of the problem? My dough was fresh, so I don't think that is the problem. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Your link didn't work. (Love the cat.)

I would never poach 20 eggs at once. I do 3 at once, max. It is quicker to snip the tops off 3 plastic bundles than it is to clean the white gunk off the pan. Those little inserts that fit into a pan? I have tried a number of them and have yet to find one that cooks evenly. My experience has been that the eggs turn out with raw white spots.

That's about it. Nuke on high, giving them a stir now and then until they smell good. A big bowl of almonds takes 5 to 10 minutes depending on whether you want them lightly toasted for topping things or almost burnt for bark. Of course it will depend on the power of your microwave. The hazelnuts I've been toasting over the past couple of days while I've been experimenting with gianduja - about a 1/2 cup at a time - I've nuked for between 2 and 3 minutes. ← I just tried with pine nuts. It took quite some time for them to develop any color and they were a bit more brittle at the end than usual but the flavor was good. When I finally get the right amount of time for my microwave, I am sure I will benefit greatly for not having to watch them every few seconds. Thanks for the tip. ← I tried this on some slivered almonds. They took forever and could have been done a lot faster in a pot on the stove.

I have done this twice now and I think it's brilliant. I cook them for 2 minutes and 45 seconds and they are perfectly cooked. Best of all, no more cleaning up the white gunk on my pots which in my opinion, is a real PITA.

I am one of the idiots who bought this thing. A couple of clicks later, and it broke. Absolutely useless.

This rather looks like a King Oyster with his head lopped off. Let us know what it is when you actually do identify what it is.

You need to use a dry sherry for savory dishes. I use marsala instead of sherry with great sucess. Plus, it keeps forever in the cupboard.

Bacon rules. And until two weeks ago I had rainbow chard growing in my garden. I'll write it down and check out chard availability in Ottawa. ← If you want coloured chard, check out the Herb & Spice Shop on Wellington St. They have amazing veggies that you can't find anywhere else. If you want me to scope it out for you, let me know.

What kind of cut is the lamb? If they are loin chops they can be cooked quickly in a hot cast iron pan. If they are shoulder chops they should be braised which of course takes longer..

How did the salmon turn out?

Syrah, how much do these things hold? How big (size-wise) are they? Actually, never mind as I see they are in Australia.

I have an el cheapo universal top that fits on several of my pans and it works just fine. I have also just plunked a stainless steel mixing bowl on top of a pot. That works fine too.

Where is this person? I'm in Ottawa and am wondering if this person is around here as I would love to participate in such a class.

Tannis Trading on Catherine used to carry them but I don't know if they still do.

Make sure to report back - I'm very interested in how this turns out. Elsie

How did you get your poached eggs to come out so perfectly? Mine sure don't look like that. Elsie

I don't know where you live but if you have any Jewish bakeries in your area, they have what they call "Tea rolls" (I think - definitely Tea something) which are mini rolls perfect for sliders. That's where I buy mine.

I have a Cuisipro which comes with three discs. It is s/s, comes apart easily for cleaning in the dishwasher and scrapes the food off the bottom as you turn away. I like it very much.

I have seen recipes for green tea ice cream and Earl Grey creme brulee.

I am getting a side of pork next month and am getting the pork fat also. I would like to render this. I am looking for advice as to how and where (inside? outside?) to do this. How long will it take to render? I would also like to cook and bake with it. Any suggestions? If anyone has a recipe for pie dough using home-rendered lard I would appreciate receiving a copy. I'm not looking for a recipe using store-bought lard. Thank you. Elsie Thanks SeanDirty. I have edited the post.