Marlene

The beef rolls are dipped in a soy/brown sugar mixture. I use beef tenderloin, sliced in 1/4 inch strips then pounded. Then I place matchsticks of green, yellow and red peppers and green onions and roll them up. I make this ahead up until this point and refridgerate until I want to serve. 3- 4 minutes on the grill and they're ready. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Hor's D'ouvres handbook

No need for rescue. I managed to survive and take pictures. I must admit to it being my idea. Our council meeting is always the first Monday of the month. Traditionally the December meeting is a social for the Council and we usually go to a local pub. I made the mistake of offering to host the social at my house as I do every June for our last council meeting, and for some odd reason, Council thought that was a marvelous plan. I had simply forgotten that we would only be returning the day before. Even at that it would have been ok, since we were supposed to be back here early afternoon. Then they changed our flight so we ended up arriving home at 11 at night, so I had no chance to do any prep. Here's the food from last night. I made quite a bit of it, but Council members did bring some dishes as well. Getting the buffet ready: The centrepiece. It's really hard to see, but all the little houses and things light up. First, the food I made. Garlic Peppercorn Cheesecake: Pastries (ok, I didn't really make these. I got them from Costco and all I had to do was bake them) Cheddar Cheese Tartlets: Oriental Chicken Wings: Three Cheese Cheeseball, rolled in crushed walnuts: Honey Garlic meatballs: Beef Rolls with soy scallion dipping sauce: A selection of chocolates (no, I didn't make these either) Other foods that people brought included: Brie and crackers: Cheese rolls and salsa: Perogies. (someone called this by a Jewish name, but I can't remember what it was) I'm not positive what this is, since I didn't have any, but it looks to be another cheese dish of some sort. Cookies: Monkey bread done in mini bundt pans: And a couple of pies.: Someone made a pinapple cheese cake, but I never did get a picture of it. There was certainly enough food and I'll be spending my morning cleaning up. We are taking people out to dinner at Ruths Chris this weekend, then the following weekend, my MIL and SIL arrive for a few days, so I'll be doing a full blown turkey dinner on the Sunday.

Let me caution you about using the deep fryer basket to do battered fish in. Somewhere around here I have a pictorial of how my lovely halibut stuck to and bled through the little holes in the basket, thus firmly adhering my fish and batter to the basket. A sandblaster wouldn't knock it loose!

25 or so. Quite mad in fact! I'm down to the wire now. The wings are in the oven, the meatballs are ready to be warmed and the beef rolls are ready for the que. In a few minutes I'll take the cheesecake and the cheeseball out and roll the ball in walnuts and spread the top of the cheesecake with garlic jelly. I've only had to change clothes three times so far!

We returned from vacation late last night and early this morning I shopped and started cooking for the cocktail party I'm throwing tonight. The only thing I can think of right now is "what the hell was I thinking, throwing a cocktail party the day after I get back from vacation?" I'm keeping it to things I know how to make. So far I've made honey garlic meatballs, I've got oriental chicken wings marinading, garlic cheesecakes, cookie batter ready to be made, cheddar cheese tartlets and a 3 cheese cheeseball. I'm about to embark on beef rolls. Whew.

That turkey is a beautiful sight! Very nicely done. I don't use softened butter for the turkey, but I stick hunks of chilled butter between the legs and thights and in the cavity. When cooking, it melts and adds wonderfully to the gravy. I've been using the cheesecloth soaked in olive oil method for my last few turkeys after some advice from Mayhaw Man and Lovebenton0. I would never do turkey any other way now. The breast meat comes out beautifully moist and the turkey browns nicely as you can see with yours! So, Rib Roast?

I guess for the three of us, I've just never seen the need for an oval. But then, I'm not overly fond of braised chicken! I also love the little 2 1/2 quart LC.

For a family of two adults and occassionally a child, i have a 7 1/2 qt round a 5 1/2 round and a 5/2 braisier. Depends on what you want to braise. For chops and ribs, the brasier works best for me. For larger pot roasts the big round and for smaller ones the smaller round. I have to say I use all three constantly

Good grief, i'd forgotten this thread. I did brine that turkey way back when and it turned out great. However, I no longer brine, but use the mustard paste, butter and oil covered cheesecloth method as directed by Mayhaw Man and lovebenton) and I will make turkey this way forevermore.

Jason, they look good. They really do. But you'll never ever convince me that brussel sprouts are worth putting in my mouth. I can't do it. I just can't.

Barbara, the Caphalon stainless steel pans are $99.00. Significantly cheaper than All Clad, and I believe Cook's Illustrated recently recommended them. I'm getting one for my sister in law for Christmas.

I have to say, I recently obtained a ricer and I can't believe the difference it makes to mashed potatoes. I used it last night and it was almost like eating air, they were so light and fluffy.

When looking for a roasting pan, consider a few things. Size. You don't want the sides too deep, nor do you want a lot of room between the roast and the ends or sides of the pan. Dark steel and non stick will not produce much of a font for making gravy, and the cheap aluminum foil roasting pans have other issues, like bending when you try to take it out of the oven. Nor should you use one of those aluminum foil pans on top of the stove to make gravy either. I'm not sure the pan itself other than depth and width has much of an effect on the cooking of a roast, it's the temp you roast at plus whether you use convection or not. But if you want proper gravy or au jus, get a stainless steel pan. Certainly the All Clad roasters are amazing, in fact I have two of them. However, the Caphalon stainless steel roaster is a lot cheaper and I understand it performs as well as the All Clad.

I also have the Grind and Brew, and I don't mind the coarse grind. It does however, sound like an airplane taking off in the morning. What I really like is the thermal carafe that keeps coffee nice and hot for several hours. Jay, I also grabbed 7 or 8 of those JBM bags at Costco and I think I still have two left. It was pretty decent coffee!

Alright, Jake, hand over your mother's dishes. I mean, if you've never used them....... Seriously, a stainless steel martini glass sounds like it might be a very neat idea!

I did the short ribs with port, wine and honey again tonight. boy those are good. They are certainly rich though. I think I need to try the beef rendang soon.

Ok, here's another one. Shrimp cocktail dishes. The kind you use for serving this as an appetizer and one I guess that holds crushed ice and has a place in the middle for the cocktail sauce. Now where can I find these in Toronto, GTA area?

On the Estouffade. I really liked it, but I didn't have a pig's foot, so I had to make do without it! On oven temp. I've had my checked and re checked and in fact had Dacor in to make sure it was calibrated. I have never yet done a braise at the temps Molly suggests.

We are very pleased to announce a new Media Digest - Art Culinaire. We are also delighted to present Laurie Woolever who will be bringing you this quarterly digest. Laurie Woolever is a graduate of Cornell University and the French Culinary Institute in New York. She is the executive editor of Art Culinaire, and her writing about food, travel and wine has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, GQ and Wine Enthusiast. She has edited and tested recipes for a number of cookbooks, including Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook and Christopher Lowell's The Hassle-Free Host. She was Mario Batali's assistant from 1999 to 2002, and helped him write the Babbo Cookbook and Mario Batali Holiday Food. Laurie has also worked as a private chef in New York. DIGEST: ART CULINAIRE Editor’s note: Art Culinaire is a quarterly magazine, published in an oversized, hardcover format, that invites a group of ten to twelve chefs at a time to create recipes based on an ingredient, technique, region or concept. Those recipes are executed by the chefs and photographed and printed in full color, along with each recipe (for an average of fifty-five complete recipes per issue). Art Culinaire also includes feature stories relevant to each group of recipes, a Q&A with a member of the hospitality industry, a one-page profile of each chef, and a beverage feature. Art Culinaire has been published continuously since 1986. ART CULINAIRE ISSUE 78 FALL 2005 MISE EN PLACE: The editor’s letter, which includes this short verse from Thomas Hood (1799 – 1845): “What is the modern poet’s fate? To write his thoughts upon a slate; The critic spits on what is done, Gives it a wipe – and all is gone.” INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: “Demystifying the Ratings” Interviews with representatives of three organizations whose business is restaurant criticism and/or ranking. Brenda Homick, Director of Relais & Châteaux North America, on R&C’s stringent standards: Shane O’Flaherty, Vice President of Quality Assurance, Mobil Travel Guide, when asked whether there’s a cap on the number of stars awarded annually: And, James Wevley, Senior Editor for Citysearch New York, on playing fair: BACK TO BASICS: "Wanna Cookie?" A short feature that outlines the evolution of the cookie from antiquity to the Girl Scouts’ recent 200 million boxes per year milestone. Chef profiles: Connie McDonald and Pamela Weekes, co-owners, Levain Bakery, New York, NY and Wainscott, NY Adriana Paveglio, executive pastry chef, Angelina, The Continental, Jones and Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA Recipes: McDonald & Weekes: Dark Chocolate Coconut Cookies Ginger Valrhona Cookies Paveglio: Coconut and Sesame Seed Crisps Chocolate Sambuca Sandwiches FEATURE STORY: “That’s My Masala” An overview of curry powder’s origins, etymology and the current state of affairs in professional kitchens with regard to its use. Chef profiles: Jason Carter, chef de cuisine, Lee, Toronto, ON: “Independent Lee” Pino Maffeo, executive chef, Restaurant L, Boston MA: “Dropping Science” Jehangir Mehta, executive pastry chef, Aix, New York, NY: “Bombay Spitfire” Recipes Carter: Green Curry-Marinated Pork Belly with Chinese Almond Sauce and Carrot Coconut Chutney Red Curry Beef Tart and Curry Consommé with Lobster Dumplings Confit Black Cod with Curry Oil, Sweet Potato Souffle and Preserved Lemon Sweet and Sour Glazed Sweetbreads with Green Curry Lentils Maffeo: Curried Arancini with Fluke & Soy Jelly Thai Bouillabaisse with Citrus Perfume Curried Candy Corn with Citrus and Thai Basil Salad Massaman Curry Broth with Aromatic Tea Bags Cotton Candy with Madras Curry and Roasted Pumpkin Seed Dust Mehta: Tres Leches Cake with Coconut Curry Emulsion, Pears and Almonds Curry-Filled Chocolates with Saffron Mehendi Charentais Melon Carpaccio, Mango Chaat and Jackfruit Sorbet Curry Leaf Panna Cotta with Candied Baby Fennel Crispy Curry Purse with Pomegranate Reduction and Vanilla Rum Ice Cream FEATURE STORY: “Root Down” Also includes descriptions of some uncommon [in the United States] root vegetables, including arracacha, mangel-wurzel and skirret. Chef profiles: Barbara Lynch, No. 9 Park, The Butcher Shop and B&G Oysters, Boston, MA: “Rushes, Stills, Bivalves and Gills” Michael Schlow, Radius, Via Mattas, Great Bay, Boston, MA: “Party Mouth” Recipes:Lynch: Seared Diver Scallop with Salsify, Radish Salad and Truffle Vinaigrette Root Vegetable Canapés Chocolate Sweet Potato Tart with Parsnip Cream Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Walnut Nougatine (desserts are also credited to Kristen D. Murray) Schlow: Hamachi with Pickled Lotus Root and Ponzu Vinaigrette Celery Root Soup with Shrimp, Bacon and Black Truffles Loup de Mer with Carrots Three Ways Red Beet Cannelloni with Saffron-Poached Lobster and Chive Oil Slow-Roasted Beef Ribeye with Haricots Verts, “Red Flannel Hash” and Red Wine Syrup Spiced Tapioca with Salsify Ice Cream, Mango Purée and Almond Foam (Dessert also credited to P.J. Waters) FEATURE STORY: “Sustainable Seafood” Five-page article, with illustration, addressing four major issues in sustainability. Chefs from across the US give comment about sustainability in restaurants. Chef profiles: Ed Brown, The Sea Grill, New York, NY: “Mr. Brown from Midtown” Peter Davis, Henrietta’s Table, Cambridge, MA: “Trading (Farmers’) Faces” Masato Shimizu, Jewel Bako, New York, NY: “Focusing on the Fish” Recipes: Brown: Wild Salmon Konbu with Periwinkles, Shiitake Fries and Lobster Froth Pan-Roasted Wild Salmon, Porcinis, Marrow and Red Wine Sauce Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Frisée Salad and Grilled Spring Onions Confit of Wild Salmon with Olives, White Beans and Tomatoes Davis: New England Lobster Bake Pat’s Clams, Mussels, Chorizo and Tomatoes Seared Wild King Salmon with Beach Plum Sauce and Pumpkin Ginger Slaw Pizza of Maine Rock Crab and Sea Salt Smoked Bay Scallop Chowder with Dulse and Wheat Berry Crackers Shimizu: Sake Poached Octopus with Sea Salt Baby Japanese Red Snapper with Egg Yolks Poached Sea Eel with Nitsume Sauce and Tempura Bones Japanese Bonito with Mitsuba Salad and Tosazu Jelly Grilled Pen Shell Scallops with Toasted Nori BEVERAGE FEATURE: “The Empire Strikes Back” Three-page article with graphic map of Finger Lakes region and photographs from the region’s wineries.

My soon to be 13 year old choices: Breakfast: blueberry waffles with syrup and bacon Lunch: sushi, rice, and celery and carrot sticks Dinner; appetizer: Herring and sour cream or crab claws dinner: Steak or homemade mac and cheese. If steak, baked potatoes with real bacon bits please, and roasted asparagus If mac and cheese (bowtie pasta please) garlic bread Dessert, creme brulee or chocolate lava cakes. Oh and i got this question: Mom, do we get nibbles like when you are entertaining? I suggested he pick some just in case. he picked: Baked brie in puff pastry grilled beef rolls shrimp cocktail

The caterers provided the decorations. The dollop on the potato pancakes was a sour cream/fresh chive thing. If you look back to Here you can see the difference between last year's caterers and this year.

I really liked the round mirror presentation. My favourites were the beef satays, the mini potatoe pancakes and the prime rib. Next year we are taking our own pictures. We take a bit of a break now. Next Sat, we leave for a week's vacation then when we come back I've got a cocktail party to do here, and then we are entertaining people at a new restaurant in Toronto, Houston's I think. (Of course tonight, I'm doing a family celebration in advance for my husband and son's birthdays) Then it's the company Christmas party. In between I think we have three dinner parties at home, but they will be small in scale. Two are 4 people and one for 6. Then of course Christmas!

Ok - I know you were making this back in May. And I might have missed the follow up report on how it turned out but I went thru the thread and didn't see it - so if you remember - will you please say what you thought? Or if anyone else has made this please give a report. I am spending Thanksgiving with my boyfriends family (for the 2nd time) and he and I are going to cook dinner the night after Turkey Day. I was thinking of making this - subbing granny smiths for the rhubarb as suggested in the cookbook. Also - we are going to sub plain apple cider for the alcohol (white wine or hard cider is recommended) as his family does not drink or cook with any alcohol. Does anyone have an opinion on subbing the apple cider for the wine/hard cider? Should I add some cider vinegar or is that going overboard? Any thoughts / tips would be appreciated. THANKS Della ← I don't believe I ever got around to making this. I think I did the Christmas Estouffade instead. So this goes on my list to try!

All in all a successful event. The only thing I wouldn't order again from these caterers was the Turkey. It seemed to me to be more like Turkey roll, than roast Turkey. But, it was all good. I did not take the pictures, so I apologize in advance if some of them aren't very good and also that we didn't get more close ups. But here they are: Mini corn muffins with turkey and cranberry, parmesan rosemary crackers, and mini mustard chicken bites: Mini potato pancakes, bacon cheddar quiche and beef satays: The buffet set up: The prime rib: Desserts and cheeses: I will definately use these caterers again. The price was right, the food was good and the staff were some of the friendliest yet most professional people I have ever dealt with.

I believe we stuck the keg in a big bucket and poured ice over it. Maybe your bathtub would work?