Marlene

No, I'll need to decide before I move. That way, all the work will be done by the time I move in. Even if I keep an electric cooktop there, I'd change out the one that's currently there. It's very worn, so I'd replace it with a new one. The problem with the 30 inch Miele cooktop is that the burners are kind of small, just like that Miele wall oven is on the small side. The only concern I have about putting a slide in range in is spoiling the line of the kitchen were everything else is built in. I believe the slide in will sit a little higher than the countertop and will protude past the cabinets a bit. Yes, I can live with it, but then again, I'm picky that way.

Eating the crusts of bread would give you curly hair.

It's 5 weeks until we move into this house. I met with the contractor last week who did this kitchen. (He happens to be the current owners son, which doesn't hurt) We're going to do one of two things. I'll either leave the 30 inch cooktop in place and remove the drawers below to put in a wall oven. Or we'll take the cooktop, drawers out, cut the granite and put in a slide in range. We've determined that gas is too much of a problem to get to where I need it. Over where the table is currently, we've determined that we can build a 4x6 island there with power. The power will come from an outlet on the wall, and we'll run it under the tiles to the island, so we don't have to go through the ceiling to do so. The drawers from over near the cook top will be reused in the island. I should have the actual plans for this today or tomorrow.

Sometimes comfort food is where it's at. Watching the snow fall yesterday, with my family away, it occurred to me it was the perfect time to make ribs and kraut, since no one really likes it except me. This sort of a braise, without the braising. :) Brown the ribs in the oven, using a roasting pan with a lid, start with a layer of wine saurkraut: Then add the ribs: And cover with more sauerkraut. Add the juice from the cans or bottles of sauerkraut. Put the lid on a bake, low and slow for about 3 hours. These things come out fall off the bone tender, and the sauerkraut is amazing. Even better, I've got leftovers for lunch today!

Lise, you should get the book. This thread is intended to relate experiences with Molly's book, but hell, all recipes are welcome!

My my my, how I love tequila. I've never had a gin martini either, although I love gin and tonics. If it matters any, I like Broker's and Bombay better than Sapphire. But again, I've never tried them in martini's, just on the rocks or in gin and tonics. And if you do straight shots of tequila with a friend who drinks the stuff like water, then you could end up with a butterfly too!

I'm not a gin drinker. Gin for me is like tequila, and the last time I drank tequila, I ended up with a tattoo on my shoulder! In any event, as Sam says, the whole gin vs vodka thing has been debated endlessly. So I'm thinking that 25 years later, I need to get over my gin aversion and try it. Now, I love vodka martinis, usually with Pearl vodka. Would Saphire gin be the way to go to try a gin martini?

I'm not sure. As I re-read the recipe she notes that the salt should be sprinkled over the ribs then the marinade poured over top.

Yes, the marinade calls for 1 1.2 tsp of corse salt.

I checked both recipes. The ribs are not salted in the marinated rib recipe, and in the non marinated recipe they are.

She has two short rib recipes. The one I made using Porter Ale was not, but the one using wine was. I'll check but I don't think the one calling for marinade suggested salting the ribs in advance

I ran across this in Molly Steven's braising book yesterday. Specifically for short ribs, she recommends sprinkling the ribs with salt a day or two in advance and refrigerating.

Lise, Since this was my first ever short rib braise, I can't make a comparison yet, but you can bet that I'll be trying wine next. I did do a pot roast not long ago in wine, and the one thing I noticed was the difference in smell. The pot roast just smelled more heavenly when it was braising!

Snowangel and I decided that with all the braising going on here and with the knowledge gained from Fat Guy's excellent eGCI Braising course, we should start a braise of the month. In this case we'll be using recipes from Molly Steven's excellent All about Braising book. I'll kick this month's braise off with a short rib braise I did from her book last night. Short Ribs in Porter Ale with Maple Rosemary infused Glaze I picked up some nice meaty short ribs. Who knew though that "sliced short ribs" meant the bone had already been sliced away from the meat? What you see here is my clumsy attempt to tie them back together again. The recipe calls for them to be sprinkled with salt a day or two before. Since I forgot that part, I managed an hour before: The ribs are browned, then the carrots and onion are added and browned. The recipe called for Porter Ale, and after Brooks filled me in on what that was, I had Don snag some from the LCBO for me. I found the Le Crueset braisier perfect for short ribs application. The ribs are braised in a combination of porter ale and beef stock. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 300, but I did mine for 4 hours at 225. Once the ribs are done, remove them from the oven, transfer them to a flameproof dish and cover and keep them warm. Then remove the veggies and strain the liquid into a pot and reduce by about a half I guess. Ribs just out of the oven. Somewhere along the way, you've taken the maple syrup, heated it, and added a sprig of fresh rosemary. Cover and let it infuse for an hour or so. When the liquid is reduced, take it off the heat. In the meantime, some squeezed prepared horseradish is added to the maple syrup and rosemary. Take the rosemary out and brush the ribs with the glaze. Pour the reduced liquid around the ribs and stick under the broiler until the ribs are carmelized. Ribs out from the broiler. You'd have thought the glaze would have been sweet, but with the rosemary infusion and the addition of the horseradish, it was not. I might be tempted to add a bit more horseradish next time though. These were damn fine ribs, I have to say. So come on, braise along with us. If you don't have Molly's book, I strongly urge you to get it, because it's amazing. Snowangel gets to pick the next recipe.

Any day without me sustaining an injury in the kitchen is a miracle for me. See the Stupid Kitchen Tricks thread for my latest. Other than that, the miracle is most new dishes I try actually turn out. Even without blood.

And now for my stupid trick of the day: I was melting chocolate and butter on the stove to make frosting for brownies. I took the pot off the stove and poured the mixture into my KA. In doing so, I noticed that some of the chocolate had dribbled down the side of the pot. Not being one to let perfectly good chocolate go to waste, well, I licked the pot. One instantly burned tongue. (I had to post this before Varmint did. he said he was going to tell)

We've removed a number of posts from this thread that are either personal or not germane to the topic. Let's keep it civil folks, or we'll lock it down. No one is required to post on this thread. It isn't necessary to agree, but it is necessary to disagree civilily and without getting personal. Thanks

As Dave mentioned, I have both the Le Cruset braisier and the All Clad dutch oven. Both of mine are 5 1/2 quarts. I did a pot roast in the Le Cruset and it was amazing. Since I have an identical roast in the freezer, and Fat Guy insists the All Clad was made for pot roast, I shall try that pot next and see if there is any difference.

I adore quiche. I guess I can add this to the list of things my husband won't eat though. Bacon and cheese with carmelized onions especially. I have a recipe somewhere that I'll dig up for it. Come to think of it, I made some onion confit the other day. I'm thinking it would be great in quiche!

He doesn't like most vegetables. He won't eat lamb or veal He won't let me put nuts in brownies or chocolate chip cookies, or in anything in fact, although he eats nuts. Go figure. He doesn't do leftovers He doesn't eat quiche. Or sour cream. Or spareribs and saurkraut which is almost sacriledge in my book. He does however like beef as much as I do. Otherwise, we'd be totally incompatible!

It was pretty good. I have the menu in front of me. I just need a few spare minutes to type it up!

It's hard to remember from last time! But this did taste slightly "fuller" I do want to reduce this more this time, and I shall taste as I go when get to that stage, likely on Friday.

I made beef stock again today. I did a couple of things differently than I did last time. I used celery this time, I didn't before. I still don't have this whole ratio thing down, being mathmatically challenged, but this is what I used for a 24 quart stock pot with about 10 pounds of bones. I ended up with about 12 quarts of stock. I also picked up 3 beef marrow bones. Now, I'm told that beef marrow bones aren't all that good for stock, but these were reasonably meaty. I used them along with several meaty beef shanks and some oxtails. Now here's the strange thing. There is a definate difference in colour between the first batch of beef stock and this one. I'm wondering why? I roasted and simmered for more or less the same time I think. I did use a little less water this time than I did last time though. Today's batch: The first batch I had at first thought when I took this batch off the stove and strained it, that it was darker than the first. In seeing the pictures side by side, I realized it was the opposite. So does the difference in colour mean a difference in flavour? When I reduce this, is it going to be richer or less robust than the first batch?

I adore liver, however no one in my house eats it except me. In addition, I had chicken livers last week for the first time in my life that were simply amazing. I like bacon with my calve's liver myself, and a nice thick sauce made from the drippings in the pan, with a little beef stock added. Mashed potatoes just seem to go naturally with liver, and carrots. I have no idea why. Hmmmm, I'm on my own for 4 days next week. I may have to make liver for myself.

You can tell more about a man by looking in his fridge, than by looking in his eyes. I suppose there is truth in that statement, but the man in my dreams didn't own a fridge, at least not that I ever saw. Oh, he cooked for me. All the time. He fed me morsels while looking soulfully into my eyes. He always seemed to have the right food for the right occassion. A warm summer's eve picnic in the park would include chilled champagne in frosted tulip champagne glasses, soft french cheeses, and other assorted delicacies. A frosty winter night would find us in front of the fire, watching the snow gently fall, a hunter's stew gently bubbling. Bubbling? Bubbling where? I could never really saw him cook, I just knew it was there. Just as I knew he loved me, and I him. He won my heart. Not with flowers or baubles. Those are easily gained and lost and as long as one has money, require no thought. No, he won my heart through the language and love of food. We spent hours together. Hours that seemed to fly faster than a New York minute. Hours that mostly seemed to involve food. He always knew what I needed, craved. Oysters Rockefeller, chilled crab, a little carpaccio in a pinch. The day before Valentine's I put him on a plane and waved him tearfully goodbye. We would spend the most romantic day of the year apart. He called me though. "I know what you need" he whispered softly down the telephone line. "What?" I waited breathlessly for his answer. "My lady needs beef. Rich deep red beef, ruby red wine, and perhaps, if my lady is very good, a molten chocolate souffle". Oooh. I sighed with pleasure, and then a thought struck me. "Tell me what's in your fridge". What would you make me right now with what you have? "Fridge?" he replied, baffled. I don't have a fridge. "Well I did wonder about that", I said. So where do you keep all this wonderful food you make me?" "Me, cook?" the love of my life sounded appalled. Oh no. Did you really think I cooked for you? I haven't a clue I'm afraid. Why would I when I have the world's best restaurant down the street?" My world shattered around me. It wasn't real. Our love had been built on the foundations of deception. I could feel the shards of my dreams slicing through my skin. "Bye Baby" I sadly whispered as softly, I replaced the receiver. I lay back with my eyes closed, tears leaking through my lids. Somewhere, I thought, a pain so fierce, knifing through me, I could almost feel myself bleed. Somewhere, my man is out there. The man of my dreams. A man with a fridge.