Marlene

Perhaps so, but you are the one who said this wasn't a referendum on anyone. But it clearly is.

I either say what Suzanne suggests, or that "it's a family secret, I'm not allowed to tell, my mother will kill me". I like Suzanne's better though. It does tend to scare people away.

I use my convection oven for roasting now always. I'm absolutely blown away by the difference it makes

It took you three pages to say that?

Somehow we've gone from this . to this The latter completely dismisses the original intent of this thread which was to discuss whether writers/food critics etc in general, have an obligation to disclose. This whole argument is nothing but a perception issue. If you perceive Steven or anyone else has not made a full and proper disclosure then that perception is your reality and no one else's. Don't read their reviews then. I read plenty of food reviews I don't agree with. Sammy is trying "catch" Steven out by suggesting he didn't disclose something he felt he should have. Sammy is certainly entitled to feel that way, but I just don't think a whole thread on whether Steven did or did not is relevant. As an example yes, but really, Steven is the only one being put on the hot seat here. As far as I can tell, Jason asked the question, Steven answered it. He did not try to hide the fact. I eat at Ruth's Chris probably 4 or 5 times a month. The General Manager is a good friend of mine as is her husband who owns his own restaurant and the Chef at Ruth's. If I'm paid to write a review about it, that then becomes my job and I take a step away from the relationship. No different than my relationships with my co workers or staff in and out of the office. One is a business relationship, but if we go out to socialize, it becomes a different relationship. I can keep the two separate. I suggest to you that food writers/critics whatever have the ability to keep that separation. If they can't, they shouldn't be in the job. Maybe Steven should have just said, "Yes the guy's my agent, I didn't think it was relevant. My apologies if you think it is". This was a great debate until it became personal.

I have way too many kitchen toys. But the things I couldn't live without include: Stainless steel roasting pan 2 qt and 4 qt pots 12 in cast iron frying pan 8 in chef's knife 5 in serrated utility knife 3 1/2 in paring knife spatulas wooden spoon long and narrow crockpot especially in winter! coffee pot dutch oven Bamix hand mixer

The Westbend is a horizontal pan with double paddles. I had a vertical one for a while and didn't like it. Then I had a Black and Decker horizontal one, and it is not nearly as good as the Westbend. I got myself another Westbend in the end and i love it.

Here's mine: 1 1/4 tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 1/2 cup water 3 2/3 cup bread flour 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast or bread machine yeast Set on dough cycle. Shape and let rise. Slash the bread a little with a sharp knife. Bake in 400f oven for about 30 mins or until thermometer reaches 200 deg. If you like a hard crust, spray oven a few times during the first two mins of baking only. Spray oven?

Probably because alcoholic beverages are empty calories and are not easily converted in the body. No drinking while on a diet? Probably not, at least not for this girl , but limited quantities are certainly recommended.

Bones down. Always

I'd throw in my vote for a Gewurztraminer as well, or a nice champagne.

I'll likely make thisChocolate Torte again this year.

I have two bread makers that I use all the time, both Westbends. One is a traditional size breadmaker which you can also make dough in, and you can select the colour of the crust. I find by selecting "dark" for the crust, it gives a nicer crust. Also, you can select different types of bread, white, wheat, french, specialty. It makes either a 1 1/2 lb or 2 lb loaf. I also have a Just for Dinner Westbend bread machine that makes a smaller loaf in about 45 minutes. This is perfect for the two of us, and I can have fresh bread baking while I'm making dinner. This is the recipe I use when making french bread dough French Bread Dough

Up here, we call that "rolling" the roast I get my butcher to do this all the time, it's so much easier.

French Bread Dough (for bread machines) The dough is made in the bread machine, then taken out, shaped and baked in the oven. 10 oz water 1 T butter 3-1/2 c all purpose or bread flour 1-1/2 tsp sugar 1-1/4 tsp salt 1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast or bread machine fast rise yeast Add water and butter to pan. Add the flour, sugar, and salt. Tap pan to settle the ingredients then level them, pushing some of the mixture into the corners of the pan. Make a shallow well in the centre of the mixture, add the yeast. Lock the pan into the breadmaker. Select the dough setting. When cycle ends, place dough on floured surface and let rest for 15 minues. Roll dough into a 15x12 inch rectangle. Roll up tightly from long sidge, seal and taper ends. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise for 45-55 minutes or until doubled in size. With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts on top of loaf. Combine 1 egg white and 1 tsp water and brush the top of the loaf with it. Bake in a 350 oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Keywords: Side, Bread Machine ( RG783 )

French Bread Dough (for bread machines) The dough is made in the bread machine, then taken out, shaped and baked in the oven. 10 oz water 1 T butter 3-1/2 c all purpose or bread flour 1-1/2 tsp sugar 1-1/4 tsp salt 1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast or bread machine fast rise yeast Add water and butter to pan. Add the flour, sugar, and salt. Tap pan to settle the ingredients then level them, pushing some of the mixture into the corners of the pan. Make a shallow well in the centre of the mixture, add the yeast. Lock the pan into the breadmaker. Select the dough setting. When cycle ends, place dough on floured surface and let rest for 15 minues. Roll dough into a 15x12 inch rectangle. Roll up tightly from long sidge, seal and taper ends. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise for 45-55 minutes or until doubled in size. With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts on top of loaf. Combine 1 egg white and 1 tsp water and brush the top of the loaf with it. Bake in a 350 oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Keywords: Side, Bread Machine ( RG783 )

Chicken broth for my sick boy. BBQ spareribs in the slow cooker with garlic mashed for hubby and me.

We are going to Ruth's Chris here in Toronto with another couple. We'll be staying downtown at a hotel overlooking City Hall and we'll take a bottle of champagne to open at midnight.

I love eggnog, but only with rum in it. I usually make my own Killer Eggnog. Mincemeat, ugh fruitcake, ugh pumpkin pie, double ugh.

Christmas Eve is a neighbourhood event. All houses on our street are "open" and people pop in and out of each others' houses most of the evening. We usually go to Church at 8:00 to hear the children's choir. We buy one new family ornament each year for the tree. We hang the stockings by the fireplace, and in the morning, they are usually under the tree. The fancy neighbourhood across the street (the rich area of town), all get their house professionally decorated. On Christmas Eve, they line the streets with candles in wax paper bags and sand. The traffic that goes through that neighbourhood is unbelievable to see the displays, so a few years ago, they allowed the Salvation Army to station themselves at the gate to ask for donations as you left the court. We always open one present each on Christmas Eve just before going to bed. Carrots, cookies and milk were essential for Santa and Rudolph, now it's carrots, cookies, and a nice scotch . Christmas Day is of course started by opening presents, (not until my coffee is made though!). Breakfast then consists of French Toast, bacon and croissants - more coffee, usually with Bailey's thrown in. Christmas Dinner is always always always Prime Rib, roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding, dessert is a Chocolate Torte normally although I'm going to try a Yule Log this year. I made a Turkey one year and just about had a mutiny on my hands. Christmas dinner could be Christmas Day or Boxing Day depending on everone's schedules. This year it will be Boxing Day.

Jaymes, I just love this idea. How wonderful.

You have a four rib roast for two people?! Um, lots of leftovers! I cook prime rib a lot. Here's what I do: Convection oven 450 for 15 minutes then 325 for the rest of the time Conventional oven 300 Preferably a stainless steel roasting pan. Brush the roast with oil oil and sprinkle with coarse salt or garlic salt. For regular oven, roast at 450 for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 325 and roast for approximately 18-20 minutes a lb for rare. If you are roasting potatoes with the roast, add a little lard to the pan after you turn the oven down and add potatoes. For a convection oven, you can skip the high heat step and roast steady at 300 for the same amount of time. Even then the ends aren't going to be well done. You may have to cook them up a bit for him. Good luck!

I use DVO Cookin software to store my favourite recipes. I print out the recipe and throw it out when I'm done. Also of course RecipeGullet, same concept. If the recipe is in a cookbook, I'll just take the cookbook into the kitchen with me. I don't have a computer in the kitchen for the same reason I don't have a TV in there. It's a kitchen, not an office or TV room. The kitchen is where we all gather to chat, and catch up on the day's events. My office is directly across from the kitchen so it's easy to get a recipe.

I'm glad it worked out. I still wouldn't roast at 150. That's great for ribs and less prime cuts, but I still think it would dry the meat out a bit.

I guess I shouldn't have said wireless. I did mean remote. The the probe has a wire leading to the base unit which sits outside the oven. And the Remote comes with me wherever I go in the house. I got mine at Wiliam Sonoma it's made by Maverick and it looks like this