ruthcooks

Mostly guests just eat themselves into a stupor no matter what I serve. Many raves for my mashed potato casserole, carrot pudding, mushroom-stuffed squash and chocolate chunk cookies.

For the best tasting vanilla, use Cognac. Or a more affordable version, brandy. Just keep adding a couple of new beans or used pods every time you fill up the bottle with more liquor.

I've often made V. Price's potted shrimp and served it with melba toast or homemade corn melba toast. Michael Field's recipe for chicken liver pate is wonderful, as are most of his recipes. However, I once made a James Beard recipe for potted beef which contained anchovies. Took one taste and realized I'd just made faux tuna fish!

Perhaps it's because "hot" is not a flavor but a physical response related to pain. Both capsicum and spices were first used to preserve food and to camouflage "off" flavors of foods. When a person accustoms his taste buds to ever increasing amounts of capsicum heat, he loses the ability to appreciate subtle flavors. It's your choice. Years ago, I happened to eat curries fairly often and found that I had to add more and more spice as time went by to get the same kick. When I stopped eating curries, my taste buds reverted to normal. Some famous chef--was it Julia?--said the proper amount of pepper was enough for you to feel warmth at the back of your mouth. I concur, and add heat when some food needs a little excitement due to lack of flavor.

My favorite definition of marriage is "two social systems in collision". Almost the same for having a roommate, except you don't necessarily love them. For me, all conflicts in marriage are exemplified by the Pie Theory. In my family of origin, there were 6 members and the pie got cut in 6 pieces and your piece was yours until the end of time or you ate it. No one ever touched your pie. (Probably because you never knew if it might be Dad's and Dad would kill you if you ate his pie.) Since the entire family was comprised of foodies, the pie disappeared fast. In my ex's family, the pie was not cut all at once. People were free to hack off slabs or slivers at will and if you did not look sharp the pie was gone before you got there. Extremely uncivilized. When we were all college students my brother-in-law stayed with us for a summer. I made a family recipe for a special uncooked peach pie and cut it into 6 pieces so the three of us could each have two pieces. After cutting I remarked that I didn't think I had ever cut a pie so perfectly even. The BIL and I each had a piece and I went to bed as my husband was working a late DJ shift. The next morning I asked him if he ate his pie when he got home the night before. He said he had, but that it was a very small piece which his brother served to him. When he remarked how small it was, the BIL said "Ruth must not have cut it very evenly." Guess whose BIL had been hacking pie in the night? Later evidence proved that a pie sneaker cannot be trusted. Nor his brother, for that matter.

There is a recipe with chocolate dough AND chocolate filling in the UCLA Jewish Student Magazine, here: http://www.haam.net/articles.asp?ID=62

cilantro (unwashed underarms) protein that's bloody-rare, raw or alive (no cannibal genes here) margarine (deep and abiding hatred) I wanted to say soy sauce also, but can cook with it in small doses. Also black walnuts which taste like ground up aspirin, but I can stomach them in a cake.

Gateaux Dacquoise Serves 10 as Dessert. The "expert" qualification refers to the tricky buttercream. I ruined a batch once by adding too much rum and it broke--kept it in the freezer and used to fill crepes which were baked until the buttercream melted, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. 6 oz slivered almonds, toasted 2 T cornstarch 1/2 c sugar 6 egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 tsp salt 1 c sugar 1/4 tsp almond extract Orange Buttercream: 8 egg yolks 1-1/3 c sugar 1 c hot milk 1 lb cold unsalted butter 6 T Grand Marnier 1 tsp grated orange zest Toast nuts and pulverize in blender or food processor. Toss with cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar. You may add some of this sugar to the nuts while processing so you don't get nut butter. In an electric mixer bowl, beat salt, egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar until mixture is very stiff and no longer grainy when rubbed between finger and thumb. Rapidly fold in nut mixture and almond extract. Butter and flour two sheet pans/cookie sheets and trace three 8 ir 9-inch circles. Spread meringue within circles. Bake one hour at 250 degrees. Turn off oven and leave two more hours (don't peek). For buttercream, beat egg yolks, gradually beating in sugar and beating until thick and lemon colored. Transfer to large saucepan. Beat in hot milk, drop by drop, and set over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture just coats a spoon. Remove from heat and beat vigorously to cool slightly. Return to (clean) mixer bowl. Cut butter into 1/4-inch slices and add, one slice at a time, with mixer running. When all butter is absorbed, mixture should resemble thick mayonnaise. Slowly beat in liqueur and add zest last. If mixture shows signs of curdling, stop adding liqueur and beat in a little more butter. Chill until of spreading consistency. Spread layers with buttercream and chill overnight. The sides may be left plain or iced as desired, and the cake may be garnished with chocolate curls or grated chocolate or nuts. A thin dark chocolate glaze and hazelnuts are suggested. Alternate flavoring: dissolve 1 tablespoon instant espresso or other instant coffee in 6-8 tablespoons rum. Omit Grand Marnier and orange zest. Keywords: Dessert, Expert, French ( RG837 )

Gateaux Dacquoise Serves 10 as Dessert. The "expert" qualification refers to the tricky buttercream. I ruined a batch once by adding too much rum and it broke--kept it in the freezer and used to fill crepes which were baked until the buttercream melted, then sprinkled with powdered sugar. 6 oz slivered almonds, toasted 2 T cornstarch 1/2 c sugar 6 egg whites 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 tsp salt 1 c sugar 1/4 tsp almond extract Orange Buttercream: 8 egg yolks 1-1/3 c sugar 1 c hot milk 1 lb cold unsalted butter 6 T Grand Marnier 1 tsp grated orange zest Toast nuts and pulverize in blender or food processor. Toss with cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar. You may add some of this sugar to the nuts while processing so you don't get nut butter. In an electric mixer bowl, beat salt, egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar until mixture is very stiff and no longer grainy when rubbed between finger and thumb. Rapidly fold in nut mixture and almond extract. Butter and flour two sheet pans/cookie sheets and trace three 8 ir 9-inch circles. Spread meringue within circles. Bake one hour at 250 degrees. Turn off oven and leave two more hours (don't peek). For buttercream, beat egg yolks, gradually beating in sugar and beating until thick and lemon colored. Transfer to large saucepan. Beat in hot milk, drop by drop, and set over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture just coats a spoon. Remove from heat and beat vigorously to cool slightly. Return to (clean) mixer bowl. Cut butter into 1/4-inch slices and add, one slice at a time, with mixer running. When all butter is absorbed, mixture should resemble thick mayonnaise. Slowly beat in liqueur and add zest last. If mixture shows signs of curdling, stop adding liqueur and beat in a little more butter. Chill until of spreading consistency. Spread layers with buttercream and chill overnight. The sides may be left plain or iced as desired, and the cake may be garnished with chocolate curls or grated chocolate or nuts. A thin dark chocolate glaze and hazelnuts are suggested. Alternate flavoring: dissolve 1 tablespoon instant espresso or other instant coffee in 6-8 tablespoons rum. Omit Grand Marnier and orange zest. Keywords: Dessert, Expert, French ( RG837 )

I agree with Fat Guy about critics being allowed their likes and dislikes. Still, whether I liked a food or not, I would be willing to taste most anything with the possible exception of spiders. Perhaps "tastes" were not available...or perhaps Ms Burros has tasted these foods several times before, knows she can't stand them and would never recommend them no matter how good the preparation. What would be the point? We ate some strange parts of animals back on the farm. My brother and I fought over the lay poke and unlaid eggs of the slain laying hen. My dad had all-male mountain oyster parties after they cut the pigs (I will never forgive him for not letting me have a taste.) My mother cooked chicken feet for soup. Not only have I eaten headcheese, I have made it. The only time I care about what you like is when you're sitting at my table.

Fried oysters and scalloped oysters are good, but for a main course at my first restaurant I used to make something I called "Oysters Bayou"--oysters and Creole seasonings in a brown butter roux en casserole, large croute on top.

I usually cook extra rice so I can have a breakfast bowl or two. Brown sugar is good, but to elevate the dish to its pinnacle use light--or even heavy--cream instead of milk. This is the way I prefer oatmeal and cream of wheat, also. The juxtaposition of cold cream and hot cereal is the best part, and I was always disappointed that only the first few bites were in contrast before the cream got warmed up. Then I read that the English put their cream in a separate dish and dip each spoonful of cereal and sugar into the cold cream. Works for me. Like dessert for breakfast.

I've never met a grape leaf I liked, but make an appetizer of Sweet and Sour Lamb rolls (think lemon, vinegar and sugar, not Chinese style S&S sauce) that are rolled in iceberg lettuce leaves and chilled.

When I made Dacquoise in my French cooking classes I used either coffee and rum or Grand Marnier and orange rind to flavor the buttercream, and almonds in the meringue. One of my cooking students is now a premier Asheville (NC) caterer and still uses this recipe. The buttercream is unusual in that it starts with cooking the egg yolks like custard and adds cold butter. If you (or anyone) would like this recipe, please PM me and I'll put it in RecipeGullet.

srhcb... That link is to another Vincent Price Cookbook, not the famous "Treasury" which is usually around $100 used. I had both books and the one available here is rather mediocre.

Maggie, I have read that the initial high heat (and the residual oven heat) is necessary to prevent bacteria forming. The roast would take too long to heat up if you started it at 200. May be true or not, but I wouldn't take chances.

After making all your yogurt, try my favorite additions: Add cut up dates, toasted pecans, maple flavoring and some sort of sweetener. If you aren't limiting your sugar, you can use maple syrup instead of the flavoring and sweetener. Your yogurt will be thinner but oh so tasty.

FlourPower, I remember your earlier post about having a homestyle bakery. Have you ever run across a book by Dolores Casella called "A World of Breads"? It's been my favorite for about 25 years and is worth a search. It's full of recipes which might fit your style and everything I've made from it is "best of class". She has a couple of other books, but this one is my favorite. Don't miss Excellent Sour Cream Muffins, Viennese Christmas Fruit Bread, Stoellen, Limpe Rye, Jewish Braids, Orange Bread and all the kuchens and coffeecakes. As for desserts, I would think you would find good inspiration from Maida Heatter's books. Otherwise, I find my best baking ideas come from here, there and everywhere instead of from single subject books. It's always interesting to see what becomes a bakery's specialties. One bakery I patronized in the past sold foil cups of Creme Brulee and Chocolate Pots de Creme. They also had a killer apple coffee cake, chocolate cloud cookies and biscotti. The bakery I live near now is not so good overall, but has excellent chocolate eclairs and Danish, a passable jelly roll and some Penn. Dutch desserts like butter cake and shoo fly pie. Like your customers, I like to see what's available and try it all.

turkey (Actually, the luscious crackly crisp skin of roast turkey)

Any book by Joanna Lund. She is supposed to be the largest selling cookbook author in the country...sells them 10,000 at a whack on one of the shopping channels. Don't know any titles...I ordered one once and promptly returned it. Full of low-fat stuff and artificial sugars, not even SEMI-homemade. Her schtick was lowering calories in food so even her truck-driving husband would eat it. I should have known better.

Three vivid food memories originated in the space of a week. The first day of first grade, I took two tuna fish sandwiches on hamburger buns and two pieces of homemade angel food cake for lunch. Quite a large lunch for a skinny little six year old, but I ate it all. Friday of the same week, a stomach ache kept me home and I remember lying on the sofa and arguing with my mother that I "did so" feel good enough to have some peach cobbler. Instead of having peach cobbler, I was taken to the Catholic hospital 40 miles away to have my appendix out. I had never seen a nun (back then they all wore habits) and it was pretty scary. When they wheeled me into the elevator I thought the ether was going to come down out of the grated ceiling. Third food memory a day later...my great aunt Cora knew I loved chicken and dumplings and canned a quart for me which sat on the dresser in my hospital room while I was a patient. Great, fluffy dumplings in bright yellow chicken fat. All of these foods still make me nostalgic.

I learned this lesson early: take the deviled eggs. (Only if you make really good ones, however.)

QUOTE (Mabelline @ Dec 29 2003, 01:50 PM) Maybe this should be a different thread, but does anyone buy or check out older cook or cooking related books? 40's, 50's, 60's,70's,80's, what? Name your favorites! Among the older ones (mostly 60s and 70s and some 80s) I treasure a three volume set by Elsie Masterton called "The Blueberry Hill Cookbooks". She and her husband opened an inn in Vermont (?) and served the most imaginative meals you could imagine shopping a small town grocery store in the fifties. Some of her recipes are real treasures. About two years ago I located a practically new boxed set on half.com for a friend. I love everything done by Bert Greene. Like James Beard, he was an eater extraordinaire. Also books by Julie Dannenbaum, Roy Andries de Groot, Libby Hillman, and Helen Corbitt. Vincent Price's "Treasury of Recipes." And, of course, everything by James and Julia. Right now, I'm reading "Brown Sugar" by Joyce White and the latest paperback out by John Grisham. I read a book of fiction about every two days.

On biscuits, scones or popovers...with strawberry or raspberry jam. In a cream sauce which is going in the freezer (it doesn't curdle).

My best friend gave me a gift certificate to King Arthur Flour, which is becoming a tradition with us. She is not a foodie, but nevertheless I gave her a low carb cookbook and a chimney thing for lighting charcoal. Gave my daughter and son-in-law a tortilla maker, book and flour which they experimented with all afternoon. Gave my daughter-in-law a copy of an old favorite cookbook from years ago, and a heat resistant rubber spatula, my son one of those chimney things also. I ordered my yearly (Merry Christmas to me) batch of cookbooks for myself, but not so many as usual because I still have about a dozen on the shelf I haven't read.