Tom Gengo

Pancakes, home fries, wheat bread toasted to a medium caramel color w/ fried eggs and sausage to balance it out... sorry, couldn't resist.

Hire a squirrel or leave them unshelled for the fiber (JK) Let us know how it turns out.

Probably not a good idea since the hydrocyanic acid would most certainly be extracted by the alcohol. I was thinking to boil off the cyanide in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area, i.e. outside. However the BP of HCN (cyanide) is 79 degrees Farenheit and the BP (boiling point) of ethanol is 78.1 F. I guess the old saying, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" would certainly apply to makers of Peach Amaretto, lol.

Last place you look??????, Just teasing.

You can preserve them in vinegar or oil for a flavored solution, perhaps mixed w/ compatible spices. Even better are herb butters. Take a portion of unsalted butter and puree in a food processor then add the herbs- singularly or in combination. Great over grilled/poached/sauteed, etc fish, meats, or on breads. Ditto Fat Guy on the pestos and freezing and herbs. BAsil is very delicate- it oxidizes very quickly and it's flavor is very evanescent, so the butter/pesto/freezing will preserve it's flavor much better than drying. Personally, I disregard any recipe that calls for adding basil to a dish anytime prior to the very end b/c of this volatility of essential oils.

My fig tree has rendered all of it's fruit for the production of fig preserves, fig mostardo, a fig galette, a fig tart w/ lemon cream (The Professional Pastry Chef, Bo Friberg) and about 12 pounds of vac sealed frozen little nuggets of nirvana. However, as I am a relentless task master, I am looking for more from my tree. Don't want to cut the wood, although certainly it would make a fantastic bacon when smoked. I am left only w/ the leaves. I have read that the leaves can be used for dolmades, but how are the leaves treated? Brined first? What about the "latex" for sensitive individuals? Heard about fish wrapped in the leaves, but looking for other tried & true recipes. Let me know what you FIGure out...

I have run across this title and am interested in many of the topics in the book, Ian be found here Anyone have this title? If so, what are your thoughts & experiences w/ the book.

Visiting my family up in RI/MA and the next door neighbor has a gourd hanging from a vine that climbed a tree. It looks like a 15 pound butternut squash, but it is dark green, has longitudinal indentations the length of the squash. The flowers look like a zucchini flower, but slightly larger (maybe 5" diamater.) My aunt states that her church group sponsored someone in Guatamala and they were talking about this veggie. It is cooked like a potato. Sorry, but unable to get a photo.

You can get live eels at Frankies Bait Shop over on Riverside Ave, lol. They are great live lined for Stripers and your aforementioned bluefish. Re. local fish in RI, don't forget flounder (winter & summer), striped bass, tautog, scup, etc. What were you doing in Tokyo, hopefully for fun not work.

For years I have been proselytizing on the benefits of brining: chicken, pork, turkey, bread pudding (just kidding), etc. It seems that all I have read in magazines and books calls it brining when they include a sweetener. However,recently I read that it is actually a pickle when the sweetner is added to the brine. Makes sense to me, but I think it is a matter of perception. REad in The Sausage Book by Bruce Aidells about pickled pork from Louisiana and thought, "yuck." However, when I looked at the recipe I discovered that it is a brine w/ sugar... go figure. Would the general populace cook/eat/serve pickled turkey for Thanksgiving? Roasted pickled chicken sounds like a gherkin chicken, lol. Please share your thoughts.

I just smoked off about 14 pounds (finished weight) of tasso. I use a blend of the recipes in NOLA by Emeril & the one in The Sausage Cookbook by Bruce Aidells. BAsically, I cut pork shoulder into 3/4" thick slices and pickle them in a refrigerated sugar/salt/sodium nitrite/crushed red pepper solution IN A NON REACTIVE CONTAINER. I leave it for about 2 weeks, which yields a very salty product but a very "hammy" taste. Since I only use the meat as a condiment I just cut back on my salt in the dishes containing the tasso. To determine if the meat is pickled to my satisfaction I cut into the middle of a large piece and look for that pinkish color indicating that the sodium nitrite has cured the meat. I then dry the pieces and place them on a wire rack over a jelly roll pan for 24 hours to develop a pellicle for the maximum adsorbtion of smoke to the surface. Prior to smoking I use the NOLA recipe for the dry rub by use chipotle pepper rather than cayenne to boost that smoky essence. I hot smoke at about 200F for 3 hours with a heavy handed smoke (like Chris A.) AFter cooling the meat to room temp I seal individual portions in a vacuum sealed bag and refrigerate until needed.

The UP is designed to allow for a range in the gap between the granite base and the granite rollers, which enables them to handle the corn kernels I grind for masa both when they are whole (~5-8 mm) and as they grind down. For that reason, I think they'd be fine to handle any grain. Regulating the grind would be entirely up to you. According to this, there's a limited 1 year manufacturer's warranty. Thanks Chris, great information.

Chris, thanks for your introduction on this equipment. Sounds like a great addition to the kitchen. I have been looking at getting the Nutrimill (Here's a comparison of the various mills on the market) and am now second guessing myself. Seems that the UP would have more universal uses- pesto, masa, etc, etc.. Is the UP capable of an adjustment to the granite grinders to yield various grinds such as a cracked grain? Any thoughts on it's use for preparing flours for bread making? Also, what is the warranty on the machine? Thanks for your thoughts.

I graduated from Union College in Schenectady in '84, made many, many "road trips" to Skidmore w/ my fraternity brothers... good memories. Regarding the topic, I have 2 distinct cafeteria memories from Union. After spending 4 years eating less than desirable food I recall having a conversation days before graduation and complaining that the cafeteria had the worst donuts that I had ever tasted and could not fathom why people were putting cream cheese on a donut. (I do, and did, know that they were bagels.) It was good for a laugh. The 2nd was Freshman year. I "borrowed" some hydrogen suflide (HS) from the chem lab. For those who do not know, HS is a very volatile liquid that smells like 10,000 rotten eggs in one room. My roommate (who co-starred in Mystic Pizza w/ Julia Roberts) evicted me from my room b/c of the smell. To regain entry I placed the bottle in a plastic bag hidden under the radiator downstairs from my room & outside the entrance to the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the heat came on and apparently the gas made it's way out of the bag. My room was just above the entrance for the cafeteria, so when the first student came to eat dinner I heard,"what the hell are they cooking in there", then some gagging and followed by an abrupt retreat from the malodorous entrance. Unfortunaely, this student unleashed Pandoras box as the HS was now outside the cafeteria entrance. On a typical day the campus @ 5:00 resembled The Ten Commandments w/ Charlton Heston- approximately 1200 students all migrating toward the feeding trough. Not this day- all I could hear from the students were "let's just get pizza", "who do you think died from the last meal- sure smells like someone died." The net effect was only 3 out of about 1200 students attended dinner that evening. I have to imagine that those 3 were either the bravest souls on earth, had just come off a hunger strike or had absolutely no sense of olfaction. (I am hoping that the statute of limitations has expired on this unintended practical joke...)

I hope you do not live in Charleston, SC b/c, nothing personal, I DO NOT want to be your neighbor.

Squash plants...

Y'all are killing me. I live in Charleston, SC but grew up (to some degree, lol) in RI. Aunt Carries rules, but have never been to Chris' suggestion. Visiting home for my parents 50th on Labor Day week-end, so may have to go get some fried clams w/ bellies and clam cakes... yummmmmmm. FYI, here in Charleston the ruling mollusc is the oyster. Have the world's largest oyster roast (20,000 people I believe) at a historic plantation. It is always the Sun before the Superbowl- consider this an invitation . Looking forward to seeing what happens this year as they have traditionally used the Appalachicola oysters and curious about the effects of the BP debacle.

The color is from anthocyanins in the krill & other crustaceans that the salmon eat. Huge environmental issue here with farmed vs. wild salmon. Wild salmon parrs (immature salmon) leave the rivers where there parents had twinkly eyes (or whatever fish get) and travel out to the ocean to live a life of eat or be eaten. While out in the ocean the adult salmon will have parasites called sea lice attach to them, however the parasite is not a source of death for the adults. Farmed salmon are placed in cages near the mouths of rivers in many instances where salmon breed and the adult farmed animals have sea lice on them. When the wild parr salmon leave the rivers they are exposed to sea lice much sooner than during the natural course of their existence. THe wild parrs become parasatized by sea lice and a subsequent exponential increase in the mortality rate of the wild salmon. In essence your money spent on salmon is an environmental vote for the continued aquaculture and probable elimination of wild salmon or to, tongue in cheek, Save the Parr.

Corinna, I am cracking up laughing. Toooooo funny.

Cost is nada, but there is only 1 week left of harvesting the tree I planted 5 years ago.

Chris, To me wild rice had a nutty, earthy flavor so with that starting point I think it is great stuffed into fowl(s.) I usually cook 1/3 wild rice & 2/3 brown rice (by volume) seperately and mix together. For 1 cup of brown rice I slowly render 4-6 oz 1/4" cubed, home cured/smoke tasso ham in roasted garlic infused olive oil (2 Tbsp), add 1/3 cup of pine nuts and cook until beginning to lightly brown, add my rice and cook as for a pilaf. After a min over med heat I add 1/3 cups of dried cranberries and add my liq. (follow br. rice directions and add a couple Tbsp extra water for the cranberries.) Bake in a 350F oven for about 75 min.s Fluff w/ a fork, let cool w/ the cover on for about 10 mins, and then blend in the wild rice. I sometimes add minced fresh sage if on hand, really blends well w/ the earthy flavor of the wild rice. Could also use thyme. Also have done it w/ some chopped pecans for special dinners. Looking forward to seeing some other ideas. Also, hopefully some comments on true wild rice vs. farmed regarding flavor, price, consistency of product, etc.

HELP. I am having a great problem. I am harvesting over 2 pounds of figs per day. I am anticipating getting another 10-15 pounds over the next week. I have 8 pounds right now that will become fig chutney and fig preserves. I have frozen 10 pounds (freeze in a 1/2 pan then put in a vaccuum seal bag.) Other than fresh on salads, eating out of hand, etc., what are some recommendations for these divine little purple jewels. In the past I have attempted dehydrating them, but they come out lik e little purple stones... I know that I am removing too much moisture, but can't seem to get the figs right. Never a prob to dehydrate cherries, tomatoes, cranberries, etc. I am open to suggestions for both the fresh and frozen figs. Oh, they are not shippable or I would share them. Oh, thinking of making a fig BBQ sauce.

The starter culture serves 2 purposes: a) it flavors the meat b.) most importantly it lowers the pH of the meat to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. For a very, pardon the pun, meaty discussion of the uses of starters, pH, aW (available water), etc. I would read The Art of Fermented Sausages by Marianski & Marianski. Although a great book, Polcyn & Ruhlman do not in my opinion give enough explaination of the chemistry and pathogenic organisms for dry cured sausages.

I also start w/ a remouillage (Fr. 'rewetting') which is a weaker 2ndary stock that is made from the trimmings that have released most of their flavor and gelatin. During the course of my cooking I have a 2 gal. ziplock to which I add chicken parts (gizzards, hearts, necks, wing tips & backs from spatchcocked chix.) I drop them in a pot (5 gal.) if making a large amount, usually just a 12 qt and supplement w/ well rinsed chix backs from the local grocery store to fill the pot. I add my remouillage & slowly bring up to a staccato bubble (in music stacatto are distinct notes that are seperated from each other) with the pot offset on the burner. AFter the stock has simmered for at least an hour with several sweeps of a fine mesh strainer to clear the coagulated proteins (scum) I then add quartered whole onions (skin on a la earlier discussions), chunks of carrots and celery, whole peppercons (about 2 tbsps for a 12 quart prep.) and simmer for about 3-4 hours. Strain and you have a highly flavored chicken jelly when cooled. (I have on occasian only filled the water about 3/4 the height of the chickens for a more concentrated stock. It makes skimming more difficult at the beginning, but after some time the chicken backs "breakdown" and sink below the surface of the liquid, at which time I skim and add my veggies and seasonings and proceed as above here.) AFter straining the primary chicken stock I repeat the procedure sans skimming with additional water, veggies and herbs to create the aforementioned remouillage for future primary stock preps. Also, I keep on hand a 10-15x concentrated stock on hand by gently simmering it down to a very thick, darkly colored, gelatin rich gel. A crock pot is the perfect equipment for this task, but may take up to 2 days. On the rare occasion where my fond is too dark I will clean the pan, place over med high heat and boil several Tbsps of the concentrated stock until dry for a faux fond and then resume the sauce making w/ deglazing the pan. Makes a very flavorful sauce. And the concentrated stock will boost a sauces viscosity and flavor by just adding a Tbsp. with the liquid. Also, it can be used to boost the flavor of a stock rather than using a chicken bouillion cube.

Everyday I get a Sonic Route 44 Low Cal Diet Cherry Limeade. That drink rocks. Food is not very good.