snowangel

Having made many, many sausages in the past, and eaten even more, I'm thinking that pork fat is essential, but what do I know other than that I love pork. I'm wondering where the fat would come from so that it could be incorporated.

I'd be thinking a smoked or slow roasted Boston Butt or pork shoulder (preferably bone-in, skin-on). Shred it. On buns on a last day of summer; in posole; on tortillas with the last of the summer's tomatoes and peppers.

There are several topics in the China Cooking and Baking forum about dumplings.

For deep frying on the stovetop, I currently use an enameled cast iron pan that looks like this one from Lodge. I like the higher sides which prevent a lot of the splatter. Prior to getting that pan, I used my Le Crueset dutch oven, and it did not harm the pan.

Dave, have you tried your dollar store for one of the really ugly medium mesh strainers? They don't hold up well, but at a buck a piece.. I've got a couple of them here that we bought on a whim at a dollar store while waiting to get a tire fixed. I think they would work just fine for what you want, unless you want pretty.

Prawncrackers, part of how long a brisket will take is whether you have a whole or half. Further, if you only have a half (which, given the weight of yours, I suspect it was) is whether it was from the flat or deckle end. The flat doesn't have nearly as much fat or connective tissue. I've just pulled mine and foiled it for serving on Sunday. I pulled it at about 190 (F); 12 hours at between 200-225 (F) on the Trusty Old Weber. I smell like smoke. Plans for sides are a slaw, deviled eggs, sweet corn and sliced tomoatoes with peaches and ice cream treats for dessert.

I have opted for a mix of apple and hickory. It is what I have on hand, that is already split. Since Pipes (aka Diana) is now at college, I don't have my trusty wood splitter on hand. As my brisket smokes, I'm reminded that the best part of all are the crispy bits that "fall off."

Me, I'm very partial to Julia and Jacques book. Although it is not necessarily classical French, I love the banter, the different takes on the same dishes. And, if you ever saw the show and watched them interact, it would be one of your all-time fav cookbooks.

And, where just does ambiance enhance or detract from the food? Some of the best meals of my life have been celebrated with not very good food, but the company and atmosphere were beyond compare.

Janet, I don't think you are alone. We have an electric fridge at home (side by side), and I notice that the stuff on the left side of the fridge (up against the freezer side) is always colder. At our cabin, we have a Servel gas fridge, and the left side of the freezer is always much colder (actually freezes stuff!), and the back of the top shelf of the fridge is much colder than the rest of the fridge. Note: with a Servel that there is no compressor. I do know that both fridges and freezers seem to work better when they are full.

Pickled green beans. I have a plethora of beans. I want them somewhat spicy (read hot). Whole cloves of garlic? Peppers. Whole birds or crushed dried? Dill? Not to be found fresh anywhere, so seeds? Advice sought.

I'm going to smoke a brisket tomorrow or Saturday for an event on Sunday (on the Trusty Old Weber). What wood would you use? Edited to add: sauce? sides? Suggestions appreciated.

When mine (granite Thai one, circa 1968 from Thailand) isn't in use in the kitchen, it is a "decoration" on an end table in my living room. Feel the love. 30+ year's worth of love. Oh, and it does a magnificent job of crushing, smashing and releasing tension from the pestal user.

The Porketta from F & D Meatsin Virginia is 'da bomb. We liked it better than the Fraboni's (wich we had a a year ago). A friend picked up a porketta from Zup's (the Cook location) on her way home on Monday, and decided after cooking the Zup's one that she liked F&D's better. We just wished we more liked their bacon. For us, it's Zup's or MacDonald's in Clear Lake, until we make more trips and discover yet more bacon.

Way up topic, I do think there was a discussion about proportions of lime and fish sauce. What do most folks prefer?

It doesn't matter whether it's a tuna melt or a patty melt, but I want the side the bread that has the stuff on it to be toasted, too. Think toast bread on one side, then make the melt and while it's melting, the bottom half will get toasted.

Currently for me, it's been teaching Peter (now 13!) to cook. Carefully teaching him how to cook the roux for gumbo (san's a beer). How to chop an onion. How to season. How to pay careful attention to the produce -- the squeeze of the lemon, the snap of the beans, choosing the best meat -- be it a steak (a lesson in marbling) or knowing where the best brats can be found in the state, patting out a perfect burger, how to slice a tomato without making mush of it. Sitting on the deck late summer and shucking corn, and just how to time everything. I know I'm late in teaching him, but her has the interest, so I have the time. And, proper grilling, on the Trusty Old Weber. Although we now own a gas grill, where he got his grilling legs, we haven't bothered to get a new tank of gas, but he knows how to fire the chimney, pour out the coals, and get things going, and he's also had his first lessons in smoking a pork butt :-). (note: a gas grill top makes a nice work surface.)

I'm a pro at smells. There was the time that we emptied out my grandmother's house (she went to a nursing home), and it became apparent that the freezer had gone kaput long enough before that the 1/2 cow was liquid (it was August). We tossed the freezer because the smell never came out. Perhaps it would be different if you left the freezer open for quite some time. Then there was the story of our 1990 Ford Bronco. Broke down 100 yards from the cabin. We pulled out the cooler, the clean clothes and the diapers (we had two babes back then). We did not pull out the trash (think fish guts and dirty diapers). Big mistake. The next morning, the sun hit the vehicle, and by midafternoon, well, let's just say, it was "unpleasant." We drove that vehicle for over a year, windows open (painful in a MN winter), and finally the "scent" evaporated. I'm figuring that the plastic interior of a freezer holds smells much longer than fabric upholstery.

It's time to start thinking again. I once again have made peach/raspberry jam, as well as canned some raspberry syrup (from some raspberry juice in the freezer -- home-grown raspberries, BTW). I'm thinking some pickled green beans and perhaps some home-made Bloody Mary Mix? And, I need to come up with some needle-craft (think doing it in the car on trips to the cabin, or in front of a movie -- not the sewing machine). I'm quite tired of doing potholders and dishrags with peaches and cream yarn, and my great supply of "groovy" feltable yarn is gone (and wool is expensive). More Aunt Martha's iron-on transfer dishtowels (which do double as a wrapper for the gift. Any other knittable ideas for the kitchen? I'm also noodling the idea of using those little plastic bowl scrapers (think about 2" x 2") that you can buy from a bucket at the cash register at a kitchen store as a gift tag. Ideas. The time is ripe, or at least the fruit and veg are, and I got 2 dozen canning jars at an estate sale down the street for $1.00 (new in the box, to boot!)

In the deep freeze at any given time, at least two deer (cut up and very well marked, including weight of pieces and cut), ice cream treats, lots of butter, and the summer's tomatoes and the odd bag of frozen peas and corn. Oh, and a mess of brats from our fav meat markets. The upstairs freezer (side by side) -- all sorts of nasty things that are unlabled and never should have been saved, excepting the roasted peppers. Reminder to self: the freezer is not a safe deposit box. ETA: My favorite freezer story is when my MIL's died. We'd been married some 20+ years. She called and said that she found the top of our wedding cake. Did we want it? Sure. Did we eat it? No! We tossed it out of a second story window of our house. The thing just shattered, and the squirrels were mighty happy.

If you want a great flippable waffle maker, I cannot endorse the Nordicware Waffler enough. No electrical element to burn out, no cord to lose. The ones I have are some 20+ years old, and going strong. The ease of them makes the deeper pockets just fine. Just think low-tech.

Maggie's method is the only way I know of to preserve Thai basil. I've tried drying (in which case you can forget that it was ever Thai basil) and freezing it on it's own (again, forget it was ever Thai basil). But, when I do it, I roll it into a log in plastic wrap, the diameter about that of a quarter or a loonie. A quick whack on the counter and I have what I need.

My trusty old Weber Kettle (old enough that it has wooden handles). We've had to reattach the handle for the lid, and replace that three bladed thingee, but don't take it away from me. We were given a gas grill, and we were sure glad when the tank ran out. But, the gas grill top does make a nice serving area!

One of my favorite pie cookbooks is the Farm Journal pie book (sadly out of print). It covers everything from sweet to savoury. But, Kerry, since you mention peaches. Often when we get the really fab Colorado peaches, it's just flat to hot to contemplate turning on the oven and heating and flouring up the kitchen. So, my go to on days like that when I have a plethora of peaches is right from the Farm Journal cookbook. Make the filling. Line pie tin(s) with foil. Fill with filling. Freeze, and when frozen, stick in a ziplock and return pie tin(s) to proper location(s). When you want to make a pie with great fruit, make a crust, and once the tin is lined with the crust, pull a thing of filling out of the freezer, remove from foil, stick in the crust, top with another crust (or not) and bake. Just add about 10 minutes to baking time. BTW, outside of my Blueberry Pie, my preferred thickening agent, if I think I need one, is tapioca.

My Black Bean and Rice salad is fantastic. Sits well on a table, and is vegan to boot!