snowangel

My friend and I have discovered one of the great things about a bacon taste-testing like this is finding the flaws or variables so we can repeat it again every year. We just love bacon. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun if it were rocket science. Someone uptopic asked about the leftover grease. We shared it, each taking home a portion to use for hash browns, fried chicken, etc.

Three of my college buddies and I (we've known each other an embarrassingly long time) get together for a getaway at a post resort every year. In 2005, we did a bacon taste testing (only 6 varieties), all locally smoked bacons. What we discovered is that unless the bacon is all cut to the same thickness, the test was way skewed. So, we talked to one of the butchers about the thickness of their bacon (half way between thick and supermarket regular -- read thin) and there were two in contention. What it boiled down to was not just the bacon on it's own, but the bacon in a BLH (Bacon Lettuce and Hummus), a BLT (with cherry tomatoes), plain and on its own. And, we didn't discount the grease factor. As in eggs fried in the grease.

Beer and chocolate is a great combo.

Toliver: Thanks for the report. Not everything is a success! On the "crust." Did you put the pan directly on a pizza or baking stone? If so, that's probably the culprit. If not, I have no clue. What puzzles me is that I use the same type of loaf pan, lined with foil. Could the lack of fat had something to do with it? I also prefer a meatloaf or meatballs made with a fattier cut of meat and some sort of "filler" to lighten things up. I also, when making meat loaf or meatballs, like to do what I learned to do when I first made "pearl balls" -- have the meat mixture pretty darned wet. It helps keep it light.

This is my solution, which is not a whole lot different from the solution of adding more liquid. So, this is why that small batch of venison chili morphed into something we'll be eating all winter long (and maybe into the spring).

Thanks, Sara, for partipating in the Spotlight Conversation. It has been so much fun! I have been reading portions of the questions and responses to my family at night, and it's made for some different family time in the evening. Your "coolness" factor went way up when I read your response to the question about the Beastie Boys to the kids. I hope you continue to pop into eGullet periodically. Again, thanks. And, thanks to your co-workers and family for their support this past week.

I agree with the too much smoke thing. Once at the cabin, we didn't have enough charcoal, so used wood almost exclusively. I should have pulled them off the grill after an hour or so and finished them in the oven. This seems to be more of a problem with ribs than butts or brisket. BTW, are you using sauce while they are still on the smoker?

It was pizza night at the Fahning's. I have run through most of the dougs in AMerican Pie, with mixed results. But, tonight I hit paydirt with the Pizza Americana Dough. We all agreed that cutting down on the sugar would be a good thing, but I managed to please a family of 5, which is no mean feat. Paul and Peter wanted plain cheeze and pep. With canned (shame) sauce). But, that's what they want. And, that's what they got. Diana and Heidi opted for crushed tomatoes with just cheese. Diana put very small dollops of pesto on hers. Me, I'm all over anchovies. So, I made sort of a sun-dried (actually, tomatoes dried in my oven last fall) pesto, and smushed some of that around on this small dough roung. I also added a mess of sliced shallots, some cheese, and then those anchovies (salt packed, rinsed, filleted, and soaked it a tad of olive oil for a bit). . Yep, I pleased the five of us tonight, which is quite a feat!

I'll confess. I made your frittata with brie and bacon last night. I had killer bacon, from a local purveyor who sells bacon ends for an obscene price that are to die for. Then, I got out the brie. Well, there wasn't quite enough, and you know, I really like like my brie on toast with pepper jelly in the am, so I substituted the hunk of cheddar, diced, for the brie. Forgive me, for I did not follow the recipe exactly the first time. Well, it was exactly, except that I subbed the cheddar for the brie and may have been a bit heavy handed with the bacon (I tend to be a bit heavy handed with the pork products). More importantly, the kids and I diced and whisked and frittated and made salad together, and we all ate together and talked about the days triumphs and trials.

I don't like steakburgers as much as I like Classic Hamburgers. The former makes it seem too chic.

I look forward to seeing the peppermills in your new show. I wasn't aware of just how special they are! What are your favorite kitchen gadgets? Do any of them have sentimental value? I have my great grandmother's wooden spoon. It is a little worse for the wear -- there are a few scorch marks, and I think that at some point over the course of a century, a child (or dog?) used it for teething, but I can't imagine not having it in my kitchen. My new "go-to" gadget is the stainless steel mushroom. It not only does a fine job of smashing garlic, but can be used as a pestle in a bowl, and if you use it to wash your hands, removes the garlic smell. I use this one so often that it has a permanent place on my counter. (Sadly, the company no longer makes them.)

Ah, the no time to cook thing. Back when Peter and Heidi were babies, Diana was about 6, and I was working full-time outside the home. Evenings were chaotic, and it seemed as though Diana got lost in the suffle of diapers, bottles, etc. So, we started a routine. Every evening, after the babes were tucked in, she and I would retreat to the kitchen and plan dinner for the next night, and do what prep we could. All of a sudden, there was time to cook, and it was a very special and sacred time for the two of us. Now that I'm an at-home mom, she and/or Peter join me in the kitchen almost every day after school to get things going. We are pretty insistent on family dinner, my kids especially. They don't want activities that interfere with this tradition.

Hi snowangel, I think that there is an error in this pattern (there are no decreases). I would guess that it should be something like: Cast on 4 Knit one row K2, YO, K to end of row Repeat Row 3 until you have 48 stitches K1, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K to end of row Repeat until you have only 4 stitches remaining Bind off. I just wanted to mention it in case a new knitter attempted to make these and got stuck half way through the pattern. ← Thanks so much for correcting me. You are absolutely correct. (hanging head in shame)

Sara, back to your role as Executive Chef. When you do a lunch or a demo, have you personally tasted these dishes first? How do you compose the menu? Who does the planning? Who procures the ingredients? Do you have themes to the menus?

Beautiful, Marlene! That's what it should be like! And I do to the bottom of the first crease, too.

My BIL and I have each done a few Mario recipes with tomato paste, and in our opinions, he calls for too much. We have each wished we had cut the amount in half, or used just a quarter of what he called for. BTW, not familiar with the product to which you refer.

Two of them here: Mini Baby Ruth bars (but only at times of the year when candy sales are high -- Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc. -- so they are really fresh) for ME and treats for those who help me. Odd since I don't have much of a sweet tooth. My other guilty pleasure would be Saltines. I love them, when I want a quick nosh, buttered. Crushed, they also make a great thickener and breading. I've come clean.

Interesting. The local butcher shops sell it here for about $3.99/lb, but it is frozen, and wrapped, so I don't see what I am getting. If I head to a hispanic market, it is in the case, not frozen nor wrapped, and running $1.99/lb.

Hrmm... I'll have to try that next time. How did it taste? ← Wonderful.

Yes, it is. I've done something similar. No one was home to hear the awful language I was using!

Welcome, Darcy, to the world of blogging. Talk more about the bacon you use. I happen to live in an area that is rife with local meat markets and can procure locally smoked bacon at more places than I can count on both hands within an hour's drive. Expand that to two hours of driving, and I can't tell you at how many places I can find bacon. but No cake advice from me. As I've gotten older, my sweet tooth has amost disappeared,I always resort to either Burnt Sugar Cake or this Chocolate cake -- both recipes which I've memorized. Recipes taught to me by my great-grandmother (I have her recipe box!).

Beautiful, Jason! Tell me more about the broth. Were the noodles cooked in broth?

I had an interesting "experiment" last fall. We were without power for 5 days, and as stuff in the upstairs freezer started to thaw, I pulled out a huge bag of chicken bones, but them in the stock pot with water (I never put veg in when I make stock), set it to simmer, and promptly fell asleep. I didn't skim. The next morning, all of that junk that you would skim had come together and congealed. I ended up with a very clear stock.

Before leaving for two weeks in the summer, remember to take out the kitchen trash and run the garbage disposal.

I made the Chicken Do-Piaza last night. Yum! I wished I'd added more cayenne, but the lower level kept Peter happy, so I just put the bottle of cayenne on the table for people to add as they wanted. The combo of the chicken, the silky sauce (I took the immersion blender to the onions that are pureed; worked like a charm) and the still slightly crunchy onion slices was divine. I did not take any photos. Braises, in my experience don't usually photo very well, and the color of this one (given the turmeric) gave it a well, let's not go there, look.