snowangel

Add 32 for me. Garage sale: set of 5 Elizabeth David cookbooks ($4.00) and the COMPLETE set of 27 Time-Life Foods of the world cookbooks ($10.00). The latter -- the hardbound and spiral notebooks, each in a separate box (perhaps this should count at 54?). Ta-Da! To top it off, the garage sale was across the street from my house! The other shoppers were oogling a huge pile of those grocery store Pillsbury cookbook/pamphlets. Gah. I've got the lumber, and I've got the power tools. Next week, when we return from the cabin, I build a new bookshelf.

To add to Minnesota's list -- I think it was new last year -- deep fried pickle on a stick. Dill pickle, battered. No, I didn't try it.

Per week? Per day? Per what?

Peter, Diana, Heidi and I did a side-by-side pizza tasting, and the overwhelming favorite was pita pizzas (as opposed to english muffins), in the cuisinart toaster oven (set to max). Thinner crust + crispier crust. There was no general consensus on toppings among the 4 of us.

Time for incense or a tuner. Nothing like those morning-after olfactory reminders of what one ate.

We've had beautiful, clear and sunny days. The right amount of rain. But, we need heat. I don't think it's been above about 78 this season, so far. My wisteria, tomatoes and beans could use some sweaty weather. I'm glad I didn't put any peppers in. And, mosquitoes finally appeared.

LARB. Am I the only one who craves hot/spicy/limey (when I'm not craving my oh-so-famous bacon sandwich -- bacon sandwiched between bacon)?

Here's the recipe I use most often, based on a Barbara Tropp recipe:Potstickers I don't make my own skins. With an inquisitive 7 year old, it's a recipe for disaster. Make and freeze in quantity. Give as gifts.

The school year ends tomorrow. The verdicts: Heidi. A sandwich girl all the way (unless we have leftover frittata). Cheese, turkey, whatever. She loves sandwiches. Peter. Sandwich boy. Just about anything goes, including mayo and jelly (no comments, please). Diana. The adventurous one. If it's a sandwich, it has to have stuff like feta, hot peppers, roasted red peppers -- not the stuff most kids in North Minneapolis put on their sandwiches. Tabouli is another favorite. Salads (I got a little rubbermaid container for dressing). Bread and cheese. But, her favorite is leftover Thai curry or larb. When she mentioned to one of her teachers that she loves leftover curry, he offered her the use of his microwave, in exchange for an occasional curry fix. She has been known to get up early in the morning if we have some leftover steak and make larb. All kids get fruit with their lunches, and sometimes cookies, cut-up veggies, etc. It has been a good year, and I've appreciated the fact that they decide what they want and help fix it.

Potstickers These are fun to make, and even more fun to eat. Kids of all ages like them. I'm pleased to say that I can get 6 or 7 pleats per side! Practice, practice, practice. I've used minced chicken in place of the pork. I documented the pleating here. 1/2 pound of finely chopped bok choy or napa cabbage 1/2 T kosher salt 3/4 lb (a little more or a little less) of chopped pork butt 1 T finely minced ginger, 1/4 c. chopped scallions (green and white parts) 1 T soy sauce 1 T rice wine (sherry will do) 1 T sesame oil finely chopped water chestnuts 1 T minced ginger 1 T minced garlic Sprinkle bok choy or cabbage with kosher salt; let sit for about 15 minutes and squeeze to remove water. Mix with remaining ingredients; stir in one direction. Refridgerate (if you have time); let come come to room temp before filling. I buy wrappers, and buy the round ones (so I don't have to trim them). I look for whatever brand has the most wrappers per pound -- you want them thin. Fill wrappers, pleating tops. I usually need some water to make the pre-packaged wrappers stick together. When done, they should stand up on their own, and be crescent shaped. Put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and they won't stick to the surface. At this point, you could put the cookie sheet in the freezer, and once they are frozen, put in a plastic bag. I usually make twice as many as we'll eat so I have an emergency batch in the freezer. Do not fully thaw before cooking, however. I usually serve with a garlic/soy/sesame oil dipping sauce. For cooking: heat a flat-bottomed pan (I use a non-stick 12" Calphalon), add some oil (not too much), and put in the potstickers, starting in the middle and working out in concentric rings. They should be nice and close. I tend to turn the heat down when putting them in and raise the heat when they are all in. When they have browned on the bottom, put in some chicken stock -- it should come about 1/2 way up on the pot stickers, and cover. When most of the stock has been absorbed, check to see if they look done (remember, the wrappers are a form of pasta), remove the lid and let them cook for another minute or two. Keywords: Appetizer, Main Dish, Chinese ( RG544 )

7 nights a week (except on the Sunday nights we return from the cabin) we sit down at the table together. We have, in fact, sort of curtailed sporting, etc. activities for the kids that interfere with dinner. No TV. Diana helps cook, and Peter is starting to get into the act, too.

Yes, ecr has it right. Thai fried rice is not in inself a highly spiced dish. It should be almost white in color, and the accompanying condiments are of utmost importance. Thai fried rice bears almost no resemblence to the fried rice so prevalent at your typical U. S. Chinese joint. As to satay. I agree with ecr. While the satay meat is often marinated in a peanut-based paste, I don't think I ever saw it served in Thailand (lived there for a decade) with peanut sauce. A chili sauce, and a cucumber relish (cukes, cilantro, sugar, vinegar and fresh birds eye chilis. Ah, guaytiaow laad naa. I used to eat a plate of this (with squid) every Sunday morning in Pattaya (back when it was a sleepy little town) before we got on the boat to go scuba diving. Lots of vinegar and peppers.

Pecan Passion bars (recipe from Maida Heatter's 2nd cookie book. These are wicked

i suppose this begs the question: where do people put their cars during dinner? Validated (or unvalidated) or valet parking?

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes. And, yes, June 6, 1981 was a grand day to get married. And, my folks did take Peter and Diana home with them after dinner; Heidi passed out at the table, was carried into bed at 8:00 pm, so... And, it was better than going to a restaurant. We'll do that in the winter.

Growing up in Thailand, we had a cook. I did not learn to cook until after college, and I was on my own. By trial and error, and following recipes to the letter, and then learning how to branch out on my own, I am now quite a good cook (provided I can come up with ideas, which is where the cookbooks come in). Diana, on the other hand, is learning first hand. One of the things we have done to have "special" time together is cook. She likes to cook, and I know she has learned a lot by assisting me. She has learned how to take recipes and modify, how to look at a handful of ingredients and come up with a meal. The wealth of information on eGullet has been invaluable -- and I thank each and every one of you for the information and inspiration. Diana has also learned the joy of reading a cookbook, especially when it comes to techniques. When she is out on her own, she will start out on much firmer footing that I did. Peter, now 7, is starting to get into the act. I firmly believe that everyone should be able to cook, sew on a button, type, change the oil in one's vehicle.

Ask the folks from that city/area on eGullet.

Finger food.

Like Nick, we rarely eat out (rarer still since I quit my job 2 years ago). And, when we eat out, we want something we would not cook ourselves. Probably the most common is dim sum. Tomorrow, we will celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary. My folks offered to take the kids so we could go out for dinner, and both Paul and I agreed that we'd just as soon something that is typical of our life in the summer. So, it will be NY strips on the grill, new potatos, salad, and I'm going to try and make vanilla ice cream with rhubarb. Pinot noir. Under our pergola with the twinkly lights and hanging candle thingies I made since the mosquitos haven't made an appearance yet. I'm thinking the kids need some pinot in the hopes that they pass out early

My brother-in-law and I do it once or twice a year. Always accompanied by wine (lots). Our daughters (one is 14, one is 12) can do it, too. It can be a good way to pass a rainy afternoon with one of your favorite conversationalists. He and I have laughed that we never do tourne solo.

Didn't there used to be Entomophagy/Down-Home-American: Crispy Critters? Unlike many of the fusion dishes mentioned, the Entomophagy/French was inspired by a real dish, created by none other than Young Master Peter. Upon discovering that the earthworms at the cabin were somewhat slimy, he laid almost dead worms out on the cement path down to the lake at the cabin, and waited until they were somewhat crispy. Finding them somewhat tasteless, he did find them more palatable when accompanied by Gedney baby dills. Cornichones just sounded more elegant. He probably deserves an eGullet t-shirt for just flat eating this concoction! (I should add that the worms were washed in Elephant Lake prior to drying.)

Thanks, Nina! For many parents, the moments of pride are "my child read Moby Dick at age 5" or "my child was toilet trained at 9 months." Having grown up in Thailand and appreicated the complexity and myriad of flavors that a hot pepper can contain, my moments of pride have been much different. With Diana (now 12), I have now forgotten the moment, but it most certainly had to do with an appreciation of just how different the different flavors of peppers and "hot" condiments can be. She knows that a serrano and a birds eye and a jalapeno and a roasted pepper are all very different. With Peter (7), the moment came just a few days ago. "Mom, it makes my tongue burn. But, it tastes smokey, too (chipotle). Can I have more?" A couple of days later, and a perfect pineapple cut up, just ready for an after school snack. "So, Mom, how about we try some of those crushed red peppers (dried) on top of them; suppose it would be good?" It was good. Best of all was this little boy discovering a whole new realm of complex flavors.

My neighbors (from Mexico; yes, I mention them again ) often bring home a whole pig. It is dead and, I believe, gutted, but has feet, legs, a body and a head. What they do is cut it up (Peter, age 7 is fascinated by the process). The head goes inside to make some sort of hangover soup. The rest of it is fried in one way or another. I haven't paid enough attention, but some of it is made into carnitas, some of it is just plain deep fried, in a large copper vat over a multi-ringed propane burner outside. The carnitas and fried stuff is served with "embellished rice," a variety of salsas and pico, beans, tortillas. They usually give the fried organ meat to the kids. I don't remember what they do with the feet. Blame it on beer and tequila. And the band. The "pig" thing always involves a Big Party. Band, beer, tequila, grandmas, grandpas, babes in arms, middle-aged folks, kids racing around, and someone passed out under the picnic table the next morning. It's spectacular.

Like you, I'm just not satisfied. The noodles aren't quite right, the paste isn't quite right. I don't know. Maybe it's that I'm eating it Minnesota instead of Chieng Mai? Anyway, my project in the next week is to try and procure "fresh" noodles (not the packaged kind from some plant in Chicago), and try the paste recipe in Thai Food and see what happens. Perhaps I should check out every damned Thai cookbook in the Minneapolis Public Library System (4th largest collection in the country) and compare recipes?

No. If you have dietary restriction for whatever reason, it is the responsibility of the individual with the dietary restriction (or caregiver of said person) make sure that dietary restrictions are not violated, or avoid food if no clear answer is given. It is absolutely impossible to cover every possible restriction. Who'd know that if my daughter drinks diet pop, she'd probably have countless seizures? Who'd think that diet pop is dangerous to some people?