snowangel

Cafe in northern Minnesota "Get Your Own Damned Coffee."

Growing up in Thailand (and daughter of a leading expert of Thai rice). It has to be jasmine. I ask the merchant to slit the bottom of the bag so I have an idea of the percentage of broken kernels (any good Thai would insist on an extremely low percentage of brokens). I learned to rinse it in cool water at least 5 times, preferably 7 (an auspicious number). And, most Thais (at least in Thailand) do not necessarily serve rice hot. The pot is most often cooked in the a.m., and kept covered (to prevent drying out). It is not reheated before serving for dinner. I cook my rice in a circa 1970 National rice cooker that still does a great job.

So, Janet, just what would you have done to "cowboy sandwiches?" (grind spam and velveeta together, smear on smushy hamburger buns, and broil) THis from my friend who makes terrific tapinade and generally has great taste in things edible.

A bird (duck-like) that one can hunt in northern Minnesota (if one is willing to get up extremely early in the morning, don waders, and find the gun and ammunition). We see them at our cabin near the Canadian border. They are small, but very good. Be sure to check for shot when eating, or one will be purchasing a crown (from the dentist).

I've left town and forgotten a child (still at day care; realized it 1-1/2 hours later ), but would NEVER forget bacon. Boneless leg of lamb seems like a good idea. Little waste; can do many different things with leftovers, and I have easy access to superb lamb. We'll be up there for four days -- leave on a Friday, very early in the am so we can get the cabin warmed up (wood fire; remember, even the core of the mattress is the same temp as outside) and return on a Monday. Not only do we not want to haul too much heavy stuff, but we also have to haul out the trash. When we did these trips before kids, I learned to pre-trim vegetables, etc. to reduce trash. And, like I said, the cabin is very well stocked with staples that can withstand being frozen. We should have a wonderful time. It will be very quiet (fridge is lp gas, so it doesn't make any noise). We will play lots of games, read lots of books, listen to the radio, go snowshoeing, look for evidence of wildlife. No TV, no phone (no cell phone coverage up there). The worst part is the icy cold seat in the out house.

We head north next weekend to our cabin ( near Canadian border; just south of International Falls). We will ski across the lake from the tiny resort to our cabin, carrying only what we can via packs and sleds. What food to take? The cabin is well stocked with "staples" (frozen, but they will unfreeze as the cabin does) such as flour, buttermilk powder, dried bean, spices, pasta, maple syrup, etc. There are no canned goods up there. We will drill a hole through the 3' of ice (using our trusty Mora ice auger -- no motor) for water. We do have a gas stove, but grill/smoker are probably buried under too much to get to. Refrigeration should not be a problem, but bear in mind that we do have to ski 4 miles. We can probably rely on Diana (12) and Peter (7, but a really tiny kid) to haul a little bit of stuff. Resort owner has said he will ski Heidi (special needs child) across the lake). Remember, we'll need to save some of our weight for booze (whiskey seems appropriate). We won't need to take a lot of clothing since I anticipated this trip and stocked cabin accordingly when we left last October. We may or may not get fish; depends on how they are biting and just how cold it is. It is not hunting season. Ideas? (And, yes, we are crazy; we have a different notion of "winter vacation").

My knowledge of Indian cooking is just about zippo, but what about eggs? Are they contra-indicated for your father? I know that in Thailand, visitors bring those in hospital egg dishes (as did my Thai friends when I had my children). As my friend Vipa says "lots of bang for the buck."

If a person has a crock pot, why would said person used canned "baked" beans?

Winnipeg Folk Fest mug. No other will do. It's the right size, and the memories (combined with the caffine) sustain me. Sigh. It was a great vacation.

Jaymes, Jaymes, Jaymes, are so you far from childrearing that you have forgotten Everyone's Best Friend -- The Timer. Use it for grilling. Watering the lawn. Monitoring kid's time on computer. Napping. Endless uses. Just today, I had that final root (the one the endodontist missed on Xmas Eve; but I did get a FULL refund) reamed out. Felt like hell. Had a pot of chili going in the crock pot. But knew that I had a child to get off the bus. Set time, lay down on couch. Set timer 2" from ear. Wake in time to be somewhat alert when child gets off bus. The most valuable appliance in my house? The Timer. Mine is wonderful because if for some reason you miss hearing it go off, it starts counting backwards. So you at least know by how much you blew it.

How long does the really good stuff last (kept in cool, dry, dark place)? My sister and her husband brought me two bottles from Italy. One is sealed, the other not. This stuff is way, way, way good. No, it's not for cooking. Yes, a little goes a long way. Bears no resemblence to the "grocery store" stuff, which is usually vinegar and sugar!

John Schumacher, chef at Schumacher's (a small, elegant hotel in New Prague with a wonderful restaurant) features a lot of game (here it's mostly wild game) on his menu. He has also authored several cookbooks: Game/fish cookbooks by Schumacher

Aim for Chestnut Crabs. Available in MN, but only if you know the orchard owner and s/he feels like sharing. As I recall, they are usually planted for pollination, not for sale, but are so wonderful and are getting so popular that some orchards are planting them with an eye to selling the apples. They are small -- bigger than one typically associates with ornamental crabs, crisp, and that first bite is very tart, but a mellow sweetness starts to intersperse with the tartness. They are divine. Just what an apple should be. For cooking, there's only one choice for me -- Haralson.

Salt. Meat. BACON. BACON. BACON. Carbs. Eggs. I've been known to whip up Eggs Benedict for a snack. Or a bacon, lettuce and hummus (or tomato, depending on season). None of my PMS munchies are simple. Gotta dirty a bunch of dishes and then bitch about it. No sweet tooth here, either. Especially in the morning or late at night.

Your library lets you check out 43 books at a time?! The 43 is cookbooks. I also have 6 mysteries, 2 non-fiction, 3 fiction, and Peter has 23 books checked out. Oh, and I think Diana has 8 checked out. Minneapolis Public Library rocks. You can check out unlimited (I think), they have a great selection of current DVD's and videos, and an awesome selection of cookbooks. And on-line reserving (they e-mail you when book is in) and renewing. Plus our branch is 4 blocks away.

I'd think you need to get theyself, oh one with the girlish figure, to a superette. Get a little bag of fritos (the kind to put in school lunches), a single serving container of Hormel chili, and a very small package of velveeta (good cheese is wasted on this delight). This can be done on a small scale.

I only own 76. But, can we count the 43 that I have currently checked out from the library?

No. The newer editions take note of different ethnic cuisines, but if I were looking to cook Thai food, for example, I'd get a Thai cookbook. I think I also read that they have "lightened" some of the recipes. I'd stick with the one you have. It is a classic.

Pork: shoulder. Beef: NY strip steak. Chicken: Thigh. Fish: cheeks. Turkey: none, unless smoked. Duck: crispy skin. Lamb: chop.

Helps if you learn on a really soft knife. Not only does it need more frequent sharpening (more practice!), but there's more of an encouraging sense of instant gratification, and it's easier to re-do it if you aren't happy with the degree.

Recipes are on index cards. I have these index card thing "boxes" that hang under the counter, and the handle is constructed such that you can prop a card there, so it's visible, but you don't have to touch it and can't spill on it. I file them immediately, and if I try something I don't like, I pitch the card or make notes on possible improvements. Recipes from the newspaper or magazines are pasted on a card. These "boxes" came with indexes (standard stuff -- appetizers, bread, meat, etc.); I turned these over and wrote my own categories. I have three of these, and I think they are about 10" deep.

Larb Growing up in Thailand, the first larb I ever ate was with raw pork. I now make this version; my Thai friend (and former nanny) taught me how to make larp this way. Can also be made with beef or chicken, and I have also made it with raw tuna. Larb has quite a following on eGullet as you can see from the thread in the Cooking forum -- Larb Laab Larp, the thread. Be warned, there are a lot of pages! 1 T Toasted Rice powder 3 T Lime juice 3 T Chicken Stock 3 T Nam pla (fish sauce) 6 tsp Ground red chilis (dried, not fresh) 4 Shallots, minced 1 Stalk lemon grass, bottom portion minced 3 Kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade 3 Scallions, thinly sliced 1 tsp Powdered galangel 6 oz Pork, chopped in food processor or with cleaver Lettuce leaves Sticky rice (optional) NOTE: For toasted rice powder, you can purchase or make your own. I prefer to make my own, toasting raw sticky rice in a wok and grinding in spice grinder. NOTE: For all of the ingredients except the galangel and toasted rice powder, quantities are approximate. I often up them by 15-25%, depending on how I want it that day. I often add Thai basil (depending on availability) and/or cilantro; some like it with mint. Poach ground pork in broth in wok or skillet. Add remaining and heat. If you want it spicier, you can add thinly sliced bird chilis. I usually opt to reduce the amount of ground chilis and add the bird chilis. Serve with lettuce leaves and/or cooked sticky rice. Good warm or left-over (better at room temp than cold). Great for appetizer, lunch, dinner, mid-night snack, whenever. Keywords: Thai, Easy ( RG207 )

My father, a butcher in a former life, maintained that if you are old enough to use a knife, you are old enough to know how to sharpen one on a stone, and old enough to hone on a steel. Diana (12) has known how to use a whetstone and steel for 2 or 3 years now.

And, they make it easy to find the recipe without looking it up in the table of contents! I recently gave a friend her own copy of a cookbook that has been a favorite of mine, and she did ask me to mark it up and make notations.

Same here, and I think I got the Farm Journal "Let's Start to Cook" book at about the same time. Diana's first cookbook was Michael Field's Cooking School. I gave it to her for Christmas a little over a year ago. She felt that the Betty Crocker one was "inadequate."