snowangel

Interesting, because in both Thailand and China, they use absolutely every scrap of the chicken.

Is the chicken skin thrown away or used for something else?

Yes, that was me. I was quite curious if they whack up chickens in India as they do in Thailand -- sort of a "big" dice (like 2" pieces) with no real regard for a "neat" cut like is usually done in the U. S. Our cook in Thailand believed that if one didn't "open" up the bone, you would not get as much flavor. I also assume that in India, chicken is usually cooked with the skin on.

Suppose they've done something to the eggs so they don't spoil (pasturized or heated or something?)?

Vegamite.

I have a ton of delicioso (sp?), and need inspiration. I've just spent the better part of 2 days glazing every damn window in the house, and am feeling rather glazed over myself. I'm sure, too, that within two more weeks, I'll have a ton of other varieties of squash.

One cup of sugar, one cup of heavy cream (grandmother's used to skim it from the top of the milk jugs), enough cocoa to make it "look right." Helps if you stir the cocoa into the sugar before adding the cream to avoid lumps. Cook until soft-ball stage. I think some people would use a thermometer, but I learned by looks. It boils high in the saucepan, then the level of boil seems to lower. Just about the time when you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir it and the boiling bubbles are "splat bubbles", remove from heat, and beat until it's of spreading consistency. Spread fast. This frosting doesn't work well if it's really hot and humid -- it just sort of slips off the cake. Licking out the bown and the spatula is the best part. In fact, such the best part that I often double it just so we can eat the frosting. It's just like candy -- fudge -- only "more pure" (as my great grandmother used to say).

My crowning achievement was not actually mine, but my daughter's (live vicariously); her name is Diana. At just over age 10, she prepared an anniversary dinner (for our 20th) for Paul and I and the three kids. Menu: Roasted chicken (from Marcella Hazan). In order to keep this a surprise, she asked our neighbor when she grocery shopped and Diana gave her money to buy a chicken). The neighbor kept the chicken in her fridge for one day. Mixed greens with pears, walnuts and blue cheese and balsamic vinagarette. When I later asked Diana how she selected this salad, she said that she went through the fridge, found lettuce (which I always have), a hunk of blue cheese that was just the right amount. The freezer offered a bag of walnuts, and the fruit basket a pear that was just perfect. She has been making balsamic vinegarette for a couple of years. Roasted new potato. She cut them into quarters or eighths, to get them into equal sizes, tossed them with EVOO. Garnished with tarragon fresh snipped from the garden. She also roasted individual garlic cloves, and knew how to time the whole thing. Dessert was a heath bar brownie recipe from Maida Heatter. She had to bike to three convenience stores to get the heath bars. The day of our anniversary, Paul was at work, and I was at a conference. Heidi's aide was with the kids, and since she was pretty busy with Heidi and Peter, I know Diana did this on her own (other than procurring the chicken). Everything was done at the same time. The table was set beautifully with my great grandmother's china, and she had even gotten a bottle of wine from our "cellar" (basement). She had snipped flowers from the garden and they were floating in pyrex custard cups (so we could see everyone and not be hidden by a large, tall floral thingee. All of this, and she wasn't even 11 years old. What really impressed me was her ability to look at what we had (other than the chicken), and figure out what to do. Somewhere along the line, I must have done something right. And, the kitchen was not a pit when we sat down to eat.

Agree fully. If I want chocolate cake, I will make chocolate cake (from great, great grandmother's recipe with to-die for fudge frosting with only cream, sugar and cocoa; ask for recipe if so inclined), but if I want a brownie, I want a brownie -- crispy, chewy edges and gooey inside. Chocolate cake and brownies each have their place, but are distinctly different.

Got a link for this?

Any hints on extending the shelf (refrigerator) life of ginger?

There's a German deli in a very German town just south of Minneapolis that also makes a salad of very thinly sliced red onions with this same dressing, sans the parsley, but with poppy seeds. Anyone have any ideas what this dressing is? I think a miracle whip-tasting dressing most closely approximates this, but that's not quite right, either.

Have you checked out Maida Heatter's Great Book of Cookies - either the first or second one? She has a terrific selection of brownies. I particularly favor one in the second book, which is sort of an odd recipe. If you want it, PM me and I'll get it to you (I think because of copyright I shouldn't post it). Sometimes I like them with additions, sometimes not. And, I always want two brownies (if not a whole row) -- one from the outside with the chewy bits and one from the inside. If they are really gooey, I like them frozen -- eaten straight from the freezer. With a glass of milk or a beer (I don't really like chocolate with raspberry or orange, but do with beer).

Dijon is a requirement in our household -- whether it's mayo or vinegarette-style.

I know they don't hold an edge, but it's really hard to undo almost 40 years of training (I learned to sharpen a knife when I was 5). And, the wooden handles don't really bother me because I put them in the dishwasher (yes, I know, boo hiss). I do have a Wusthof, but don't really like it because it is so hard to sharpen to that nice 15 degrees. Any suggestions for something that isn't as soft as Chicago, but isn't as hard as Wusthof? I am looking to replace some of my knives.

My dad was a butcher in a former life, and at that time (don't know if it's still true), butchers used "soft" knives -- however, not "bendy" knives. I grew up with the expectation that if you were old enough to use a knife, you were old enough to learn how to sharpen properly. If you don't know how to sharpen a knife, get an inexpensive, soft knife and practice -- it's much easier on a softer knife than the expensive carbon ones. I have a 20-year old set of Chicago Cutlery (no comments, please), and one thing I really like is that they sharpen so easily, and I can get than 15 degrees that I like so much. If sharpening a harder knife if difficult, try softer ones. My stone is always within easy reach.... My friends are always amazed at how much sharper my knives are than theirs.

The following link refers to baskets of assorted cultivated mushrooms, including morels: http://www.earthy.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.e...E+delight+mainm

I may have missed this, Rachel, but are you integrating sound (speakers, stereo) into your kitchen? If so, how are you doing it? I gotta have music when I cook, and our family's gotta have music when we eat. I currently have bookshelf speakers, but as I'm progressing with my own remodelling, I'd like a more "elegant" integration.

Eggs for me Paul (husband) said steak Diana (12) said garlic Heidi (8) indicated brie Peter (6) said fruit (when you're six, you can't pick just one)

We had a birthday dinner for Diana (12 tomorrow), and at her request, I made: Tod Man Tom Yam Kung Gaeng Gwio Kai (with bamboo shoots and Thai basil) Stir-fried an odd assortment of greens and veggies I got from my favorite Hmong seller at our farmer's market Dessert, in lieu of cake, was coffee ice cream with chunks of heath bars

Discussion between friend and former kitchen designer: Friend: "But you aren't listening to me. I'm the one who's going to have to cook in this kitchen." Designer: "But, we'll be featuring it in our portfolio." Friend: "I must remind you that I am the customer, and I will get what I want." Designer: Sputters "But, but, but, I'm the designer!" That was their last meeting. He went with smaller group, and has been thrilled with designs, craftmanship, and lack of problems.

The only reason to scramble eggs in the microwave is for the "wow" factor. It's pretty cool to watch them puff up through the window.

I think one of the differences between skillet-baked cornbread and that baked in a pan is that the former tends to not be as sweet, and often doesn't rise as much. I believe, too, that the former is more associated with the south and the latter with the north. There are several variations on the skillet-baked -- some has only cornmeal, some has a little flour added as well (where as most of the other kind is usually about 1/2 and 1/2). Then, there's the choice of oil for skillet-baked -- oil or bacon drippings or lard, each which lends a different taste. And, since you put the batter into a very hot, greased pan, it has a great crust. Then there's the choice of cornmeal. The finer grind like you can easily get at any grocery, or a coarser grind? Here's one recipe, from my friend Sarah (no flour): 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 egg 1 tablespoon butter or drippings Preheat oven to 450°. Put some grease (oil, drippings or lard) in one 9 inch round iron skillet in the heating oven. Stir the cornmeal, salt and baking soda together. Add the egg and buttermilk and mix well. Remove skillet from the oven, add some of the melted oil/drippings and pour the batter into the skillet. Bake at 450° for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove when cornbread is brown. Here's one with flour, from my recipe box: 1/4 cup oil or drippings 1 c. corn meal 1 cup flour 1 T baking powder 1/2 t. salt 1 cup milk 1 egg Heat oil or drippings in a 8 or 9" skillet in a 425 oven. Combine dry igredients; add egg and milk and some of the grease from the hot pan. Pour batter into pan; bake 20-30 minutes. They are both great recipes, just that the addition of flour in the second one makes it quite different. My friend Sarah also says that some people add a bit of sugar to the batter.

10" non-stick Bourgeat pan. Couldn't live without, but needs replacing (due to child's craft project). Purchased at Marshall's for $4.99! 5.5 quart All-Clad saucier. 2 quart old Cuisinart sauce pan. My mom got it from Cuisinart years and years ago as some sort of lawsuit settlement (?) 8" really, really old enameled cast iron skillet. My grandmother said that my grandfather (he was a grocer) got it from a supplier in 1930. 1 quart enameled cast iron saucepan (from same grocery supplier; also circa 1930). 10 quart stock pot. Stainless with a copper disk in the bottom. Wedding gift. 12" All-clad frying pan with lid. I got rid of every other pot and pan in the house because I didn't use any of them (unless you count my bamboo steamers), and I went on a huge decluttering "no my house isn't too small, we just have too much crap" kick. I even had kitchen stuff we'd gotten for our wedding (21 years ago) that had never been used!

I never refridgerate ketchup. Who wants a cold condiment on a hot food item (as in burgers?). However, I will admit to tossing ketchup in the trash; it takes us months to go through a bottle.