snowangel

There was an article about this in the business section of our local paper, and there is at least one local bakery that is posting the price they are paying for flour, and updating the board as the prices change so that the customers can see that no, the bakery is not gouging them by raising prices, merely trying to stay in business.

The number of chicken feet I add to the stock is directly proportional to what I can carry up from the deep freeze in the basement laundry room along with two full baskets of clean clothes. I'd have to think that my grandmother would approve of my measurements. Let's just call it "economy of motion." Not to mention that quite often I can get them for next to nothing (in terms of price) and I don't have to search for them at the market).

The chicken feet at my local Asian market are very clean, so I just toss them into the stock (usually frozen). Anywhere from one to three feet, depending on how much stock I am making -- when I use my 12 quart stock pot, I'll toss in three or four. And, I don't bother to cut them up -- after the long simmer, they just fall apart.

Hmmm. Since most of the burners on my stove didn't work in the house we most recently moved into, and come to think of it, the oven didn't work either (well, it did work, it just took 3 hours to get to 300 degrees), I opted for the trusty Weber Kettle, some apple wood chunks and a pork butt and opted to smoke instead. Oh, and I pulled out the crock pot and made baked beans. But, the first and only thing I cooked on the old stove were bacon and over easy eggs. Simple, fast, and very comforting!

Bruce: More on the lingonberry soaked apples, please! What kind of apples, and were you using lingonberry jam or lingonberries (of which I have a mess in the freezer).

We are on the road again, and our next blog will start later today or tomorrow (time difference between Minneapolis and ????). Our next blogger will take us to: And show us a lot of food! Guess away!

Oh, this is interesting. I have two kids who will not eat scrambled eggs; they have to have theirs so over-easy that the whites are runny (I do not choose to even look at the eggs they want because the slightest hint of a runny white has me running). Oh, and BTW, neither of these kids will have any sort of melted cheese on anything other than pizza. But, the love larb and curry and squid salad and sushi and raw fish and all sorts of odd things, so I do forgive them this dislike of mixed up eggs and melted cheese.

I'm loving the look of the lenox almond biscotti in Dorie's book, but I want to use pecans (I'm not an almond fan) and absolutely love what a brown and white sugar dough does with pecans. In fact, I've been known to make her chocolate chip cookies without chips, but with a lot of pecans. So, should I want to introduce some brown sugar into a particular recipe that calls for only white sugar, any suggestions?

My mother has to salt everything before she even tastes it, and then wonders why my cooking is "way" too salty. BTW, I have to have syrup in a separate place on the plate; I'm a dipper!

Any tips and hints on how to best get the dough from the banneton or couche into the oven?

Another fast idea is frittata. Also good for cleaning out the fridge! Add a salad, and you're good to go.

Maggie, do you at least use the non-functioning dishwasher for storage? feedmecookies: at least you have space above your cupboards. A lot of us have those silly soffits which are just an excuse to use drywall to enclose space that would be better used storing things that one doesn't need very often!

I'm noting that in Dorie's recent book, she mentions fridging the battter for the madeleines for at least 3 hours before baking to get a really nice hump. Comments from the pros? (I have just recently become a baker.)

Thanks for this hint; I need to re-read the shaping technique section in BBA more carefully. The batard is the one I've had the most trouble with. But, I am finding it easier to shape the dough when it is cold, after a retard in the fridge. Am I missing out on something that can be achieved by shaping the dough right after a rise and before the fridge retard?

Next blog will start later today or tomorrow! My communication with our next blogger has been hampered by a time difference...

Two more teasers:

Ta da! A teaser photo: If you can guess what this is, you'll have a clue (think where this person posts most often!). Oh, and it's difficult to arrange a blog and have a dialogue when the person live a LONG way from Minnesota! We will see a first time blogger, and I'm really excited about this one for reasons I will reveal later on. I'm thinking no one will guess th is one, which will be a badge for me!

I agree with what everyone has said, and can't believe that as a child and teen, I took such great cheap street food so for granted. But, as to the mortar and pestle. At the markets, you'll be seeing washtubs full of such succulent and redolent curry pastes that you'll want to save your space for smuggling, not a mortar and pestle! You'll never eat so well as from a noodle cart, or a tiny little hole in the wall.

I'd sort of argue about this one. Back when I worked outside the home, and once Peter and Heidi had arrived, it seemed that the best time to do something special with Diana in the evening, after the babies were in bed. We'd plan dinner for the next night, and get as much prep does as possible -- together. At age 6, she could wield a mean chef's knife and knew how to dice! Oh, and my kids do know how to pleat potstickers and crack coconut milk. I get them involved in the kitchen when they get home from school and they need to unwind. Oh, and I know plenty of stay-at-home moms whose idea of cooking from scratch is opening a bag or can of cream of something soup!

We don't really have a race day tradition, but today, the family has asked for buffalo wings and a broccoli, grape and bacon salad (bound with mayo). Often during high summer, we are at The Cabin, so race time usually finds us racing home! I'll keep you posted on race day dinners.

What kind of food are you interested in? That wold help narrow the field! Edited to add: if you search this forum and use [MSP] you'll get more hits.

Wow. What a lot of information for me to digest! But, back to slashing. At an angle? I've got two "batards" (read not really pretty; perhaps bastards?) in the oven and I seem to have better "oven pop than before. The proof will be in the pudding, so to speak, when we have dinner. I am using Reinhart's basic method for sourdough bread (as seen in BBA).

Susan, I am so sorry to have steered you wrong. The last time we made that dish we jazzed it up with Thai basil and some other stuff, and it was delectable - poblano beef tips (post 20186). We did use ribeye, so maybe the dish needs a good fat-laden steak? ← Bruce, I hadn't thought of adding Thai Basil (a staple in our house), and so for lunch, the leftovers were with Thai Basil, which made a big difference. And, I do think you are right about the fat-laden beef. Reminder to self...try this again, and not with venison, which is quite lean!

I'll confess. I'm new to bread baking, but finally have some starter, that "barmed" is rising like crazy, and starting to make my bread more sour. But, my bread is denser than I'd like, and I have a bunch of questions (all related to non-loaf pan loaves): Shaping. If I flour the counter, I can't seem to get as much tension. Quite frankly, my shaping sucks, and I can't seem to get the tension that is necessary for a Great Loaf. Slashing. When do I do this? If I slash right before I put the loaf in the oven, I don't seem to get the bloom I need. Couching. What's the best way to keep a wet dough from spreading too much? Today, the loaves are couching on a floured flour sack dish cloth, kept in check with bricks. Or, do I even care if the loaves spread? It's helpful it the bread is taller so the kids can get their toast out of the toaster... What's the best way to transfer these loaves so they don't wrinkle? Plea for help, please! How do I know when they are over-proofed?

The other night, we made the quick seared beef tips (using venison) and poblanos. It was not a pretty looking dish, and nor was it exceptionally flavorful. Very ho hum, in our opinions, and I'll not likely repeat it!