Corinna

By Heston Blumenthal, of course I meant Fergus Henderson. Methinks I rushed myself when posting this, sorry.

We're hosting a small group at our new place: my boyfriend, Pat, his son, his son's girlfriend, and another friend, but our rule is always "the more, the merrier." The working menu: Spritzers made with local Barlett Pear and Cranberry Wines Nibbles (TBD) Roasted Chestnut Soup Rosewater Sorbet Roasted Suckling Pig (from a local farm, following a recipe from Heston Blumental) Caramelized Red Onion Stuffing (included in HB's suckling recipe) Roasted Pear Sauce(?) Maple Glazed Salmon (for Pat's son's girlfriend who can't eat pork) Mashed Squash Dish (brought by a friend) Broccolini with Smoked Paprika, Almonds and Garlic (from November issue of Bon Appetit) Fennel dish- possibly braised, possibly a gratin, maybe a salad- still thinking Baby Spinach & Arugula Salad with Roasted Pears, Spiced Walnuts & Balsamic Vinagrette (Possible Alternate, if I make the pear sauce: Baby Spinach, Roasted Beets, local Chevre and Spiced Nuts, maybe pistachios) Rolls/Bread of some sort Local (Finger Lakes) Riesling (Dry or off-dry) Spanish Tempranillo Pumpkin Cheesecake Apple Gingerbread Cobbler Brownies (Pat's contribution) Some sort of fresh juice gelatin mold (tangerine/clementine?) This is all a pretty new experience for me, but I'm excited to have the opportunity. Luckily I have some time to prepare, and eGullet is a great resource for that. Any thoughts, advice, guidance will be very much appreciated Edited to fix typow, and to add possible variations.

I could probably do a month if it wasn't for Thanksgiving! The clear out will do us good, as we are going away for 2+ months starting around Christmas.

Oatmeal hadn't occurred to me. I had some lovely raspberry cranachans whilst in Scotland, a traditional dessert in the style of the fool. Then there's that yummy standby, the oatmeal cookie, and its slightly more complicated cousin, the ranger cookie. Not only do rangers cookies contain oats, but a quick online search reveals that different recipes call for different breakfast cereals. My mother always used cornflakes. The cookies have a great texture to then, in addition to the wonderful flavor combination.

Crushed (chocolate?) cereal in place of graham crackers for the crust of a cheesecake or pie might be interesting.

I am excited that this has come around again. I was planning on doing a pantry/freezer clean out next week anyway, but it will be so much more fun with all your help.

Ha! My boyfriend does the same thing. I always ask him how he go so good at ordering.

Lovely in shortbread too!

Winter squashes are super cheap around here right now. They are tasty, filling and very versatile.

Here in the Finger Lakes of NY, there is catawba in abundance. Unfortunately, I don't know how widely these wines are distributed. Hazlitt's Red Cat (short for red catawba) is probably easiest to get. Very sweet and perfect for punch. I'm making a mulled cider for a party I'm having this weekend. Any suggestions for spices, liquor, or combinations thereof that would make it a little special/different than the run-of-the-mill variety? Thank you.

Yeah, those stoppers work great. Though I find it's not so much the time, as the number of openings that is the factor. At home I've opened a bottle once, stoppered, re-refrigerated and had it be fine later the same week. However, once you open the bottle a couple times, the fizz drops off pretty exponentially. We use these stoppers at work (a winery in the Finger Lakes) and they work great, as stated. I agree that you don't want to open it more than a couple times, as the pressure does drop a lot.

I deliberately mismatch the lids with the pots (of the same size, of course) that contain leftovers. Also, after several uses, I find the print fades and there is no question that it's a reused container. Being from a family of hoarders (to my father's chargrin!), I love this thread. Thank you all for shring your ideas and reinforcing my habits.

Here are two that sound interesting: Curried Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/curried-butternut-squash-and-cauliflower-soup Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup With Blue Cheese http://www.recipezaar.com/Creamy-Broccoli-Cauliflower-Soup-With-Blue-Cheese-156415 Yum! They do sound interesting. I ended up making another batch of the Curried Cauliflower, because it was so good and a little piglet I know ate most of it, leaving none to for lunches that week. I like the combination of vegetables in these soups. I look forward to giving them a try. Thanks for sharing the links!

This is helpful. Thank you. I don't want something "just for cooking" and am happy to pay a little more for something I can use in drinks as well. I'm curious: are there any apple brandies made outside Normandy that are worth looking into, or is a true Calvados a totally different product? Thanks.

This is a great idea! We did something similar with Christmas cookies in my neighborhood growing up. It was so much fun to try everyone's favorites!

I am making Sally Schneider's recipe for pate de campagne whichs calls for Calvados. I'd like to buy a moderately priced bottle that will work well in this recipe, but will also be good for experimenting with in cocktails. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

I had a nice meal at the Brasserie Malmaison in Charterhouse Square. Elegant but relaxed atmosphere. Excellent steak, in far the whole meal was very good. The wine list was as well.

My boyfriend grew up with a mother who was an avid cook, so he is used to having someone fussing in the kitchen. Years of bachelorhood got him used to eating out of a can, or at McDonald's. I know he still indulges when I'm at work, but don't we all? He is a very good guinea pig as experiment with new recipes and wine pairings. He sincerely appreciates when I cook for him, and sometimes he even does the dishes. I'm sure I drive him crazy, though, babbling on and on about food and what I'll do differently next time. He doesn't cook often, but is happy to help if I as him to chop something or pick something up at the store. He does make some of the best scrambled eggs I've ever had. He's also good at making sure my wine glass is never empty. Yep, he's a keeper.

As long as it tastes good, it works for me. Thanks, Jenni!

Jenni, this dish looks delightful and tasty. Does one dip the pancake in the two dishes, or use it more as a wrap? Sorry I don't know more about cuisine, but do love the flavours.

I am lucky that my small local grocery employs a real butcher. We get excellent cuts of meat for reasonable prices. Maybe it's because the rural community is used to this. I also have a variety of artisnal meat producers nearby for outstanding sausages, etc. Edited to say: Yes, Jersey milk has higher butter fat content than other breeds, yielding tastier dairy products. (Not as lucrative for beef.) Life's hard in the Finger Lakes! ;-) Cxx.

The flavours here sound intriguing, but when I think of an asian pear, I think of more of a textural element, and less of a flavour. In Korea, julienned nashi pear is used as a crispy garnish for cold noodle soup "mul naengmyeon". Have you thought of using the pear more texturally? Like in a cubed salsa-like garnish, maybe mixed with grated ginger, to drop on the top before serving? What a delightful idea for a soup! I love the thought of using five spice. I find that roasting the butternut squash makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to using it in a soup. The freshness of the Asian pear would contrast nicely, especially if a couple slices are floated on top in addition to using it in the soup itself. Sour cream souds like a good idea too. Yum! Does anyone have another cauliflower soup recipe? I only used half of the monster I bought for the Curried Cauliflower soup. If not, maybe I'll just make another batch. I was hoping to have enough for work this week, but I guess we got greedy last night. It was tasty, and no need to feel guilty about another helping of this soup! Edited because I forgot to say: I think this recipe would also be great over rice.

I love this mushroom soup recipe as well. I agree, nothing I could be more cheering. Tonight, we enjoyed the Curried Cauliflower with Coriander Chutney discussed up thread (http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies.blogspot.com/2008/09/curried-cauliflower-soup-with-coriander.html). I've been wanting to make this recipe for ages, and finally all everything fell into place. Delicious, simple soup with just the right seasonings. I've happily added this to my rotation of soups. Have I mentioned I love soup?

This is how we communicated with my mom's parents in Argentina when I was growing up. Your comment brought back a lot of memories! I'm glad they saved these tapes, now that they live with my parents. PS As a big advocate of care packages, I think the spiced nuts suggestion is great. :c) Corinna

Sorry to hear about your disappointing experience. I had delightful meals in Edinburgh at Fisher's (http://www.fishersbistros.co.uk/) and The Grainstore (http://www.grainstore-restaurant.co.uk/). Such a charming city!