kayb

Yes. That's lovely. And drool-worthy, for the sorbet alone.

My inclination would be to SV for longer; whether that is the right thing to do, I have no clue. But I eat grass-finished, pasture-raised beef, which, because it's been wandering about the hillside, tends toward being more toothsome than grain-finished, and I SV longer than most folks recommend -- up to four hours, with no mealy/mushy texture. Try a three-hour cook and see what that does.

Oh, don't disapppear! Keep us posted from the rabbit hole!

I wish I could deal with medium-rare pork. I can't. I was too conditioned to "you'll get trichinosis!" as a child. I know that's not really an issue. Still can't get past it.

Thanks, @Toliver. Not sure how I missed that first time around. Bought three of 'em. It's only money, right?

Thanks for taking us along! I love NOLA, and it's almost as much fun to follow someone else's culinary adventures there as it is to have my own!

Anova still has its 30 percent off Mothers Day sale going, if anyone is still in the market. Bluetooth $129. Clickety.

It would be the spice storage, which comes after the kitchen excavation, both of which come after stashing the boots and winter shoes so I have room to get out the sandals, now that it seems to have gotten to be summer without the benefit of spring. Also on tomorrow's list is cleaning out the fridge, which is taking on a funky smell. Tuesday is working in the garden, along with real work. If you wish to schedule an intervention, I don't think I can fit you in until late June.

This is, perhaps, on the agenda this week for me.

I had something similar to this when Cyalexa and I went to the Catbird Seat in Nashville. It was, essentially, a pork "butter." Ours had either nasturtiums or geraniums, I forget which, in it, added a lovely acidic note that played against the creamy, buttery fat. Be still, my heart! If only you had had the egg carpaccio as well...

Many thanks! Looks simple enough. They would work well with the pineapple pears from the tree up home, should it decide to bear this year.

Oddly, I like both canned asparagus and the fresh kind, albeit they bear little resemblance to each other. There's a taste to the canned I like, particularly when heated with a bunch of butter. I'd forgotten about having it fried. That's good. I've had it both in a tempura batter and in panko crumbs. Another favorite is to wrap in ribbons of proscuitto and roast.

Oh, and the sponge-head paint "brushes" (I think you use them for edging around doors and woodwork). They're marvelous for cleaning out that top channel where the lid fits and seals on your IP.

These make my mouth water. I used to get them at IHOP with strawberry preserves. I have never tried to make them...but must, someday. Never thought of them with caramelized apples, which is one of my favorite ways to prepare apples.

Off topic, but this made me think of "fried biscuits," a deer camp standby. One takes the flaky "whomp biscuits" -- the "old-fashioned" style won't work. Pull them apart in horizontal layers so you have two flatter biscuits for each one. Fry them on medium heat in butter until they're puffy and done in the middle. Serve with jam, jelly, syrup or sprinkled with sugar. These are heart-stopping and artery-clogging, and wonderful.

@Anna N, could you share a link/recipe for the Asian pear pickles?

I agree with @Anna N and @rotuts. I think you got a defective unit. Mine has never fluctuated more than a half a degree after reaching temp, and it seems to circulate well. They'll send you a new one in a heartbeat.

I love NOLA; I love to eat my way through it. I have a friend who contends the way to "do" a foodie tour of NOLA is an early breakfast somewhere of beignets or croissants and coffee; brunch at one of the classics; late lunch at a po'boy place or Willie Mae's, appetizers in a bar of a favorite about 5:30 or 6, and then dinner at 9 p.m., with lots of walking between each. I think the only disappointing meal I ever had in NOLA was at Tujague's, on the opposite side of Jackson Square from Cafe DuMonde. I'd heard great things, but I guess you can hit anywhere on an off night. This one was. I've never been overwhelmed with either Acme or Felix's. Drago's oysters are MUCH better. Glad you got to Mother's. I love the shrimp and oyster po'boy, and the debris isn't bad, either.

There is no such thing as too much Jarlsberg. I had a tradition for my daughters' 16th birthdays, that I would take them (alone) to dinner at a French restaurant. My middle one asked if she could have a steak. I said she could. She asked if I thought they would have Heinz 57 or A-1. I told her it would not matter if they did or not, she would not use it. Not there, not for that steak. For one night, she could be grown up.

I love anything you can do to it. Some of my favorite preps: -- Saute fresh corn kernels and asparagus in butter until barely crisp-tender, with a healthy handful of minced tarragon. Add steamed shrimp, and toss just until the shrimp are warmed. -- Drizzle spears with olive oil and roast at 450 for about 6 minutes. Put on a platter and sprinkle with some lemon zest. Cube cantaloupe and fresh mozzarella and toss with a lemon viniagrette; pile on top of the asparagus. Sprinkle the whole thing with grated parmigiano. -- Saute in butter, slide onto a plate, and quickly fry an egg or two in the remaining butter. Slide on top of the spears and dig in. -- Cut into one-inch lengths, blanch quickly, and shock in ice water. Toss with sliced raw sugar snap peas, par-boiled carrots (to the point they're a little tender but not cooked through), in a mixture of 2:1 vinegar to granulated sugar. (It's good to add sliced mushrooms to this, right before serving.

Here's one I just ran across: Website here.

Assorted thoughts: Brunch at Brennan's -- I'd highly recommend the egg yolk carpaccio and the eggs Sardou. Dinner menu -- hard to go wrong with Gulf fish (it would hopefully be grouper) amandine. I think the soft-shell crab at Antoine's is consistently the best I've ever had. Add to your schedule if you can squeeze them in: Shrimp and grits at Mr. B's Bistro Chargrilled oysters at Drago's Should you want a steak, La Boca Argentine, in the Warehouse District right near the Central Business District, is excellent. As I recall, it's either on Tchopitoulas or right off of it. I've heard great things about Luke, although John Besh is in disgrace at present. Am also fond of Restaurant August. I usually sit in the bar and eat appetizers and drink wine. Crawfish cheesecake at the Palace Cafe is a marvelous thing, as is the fried chicken at Willie Mae's Scotch House. Eat a po'boy, somewhere. Mother's has a good one. And you should have a drink in the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel.

I have been somewhat successful in soaking hickory chips in bourbon and using them. I bought a big box of assorted flavors of wood chips from Amazon -- mesquite, cherry, oak, hickory, alder, apple, maybe a few others I'm forgetting -- and I've been experimenting with what goes with what.

Welcome to the Dark Side.

Handy. I have a stainless colander that came with a set of stainless mixing bowls that fits perfectly in my 6 qt. I use it frequently. It has the little handles, as well. I find it particularly useful when making stock...solids lift right out, and go straight to the trash.