kayb

A business trip last week that extended into this one brought me home via Interstate 24 northwest out of Chattanooga, which is noteworthy because, at the foot of Monteagle Mountain, it takes you by South Pittsburg (no "h"), home of Lodge Cast Iron factory and store. So of course I had to stop. I got enthusiastic: 8, 10 and 12-inch carbon steel skillets; silicone handles for two, as I might well use more than one at a time. A couple of silicone rings if I want to have perfectly round eggs. A stainless spatula. There's a new store since the last time I went, built right in front of the ironworks itself. Big, bright, roomy, and the most staff I've ever seen. And lots and lots of cookware. I could spend a lot of money in there. I have flaxseed oil on my grocery list, and am about to go read the thread on seasoning carbon steel pans, a venture that will have to wait as I am off on business travel early next week, too.

My first trip to the local farmers' market was this morning (it opened last Saturday, but I was out of town). An early spring meant there's a much greater assortment than usual at the market this time of year. The haul included zucchini and yellow squash, snow peas, new potatoes, kohlrabi, radishes, carrots, cabbage and strawberries. Plus a bag of kettle corn, which had been half consumed by my daughter by the time I shot this photo. Now to figure out what to do with kohlrabi, having never prepared nor indeed eaten it.

One of my standbys for feeding a crowd is pork loin; you can sous vide it or otherwise cook it nearly done days in advance, and then just sear off, slice and sauce day-of. That, a big platter of roasted chicken, a couple of choices of sauce, should do you for evening entrees. I like to make a German potato salad, with a dressing of bacon and bacon grease, sauteed onion, caraway seeds, mustard, and potato water; no mayo worries. It's good served room temp. A vinegar based slaw (I've shared my "jail slaw" recipe on here, I think). Baked beans, as you can bake them there. Is corn ripe in your part of the world by then? A big tub of corn on the cob might be a hit. Buns in case anyone wants to make sandwiches. Big bowl of fruit salad. For the kids -- I can see the burger bar, but you might supplement with hot dogs and the sloppy joes as well. Again, corn on the cob could be a hit. No reason not to repeat the baked beans. Desserts, I'd stay with the very simple -- slices of watermelon, maybe rent a small freezer and fill it with ice cream bars, or make homemade ice cream. And try to carve out some time to enjoy your party!

Have saved this, as I plan to make some salsa this summer when tomatoes come in. Have you ever water-bathed any of this? I love the sound of the flavors combo.

I like Schwan's, particularly for seafood, as finding good seafood can be an issue here in a relatively small city in flyover country. I have a good source for shrimp, but I've gotten scallops, crab legs, cod, salmon, and presently have halibut on order from Schwan's. I also like their boneless pork loin chops, if it's been a good while since I bought a whole loin from the butcher and cut my own. I don't buy their beef or chicken, since I have a local source for farm-raised. A lot of their other items are pretty good, as well, although I don't much care for the flavor profile of their pre-packaged entrees. But their convenience snacky stuff and breakfast sandwiches, etc., are decent.

Maybe you can only get cucumber hearts around Valentine's Day? ....sorry, that's all I got.

A friend tried the pico guac chicken. Said it was very good. I am presently questioning her judgment, but...

I'm impressed as hell at anyone who makes croissants, in need of improvement or not. There are some marvelous bakers in this group. You'll enjoy it. Welcome!

So will the RV make it to Germany? If so, let me know; I'm looking to hitch a ride.

I love Cookwise. I credit it with starting me on my cooking journey out of my little corner of the world. That said, my very favorite meta-cookery book, simply for its breadth and never-fail instructions, is Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything.

How cool!

I suspect one could yet order Broadbent's country ham and get it sent premium shipping. Ain't nothing like ham and biscuits for the Derby.Ain't nothing like Broadbent's.clickety Get the breakfast pieces. Cheaper, and the right size to go in a biscuit.

@Auro, that all looks absolutely marvelous, and nothing moreso than that gorgeous sea photo with which you began your post! Thank you for both the beautiful scenenry and the wonderful taste-bud-tickling!

@ChocoMom What a lovely kitchen and dining room! Someday, maybe I'll have a big kitchen I'll love cooking in. (I love cooking in my little one; it just has some shortcomings.)

I've managed to make some inroads on freezer contents of late; a carton of shrimp frozen in a block of ice made dinner on Sunday, and a chunk of pork loin was the centerpiece for Sunday's dinner. As I am about to be gone for a week, I have stocked up with all kinds of obnoxious freezer convenience foods for my daughter, who has the worst dietary habits known to modern man -- she has frozen pizzas, burritos, toasted ravioli -- and the grandson has a fresh supply of chicken nuggets and pancakes. Kid won't eat my pancakes, but loves the Eggo ones you stick in the microwave. Go figure.

I would certainly have enjoyed eating at that feast!

Don't know what kind of a year Baffert has had this year, but usually a Baffert horse is a good bet, too. I remember the Mine That Bird race. My favorite Derby horse remains Smarty Jones.

Am amazed they had Little Smokies as long ago as the Renaissance. Who knew? <<<an unabashed aficionado of Little Smokies in barbecue sauce/raspberry preserves, in the crock pot, at parties>>>

@liamsaunt, I could cheerfully eat that meal every night for a month. (I am not sure what I did in the quoting process, but it glued yours and @shain's posts together so I cannot comment in between them.) @shain, that looks absolutely delightful. Also much more work than I am likely to do. That dinner looks pretty fine as well, and as I enjoy raw potatoes (I routinely munch three or four cubes while dicing them for something) I would not hesitate at underdone ones. Sunday dinner today: A piece of pork butt, sprinkled down with a garlic-honey rub I bought at Sam's and then refrigerated overnight, then braised for five hours at 300F in hard cider. Quite good. Accompanied by baked beans (RG alubia blanco, cooked done and then slow-cooked with tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, mustard. I have a son-in-law who's averse to onions, not the flavor, just the texture, so I cooked the beans with a quartered onion in the pot and then pulled it out), fried okra, and a blast from the past for the kids, cheesy potatoes. It's a potato gratin of sorts, made by dicing and boiling potatoes, then making a cheese sauce, adding the potatoes in, and baking with a parmesan-bread crumb topping. Strawberry shortcake, not shown because I haven't eaten it yet, for dessert.

Will be on the road. As we can't leave until 1 p.m., and have an 8-hour drive to our destination, I'm packing a picnic to take along. I'm wondering how well a grilled, room-temp Cubano will travel. Thinking that may be my choice.

Usually, I'll limit myself to Broadbent's country ham and biscuits (but not beaten biscuits, which are a helluva lot of work). I will occasionally make myself a hot brown. I'm not a big bourbon drinker, and I loathe mint juleps. This year, I'll be on the road, so who knows?

Early dinner tonight: Shrimp boil. Shrimp had been frozen for a while in a plastic tub of water, so I put them out yesterday morning to thaw for last night. Didn't want them last night, so they went back in the fridge. Happened on good, fresh corn at a produce market (Florida, no doubt, but still good!), along with new potatoes. Boiled it up tonight in a one-pot progressive fashion -- potatoes for 15 minutes, corn added for five, shrimp added and cooked just until the water boiled again. It might be noted that a ketchup:horseradish ratio of 2:1 is just a TAD too horseradish-y. Not much...but a little.

@sartoric, another excellent way to cook okra is panfried. Cut the okra in about half-inch slices and let it sit in a bowl for 20 minutes or so to let it ooze a bit. Then shake it in a bag with cornmeal, salt and pepper and just a bit of flour. Fry in about 1/4 inch of medium hot oil; you can crowd your pan, but leave it in a single layer. When it starts to brown, turn it with a spatula and let it fry just a few minutes more; you want from golden to darker brown. Let it drain on a paper towel for a bit, and eat while it's hot. It's a Southern USA classic. And I am cooking some for my family tomorrow!

The Memphis Zoo raises money every year selling composted manure from its assorted critters. Marketed, of course, under the name of...wait for it..."ZooDoo."

I have of late discovered a nice, cheap dry rose, which I can assure you is oft enjoyed there. As is a good cold bottle of Yuengling. It's Ms. Pug. Lucy, in fact. My very favorite damndawg.