kayb

I like about as much dilution as an ice cube will give it.

Thankfully, Aldi is not included.

A friend came over for dinner last night. I offered him a drink and he chose Glenfiddich. I found a highball glass aNd, putting ice in it, asked, “rocks, right.” He said “I’d rather have it neat,” and I dumped the ice in the sink. Perhaps more suited to the “unexpected gifts” thread, he brought me small bottles (250 Ml?) of Glenmorangie 12, 14 and 20 year old. Those will be consumed neat.

First of three dinner parties this week. Rouladen , pickled asparagus, red cabbage and German potato salad. Tonight will be lasagna, one regular and one vegan. Then two nights off. Dammit. Edited to correct autocorrect. Rouladen!

“A hierarchical pecking order was being established, and when you’re the one desperately slurping sustenance out of the plaster cast of someone else’s mouth, it’s safe to say you are at the bottom of that pyramid.” Whatever the motivation, that’s a fine sentence.

I like you.

OTOH, Aldi had its spiral sliced Appleton Farms hams on for 95 cents a pound this week. I bought two, one of which will be the main course for one of three dinner parties I am hosting next week (yes, I’ve lost my mind). The other one will either get cooked for Christmas or New Years.

When I'm on my laptop as opposed to my phone, ill post a link. If it'll ever get cold here, that's on my list.

Look in the Recipe Gullet for Castaneda Posole. The very best.

No. I just Googled "hush puppies" and the restaurant name. I generally find Southern Living recipes pretty dependable, though.

I will warn you. That stuff will light you up. And the liquor store peeps are amused when the little old lady comes in asking for Everclear.

Lord. I am reminded of my erstwhile first weimaraner, Duchess, who once reared up on the kitchen counter and licked the icing off more than half the cupcakes I had prepared to take to kindergarten for Child A's birthday. I re-iced them and took them anyway. Never knew of a kid suffering from sharing snacks with a dog. One of her successors, Dixie, was well known for her stomach of ceramic glazed cast iron. On different occasions, that dog ate a box of two dozen fundraiser candy bars, an entire chocolate chip pie, a two-pound can of coffee, a box of shotgun shells, and the back of the bathroom door. Re: Toughness of venison. Rule of thumb is does are more tender than bucks, younger is more tender than older. And the meat is better from a clean kill as opposed to one you have to track a mile or two. At least in these parts.

This?

That is a thing of beauty. I love a burger with caramelized onions and blue cheese or Gorgonzola. Never thought about grinding up the bacon and adding it to the burger; making a note of that!

Corn flour is simply cornmeal which is very, very finely ground; its dry texture is almost indistinguishable from wheat flour. Cornstarch manufacturing is a more complex process that involves soaking the corn for a period, then separating the endosperm, and washing the starch out of it. All that to say I’m not certain how that’d impact the recipe.

My favorite thing to cook with beer is carbonnades a la flamande. And I don't think I spelled that right. If I can find it, I use Green Flash Double Stout for that. Also add beer to chili, usually Negra Modelo.

Which reminds me; I found a jar of caviar in the pantry that I'd bought last year for New Year's Day breakfast. Latkes will be a must this (next) year.

I'm wondering what the difference is in between Maryland, Philadelphia and Plaza style terrapin.

For once, I have not too many leftovers. Child B took home a good collection of them. I overcooked the turkey a bit; been a while since I roasted one that small (11 pounds), and I guess I was calculating on a bigger one. Beyond that, we pigged out on everything, but the hit of the evening was the 10-year-old granddaughter's "mud pie," from a recipe in one of her Amelia Bedelia books. Coconut cake was a hit, as well.

Bird just went in the oven. Dressing is made. Sweet potatoes, green bean casserole made yesterday. Broccoli and cauliflower salad in fridge awaiting dressing. Rolls need to be shaped and put back in the garage to rise. All I have left to do is make the mac and cheese, prep and cook the sprouts, and cycle everything through the oven. We don't eat until 5:30, so I'm cruising along here. Thankful for all y'all, and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

At least as important as the sides and the bird itself are the Thanksgiving desserts. For the first time in several years, I made my Mama's coconut cake for Thanksgiving; it has to be made at least three days in advance so it can sit in the fridge and age/moisten. @heidih asked me to document it, as she'd never made one. Well, this one's easy, and a good one to start with. Bake whatever kind of plain white or yellow cake you like. I have Mama's recipe, but it's really easier to use a white cake mix, add sugar, sour cream, and an extra egg to make it richer and denser. Bake it in three layers, or, if you have only two pans, like Mama did, bake two and use thread or dental floss to cut them in half horizontally. Do not, as I did, fail to line your pans with parchment. Make up the first icing -- a cup of sour cream, a cup of sugar, a bag of frozen coconut (dry flaked does not work as well; use either fresh or frozen). Use about half this mixture to put between the layers. Take the remaining icing and stir in a small tub of whipped topping. I've always wanted to use sweetened whipped cream, but I've always been afraid it wouldn't stand up to the long time in the fridge. Frost the cake thickly, and sprinkle the top and sides with more frozen/thawed coconut. Yeah, I missed a spot. Resist all temptation to cut a big wedge of it for three days. Really. It matters.

Cranberry salad and coconut cake done. @heidih, I'll document the cake over on the sweets thread.

I train 'em well. Yes, they're easy enough to make ahead. Boil, peel and halve. Put the halves in a dish and put in the fridge. Mix yolks with whatever your choose to make filling, scoop it into a plastic bag, zip closed and put in the fridge. Day of dinner, pull out empty halves, arrange in plate, snip a corner out of the bag, and pipe full. Leftovers go into egg salad. I promise to document the coconut cake. It's Mama's recipe. Has to be made three days in advance and let sit in the fridge to get nice and moist.

Cooking begins today. Cranberry salad and coconut cake. Bird moved from freezer to fridge yesterday.