maggiethecat

We're driving, Sue. Wanna lift?

Maybe if we get as drunk as hell while it's still daylight....

I'll ned to track down Aurora and Lady T on this one, to see when they can get away on Friday afternoon. Ladies? Speak up.

Hooray, Sue! And please don't forget your wine recs. On second thought that ain't gonna happen! Er, tell me. Do you know the liturgical music of every major denomination? Don't you have a regular gig with the north shore Episcopalians? (as well, of course with the CSO Chorus.)

Apparently, so's wearing a slip under your dress to church these days, shug, but some things are still considered a matter of good form rather than necessity. Just had to say it: Jess: You are so, so funny. Splat. Snort. Spit.

Thanks, Bruce. I aim to have a (tiny!) talent to amuse. And I am stunned by the great stuff I've learned about butts from all you SSBs. Thank you.

Oh, just thanks bunches! , Archie. I will you my pie bird collection.

Geez, it would be hard to chose! But maybe: You Lucky Duck! (Or Pheasant. Or Quail) Ravioli of Acorn Squash and Mascarpone with Young Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, Housemade Ricotta Cheese, Toasted Pinenuts and Apple Cider Cream Hey...I love Brussel Sprouts! And the apple cider cream thing is beautifully autumnal. And then: Lacquered Aged Moulard Duck Breast with Roasted Quince, Niman Ranch Slab Bacon and Flageolets Because I like the word laquered! (And quince and bacon and flageolets!) But then....there was that pheasant....And the quail... I am seriously jealous. Have fun!

Heretic. Maggie, we should go to Crooks Corner in Chapel Hill and get you some Shrimp and Grits. Mmmmmmmm. Sounds good. (Sparrow: Thanks for the advice, Girlfriend. But I'll try anything once!)

I'd forgotten about the For Sale Room at the library. I'll check it out this afternoon.

I'm impressed. And add one more for me...the mailman just arrived. The Good Cuisine, Francoise Bernard and Alain Ducasse. I've been a Bernard fan since a French girlfriend got me a copy of Les Recettes Facilesas a wedding present. I really need to find a copy of Les Recettes Faciles de Patisserie. 45,172.

Welcome to eGullet rKolluri. And don't worry 'bout a thing! Only at eGullet would 150 cookbooks count as a small collection. Matthew: That is one heck of a score, my friend. Kris, you recidivist, you! 45,169. 8.55 miles.

The pork was wonderful, and obviously, because I have no GI problems, the few hours off heat didn't turn it into the Butt of Botulism. The skin was almost too crispy; the cracklin' wouldn't crack under anyone's teeth! Next time I will defintely skip the initial forty minutes at 500. And (remember:I attempt to follow a recipe as written the first time out) it doesn't need 24 hours. I'm not sure what the minimum oven time might be, but I would guss that 18 hours would be plenty for an eight pound butt. Thanks, guys for your suggestions and reassurance.

Betty: Thanks for asking. It was great, and I/m still alive. Will post more tomorrow, when I'm awake!

Stuplicate. Sorry.

It was 301/302. And welcome to eGullet.

After, trust me, much discussion, my husband insists that it's to kill surface germs before the butt cooks for a long time at a very low temp. Is he wack?

Gee, you say the nicest things!

Welcome to eGulllet, smowen; your first post pushed us up over 45,000. In fact: 45, 005.

S'OK, tana! I own the same one, roughly the same vintage.

How I love an anagram!

If it's purpose was to smoke and smear up my kitchen so that I'll have to call in a cleaning crew before your birthday party, the mission is accomplished. Apart from that, perhaps it was to kill surface bacteria? Give a nice black crust? Or maybe Nigella doesn't get slow-cooked pork butt. I try to follow recipe directions (almost) to the letter the first time I try it. I'll let you know about the results. Dinnertime? Er, probably 9:30.

Check out the eG recipe archive; I finally got it done.

Last night it was decided that we'd try Nigella's recipe for slow-cooked pork butt. The butt in question weighed about eight pounds. After rubbing it with the usual suspects, the meat was seared at 500 for about forty minutes, then (when the smoke in the kitchen cleared) the heat was reduced to 225. The Goddess said we should simply leave it there for twenty-four hours. We started it at 7:00 pm CDT. Hot damn, dinner would be ready tomorrow before our usual 9:30 mealtime! It was bubbling and smelling wonderful at 1:30 am when I sought my couch, after watching 301/302, a brilliant Korean movie about food --and other stuff--that made me never want to eat again. (For at least four hours.) I went down to start coffee at 8:00 am. No aroma. The oven had gone out sometime during the night, and it was room temp within. The instant read said 100 degrees. The Handsome One simply turned the oven back on, and it's cooking away again. Are we going to die? I'll enjoy my pulled pork so much less if I'm afraid that it will be my last meal.

That's great, Matthew. I hate that stuck- in- a- cooking- rut thing. My standard solution has always been to buy a new cookbook, but in future I think I'll follow your example and ask eGulls for suggestions. Terrific idea. (And a fabulous-sounding dinner.)