maggiethecat

I was going through some picture files today and discovered that I'd taken a photo of this year's tourtiere and trimmimgs.

Times three.Rawish duck is just silly. Likewise red tuna. Cook fish!And duck. And pork. Tastes better.

Bingo!

When I was Editorial Director of "The Daily Gullet" this was my boilerplate for aspiring writers. I think it all applies. But I understand what Steven is saying: writing is only 40% of the task. To whit: If you’re submitting something for The Daily Gullet, you know your subject. What I want to hear is your voice. Here are a few tips, which I’ve absorbed via Fowler, White and King. (The money you spend on Steven King’s “On Writing” will be the best bucks you’ll spend as a writer. I don’t like his novels but as a teacher he’s nonpareil.) Unless you’re the Gerard Manley Hopkins of food writing, these three tips will improve your stuff and reinforce your voice. Lagniappe for me: Use them and you’ll spare this lazybones editor a dreary line edit. 1)You get one adverb per thousand words, and yes, I count. If you’re using an adverb, surely you’re not using the best verb. (See?) 2)Use contractions. In your day to day voice you don’t say: “Do not worry, Babe. I will pick up a bunch of scallions.” You say: “Don’t worry, Babe. I’ll pick up a bunch of scallions.” So, no “She had” instead of She’d.” No “He would” instead of “He’d.” Think about it. 3)You get one conditional per two thousand words. No “ barelys,” “of courses” or “in other wordses.” Conditionals are a cop-out, quite generally almost always. How easy is that? Not. I run a red pencil through my own first drafts, contracting and tossing. I’m glad I do, because the page reads better, and forces me to talk like me. I want to hear your voice, prissy or dirty, cynical or wide-eyed, sardonic or sweet. And, as I said, I’m lazy.

167,212. Counting cookbooks is a guilty pleasure: you can wallow in your thousands or take pride in your small, brilliantly curated half shelf. Go count -- and yes, food-related books and cocktail books cut it. Mags and digital files don't.

What fun! This topic is making me consider a mid-February pierogi fest. Erin's cornstarch idea is good for all stuffed goodies that have to wait: potstickers, ravioli, pierogis. Just let guests know to bring their own sheet pans for back home transportation. Gee, it could be fun to plan the decorations/cocktails/food to sustain guests during their labors. Empanadas=tango? Pierogis = polka and Chopin mix? Margaritas and tamales? Red lanterns for Tet?

I've no bone to pick with three buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc. Offal is awful. Tofu sucks. I have a jar of Better than Bouillon in my fridge. I think fish tastes better cooked. I'm a snack cake snob. I taught my daughter that Little Debbie's official name is Nasty Cakes and despite her tears,I've never allowed one in my house. Ouch. When Jiffy Cornbread mix goes on sale for a quarter a box I buy eight.

I'm back to midwinter soft boiled eggs, and with our push to have home made bread around all the time, we always have toast. I've forsaken my eggcups, and I'm scooping out the eggs over the nest of toast soldiers. Nursery food, sure, put pour on the butter and s and p and it's the cheapest, most satisfying lunch around. Dessert is one of Priscilla's home grown satsumas, which takes care of a lotta those food groups.

Thanks, Andie, and I'm thinking about those rugs. Thing is, altho' it's fun to recycle all those bags, your friend and I are probably creating items that will survive a nuclear attack. On the other hand, better to make something useful with them than let them clog the oceans.

If you have a pair of scissors and a crochet hook you can whip together a shopping tote from a pile of plastic grocery bags.

Not officially, but we have a friend who's a fine cook and throws big parties. When we arrive he says "Thank God you're here! Can you help me with [insert task.]

jgm: You just made myday! Thanks so much for your lovely words. I feel 'ya about your job -- hope things get better soon! Have that wine anyway!

Methinks the Idaho Potato Board caught this (much more entertaining) Japanese video from 2006. It was posted somewhere here back in the day:

I'm OK until we reach fitch. Then I'd suggest Google. I have to admit that I'm down with recipes that call for a wineglass of this or a handful of that.

Steven, I love and respect you, but this topic had me in the proverbial LMAO position. A man of your wide culinary experience is just now figgerin' out that sometimes it's a good idea to let a pan soak? My brother and I (aged 8 and 10 respectively) were in charge of the dinner dishes in the late '60's and we discovered that empirically. (Of course, we had to remember to wash that soaking pot before we went off to school the next morning or face our Mother's wrath.) Note: If you're soaking a stainless steel pot, add a teaspoon of white vinegar.

There are several sides I might make , according to mood, but creamed spinach is a necessary adjunct on the plate in the few times a year I throw the money for a great steak.

You took the words right off my fingers. Shapes with a few wiggles and whirls help trap the sauce, and I always dress the pasta in the sauce pot. Another factor I've noticed is the doneness of the pasta. Al dente became synonymous with barely cooked pasta, and that's not what it means, really. Flabby pasta is awful, but I've found that cooking the pasta "enough" roughens up the surface a little and helps the sauce cling.

Dang! I wish I could remember where I read this recently, from a chef I respect who has a science bent. He said the fruit/onion/celery whatever provides a little extra steam to keep the bird moist. I do it when I think of it and don't sweat it when I don't.

Oh. Distinctly outta my league, but thanks.

OK, I'm not a Cocktalian, I'm just a drinker. I probably missed it somewhere in this discussion, bemused as I am, but WTF do you want to incorporate gum arabic into cocktails? I'm not being snippy: I'm a scotch and soda girl who just wants to know.

I'm entranced by the vision of you turning out local, sustainable, hand turned Cheerios at 6:45 am. Good heavens, I have a box of Joe's Os sitting atop my fridge as I type. And no son of Marlene's will grow up without a palate! I let my daughter eat whatever she liked when she was a kid, and she now knows much more about food than I do. I'm all for peace in the home. But Lunchables ... so much money for so little return.

You've touched a huge nerve for me here. I'm trying to be fair, but I think that parents who buy Lunchables are crazy. It also reminded me of a dinner a few years ago with an avid food guy who happened to be Charlie Trotter's accountant. We feasted from Trotters to Go and his kids got Lunchables. I'm not suggesting that all parents go thebento route but you can pack a sandwich, some fruit and a cookie. Or pack up your own crackers, cheese and salami.

I agree. I think it's kind of like the NPR donors v listeners ratio; there are numerous active members here who've never posted their totals. I think the real total is at least five times greater.

The accountant for this topic hasn't been keeping her end up -- my apologies! Including one for me ("Momofuko" worth it for the pickle recipes alone) that's 167,123.

Lemonade.