maggiethecat

I'm counting them, and I might have to order a copy of The Chicken Tractor . That's eleven. Thanks beans, Kim, carolyn and heyjude. And thanks for the recco on the Lewis/Peacock book. I am two thirds of the way to Sloopy's the Doggy Diner Running total: 28,696. 5.43 miles. (Um... awaiting three from Amazon)

Am I the only person on this thread who doesn't know what Maillard reactions are, or are we afraid to admit ignorance in front of Wolfert and Dave the Science Guy? Expound, Archie. And welcome, Wolfert! (PS. I am in the Tommy school.)

Nero, m'Dear: I had managed to expunge Hanon from my memory...and now, it's flooding back in all its horror. Mme. Dumoulin, my piano teacher, was a Hanon true believer. You owe me a beer for this one! Good work, my Valkyrie culinary student. You'll be telling your grandchild: "Yes, little Thor, back in the old days we tourneed with a knife! !" (Compost Activists Rule!)

Archie: You have never lived until you've had a battered, deep-fried Peppermint Patty!

Kit: My favourite too; I still have my newlywed T.G. Green, bought with my employee discount at Crate and Barrel. (When there were only three stores in the world!)

This may be the classic roundup of all three food groups! Oh, the sin...garlic mashed potatoes and spaghetti and meatballs on the same plate! Welcome, Nikki!

Now it's 27.670. Sparrowgrass...yes! SHould I PM you the details? Sparrow's eggs...wow.

Yes, I know what you mean here, even though scratch cakes were, and are, "normal" in my family. But I have come to realize, rather sadly, that cake mixes are now what is thought of as a home made cake! Welcome, Vyrianna. We want to hear more from you.

Lisa: I'll have the calculator ready. And God forgive me, I had totally forgotten about that wonderful pancake recipe. Thanks for the reminder.

I received "The Nero Wolfe Cookbook" from Amazon today. Hmmm...it's research for a TDG piece...tax deductible? And five more from my very favorite shrew. 27,663

I dunno, jhlurie. Although the Chief Justice should probaby refrain from comment until the contest ends...this is damn funny! Jason isn't hogging tshirts. In fact, he is longing, yes, longing, to give them away. So please... people...fuse, fuse, fuse. And post, post, post! (Gee...come to think of it Jason, wasn't I supposed to get a thong for moderating this forum?)

Um...this would work for me every time. (Good thing we like each other's spouses....)

Wiping my eyes, wiping the Old Fashioned off my monitor.

Suzanne: You've covered the subject very well. It's my understanding that, British in origin, pie birds were used, mostly, for meat and game pies. These are thicker and higher than, say, yer everyday apple pie, and need a vent that reaches deeper into the filling. Oh yeah, silver. I collect silver. I really need to learn how to post pictures here. My newest acquisition (Thanks, Mummy!)is a late 19th century sterling piece with screws and vise thingies that give it a truly Victorian/Kinky appearance. I was stumped as to its purpose and had to give in and call the Font of All Knowlege. Victorians had gizmos for all occasions. This Thing clamps onto the leg of a bird so it can be held neatly during carving. It works, but I never thought I needed one!

LOL! Yes, Off off-Topic Madame Moderator! (How many are black?)

The Gastronomic path is one of life-long learning and experimentation. I might try this.

Oh, yes, please! (Still wiping my eyes!)

WHT: Omigod! I remember this sublime cake...an aunt made it. Could you please please post it in the recipe archive...or just PM it? Orange frosting. Double Yum!

Pie Birds.

But you see, Babe, it exerts a horrible fascination...you keep checking in! Archie: Don't tease. Does the frosting start with: Cream two pounds of lard and six cups of white corn syrup?

That's just a minor felony, right? Community service? I might break your arm in the tussle.

And let the Fusion happen here.

Chaste sprinkling of powdered sugar, perhaps?

This is always a wonderful peek into the life of a Cooking Buddy, or a new aquaintance. I remember checking out the collection of a girlfriend from France. I was so madly jealous. Hundreds of cookbooks, all in French, many of them her mother's or grandmother's. These books had been put to good use for a long, long time. I still treasure the Francoise Bernard "Recettes Faciles" she gave this tyro cook for a wedding present. On the back page she wrote (in that spidery French handwriting)the conversions from metric to English measures. I wonder where Eda is now.

I sorely want to present a Golden Gully and a Tshirt for this competition. It's easy. What is the nearest eatery to your home? And what about it would make Alain or Jean-George gnash his teeth and worry about his stars? I need five more entries. Let's make Jason cough up another Tshirt.