maggiethecat

Really JAZzy, piece, Janet, although you intimidate the hell out of me! Diagramming sentences for fun. Cool Lady. Re cocktails: As I've mentioned elsewhere, at length, I am a scotch and water, martini kinda gal. Sure, a Negroni now and then, or a Gimlet (Yes, Rose's only! ) But I've begun to notice that as warm weather rolls around, a good fruity cocktail seems like just the thing. Lemon Drops....hmmm simple. Friday night.

Jaymes: My mind was romping in some farther pasture of its own while I baked this, and I just plain screwed up on the chocolate. It wasn't deliberate, but it worked! Still buttermilky, but with maybe, a little more depth of flavor. Oil: I'd use the full two cups, but only half a cup of the buttery version. Note: This is the easiest cake recipe, with the best results, I've made in a long time.

Jaymes: He who his mother-in-law calls Impossible to Please Lou is still cutting little snicks off the cake. Actually, I immediately halved it and took it to appreciative neighbours. Talk about girlish figure concerns! Two cups of oil, two cups of sugar. This cake is redder than a Valentine's day garter belt. And almost as expensive. An ounce of red food coloring was 2.69. The butter oil (where you told me it would be, Claire) was 2.29. Toss in the nuts and cream cheese, and you'd find something fetching on sale at Victoria's Secret. Man, is it good! And so mysterious tasting. I haven't had a piece of Red Velvet Cake since the Ford adminstration, and I'd forgotten how good it is. Let me share a few absent minded mistakes I made---no I could not work for Christopher Kimball! I doubled the amount of cocoa...maybe a good idea. I, (How the hell did I do this? Cogitating quarks? ) forgot the butter in the frosting. I did, however,( forgetting I was supposed to be doing a test), threw a big glob of crema in with the cream cheese. Good. The cake took longer than 40 minutes to bake...more like seventy. And next time, I'll cut down the butter-flavored oil by half. But not delete it:it's a good idea. The nuts in the frosting/filling is a great idea. Jaymes: Shoud I need a bigger pair of jeans by Friday, you're getting the bill!. This cake rocks.

You Texans are sicko! (I guess it's Like Calling to Like...I laughed hard both times the cakes were cut!) Thanks for the tip on the oil, Claire

Bake Off time. I have everything in the house to make Jaymsie's version except the oil...will check red food color level too, before I head to the grocery store. I will make it this afternoon, and report later. It's nice to Have a Purpose!

This was the first story I read this morning . The other sections of the Times are still unread, because I found this to be such a powerful piece. I'd never heard of Scott Peacok, but he's now on my list of People to Watch. What was the last line? He said something like: "There is something so sacred about loving somebody." I didn't cry, but I've barely thought of anything else for the last hour.

No Maggie, water is good. Repeat, water is my friend, water is my friend. Whoa. This may be the first time I disagree with the Maggie. Half the time when you think you are hungry, you are actually dehydrated. I would watch the sodas, and juices (some juices are better than others). Varmint, I hope you are not already tiring of more dieter's dogma... though I shudder at the word "dieter." Of course, keeping hydrated is very important. But there is new thinking about deliberately, massively increasing water intake...if it were not so damn late I'd find the NY TImes article. You must have adequate fluid intake, yes. Too much makes kidneys and such overwork and actually flushes out nutrition you need.

Repeat: Eat anything you want. Just half the portion size...as you did with the pizza. And watch the water: Drink when you're thirsty. Pushing water can be bad.

A little note of appreciation here for all those PMs saying that this is a great topic. I truly hope that one of you lives next door to an Olive Garden!

Advice from someone who's finally managed to Keep It Off: Eat whatever you like, but serve it in Trotter-sized portions. Remember: being a little hungry kills no one. Park as far as you can from the buildings at the mall or the grocery store. Give up french fries unless they are really too good to pass up. That's it! Good luck.

Make that two strongly recommends. (And Jinmyo, thanks for a wonderful post.)

St. Andre Huntsman Ottawa Valley cheddar

The Golden Chopsticks? White Castle? Rosalie? Write a short,over-the-top rave review of the restaurant nearest your house. Could be McDonalds or Trio. But it must be the closest, your entry must be no more than three grafs, and it must demonstrate conclusively that the restaurant is better than Alain Ducasse. Lucky me. Let me describe WD40: You can find WD40 on the first floor the Speedway filling station on Route 59. The high-concept design, aisles of motor oil and automotive parts, is a witty commentary fondly alluding to the background of GM Samir Jamsatjee. He has never forgotten his early influences when he owned every gas station within twenty miles. And he has learned much from the philosophy of Craft: Every diner asssembles his own meal. To sit at the chef's table, next to the lottery machine, is to truly appreciate the genius of the man. Plus, every diner nukes his own selection to order. I chose the hors d'oeuvres from the Morrow's Nut machine: freshly roasted cashews, presented in their own paper bag. The chef swears The French Laundry's cornets are a direct swipe. My companion felt that the popcorn lacked sublety, but at 49 cents a bag, it was good value. I chose the fusion jalapeno hot dog with saurkraut as my plat principal, my companion raved about his reheated sausage and egg sandwich. The palate cleansing sorbets, which were offered in six flavors, have been renamed Sno Cones, probably due to the current widespread midwestern Francophobia . Talented pastrychef Little Debbie, did not disappoint. We shared her signature desserts: Swiss Roll Cakes and the divine Zebra Cakes. A sixty-four ounce hazelnut cappucino paired brilliantly with the desserts. Washrooms: First Floor Accessible. Deadline: Midnight May 11th. In a time zone of your choice. Edited for the stuff I forgot the first time.

Kara: I hate root beer, so I'm not qualified to judge the technical aspects of The Float. But this is a lovely piece of writing! For me, it is the Gingerale Float. My Grandad used to make them for me after dinner. We'd sit on the sunporch, watch the sun set over Toronto, and count fireflies.

Yeah, ain't pubs great? But twice this year, at non smoking places in LA and Toronto, a sympathetic bartender pulled out an ashtray and said "Don't worry ma'am." Maybe because I was so obviously enjoying the moment? Eating and drinking and laughing? Adding value to their proper dining room? For awhile at least, in Chicago,we can still smoke in the bar.

Yes, dear, exactly. They love being around you and in your appartment. I, God help me, am very tired of being the Polite Smoker. At a party at my parents my Mother (ex smoker) got really angry when she saw a 70 year old friend of hers sneaking a smoke in frigid March Ottawa, while twenty something great nieces weighed in about the Evils of Tobacco in the cozy warm living room. I will stop ranting here.

Maybe your longest post, Tommy, you thread-derailer You! I sense passion here.

I smoke everywhere. And nonsmokers don't mind mooching a ride in my car or coming to dinner at my house. Plus, when there's some serious drinking going on, they smoke half my pack. In their non-smoking homes. The part about dry cleaning is true, though.

Joy. Thanks.

Great article, Craig. You and Lady T might actually make me an informed oeno. In my faraway youth, the only Chardonnays I ever tasted were French Chardonnays. With their memory, I was completely confused to hear Wine Folk diss Chardonnays, and The People Who Ordered Them. Back to Binny's. I'll take your list. Thanks.

Duck was on sale a few weeks ago (99 cents a pound "some pieces may be missing") and I roasted most of them for that Fabulous Fat. We've done comfit duck legs. Chicken legs too. There's still lots of succulent fat. The flavour's even better. Can I just boil it up, freeze it, and carry on indefinitely? Or should I simply fry everything I can think of in it, add it to mashed potatoes, and wait for ducks to go on sale ?

That's one hell of a gamble---remember snow, May 28th, last year? But I utterly sympathize. Which tomotoes, BTW? Here on the Blasted Prairie I don't get that lovely Lake Effect. And yes, hearty thanks to The Big Guy for the rain. Sweet peas are evincing interest.

Amazon got it to my door yesterday, and I must say it appears to be all Nightscotsman says. I am terrifically excited about baking form this book. The sections on fillling, icings, frostings looks especially useful. There are several classic cakes here that a northerner like me has never heard of. I think I'll try Lane Cake first. Can any input, Alabamans? Thanks, Nightscottie.

Bienvenue, ABG and Gruyere! And please, do not feel shy about posting!

"well wriiten." Yes. I don't know why I was so surprised at how well written it is. Pepin is astounding...he can do everything. I am enjoying this book immensely. And I never knew about that car accident that almost killed him. No fourteen hours on his feet after that! The Real Thing, Baby!