maggiethecat

Jaymes: Hope you are serious! Wow, you Texans are Lucky Ducks. Peaches! Plus, except for a wretched hour in Dallas/Ft. Worth airport, I've never been to Texas. You would seem like the perfect guide. Aside: Why don't you organize Texas Culinary tours. You'd be great at it.

Me too, KimWB, I love Romaine's structure, and its minerally flavor. Plus, it's often the best-condition lettuce in the supermarket, and it is quick to rinse and spin, and you can get it very very dry so that you can make a decent salad. Wet greens, can't stand 'em. I'll third that! Don't understand why everyone's favourite "utilty" grren isn't roamine, for all the reasons mentioned above. At Frontera Grill, we had Rick Bayless's seafood ceviche in romaine leaves. Those crispy little scoops were perfect. As was the ceviche.

Hmm. My Daddy told me that in Canada you need a permit in order to carry a frozen beaver. That flippery tail can be a lethal wepon. I can get frozen beaver at TJ's? Next to the Musvovy ducks?

Gotcha! An heirarchical thing. Not a nationalistic thing. I won't have to hunt you down and club you with a frozen beaver! And pour maple syrup down your throat.

Actually, really, very well. In restrospect, very close to the modern, non-muddy catfish. Classic mild cornmeal dredged fish-fry fish. Good eough that I might have to hit the fridge and nibble a bit before bed. Thanks for your info.

Sigh. What a beautiful idea. Peaches are right up there with cherries with me. But so help me, I can't buy a decent peach in Chicago, and I've tried. It's as if peaches have become a seriouly endangered species here. I was in Ottawa in August and scored a half bushel of good Niagara peaches. But it makes me sad to think that a whole generation of Americans have probably never experienced the amazing sweet sensual burst that marks a real peach. (T.S. Elliot goin' on?)The hard miserable "georgia " peaches that are available in all supermarkets...including say, Whole Foods, are a frikkin travesty. Not even good for cooking or jam. I feel tremendous sadness because of the disappearance of the American peach. You Georgians and Michiganers...can you find them? Sitting on the back porch in August, Dark. Fireflies. Peach juice running down our chins. The knowledge that tomorrow it was Peach Shortcake. The day after that, peaches over ice cream. Peach preserves. Gaddamit, I'm angrier by the minute. It's as if no one played Mozart any more. At least, for a few short weeks, there are still cherries.

Speaking of fish... His Handsomeness brought home a frozen thang from TJ's tonight. Product of Viet Nam. Boucourti? Anyone familiar with it? He dredged it in cornmeal and fried it up. Very mild and unfishy...maybe too much so. But with the leftover tartar sauce (HH's secret recipe) it will make a good sandwich tomorrow for lunch. Boucourti?

Super idea! Arghhh, now I might have to try this! And I'd promised: no dessert in January!

Raw: Cherries. Closely followed by mangoes. Cooked: Rhubarb in any of its delightful guises

The rice method fascinates me. Could you please describe what it "feels" like when done? Any crispiness?

Howard: Thanks for the excellent pork chop idea. We will try it. Bushey: Very interesting! What I don't learn here at eGullet!

Suzanne got there first. Cold, grey wet=time to make gingerbread. I don't have to have whipped cream on everything, but I must have it on gingerbread. And I like that cream really cold. Thank heavens for a sunny warm day here. I'm still recovering from a week of my mother's dinners...which always include dessert.

Errr..how exactly?

Party on indeed! I'm not a citizen of the Republic of Rum, but welcome to eGullet.

War and Pizza. What happened on a Friday night when my parents went out dancing and left one medium pepperoni for four kids.

Not a bad idea. Of course, we would need our own version of the serenity prayer: "Gully, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change... courage to change the things I can... and the wisdom to know that Plotnicki's mind rests forever in the first category." 201: I spit coffee on my keyboard. Thank you.

Penzeys opened about five minutes away from us. The joy! We had used the catalogue for years, mainly because they seem to actually know and care about the product. The store is pretty plain and utilitarian...fine by me! But it is really fun just to walk the aisles. We have yet to return with only the stuuf on our list. Something else always calls. And because we don't do all our herb/spice shopping at one time we don't experience that sticker shock that Dave's list gave me. I like the Sunny Paris mix in egg dishes. Suzanne: I am too late smart. Just dicovered the labeling/dating thing a couple of months ago. Works especially well for those delicious leftovers in the freezer. I often forget 1)what they are 2)when we made them. I affix little mailing labels and feel virtuous and frugal. (These feelings visit me very rarely!) Actually I'm going to have a crack at the big pasta/starch/baking stuff armoire later today. Maybe I'll even find the catnip I bought last week and has completely disapperaed.

Yes! And for me a chicken sarmie always means leftover roast. *A good (and softish) white roll or bread, buttered *Finely sliced chicken...sorry Jin: the chicken can't help it that it has breasts. I actually prefer white meat cold. Thigh excellent too. *No lettuce! *Lots of good mayo. *Lots of pepper Man, do I wish I had some leftover roast chicken in the fridge!

Dana: Thanks for the gravy formula. That was the bit I was running through in my head. And from this, and another thread, I guess I must buy some Wondra!

P.S. Awbrig and I are Chicagoans. We lap up this noir/snow thing.

Craig: So you made me sniffle a bit. But I am so with you about the eight dollar bottle. "Her red dress was faded..a bit brown" James Cain, back from the dead? Write more!

Thanks so much, Lady T.! Tomorrow I'll head to the mall, buy a calendar, and this happy event will be our first order of business for the New Year.(Except for a dentist appointment, maybe?) HH has been directed to arrange his schedule.

Tonkatsu? You got it in one, Suzanne! That is the one and only purpose we have found for the thin-sliced pork chop. No, no, no. Tonkatsu should be made with thick loin chops or tenderloin. As for the thin chops: Curries. Or deep-fried Chinese style pork. My Exec Chef admonished me on this one. He's with you, and has only made it with tenderloin. But well-bashed "thin pork chops?" I'll give it a try.

Maggie, why do you throw away honey? It keeps forever. Do you simply get tired of it? I hang my head with shame: Discovered tiny dead insects stuck on the jug! (Also, I don't like honey much. Otherwise there would be no stickiness on jug!)