maggiethecat

Marcella has a recipe that involves stuffing the bottoms, or hearts if you prefer, with their (peeled) chopped stems, parsley, parm, s&p and butter. Set them on their little, well, bottoms in a covered pan containing a half inch of water and a nice dab of butter. She says they cook in 10-30 minutes (keep testing, and check that the pan doesn't dry out.) Reduce the liquid to a couple of tablespoons, anoint the chokes, and serve lukewarm.

I do this too, but unlike you, I didn't invent it myself. Delia Smith showed me how in her Christmas cookbook --her dynamite sausage roll recipe. It's a truly grate (er, sorry,) trick.

Me too. And dumplin, this thread isn't a contest; if it were, I would be nowhere near the front of the pack! (Keep working on the MIL.) 65,553.

Heck no! A Golden Gully is much more prestigious, the acceptance speeches are shorter and better written, and the prize is a cookbook, not some silly doorstop in the form of a naked dude.

Sorry, Seth, wrong crowd here! 65,127.

True enough, all of it. Especially the MFKF collected correspondence. Does raise an interesting question, though. The alternative being unthinkable around here, are you suggesting that Ray Sokolov and Tony Bourdain (to name onlly two out of a good-sized field of candidates) wear pantihose? Funny, somehow I hadn't figured either of them as the type. Giggle. Check out the edit line on my original post!

Great question, Art, and I've been cogitating for a couple of days. I think my simple-mided answer is this: the writing must be so good that it screams "Read me!" from two rooms away, and insists that I drop the laundry, the rake or the mouse. I'm old enough to resent the time obligation spent reading "Great Writing" if it doesn't turn me on. I want plot, snappy dialogue, a distinct voice, cheap thrills, and information. Oh! Sex and violence are fine too. As I get older I'm glad I read the great feminine triumverate -- David, Fisher, Grigson-- in my youth, when I lapped up scenery and self-examination. They are all great writers --Grigson being my favourite, because she always writes about something. "Food With the Famous " is a flat-out great book. At forty- mumble I find MFK unbearably sad now, a melancholy bedside companion. (I am aware that this says more about me than it does about the work of writers whose pantihose I'm unworthy to wash.) Edited to undo some sloppy cutting and pasting.

Well, duh, Liz, your hair always looks great! I was wallowing in the burst of blossom in my part of the world today --the crabapples, the redbuds, all those trees clad in bridal white or prom pink. Then I thought about honeysuckle, what an erotic name it is, its divine fragrance, and how i'd like to encapsulate in on a plate. Serious sicko.

Oh Brooks, I'm having a hard time picturing you on the banks of the Red and the Assiniboine --that's about as far from NO as I can imagine on this continent. Have a wonderful time. I know there are Manitobans out here who can give you the skinnyand I promise to quiz my neighbours, whose son went to the University of Manitoba, and hopefully return with something reputable. (If this is your first visit to Canada, you have to stop into a Tim Hortons, kind of the Canadian version of Waffle House) Let's hear it from the Peg.

andie: What a trip down Memory Lane; my mother used that exact recipe in , oh, 1966? I can hear the Tijuana Brass ! I'm going to try it again, and use it for the base for a dynamite Shepherd's Pie. (I swiped her copy of the "I Hate to Cook Book.")

Ruth, I snorted half a martini onto my screen. You are indeed a bad, bad girl. 65, 0889. (Lisa...lovely!)

What do you think of Turner's assertion that

Across the street from these establishments I had a very decent home-style pork chop dinner at a place I want to call the Hollywood Diner -- someone will correct me if I'm wrong about the name.

And the days dwindle down to a precious few... Oops! Wrong month. I'm closing this contest at midnight, May 1, in a time zone of your choice.

Mine too! 63,581.

Well, it doesn't get used that often, but when there is a need I feel terribly smug that I bought it at Crate and Barrel twenty-mumble years ago; it probably cost three bucks back then. A cherry/olive pitter. Works like a dream, looks like a medieval instrument of torture -- (ideal for popping the eyeballs of saints.)

Now, talk about Pizza Poetry (and History and Engineering) -- Dear ronnie, this is a great post! Thank you-- I guess!. (I am starving, waiting for dinner and live an hour away from Marisa's, you fiend!) Mike may have achieved great things in his former career, but apparently he's found his Bliss (and yours) in the pizza biz. Now if he'd only consider opening a joint in the Western burbs... Note to self: Check out American Pie.

Have another count, verjuice -- books about food count! And bloviatrix, dear, thanks for the address; I'll shoot it to my newlt minted egull daughter in LA, should she miss it here. Oh dear yes, Heather.63,564.

I can attest to this, and yes, the wait is enlivened by the people-watching. The problem was resisting the urge to grab the sammies from the hands of the folks who passed me on the way out. Welcome, dear woncarway! Let's hear lots from you.

heyjude, what a lovely excursion. This cookbook thread can always count on you! 63,462.

I'll say! What a haul, my Friend. I agree with you about the Time- Life cookbooks of that era; those folks really did it right. I pulled out the "Preserving" volume of the Good Cook series a few weeks ago, in search of a marmelade recipe. It was right there, and I'd spent a couple of hours looking through the rest of my shelves for a recipe that called for 100% Seville oranges. It was a reminder: Always check out the T-L series, even if I hadn't looked at them for a couple of years. 63, 454. Laurie, that's 12.01 miles, within striking distance of Trio for say, ronnie_suburban, but only about a third of the way for me!

artisan02: Welcome to eGullet, and we're honored that you made your debut on this thread. Yours is indeed a unique situation, and I honor your resolve in dragging those 150 cookbooks with you from move to move. I understanf it too -- if you must make a home for yourself in a new place on a regular basis, pack what counts, what you love, what makes it home. As you said, your "comfort and joy." Yes! I am scratching myself right now, as a matter of fact. It's like shoes: many a woman knows she doesn't actually need that cute new sandal when she already has thirteen pairs, but it doesn't prevent her from wanting, or buying those cute little jobbies with the ankle straps and the Louis heels. But a new cookbook can open a new world, and I've never owned a pair of shoes that powerful!63,893.

Amazing, but we're so glad you all are here. Welcome. 62, 893. 11.91 miles. (Another twenty and I'll be at Trio!)

62,323. Welcome to the thread, folks.

Indeed she does! I received "The Good Cookie" just in time for last December's holiday baking. Thanks again, Maggie! De rien, chere GG.