Nick

Wusthof - 10" Cook's and a 3 1/2" paring knife for most everything. Got lots of other knives but those two do about anything except bone, fillet, and trim.

I've had the same hard maple cutting board for going on forty years. I've cut plenty of chicken and fish on it with no problem. Whenever I get done, I wipe it off with a paper towel. When I do the dishes, I scrub it down (sort of) with the back side of one of those sponges that has the "scrubby" thing on one side. Then I "rinse" it with a sponge that's had the soap squeezed out of it and is pretty much just clean water. I wouldn't have a plastic cutting board in my house.

Jeez Cakewalk, I don't think this is a snobby thread. We're talking about doin' shit. But, you know maybe it's neither innovation nor inventiveness - maybe it's just soul.

You're giving me something to think about. I don't know, I really don't. I pretty much just started. I've done some stuff, but now I'm branching out. I've always cooked fairly simply - or at that's what I think. I think that's a good place to start. And, don't use too much of anything in the way of herbs or spices until you know what they'll do - then don't use too much. Learn the proportions of the meat and vegetables and grains when you're putting things together. Also think of the colors that will be on the plate. And the textures. (Suvir) "My problem is with the chefs doing homework on guests." If the chef is good enough, and has regular customers, there's nothing wrong with that. Wouldn't it be nice if the chef (who's cooking you knew) came to the table and asked if you'd like to try out something new and described it to you? And you could, without offense, demur. But, that would not be likely as the chef would know your tastes. Well, I've wandered off into wonderland on that last bit.

I'm certainly not a chef, but I've been cooking for awhile and have just started getting into innovation. Mostly with sauces at this point, but also with main dishes. I wouldn't want to try too much if I were cooking for guests, but when alone I'm trying out some stuff you won't find in any cookbook. Fairly tame, but so far edible if not tasty. Start giving it a try. Not being a chef, I can't say at what point in one's career to start innovating. But, if you've been cooking for awhile and know some of your ingredients, why not start now? Just don't try it on your guests the first or second time around. Get it down first.

I don't know how they were cooked, but many years ago (60's) I used to get fried chicken livers from Estelle's in the south end of Boston. Back then it was a black neighborhood with a few of us honkies. Those were the best chicken livers I ever had. It was a take-out and I'd go there a lot. If there's any black folks on here maybe you could let us know how to cook chicken livers. I'd appreciate it. Edit: I forgot to add that fried gizzards are pretty tasty too. Cut'em apart, clean them out and fry however you like to do it.

You got me to thinking about that, so I did a little search and came up with this. Looks like an interesting site. Thanks. Gernat Katzer's Spice Dictionary Here's the link to coriander - http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/eng...l?Cori_sat.html

After water and salt - beans. Dry beans, mostly pinto.

I'll second that.

Fat Guy - This is difficult. I have lots of cast iron - much from my mother, now no longer with us. Almost all is Griswold - the only cast iron worth having in most cases. But, a year ago or so I got into All-Clad and most of the cast is in the attic. But, nothing browns and sears like cast. I'm trying to figure out how to do it with All-Clad stainless. Don't know if it can be done. Anyhow, what I'm using right now. 2 - 7 1/2" All-Clad fry pans (cooking for one) 10" All-Clad fry pan 3 Qt. All-Clad Saute Pan (Also 1 and 2 Qt.) Aeturnum pressure cooker (4 Qt.?) (Mostly dry beans) 4 Qt. All-Clad with steamer insert (corn, brocolli, and brussell sprouts) Wagner 9" square cast iron with weight - originally a bacon pan with press. Use it for toasting and making sandwiches of various types. Think starting with grilled cheese and go from there. There's seven. Got to say I just got a Le Creuset 3 1/2 Qt. and I'm going to try that for braises, stews, chili, etc.

I keep changing as time goes by. Sometimes it's been oregano, sometimes cumin, sometimes the two of them together. Many years ago I really got into tumeric. Right now it's thyme. And here and there, rosemary and parsley. Now that I'm forced to think of it, I really don't have a favorite. It depends on what I'm cooking - though I think I'm going to look into allspice soon. And coriander.

Burns - If you get burned on your fingers or hand and have cold water available, immediately plunge the hand into the cold water or hold it under cold running water. This has to be done nearly immediately (5-10 seconds or less), otherwise it will make the burn worse. I've never timed this so 10 seconds may even be too long. Immediately is the key word. This from nearly thirty years of working steel, often hot, and occasionally losing track of what I'm doing. It's always from moving too fast without thinking. Great writing and stories Malawry. I read Michael Ruhlman's, "The Making of a Chef" and am enjoying this just as much.

Thanks for that link. From there I went to Raymond Blanc's website and if you haven't been there, try it out. A friend who's a chef at a 5 star resort had suggested that I try rubbing a pork roast with the paste from vanilla beans. I did and thought the subtlety of it needed something more - like prunes. So, lo and behold Raymond has a recipe for pork loin stuffed with prunes. Might be just the thing to add some vanilla paste to. I know this is a long way from beans on toast but what the hell. Go to the site, hit "recipes" over on left and search away to your heart's delight. "Pork and prunes" brings up the above recipe. Raymond Blanc

Oatmeal Stout (Sam Smith) Old Pounder (now being made in the US by Shipyard in Maine) Harpoon Pale Ale (Vermont)

This Yankee always uses chuck - boneless usually. With carrots, turnips, potatoes, and onions. Pretty much a braise only cooked a little hotter. Brisket needs long slow cooking.

Just make sure you know where your dogs were made, how, and from what critter. Years ago I worked with a livestock dealer/trader and learned which animals were destined to be dogs, boloney (belogna), etc. I rarely eat them now.

"I am starting to find duck is a mostly agreeable meat. I think the worst thing about it is the fat on the breast...." This being my first post here, I'm probably getting off on the wrong foot, but have to say that a good crisp duck skin and the fat beneath it is to me the tastiest part of the duck. Just don't eat too much. Edit: I should add that when my duck is done, the fat is only about 1/16" thick. Maybe 1/8" at most.