Dave the Cook

We've had a few interesting wines lately: A rosé from Trader Joes. Surprisingly staunch for a rosé, although curiously named after a (in my experience) rather meek mammal: The closure, however, was almost impregnable. At first, it's reminiscent of the Maker's Mark wax capsule. But as far as we can tell, this one was made from some sort of very tough plastic: \ We also grabbed an excellent Rhone-style California, for about $16:

Another plus one for Wild Fork, especially in terms of selection and availability. But even though there's a significant price difference, I have to also put in a vote for White Oak Pastures. This is seriously farm-to-table stuff, and thanks to that, they offer the less glamorous stuff that I've never seen other purveyors offer: shoulders. sides, cheeks, offal. etc.

That's about what we use (though I admit to being lackadaisical regarding exact measurement).

To bring this back to the subject of cooking myths, or what I personally call "stupid things food authorities recommend," I'll add "salt your pasta water so it tastes like the sea." When I read something like that, I remember the last time I swam in the ocean, and I want to ask, "Have you ever actually tasted seawater? Because it's unfuckingbelievable how salty it is."

There's a "mayo season"?

For some reason this myth persists. Unless you're using homemade mayo made with raw, unpasteurized eggs, mayo is perfectly safe, and may actually prevent foodborne illness. Supporting documentation: the USDA, among others. GIYF.

Close. I'm pretty sure it's one of these. ETA: confirmed. Trigger pulled here.

We had a bottle of this last night with a creamy mushroom soup (really unpleasant to look at, but tasty nonetheless). According to the distributor, this should not be a great match They suggest that heartier dishes like steak and beef casseroles (whatever those are) are good accompaniments. We were very happy to pair it with the soup. As for that Kono sauvignon blanc: at a recent wine tasting, I made our host (a sommelier from a local restaurant) very angry when I pointed out that the Kono we were sampling was available at TJs for nine bucks. The event organizers sell the wines we taste, and the Kono was listed at $21. Making my announcement sent several fellow tasters to their phones to check the TJ site. Turns out whatever deal TJ's made did not include Atlanta, because three stores near us don't have it. But Total Wine has it for $13.

I do believe it. It's a step up from the fried bologna sandwiches I made when I was a kid.

Having lived in the south for 55+ years, I knew most of this. But for someone wanting a balanced introduction to barbecue, this is an excellent article. (I admit to never having heard about the Memphis infatuation with smoked bologna, though.)

Toby himself flagged Eliot (and that passage), but he also invoked Bernard De Voto: Link here.

What is that based on? Potatoes are not especially moist -- 80% is not high relative to fruits and vegetables like greens. Consulting the Michigan State University Extension, we find that "Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and dry garlic prefer cool, dry conditions . . . (t)hey actually don’t need to be refrigerated at all.

I recommend his blog. It's not just funny; it's also informative. But there's more right her on eG. Waaaaay back in 2003, David -- already an established writer -- contributed a short course to the eG Culinary Institute on food writing. That, and the associated Q&A are both well worth perusing.

Sweet! I don't have one, but I've had my eye on it for a while. I'm really interested in your experiences with it.

I am sure I won't be alone in nominating TJ's Unexpected Cheddar as a go-to for several of us.