Dave the Cook

So far, holiday parties have been good this year. I now have in my possession: Fox Creek Vixen NV (a sparkling Shiraz/Cab Franc/Cab Sauvignon concoction) 1999 Yalumba (Barossa) Bush Vine Grenache 12-year-old Chateau Reynella (McLaren Vale) Old Cave Tawny Port Excepting the Grenache, these are beyond the usual fare served at Chateau Dave, and even that's a new one on me. I know my way around cheap ( Instinct tells me that the Fox Creek would work with fatty red meats, prepared simply: prime rib, leg of lamb, roasted fresh ham or duck. I don't think I'd try it with chicken or smoked ham, or even a steak, with the possible exception of a ribeye. The Grenache I would pour with something a little spicy: maybe roast chicken with assertive herbs, a cajun dish that didn't have too many tomatoes, lamb chops with mustard, or maybe something with fruit in it, say an extra-ginger teriyaki pork tenderloin. And maybe a veal chop with rosemary or (better) thyme. As for the port, my only experience is 1) a little cooking, 2) business dinners that went on too long and were not the best venue for appreciation. Nevertheless, I'm thinking dark chocolate, rich nuts, maybe gingersnaps. Don't know about cheese. Is that appropriate? Something nutty? How did I do? Those with more experience: please grade me on my selections, and suggest additional or more appropriate pairings.

I haven't been in several years, but my recollection is that while the exchange rates were as good as you could get, the service charges (which will very from bank to bank) were atrocious. Since they included a hefty flat fee, it was very much in your best interest to withdraw a lot of money rather than several smaller transactions.

Correct spelling, Britcook. Nevertheless, "seminal" is derived from "semen." You're just going to have to get over it. Dave the Writer

Sorry, I wasn't contradicting you. But I'm pretty sure it happens more often than you think. Not everyone has your experience, and not everyone keeps the sort of company you seem to. What I'm talking about are business dinners, where perhaps the European Managing Director feels a need to establish cultural authority over his Yankee underlings, so he picks a wine without consulting the table about what's been ordered, and he chooses without regard to real quality, and even though he knows less about wine, especially North American wine, than I do, which is saying something. (Later, you find out that this guy's favorite U.S. restaurant is Red Lobster.) Then there's the person who is sure that all that is required to get a good wine is to pay a lot of money for it. My sister-in-law routinely procures a bottle of Opus One for any celebratory occasion. It is her pleasure to do so, and I am not going to cheapen her joy by suggesting that, for the same money, she could probably get two bottles of something better and more appropriate to what is being served (which I learned at innumerable business dinners like the one described above). By the way, Steve, I don't think anyone who has read eGullet for very long would place you in either of these categories.

Except himself. And he thinks he's impressing others, which is why he does it. I have been at tables like this more than once.

I found this video: on the American Bladesmith Society web site. The description says: Has anyone seen this? Anyone willing to give it a try and report?

On the shelf, weeks, if not months. In the refrigerator, months, if not years. But if you like the stuff enough to make your own, this isn't really an issue, is it? Or are you thinking about a holiday gift of Swissmiss Artisanal Hot Pepper Sauce made according to the Secret Recipe of a Notorious Internet Dictator ?

You might find this helpful: The Little Book of Meat This is from the site of fellow eGulleter Bouland. I don't know if it's exactly what you're looking for, but I remember browsing a bit and finding it pretty interesting.

It's worth spending some time here: cookswares.com before making your decision. They provide a lot of information, and are careful to separate their opinions from the facts. (They have a lot of interesting things to say about pots and pans, too.) Then, as others suggest, spend some time actually using the knives you're interested in.

We finally ended up with 11 people and way too much food: Smoked trout and creme fraiche on corn crisps with caviar Oysters with three sauces (Tom Douglas) Relish tray Grill-roasted turkey Sour cream mashed potatoes Corn pudding Green beans with roasted garlic and grape tomatoes Melange of onions, chestnuts and prunes (Sandra Levine) Maple-glazed sweet potato medallions with marscarpone cheese and pecan topping Pennsylvania Dutch bread stuffing Cornbread-andouille stuffing (Emeril Lagasse) Scalloped oysters Pecan pie Pumpkin pie Blueberry crisp Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut 2001 Tiefenbruner Pinot Grigio 2001 Chateau de Monfort Vouvray 1999 Iron Horse Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2000 Sebastiani Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Porto Ramos Pinto

Jacques' da man.

Sharp knives seem to scare the hell out of people who aren't used to them. They'll revert to something dull but, I have to admit, pretty safe--for them (dull knives scare the hell out of me). It's unfortunate that they never experience the pleasure and ease that good knives lend to the task. As for mistakes, I'd venture: 1) Inadequate appreciation for mise en place. Good prep prevents panic. Panic makes you stupid. Stupid makes you careless. Carelessness is the essence of bad craft. 2) Timidity. 3) Failure to analyze results and act on the analysis. Is all this too harsh?

For stone crab, the mustard sauce is preferable--I think it masks the iodine taste better. Here's the recipe from Joe's Stone Crab: 4 t dry mustard 1 c mayo 2 t Worcestershire sauce 1 t A-1 steak sauce 2 T half-and-half pinch of salt pinch of cayenne Mix together, check for mustard/salt balance. Happy thanksgiving

Thanks, Nick. You didn't happen to run across my recipe for Stuffed Braised Snipe, did you?

But also juicy and well-seasoned.

Does that mean even chicken parts thatre gonna get pan seared then finished in the oven? Yes, IMHO. My family can tell the difference and complain if I haven't brined chicken, even in a simple sauté. Even 30 minutes in brine is well worth your time. Well, it's worth it for the chicken. I have no idea what 30 minutes in brine would do for you. I don't even want to think about it.

Good point. There's just about zero fat in the pork tenderloins we get. Pound for pound, I'd guess it's less fatty than a skinless chicken breast. Hence its lack of good porky flavor. The best cuts of (unprocesed) pork these days come from the shoulders and legs. Has anybody tried this stuff? Pipestone Family Farms

Does the idea of "disabled parasites" make anyone else giggle nervously?

Please be careful about partial cooking of anything that has eggs in it, as many dressings do. You might cook the eggs just long enough to get them into the danger zone (40°F to 140°F), but not long enough to kill any nasties that might be lingering. Then overnight, fully awakened, they multiply like crazy little bunnies in that moist, warm environment you've created for them. It's an unlikely scenario, but why take chances?

This is grounds for divorce. Tell him I said so.

According to The Joy of Cooking, there is no culinary difference. It was called "stuffing" until Victorian times, when the vulgarity of the term led to the less coarse "dressing." This explains, to me, why you can't get a straightforward answer as to which is which, even within a single region, or among a single cultural gathering. Then again, my mother-in-law called it "filling."?!?

Nice reductio ad absurdum, however, I think you are supposed to have a slice of water chestnut in any and all versions. But you're right, it's about the bacon. You're right--I'd forgotten that the WC was obligatory. Must be a mental block--used to serve rumaki by the hundreds (Durkee's, if my memory hasn't failed me again).

--and water chestnuts standing in for the olives --and scallops standing in for the water chestnuts --and shrimp standing in for the scallops (don't these have their own name?) ...proving, of course, that the point of rumaki is bacon. We now return you to olives, in which I have very little interest (sorry).

A lot depends on the sides (lots of filling starches?) and the people (saving room for dessert?). For sure you don't want to run out. The usual rule is one pound of raw turkey per person, plus whatever you want for leftovers. As the turkey gets bigger, the scale skews down a bit, because bigger birds have better yields (higher meat/bone ratio). In other words, two 12-pound turkeys will provide less meat than one 24-pounder. OTOH, two turkeys lets you grill one and fry the other...

CDG = Charles DeGaulle Airport (Paris); France at its worst, IMHO B, C, F = concourses at said airport AMS = Amsterdam airport (can't remember its official name*, but my recollection is that it's a lovely agglomeration of Dutch fricatives); a very good airport, if a bit sterile (haven't been there in quite some time; it may have changed) *I remember: Schiphol, isn't it?