aliaseater

I'm about halfway through The Artist's Palate by Frank Fedele. This is a visually stunning book featuring many previously unpublished photos of artists involved (ranging from van Gogh to Pollock) with amusing anecdotes about the foods they liked to eat and recipes for the same. Honestly, though, it's more interesting for the insight into the artist's lives than it is for the (mostly) mundane recipes. Note also that there are quite a few typos/factual errors (ie. misidentifying John Cale as John Cage, placing Kevin Shikami in Atlanta on his QV page and in Chicago on his recipe page) that I found in just the first 75 pages. Go for the art, graze the food.

What I'm trying to do is harvest our garden's bounty to dry for the months ahead. The 'zipper' method works pretty well for me and, considering the advice of the Hispanics I work with in regards to cilantro ('we would use the stems also') it seems a quick run through or two with a knife should be sufficient.

We just purchased a 18 qt. roaster oven to free up our regular oven for other Thanksgiving uses. We figure on doing the turkey in it. Tonight's first experiment, roasting a chicken, was a bit frustrating. While the bird was juicy and tasty, it looked really anemic and took a bit longer to cook than we expected. Does anyone have any experience or advice on using a roaster oven--can I really get it to brown things eventually or will they just dry out too much?

In any business your reputation precedes you. I think it's telling that nobody seems to have wanted to work w/Chiarello. I enjoyed watching the taste test but, when the scores were given, wondered how many total items they tasted. Seven is a nice number FTW, but was it out of 10? 15? 20???

'Gardening' would be the obvious answer. 'Massive drug abuse' would be the politically incorrect choice.

Try here: http://busycooks.about.com/od/homemademixes/r/oldbaymix.htm

Thanks to all for their advice. I should now be able to come up with something acceptable for a fourth of July hotdog! Thanks again & enjoy the holiday : )

Is the piccalilli of her memory red or mustard based? Kay ← I believe it is red. Info on either or each would be welcome. Thanks

My wife is from the Boston area. We are now land-bound in Chicago. While she's not (yet) pregnant, she has a craving for the piccalilli she remembers from her childhood. The local relish we have is "no good". Does anyone have an authentic recipe or a source for possible mail order? Thanks!

I don't think "Slip me some tongue" is going to work too well for future reservations. Is the french chef deliberately trying to embarrass himself or just destroy his career: "How much did you pay for that, Rick?", indeed! Publicity like that can't be bought.

I think I could live comfortably as the Executive Chef on a large private yacht--with a crew large enough to suggest menu items and talented enough to cook anything suggested to them.

After a while the water in the glass does not look too appetizing and the point of this 'solution' is llost. The owner of a place I worked at took exception to me using a water bath to hold my tongs until we pointed out to her that it was better than no water bath. Plastic spoons for tasting is the only way to go.

Chili and stews, like beef or lamb are always better the next day!

Has anyone had one? Share a recipe?

Where in the Philippines are you? Rural, city, or? I need to have a better conception of your market in order to help you. Good luck.

nsxtasy's recommendations are generally right on the mark. He elaborates a bit more on another food board that will remain anon (chowbound?) As far as breakfast goes, I'm surprised that nobody has chimed in about Ina Pinkney's place (http://www.breakfastqueen.com/). She is rightfully known as the breakfast queen and we are lucky that her heavenly hots have not, yet, been nationally discovered. For vegetarians, or at least those trying to cut back on meat eating, there is a place around the corner from where I live that I will only refer to as Victory!--it's already too hard to get a seat there. Hot Doug's is certainly worth the trip as are Rick Bayless' places. Fox & Obel would be a great place to pick up snacks & souvenirs to take home. If the weather is as fine as it should be take a stroll to North Pond and have a sunset beverage (I don't care for their food, in spite of all it's political correctiveness) before heading west a few block to L2O for some real gourmet.

This is not anything new. See: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=McGangbang

The challenger (Kinch) brought some serious heat--well done!! What was the deal with Bobby Flay throwing a pot over his shoulder?? They showed this several times in the previews and, watching last night I couldn't tell if he was upset, if someone was supposed to catch it, just being a punk???

I'd love for small batch, local charcuterie to become a hot trend but wonder how Health Dept. regulations might stem the flow....

I think the "cabinet" or reach-in refrigerator is the proper place to store meat that can be "edited" later, when speed is not so much of the essence. There's no excuse for a sloppy butchering job, but given the situation, I think Seth performed adequately.

I don't want to do gumbo 'cause, well, I've done that before--I want something new. Fox & Obel carried Tasso a few years back--it wasn't a big seller and I haven't checked lately, so LTBBA. Popeyes sounds fine but the GF will go ballistic! I just made a batch of polenta (grits ?) yesterday, so I'm now checking out grillades. Keep 'em comin'. Thanks

I'm trying to come up with something different for Tues. PM: My freezer is full of cassoulet and chili, so beans (hoppin john, etc.) are not in the running. My GF is allergic to shellfish, so a bunch of other stuff is out. I'm thinking of, maybe, some type of beignet...or ??? Note that I'm in Chicago, so, while I know where to go to get tasso and certain other ingredients, I am somewhat supply challenged. Any ideas?

Living in Chicago, I can find most everything on your list, but not without internet help. I can certainly order just about anything on-line. Finding it locally is a bit more challenging. The only things I would normally run across in my weekly travels are duck and, probably, pancetta and slab bacon. For just about everything else I would need to do a bit of research and travel to specific ethnic neighborhoods/stores, or, possibly, Fox & Obel (I save that trip for when I've won the lottery). Aside from the slab bacon, I suspect the pig parts would entail a trip to a meat packer--not impossible, but certainly not a place I drive past on a weekly (or monthly) basis.

As of late, I've developed a jones for Tater Tots.

Just kidding about the gravy... I'm looking for a slick gadget, less expensive than a good smoker or even a Cruset pan that will warm the cockles of it's intended one. A mini chicken beer can cooker would be great--I'd love to use one for game hens or quail,...but...anyone got interesting ideas?