Rover

I am victorious! I now have in my hot little hands - Hand-held vacuum food saver! Bought on my behalf across the border in Seattle by a friend - Heavens! not just a friend - but my new best friend. It is EXACTLY as I hoped. I've been experimenting and so far, I'm thrilled with the results. I vacuumed some crackers from an opened box and actually heard some of them beginning to snap under the pressure. I've sealed parmesan cheese and the fridge is now beginning cringe each time I open the the door. Food - brace yourselves ... I'm armed and I mean business! Rover

I've become shameless in soliciting all friends, colleagues, acquaintances and the relatives and friends thereof to acquire the Vacuum Food Saver on my behalf as they cross the border on frivolous Xmas shopping trips. Generally, I'm sensing a lack of priority and urgency as they seem primarily to be obsessed with gifts, glamour and glitter ... go figure! Given the number of people I've tasked with this, it's just possible that I'll end up with 5 or 6 of the darned things. That would make me happy ... the thrill of the hunt! Rover

Anna, from where did you purchase your vacuum sealer? I'm in Vancouver and it seems there's no source here. I have a couple of contacts in the Toronto area and I wondered where you were able to obtain yours. Thanks Rover

Good topic, Bella. I often brown meats and poultry on the outdoor grill instead of in the saute pan for a couple of reasons. My range hood performs poorly and I prefer not to sleep with the cooking odors of frying. So I reduce the fat content on the outdoor grill together with the odors. My grill is on the back deck near the door and fairly convenient to use. The sacrifice is the fond from the saute pan, but I haven't noticed any major reduction in flavour. I also can brown a batch of chicken, for example - and then short ribs - I also use this technique for shanks (lamb, veal). This allows me to get a head start on the week night meal planning with some of the prep already out of the way. Ditto the oil/butter combo. I have a few others, but wanted to start with this. Rover

Ce'nedra - I've got Bill's Open Kitchen which I really like and I've used many of his recipes from web sources. A firm favourite is Bill's coconut bread. I love his straight-forward approach to great tasting food and the attractive layout of his books. These days, I don't have room for cookbooks if I don't use them, so I've taken to getting them from the library to preview and take a test run of recipes. This works really well for me and has saved me from purchasing books that I'll never use. Rover

Lightly whisk an egg white with a little sugar and a splash of water, then brush the base of your tart or pie shell with it - this "seals" the pastry; bake for 6- 8 minutes, then add your filling. This also prevents any leaks. Rover

Pam - how about nutmeg-maple cream pie? SmittenKitchen This is the dessert I'll be making for a dinner party this evening - the maple flavour would add a very nice Canadian touch, I think. Good Luck with your selection and with your party! Rover

Well - Considering that the virus world travels through the internet, I seldom access the net from the "PC side" accomplishing all I need from the "Mac side". I've been happily using my Mac (and Parallels) for a year now and haven't encountered any issues at all. It offers me the best of both worlds and I don't have to give up my beloved MasterCook - there really isn't anything comparable out there - I did look around. Rover

When I re-entered the Mac world last year, I purchased "Parallels Desktop For Mac" software. It runs a virtual PC through which I can access MasterCook. I'm really pleased with the performance of this application not least because I've worked with M/C for years and haven't found anything I like better. I can recommend Parallels without reservation. Rover

Looks terrific ... do you just broil or grill after stuffing (so to speak)...? Rover

Isn't it interesting when something just shouts NO? The website pictures have been absolutely ghastly for at least 6 months, maybe more. I don't insist on cookbooks with fabulous pictures and have many with none, but I do think magazines absolutely need them and Gourmet in particular, given its provenance and profile. Rover

1995 Saveur Issue #8 Sept/Oct Issue ran an article on Nice which included amongst other great dishes, a recipe for Farcis a la Nicoise - Stuffed Vegetables. This provoked a couple of summers worth of experiments at my house and these fabulous, tasty treats were incorporated as appetizers with drinks, accompaniments with dinner and the starring role for weekend lunches on the deck or in the garden. Use eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, zucchinis, onions and shitake/portobella mushrooms. The filling recipe started out with: . lean salt pork . ground lamb . cooked rice . lots of chopped parsley . garlic . S&P . lightly beaten eggs . parmigiano/reggiano . fresh breadcrumbs . fresh thyme Experimented with merguez sausage, dropped the rice, increased the b.crumbs and many other combinations. Thanks for the thread, it's made me remember how wonderful these treats were and, as the stuffing may be prepared in advance, very easy to put together. Rover

Wow! Some great ideas and inspirations here - thanks everyone. Experiments about to begin. Rover

Just bought a flat-iron steak recommended by my butcher and only recently available ... What's the best, tastiest preparation? Also, skirt steak is something I'm unfamiliar with - looks a little like sliced flank steak, but I'm not sure how to handle it. I suspect a marinade and cutting across the grain would be right, but how long to cook? Should it be panfried over high heat? Thanks Rover

I loved the Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine with Mushrooms, Bacon & Pearl Onions) - p.336. I always used to use Julia Child's Coq au Vin recipe - but this is the one I now refer to. You've got to be in the mood to log some kitchen time and be prepared to keep your eye on things, but you'd certainly be doing that with Julia's recipe! I enjoy that Chicken/Sherry Vinegar dish very much, too. I've also liked the Braised Fish Fillets w/Their Own Pan Sauce - p.226 and all those variations. Every time I try something from this book, I wonder why I don't use it more - it's bulky, but once you get used to the style, very user friendly. I really like Sally's books and have just finished contributing to a 5-month project inspired by her Improvisational Cook. I've met Sally twice now; she leaves me filled with enthusiasm for her approach to food. She's got a great sense of humour and a way of looking at and experiencing food and it's preparation in a relaxed, approachable, fun and truly enjoyable way. Thanks for bringing this book back into my focus. I'm going to do some pleasurable browsing. Rover

Hi, Marlene - having admired your pictures and prose regarding the Caribbean Pork Shoulder for quite some time, I'm in the process of making it. It's in the oven and has been braising for about 45 minutes. I wanted to ask you what you thought your preferred temperature is for this one. There's been plenty of discussion about Molly's high temps and I just don't recall if you ever mentioned a preference for this treatment. I already know that mine isn't going to be as pretty as yours - I ended up with a very oddly shaped, chunky piece of pork (large) and was give the skin separately. I didn't realize what a challenge it would be until trussing time on the counter at home. I ended up with a lumpy uneven specimen wearing the wrong shaped coat of skin/potential crackling! Not to be defeated and not to cast aspersions on the appearance of my potential hero, I soldiered on and tied it up and slathered it with the rub/marinade last night. Fingers and toes are crossed and I am optimistically hopeful... any thoughts and comments are welcomed. Rover

This picture makes my mouth water, Becca! What comprised the "triple" aspect of the citrus? Citrus is a passion of mine, but so often become sugary in baking - losing that puckery aspect that I adore. Rover

Gorgeous looking desert, Ellencho! I adore rice pudding and your treatment is very seductive - would you share the recipe, please? Rover

Here is an (out of focus, sorry!) image of the CI Garlic Potato Soup that I made this weekend. Sometimes a photo can inspire, I hope this is the case. The soup is topped with garlic chips and chives. Really yummy, not too fussy. Happy Cooking! rich Edited: A 'better' photo ← rcaffelle, that's a great looking soup which sounds wonderful - any chance you could share the recipe? Rover

Lovely dessert, Tweety69bird, and you're right, that's a beautiful plate - do you know what it is? Rover

This is so timely for me, Marlene. I have the Cuisinart Conv/toaster oven, too, but have used it only minimumly. When I first tried it for toast, I was vastly disappointed in the results and proceeded to ignore the oven for months. I've tended to view it merely as a fast-cook-heat-convenience rather than a useful appliance. I've cooked sides of tomatoes in it and reheated things, but I'm heartened by your post and am viewing it (nice design, by-the-way) with new eyes. As I primarily cook for one, this could be very interesting for me. I'm so pleased to see this thread re-emerge! Thanks, Rover

You have such an array of great ideas, Eldereno. I was tempted to suggest potatoes, but had a mental picture of them sinking like stones to the base of the quiche, regardless of cut. I did wonder about thinly sliced ones, but I concluded they'd loose their identity in a quiche scenario... I wouldn't worry about keeping strictly to the Irish food mythology - some very contemporary food preparation and ideas are coming out of Ireland. Ireland is reknown for its top quality of vegetables, dairy, shellfish, fish and local lamb. Darina Allen at Ballymaloe has been producing amazing food for years. You're going to knock 'em sideways with your fabulous quiche regardless of what combination of flavours you choose. You know that mussels are particularly gorgeous in Ireland, don't you? Rover...

How about leeks and Irish ham or bacon, lots of fresh parsley, garlic, green garlic if possible and fresh bay leaves? I don't know why, but the cabbage in a quiche doesn't strike the right cord for me - I'm thinking along the lines of a slight Irish ingredient riff on the classic Quiche Lorraine. I'm stuck on the choice of cheese, though. A personal plea for mushrooms, which I adore in a Quiche and perfectly gorgeous mushrooms are found in Ireland. Rover

My cookbooks tend to be a tribute to whatever I've been cooking. I used to go to all sorts of lengths to keep them pristine, but I've actually come to like the way an oft-used recipe looks in a well-loved and well used book. I also make notes in the margins, at the foot of the pages, wherever necessary; those remain valuable and useful memory aids. I try to be reasonably careful not to damage my books, but they're part of the cooking experience, too. I should add that I tend to look a little less than pristine myself while cooking. I often have more than one book open on the counter at the same time and flipping pages back and forth means fingerprints and foodstains. My copy of Patricia Wells At Home in Provence has pages falling out and is held together with a large elastic band. My best used books fall open at my favourite recipes, filled with notations and "paint". I can tell at a glance which books don't get used very often. They're very neat and clean. I think I'll just go and wash my hands.... Rover

Help - need advice, please! I have all my ingredients measured and/or weighed for the Applesauce Spice Bars, the oven is heated and I've even melted the butter - I just realized that I don't have the right size pan. I've got a 9x9 baking pan and I have a 9x13 All-Clad roasting pan. Everything else is springform rounds or quiche pans. Should I put everything on hold until I can buy the right size pan? Or can I do something with what I have? Rescue me, please.... Rover