lame username

Thanks, all, for the great ideas.

Maybe I can just put in on the patio table, and it will melt on it's own.

Saw some raclette at Whole Foods and had to buy a small block. I've been interested in it for a year or so, but haven't plunged to buy a grill or "melter". And, I'm certainly not going to light a fire in the fireplace in a 95o South Louisiana summer night. I'm anxious to try it, however. Should I hold it near my Iwatani torch, put it under the broiler?

I've been making Ruhlman and Polcyn's savory bacon since 2007. I'd been having trouble sourcing local pork bellies (my local butcher would only order by the case), so have ordered from Niman Ranch and other online sources. I found a small belly to try the MC house bacon. I've used a WSM bullet in the past, but bought myself a Bradley Digital for my upcoming birthday. (Thanks Honey! Guess what you got me for my birthday! [Now that I think of it, MC was probably my early, early birthday present, but he's forgotten that by now ). Oh my goodness - the convenience - the ease of clean-up! At 7 hours with minimal attention the belly was at 150o. I used to only be able to get about 3-4 hours of smoke in the WSM before reaching final temp. My husband thought to slice off four 1/4" slices (to make it fit on our slicer) before slicing and packaging that we fried and ate on Jewish seeded rye bread with just mayo - Heaven. I thought someone should have recorded a porn soundtrack while we were eating it. To illustrate why one should always mention one's bacon at work, a coworker recently told me they had seen pork belly at our Whole Foods. When I spoke to the butcher, he said I could get one or several whole bellies with just a couple of days notice. I now have two 14 lb. bellies curing in the fridge; one MC house, and one R&P savory (really the pancetta cure). I can hardly wait to do a side-by-side comparison. Nothing gives you that warm, fuzzy glow like 28 lbs. of bacon curing in your fridge (except, maybe, an Old Fashioned).

I've had good luck with this machine. Hamilton Beach 68050 Icy Treats Ice Shaver It'll make enough shaved ice from cubes in one go for two snow cones (or two mint juleps). I've had it for a couple of years and used it about 15 times. The finer setting might be powderey enough. I see they also have a cheaper black one. Hamilton Beach Ice Shaver Can't tell what the difference is.

In cooler weather, a Croques Monsieur with caraway split-pea soup. In warmer weather, warmed whole-wheat pita with mayo, bacon, cheddar, tomato, and spicy (alfafa and radish) sprouts. Very favorite, but time intensive: 64o SV egg yolks on buttered white toast with bacon, S&P. The yolks spread like lemon curd. Before SV I used to cook the eggs medium in my Chef's Choice egg cooker, but it was hard to get a consistent yolk with a white that would peel off relatively easily. The SV eggs allow for "rinsing" off the white under a stream of warm water. I can hardly believe my mother was able to achieve almost the same results with carefully fried eggs (yolk just cooked enough where I could disect off the whites) while I was growing up. Photo happens to show bacon jam rather than bacon.