sigma

Pink salt is hip these days. Not sure why. Confit doesn't need it, shouldn't have it. In the home of confit they would laugh at it, but a lot of shiny books on our shelves like pink salt.

These have been around for years on the commercial side. Turbo Pot, I think is the name. No idea if anybody uses them, though. They wouldn't work well on my range.

Curing salts are not traditional in confit.

I find that a well cultivated cocaine fingernail is excellent for dosing salt at the table.

A lot of people don't realize the contribution made by high quality ingredients. They think a recipe should turn out a good result simply because it is followed, so her admonition isn't dumb at all. Focusing on organic rather than quality is.

I'd never be in the position to read a recipe like this, but if I were I'd probably get annoyed as all hell. Buy the best tasting ingredients you can. Simple as that, for me.

The Nose who Knows and I like our sandwiches cut differently. I am a straight across guy and the Nose is a diagonal girl. Problems only come up when one of us has our eye on a particular sandwich and then it is cut the other way. Ooh boy.

That's called a saute pan with a loop handle.

There is a reason people prefer vodka or champagne with caviar. Iranian caviar is generally superb, bring some nice champagne.

Are you still thinking lentils, then?

The wife, aka the nose who knows, is getting frustrated with my flatulence after eating my beloved beans. Is there a rule as to how to prepare them so I don't get the toots after dinner and into the next day? I've read McGee, Bittman etc, but haven't found anything that will satisfy the nose.

I'm pretty sure they use kitchen string.

Actually, it's pretty common to do with pigeon, which are a good bit smaller. I can think of Pigeon Andre Malraux at Laserre, Pigeon Ranier III at Grand Vefour and the stuffed pigeon with foie gras and olives from Piege, though I don't know that he makes it now that he has moved on from the Ritz. It is a nice technique, here is a picture with quite a rich stuffing.

I find that the internal temp of sous vide beef needs to be a bit higher than conventionally cooked beef to be successful. I think it (sous vide beef) is still less successful than grilled or pan cooked steak, even at its best, but that is a personal judgment.

So what is it? I'm thinking puy lentils on salmon "cannelloni" with cream cheese filling, shaped lime, basil and tomato flower with dill. No, that's not it.