weinoo

How do you make your pickles?

I had a big 5+ pound chicken (larger than I like for most purposes, but it was a nice LaBelle Patrimoine bird). So, I cut it up (okay. butchered it, broke it down), and took some skin and fat and... Made gribbenes and schmaltz. Ended up with a good half-cup of schmaltz, which is now safely ensconced in my fridge, ready to be used to sauté potatoes or whatever.

I'm pretty sure this is the one.

Pulled out the old plancha/mini baking steel, which is awesome since it only weighs 15 lbs., as opposed to the larger one at 25 lbs. Jambon de Paris, comté, beurre, moutarde on Foxface's NY Deli Rye. Awesome.

Great explanation, and actually these days when I want an almost traditional confit, but don't want it to take forever, I make a faux confit (via David Lebovitz):

Definitely in the thread on duck confit topic somewhere or other, and I believe via a Paula Wolfert book. If memory serves me, I do 185℉, for around 6 - 8 hours, depending on the size of the legs. But that involves first salting and curing the legs overnight before cooking.

Those are good. In addition to those, my dad always had these (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) in his fridge: Astor Wines and Liquor had their one-day American whiskey sale earlier this week. I restocked bourbon and rye at 15% off.

That's a rather interesting time and temp for duck legs. What is helping you make this decision?

Long Island scallops (like 60 grams a piece), Carolina gold rice, avocado, tomato (Campari), cucumber. Pan jus.

I'm looking forward to that (I think). I'll never forget the first time I tried this: Talk about healthy! https://www.mestemacher-gmbh.com/

Yes - an elaborate scheme to make me healthy! Eli's Health Bread

Breakfast plate: scrambled eggs, bacon, avo, tomato, buttered toast (Eli's health bread).

I think Monrovia, CA is where Trader Joe's is headquartered, but not where much of their produce comes from. Read the smaller print on the Campari's...I'm guessing Canada or Mexico.

It really worked out for old Walter!

Just received this little treasure in the mail today; a friend found it when he was cleaning out some old furniture of his departed inlaws... It's almost 100 years old!

Very cool and such an interesting history there. I think it's awesome that we can now get, cook and eat Carolina gold rice, Charleston gold, Sea Isand red peas, all those grits, etc. etc. And nothing wrong with flounder - such a sweet fish.

Yeah, my cardiologist has enough problems with me; that's why I chose the chicken!

Okiboru is a mini chain of Japanese noodle places, located both here in New York City, as well as having any number of locations in Georgia. Their specialty, obviously, is various types of noodles (udon, ramen) served in various ways (in soup, brothless for dipping). Yesterday, I tried the Okiboru Udon location, a nice little walk up into what is quaintly known as the east village (and on my walk I ran into the great Lenny Kaye, long-time guitar player for Patti Smith (and others), and a long-time favorite of mine). He was walking his dog, carrying a guitar and a duffel bag, so we only chatted for about 10 minutes - mostly about the Mets. The menu is short and concise. As a matter of fact, it's on a QR code, so you take a seat (one of the total of 18 - 20 seats), order from your phone, pay on your phone, and the food is delivered once prepared. You leave as soon as you're done, no waiting for a check at this point. This is the Himokawa dipping set... I subbed in chicken tempura for the bacon, cause I'm so healthy. Re: Himokawa udon: It was all delicious.

Are you able to procure fresh elderberries and/or the flowers?

I'm gonna guess the reason that various food products are seemingly impossible to open is to lessen the risk of tampering with the insides. With the seal intact, the consumer can theoretically be assured nothing has happened to the contents.

As @Duvel posted over in the Easter 2025 topic, it's spargel season. So I took myself to Cafe Katja last night... For some spargel, boiled potatoes, and what I think was called Bauernschinken Ham. Plenty good.

I often oil my hands; whether I make meatballs with those oiled hands is a whole other topic. But, but, but...the fond, @rotuts - the fond!!

Not meatballs, but chicken balls (well, not the balls of a chicken) - which are a royal pain in the ass to make, at least this first and possibly only time I'll make them. Thing is, they were very tasty - just a pain in the ass to make into a ball shape. The mixture is so sticky they're almost impossible to roll. I used a pound of breast meat from the freezer, which I ground up in the food processor and mixed with 2 large eggs, bread crumbs, some chicken stock, parm, percorino, ramp greens, parsley, salt and pepper. Sautéed them in butter and olive oil, and finished cooking in chicken stock enhanced with a tomato sauce I was making at the same time. So...pasta with chicken "meatballs" in tomato sauce. Ramp greens, chives and parsley to garnish.

I'm probably wrong, but it sure looks like an Ataulfo to me.

Seems as if this pasta might be a thing, as we had a quite similar dish, at a small bistro way down in the 14th called L'Assiette. It was just this past February, and as it was still black truffle season, why not? Apparently, they like the elbows.