weinoo

I cured (2 days ago) and did some duck legs yesterday; 2 Rohan legs and 2 Moulard legs.

Just...no, @shain. It's pizza not dessert! Clean up the fridge pasta. With chicken, feta, olives, tomatoes, basil, etc. etc.

Well then, yes - I very much like Elysian Farms and the whole philosophy of it.

Sure there is. I know people who like the breast on a big duck like this cooked to the same temp as the legs. Sorta like when you get a whole roast duck in Chinatown.

I am suspect about some of this stuff - web site doesn't tell me enough, and where are the other cuts of the lamb? D'artagnan used to carry Salt Marsh Lamb, and it was a favorite, but they don't appear to have it now - maybe only in the spring.

I haven't read John Birdsall's book yet; it came out in October 2020. The NY Times review was written by Ligaya Mishan: And then this week, Julia Moskin wrote a piece in the same publication, about the book and Beard, entitled: A Deeper, Darker Look at James Beard, Food Oracle and Gay Man Some hoiliday reading, perhaps? This is interesting too:

My back!

This one replaced the large 11-cup Cuisinart, which has been relegated to the pantry for now.

I'm pretty sure all this has been discussed previously, but... I have no fear of buying seafood online, from good purveyors. Browne - of course. I get beautiful product from Great-Alaska-Seafood - arrives overnight, rock solid (it's mostly super frozen at the source, so). The various wild salmons, scallops, shrimp, halibut, tuna are all great. It's how I make this... Flannery, DeBragga, D'artagnan, Fossil Farms for esoteric, Snake River - all doing good work. When I can be assured I'll have the space, Joyce Farms will be my go to for their chickens, the best chicken I've tasted in the US. The Green Circle D'artagnan sells comes close ( I do like their poussin). And D'artagnan's Rohan duck is not to be missed. Despaña is near and dear to my heart (and my legs), but I'll also use Donostia Foods for Spanish-y. And of course Gustiamo for everything Italian.

I just give myself food gifts (in past times, I bring cookie assortments to our favorite restaurants - they love that stuff). For staff here, lottery tickets (scratch offs) in lieu of $$. Most of them just buy lottery tix with the money anyway. And I'm talking like 30 people in the building, the garage guys, etc. etc.

Yes, but how does she pronounce "duck?" I'd definitely go this way as well. Might not even have to blast it too much. (I'm thinking like 275F, the same temp I do legs at). I don't know what the 3 young kids are eating, nor what else is being served, but I might roast a couple of extra legs to be on the safe side. They won't go to waste, even if they don't get eaten at this dinner.

OK - next try! I do have the steel in the top third of the oven now. (Though I'm tired of moving it around - sucker weighs 25 lbs.!) I like the water spray idea.

Couple of recent dinners... Chicken curry, Basmati, glazed peas & carrots. Pan roasted some semi-boneless, halved quail. 4 minutes on the stove, 10 in a hot oven. Over a simple salad. And there were pizzas with the quail...

Really my best effort yet. Topped with a Sicilian cherry tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh local basil, olive oil. Cooked on the baking steel, blasted with the broiler for the final minute or two. Total cook time about 4.5 minutes, which I think may be as short as it can get, though I'll shoot to shave another minute off. Still trying to figure out the best shelf for the steel when I want to use the broiler, which is super strong. My first pie on this evening might've been a little too much time under the broiler, though it still tasted good... But even approximated a round pie.

Cervo's is (was?) one of our favorite local restaurants, with a focus on sustainable seafood. They recently pivoted to become a market (Cervo's Shop) with prepared foods and stuff to take home, in a ready to cook state. Additionally, other provisions are on offer (produce, sauces, etc.), as is all of the wine one could find on their list, with the focus being natural wines from lesser heralded areas. I popped in on Sunday. and I'm sorry I waited as long as I had. They've done such a nice job of converting their tiny space...so I shopped... I brought home a Piri Piri chicken (you do have a choice of buying it already cooked, for those so inclined), 8 really big wild Gulf shrimp (once again, to cook at home), 2 bottles of wine, and a couple of bottles of sauces. The chicken is a bigger bird than the one they were serving back in the olden times; that one, if memory serves me correctly, was served cut in half (no backbone) and cooked on the plancha...flat. with fries; this is a 3.25 lb. whole bird. I poached the shrimp and made a little cocktail sauce... Useing some of the (very) hot sauce... After roasting the bird, I cut it up a bit... So nice and juicy (actually, Significant Eater (who, as you know, likes stuff, ummmm, cooked more than I do), mentioned that she wouldn't have minded more fire on the breast - it was just right). You also get a pint or so of chicken "jus" which I served atop the sliced breast for her, and on the side for me to dip. Only thing missing - their splendid fries. I made twice cooked potatoes. A great way to cook a nice dinner, without having to run all over town for the ingredients. They've got some nice special stuff for the holidays, too... https://www.cervosnyc.com/

This might change the final flavor profile a bit - and not too subtly.

Gyudon. Used an unrolled rib eye cap; tried to slice it as thin as possible - not quite thin enough, but good and fatty and tasty. Talk about an easy dinner. Along with... The two French salades made with the Moulinex, the perfect tool for the job. The nice and mayonnaise-y celeriac could almost be Japanese, though doubtful they would use as much mustard.

Ahhh, the Atlas (or another brand). Certainly a fine device, though I gifted mine a long time ago - bought a few attachments for the Kitchen Aid - rarely use those either. But if you like fresh pasta, by all means!

An attempt to see how many miles I can put in our bowls. So - shrimp, scallops, ikura, and salmon (salted and slow roasted) from Alaska. Rice and shitake from Japan. I think the carrots are local. And the gari is house-made! (but where is the farmer's market purchased ginger from?). Cucumber and tomato salad on the side...probably Canadian. Japanese soy.

What were you reading. 5 minute meals?

What is a pasta maker? Serious question. I have to say that I reach for this Dutch oven a lot. Soups, braises, whatever - it cooks great, and cleans up miraculously easily.

Personally, I'd like to see the knife collection. Because every single person I know who is "very into cooking" is into their knives. The most basic kitchen tool. And often they add to their collection before throwing in a Bamix. It's fine to have all those toys, but first you need to know what those toys can do for you.

Speaking of which, do you drink wine? Do you have nice wine glasses? If you have a liking for wine, there's always a Durand or a Coravin. Further on the beautiful knife thing, knife sharpening system?

I think this depends on the mandoline. There's a thread for this, I believe! Recent, too. What about a really nice rice cooker? If you are at all a rice fan, they're great. What about a subscription to something like a coffee delivery monthly, or natural wine, or something like that?

Of course there are terms which can't be banned, but which are annoyingly and incorrectly used. Many referred to above (see: martini, for example). Here's another - risotto, for something cooked to a creamy consistency. It's not risotto - unless it's made with rice.