SpicyJenny

How can you use "freedom" and "regulate" in the same argument? Heck, there are Burger Kings/Checkers/Arby's all around my town. Do I eat there? No! Do I need govenment to warn me to stay away? No! On the other hand, I do think that public money used to feed people (like in schools) should be spent well, and that includes paying for healthy meals; not allowing vending machines on the premises; etc. But to assume a role of Big Brother, looking out for the stupid little guy, is a tad condenscending, dontcha think?

OMG, I can't believe the esoteria regarding this subject! Let's cut to the chase: You can't legislate morality, because that in itself requires freedom of choice. Fat food restaurants, et al, do not contribute to obesity. We will always be our own best regulators. We make choices; we get results. Period. Go on and on and on . . . about government, education, blah, blah, blah, but the bottom line is that modern humans are lazy and it shows. Trying to escape reasonal and rational responsibility for themselves. And, forget about skinny and wealth: the wealthy in this country do a whole lot of fudging there. They can afford the personal trainers, the plastic surgery, the stomach stapling. You can't judge a body by its cover. My point? Enjoy good food. Put fast food restaurants out of business by your choice of not to buy there. Go to good restaurants. Savor your dining experiences. Love cooking and do more of it. Eat slowly and enjoy. Love, Jen

Dear Browniebaker, The answer to you last question is "Yes".

You can't roast in a dutch oven. The food would end up steamed, not roasted. The taller sides trap in the vapors. I love my Le Crueset roasting pan and use it for everything except turkey. I just use a plane ol' broiler pan for that, sans the broiler top of course. Chow, everyone.

As a former restaurant owner/head cook, I can tell you that we tried to customize customers' requests all of the time. I don't think any kitchen would deny this on terms of ego alone. Sometimes, however, the sauce has been already made, the die is already cast so to speak. When you are cooking "a la minute" - to order - you can adjust the recipe to the customer's wishes, providing the ingredients are on board and/or prepared to be accessable to the dish. It's not always possible to accommodate special requests, but most restaurants will try their best. Service personnel have the responsibility to convey the message from the kitchen accordingly. The restaurant manager/owner has the responsibilty to make sure that the customer is treated with the utmost respect, even if the customers' requests are outlandish. Reviews should be a weathervane, from the customers' point-of-view. Restaurants should listen accordingly.

My mother was an excellent cook. I probably didn't notice that until we lived in Connecticut and "we" were married to our step-father who loved us and our mother and her food very much. The primary culture was American with the emphasis on Italian. The Kids, during the week, ate in the kitchen and the Grown Ups at in the living room after the Kids were done. Yes, there was prayer. And a dachound dog under the table for those items on our plates that were just too weird. Yes, manners were very much inforced. No dessert being the primary punishment. On Sunday nights, my Pop would char grill something. In summer, outdoors; in the winter in the living room fireplace. The Sunday meals were grilled steak (or other meat), rice and salad. On special occasions and when we traveled as a family, we all went out to dine. My folks dined out frequently, as a couple, so it was a treat when we all went out. I loved so very much those occasions that we dined in restaurant, whether for breakfast at varous I-Hops on the way to Mexico, or at dining spots on the way to or from ski-resorts in western Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont. I loved, especially, those occasions when asked, "What would you like to do for your birthday?", and I would answer, "Go out to dinner." This was when I met my first "pepperoncino" and my love of chile peppers began. I might have been sweet sixteen at the time when we went to Greenwich, CT and had a wonderful meal at an inn by the water. The rest is history. Thanks to my mother's wonderful cooking and my father's appreciation for wonderful food, I craved, and still do, lovely dining experiences in my home and in restaurants.

My mother was an excellent cook. I probably didn't notice that until we lived in Connecticut and "we" were married to our step-father who loved us and our mother and her food very much. The primary culture was American with the emphasis on Italian. The Kids, during the week, ate in the kitchen and the Grown Ups at in the living room after the Kids were done. Yes, there was prayer. And a dachound dog under the table for those items on our plates that were just too weird. Yes, manners were very much inforced. No dessert being the primary punishment. On Sunday nights, my Pop would char grill something. In summer, outdoors; in the winter in the living room fireplace. The Sunday meals were grilled steak (or other meat), rice and salad. On special occasions and when we traveled as a family, we all went out to dine. My folks dined out frequently, as a couple, so it was a treat when we all went out. I loved so very much those occasions that we dined in restaurant, whether for breakfast at varous I-Hops on the way to Mexico, or at dining spots on the way to or from ski-resorts in western Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont. I loved, especially, those occasions when asked, "What would you like to do for your birthday?", and I would answer, "Go out to dinner."

Oh, yea, I love this! I'm always boring my email recipients with details on what I am preparing for our big meal of the day, which is usually around 2pm, in the Latin American tradition of having the large meal around then, followed by "siesta". I love describing what I'm going to have or what I had for "comida" of the day. At this time in my life, I'm only cooking for my husband and myself. I closed my restaurant, "Spicy Jenny's" last year. Sold it. In order to take care of stuff at home. It was a small restaurant, but we had daily specials that could subsitute for anyone's big meal of the day. I loved cooking in quantity this way, and always searched for new sources of inspiration. From cookbooks, of course, to whatever customers shared with me. I now do the same at home, what I did before and after the restaurant. And while my husband is the grateful recipient of my cooking, I look forward to a larger forum for sharing menu ideas, cooking techniques, recipe swapping. Whatever. Please, I hope this will be a popular discussion for all good foodies.

Ah, eggnog! One of the things I look forward to finding in the Publix dairy section. Oh, made from scratch might be alright, but there is something quite nice about just picking it up at the supermarket and lacing it with your favorite rum. In my case, Barcardi amber label. Good enough for store-bought eggnog any day. But, if you want to add some froth, just whip up some heavy cream and add it into the mix. Keep it simple and inexpensive and enjoy. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everone!