JAZ

If you and your husband like chowder, you could make this salmon chowder by Sara Moulton, and just leave out the smoked salmon from your husband's serving. I first made it years ago (click here for some photos) and have altered her recipe. This is my version; it makes about 4 servings, depending on what else you're having. Salmon and Leek Chowder 4 tablespoons butter 1 large or 2 medium leeks, washed and diced (about 2 cups) 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine 1/4 cup dry sherry 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups) 3 to 4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups) 4 cups whole milk 1 cup cream 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 12 ounces fresh salmon fillet, skinned and boned 4 ounces smoked salmon, in small chunks 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 2 teaspoons lemon grated zest In a large heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for another two to three minutes. Add the vermouth and sherry and cook for a minute or two, stirring until smooth. Add cream and milk and stir for a few minutes until leek mixture is incorporated into the milk. Add potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are barely tender. If salmon fillet is thick, cut into two or three smaller pieces. Add to simmering soup and cook until slightly firm to the touch, 7 or 8 minutes. Remove the salmon to a plate and break into chunks with a fork. Add the salmon chunks, smoked salmon, dill and lemon zest and stir gently. If chowder is too thick, add a little milk. Adjust seasoning and serve topped with additional dill, if desired.

I've been considering the purchase of a kaffir lime tree, but what I'm after is the fruit (well, specifically, the rind of the fruit). Does anyone have a tree that's borne fruit? Would I be crazy to expect that?

That seems to be a very high estimate. Granted, it's a group of young athletes, but 12-13 oz. of meat, three-quarters to a pound of rice/beans? Per person? For one meal?

Jeez, it's no wonder people start to feel inadequate in the kitchen. It's easy to assume that anything I make is easy or convenient for everyone else to make, but that's just not the case. Yes, I make my own lime cordial. It's easy and fast, but I'd never say that anyone else is crazy if they don't make it. And if I hate to bake and make crappy pies and cakes, then I'd be crazy not to buy good quality pies and cakes from someone who makes good ones (and likes doing it).

I have to say that I don't understand the reason behind the iphone app. It seems to me that if you have the book and internalize the ratios, then all you would need is some basic math skills or a calculator. What does the iphone app add to the book?

We decided to recreate the first New Year's Eve dinner we had together, with a few refinements. So, rack of lamb, asparagus with sauce maltaise, and a sort of cross between potatoes Lyonnaise and rosti. Tomorrow will be some kind of first course with lobster, and osso buco.

I'm another fan of the Messermeisters -- the angle of the handle is easy on the wrist. They're definitely right-handed, though, and as far as I know the company doesn't make a left-handed version.

I'm confused. You "mentored" with Uyeda for six months, yet it wasn't until you returned to Tokyo that you tried his drinks? Or is it that they weren't transcendent when you were working with him, and only became so in the months you were away? If so, what happened during that time? Again, why were you skeptical if you'd mentored with Uyeda? Are you saying that working with the man for six months made no difference to your attitude? If I called someone a "mentor" I don't think I could claim that I was objective about him.

Hi, Robert. I'm going to be pedantic and repeat that as I understand it, salt doesn't penetrate cell walls - it's too big, even dissolved in water. From McGee's On Food and Cooking (p. 283, new edition): "Table salt in neutral cooking water speeds vegetable softening, apparently because its sodium ions displace the calcium ions that cross-link and anchor the cement molecules in the fruit and vegetable cell walls, thus breaking the cross-links and helping to dissolve the hemicelluloses." Sounds to me like salt can penetrate cell walls, or at least its sodium ions can. (Incidentally, this ability of salt to soften vegetables during cooking is the reason the outside of a potato cooked in salted water can start to dissolve before the center is done.)

I made this recipe for stout gingerbread cake from Gramercy Tavern a few years ago. It was great. I served it with a pear compote and whipped cream. I've also served gingerbread cake with sauteed apples before; that's good too.

Seems to me that all one is doing here is taking out some liquid that's too salty and replacing it with water. Why use a loaf of bread instead of a ladle?

Talking about "chains" is meaningless until you define the term. If multiple locations is the only criterion, then Craftbar, Oceanaire, Rosa Mexicana and even Bouchon are all "chains," yet I'm confident that most people wouldn't talk about them in the same way they talk about McDonalds, Subway or Olive Garden. It's also easy to forget that restaurants that expand into chains can only do so if they're successful -- which means that a large number of people think they're good. Here in Atlanta, Richard Blais opened Flip Burger Boutique to heavy acclaim. His team has now opened a second location in Birmingham AL -- and people are elated over the news. He makes no secret of the fact that he wants to expand further. When does Flip become a "chain" -- and when will people begin to treat it with disdain for being one?

Nuts are another thing that benefit from being cooked a lot longer than "necessary."

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I have another question. The paste I bought (Mae Ploy brand) came in a plastic tub, but in a plastic bag inside the tub. Should I empty the paste from the bag to the tub, or does it make a difference?

Chris, I make mine soup-like, but if I have leftovers, but the second day the dumplings (I make the biscuit-style dumplings) have disintegrated enough to thicken the liquid to a stew consistency. So I guess it depends on the timing.

The almonds are cooked with sugar until the sugar melts, then tossed with a little butter and salt. I posted the recipe here.

Cashews are also common in Thai cuisine.

I don't use Thai curry pastes often, but I bought a container of red curry paste for satay sauce, and now I have a lot leftover. I figure I can freeze it, but I'm wondering if I could just refrigerate it instead. How long does it keep in the fridge? If I freeze it, I guess I'd be best off freezing it in ice cube trays. Is that the best way to store it?

I've done a dark chocolate bark with toffee almonds the last couple of years, which goes over well with my family and friends.

Have you tried Star Provisions? I find a lot of unusual ingredients there.

Maggie, you could check out the eGCI Home Brewing course for some ideas.

After trying a number of methods for roasting any waxy potatoes, I've found the simplest way to be the best. I cut them in half if small, quarters if large, toss them in oil and salt, and then place them on a sheet pan so that the cut side (or one cut side) is down. Roast at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes and then check them. I've found that if you try to toss or turn the potatoes too soon, they'll stick to the pan and you lose the crisp crust that's forming. If the potatoes have released from the pan, sometimes I'll go ahead and turn them if there's more than one cut side, but it's not really necessary to turn them at all. When the potatoes seem done (a knife or skewer goes in easily) I continue roasting them for another 15 minutes or so. It's a trick I learned years ago about waxy potatoes -- if you roast them longer than you think is necessary, they develop a great creamy interior. That combined with the crust that forms makes for the best roasted potatoes I've ever made.

That's certainly one option. I personally think that purposely buying cookware to throw away in a couple of months or even years isn't very ecologically sound. I'd rather buy something that will last.

I've used several brands and by far the best I've found is Swiss Diamond for non-stick. It's very durable (it can go in the dishwasher with great results) and is not too expensive. I've used mine constantly for several years and it's still in great shape.

Two points: Recipe names on menus matter more than recipe names in books. If I'm reading a cookbook, I can read the headnote, or at least see what the ingredients and instructions are to get an idea of the finished dish. On a restaurant menu, I either want a descriptive name or an explanation of what the dish is. If I saw "Lamb with Apples" on a menu and there wasn't a description of how the lamb was cooked, I'd think the restaurant did a bad job naming the dish. Whereas if it said "Lamb Shanks braised with Apples" I'd have a better idea of what to expect. Second, when a chef uses a traditional or iconic name for a dish (e.g. Caesar salad, Waldorf salad, Beef Wellington, Steak Diane), the food I end up with should be recognizable as that dish. Don't put "Waldorf Salad" on the menu and give me a salad made from fennel, butternut squash and almonds. Sounds obvious, but chefs play fast and loose with traditional names all the time. For instance, I read in several places about chef Michael Symon's macaroni and cheese, which by all accounts is great. I'm always on the lookout for new macaroni and cheese recipes, so I looked it up. Imagine my surprise to find this recipe, with chicken, rigatoni and goat cheese. It might be a good dish, but it's not macaroni and cheese at all -- more like "Chicken Paprikash Goes to Italy (by way of a goat farm)."