hjshorter

I didn't do the dinner over the weekend. Things got too crazy around here. Maybe I will do it this week, but with another kind of fish. Jacques' method of cooking salmon on its skin is good. Have you tried that? I got ANWTC for Christmas. We could do another menu from that this week.

We had some friends over for a little post-holiday fun. Veggies & blue cheese dip. Crab and jalapeno dip, thanks to hannnah and her spouse. This was awesome! Chips and corn/poblano salsa. Scott made two kinds of chili, with condiments - cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, scallions, & cilantro. One had beef cubes & ancho chiles, the other had ground chuck and pinto beans. Various beers, including a chocolate stout. Cashew & butterscotch bark for dessert, brought by another friend. Yum.

I do it Julia's way, except for the time. I only let them sit 12 minutes, less for small eggs (for deviled eggs).

Not "seems to be." Is. Is this moreso in the US than in other countries within similar socio-economic situations? I doubt it. Well, we haven't been able to afford a trip to Europe (or anywhere else for that matter) since our kids were born, so I can only speak about the US.

I worked at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for several years. There was one instance where a woman brought an infant to the ballet, and subscriptions were purchased to the ballet and symphony for kids as young as three. The ushers were trained to deal swiftly with anyone disrupting a performance. There was no rule banning infants and no signs to that effect, but since everyone must have a ticket regardless of age, most reasonable folks left the kids at home. A babysitter is usually cheaper than a theater ticket. However, if signs did go up you can be sure that a stink would be raised based on the policy of "age discrimination." Never underestimate the buying public.

what if it's a business dinner? what if your babysitter canceled at the last minute? If it's a business dinner you're probably less likely to make a deal if your toddler is along. And the babysitter cancelling...this happens to us all the time. Either one of goes and one stays home with the kids, or we cancel the reservation. We would spend the entire meal worrying that one of the kids would start misbehaving. There are people who feel they need to take their kids with them everywhere they go, and those people need to get a clue that it's much better for everyone when kids aren't put into situations that they are not mature enough to handle.

Two more for me: McGee's On Food And Cooking, and A New Way To Cook.

What about celebrities? What if Madonna or someone like that shows up with kid in tow? Mark, would Citronelle ask her to leave? If a no kids rule is on place it should apply to everyone but surely these rules are broken all the time for famous people.

Christmas dinner was just Scott & I, his mom, and the kids. Bouillabaise, croutons, rouille. Salad with butter lettuce, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and Cypress Grove "Purple Haze" chevre. The lavender and fennel pollen on the cheese complimented the flavors of the bouillabaise nicely. I found a 98 Puligny-Montrachet, 1st Cru, and we drank that with dinner. Cassis cream cake for dessert, with coffee.

I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 19 month old. I would never in a million years consider taking them to a place like Citronelle. We go to family oriented places, or get a sitter and go alone. Period. And we go early, so that the kids can be home in time for their baths and bedtime. While we are in the restaurant the must stay in their seats and we bring things for them to play with quietly at the table. We also never ever take them to places that allow kids to run around, like Chuck E. Cheese, because they will think that wild behaviour is appropriate sometimes. The US seems to be full of parents who think that thay can have children and still lead the lives they had when they were single. Inappropriate restaurants are just on aspect of that, along with dragging the kids out to the mall obviously well past their bedtimes and taking them to inappropriate movies...

Merry Christmas Jack, and thank you for the glimpse into your family's celebrations this week. Another thank you for the reminder to listen to the Nine Lessons and Carols. The rebroadcast is just finishing up here and it was a lovely way to spend the morning. We had coffee, bagels and smoked salmon for breakfast, homemade stollen for elevenses, and we've just started the prep for the bouillabaise and rouille. Happy Christmas everyone!

Christmas eve dinner: Big, big strip steaks, medium rare. Asparagus with a dill & lemon sauce. Fresh baguette, hot from the oven when I bought it, with salty butter. I almost fell asleep at church. After church: Eggnog with rum while doing Santa stuff.

Nah. I walk up and say "double short latte" and minutes later it's in my hand.

I started ordering a short latte with a double shot a couple of years ago - much much better than a single shot tall. And yes, it's the same price as a tall.

Oh no, as I said I've never prepared it at home. If you want I could check in one of my books by Penelope Casas - we had wonderful salt cod in Barcelona, it was like a cod cake, but stuffed into red peppers. Maybe she has a recipe for it.

Sounds like you have the perfect opportunity for some labor intensive recipes! Where are you on the home-selling front? Well, you would think so but that's not the way it's playing out. Home is sold. We had a contract within 6 days of putting it on the market. Quite a relief considering all the work we've put into this place. We have a contract on a smaller, older house...that needs work. So, I get to design another kitchen! This one won't be quite as fancy as our current kitchen. I'm shopping today for some extra fancy seafood for the seafood stew, and I will be making the rouille this time to go with it. Seth, that sounds lovely. I will make the salmon and pilaf along with you, but not the artichokes because Emma is allergic to mushrooms, and no soup with dairy. She's already on prednisone from a bout of hives last week and I don't feel like pushing my luck. What did you want to know about the papillote technique? I probably don't have the answers but will try.

Boneless chicken breasts, breaded in panko and fried. Served with a squeeze of lemon juice. Brown rice pilaf. Rice, diced onion, minced garlic, lemon zest, chicken broth, S&P, EVOO, and the juice of the zested lemon. Rice pilaf seems to be Ian's favorite food right now. Brussels sprouts roasted with sliced shallots and BACON. Cold sliced beets drizzled with dijon/thyme vinaigrette.

Hell, I'd pay to see that.

I was amused to see BK Sante Fe sandwich get a name check in the Ray's Place section of the Achewood online comic strip:

Your pannetone looks marvelous, and that ham.... I am curious as to how the salt cod turns out. I love it, but have never attempted to prepare it at home. I read Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World on it's initial release and thought it was very well done. As I recall it included recipes as well as history.

"Punky's Dilemma" from the Simon and Garfunkel album Bookends. I like your version better. The Unbeaten Champion of the Free World as We Know It of Obscure Music Trivia Lives! :Genuflecting Smilie: You're a goof! Someday, I'm gonna figure out a way to get paid for it.

"Punky's Dilemma" from the Simon and Garfunkel album Bookends. I like your version better.

I've made a couple of her recipes, but not a whole meal. It only takes 30 minutes or less if you wash everything beforehand, which isn't such a bad idea. I don't remember what it was, only that it was better than frozen stuff, which is the whole point of her show, right?

G, that kale looks incredibly delicious. Any particular recipe, or do you just wing it?

I wear contact lenses, and onions always make me tear up. Edit: does it matter what kind of lenses?