Plantes Vertes

Have you tried it? I make sushi using cauliflower with no binding agent and it's absolutely fine; doesn't fall apart. Tight rolling and a sharp knife to section the pieces seems to do the trick. Give it a go!

You know, if this bar stuff doesn't work out you should aim for publication.

I ate with a pupil's family of six children and made a corn chowder.

I had a great drink on these lines in the Corinthia Hotel in London, but with chilled Earl Grey instead of your lime and soda. Your version looks beautiful as well. Pretty sure you'll win that competition. You're too kind. That drink sounds wild. By coincidence, the other drink I considered submitting was an Earl Grey-infused gin and ginger beer highball with a dash of lavender syrup. I called it the Bulwer-Lytton, after the British author of the line "it was a Dark 'n Stormy night." The drink of your imagining, far from generating a fierce displeasure, while nonetheless intriguingly unquotiden and removed from the tedious by a country mile, leaves the heart engorged by the sweat of wondering what in its reality could be the flavour of it, and a languid pallor invades the beholder from the sternocleidomastoids to the top of the face with delight.

Today I enjoyed some sherry after working late again. I recommend this bottle to those with a sweet tooth; it is absolutely jammy. Once when I was a child I ODd on this very sweet cough syrup, started to hallucinate and ended up in Accident and Emergency getting my stomach pumped... this sherry is very nearly as good It tastes just like figs and honey, with salt and engine oil on the end and when you open it up the whole house gets this heavy sweet aroma of dusty fruit. It has the texture of almond oil. It's a shame you can't see the lovely purple-russet tones in my photo.

I had a great drink on these lines in the Corinthia Hotel in London, but with chilled Earl Grey instead of your lime and soda. Your version looks beautiful as well. Pretty sure you'll win that competition.

I was working again this evening, so grabbed a few small meals along the way, including: Green beans, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon Miso soup Cooked muesli, fruit, coconut yogurt, sultanas soaked in tea

What about a Four Snakes? This is the Martinique flag, and you have four ingredients, so.... but if you put cane syrup in you'll have five and ruin it. Better not do that. Edit: Wikipedia has these things to say about the etymology of the name Martinique, which perhaps might interest you:

I can't get silken tofu out of the box without it falling to bits... Your one looks more appetising. The other one looks more... confusing.

Then when I finished the project I went for an Apple Crisp. I used Wild Turkey 101; found out that in Kentucky it's called 'the Kickin' Chicken'

I had to work late so I just made a quick soup. I was really pleased with how it came out. Carrot, fennel and leek:

When I found myself still working at 11pm, I made a Bloody Mary.

Depends on your willpower Two days max.

Thanks djyee100, those are great suggestions... but are we allowed to mention solids on this board?

It's just that I'm sweet enough already ... I'll save this one for when Maddow and Obama come round for drinks. I'll give these ones a shot, thanks! I've never used malic acid as an ingredient - what is it like? Vinegarish? Does it taste of something or is it just sharp? Thanks also for a nice Kate Bush moment.

What shall I do with a bottle of Pineau des Charentes? It's an aperitif mixture of grape juice and cognac. I don't enjoy the sweetness; are there pleasant ways to disguise it? It wants acid to my taste.

Congratulations JimJohn! I wish you a great day and a great marriage. For glassware, I love several of the LSA collections, as well as Villeroy & Boch - particularly the La Divina range. I envy your foresight! I got a lot of rolling pins and toasters, for lack of clear thinking at registry time, but we were given matching hip flasks (with the date engraved on them of course) and I feel those contributed a lot to our happiness as a couple.

I'm enjoying your posts very much, TinaYuan; thanks for sharing what is a novel cuisine to me.

mm84321, you've transfigured a monstrosity there. It looks almost too beautiful to eat... Could you tell me what you have lying underneath your fish?

Hot and sour soup; vegetable broth, mushroom broth, cornstarch, wood ear fungus, water chestnut, bamboo shoots, tofu, beansprouts, scallions, ginger, red chillies, garlic, soy sauce, Chianking vinegar, white wine vinegar, salt, white pepper.

Today I made black bean soup with some celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and vegetable stock. The spices were cardamom, paprika and chilli. Garnished with fermented beetroot and parsley.

In short you can use it as a sugar substitute. It doesn't promote tooth decay and is lower in calories than sugar, and is more appropriate for diabetics, if those things interest you. Confectionery - it is much clearer than sugar so serves very well in preparations that you wish to be clear, like sweets (candy) and gels. Ganache and choclaterie generally- it retains moisture so stops these items going hard. Baked goods - again, it retains moisture, but doesn't brown so has to be combined with sugar if you want your cake to look cooked. Preserves - it doesn't crystallise like sugar so the preserve's texture will remain consistent.

Yes indeed, you can use it in soup and it will be delicious, especially in a minestrone. Any dish with melted cheese will be a fine use for it too. Just shave it into slivers with a chef's knife. However, the French can also come to the rescue here with Fromage Fort; it's odds and ends of cheese, blended together into a paste with garlic and white wine. You can spread it on tartines or use it as a dip for crudites. Save your old cheese in the freezer until you have a variety and enough to make this. For a pound of cheese, add 1/2 cup wine, 2TBS fresh chopped herbs and 1/2 clove of garlic, plus a little butter or creme fraiche to soften if needed (depending on the types of cheese you are using). Blend and add more wine a little at a time to obtain your preferred consistency. You could use water and lemon juice if you didn't want alcohol in the cheese.

Thanks! I'll try this next time I get the wok out.

That's such a clever tip, thank you! Is the ice bath just ice, or iced water? If water, do you dry the vegetables before frying or just throw them straight in?