donk79

From the same thread that @Kerry Beal linked. Since then, I have reflected more, and suspect that Tom Sietsema at the Washington Post may be to blame for my connection to Egullet. I used to follow his articles and chats regularly, and I know that he mentioned Egullet a few times in the early days.

Liuzhou, I have been exploring eastern ingredients and techniques for the past few years, and even at a quick glace have picked up a few helpful tips from what you have posted here. I think that this will be a good tool to hone people's interest, and perhaps persuade them to explore further. Thank you for sharing it!

That may be the best thing that I have seen this year. Redemption for 2020!

Shenandoah Valley. There is no excuse for the unavailability. But there it is. I grew up in Nova. It really is world's different than the rest of the state.

To elaborate on protein beyond chicken, pork, and beef, I do enjoy roasting a duck every once in a while. However, to find duck within a 30 minute drive, I would probably need to go to a particular international (Hispanic) foods market. I now live outside of a city that brags of being the most diverse in the state (Virginia), with natives of more than 40 countries in the city schools.

Welcome to southern Ohio. (A lot of the US, truth be told.)

Jungle Jim's has a decent selection of live fish. One of their many items of interest in their current sale flier includes cherrystone clams. They carry a pretty good variety of frozen "exotic" meats which I am confident would include duck. Squid might not be fresh either, but you will have to wait on the local report for that. All of that said, even thought Jungle Jim's has a massive collection of hot sauces, this really is very foreign territory for this area. Jungle Jim's is the extraordinary exception, not the rule. Unless Southern Ohio has undergone a massive change, this is not an area that enjoys adventurous eating. The endeavor that you have been recruited for would definitely be considered unique.

@Chileheadmike seems to know his ground well. 😜. Jungle Jim's is an icon of the area, and I was pleased to discover last summer that it has expanded to a couple of locations. That makes ingredients much more available in the region. They are pretty savvy marketers too. If you contact them, you may find a fair bit of helpfulness.

Not a serious suggestion. Just a commentary on the reliability of descriptions and pictures on Amazon.

Based on the accuracy of the advertising of some items that I have ordered from Amazon, this could still be the source of your silverware, though! 😜

I purchased one of those 10 or 15 years ago (not sure where from). Then we moved. I could not find it afterwards, and purchased a granite one off Amazon. Soooo much better! A few months ago, I found the old one in a mis-labeled box ( after 4.5 years). It is doing nothing but taking up counter space. I really should toss it.

Welcome! You'll find some good compatriots here, in the examination of tableware. I imagine you will find some other things to pursue as well. Watch out!

I think this is what formed the impression I used to have of parsely. It seemed that it (usually dried) was sprinkled on top of everything, just to add color. This was probably reinforced by the fact that the parsely flakes were probably 15 years old. I seem to remember describing parsely flakes to someone as "food sprinkles," just there to make something supposedly pretty, but truthfully worthless! It might have been my daughter that I told this. 😔. Oh well!

I'm curious about this use if the roots. I may have heard it in passing before, but I am paying attention now! Are there any tips you can give about how to use it? The pot pie recipe is from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. I found that the parsely added a particular sweetness that I really missed when I left it out. (There may have been a few too many potpies in our house during early Covid lockdown.)

Flat leaf. And I am guessing that there is a difference between the two that was part of what I was missing out on!

This year has been one of discovery for many of us. My first cooking discovery was realizing what a huge difference fresh parsely made in my pot pie recipe. Then I ran across a recipe for tuna salad that only used onion and parsely in addition to the mayo and tuna. I was blown away by how good it was. I am learning the lesson that parsely really is more than an antiquated plate decoration. So I am curious now. What else am I missing out on? What have you discovered that is often overlooked or neglected? I will never leave parsely out of my garden plans again!

I had not heard of this. Thank you!

This looks great, Rob! Ian Boden is doing something very similar (less the in-car dining) at his restaurant, The Shack, near me. I have greatly enjoyed being able to get a taste of his cooking right now, as well as picking up Edwards bacon and Anson Mills rice grits. I hope it works well for you!

Beautiful looking loaf!

I often see Ataulfo (sp?) Mangoes labelled as Honey Mangoes in Virginia.

Whatever book you go with, I will pipe in to say that there are three things that made a huge difference for me in learning how to make simple, consistent, good bread (I make no-knead bread with water, flour, yeast, and salt). The first was learning to use baker's percentages. The second was moving to a slow rise (overnight, typically 10-12 hours). The third was using a meat thermometer to check the doneness of my loaf. I guarantee you that there are more accurate and scientific ways to approach bread making, and I am always learning new tricks and details, but these three will help you to develop a bread that you can repeat consistently and are happy with.

I just had my memory jogged about this series of posts from Ellen. It is seriously too bad that the image links no longer work. However, I thought some of our newer members still might enjoy reading these, and some of the long time members might enjoy the nostalgia.

Based on the fact that my daughter is the one always wanting to get food from the food court... Sounds like a wise move to me!

Bob Evans was my go to sausage 20 years ago, when I first started cooking for myself. Then I discovered that I preferred Jimmy Dean. Since then, I have concluded that when I am buying supermarket sausage, a lower fat content is a positive signifier. Tennessee Pride is one go-to. All that said, I have a friend selling sausage from their own pigs, and that is definitely our household favorite.

I was thinking the same... But the picture looks rather syrupy. I am afraid the actual dish might be intolerably sweet. We will never know, until @liuzhou goes to taste it for us!