Elissa

Well I did chuck the first batch and start over with my third and last packet of Fleischman's 'dry active,' which sorta gently bloomed. I left that and the cup and a half of flour I had left to rise; when it didn't, I punched it down anyway and let it 'rise' some more - but the dough didn't seem to budge much. The yeast expiration date was 2007... As parties will however, this one too had to go on, so I went ahead and made two fluted crusts, baked them ten minutes and filled with the divine herby onion mix, topped with a design of anchovies and oil-cured olives, and baked a spell. Good god if every one at the party didn't yelp with delight when the first and then the second arrived. And tasty they were, if I do say so myself. I guess the hardest part of pissaladiere is mustering the determination - all else is really cake.

I've made maybe 10 of these over the last 15 years with always different results. Sometimes recipes call for yeast for the dough, sometimes not. I never seem to keep hold of the recipes I like best though. Just started one for today, that called for yeast. However, the yeast however never foamed, so I just threw it in with the flour and salt anyhow. Dumb? Chuck the whole mess and begin again? Id like this one to be perfect. Help much appreciated.

Has anyone tried the Saba marinated mushrooms from here? My first are cooling and set to sit for a couple days...but I forgot the honey. I don't care for sweet things anyway, but curious as to if anyone else has tried these. Just starters of course, to be served with Paula's greens jam and evoo simmered leeks. Don't tell her but I'm doing the Zuni Porchetta for dinner and Hirigoyen's Istara gratin for dessert. (HNY PW!)

Helena, was this the same as you made last I was over that worked so well with thick slices of aged goat cheese?

I've been curious to try Wells' Rosemary Parmesean Mads from her Bistro book, which calls for unbleached flour.

LV & Zook Soup: steam LV with cubed zucchini then puree; add some yogurt, S&P and chill. Immersion blend to serve with a chiffonade of fresh LV.

I use your Slow Med book as a bible. Most of the winter I subsisted on your Herb Jam with Olives and Lemons, incorporating all manner of bitter green: kale, chard, arugula etc. Also had great fun with your stuffed Turkish flatbreads. However today I bought (my first ever) pork loin. I have been wondering if I could ever make a crispy skin myself and tomorrow seemed a perfect excuse: after two Museum of Natural History shows (Frogs and Jordan) why not a picnic? While possessed of neither spit nor rack nor thermomitor, I made a salt-sugar-rosemary-thyme-bayleaf-fennel seed brine and into it have submerged my roast to chill. In the am, Ill rub first with your orange zest and garlic paste and then roast (I'm guessing racks are necessary?) with vidalias, shallots, garlic, maybe a small red potatoe or two. I'm not a fan of fruit with meats and will rather serve this cold with chilled roast asparagus, a fennel/radiccio salad and a Catalan chevre. White Burgundy, maybe red Bandol. My question: Wells suggests 500 for 20-30 min to get the skin crisped, then another 20 min per lb at 350; baste often she says with the brine. You suggest flour, 5 minutes in hot oil, 45 on 350, turn and another 15. What do you think of her two different temps, verses the flour and then steady 325 you suggest? Would you have said baste with brine but for the compotes? Thanks and best to you, E

Also, let's face it, there's plenty of reason to be Calivinophobic.

and would you recommend anything in particular?

Dear god but that is vile swill. Opening it in tandem with a bottle of Krug however would provide a grand education.

What an elegant response, Jensen. I concur.

There's some sense in which gluttony hasn't anything to do with others though: seems to me it's quite possible to be greedy about food for its own sake. When we eat to fill up parts of ourselves that are empty emotionally, when we eat to assauge hurt or pain, that can be both gluttonous and sinful, not agaist God or mandates or others, but sinful against what our own higher selves know would suffice.

A dear friend is contributing to a book about the Seven Deadly Sins. He has asked me to solicit responses to the following questions: What is gluttony? How do you define when an act of eating becomes gluttonous? How can you tell a gourmet or a gourmond from a glutton? Is gluttony a sin? If so, how bad a sin is it? Are there any defenders of gluttony? If gluttony is a sin, is there another sort of eating that is virtuous? What or where is virtue when it comes to eating, preparing and contemplating food?

LML, The most interesting thing about Heston Blumenthal must surely be the disfavor with which you regard him

Where does she cook?

Anyone else find it odd that nary a woman's scheduled to appear?

Is that like saying, it seems as if some people on eG spew mostly tripe, but really I know it's just words?

Went to Guliano's in Santa Monica last night and thought it much better than Roxanne's.

nevermind.

will this soon change with laws being overturned?

Ming Dynasty, on the southwest side directly under the Manhattan Bridge. Been there a year, but I went first for lunch today: pan fried scallion dumplings for which i'll soon return. Eggplant - not normally my dish - id also recommend and tofu skin with pork: divine. All for $7.

Barrio Chino, a new tequila bar in chinatown, will soon have food if it doesn't already: Broome bet. Orchard & Ludlow

yes but which? :slurp:

herb and chevre stufffed zucchini blossoms seared scallops zucchini fans water cress and roasted pepper salad hirsch veltliner blueberries a sliced peach