[Pimento]

Good friends gave me a jar of pimentos from their garden. And there are more where these came from. But what do with them? They guarantee that pimento cheese made from these will exceed my past experiences with the stuff, but is there something more adventurous and interesting to do with them?

[Career Change]

In my life outside of eGullet I do a number of things, including assessments to help organizations in a wide range of industries hire, promote and develop professional and management talent. I have been involved in helping hospitality industry companies hire corporate executives, hotel and resort general managers, HR managers, marketing directors, executive chefs and other management positions. In addition, I consult with individuals on career development and change in this and other fields.

That said just to establish minimal credibility.

I do not see anything about your background that would be a barrier, and do see a great deal that you would have to offer in the hospitality industry. For anyone that is considering changing fields that require or benefit from further education or training, this is not a bad time to do the training, given the economy. I am saying that without knowing more about your specific situation. And these are personal decisions that typically benefit from a good deal of thought and weighing all the factors involved. Nonetheless, clients of mine are doing things now to position themselves for better times.

Good luck to you.

[Mexican Mint]

gualojote - Muchas gracias for the links. Good information.

[Mexican Mint]

Thanks everyone. Yes, it is the Mexican Marigold Mint. And thanks for the chicken suggestion. My sister also suggested using it on a leg of lamb, and the Tarragon-mint would indeed go very well with lamb.

[Mexican Mint]

I am growing a pot of Mexican Mint that I got from Whole Foods. The label said it is sometimes used as a substitute for Tarragon. It does taste like a cross between Mint and Tarragon. Has anyone used this? What is it used for in Mexico or other countries?

[Dinner! 2003]

It is probably too much to call my daube a Mexican daube. I'll settle for Daube de Tejas. No one died or had to go to the ER from the heat. It toned down overnight to warmth and more complexity with a reduction of the sauce mixed with sauted onion and potato served with warm flour tortillas. Have a little left that I will try another way also.

[Dinner! 2003]

Lunch - radish sliced very thin on buttered baquette.

Dinner - simple frittata with onion, garlic, and potato sauted and sweated; very small amount of sausage, Mexican zucchini sliced very thin, poblano with a little adobo sauce topped with Parmagianno.

Today for tomorrow - a Mexican version of a French daube with onion, carrot, garlic, cilantro, two poblanos with adobo sauce, two minced jalapenos, can of chicken broth, and 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Cooked in the crock pot - about two hours on high, and five hours on low at this point. I plan to serve it with rice. I'll let you know if there are any casualties.

[What's The Strangest Food Book in Your Collection?]

Not bizarre, but unusual --- "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels" by Anne Chotzinoff and Lisa Grossman Thomas. Aimed at reader's of, and tied directly to, Patrick O'Brien's British novels, it includes nineteenth century recipes for Burgoo, Ship's Biscuit, Skillygalee, Drowned Baby, Sea-Pie, Figgy-Dowdy, Soused Hog's Face, Solomomgundy and much, much more. And no, I have not tried any of it.

[TDG: Desperate Measures: Cooking to Learn . . .]

Mamster - I have not yet read the Olney biography, but am interested in it. If I recall correctly John Thorne's image of Olney was somewhat strained after reading it. Talent does not make one perfect.

[TDG: Desperate Measures: Cooking to Learn . . .]

Mamster - very, very fine article.

This is one reason I find Richard Olney's "Simple French Food" such a wonderful book. For every topic he covers, he explains a good deal of how, what and why with multiple possible variations. He provides recipies, but gives you a broader context along with procedural detail that would be punishing in a less gifted writer. It is such a rich source of instruction and inspiration that I have read it many times...and continue to.

[Time Life "Foods of the World" series]

Thanks for the tips. I just picked up a copy of "The Cooking of Provincial France" in the series, written by MFK Fisher. It had the recipe pamphlet (three hole punched, not spiral bound) for "THe Cooking of Italy" stuck inside it. All for $2. I'll now keep my eyes open for more.

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

elyse --- I don't have enough up-to-the-second scientific info on the aluminum issue. Robert L. Wolke in What Einstein Told His Cook (2002), writes that research has provided "conflicting and contradictory results." He says that at the time he wrote the book, that "the Alzhiemer's Association, the FDA, and Health Canada, the Canadian department of health, all agree that there is no verifiable scientific evidence for a relationship between aluminum ingestion and Alzheimer's disease, and that there is therefore no reason for people to avoid aluminum."

But the book came out last year, so perhaps there has been new, conclusive research published since he wrote it. Have your M.D. friends had a recent update on this? Any references? Any new info would be appreciated by all I am sure. Do they have new or more detailed research info on the risk level and under what conditions (all food contact with aluminum? acidic foods only? aluminum foil for cooking, for storage?)? Or do they simply say that since the research is contradictory and inconclusive, that they would rather eliminate any possible risk by not using aluminum for (whatever limits they personally set)?

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

Thanks Steve. That's helpful.

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

I was not clear - I saw it in a Sur La Tab shop, not on the website.

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

elyse --- I am sure that I saw all three versions at Sur La Tab: tinned, brown, and black.

Mamster - Thanks. I see that I will just have to experiment. Sounds like it is an interaction between type/color of pan, baking sheet, temp and whatever else.

I am having a hard time understanding why a brown pan would perform significantly differently than a black pan. Did it just need more time in the oven?

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

Mamster - From your previous onion tartlett article, it appeared you used light colored tartlett rings. They looked great, so why would others have a problem with tarts baked in light colored pans or brown pans, indicating that black steel pans work best for tarts. There are also lots of white porcelein tart/quiche pans on store shelves --- are they inadequete to the task? Is there are difference in using tart rings vs tart pans with removeable bottoms?

[Paella]

Could it be called a....a....a paella pan?

[I will never again . . . (Part 1)]

Many years ago... I was baking a bunch of loaves of banana bread or some such for the first time. As I added the wheat flour to the rest of the ingredients in the large bowl, time stopped as I watched wheat berries, not flour, pour into the mixture. Ever try to get wheat berries out of a batter?

[Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 1)]

nerissa - Texas is not just one place. East Texas and at least parts of the Texas Gulf Coast are quite clearly part of the South.

[Stove Top Diffusers]

Suzanne - I too used an asbestos diffuser a number of years ago, but I am not sure they are sold anywhere anymore.

Anna - So what do you use for a diffuser?

[Stove Top Diffusers]

Steve - I have trouble getting a gentle enough simmer or just keeping something warm, plus I thought a diffuser plate might even out any hot spots in the electric elements. The coil of foil would work for the former and maybe help with the latter, so I'll try it, and also check out the Sur La Table shop.

Thanks everyone.

[Stove Top Diffusers]

What's your experience with stove top heat diffusers? I have tried using a Calphalon, but it was so slick that a Daube in a cast iron Dutch oven would start sliding if barely touched. I need something that is stable. For both electric and gas.

Oops! Edited to note that the title can not be edited.

[All About Baking Pans (Cake, Sheet, Muffin)]

elyse - I noticed that Sur La Tab carries tart pans that are tinned or brown non-stick, or black tinned.

[What's next?]

Welcome to eGullet, Mr. Bittman.

I have two questions that I hope you will comment on. First, what thoughts or advice do you have for those here who are passionate about food and cooking, but who want to write about food, rather than work in restaurants? Second, you have had such a productive career so far, what projects do you have in the works or are you considering for the next few years?

Thanks for spending some time with us.

RK

[Roaster]

Thanks for the marinade link. It was (is) a tenderloin. I want to try that Orange-Chipoltle Sauced Pork Loin in the current Mexican issue of Gormet, too.