cyalexa

Don't give up. Homemade angel food cake is wonderful. If your pan doesn't have feet suspend it by putting the tube over a heavy glass bottle. Don't use a plastic bottle like I did once. It's good for a laugh but results in a bit of a mess.

My brother came over and we had brown sugar bacon-wrapped sriracha onion rings (major yum) and black bean pepper jack cheese patties (meh). Watched Captain Phillips. Thought about going to town for the festivities but decided it was too hot.

Did you cool it upside down?

I will mail you a piece of my rye dough starter if you like. I keep my yeast growing in a stiff rye dough starter then use it to make an 80% hydration starter with AP four before I want to bake. I use Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye flour, readily available at good groceries, for both the starter and baking. For more info on my starter, see my friend and bread mentor's blog post, http://bewitchingkitchen.com/2013/08/09/sourdough-blues

My grates fit my gas grill perfectly. I disposed of the porcelain covered cast iron grates that came with the grill. I seasoned the GrillGrates with linseed oil a couple times, in the grill, not my oven, when I first got them. I clean them with a brush after getting them really hot then a rag after they have cooled off enough to handle. I recently used the flat side for the first time, for hot smoking salmon and getting a crisp skin at the same time and was quite pleased. It's too hot for me to grill in the summer but will be using the flat side for pizza, ribeyes, and hamburgers in the fall.

I use a french press. I make the coffee double strength. When I pour a cup I add half of my double strength coffee and half boiling water. The result is the proper drinking temp (for me anyway). I also fashioned a simple cozy to put over the press.

I will definitely report. I have made ricotta quite a few times with grocery store milk. I'm looking forward to the upgraded ingredients.

I visit SF every March and stay at a friend's condo, just a couple blocks off of Embarcadero. It's a great location, I can walk to the Ferry Building. I have not explored the Castro or Mission area very much because I am by myself and am not sure that it is safe. I have gone to a couple restaurants in those areas for dinner and always arrive very early so I can circle for as long as necessary to get a good parking spot.

I'm new to cheesemaking and am about to make my first mozzarella. I found a source of unpasteurized milk (no small feat in Oklahoma, and it's not too far from my house!). It is not homogenized. Do I need to make any adjustments to address the tendency for the cream to rise to the top?

I love the cioppino at Tadich Grill. It sounds like your friend is local so you may not need restaurant reservations, none the less, I strongly recommend State Bird.

This is very simple but I get good feedback every time I serve it: Jalapeno Shrimp adapted from realsimple.com 1 1/2 pounds large peeled shrimp jarred pickled jalapeno slices (I like Trappeys brand), cold 1/4 cup of pickling liquid 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt Poach the shrimp. Toss with the cold pickling liquid, lime juice, cilantro, jalepeno slices to taste, and salt. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead.

I really like my GrillGrates. Be careful when you first use them, I overcooked several things until I got used to them. A very fatty rib eye will still flare a little.

Martin, Thanks for the ideas and especially the link to that recipe. It looks close with respect to texture and is the only non-layered bar recipe I've seen. My next attempt will be this weekend. I'll report back.

"Perhaps just adding an additional egg yolk would do the trick. Egg yolks tend to moisten; egg whites tend to dry and leaven." good tip, an extra yolk it is

I had to google parkin. It looks yummy but I didn't see any with dates (only went 2 pages deep). My grandmother lived in Canada and Michigan. Sure appreciate the input I've been getting.

Thanks Andrea. The recipe I'm currently experimenting with did not originally have oatmeal either. In an effort to get the moist dense texture I remember I think I may try soaking the oatmeal with the dates instead of folding it in with the flour. I notice your recipe has 3 eggs per cup of flour. The one I'm trying to tweak has only one per 2 cups of flour. I wonder if an additional egg would make the crumb more moist?

Thanks for your input. There was no chocolate or fruits that I recall other than the dates. The nuts were walnuts. Sadly my Grandmother died before I began cooling seriously so I never asked for any of her recipes. I have been trying date quick bread recipes. My plan is to get close to the taste I remember then experiment with the pan size and texture. The recipe that was closest so far was too sweet. It had both honey and brown sugar. I tried it again, omitting the honey. The taste was better but the texture was too crumbly. I want to keep the molasses flavor from the brown sugar so if I try this recipe again I'll omit the brown sugar, keep the honey and add some molasses.

I am trying to recreate a recipe from my childhood, my grandmother's oatmeal date nut bars. I'm calling them bars and not bread because she made them in a 13x9 then cut them into 9 by 2ish bricks which would be individually wrapped in foil. The bricks would be cut into slices for service. They were very dense and moist, almost sticky. I've searched online and the recipes for bars are layered. Gram's weren't layered. I've been experimenting with a couple date nut bread recipes and have made things I've liked but they are not like Gram's. I would like to try a new recipe and am seeking suggestions.

Abita Turbodog, a dark brown ale; and Abita Amber Both are very good for the price, just over $1.00 per bottle when I go to the big liquor store in OKC. Turbodog is my favorite "everyday" beer.

I have been using the pressure cooker for eggs primarily because they are so much easier to peel (neighbors have hens). I have noticed that a number of people here steam (without pressure) their eggs. I would guess that the pressure is the important factor in ease of peeling, not the steam. Am I right? What do you think?

That is a legitimate point. I would at least like to know the primal when a cut has a made-up name.

The original recipe is from Cooking Light. My adaptation, specific to my microwave, is copied below. Experiment to find the right time and temp for your machine. Tonight I lubed the parchment and the "up" side of the slices with a very thin schmeer of coconut oil. Microwave Sweet Potato Chips Adapted from Cooking Light Peel sweet potato and slice on mandolin. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit a microwave-safe plate; coat parchment lightly with cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on parchment, leaving center of plate uncovered. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with salt, and a dash of pepper. Microwave at power level 7 for 4 minutes. Check for crispness. Continue to cook at 15-second intervals until done. Repeat procedure with remaining potato slices.

Smoked beef ribs, charred on the gas grill; sweet potato chips (made in the microwave! actually crispy!!!)

I have often wished that meat was labeled with the name of the muscle. So many names seem to be made up and relatively meaningless. I have links to a couple sites with names but it is cumbersome to whip out the smart phone when I am at the store wondering from what primal a "patio steak" has been cut (just an example, no need to explain). There is only one semi-knowledgeable "butcher" in my small town, at a grocery store.

http://healdsburgshed.com The cafe in Healdsburg Shed is different and fun.