fifi

Well . . . You could check out the Braising with Molly topic. I use my individual size La Chamba clay pots to reheat braises in my De Longhi all the time. They are 2 cup capacity. You can see one of them in my chicken recipe here. There are links in that recipe to the eGCI braising course as well.

Oh my. I want one! Yes please, right now, thank-you-very-much St Valentine, Easter Rabbit, Mother's Day Fairy, Santa Claus.... whoever can pull it off. It looks like I'll be scouring garage sales unless fifi is successful. ← My son was successful at Marshall's and some other place in Chicago. Resale places like Marshall's, Kohl's and Tuesday Morning are places to check. I have to admit that I am going to need that Garlic Twist. The little dices are what I need for the ojo de ajo that I keep a jar of in the fridge. It is diced garlic in oil and butter that is simmered very slowly until the garlic is toasted. Only the fine dice will do and I have looked for ages for something that will do that. Baker's Catalog has it, too.

Thanks for bumping this up. I need to review some of it and decide which version I want to do. I recall using thyme in my first crock pot try, I think. But, I am curious. What did you use to cook 12 pounds of onions? I am thinking of doing a big batch to give some away. (I like to do things like that after the holidays. That always gets me a smile.) My 9 1/2 quart Le Creuset is calling me. I will put it in the oven.

Those are cool glasses, Dave. I have a set of some almost just like that. A couple of years ago, some vodka company had them in a set of two with the bottle of vodka. Over the holidays, I was able to collect a set of six. I always envisioned using them as vases, one flower in each, strung out down the middle of the table. They just didn't seem "likely" for a drink. You have now changed my opinion.

Is there an etiquette component here? I am all over etiquette but I don't recall any "rules" about this. Of course, if that big honking sandwich has you opening your trap like a braying donkey you might want to think about a knife and fork.

It may just be me but I don't like eggs in my gratins. The LCs are known for getting good browning. I don't like browned eggs. The whole reason I got the cast iron LCs was Jeffrey Steingarten's experiments with Potatoes Dauphinoise where he proclaimed the LC superior at the browning bit. He was right.

Actually, I now have several microplanes, fine to coarse to strips. They work for everything. And they work better than any of the other gadgets. One of my other revelations was using it for ginger. I don't even peel it anymore, the peel comes off on the top side of the microplane as you are processing it and you just pluck it away.

You have tapped in to one of the icons of my childhood. If you aren't old enough you might not remember the old Oreo commercial . . . "Oh, a kiddle eat the middle of an Oreo first and leave the chocolate cookie outsides 'til last. How do you do it? You unscrew it." I actually bite cookies directly. That goes for sandwiches as well. If a "sandwich" is too unwieldly to bite, I use a knife and fork. I put sandwich in quotes because if you can't pick it up and bite it, it really isn't a sandwich but a plated portion on bread.

Well, sometimes "tender" (another word for mushy I suppose) brocolli is ok with me. I think of it as a whole 'nother thing. It actually tastes a bit different. A little sweeter, maybe? I see a parallel with green beans. There is the long cooked Southern style and the quick cooked saute of maybe the tender little ones. They are entirely different vegetables in my opinion.

I can't think of a reason why a paper clip wouldn't be food safe.

Marlene . . . On the brocolli gratin . . . I do impromptu gratins ever since I got my Le Creuset gratin pans. You know the saying . . . "When all you have is a hammer, every thing looks like a nail." Well, one time I had this brocolli and a red onion was staring at me. The gratin pan was still out. I actually sliced the brocolli like I would have a cauliflower for the infamous Roasted Cauliflower. I layered the brocolli with the red onion slices, added some herbs and grated cheese (aged provolone?) and drizzled with a bit of whipping cream. The cream broke into milk solids and butter. The whole thing was incredibly good and rich. Sorry, no recipe. It was one of those made-up things.

Oh dear. Disagreements with Microsoft can be more brutal than nicotine withdrawal. I was sucked in for about 6 weeks one time. And, don't beat yourself up for a one or two cigarette slip. You are still on the road. And, you didn't slide into a ditch. You hit a pothole and you can keep on going.

I forgot to add that she drapes the venison with bacon.

I thought the S hook idea was inspired. I suggest that you go to the hardware store and get some S hooks. On the way, stop at the drugstore and get the patch. We don't want to have to report any injuries on this venture.

On the venison . . . My sister has had great luck recently with a venison rendition of Aggie Brisket. Basically, you brew up some really strong coffee, at least double strength. Then you season up a hunk-o-bambi. She has used shoulder and leg. The seasoning can be anything, but the classic is lemon pepper, more pepper and a bit of granulated garlic. You get one of the big Reynolds cooking bags and put it in there. Add about 4 or 5 cups of the really strong coffee and braise at 225 or 250F for several hours. (6 or 8?) It comes out great every time.

Now you are getting into my kind of dreams. Perhaps I will dream of stainless steel mushrooms.

Ah . . . But I have a plan. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

As always, andie comes up with the darndest things. That Voodoo Knife Block is a must have. I laughed out loud at that one. I actually went and counted the knives that I keep out in a block and see that they will probably all fit.

Ah, yes. The stainless steel mushroom. I am contemplating elevating it to cult status. Look at my avatar. The little thing smashes garlic gently to remove the peel. Then it can be used to smash garlic to a pulp, the flat "stem end" on the cutting board or the round "cap" in a bowl. Rub your hands on it under the faucet and it removes the garlic smell. The edges even get under fingernails. Too bad AMCO doesn't make them anymore. I want to start a "movement" to correct that. Between the microplane and my sacred mushroom, I don't need no stinkin' garlic press.

I have a couple of presses. Well, actually, not anymore. They got donated for a charity sale. That was after I discovered the magic of the microplane and what it does to garlic. This is my current microplane. Not the coarse one. They are much easier to clean as well.

You make a good point. While my cooking is definitely at the slow end of the scale, I am not disorganized at all. I do read through the recipe. If it is rather complex, I will do a visualization of the process. When there are a lot of ingredients involved, I definitely do a mise en place. I actually enjoy seeing all of those beautiful ingredients lined up in a row. (In the order called for, of course.) If something is really complex or takes a few days, I have a big sticky note with bullet points and maybe a time line. I put a big red star by the steps where I need to pay attention. Then I can dawdle, enjoy myself and maybe get distracted without blowing it. The results are telling. When I rushed through the prep for the chowder to make the 15 minutes, I completely forgot the thyme.

Kangarool . . . You go! You really can't go wrong if you follow John Folse. As to the thyme question, one of the time honored sources uses thyme. I just can't remember which one. Maybe that place in La Place? And . . . After you have your andouille made you will need to make some gumbo and report on it. I think we had another Aussie participate in that one but more are always welcome. We need to spread the gumbo ethic ever further. During that cook-off, a strange phenomenon came to our attention. It seems that there are some of our . . . ahem . . . upscale markets that are selling "fresh andouille." By definition, there is no such thing. Andouille is a smoked sausage.

I did a rather extensive google search today and made some phone calls. I am also coming up zilch. This is very curious. I do know that imports of clay pots and other ceramics have to go through analysis for lead and such. Perhaps the manufacturers have not been willing to do that. I am just guessing. But not being able to find such a seemingly pervasive piece of equipment from an important cuisine kind of boggles the mind. edit to add: A search of the FDA site hasn't turned up any recalls or seizures of clay pots from the Philippines. I searched the archive.

I vote with you. In fact, if I had a chance I would stuff the ballot box. The recitation of specials, with or without prices, is one of my pet peeves. To say that I hate the practice, that it annoys me in the extreme and that it prompts questionable behaviour on my part . . . well, you get my point. All too often, this practice coincides with my other pet peeve. Noisy restaurants. I usually avoid the "happenin' places" that have a "groovin' jive" but I do get dragged into one, kicking and screaming, from time to time. You can't hear yourself think, let alone the server's spiel. I have already admitted to questionable behaviour. I have been known to stop the server, ask how many specials he intends to recite, and proceed to pull out my little notebook. "Indulge me, dear. I have a short term memory problem and I can barely hear you. Please begin again." "And the price of that is? . . . " I accept the fact that the more casual places that I frequent probably couldn't afford a printed list so I am ok with the blackboard on the easle at the entrance. That approach always has the prices as well. Some of my favorite places use this to advantage by having someone on staff that is rather artistic with the chalk. I have seen some charming art work that makes me smile. I wish I had taken a picture of the cartoon of a local fish that appeared one time. That one had me laughing out loud.

So much for that idea. While I have the body weight to make it go, using it doesn't sound like much fun. I'll pass on the deal. (Another reason I love this place.)