Thanks for the Crepes

I agree about bechamel having a surprisingly cheesy flavor at times. When I do scalloped potatoes, I do them from 2 pounds thin-sliced raw potatoes, with nothing more than a 1/4 c finely minced raw onion and 4 cups thinish bechamel sauce alternated in 3 layers in a covered baking dish. I cook it at 350 F and remove the cover after an hour and let it go for another 30 minutes. Many cannot believe I do not add cheese to the dish. I think cheese would ruin for to me. It must be the long cook, because I don't use cultured butter or any special expensive ingredients. I also brown the roux until blond before adding 2 % milk, but that's it. It is a transcendent dish with simple and cheap components. @Orbit I hope you can find something that will duplicate what you are seeking. Maybe simmer and stir a bechamel for a while, and see it that does it for you. If not, you can always add a little mild cheese. Or not.

Ham and cheese sandwich toasted open faced for a few minutes in a hot oven, on good bread that is labeled French, but reminds me a lot more of a good Italian bread. With home baked and sliced hickory smoked real bone-in ham and medium cheddar. Ham on one side, cheese on the other, and sandwich closed after cheese got bubbly and bread was toasty. This was as good as Arby's used to have back in the day, so eat your heart out, modern Arby's.

@scubadoo97, Nice looking dinner, and so glad to hear you are feeling better and getting your sense of taste and smell back. Tonight I made Imam Bayildi (a vegetarian stuffed eggplant dish) and a salad with green leaf lettuce and chickpeas. Both these dishes were served with lemon tahini sauce and warm (purchased, but good) French bread. My husband had a slice of leftover ham, cheddar, mushroom and onion quiche, but the vegan dishes were plenty for me. I ate an entire half of a large eggplant. It was delicious, but next time, not so much thyme.

I made a batch of lemon tahini tonight to go with a green leaf lettuce and chickpea salad. It was according to the Serendipity recipe linked, but I had no fresh parsley, so I left that out. I also do not remember either the texture of even very finely chopped parsley or a greenish tint which would result if it was whirred up in a blender, which I suspect is the way the restaurant does it. It would take them too long to get big batches homogeneous by hand. I didn't add garlic the first time I made it just before starting this thread, but I did add a small clove this time because the Serendipity recipe calls for it. So: 4 T tahini 2 t sesame oil from jar 1 small clove garlic crushed in a press 1 lemon juiced plus quite a bit more than the 2 t water called for because it was so thick I generally don't care much for raw garlic. This time was no exception, but the sauce was still good. I may try dried garlic powder on the next batch. Roasted garlic might also be very nice in it. I decided I quite like the first one I mentioned here with the tarmari, but I have always liked a salty taste. I also served the sauce with Imam Baildi or Imam Bayildi depending on which of my cookbooks you consult. It was very good with this eggplant dish too. I fried up the green tomato one night and enjoyed it with the leftovers from the first batch I made with tamari. Recommended.

Night before last I made a crustless quiche with some of the leftover ham I baked. This ham was so good. I bought it on Easter loss leader sale, and was in a hurry to get it in the oven, so just washed the packing and balled it up and tied it up in a plastic grocery bag. After tasting the ham, I had to dig through the trash, and untie the bag to discover the brand. It was just Food Lion, which is one of our lower end groceries. The ham was not full of a bunch of extra "solution", it was deeply hickory smoked, and just excellent! It cooked up moist and very delicious, and much better than the ubiquitous Smithfield brand. If you are in reach of a Food Lion, do yourself a favor and do not pass up their fully cooked hickory smoked half hams. Bake it until the deep center register 135 F and you are set! It will rise to 140 F during a rest. It makes heavenly sandwiches and I picked up some dried baby limas today to cook with the ham bone. I'm looking forward to that with some cornbread, which I can now cook in an oven with an actual functioning thermostat! I also put cheddar cheese into the quiche along with some sauteed yellow onion and mushrooms. I added a couple pinches of ground cloves to the custard batter, and it was most enjoyable. This was served with the holiday green bean casserole with canned cream of mushroom soup, french cut green beans and TJ's fried onions from a can. I have tried making a more homemade version of this and no one likes it as well, including me. We also had some nice ripe sliced tomatoes with this dinner and slices of Kim Shooks' coconut cake. Tonight we went to Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken. You can smell the chickens cooking as soon as you drive into the parking lot if the windows are down. Here's a picture from the Yelp link of the delicious chickens cooking in their imported oven. We had green beans, and they were fresh and well-seasoned. The yucca fries are delicious, and inspired me to pick up a yucca root to cook at home next time I run across one. I also got maduros, fried ripe and sweet plantains. These were the sides most lauded in the reviews, and none of them disappointed. I also loved their spicy green sauce, but did not want to put it on the chicken because it was perfect on its own. I wound up drinking it and dipping yucca fries in it. Hot, but with a complex flavor that I could not dissect. Lovely. It was far too spicy for my husband, but he like the yellow mustard mild sauce, although I didn't notice him putting any on the stellar chicken either.

@mm84321, is that Mt. Mansfield in Vt.? I went to Mt. Mansfield Union High for a year when we lived in Jericho. This would have been in the 70's, and almost impossible to find any kind of mango, much less a good one with notes of coconut. Absolutely gorgeous photography, as usual!

Found it! The link to the article "In France, A Battle to Keep Menus Fresh" I remembered from the NY Times. I want to say it was @liuzhou who linked to it originally on eG, but with my older memory, I can't be completely sure. Sorry if I am wrong, but I spent 10 minutes searching on Google on the eG site, and no hits. It is here somewhere, because I do not peruse the Times unless directed from here. Many apologies if I am incorrect about the member who originally linked this article.

I give up, DianaB. It sounds like "topi me" is some kind of holiday I had not heard of, but Mr. Google was no help at all. What is it? I enjoyed your thoughtful post, and I am sure there is another one on eG somewhere that refers to the microwave type premade meals that many in France decry but have crept into current restaurants. I seem to remember it was a very well respected media article link, and I'm off to attempt to find it.

Reviving the thread to share an intriguing book I'd like to have, but have not read. Here's a review for "The One True Barbecue" by Rien Fertel from our local TV station's website. We have a tradition in NC of "pig pickin's" where a whole hog is split and cooked over coals for many hours. Some of you who attended or read about Raleigh, NC inactive member @Varmint's pig pickin's here and here may be familiar with that. My sister had one for her wedding feast. (No alcohol allowed, which is right unusual for pig pickin's.) I was hoping the author was a North Carolina son, but he's from Louisiana, where I have people too, so all is good. Here's a link if you are interested in getting a signed and personalized copy from The Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans. As you'll find in the link, apparently, you have to call them. They have a web site, and when it first comes up, before you click into it, on Google, this appears: "If you are unable to attend [a book signing?], you must call the book shop to order signed books." Here's a link to the web site. I could not find their address or phone on the site, but here it is from Yelp: " (504) 895-2266 · 2727 Prytania St New Orleans, LA 70130 "

I also think food culture is moving slowly in a better direction in this country. It is led by educated consumers in spite of the obstacles erected by our Big Ag lobby, and government's willingness to roll over for them. There are so many things in our mainstream food that are banned outright in the EU. The resistance by Big Ag to even properly label foods shows that they know they will lose revenue if consumers are informed. Walmart is responding with more organic produce and natural foods. Even fast food outlets are making changes by removing unnatural ingredients and offering healthier choices, as customers vote with their feet and wallets. If one has plenty of money and time, it's possible to get natural whole foods outside the mainstream. What is most heartening to me is that we continue to see major changes in that mainstream, which is going to benefit a lot more of us. When the huge fast food giants move to cage free eggs, antibiotic, hormone-free meats, less additives, and so on, it will affect what we buy in the grocery store, because they are using such a huge chunk of what is consumed in this country. It will take time, especially with the government efforts to impede it, but in the end we are capitalist country. Big companies have already changed for the better because they are interested in helping their bottom line. The consumer movement for healthier, more wholesome foods will win out, I think. More folks are getting on board every day. We have a long way to go, but all is not lost. That said, from what I've read about it, it's much easier in France or Italy to find top quality ingredients for your dinner than it is here.

I thought those looked like fresh ones. I made some the other night for enchiladas. Your tacos look great. I love skirt steak when I can get it.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in exotic China! I have relished it. One question: Is that an errant large live water buffalo or other huge cattle species that is escaping disaster along that busy median, or a statue of some kind? I popped the image out larger and still couldn't really tell.

Here is the recipe from the back of my Turkish package of extra course Duru brand bulgur. 2 c (320 g) Duru extra coarse bulgur 8 T olive oil (optional, or cut downable) 3 c hot stock (vegetable, chicken or beef) 2 t (12 g) salt Place olive oil in a saucepan, add bulgur and saute for several minutes. Stir in stock and salt. Simmer over low heat 15 minutes. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. This results in a firm, but chewy texture. I cut the oil down, and often saute minced onion or other veggies with the bulgur. Anna N's bulgar looks like coarse grade, or even extra course. I serve mine with grilled meats as a side dish with a salad. @Anna Nmay either have cracked wheat berries, which need a presoak and/or longer cooking, or the instructions on the website may be incorrect. Either way, what I would do is try soaking it. If that produced the desired texture, I'd run with that. If not, I'd cook it, testing it along the way until it got where I wanted it.

I made scalloped potatoes and baked an 8 pound, hickory smoked, clove studded butt half ham. I served it with a few cherries, cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts and fluffy biscuits. We are having a tropical depression here with heavy rain, so the cookout I originally wanted to do was off the table. I also made this Coconut Layer Cake from a recipe shared by our member @Kim Shook. It was as good as she said it was and quite a hit at my husband's birthday party. I did cut the sugar back some, but I always do, as that is my preference. I am a coconut cake fan, and this was the best version I've ever tasted. Thanks Kim!

I made corn tortillas and cheese enchiladas with refried beans. Cherries for dessert.

For campsite cooking, bacon can be thrown into a skillet over a campfire or a Coleman stove in mass quantities. Much more than is able to fit in a single layer. Just keep stirring, and eventually it all renders its fat (drain it off) and gets crispy. You can feed a whole lot of folks more quickly this way.

More special than macarons, which are very intimidating to those of us who have not mastered them? They seem very special to me, at least. I would suggest a nice traditional cheeescake as a canvas for your fresh fruit. And @Smithy's suggestion about boxing your personal gift is right on. People can kind of be pigs sometimes. I opted out of splitting the bill for pizza at an office I worked at because I can't scarf as fast as some, and wound up still hungry, but subsidizing other's gluttony.

In Metric to Imperial or vice versa, Mr. Google is your best friend. I just typed in 28cm and Google immediately brought up "to inches" which I clicked on and popped into the search line. I noticed tonight that my large and deep stainless chicken fryer was marked 28 cm while washing it. I got curious after your post. I was sure it was a full 12" because I accidentally broke the handle off the lid for it a while back and use the two tempered glass 12" skillet lids I own instead, and they fit absolutely perfectly, sealing the steam in very well. I dug out my sewing measuring tape, and sure enough, as usual, Google knows more than I do. Google works for temp conversion from F to C and vice versa too. That is important for me because my beloved old timey mechanical oven thermometer lost all the red ink F markings over time because the thermostat is gone on my oven and it got too hot. The C markings in black ink are still there. Google will immediately pop up a suggested conversion for you when you type in * C or x* F. Best thing since ever. I have always found them to be accurate. Even when I doubt. Can't help with currency conversion, as I have no call for it, but I'd try Google first.

I will try the ex-employee's recipe as written, but I am almost sure there was some slight capsaicin in it. I have a good palate and memory, so far, and knock wood it continues. She was just guessing and recreating it from memory as I have to. She was a hostess and waitress, not a cook. I will definitely make the journey to Serendipity on foot when I have some money (and it's not too hot) to enjoy their dressing again and hopefully buy a jar of it to get some idea of the ingredients from the label . The street will be closed for about a year. Thank you again for your great idea! I will also be using @Okanagancook's tip from her cookbook "Zahav" for food saftey and better taste when I add garlic:

Thank you, BonVivant, for sharing your experiences with us here! Lovely photography and videography, as usual. I, for one, would love to see Porto, Cologne, and anything else you care to offer, so there is a definite interest on my part, at least. I find it hard to believe that others on the site wouldn't be interested as well. Please post all you can take the time and effort for, and thanks again. I did like the music accompanying your video montage, but like Deryn, more info would have been most welcome as well. @BonVivant, There's a frame in your video captioned, "Wonderful Salted Seafood". Is that skate wing I see with the label "Bull" 10.00 KG?

Congratulations to you and all of your family, the bride and her family. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share your experiences in China with us here. I have never seen so many fiddleheads together in one place as those portrayed in the bag you photographed. Perhaps the most covet-worthy thing of many in your post. The Greeks also use pitch coated leather wine skins, and I have partaken from them. Hard to keep sanitary, IMO, but my first (Greek descent) husband was insistent about using his. Very nice depiction of a horse on the one you showed. The Chinese have a very distinctive way of portraying horses in their art. @chefmd, What is that bent metallic-looking bar that runs across the horse's face? The Greek version has nothing like that. Three shots at 9:00 AM? Yikes!

I cooked up a vegetarian fritto misto for dinner tonight. We started with slices of thin-skinned white new potatoes since I was cooking these naked, and the excess flour coating that comes off the in oil, will turn dark and bitter after a while. Next, I made a mistake and cooked crispy onion straws. It's tough to shake off, get rid of the excess flour on these little shards of onions. They came out very well, and were my favorite of the evening, but too much flour got into the oil, but it still wasn't too dark to throw out before cooking some eggplant slices. I found some small tennis ball sized, purple eggplants at the Indian grocer. They were good, but I don't like them as much as the more familiar, larger purple eggplant. They were not as good as the oven-fried eggplant I made a little while back from the Irregardless Cafe recipe. That is a keeper recipe and, bonus, less messy than frying. After cooking the eggplant, I decided to throw out the oil and wipe the skillet and start with clean oil and start over for some small okra pods I also found the the Indian store. These were very good, and so tender we even ate the stem ends. I cooked them whole. My second favorite. I had also scored a rare find of a green tomato. They are difficult to find even here in the South where they are very popular for frying, unless you grow your own. I was going to do the tomato last because I like cornmeal coating on them, and it'll burn even before flour will. We were too full to continue though, so my green tomato will be cooked up at a later dinner. I think I will try it with some lemon tahini sauce when it happens. We had a few cherries for dessert that I also got at the Indian store for the bargain price of $1.99/pound. Come to think of it, everything came from the vegetarian Indian market, but the potatoes and onion were purchased on an earlier excursion. Host's note: this ever-popular topic has been split in order to reduce the load on our servers. The next segment may be found here: Dinner 2016 (Part 5)

kayb, I have seen them dried in a few places, but unfortunately not fresh. Fresh Market, if you have one, has nice dried ones sometimes. Whole Foods might even have fresh ones, but I never darken their doors. They are out of my budget.

This post is in response to my quote from @blue_dolphinabove. Technical issue. Thank you so much for searching out and putting up the link by a former employee, no less, of Serendipity with a recipe attempting to replicate the restaurant's recipe. You know I am going to be all over her recipe! I never bothered to search because a recipe like that is guarded pretty closely. Interestingly, the proportions of the main components are not too far off what I put together from memory the other night with much more lemon than some other recipes. This eGullet place, and the people that make it all happen are unparalleled.

As usual, you guys and gals are an absolute wealth of culinary information and insights. You are the best! Thank you all so much for responding and for your help. I have so many things to explore and try now, armed with much more knowledge. That is what I thought. I am running across many recipes that call for additional oil, however. I will definitely be trying your simple recipe. I do not have a jar and haven't in many years. Perhaps back to the time when mom and pop's were not required to list ingredients for their secret recipes. I started going there in the 80's. I recall nothing about it if the ingredients were listed when I used to buy it. I do remember it was quite lemony and seemed to have a little capsaicin like the cayenne you recommended or maybe hot paprika like @shain mentioned, while not specifying the hot variety. Unfortunately Academy street in downtown Cary, where Serendipity is located, is closed for major construction now. They built a hotel I am not at all sure we need, plus a bunch of other stuff is in progress. I hope the older businesses, including Serendipity, survive the long street closure. If I get some extra money, I can walk down there. It's a bit of a trek, but doable, and that's a great idea about the label ingredients. They are probably required to list them now due to allergy concerns, although everyone gets away with "spices". It would be a good start to trying to duplicate the recipe. Thank you.