forever_young_ca

Thomas Haas Chocolate Sparkle Cookies recipe posted at http://recipes.egullet.com/recipes/r459.html

I have made them at home to serve with coffee after a dinner party. They were a hit. I have the recipe, and will post it tonight when I get home from work.

Thanks nerissa - I found the thread by Marlene http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...8084&hl=roaster Marlene are you still happy with the petit roti? If memory serves me right I think I saw the larger roti with the rack & red mitts at the Gourmet Warehouse in Vancouver for a reasonable (?) price. Will go this weekend & check it out.

My current roasting pan is 30 years old and getting thin to the point that it is starting to burn food. Time for a new one! I do love my All Clad saucepans & have been thinking about the All Clad roti. A search on their web site has revealed 2 choices: 1) http://www.allclad.com/search/catalog/disp...mage.asp?id=651 sugg retail $199.99 or 2) http://www.allclad.com/search/catalog/disp...mage.asp?id=409 sugg retail $260 The product information suggests a weight difference, but the difference may be due to the rack in the first item. Other than that I don't understand why $60 more for the 2nd product while the first product has the rack. I have emailed All Clad for product information, but have had no response. Has someone else reasearched this and could tell me? Has anyone else had experience with this product - good or bad? It is alot of money to shell out for one item, even if I manage to get it on sale. Any other suggestions for a quality roaster? Thanks to all who reply.

Thomas Haas Chocolate Sparkle Cookies This was published in the LA times so I don't think it is a copyright infringement of any sort. 1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (TH recommends Valrohna if you can find it) 3 T butter, room temp 2 eggs 1 T honey 1/3 c sugar, plus more for rolling 3/4 c ground almonds 2 tsp cocoa powder pinch of salt powdered sugar for garnish Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler, over (but not in contact with) simmering water. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the heated chocolate until melted. Beat eggs with mixer, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light & the mixture falls in thick, smooth ribbons from the beaters (about 10 minutes). Fold into the chocolate-butter mixture. Add the cocoa powder and salt to the ground almonds & mix; gently add to the chocoate mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1 inch balls. Working quickly, roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 12 minutes, until the centres are most, but not wet. Cool slightly. Dust lightly with powdered icing sugar. Makes 36 cookies. Keywords: Cookie, Chocolate, Dessert, The Daily Gullet ( RG459 )

Fabulous dinner - I am interested in what you had to drink with your sixth course - all that chocolate - yum!

Thank you for emailing me your article on risotto. I enjoyed it and learned from it! One question though - I have heard/read from many cooks that after the stirring and the addition of the butter/cheese the rissotto should "rest" tightly covered for a couple of minutes. What are your thoughts on this?

I ordered my knife stand from table tools on April 4. I received an email from them saying that it was currently not in stock and would be shipped in a few days. I was so excited about finding this beast...............and now I am waiting (not so patiently)

Thanks a bunch Rachel. I am soooooooooooo excited. Just clicked on the site and ordered one - they ship to Canada for $22.95. Will report to everyone once I receive it. Thanks to all for you help. This is a great site.

I would like to have about 20 knives in the knife block - this one looks like it will accomodate that many. What kinds - they are a range - from a great monster (I think at least 12 inch) that I got in an estate sale (name unknown), but wonderful for wacking huge turnips & other larges beasts, several Wustoff, several E. Shaaf Goldhamster (fabulous knives), a couple of Henkels (have a hard time keeping them sharp as I like) and a couple from a local knife manufacturer. We have a local manufacturer that I am just trying out. He makes knives and ships them all over the world. They are beautiful specimens that he makes with your choice of tropical wood handles. He is very popular with a 4 - 6 month waiting list. I am just having a couple made to try out and should be picking them up the end of April. I also keep a couple old no names for hubbies use - he is not quite as particular about knife care as I am and is prone to cutting all sorts of things (cellophane, paper, cardboard) with knives. I think my favorite (notwithstanding the local guy) are the Goldhamster. They are very heavy, with perfect balance. I have not been able to make the leap to the lighter weight Global yet. I have "tried" them out in the store, lifting them, pretending to chop, etc. They just don't seem to have the weight I like. Plus I don't trust myself to not slip while chopping. I would like to try one out in someone's kitchen before I buy one. On the other hand, maybe I will just have to buy one and see what all the talk is about...........Maybe I will have to order two blocks.

I have done a web search for this knife block with no success. Has anyone else come up with it. I WANT IT!!!!!

I not only WANT IT, I NEED IT! Now for the hunt to source out a supplier on the net - someone who will ship to Canada! This is perfect for me!!!

Wonderful idea E! I rarely have small children coming into the house so safety should not be an issue. Thanks very much

I think my preferred method would be a metal strip. However, I don't have the wall space in my kitchen, so am debating FG's strip method attached to my free standing butcher block. Just debating how good my DIY skills are!

Does a conventional knife block made of wood harm the cutting edge of the knife - even if you slide them in and out as carefully as possible?

ah.........now I've got it. I use a free standing chopping block that sits in the middle of my kitchen. I do the majority of my kitchen work on this block. I will have a close look at it to see if it can be modified so that the knives all fit, but don't amputate the user

Fat Guy - I am trying to visualize this - are the strips horizonal? Do the knives slide in from one of the ends? What keeps the knives in place? Thanks

Very inventive Scamhi, and certainly more economical than the bar/block solution. Unfortunately I do not have an available drawer..........ah.......for a new kitchen!

I seem to have developed a knife fettish and as a result my knives now outnumber the slots in my current knife block. I would be interested in learning from others how they store their knives - blocks, magnetic bar, throw then in the drawer, etc. I have always used a knife block, as my kitchen does not easily accomodate a magnetic bar. I have looked at the Wustoff 25 slot maple block from www.cutleryandmore. Any comments would be appreciated. Any other inventive solutions would also be welcome. I have done a search, this topic does not seem to have been discussed before.

Thanks to all the sage advice given to me regarding dutch/french ovens. Since this was one of my first posts in this forum I appreciate your response & depth of knowledge/experience. I am happy to anounce that I am now the proud owner of Le Creuset's 5.3 litre (5.5 qt) blue round french oven. I read with interest all the posts regarding round vs oval, & had a difficult decision. I settled on the round blue, but am now lusting after an oval one! In honour of its french heritage I felt I must do a french dish for its first task. So, as we speak, Jacques Pepin's beef bourginon is gently simmering away. To all the readers who live in Vancouver Ming Wo's currently have all their Le Creuset on sale 30% off - I got my piece for $160 Canadian- about $100 US at the Chinatown store. Maybe I should have got the oval one as well.................

I rarely use my 8" chef's knife now that I have a 10" - and I am a small woman with small hands. I find that a bigger knife does the work for you. I recently acquired a Goldhamster First Edition knife. I have used Wustoff, Henckels (which I dislike) and now Goldhamster. I must say the Goldhamster gets my vote. If you have not heard of them they are a small German company. The feel and balance on the knife is absolutely superb. I have used it daily for about a month and it still has a fine edge (I sharpen it with a steel after every use - ok, ok..........almost every use)

I live just outside of Vancouver & eat in many of the finer establishments on a regular basis. I agree Vij's is always good - a modern twist of ethnic east Indian. The wonderful combinations that they come up with are great. Ouest - I have been there several times & enjoyed it. Last time I was there we were 4 in our party, one of which had the flu & had to leave part way throught the meal. The staff could not have been more accomodating. However, the next week we went back and while we enjoyed our meal the waiter had the superior attitude that I hate. Have you tried the Bacchus Restaurant in the Wedgewood Hotel? I don't know if you have stayed at the Wedegewood, but I love it. It is a "boutique" hotel, small, very traditional in feel on Hornby. The lounge is dark wood panelled & serve great Martinis & traditional English tea. The head chef in the Bacchus trained at the Savoy in London and to my mind the food & service is fabulous.

Thanks Anna - we have a Home Sense so I will check it & Canadian Tire out. I have my three of my grandmother's cast iron fry pans, but want to be able to do some tomato based foods in this one so would prefer enameled cast iron or another addition to my All Clad. However, at this point I am leaning toward the enamelled cast iron rather than All Clad. I think for braising & long simmering the cast iron would be better than stainless steel. I hope my hubby is up for all this comparison shopping this weekend. Thanks for all your help & suggestions. I appreciate all your comments very much.

Thanks Adam, will add Chasseur to my list while I am on the hunt.........oh I am getting sooooooooooooo confused