Margaret Pilgrim

Asparagus beef

Normally, I'd be with both of you, having jettisoned more truffle oil than I care to admit. But I got hooked on the oil and salt at Amphora Nueva. While waiting for service, i casually helped myself to a little cup of popcorn anointed with their truffle oil and truffle salt. Then another little cup. And another. I sheepishly told the shopman when my turn came that "I'd come for lunch." He told me that he was delighted because most of his customers dropped in after lunch and didn't feel up to tastings. We bought small bottles of each. I've happily used tiny amounts of each. FWIW, all of their infused oils and vinegars are sublime. I could drink the Blenheim apricot vinegar straight. Husband is addicted to the blood orange EVOO for which olives are crushed with the oranges.

I gotta make these oatcakes! Maybe time this weekend.

This was my inspiration. I followed it as closely as it's possible for me. I tend to wander off recipe script.

Avocado and mushroom and, yes, more of that intoxicating Blenheim balsamic and drizzle of bleed orange EVOO. Baguette slices to sop up the OMG... Cauliflower, anchovy, Meyer lemon penne, blatantly stolen from WSJ. Bright flavors. Will repeat.

I'm with tic tac. "If it ain't REALLY broke, don't fix it." That's a corollary of "Never pray for a new king." And Murphy's Law, "If it can happen, it will happen,"

I used to meet several ladies for a very wet lunch. Since I drove some 15 miles to join them, my drink of choice was a double espresso over ice. After about 4, I would begin to twitch. I switched to bitters and seltzer, pleasant and not so jangling.

Milk

While a guard is the way to go, I have good karma by using my palm to guide product across the blade. Somehow, it allows better control of how close you are to the blade. So far, 10 finger tips. But I am VERY aware and careful.

Fresh cheese, blood orange EVOO, Blenheim apricot balsamic vinegar. Wow Tiny plate but explosion of flavors. "pollo y rajas con crema", LOVE grilled pasilla peppers.

Coincidentally, I just fell over this treatment in Cuisine et Vins de France...topped with blood sausage, sauted apples, green onion, bacon and dill. I could do this for breakfast too, or lunch or... Your batter is more interesting, complex.

Are those capers or green peppercorns on your chowder? Either is a revelation to me. I want both!

Planned on some kind of wok + rice treatment of a couple of scraps of pork, husband asked if I could just schnitzel it. So... Pork, mini-Yukons, beet greens. Above plate was mine. Potato simply smashed, truffle oil and salt. Husband blanketed his three potatoes with white pork gravy. Different strokes...

Tonight, chard's kissing cousin, beet greens. Stemmed and heavy vein removed. Garlic/EVOO, garlic removed, greens wilted.

Stupid question: I don't stock "whole meal" which I take to be whole wheat flour, since I seldom use it and wind up tossing it out periodically. I do have masa, rye, grilled corn flour, garbanza flour and probably a few more suspects. Acknowledging the lack of gluten in most of these, can I substitute any for part of the whole meal flour and make up the difference with "strong" white flour?

Could not agree more! Husband somehow enjoyed their grey mystery meat. I would go along with him and have a baked potato or ersatz chili, depending on the offerings. This fish sandwich was a huge surprise, and a big step up from McDo...damning by faint praise.

I try to take the extra time to let them marinate with a mirepoix of carrots, celery and onion with a good slug ( half bottle? ) of red wine overnight. Then drain and dry, keeping the liquid, sear then return marinade and solids. Braise until fork tender.

Peppers and fresh cheese, blood orange EVOO Squigglies with clams and squid ink

@blue_dolphin, those look FABULOUS! Thanks so much. These are going to happen!

Yellow pepper and potato soup Previously known at dinner as I LOVE my Bamix immersion blender

Porc au caramel

chileheadmike got it right. NO CHEESE! Decent bun, actually acceptable fish, lettuce and I didn't mind the tartar sauce. Maybe I just couldn't taste it under that godawful Cheese Whiz. I know, what was I thinking! Jettisoned the top half of bun since it was inundated with it, and scraped most off the fish. Ate it Danish sandwich style. I would order this again...WITHOUT the cheese. Was huge, by the way. Next time will order one and split. Today, they were 2/$6.

Crepes with sugar and lemon are an elegant dinner party dessert. If you are feeling over the top, serve with a dollop of lemon curd...and a drizzle of softly whipped cream

I don't have either one.

French toast, maple syrup and SPAM