kc2rock

I have two favorites; the first is the Bean, Corn and Pumpkin Stew from the Greens cookbook (link to an adaptation of the recipe here: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19890221&id=0agpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3O8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2539,3135653&hl=en), and the other is a Thai-ish curry with whatever veg I've got in the house, kabocha squash, Thai curry paste and a can of coconut milk.

sigh...I had, until the first of the year, a bookshelf in the kitchen...30" wide, about 72" high, and full of cookbooks. A move forced a major thinning of the collection, but some of my treasures that I saved are "Favorite Island Cookery"(1973) and "Favorite Island Cookery, Book II"(1975), by the Honpa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Honolulu, and "Nisei Kitchen" by the St. Louis Japanese American Citizens League (1975). Also my mother's copy (rarely used!!) of the 1943 edition of "The Joy of Cooking". I gave away a lot of books that I'd only read, but not cooked from. It made me a little sad, but I kept my favorites, and am down to nearly one and a half shelves. I kept my 3 Diana Kennedy books, and all my copies from the brief run of the magazine "Kitchen Garden".

Sadly, no suggestion for making them more, um, digestible.... A friend planted them a few years ago, harvested once, and has spent the time since trying to clear the little beasties out of her garden. Beautiful in the garden if you have lots of space...

I've had several types of enclosed (approved for city backyards) composters. This was the first: http://www.joyofworms.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/earth-machine-composter-jpg.jpg You put stuff in the top, and the theory was that as it worked its way to the bottom, it would compost. It kinda worked; the easiest way to turn it was to churn it with a length of rebar. I also built a platform of cinder blocks to put it on so getting the finished product out was easier. This was the second: http://mantis.com/global/mantis-compact-compostumbler/03.jpg It worked (especially if one remembered to spin it every few days...), but since we were always adding new stuff to it, we never got finished compost, until we added one of these: http://p-fst2.pixstatic.com/525468d9697ab04f94004cb6._w.362_s.fit_.jpg. We'd fill up the rotating bin, and then use the black plastic one to put stuff into until the rotating bin compost was ready for the garden. (note to self...must learn how to put photos in to posts...) ETA: I composted most all kitchen veg waste, as well as coffee grounds (w/paper filters), tea bags (with labels and staples), egg shells, shrimp, lobster and crab shells (you have to bury them in the middle, but they heat up the pile something fierce!), stale/moldy bread, cooked rice, raked up leaves. NEVER any diseased plants or weeds, and no fats, meats/bones, or dairy.

Congratulations! This thread has been a fascinating read (I just found it this morning, and thus got far less done today than I might otherwise have done...!) I'm looking forward to the finished product. -k

I just had my copy of "The Apprentice" signed by the man himself, last night in SF! (I'm nearly finished with my third reading...) KQED (where he has filmed his last I-don't-know-how-many series) had a bash for him at the Herbst Theater; sort of a birthday party/launch party for the new series, as well as selling and signing books. He and the chief content (?) person for KQED sat on stage in arm chairs (with a table, a bottle of wine and 2 glasses between them). There was a small jazz combo playing live on the other side of the stage. Some conversation, some live birthday wishes from Bay Area chefs, an omelet cook off between two local chefs (JP very diplomatically refused to say which was best). A series of video birthday wishes from everyone...here are the ones I remember (and there were many more): Eric Ripert Daniel Boloud (sp?) Ming Tsai Rachel Rey Tony Bourdain Jacques Torres Mario Batali JP sang a song (and he's got a pretty good voice!) He got an award from the Alliance Francaise. We were sung out by one of the stars from Beach Blanket Babylon (a long running SF theater institution). The wine and munchies beforehand started at 5:30; the event itself started at 7:30 and ran about 2 hours. I know there was more that happened and I don't remember, but it was fun. JP seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, and going with the flow; interrupting only a few times to mention that his wine glass was empty! ETA: I went with a friend, who brought her first edition of "La Technique", complete with torn dust cover, and nearly 40 years of accumulated food stains. I think she got a little extra comment when he signed...

I'm still reading through the entire thread, and now have quite a long list of titles for my book wish-list! I just finished re-reading The Apprentice, by Jacques Pepin, and am now in the midst of It must Have Been Something I Ate.

I've just read through this entire thread, and loved it! I'm about to try my first batch of zucchini relish. I diced the zukes for my neighbor when she made a batch, and she gave me a few jars of the finished product (along with a couple of massive zukes...). It's delicious; spicier and tangier than store-bought, with a slightly softer texture. No peeling or seeding involved; just a 1/4" dice. I may try the FP and grate instead, but not sure what that will do to the texture of the finished product.. Will add red onion, and sweet and hot peppers, spices, sugar, vinegar...still looking for an actual recipe!