PopsicleToze

Actually, he never said frugal meant inexpensive -- it simply meant not wasteful.

Sorry for the ignorance -- but what's a rascal?

I had all of his cookbooks at one time. I still have a few of them and look over them from time to time. Personally, I think the cookbooks are great for beginning cooks, especially the first ones, The Frugal Gourmet and The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine. He has a good glossary and inventory for a beginner's kitchen. His chapters are logical with such basic categories as "Eggs". Goes over omelettes, quiche, etc. However, probably anyone who is on E-Gullet doesn't need his basic ideas and recipes. So, if you are young and just starting to cook, by all means read the books. If you have a little experience under your belt, they won't help much.

It's so nice of you to want to offer your friends something non-alcoholic to drink, but be careful. Sugar can make a person crave alcohol, and most AA people switch to Equal or Sweet-n-Low. The non-alcoholic beers actually do have a bit of alcohol, and just that bit can start the craving. The main thing for those recovering is not to be around alcohol. They usually don't drink virgin drinks or faux drinks; they just avoid alcohol. Regular soft drinks are great, as are the flavored waters. Perrier with lime is my favorite. Also, there is one faux drink which is half lemonade and half tea, which I like. Edited to Add Many people have to change their set of friends because even if their friends are only social drinkers, they can't be around drinking at all. It's a serious disease, and it's not fun. One of my favorite sayings is "Sobriety ain't for sissies"

Not that I often have leftover wine But on the occasion I do, it's only a small amount. I freeze it in ice-cube trays. The low alcohol content will allow it to freeze. When frozen, pop out the cubes and store in a freezer bag, which is the perfect addition to a sauce since I usually cook for only 1 or 2.

That's about right. Exactly. When planning a crawfish boil, we plan on 5# per man and 3# per woman present. Equal group = 4#/each!

Yesterday was Day 1 of my Atkins diet. Giving induction until April 1st to work its magic. For lunch, cheeseburger salad. Lined plate with shredded iceberg lettuce. Then layered some cheddar cheese on that. Layered on top of that some browned ground chuck with onions. Finally, drizzled on an aioli for the 'dressing'. It was fabulous. Planned on having pan-seared salmon fillets last night with the roasted cauliflower inspired by this board. However, after roasting the cauliflower, that's all I had -- the entire head

Condiments (can hardly fit any real food in the fridge for all of the condiments) Pasta Rice Onions Garlic Canned Beans Canned Tomatoes

These are absolutely my favorite thing in the world! The first time I had roasted chestnuts in NYC, they reminded me of boiled peanuts. You have to have raw peanuts. They look soft -- right out of the ground. If you just get the raw 'unroasted' ones, they won't cook. I buy them by the sack at the farmers markets here and use my largest stockpot! This is the recipe we use -- Boiled Peanuts Boiled peanuts are one of my favorite treats. Did you know that there was a time when community “peanut boilings” were nearly as common as barbecues and fish-fries in the Deep South? True. MoMo makes us boiled peanuts all of the time, and they are delicious. I hope you enjoy these as well. 3 pounds raw peanuts in shells 1 gallon water ½ cup salt 2 tablespoons sugar Rinse peanuts very thoroughly in several changes of water making sure they are clean. Pour water into 6-quart stockpot, and stir in salt and sugar. Add peanuts; cover lightly, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil peanuts 2 to 4 hours, depending on size of nuts. After 2 hours cooking time, check peanuts periodically for doneness. Add additional boiling water, if needed, but do not add extra salt. When peanuts are done, remove from heat and allow to cool in cooking water to absorb salt, 45 minutes to 1 hour or longer, depending on taste. Drain peanuts, but do not rinse or refrigerate. [2002]

It would really help us wine-impaired folks if you would pair food with the wine: Chicken with White or Mushroom Sauce: Chicken with Red and Savory Sauce: Chicken with Brown Sauce: Grilled Trout: Shrimp Pasta: etc You get the drift. I don't know a lot about wines, and a very generous fellow (Todd Manno) paired the food I listed with wines. I keep it as a cheat sheet in my wallet at all times, and it's saved me countless minutes staring at the wines in the grocery store not knowing what to buy. Grilled Steak - Rosemount Shiraz or Ch Souverain Cabernet $7-9. Gumbo - A Gewurztraminer would be my choice with Pinot Gris a close second. But stay in Alsace. The American versions are inconsistant. Savory Chicken - Red Sauce(La Crema Pinot Noir or any Chianti) Brown Sauce(Chianti or Rabbit Ridge Merlot)$9-15 Sweet Chicken - Rosemount Traminer-Riesling $6 Great Match Italian Sausage - Chianti or Dolcetto $15+/- Crabmeat au Gratin-Chardonnay (2001 Acacia or 2001 Ch Souverain)$15+/- Crawfish/Shrimp Etouffe - Trimbach Gewurtztraminer or Pinot Gris $12-15 Stuffed Peppers - Tough match with Bell Peppers but I'd stick with Trimbach Pinot Gris Stuffed Poultry - Stay lighter with a Brancott(New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc or Mondavi Fume Blanc $12-16 Jambalaya - Trimbach Pinot Gris or Rosemount Shiraz Greek Lamb - I'd go with a Rutherford Hill Merlot or the Rosemount Shiraz Trout - Sauvignon blanc or a German Riesling Kabinett

It separates and is very ugly in the dish.

Haven't tried it, but since you can't freeze cream or sour cream, I wouldn't think it would work.

Well, that would be Louisiana. However, that's not on any Louisiana menu I've ever seen.

Mayhaw, I'm envious. No crawfish boils YET this season, but I did have some boiled crawfish (and a few crabs thrown in for good measure) at The Galley Seafood on Old Metairie a few weeks ago. The crawfish were somewhat small -- but the flavor was terrific. Still, I missed the newspaper on the table, the sausages, onions, etc. After Mardi Gras madness has passed, we'll have our first boil -- maybe next weekend. Hope you have a great time!

Snake is the one thing I refuse to eat. AB made me scream watching his show when he ate that snake.

Cooks Illustrated did a testing of the pot-stirrer, and it didn't fare too well. It was not recommended.

and my vote goes to VELVEETA FUDGE When I first heard about it, I thought it was a joke. However, a google search turned up several recipes. Here's one: http://southernfood.about.com/library/rec03/bl30222c.htm

There are many good restaurants. I have a personal aversion to Stella! as our first and only visit there was just awful, although it rates very high with locals. I may have to go back and just see if it was an off night, but I just have no desire to go back. Broussards is always terrific, and the menu is online. http://www.broussards.com/ Consider them, because they are consistently excellent and just a first-class place. Another place that is a favorite is Begue's restaruant in the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Their website could use some work, but the restaurant is very good. They have a terrific seafood lunch buffet on Fridays. In general buffets aren't very good, but this one is. http://www.sonesta.com/neworleans_royal/pa...sp?pageID=16540 Mr. B's Bistro has excellent gumbo, and I would go there for a nice lunch -- salad, bowl of gumbo & a Bloody Mary Here's a website with current reviews for New Orleans food. Tom Fitzmorris is the food critic. http://foodfest.neworleans.com/ Some of the ones to skip: Bella Luna (beautiful setting, but mediocre food) Court of Two Sisters Muriel's (Ate there 3X before I X'd them off my list -- they have yet to get their act together, but good location. Overall consensus of friends agrees that the restaurant is just not very good.) Hope you have a good trip!

I'm watching FoodTV less and less. They have dumbed-down to the masses, and the new shows are just ridiculous. Other than Sara Moulton and Alton Brown, there's nothing I really watch as a habit. I still like Biba & Cabrial on Discovery channel, and there are still a few I watch on PBS Saturday morning's lineup: America's Test Kitchen, Ciao Italia & Paul Prudhomme. That's about it.

Definitely Diet Coke. Fountain drink. If a place only has Pepsi, I'll drink water

George Washington Thomas Jefferson Horatio Hornblower William Wallace Funny -- they're all strong, honorable men

From many years of Sunday school growing up, after the flood that destroyed the earth, all dietary restrictions were lifted. People were now free to eat what they wanted. Makes sense, because all vegetables and grains were drowned by the flood.

Shredded Coconut -- just can't make myself eat it Chick-peas Licorice

watermelon

I would send them a check for 50% of the amount due, and write in the memo portion of the check PAID IN FULL. As a precaution, type on the back of the check: By negotiating this check I hereby agree that this payment shall be considered PAYMENT IN FULL and no futher sums shall be due for services rendered on __Date__. He wants to argue the point, so my cover letter would be simple and short that the agreement you had for the catering was not deemed satisfactory. However, in the spirit of cooperation you are willing to pay half of the negotiated price. ----------------- P.S. I did this with an interior decorator once. (She altered my blueprints and took out an aquarium I wanted built in the wall, then had the nerve to tell me she did it because she didn't think I needed it. A standalone aquarium would be sufficient. I don't think so!) Anyway, after her services were terminated, she sent me a very escalated bill and charged for about twice the number of billable hours she had. I sent the check as described above. She held onto it for several months before finally depositing it.