Stone

Didn't you see the worms when you spoon/poured out the paprika?

I recall someone (Plotnicki, I'm sure) writing that there is a proper technique for stirring risotto, and if not stirred properly, it is not done properly. I've always just stirred. Are we talking figure 8s? Any thoughts?

actually i just did that about an hour ago with a bottle of chimay I once brought a six-pack of homebrew over to a professor's place for a dinner party and told her to pop it in the freezer for a quick chill. Oops, forgot about it.

Whilst trekking in Nepal, we got tired of eating potato curry, lentils and bad fake food (soup from powder, bad pizzas, tuna lasagne), so we bought a chicken. The sucker was running around someone's yard, and we bought it for about $4. The guest house turned it into chicken curry -- it was delicious. At the next town we discussed the prospects of goat curry. We could have gotten one (a goat) for about $15. We couldn't get enough people to chip in.

My sister once mistook schmaltz for applesauce.

Most places I've seen in SF serve whole leaves.

I still haven't found cocktail franks. Costco near me only has the "Little Smokies" -- cocktail sausage.

Made the little-people hot dogs again at the Superbowl. (And, finally, pulled pork.) I will have those at my wedding. If I ever get married, that is.

Whilst in high school, just after Rosh Hashana one year, I walked home for a quick lunch. I put some matzoh ball soup on the stove, made a brisket sandwich, piled whatever was left of the kugel on my plate, and went down to watch t.v. Fat and tired from the sandwich and noodles, I walked back to school to finish my very important education. Luckily I was not in afterschool programs, because I sauntered home at 3:30 to find the soup pot glowing red and melted down on the electric burner. Actually, I did that twice.

I had always thought there was some rhyme or reason to the numbering system on pasta. Then I saw something on FoodTV, and I think it said that Ronzoni (or one of the big American companies) just assigned the numbers randomly for administrative purposes and everyone else followed suit.

I once had a mashed eggplant dish (the person was trying to make bhaingan bharta (pardon the spelling)) that was too bitter to eat. Since then, I've always salted and rinsed the sliced eggplant before cooking. Is that a waste of time? Also, I've been told that long thin eggplants are less likely to be bitter than stout fat ones. (I'm talking the Western deep purple ones, not the Asian light purple.)

I was going to write that for some reason I don't like mushrooms on pizza. But that looks quite good.

Peyote and peanut butter. On warm brioche. Wild mushroom risotto.

I'm a big fan of Inner Beauty hot sauces, which surprises me because it has a bit of fruit juice for sweetness. But it's great on burgers and other sandwiches. I find tobasco to be more salty than hot; Srichaya is a little sweet for me. I tried Dave's Insanity once. It's insane. I put a dab on a chip, and then shook it off. When it got into my mouth, it was like an atomic exposion. A mushroom cloud of chilli heat immediately blanketed the inside of my mouth covering the gums, tongue and throat. Ouch.

Is this much different from the Imperia? Vogelap -- you seem very troubled by this decision. It's not that serious. Cheer up.

I peeled a whole bunch of garlice about a month ago, and they've been sitting in my fridge under some vegetable oil. Should I toss them?

Ivan's.

I went to Vesta Dipping Grill last year, and I recall that it was pretty good. There's an old-time steak joint in a hotel, I think called McCormack's Steak and Fish house? It was pretty good (but I was there 5 years ago). Across the hall is the Cruise Room, an art deco bar modeled after one of the bars on the Queen Mary. All the best.

I know, but I try to avoid things that look like ... pizzle.

Does anyone make their own? If so, where do you get the starter?

That link told me more than I needed to know about pizzle rot. Just remember to soak your scabs first. Yvonne's a brave woman.

See the link in my post above.

Pizzle = Penis. (seems people above say "udder", don't know if it could be that also.)

Whole untrimmed brisket? Spice rub? Slow and low heat? About 220?

If you want to order pizzles, you can get them here, in a variety of sizes. Pig ears too (perfect for shredding). I'm curious whether any of those in attendance noticed any particular pizzle potency after dinner (recipe included)?