bloviatrix

I didn't find the dough difficult to work with even though the jam was warm. I have all my fillings ready and waiting, and then take the dough out - and work quickly. Let me suggest you do a raspberry-chocolate rugalach. Spread out some raspberry jam and then top with finally chopped chocolate (if there are small chunks mixed in, that's ok). When I make this combination, they get eaten first. Can I suggest you do a variety of hamentaschen as well? My signature hamentasch is a gingerbread dough with apricot filling. I've also done a chocolate dough with raspberry jam (although I still haven't found a chocolate dough that's easy to work with.)

You're only half-Jewish, right? I'm 100% Jewish, though I have one non-Jewish grandfather. But the yeast version is the one favored in Israel, as well as the one made by Green's and sold at Zabar's. I have a fundamental problem with Green's rugelach, and any of the yeast based rugelach for that matter - they're pareve. This means they don't have any milk product in them, and as far I'm concerned, the best rugelach are dairy.

How much jam did you use? I spread a thin coat of melted jam on mine (I find that melting the jam makes it easier to work with). And yes, I work with cold ingredients cut into cubes instead of at room temp. The combination of cold ingredients and minimal mixing should help ensure the flakiness. I've tried the Maida Heatter recipe, CathyL mentions, out of the cookie book and the problem with the recipe is the lack of sugar in the dough. To me, it tastes "off." That's actually why I like the Nathan variation.

Did you roll the dough into a circle and cut wedges? or did you roll it into a loaf and slice? I've made this recipe using the mixer and went with the wedges. When I watched the TV-companion series to the book they did the recipe with the mixer so I figured it wouldn't be a problem. Just keep mixing to a minimum. With wedges, keep in mind since you roll from the widest point to the narrow-most, there will be some filling that will fall off/ooze out in the process. I think this is why most bakery rugelach are done loaf style. Maybe do half the dough in wedges and the other half in a loaf and determine which you prefer. Additionally, after making the dough I let it chill overnight. And like others, I cut the dough in half and leave part in the fridge.

If restocking the fridge from scratch, the first things I would buy are milk, eggs, butter, orange juice and dijon mustard. Maybe some yogurt. Then I would buy the rest on an "as needed" basis.

For the same reason that they buy books at Barnes and Nobles.

We have a lot of candles and matches. I even have wicks (left over from chanuka when we use olive oil in the menorah). No flashlights or battery powered radio. I thought we had tuna fish, but it turned out my husband finished it all, but we have canned beans and 20 boxes of cereal. So, this week I will be buying a couple of flashlights and a transistor radio, plus extra batteries. Maybe some extra water as well. I also need to find our back-up phone. It's somewhere in our apartment. For those of you familiar with the guys who sell batteries for $1 on the NYC subway, my husband was telling me that people on the subway car he was stuck in were wondering why none of them were around when they were really needed.

On those rare occasions when I'm alone, I tend to eat a bowl of cereal with milk.

It's interesting you bring up this topic. There was an interesting piece in the Times on saturday about Yale starting a new initiative in their dining halls with the help of Alice Waters. Yale - food

Strawberry or Lemon yogurt with sour cream and onion potato chips. My husband once caught me eating this and was throughly disgusted. Personally, I like the contrast of the creamy and crunchy, the salty and sweet/sour and the cold vs. room temperature (provided you did the chips in the yogurt).

Before they sold kosher food at Yankee Stadium, I used to bring in my own food all the time. I still remember stocking up on deli sandwiches before heading up to the stadium for a double header. Once, on a 90 + degree day, I brought in with me a gallon container of frozen water so I would have cool drinks through out the day - no one said a thing and I kept myself happily hydrated. On occasion, I will still bring a bag of peanuts.

If I counted correctly, there are currently 8 Starbucks on B'way between 86th street and 114th (that's less than a mile and a half). Damn, now we'll be down to 7. Whatever are we to do?

According to the latest post on Uzay Tumer's site, Ripert has been back to Rocco's, this time with Alain Ducasse! Could it be that the food is more acceptable than we are led to believe. I can't imagine these two guys need the publicity or waste their time eating garbage food. Perhaps Ripert is trying to warn Ducasse about going into business whith Chodorow?

There are a couple of places on Kings Highway near E.4th (and close to the subway) in Brooklyn that are really good resources for Middle Eastern supplies. All sorts of of grains, legumes, and spices. In NJ, I like the International Food Warehouse right of Rt. 17 in Lodi. I bought large bags of bulgur for less than $2 each. In the past I spent close to $4 for a smaller quantity. They also carry basmati rice in 12 pound sizes . Plus, really good fruit juices from Israel for $1.50.

I'm trying to understand the editing of the show. One two prior episodes they've shown Ripert eating at the restaurant. On this, the third time, they show him with Bourdain. Just how many times has Ripert eaten at this place? And if it's only once, why show the footage every week. I'm so confused!!

I'm getting tipsy just reading about all that alcohol consumption. Oh to be young again and with a high tolerance.

Because we keep kosher we have a huge amount of stuff (3 sets of pots, 3 sets of dishes, etc). Plus, we're in an apartment so we're further limited. In order to install a dishwasher we pulled the fridge out of the kitchen and it's in our dining area. We converted a closet into a pantry. I have boxes of baking equipment on shelves in the living-room bookcase. And then there's the "second" bedroom. AKA the attic, the basement, the garage and the office. There's a bed in there somewhere, but I'm not quite sure where. But there are extra boxes of cereal, 15 packs of paper towels, soda, etc. When we entertain in the winter and I'm out of fridge space, I open the windows in that room and rename it the "cold room" for chlled platters.

The NYTimes article mentioned that they are doing an English translation. If I remember correctly it's due sometime in '04.

The market at 97th street is up and running, albeit with fewer stands. I bought: Basil Cukes Lettuce Musk Melon Nectarines Corn Apricots Tomatoes

I receive their catalogue sporadically and enjoy going through it. Been to both the original store in Seattle and the store in SF. The SF store has an impressive listing of classes offered. I'm suprised they haven't made attempt to crack New York City (although I believe they have a store on Long Island). You would think it's a market they would want a presence in.

There are two books called London. The novel is by Edward Rutherford. The biography is by Ackroyd.

In my home, we make a lot of black bean chili. We make huge pots and freeze it in quart containers. There's nothing better than coming home on a cold winter night, defrosting some chili, boiling up some rice and voila - dinner. Depending on our mood we go with either ground beef or ground bison. Some green pepper, onion, and garlic. A combination of chili powder, cumin and cayenne. Sometimes chipotles in adobo for the smokey taste. And diced tomatoes. And don't forget the black beans.

Soba, I have another thought. Again, it's not literature, but check out Peter Ackroyd's London, A Biography. Although I recommend the book in its entirety, he has a section on the "food of london." One of the chapters that I found particularly fascinating is where he took an area within The City and traced the shops and availability, from the food stands of the earliest centuries, through to inns and markets, to the present, and how once again there's "take-out" for the convience of those working in the environs. Ackroyd is an expert on Dickens and cites him quite frequently as well.

It's not literature, and it's not "modern," (it was written in 1970) but what about Nicholas Freeling's The Kitchen Book/The Cook Book?

Yesterday I finished reading The Venetian Affair by Andrea di Robilant (it's excerpted in the new issue of The New Yorker). Using letters and other sources, di Robilant re-created the passionate love affair of his great x 5-grandfather in early 18th c. Venice. Pretty interesting. Although the primary focus is the love affair between Andrea Memmo and Giustiniana Wynne and you get a sense of upper class life in 18th c Europe as well as all that led to the decline of the Venetian Republic. Since I can't go long without a book in a progress, I promptly started Mary McCarthy's The Group. I've seen in referenced so often, I figured I should read it.