bloviatrix

Tonight we're having: Salmon poached in a tomato-cumin cream sauce Sweet potato salad Roasted corn salad White raspberries and Queen Ann cherries for dessert To drink a choice of Mint Lemonade or Chenin Blanc.

I'm a greenmarket slut. I went to Union Square this afternoon. That makes 3 markets in 25 hours. I bought: Shelling peas basil

Yesterday the Columbia greenmarket (w.116th & B'way) was pathetic. There was only one vendor there. I came home with a spearmint plant. Today at 97th street: Another huge bunch of spearmint red leaf lettuce scallions white raspberries Queen Ann cherries orange cherry tomatoes - the first I've bought this season!! rosemary focaccia challah I might head down to Union Square later.

Sushi and bad raspberry lemonade (from a mix).

The trick to making "additions" to sorbet, or ice cream for that matter, is to not add them before or while churning. Cut up the add-in and sprinkle it onto the ice cream as you spoon it into the storage container. That way the chunks remain chunky. The almonds pretty much need to be chocolate coated to not get soggy. I think you should have just taken an actual Almond Joy bar and cut it up and layered it into the coconut sorbet. Thanks for the "add-in" suggestion. I'll keep that in mind for future ice cream experiments. As for the sorbet, the spouse has decreed that all future sorbet is to be smooth and creamy. This means I'll be sticking with pureed fruit and infused sugar syrups.

Here's the charmoula I use: 1 bunch parsley 1 bunch cilantro garlic juice of 2 lemons 1 tbs paprika 2 tbs cumin 1/4 cup EVOO Salt and pepper to taste Pulse first 5 ingredients in food processor, then slowly add the EVOO. I tend to use a lot of cilantro. Maybe try substituting the lemon basil for the parsley and using the juice of only one lemon?

What about added to a charmoula? I bet it would be great rubbed on fish.

I just snuck into the house Pat Willard's book about Saffron - I got it on sale for $7.

For those of you planning on making sorbet, let me give you a piece of advice - don't add nuts, chunks of chocolate, etc to your sorbet. It's a disaster. I know this from experience. Several months ago, I got the "brillant" idea of making Almond Joy sorbet after reading Jean-George's recipe for coconut sorbet. I figured if plain coconut sorbet was good, coconut sorbet with toasted almonds, chunks of bittersweet chocolate and grated coconut would be better. Not so. It was pretty awful. The texture of the sorbet was grainy, the almonds got soggy, and I choaked on the grated coconut. My husband still hasn't let me live down that experiment.

A plum. I'm trying to eat healthy.

I don't think you can point to one or the other and say it's better. Each has it's pluses and minuses. I like having control over my ingredients - that's a plus to homemade. The minus to homemade is 1) making sure you don't curdle your eggs and 2) getting the churning time right so you don't the butter bits from overchurning. Plus, it's time consuming. With premium, you can run out and have a large choice of flavors, and you always know what to expect, but on the flip side you get all the additives. I started making my own ice cream this year and I'm having a great time making it. I don't own an expensive ice cream maker - I use the Cuisinart which costs $50. When the ice cream is fresh it's unbelievable -- unlike anything I've eaten. Plus, I tailor my flavors to accompany other desserts. I don't have that flexibility with premium But, that doesn't mean I won't buy premium ice cream. I still require my B&J fix and it's definitely more convenient to run out and buy a pint. I think it all comes down to how much time you have and what you like to do in the kitchen (and how much room you have for additional equipment).

What about a mixture of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic and ginger and some five spice powder? Rub the chicken with some of the mixture and then baste it every 10 minutes or so.

You could try growing taller - to keep your eyes further from the food. Okay, not very practical... How did you know I was short?

I'll admit, I don't know the method. Please share. I swear, I keep getting more sensitive to onions. It's getting so bad that my eyes are burning just reading this post. I'm very short on time at the moment - anyone else, feel free to jump in here. Jacques Pepin illustrates this in La Technique, it's easier to see than describe: Pull off the loose roots (less messy that way) but leave the root end of the onion otherwise intact. Cut the onion in half from top-to-bottom (stem end to root end), peel. Put one half cut-side down (flat) on the board, and trim off some of the stem end to leave a nice clean vertical cut. Again, leave the root end alone, it holds the onion together for the next steps. Cut a series of vertical slices top-to-bottom (again, stem end to root end) in the onion. Do not cut the onion all the way into seperate pieces, leave them attached at the root end. Space the cuts farther apart for larger dice, and closer for small dice. Cut some horizontal slices (parallel to board) but don't cut into seperate pieces (again, leave intact at the root end.) Closer cuts for smaller dice. Now, slice the onion into dice (vertical cuts) across the width of the onion, starting from the cut stem end, and proceeding towards the root end. Repeat with the other half; fix any overly misshapen pieces. Voila, a whole chopped onion with no tears involved (I hope). Tip: Making the cuts parallel to the cutting board can be a bit tricky; it may be easier at first to cut each half into quarters, and do the preliminary slices on one of the quarters at a time, but it'll take a bit longer. Again, it's easier to see being done than describe in words; a little practice, and it'll be obvious and second-nature. Wow, I've been chopping onions using the standard pro method all along!! And trust me, I'm still tearing up.

I'll admit, I don't know the method. Please share. I swear, I keep getting more sensitive to onions. It's getting so bad that my eyes are burning just reading this post. (actually, I have problems with every member of the allium family)

Hey, this is exactly what I have I generally do all the cooking for dinner party, so my husband cleans up mostly. I've got the same deal as well. Pre-party, my husband is responsible for all the cleaning. This is because he works out of the house, mostly on the dining table, and I refuse to touch his stuff (I don't want to blamed if he can't find something). Post party, the first thing we do is put away all the food. Then all the dishes and cutlery gets rinsed and placed in the dishwasher. Frequently, we have to do two loads. If we're using silver, it all gets washed by hand. The garbage is never tossed until all the cutlery is washed and counted - I learned my lesson after throwing out a salad fork. Then the pots are washed. Normally by this time my husband is complaining he's exhausted and I have to plead with him to finish as I hate being greeted by a mess when I walk into the kitchen in the morning. After all these years we've got the clean up down to a science, but inevitably, there is always a bowl or pitcher that doesn't get washed for 2 or 3 days.

I would have to say butter, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and mustard.

I'm looking for help with how to roll out pie/tart dough into a circle so it's easy to fit into the pie plate/tart pan. My dough always comes out lopsided so I have to perform surgery to get it to lay right.

Along these lines, making sure that I have all the needed ingredients before I start cooking. Once you have to run out to the store (or beg your SO to run out for you) in the middle of making something you'll never do it again.

Another book came to mind. John Ash's From the Earth to the Table. Although this isn't purely vegetable book, he celebrates the use of seasonal ingredients.

Interesting technical term. You think I'll find it Larousse?

I know of one place south of Canal -- Hung Chong Import at 14 Bowery (Pell St.) 212/349-1463.

I took the top of a large box (it has sides that are about 2 1/2 inches high), created channels (strips of cardboard about 4 inches apart running the length) and place the jars in alphabetical order. The box top sits on a shelf at eye level in a cabinet and I can move it with ease with little jostling to the jars. I have a friend who owns a plastic fabrication company. I've been planning on having one of these made in plastic for years figuring I can wash it. Haven't gotten around to it yet.

Friday night dinner was: Pan Roasted Whitefish Steaks w/black bean and roasted corn salsa Grean and Yellow beans in a mustard-dill vinagrette Gooseberry fool To drink we had a Chenin Blanc. Saturday lunch was a "kosher" chef's salad which means no cheese included.

That would be me. I haven't used an iron once in this still young century.