bloviatrix

Just want to remind everyone -- it starts tonight.

Mazel Tov Cleo! I'm very impressed you're entertaining so soon. I'm in agreement with Bushey -- just go with a nice green salad. Obviously, the latkes are the focus dish, and you'll have the mac and cheese. So, you should keep it kind of light.

Another thought for a good gadget -- a soft mallet. I use mine when I'm trying to slice open objects like pumpkin. I also use it to mash things. You can buy one at the hardware store for cheap.

I can see the tagline now.... "It's so good, even the dead can't stay away"

:wolf whistle:

I have a quart of the curried coconut squash sitting in the freezer so I'm going to start with that tonight. For the main, I'm trying a new recipe -- Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives. I'll serve it with plain couscous. Dessert will be applesauce. The tagine has some chenin blanc in it, but I picked up the Tishbi Junior 2004, which is an Israeli Nouveau, which I'm looking forward to tasting. Tomorrow's lunch will be more chili.

Thanks for the link. Jamie -- great piece of writing!

Don't get the whitefish salad at Mendys!! I had if for lunch today -- it was awful.

I got the same thing. And they're right -- I can probably count on one hand the number of times a year I walk into a Starbucks.

Is that damning with faint praise I read? ← Let's just say while I'm not overly impressed by the layout, the jury is still out.

I always think of pannetone as a Christmas dessert. How does it fit in to the Jewish culinary experience?

Ain't evolution grand?

I've actually used chiplotle when making beans an it adds a really nice smokey flavor to the broth. Lately, I've been toying with trying lapsang souchong tea -- I have a box and it's stinking up my cabinets.

I flipped through it last week. It's very....colorful and bold.

The soup simmered for about 1 1/2 hours. The pot was partially covered (I left the house and was afraid it would boil out).

It that Sur La Table right next to your shop?

Personally, I'm looking forward to the gift wrapping race.

Several years ago, I cut out from the NY Times a recipe from Mark Bittman that we like a lot. It's a one pot meal that's very satisfying. Curried Cauliflower and Chicken 2 tablespoon neutral oil 1/2 cup onion, minced 1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 tablespoon cumin seed 2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste 5 or 6 canned tomatoes - cut up, with juice 1/2 cup water 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Add onions and cook until they begin to turn brown. Add cumin and curry powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower and stir about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, their juice and the water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 minutes and add chicken, stir and re-cover pan. Cook until chicken is cooked through - about 6-8 minutes. (if it looks as if the liquid is evaporating, add more water). Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings.

Making a jump like that takes tons of guts. Can't wait to read this.

Yes. I threw the whole thing in.

Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare, which was discussed at length on this thread will be shown on BBC America starting next tuesday, December 7 at 9pm eastern.

I made a lentil soup tonight and threw in a smoked turkey leg. The soup was good, but not particularly smokey flavored -- I shredded the turkey meat before serving and the smokey flavor only came through when a chunk of meat was in the mouthful. So, I have a couple of questions... How much flavor should the leg be imparting to the dish? Is it very obvious or just subtle? In preparing the soup I heated some olive oil and then sweated my mirepoix for about 10 minutes until the veg were soft. At that point I added the turkey leg, lentils and water. Would it be more effective if I add the turkey leg to the oil and the let the fat render off and the oil asborb the smokey flavor, then remove the leg, sweat the veg and replace the leg?

As long as the ghost doesn't eat all your stock you should be ok.

Jacques-Imo is opening Jacques-Imo's To Geaux down in the "food court." Mendys (kosher deli) has opened a counter with appetizing and other dairy delights.

I love my Cuisinart. If you plan to make many double batches just buy a second canister. Amazon carries them for about $20. The only drawback with the cheap machines is you have to keep the canisters in the freezer, and if you have a small freezer, like I do, it means you have to be very organized.