bloviatrix

I posted my recipe for Carrot-Pear-Ginger soup here last week. It freezes quite nicely, although you might need to add some extra water or broth to thin it out.

I smell everything too. But that's because I have scent hound DNA. I'm extremely sensitive to smells. I don't care how good something tastes, if I find the smell offputting, I won't eat it. Scent memory plays a role in this, because if something smells bad while being made, but then smells good upon completion I still won't eat it.

Even chives can make me tear up!!! Blovie keeps razzing me that as long as I tear over onions I'll never be taken seriously as a home cook. And contrary to Soba's comment that he's less suseptible to the fumes, I've gotten more sensitive over time. Have you ever wanted an excuse to change your eye color with tinted lenses? This is your chance.

Funny you should mention this. I've been seeing okra at the greenmarket and thinking I should jump in, buy some and attempt to eat it. However, I'm a bit scared. I'm afraid it will be slimey and I won't like it. When you find a good therapist, send him my way.

When I was a kid, my mom served gray, overcooked greenbeans every friday night. It's amazing that I still eat them. One of my favorite ways to eat them is blanched and then tossed with sea salt and toasted sesame oil. Sometimes, I'll take the blanched beans and sautee them with garlic and ginger and then add the toasted sesame oil. I also like blanching the beans and making a multi-bean salad with green and yellow beans, romas, edamame, kidneys, etc and tossing with a very garlic-y mayo.

I'm finally resurfacing after the 3-day holiday. Shabbos ended last night at about 7:45. I was in the gym by 8:05 working off all the food The two meals we hosted were successes. My menus were as follows: Wednesday night (for 3) Edamame Carrot-Pear-Ginger soup Veal Roast w/Mango Sauce Apple Souffle Grape tomatoes, roasted with garlic Coconut-Pineapple-Orzo Kugel Nectarine-Basil Sorbet Challah w/white raisins, new crop Gravestein apples and honey Ramon Cordova Rioja 2001 The veal roast was spectacular. It was nice and pink inside and very moist (cooked to 124). This is the first time I've ever made a veal roast using a meat thermometer. It totally makes a difference. Friday night (for 7 adults and one child) Chilled Yellow Tomato Soup Brisket braised in pomegranate juice; onion confit and pomegranate seeds Fruity Chicken Ratatouille Bulgur Pilaf with cinammon, clove and cardammon Flourless Chocolate Cake Concord Grape and Niagra Grape Sorbets Challah with raising and honey Tierras del Belmonte 2001 (Portugese red) Tierra Selvaje Monestrell Dulce 2001 (spanish dessert wine) Somehow, after 4 meals we were all able to find room in stomachs for yet more food. Everyone should be blessed to host guests such as the ones who joined us on Friday night. They were extremely enthusiastic eaters and attacked the food with gusto. We have some food left over and one of the couples who joined us on Friday night want to come for left-overs this evening.

My stomach is aching from laughing so hard. And I hope you all don't mind but I'm going to send a link to this thread to some of my friends. Here are two sins that come to mind: For the sin of buying more produce than I can possibly use and having to throw it out when it goes bad. For the sin of showing obvious disdain at the poor food choices of my friends

Jack, I'm in awe of how productive you've been since I last checked in on Wed. morning. Your fish balls look fantastic. I was ordered to search for fish balls on my last trip to London and became hooked. When I returned I made my English friends cook them for me. One day I'll have to make an attempt. Regarding the quest for a sweet and sour salmon recipe, I do have several -- one is really for pickled salmon. Additionally, in Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein there is a recipe for Trigie con Pinoli e Pesserine, Mullet with Pine Nuts and Raisins. 1/2 c red wine vinegar 3 tbls sugar 1/2 c pine nuts, toasted 1/2 c raisins, plumped in hot water 4 tbls evoo 1 whole fish (about 2 lbs cleaned) or 1 1/2 lbs fish fillets Salt, to taste Combine vinegar, sugar, pine nuts, raisins and a bit of raisin plumping water in a small bowl. In a pan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add fish and saute on one side until golden. Turn and add salt and vinegar mixture. Cover and cook oven medium heat until done (5 to 10 minutes depending on whether whole fish or fillets). Transfer to serving platter -- can be eaten warm or room temp.

Cusina hit on the real issue -- it's all about leverage. And if you have small hands you're stuck. For me, when I've tried banging the lid against the counter and the rubber grip hasn't worked (and there's no spouse around) my solution is.......the doorman. This is why I live in a doorman building: they accept deliveries, buzz guests up and open stubborn jars.

I had to chop a lot more onions this morning and made a point of putting in my lenses. Admittedly after 4 large ones I was getting a bit of an itch. But no burn and no tears. I guess I'm going to be wearing my lenses with greater frequency.

I don't get the bug that Platt has up his ass. Ducasse bashing is so 2000.

I had no plans of logging on today, but couldn't resist. For those of you interested in the coconut-pineapple-orzo kugel ----- PM me your email adress. Once yantef is over I'll the scan the recipe and e-mail it to whoever wants it (it's long). My brisket is happily braising away. And the onion confit is finishing up. Still have to make the veal roast. And run out to the market for salad stuff. And of course, polish all the silver. So, a shana tova to all my egullet friends. May it bring peace, health, happiness and prosperity.

I've been wearing soft lenses for about four years. Before that I wore the RGP. The soft lenses are much larger than the gas permeables.

Let me state for the record that I'm extremely nearsighted. For the most part I wear eyeglasses, but when I'm feeling motivated (in otherwords getting dressed up) I put my lenses in. Today happened to be one of those rare days that I put my lens in (haircut). When I got home I had a lot of cooking to do in the kitchen because of Rosh Hashanah which meant engaging in one of my least favorite chores -- chopping lots of onions. I'm extremely sensitive to onions, leeks, scallions, anything in the allium family -- they all make my eyes tear. I've tried just about everything: chopping on a counter next to running water, working near an open flame, and even wearing goggles. Nothing ever worked except making someone else chop the onions for me. So, I started on onion number 1 which required a small dice. Normally just slicing the onion in half would start the tears. This time nothing. Onion number 2 - more small dice. Still no burning or tears Onion number 3 - medium chop. Still nothing Are you sensing a pattern?? And so, I've discovered the solution....Contact lenses!!!! Wear your lenses in the kitchen. Your eyes will thank you for it.

Pardon me for being a bit self-indulgent, but my feel ache!!! And I'm exhausted. And in a repeat of last year I have yet to polish the silver and my candlesticks look awful. Plus, the apartment looks like Ivan passed through. My coconut-orzo-pineapple kugel is in the oven (from Jayne Cohen's Gefillte Variations). Tomorrow I still have make the veal and brisket, plus the wild rice and orzo salad. And a flourless chocolate cake. It's at times like this I wish I had two ovens.

Pan, the wine pairing provides pours of roughly 3 ounces.

Please Toliver, why don't you tell us how you feel. Don't hold back now.

What about chocolate mousse? As long as you have a burner for tempering the eggs and a mixer to whip them you're set.

Your garden sounds great. Since I was blessed with a black thumb (good thing I'm an urbanite, huh?), I'm always in awe of people able to harvest to such bounty.

Thanks for the compliment GG. Culinary Artistry is the answer to all winging. When in doubt, just check the lists of flavor buddies. I accidentally mis-shelved my copy last week and when I couldn't find in on sunday you would have thought the world was coming to an end -- that's how much I depend on it.

I'm in total agreement with you. Several years ago I bought a large assortment of them and used them as my Rosh Hashanah centerpiece. I've actually considered doing it again this year since the colors are so striking. Blovie has been informed that he will be making a trip to Union Square tomorrow for raspberries (2 pints/$5 at Phillips Farms) so maybe I'll ask for peppers as well.

Like intraining, I'm starting to use my oven again. And like everyone else I'm getting excited about the braised meats and stews. I'm making my brisket for Rosh Hashana tonight and I can't wait for the smells to start!!

I kind of winged this one. I chopped up some onion and ginger (about a 1 1/2 inch knob), cut up about 2 pounds of carrots into coins and diced 3 pears. Then sauteed the onion and ginger in olive oil until translucent, added the carrots and pears and sauteed for about 5 more minutes and then added 3 cups of vegetable stock and 3 cups water. I also made a sachet with cinnamon stick, cloves, and corriander and threw that in as well. Brought the whole thing up to a boil and reduced to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Then pureed using an immersion blender. I needed to add some additional water to thin it out some more. I have a lot of orange colored soup in my freezer. Fortunately, I remembered to label each container.

Last night I pureed fruit for sorbet. I can't believe no one mentioned making mayonnaise. I make mayo in mine on a weekly basis.

Beware of pureeing grapes in the food processor. I've done it twice in the last week (making sorbet) and the juice flies out of the bowl and leaks everywhere. Your best bet is a blend, if available. Following Claudia Flemming's instructions, I puree and add some lemon juice to maintain color (ascorbic acid/vitamin c will do as well). After a minimum of 30 minutes I repuree - this time using an immersion blender for 2 minutes straight and strain through a very fine strainer. This is time consuming and your hand will start to ache. Pureed green grapes, even with lemon juice added turn an ugly color -- just keep that in mind.