jwagnerdsm

I see that the Inn at Little Washington is the only place to receive five stars for food and lodging. How expensive is that place?

The plastic bags are also very useful for carrying spent cat litter out of the house. ("Can you please double-bag that?"

We've always found the food at Buca di Beppo's to be pretty good. I think a small chain line Bucca would probably have some unevenness.

No, I just didn't understand. I was thinking of the food counters in Italy where the cashier will do everything possible to avoid touching a Lire. Thought is was a cleanliness issue (and then I might have thought you were being a nut). But if it's a case of not counting out your change or giving you a handful of change that will scatter on the floor, then I understand.

Explain the coins on the bills to me? I don't understand.

I, too, err on the side of safety. I've got two little kids who wouldn't be able to battle a bug as easily as my wife or me. The extra half hour is takes to sterilize the jars is worth the effort. That said, I'd encourage everyone to take some time to read Jackal's EGCI course and look at his gorgeous photos.

She's always been of the school that you should eat what you like and not worry so much about fat, etc. And it's worked for her.

Julia Childs is visiting Emeril Live today. Don't know if you all get Food Network at the same time or if there is a FN East and FN West like some of the other networks do. She still is a lovely lady and seems to be enjoying herself.

That is a great tip. I am so nervous about sanitation but I hate boiling jars and I never seem to have enough ready.

I tried a new technique that I read about in Joy of Cooking. I sauted the apples in butter with sugar and cinnamon for about five minutes over medium heat until the fruit got a little soft on the outside but was still toothsome. that allowed me to regulate the amount of liquid. It also prevented the pie from drooping when the apples cooked down. Might want to give it a try.

I've had more than one out-of-town friend double over in laughter when we drive by my favorite Vietnamese restaurant here in Des Moines. It's called "A Dong." Translation?

Just polished off a bag of Dolly Madison Powder Puff donuts the baby sitter left at our house. She brings her own junk food because we usually don't have anything good (We are eating only locally grown food for a year as part of a book project). And now I have to figure out how to explain this to her. And how to cover my sin in the book.

Hey, I'm a wide-eyed Iowa boy. I thought it was something I hadn't heard of before. No catching involved. Only admitting my ignorance.

I finally got honest with myself and just subscribe to 'em all. I think I won't miss them and then end up paying full sticker price at the newsstand for all of 'em. But I am a bit annoyed by Boner Appetite. Think it's silly. That cartoonish Alton cooks a turkey piece could was interesting but could have been done in half the space. I'm a Saveur fan.

I'd love to see a picture of this. What muscles are used? Or is that an expression? Or did you mean mussels?

By the way, what reference do you all use for canning. I use the old reliable "Putting Food By" and the Ball Guide to Home Canning.

I use the wide mouth ball. Almost always can in quarts. My tomato plants are blooming again, thanks to a warm spell. Don't know if it will last but if it does I want to do some green tomato pickles. I would love the pumpkin butter recipe.

Laurel, Curry Pumpkin soup recipe, Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaasssssse.

Every time I go to the grocery store to load up on canning jars, the manager gives me a little laugh. He told me a few weeks ago that "nobody" cans anymore. We are in the process of a year eating nothing but locally-grown food. So, I've spent a lot of time this year putting food by. Anybody out there still can? What are you canning? I've done a couple kinds of pickles, whole tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, apple rings, apples for pies, pear sauce, raspberry jam, strawberry jam, pickled beets, cherry sauce and pickled jalapenos

Ruth, Just FYI I paid $5 for a nice sized bag. A bargain, I think. But I won't grind them up, per your good advice.

[ I bought a nice sized bag of dried morels at the Farmers Market in Des Moines today. I love morels in the spring but usually just fry 'em up in butter with a cracker coating. Any ideas on how I might use these? I'd like to grind 'em up and use them to coat a nice piece of beef, although I'm not sure this would work or even add much to the meat. Ideas?

Start with fresh brats. Put in a pan and cover with a dark beer. Add a splotch of grainy mustard, a chopped onion, a bay leaf, a little cumin and some peppercorn. Simmer in beer mixture until the brats are a gray color. then throw on the grill. Perfect.

I'll add to the green bean discussion. If you freeze garden green beans like I do -- or want to use frozen -- make sure that you give them plenty of time to thaw and drain. Might even want to blot them with a clean kitchen towel. Hate to cut into that delicious cream of mushroom soup taste. I tried a different version two years ago with carmelized onions and I too learned that people just like the traditional canned fried onion recipe.

Uh, when did the Amish get web sites? I thought electricity was a rarity. Just wondering.

These Bourbon Glazed Sweet Potatoes were a big hit last Thanksgiving. It's also on my website along with some other favorites. Click on the Iowa Flavor link on my signature at bottom. Ingredients: 3 lbs large sweet potatoes, peeled and halved crosswise 1 cup packed light brown sugar ½ stick unsalted butter ¼ cup water ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup boubon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each potato half lengthwise into fourths. Steam potatoes on a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes, then cool, uncovered. Transfer to a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish. Simmer brown sugar, butter, water and salt, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thickened, about five minutes. Stir in bourbon to taste. Drizzle syrup over potatoes and bake in middle of oven, basting occasionally, until syrup has thickened, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.