cmkdvs's Profile
Bumper crop of tarragon - your ideas please!
Yes, when I saw the headline I was going to suggest that--it freezes well, I used to tie it in bunches and snip it without thawing (if you're quick anyway).
zucchini bread without oil
Second those two. Also mashed banana (in fact I generally use banana plus yogurt).
dungeness vs. blue crab
My brother and I were discussing this recently--we grew up on southern Maryland and both now live in northern California. Dungeness are vastly easier to pick, which I guess explains why they get eaten; they have less flavor and a coarser texture than the blue crab. Neither of us eats crab until we go back to Maryland.
Urgent - bechamel using 1% milk
I've never had any trouble with that. All I can think to suggest is what you're doing, cook it longer.
Home ec!
I'm guessing your grandmother would have been from Charles or St Mary's county, which were the big Maryland tobacco growing areas (and possibly related to my St Mary's grandmother, based on the cooking skills--but then everyone there is related anyway).
I understand eggs goldenrod was a depression-era and possibly World War shortage-related recipe promoted by extension agents and, yes, home ec teachers. I remember hearing of it, but not eating it.
worst tasting candy ever!!!!!
Haven't had either of these in years, but used to love both--although I do remember not liking Bit-o-Honey and then suddenly developing a taste for it.
There was something my grandmother used to have in a Christmas candy mix that I always thought was nasty--a hard candy shell with some kind of jelly inside. Never did figure out what the flavor was (or was meant to be).
Resurrecting old posts - why?
Just my opinion, but if it's an interesting subject, I don't see why it would be irritating. I interpret it that someone's come across the thread, probably in a search, and not noticed the date.
Is this redundant?
It's been years ago now and certainly not a Spago-equivalent venue, but I once asked what wines were available by the glass and was told Cabernet, Zinfandel and [a white--Chardonnay undoubtedly]. "Oh good, I'll have the Zinfandel." It came pink. "You should have specified _white_ Zinfandel." No, Zinfandel is a white wine.
live long OR enjoy food
The whole notion that only greasy unhealthy food is tasty, is a bum rap. I get really tired of this false dichotomy.
Carbon Deposits on Calphalon pan
My first thought on anything like this would be to simmer baking soda and water in the pan for a while.
Left with lots of sour cream
I made the sour cream banana bread from this site--recommend it highly. Sour cream is also hard to beat with chips and salsa (that's how I'm using up what I had left over).
Just bought Flax Seed, now what?
I have the "dose" from somewhere of 2-3 tablespoons/day. Sorry, can't track down where I originally got it. One thing I do is sprinkle the ground seed on whole grain toast (after spreading it with preserves or what have you).
I would think toasting before grinding would be a lot easier, and I also understand the omega three oils are less likely to be heat damaged in the intact seed (I may be reading too much into that, it may just be in seed form as opposed to the isolated oil).
ISO Lemon Balm
I'm not familiar with lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) being known as bee balm; that's generally given as a common a name for plants in the genus Monarda. The growth habits and uses of Melissa and Monarda are quite different.
Leave the oven door ajar when broiling?
It will be interesting to see what responses you get on this, because I can picture that someone's actually done a study that shows otherwise. But what I understand to be the rationale for leaving the door cracked is to ensure broiling by direct heat from above, as opposed to baking at a very high temperature.
Favorite fiction foodie books.
I've quit reading the books but in fact tried some of the recipes, which were really quite good. Hers is still our usual recipe for pizza dough.
Toaster oven recs
I like my Cuisinart Classic better than either of its predecessors--it does everything I've asked of it (I also use it a lot in place of the regular oven) and is the easiest to clean of the three.
hazelnuts
Having eaten raw un-skinned hazelnuts for years, I don't believe the skins are bitter. Most recipes I've seen recommend rubbing off "as much skin as possible" after toasting, or words to the same effect.
Homemade Ice Cream
By the way, I was mistaken: he has a plus-alcohol recipe, but this is just a way to make ice cream without a machine.
Homemade Ice Cream
If you go to David Lebowitz' blog I'm pretty sure he gives a technique there, although I believe it required including alcohol to inhibit ice crystal formation.
[pause] Yes, here it is:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2007/07/making_ice_crea_1.html
Rose
Yes--petals from any rose would be edible, provided at a minimum they were not sprayed or exposed to systemic pesticides (the kind that is taken up through the roots).
I haven't tried comparative tastings but I do understand that some taste better than others, and that the white base of the petals can be bitter so should be snipped off. The traditional apothecary's or confectioner's rose is the single red Rosa gallica.
Help identify this fruit?
The standard method for ripening "things" is to put them in a brown paper bag with an apple and let the ethylene gas do its work. I have no experience with this particular fruit but it seems worth a try.
ISO fast way to get thyme leaves off the stalks
I just grasp the stem near the tip (the end with the young leaves) and pull or rub down the stem toward the base (the end where it was cut). The leaves come off the stem quite easily.
The few little leaves at the tip break off with a bit of tender stem that can be chopped in with the leaves.
Biggest Cadbury Creme Egg ever? And how would you eat it? [moved from Not About Food]
I suppose I can see why this was moved, but it sure comes under "not about food" for me!
Oat bran recipes
I bet you could follow much the same guidelines as for adding wheat bran to recipes.
Do you like oatmeal? I am not familiar with the Quaker product but I buy oat bran in bulk and spike my oatmeal with it.
Keeping salad mix fresh
I'm not working with those quantities, so I can do the same thing with a clean tea towel, but I agree: soaking up the interstitial moisture helps with longevity of any stored greens, whether it's salad or "greens" for cooking.
Question - first time making crockpot stock
I guess you could--but I've been well pleased with the results leaving the top on.
freezing bread
My understanding is that bread goes stale in the fridge faster than it does on the counter--the exception would be some heavy-textured rye or pumpernickel types which do OK refrigerated. But yes, freezing sliced bread works just fine.
In Search of Hass Avocados
By contrast, I've had good experience with the Alice Waters tip of buying very firm green avocados (of whatever variety) and ripening them at home, even if it takes several days. In the winter I do keep them in a paper bag with the bananas, and leave the bag near the fireplace.
Need help (Red Zinfandel)
Really? I don't buy it any more. But just goes to show, tastes differ.
