Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[leaning conservative]

My sister in law uses it as an antacid.

[Aliska]

Antacid, I just had to take 2 Ranitidine the other night. Hadn't had any probs in that dept for awhile. In a pinch, I could try that.

Liz, I wasn't sure how to answer what you posted without you thinking something I didn't intend. But I haven't had an alcoholic drink for years and years because of my kids. I could if I wanted to now, have a little supply, all unopened, bought for recipes.

Anyway, the other day I was thinking of this shaker, don't know what happened to it. You can see it on the table. I thought it was for Manhattans but I think it was Martinis. My parents used to have either/or/both on special family occasions.

It made me sad to think of happier times. That is my late father in the back and my uncle in the foreground. People who see the photo think they are brothers, but they're not. The man in the foreground is my mother's brother. The picture was taken probably in the 1950's.

I did get a couple of those stemmed glasses, don't know if I still have any. I've been in a sentimental mood all day.

Now I can't believe it but Sucre has posted a video with the recipe for that King Cake I posted. I would love to try that but it's a little late this year.

Sucre King Cake Instructions on Youtube

[Liz]

Manhattans are very therapeutic.

Just one.

Alcohol is a problem if you overdo it.

Have to know your limit.

[Aliska]

I saw the post about chewing and your post about Baklava. I have trouble with that, too, and know how to cook my meats so I can chew them easily (just not steak). Do you think I could blend pecans that fine to make the frosting for a from scratch German chocolate cake?

It calls for 1-1.2 cups pecans. Normally I like smallish but still chunky. I thought about bigger and picking them out of my piece but don't like that idea. If I blend them as fine as for baklava (which I love BTW but too much trouble to make) I'm afraid it might ruin it. If I leave them out altogether, the frosting might not bulk up enough. It's that special sooked custard type with evaporated milk and egg yokes for the thickening.

[Liz]

You get pecans grnd finely——just pulse/chop them briefly at intervals.

Too much continuous blending turns them into an oily mess.

[Aliska]

I think I can manage that. Thank you. Have to toast them a little first though.

Just can't resist one more key lime pie:

[Liz]

Clarification. As I reread my post on Angostura Bitters, I realize I gave the erroneous impression that I sit around drinking Manhattan’s all day.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I HAVE NEVER MADE A MANHATTAN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

The Manhattan recipe I referred to was served to me by a friend on occassion. He had traveled the world and was very knowledgeable about food and drink.

A very entertaining person....he also added a spoonful of maraschino juice to his Manhattan’s taught to him by a bartender in some far off land.

I apologize. I tried to be a witty know-it-all writing about Angostura Bitters in honor of my friend.

Now I wish I hadn’t.

[Jamestown1630]

I thought they were brothers, too! when I first saw the picture.

My brother still has my Dad’s ice-bucket from the 1950s; and I have one of his shot-glasses; I’ve kept my bobby pins in it for 40 years.

Daddy didn’t have a “shaker” - he took everything straight, usually Smirnoff - and a few hours in, started singing his off-key version of ‘I’ll Take You Home again, Kathleen’ ;-)

-JT, red wine tonight...

[Aliska]

My sister and I always got one little sip of their fancy drinks. I also remember their making hot toddy.

My uncle loved Drambuie. My father's drink of choice on regular days was beer which I always hated. Mine is still Pepsi or coke from a dispenser but not a can.

Red wine sounds good. All I have is Mogen David Concord and 2 kinds of cooking wine; the white is very nice wine, haven't opened or used it yet.

I'll bet you miss family occasions, too.

Been looking for waterfall property, hard to find. Remember trips to Tennessee and other places where water ran clear. Just dreaming. That Alamazan Kitchen has gotten to me. Every single bit of it looks delicious except I can't eat super spicy hot stuff. Seeing 3 blocks of cheese nearly drove me crazy in the video on mac 'n cheese.

I forgot to address your comment about the owl. Yes, I agree, it would be a European owl; we don't have any like that. Here's my last baby owl, taken May 2007. Barred I think they are called. I got down on my stomach to get a good shot of it. These aren't endangered but no way would I be allowed to keep one as a pet, not allowed to feed them either. But I have rescued this one and a couple others from danger. I just set them up on a perch somewhere and the parents come at night to feed and lead them away. Don't see them now because I had to have my huge tree where they nested cut down shortly after this photo was taken.

[Aliska]

I never thought for a second you over-imbibed. You just come across as a connoisseur of haute cuisine and all things delicious. Grenadine, we'd use that sometimes.

[Jamestown1630]

I think my first drink of alcohol was Chianti, when I was 14 and my father brought home a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore, from his ‘social club’. That dish is still one of my favorite food memories.

I love beer – it’s my favorite drink. But I horrify everyone who sees me drinking, by putting ice in everything, no matter what it is ;-)

I do miss family occasions. I just try my best to keep everything going for the few family folks who are left, and try to insinuate some of our old customs into my relations with new friends.

Very nice little owl. My favorite is the Barn Owl – they look sort of ‘extraterrestrial’, and are definitely one of God’s best works of Art :-()

-JT