legant

Lentil soup w/ kielbasa Cornbread w/ pancetta Cinnamon raisin bagel chips

Your dedication will not be a sacrifice. It will be an exhilarating experience because it is an intense effort applied toward a meaningful end. -- Thomas Dooley As for the flaming pant leg... The pain of making the necessary sacrifices always hurts more than you think it's going to. I know. It sucks. That being said, doing something seriously creative is one of the most amazing experiences one can have, in this or any other lifetime. If you can pull it off, it's worth it. Even if you don't end up pulling it off, you'll learn many incredible, magical, valuable things. It's NOT doing it when you know you full well you HAD the opportunity- that hurts FAR more than any failure. -- Hugh Macleod

Ditto, dammit. Ditto.

Ed LaDou, chef pioneered gourmet pizza revolution The first pizza chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago and restaurateur who gained notoriety with a salad rumored to induce labor in pregnant women.

Carl Karcher turned hot dog stand into a fast-food empire Carl Karcher, who borrowed $311 to buy a Los Angeles hot dog cart in 1941 and turned it into a fast-food empire with more than 3,000 Carl's Jr. and Hardees restaurants in 13 countries, has died.

Jean-Claude Vrinat, Owner of Famed Paris Restaurant Jean-Claude Vrinat, for more than three decades the owner and director of the Taillevent restaurant in Paris, which is regarded by many as the pinnacle of elegance in French cuisine, died Monday. He was 71. Under Mr. Vrinat, Taillevent became a gastronomic benchmark by which other great Parisian restaurants are judged.

Eddie Miller, Ace Chowhound Ate His Gut Out Eddie "Bozo" Miller, 89, an icon of gluttony who claimed to have bested man -- and beast -- in outrageous displays of eating and drinking, died Jan. 7 at his home in Oakland, Calif. He had diabetes and heart trouble.

Vincent Gruppuso, 67, Seller of Pudding Snacks Vincent Gruppuso, the founder of Kozy Shack Enterprises, a company in Hicksville, Long Island, that sells millions of four-ounce cups of pudding, particularly rice pudding, at supermarkets in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe, died Dec. 29 at his home in East Hampton, N.Y. He was 67. The cause was complications of diabetes, said his son-in-law Michael Caridi.

How is it labeled/marked? Is it the house brand?

It's rainy. There is a chill in the air. And, sniffles abound. What's your favorite rainy day, take-the-chill-off, curative chicken soup recipe? Edna Lewis' chicken soup recipe is a good start – however hacking the chicken into 2-inch pieces requires too much energy – while other recipes I've found use prepared chicken broth. What I'm craving is: a flavorful, spicy base (kin to Pho) – to sooth the throat and clear the sinuses; something that will compliment potstickers, rather than noodles; and, something that will benefit from the long simmer between naps. Suggestions?

[You'd think I'd just discovered electricity. Three days later and I'm still patting myself on the back. I've been dreaming all day about brining a pork chop for supper. Alas, time is not on my side: CI's ultracrunchy baked (brined) pork chops, sautéed brussel sprouts w/ pancetta and hazelnuts, and cornbread will have to wait until tomorrow night. Tonight:] Linguini w/ mushrooms, squash and spinach Vodka cream sauce Vodka gimlet

You do realize: when you come back to the States, you will prepare dinner for all of us.

I just brined my first chicken! I also just broiled my first chicken! Simple Broiled Chicken Thighs (Cook's Illustrated) Spicy Jamaican Jerk Dipping Sauce (Cook's Illustrated) Green beans w/ red peppers and almonds Texas Toast Pinot Grigio Peanuts, covered in chocolate, and fudge (Nestlé) [Damn! Them were some tasty chicken thighs. I thought brining was all hype; I have never described my chicken as being "juicy." I had no idea what I was missing. As to broiling: I've always roasted my chicken. It never occurred to me to broil the thing; surely reason enough to eat the chicken skin. And, the dipping sauce??!! That was smokin'!]

It's your *(&(*$! clean the fridge/freezer project, Pat! Don't drink coffee... may make a pea soup... have two apples (hmmm... apple crisp with whipped cream?)... potatoes call for a trip to the store... no milk -- can't stand the stuff... may have a (lot of) chai Sunday morning. I'm almost there: I can see the back of the fridge! I do have a ton of carrots. Maybe cream of carrot soup... for one... tomorrow?

Not necessarily a call for help; just a rant: As I'm discovering, one of the problems with the clean fridge/freezer project is that you're often left with odd bits of this and that. Right now, from 2 containers, I have barely a 1/2 of cream. Even if I halve the cream biscuits recipe, it's not enough. If I were to make a cream sauce there isn't enough. I could whip it with some sugar and serve it with... what? Perhaps a ganache, but that means I have to buy the ingredients for a cake... which means at least four unused eggs in the fridge... which defeats the whole clean fridge project. ARGH!!!! The expiry date is about 10 days away; I may just take the easy way out and toss the cream.

Well, they are trying to appeal to a younger crowd... [To view without registration: www.bugmenot.com]

Last year two of us split a one-person share at Bull Run. What we did, and I think it worked rather well, was to alternate weeks. Even though one may have gotten an abundance of bok choi one week, it evened out as hte other took home tons of squash the following week. At least that was the plan. We never really took home tons of anything; as mentioned, Bull Run was hit hard by the drought. Also: by alternating weeks, I could cook up CSA dishes one week and eat out the other week... and not feel guilty. When we did have "special" items, like a watermelon or honey, we would meet up later and divide the goodies. More than likely, I would have been overwhelmed by a one share. As it was, I was quite freaked out by the quantity of produce in some of the biweekly baskets. But, I have learned to love pesto. Just something to consider.

I want that recipe! Welcome.

A belated thank you to BrettAshley01, Jeremy, DirtyMartini, and SrtaJRosa for volunteering with me at DC Central Kitchen on Christmas eve. [brettAshley forgot to mention just how much catfish and chicken. By my estimates, they separated, seasoned and cooked 40 trays of fish and chicken; sliced 20 turkeys; and, portioned out about 50 containers of meals. Me? I sliced a log of cheese the size of a Redwood.] After our shift, DirtyMartini, SrtaJRosa, and I joined other volunteers and DCCK culinary trainees for lunch; several of my pizzas were served. Comet and 2 Amy’s have nothing to worry about. But, being part of such a team… well, that was the perfect topping. Thanks again.

I really do wish I could move past the burger. Scott, the bartender, greets me with Burger? Rare? Sliced onions? My Palena dining buddy often ordered something "new" to share from the restaurant's first or second courses. One time the sardines; on another occassion, the gnocchi. I'm sure we had other dishes... all good... but the burger consistently blows me away. After getting my burger fix I, too, say: Everyone should feel this satisfied. [unfortunately, both Sarah and Ashley have left Palena; I now must make new friends. ]

Bowl foods: Tonight: Soba in a Kombu stock with spinach, carrots, shitakes and shrimp Last night: Creamy polenta with spinach and andouille sausage

What was the marinade?

Equal parts molasses, apple cider vinegar and oil. Added a dash of cayenne. It was surprisingly good and surprisingly easy.

I love it when a dish comes together: Salad of black-eyed peas, andouille sausage and red onions w/ molasses dressing Toll-house cookies