StephanieL

Pan-seared salmon filets with sweet potato, onion, and Romanesco broccoli "hash". Baked quince for dessert.

I've ordered replacement copies through the website. I'm just kvetching about not getting them in the first place.

My last 2 issues have gone missing. I don't know if the problem is with the magazine or my local post office, but it's very annoying.

Which reminds me--how is Sneak doing? Has anyone heard from him lately?

No love for Mario?

Morros y Christianos, using the RG Midnight Black beans, plus some frozen spinach as the vegetable side. We've had 2 bags of Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice hanging out in the freezer for nearly a year, so I used that for the rice part. The recipe on the Anson Mills website is a bit fussy--you cook the rice for 15 minutes, rinse it off, then bake it in the oven at 300 degrees for another 10 minutes--but the rice came out well. I'm looking forward to using it in jambalaya.

Frosty the Merman.

Devo recorded a cover of Lee Dorsey's "Working in a Coal Mine".

Whenever our regular letter carrier goes on vacation, the service goes to hell. This week, we got no mail for 3 days (not consecutive days), and today for some reason the mail was left on the porch.

I actually rely on the coverage in Eater San Francisco. Not only have I read dining news there that may not have been reported elsewhere, but I probably wouldn't have otherwise heard of this great LGBTQ supper club that's given N and I lots of good times. I've also found it useful when I'm traveling. Got lots of great Chicago tips from the Eater maps.

HBO's Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary. It's a fairly in-depth, sincere exploration of this mocked genre, which actually has a lot of influences from jazz, soul, and R&B. Great interviews with Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, members of Toto, and others. All of the music brought me back to long car rides between NJ and Brooklyn/Queens when I was a kid, listening to AM radio (WNBC and WABC).

I liked last week's "Incognito" cover.

Appetizers My sister's avocado deviled eggs The cheese I brought: goat cheese mislabeled as Brillat-Savarin, aged gouda, Vino Rossa, Point Reyes blue Crudites and salami Dinner Two turkeys: one oven-roasted and one smoked. Unfortunately, the smoked turkey had very chemically tasting skin Surprisingly wan stuffing. My cousin usually does a better job Mom's cranberry-orange relish My sister's Caprese salad Other cousin's salad with shredded Brussels sprouts, grated Manchego, candied pecans, pomegranate seeds, and a bunch of other things Sweet potato casserole with streusel topping. Not as sweet as it sounds Macaroni and cheese (not tasted) Dessert Pumpkin Basque cheesecake Dad's two coffee cakes: pecan-espresso-chocolate and cranberry Dad's cookie contributions My See's dark assortment This fed 13 adults and one 9-year-old who eats like a bird.

Chili con carne, using the RG Mayan Reds, and cornbread. This should last us most of the week.

Mom's baked ziti.

My contributions are, as per usual, cheese & crackers and a 1-pound dark See's assortment. Oddly, my sister is bringing a Caprese salad. In November. To go with the turkey, roast beef, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.

An RG recipe: Duck Breast and French Lentil Salad.

Courtesy of PUNCH magazine, a Black Lodge, a variant on a Boulevardier. 1 oz. Scotch 1 oz. Campari 1/2 oz. coffee liqueur 1/2 oz. dry vermouth Stir over ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

Searching for a hot drink not involving coffee led me to Diffords.com and a recipe for a hot Negroni. You read that right. Surprisingly, it kind of works. Hot Negroni 1/2 oz. gin 1/2 oz. Campari (or another Italian "red drink") 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. rich simple syrup 1/3 cup boiling water Combine all ingredients in a pre-heated, heat-safe glass (e.g., a toddy or Irish coffee glass).

Me too. It made me realize very quickly that computer programming was not going to be my career path.

Glad you got it! I'm a Times subscriber, so I'm happy to forward on any recipe from there if needed.

I made the famous NY Times Crispy Gnocchi With Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter, and it lived up to the hype. I followed the recipe to the letter and it all came together really well. The only change I made was to sprinkle aged Grand Padano on the top rather than Parmesan, simply because that's what I had. Russian River's Robert Saison to drink.

A za'atar-dusted challah sounds wonderful!

I hadn't known that one of his wives was killed on 9/11.

My parents both got their master's degrees from there.