Merlin

Alice, those pics are gorgeous! Thank you.

Deb, your comment about the alcoholic nephew made me remember the truly worst holiday disaster I've had to endure. Long and boring story...hope you don't mind. Many years ago in a different life I hosted 25 of my (ex) husband's relatives for Thanksgiving. A nerve-wracking performance for a 26 year old. Unca Harry was an alcoholic who, apparently, had been ordered not to drink and embarrass his wife and family that day. So of course he was the first thru the buffet line. While there were still 8 of us in line waiting to get our first servings, he said, "Where's my pie?" I was appalled a

Thanks for all your comments. Made me laugh! Hope all your holidays meals turned out wonderfully!

So I cooked Christmas dinner tonight...yeah on the Eve. A 6 lb prime rib roast. I decided to try the high heat turn off the oven method. Despite a really good oven it didn't work (maybe). It was undercooked for DH who hates rare meat. So had to go back in oven...nightmare. Due to this method (and timing disaster) and only having one oven I had to cook the rest on the stove. My potatoes a la Julia cooked in cream on stovetop got overdone. So did the fresh garden peas and baby onions. Then we had an argument about whether the very good wine we had opened was corked and DH stalked

Thanks for letting me know about recado negro. I can't imagine cooking dried chiles that black and still having flesh/flavor left. Interesting.

It works. I do it all the time. I think about what I want to eat and search recipes in cookbooks and on the net...by the time I am done I have lost my appetite.

How do you make it? I go with equal parts white and rice vinegars, ½ part water, 3 to 2 sugar to salt and a sliced jalapeno (seeds removed). It comes out pretty good. Nice condiment for the bo-ssams we’ve made. This is making me want to host another soon. I use Andrea Nguyen's recipe here: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2009/05/daikon-and-carrot-pickle-recipe-do-chua.html I've tried using a mandoline to slice the vegies to speed things up but found it made them too thin so I julienne by hand. It holds up for a few months in teh fridge.

Ok...I'll admit my ignorance. What is it that looks black on the chicken and the ball on the cook's hand? A realy dark mole? Also, on the plate there is something that looks almost like a piece of lasagna? I've been to the Yucatan but stuck on the coast with non-food tourists. Please share more details.

Thanks! That looks fabulous.

Do you mean on the ones we compared? There was plenty of carrot, just no daikon. (I made up for it by cooking some of both for dinner last night -- but now I'm out of them.) Yes, I meant on yours. How can there be Banh Mi without Do Chua? I make up a jar each month so we have it on hand.

No do chua? That's the best part.

Would you also be curious about the gefiltefish with lime and radish dressing at the new pan-Jewish restaurant Octavia's Porch? I know I am! You bet! It includes horseradish as well.

Everything was great Chez Allen. I even managed to work in a couple of non-traditional dishes that were a huge hit. Roasted pears & red onions with rosemary & sherry vinegar and a spinach & mushroom panade. Hi Deb! Do you happen to have a recipe you can share for the roasted pears? (I have a bag of Asian pears I need to use.)

I have a Cuisinart one from Costco. It has 2 plates that flip from ridged to flat so I can open it up flat and cook pancakes I guess. It gets hot enough to perfectly grill a spatch-cocked cornish game hen in about 8-10 minutes. I think it might do well for steaks though I haven't tried that. ETA: Exchange for the one with more functions...you never know.

That looks beautiful, Peter. How did your tradition develop? Also, how long does the bread last? It's not like a fruitcake I assume...