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Potluckcraft's Profile

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Location: Beacon, NY

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Favorite foods: Farmer's market bread, cheese, and vegetables. Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, Mexican. Old-school Italian-American via Brooklyn. Cheap, fresh, fried fish, coastal Massachusetts style. Crispy, thin french fries. Pickled things.

Last bite on earth:

The Ten Most Recent Posts By Potluckcraft

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

I'm a veggie-lover, with a vegetarian streak. I was so excited to get this book and yet I find none of the recipes really speak to me. And, it's a huge book! The few that I have made have been a bit disappointing. I hate dissing someone as cool as Ms. Madison, but I just wanted to share my experience with this book. I'm shocked and I feel like I must be missing something. Anyone have a similar reaction?

Thanks for your thoughts...

I'd like to add that one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks is Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking.

From Talk

What's makes a fabulously fun & tasty New Year's Eve menu?

This year I'm spending New Year's Eve with my favorite couple who loves to eat, drink, and cook just as much as I do. We've been busy dealing with Christmas stuff and it's just hitting us now: What unusual, fun, delicious treats should we make ourselves?

The one thing we know we want to try is Spiedini di Gamberoni, Mario Batali's shrimp, rosemary, and limoncello recipe (here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mario-batali/heat-haiku-and-a-recip_b_4442.html).

What festive foods and drinks do you like for the holiday?

I'm also interested in any traditional, good-luck meals, like pork and black-eyed peas, for the day after. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff.

Thanks! And happy new year to you all!

From Talk

Got a better recipe for these chocolate pretzels?

Martha Stewart has a recipe for chocolate pretzels. Not chocolate as in the confection, but like a deep, rich chocolate cookie shaped into a pretzel. I was thinking that dusted with sea salt, they'd make an excellent holiday present.

Unfortunately the reviews of the recipe are terrible....tastes like flour....not much flavor...coloring not good. I'm only a holiday baker. I don't have the skills to improve upon it. Anyone have any thoughts? Can I simply take any chocolate cookie recipe and shape it like this?

Thanks for your help...the link is below.

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=896f833827a71110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

From Talk

Butcher Block Care

Can anyone recommend the best way to care for my new (used/new-to-me) butcher block? I had it lightly sanded down and now I'd like to apply the right oil. I heard mineral oil & beeswax is the way to go. But anyone have any experience with John Boos Mystery Butcher Block Oil? I kind of like that it's this reliable all-in-one product. I just want to make sure it's as reliable as they suggest. Thanks!

The Ten Most Recent Comments By Potluckcraft

From Required Eating

Bon Jovi Tea Set

From Required Eating

'1 Bite, 7 Days' Documentary Project

Just thought I'd share the recipes just went up on my site if anyone is interested!

Enjoy!

From Required Eating

'1 Bite, 7 Days' Documentary Project

Glad you enjoyed the eats and had fun!

Thanks,
Heather

From Serious Eats: New York

NYC Food Events for the Weekend (and Beyond)

Hey, thanks for the mention! We really hope to see you and all the Serious Eaters there this weekend for some very un-serious eating.

Cheers,
Heather
1 Bite 7 Days

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

Hey, great feedback! This has been such a helpful discussion for me. Thank you. I'm going to check out the Eggplant & Chard Lasagna and her recipe for Pita Bread. But I'm going to stop feeling like a bad veggie-lover for not using this book more often.

I'm also going to investigate Bittman's HTCEV and Veganomicon–those girls are awesome. As for Moosewood, I liked the books at first, but there's something about the recipes where they all start to taste really similar after a while.

Thanks everyone!

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

That's good to hear. (Of course, not for Deborah Madison.) Your experience is exactly on par with mine, but, I thought there was something wrong with me....I kept flogging myself "how can you not use this book?"

If you have the opportunity, check out M.J.'s book. It's old, but not at all dated. There has yet to be a recipe I've been disappointed by and I've jumped around that book quite a bit. There's also a lot of unusual (or new to me) flavor combinations that she shares that are just wonderful.

If you have any recommendations for veggie books, I'd love to hear them.

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Spinach with Mint and Crème Fraîche

That sounds wonderful. And makes me so envious. I'm more familiar with searching and searching for a recipe to use up/combine disparate ingredients, not finding one, giving up, and letting things go bad. This gives me great hope!

From Talk

what are you serving Mon/Tues?

Thanks ChristineB & Jerzee...sounds great.

By the way, take-out Chinese (if you've got a decent place in mind) sounds like a really fun, ultra easy alternative.

Hope everyone's festivities are super duper!

From Required Eating

2007 Most Serious Eater Awards Update

Jerzee
Dorie
Mario

From Talk

what are you serving Mon/Tues?

So far we've decided on:
Roasted garlic, goat cheese, caviar platter with little toasts
Homemade California Rolls
Mario Battali's Lemoncello Shrimp
Sausage Spinach Gratin
Crab Cakes (see below, I'm looking for a kick-butt recipe, anyone got one?) with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Olives and other snacks pillaged from a last-minute trip to Trader Joes

And for NYD I'm making a black-eyed pea corn bread to serve with brunch.

So, can anyone recommend a really great crab cake recipe. I have a few but I was hoping to find one that was tried and true...one very crabby with little mayo and bread crumb....anyone?

Thanks!

Responses to Comments by Potluckcraft

From Required Eating

'1 Bite, 7 Days' Documentary Project

Just thought I'd share the recipes just went up on my site if anyone is interested!

Enjoy!

From Talk

No Knead bread call to arms.

@John10e.......loving your ideas. Do you use an appliance to mix?

From Talk

No Knead bread call to arms.

No Knead bread is a metaphor for getting into heaven -- it's a lot easier than the high-priests say it is.
I've baked for years according to the rules (there are a lot if them, aren't there), then tried the Lahey method. Except that I kept eliminating steps. Now I do this:
Mix the flour (4 cups), water (2 cups) (cold), 1/4 c starter or 1/4 t instant yeast or 1/2 t Active yeast, 2 t salt. Do this between 3 pm to 8 pm - it will take about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it on the counter.
After anything from 10 to 20 hours, I use a rubber spatula to pull the sticky, holey mess off the sides of the bowl and push/pour it into a covered baking dish (with a shot of Pam to keep from sticking). I have both the clay and ceramic types - no difference. Don't fuss with it much, just get it in there. Put the cover on. Skip the floured cloth and shaping/resting stuff.
Put in a cold or hot oven. If cold, bake at 475 for 40 minutes, then 10 minutes with lid off at 400. Or leave the lid on and baking for 50 minutes/475 degree total. Cool on a rack.
The crust will be chewy and the interior more moist and chewy than store bread (but fully cooked) - that's the way I like it. Lots of holes.
I've used 1 c beer, replacing 1 c water, and added 1 c of 1/4 inch cheddar cheese cubes. Add when you first mix everything.
And I've added 1 c of the cheap parmesan cheese, 1 T of italian spices, 4 cloves of roasted garlic.
This system has lots of forgiveness. And it's soooo simple. I make two batches in the evening in different mixing bowls (ten minutes), then bake in the morning (about 50 minutes including cleanup).
I'm about to start with the Hertzberg method. This is fun finding the real basic to MAKING BREAD; lots of room to play and try to achieve different flavors by tweaking the approaches. And it's GREAT not having so many rules to follow :-)

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

I hadn't really thought about this before, but I tend to use Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone as more of a reference book (as in, hmm...I just picked up some beets and rainbow chard at the market...what cooking methods should I use?) - but not really for the recipes. I turn to Bittman's HTCEV more often for recipe inspiration. I suppose both of them have their place in my bookcase, though.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

I don't own the book, but I checked it out from the library a few years ago and copied down three recipes that I make quite often: the potato and chickpea stew is out of this world, especially with some romesco sauce swirled into it--I don't use her recipe for the sauce, I use one I found on the internet. I also love the lentils with wine glazed vegetables, covered in puff pastry, and the winter squash galette. I think she is a wonderful recipe writer, she has a knack for creating dishes that use simple ingredients that just work together.
I agree with renzata too--Vegetarian Suppers is wonderful. I just got it a few weeks ago and have made about 4 things out of it--the root vegetable ragout with goat cheese sauce is delicious. I skipped the wild rice pancake and just put them in the buckwheat crepes from the previous page. I highly recommend this book for those looking to cook more vegetarian meals.
I also have Mark Bittman's HTCEV, and I would say that it's more for people who haven't a clue about vegetables. That doesn't mean it's not a good book, because it really is, especially the wide use of nontraditional ingredients to bring depth of flavor (umami, I guess) to vegetable dishes.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is perhaps my all-time favorite cookbook, although I'm no longer vegetarian. I find it inspiring. Even if I don't follow a recipe exactly, it gives me ideas on what foods to combine to create wonderful meals and flavors. The vegetable section is a wonderful guide to how to prepare nearly every vegetable as well as what flavors complement it. All the soup recipes I've tried (which are many) have been amazing. The barley soup and white bean soup in that book are two of my favorites that I make every winter. I think it's a book for true veggie lovers -- I have a CSA and the vegetable section is great for trying new types of produce. I happen to love Deborah Madison's style - earthy yet refined - and I think it has influenced my own approach to cooking more than any other book.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

I bought the book soon after publication and use it now and then, often for inspiration when I have some vegetables to use up. There are quite a few personal favorites in the book. Off the top of my head: the carrots and hijiki seaweed, the sunflower-seed bread, the chickpeas with ginger, and the oat bread.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

i have vcfe and never crack it either. although i used to love to eat at greens when she was the head chef.

one of my favorite cookbooks, even though i'm not a vegetarian, is the tassajara recipe book by edward espe brown. i've been making some of those recipes for over 20 years now. some of my favorites: carrot orange soup, currant scones, polenta mushroom gratin, grandmother mary's coffee cake, cottage cheese dill bread. all the recipes are delicious and elegant and you can serve them at your nicest dinner parties.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

Thank you so much for all your information, fellow eaters. I have literally hundreds of cookbooks, not to mention a disgusting glut of magazines and periodicals. One thing that has been sorely lacking as a resource is a really great vegetarian book in the collection. I have browsed Deborah's VCE several times and also Bittman's new one. I recently discovered Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking and have to admit I was impressed (not as much with Cooking .01) but she does take really scrumptious photos of her food also, which goes a long way with me. I have a somewhat difficult time with cookbooks when they don't present a delicious photo of their finished product. (Julia is about the only one who gets a pass on this point with me). We're not committed vegetarians, however we are making a concerted effort to have one or two total veggie days a week for many reasons.

Now I can't wait to look for Veganomicon and Madhur Jaffrey's books. I have come so close to purchasing and always back out because I just want one that I know I'm really going to use. A lot. Any other suggestions for the favorite go-to vegetarian cookbook would be most appreciated for my little research project.

If anyone lives in the mid-west, have you been to Chrissie Hynde's new restaurant Vegetaranian in Akron, OH? Looking forward to that sometime this year.

From Talk

Any thoughts: Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone?

I agree with the general sense about Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I don't often cook straight from it, though I'll take ideas.

But I got her much smaller Vegetarian Suppers for Christmas, and I love it. I've made 4 or 5 dishes from it already and all have been delicious, interesting, and well-received (the masa crepes with chard, spinach crepe cake, and mushroom and brussels sprout ragout are my favorites so far). I look forward to trying more and more. It's very dog-ear-able.