Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

my mom and grandmothers are / were great bakers and always wore aprons. When I go on garage and estate selling junkets, I head for the kitchen to see what aprons I can find. I have great ones from the 40's and 50's that I use regularly. Have some total coverage ones that I get from an oriental food store that are made inJapan. Got hooked on those when I lived there in the early 70's. But while I have a fine collection of them, I have friends who do not so when with out, I grab a kitchen towel and tuck it into my belt loops on either side and TADA, instant apron.. A wonderful improvisation.

The only time I decided to for go my tried and true ice water standard and use a candy thermomater when making pralines, it failed miserably. I ended up backing up the thermometer with the ice water and found that the thermomater was off. I started using the ice water drop method when I was 8 (am 56 now) with the variation of keeping a few small plates or saucers in the freezer as well. I like to use the cold plates when I want to see how well the candy will spread when I pour it, like english toffee and peanut brittle. They've never failed me. Some time the oldest is the best.

My son, brother and myself work game days at a local sports facility in town. We made an agreement that our checks from each game would go to an account to be used at christmas as a cash donation to St. Vincent d'Pauls to prepare holiday meals. I had found out that while they appreciate any and all food donation, they can actually purchase twice as much food with a cash donation and get more of what they actually need for a lot less than what you or I would have to pay for it to donate it. While we had started out not sure of how much there would be, over the past few years we've actually been giving SVP about $2200 - $2500 each year that we split between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So we have fun working at the games and events and they reap the rewards.

In Phoenix, the best Chinese in town could be found at Big Wongs II. Family owned for years, they retired and sold the store. Eating ther once a week for over 20 years, I was sad to see them close. Good for us, her sister has her own restaurant also known as Big Wongs jsut a bit across town.

You can also find a restaurant called Long Wongs but contrary to thought they aren't a Chinese restaurant but are known for thier pizza and hot wings. There are several of them around town and they make your wings as hot as you can stand them if their hottest is still to mild for you, my mouth was beyond numb and I hadn't hit the suicide level yet; my brother likes his wings really hot and spicy and this is the first place that was able to make 'hot' too hot for him. Worth the effort to find them as they are little hole in the wall places with little to no sit down. .

Ok, for all of those Southern Californiaites, you know what I mean when I say Tommies chili fries, extra cheese, with or with out onions. And if you aren't near a Tommies, of course there is always Dennies big egg breakfasts with eggs, bacon, sausage and the requisite pancakes. Does a body good. Personally, I think its all in the gease and the carbs. One to lubriicate and ease it out of the system; the other to absorb the alcohol before it does too much damage. However, since I am in Az and it's been years since I've been close to that state of craving, Thomas' english muffins toasted perfectly with home made apple butter butter works for me .

Several years ago I did a similar cut but was slicing pears for a pear tart for a Brunch at home; took off the entire side of the tip of my left index finger from just below the bottom of the nail and the side fo the finger next to it a good 1/2 inch simply gone and sitting on the counter. One good thing about really sharp knives, you don't know you've been cut until its over. My first thought was "Oh, s***" then my 2nd was I need a tetnus shot. As I am/was a paramedic in a previous life, I knew enough to clean it well and cover it but also knew that stiches were not an option. I went to the hospital I was working at and after lots of comments as to my knife versus scalpel skills, I had it cleaned again, rebandaged and a protective alumminum splint applied to protect the finger tip from being damaged again and slowing down the healing process. between the splint, latex gloves and rubber bands i managed to get though it all. Interestingly enough, while the nail grew back just fine, the side of the finger is still flat where the cut was from the tissue not growing back as it heals. keep it clean, dry and get your tetnus shot.

Growing up in a military household that traveled to a new location every 3-4 years, the best old staple regardless of where we were was grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbells tomato soup. More often than not it was Wonder bread, (builds strong bodies 12 ways), Kraft American (before they were individually wrapped) and Campbells soup made with milk (MMMMM Good). The sandwich was made with butter and squished til toasty in a skillet; cast iron or othewise, which ever one was handiest and a big pot of soup; at least 2-3 cans of it. When we were is Spain we discovered the wonderful spanish cheeses and being daring made sandwiches with them but you know. nothing compares to the good old classic While I may deviate from the comfort path of white bread and american cheese, I do occassionaly grab a loaf of artisian bread, some fontina and gruyere, butter it and toast it all up then sit back and wax poetically in the decadence of it all, smiling the entire time with the memory of it all. (But between you and me, my daughter still prefers white bread and american, you know how kids are.)

mix equal parts: nutmeg, cinnamon, alspice, cloves. Add chipotle powder to taste, sea salt, a grind or 2 of black pepper and a bit of paprika. mix together to taste preferences making adjustments as needed and generously place under the fat cap of a wonderful beef roast, rub the remainder on any exposed surfaces, tie tightly, wrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and place in a large enough to fit zip lock bag, removing as much air as possible. Marinate over night. remove foil and plastic wrap, roast to preference. also works well with a pork tenderloin.

I simmer them until they are tender, then grind them up for kitty food treats. I mix it with a tin of chicken kitty food and my cats think they've died and gone to heaven. I also pick the meat off the neck bones for them as well.. The water that I've simmered them in is drained and added to the drippings of the roasted chicken or frozen and used the next time I make stock. As for eating them myself, nope, don't have the acquired taste for them.

The biggest omission I have noticed here is the usage of coupons. They can be a godsend if you use them right. For example: if you have a coupons for $1 off an item, don't use it on the largest size of that item, instead, use it on the size that will result in that item being free after the coupon is deducted. Most stores will honor multiple coupons on an item if you buy an item for each coupon. so if you have 4 of them @$1 each and purchase 4 items for 89 cents, they will still deduct the $1 coupon at face value. This is especially great if that item with the coupon is also on sale or is on the stores special members card price. As pesky as they are, save those coupons that are less than 50 cents and use them at the marked that is doubling or tripling them; again on the smaller sizes. I do my large shopping about once a month and have yet to walk out with less than $75 in savings. I once paid $128 and change for 3 large shopping carts of groceries this included meat and veggies, all of which were either on sale or I had a coupon, mostly a combination of both. The guy behind me waited instead of moving to another line because he was curious as to what the final savigns was going to be. The amount saved between coupons, store membership discounts and instore coupons was more than what I actually paid. While it takes a bit of effort to clip and organize them and then getting into the habit of always using them not to mention knowing that there will be times that a great savings isn't possible, the savings that you do get adds up. Watch the weekly sale flyers and make your shopping trips around the store that has the majority of what you need on sale rather than wasting time, energy and gas running around town. However if there is a sale that is too good to pass up, by all means go for it.. Keep a journal of your savings for a 3 month span; coupons used, total before they are subtracted and then reevaluate it at the end of the 3 months and see if it's been worth your while. If you've been diligent in using them you'll see a decrease in your food bills and an increase in your pocket book. I had a girlfriend who paid the bill in full and saved the coupon savings in an account located in the store she shopped at for special occassion money. Not uncommon for her to have had several thousand dollars for christmas or special occassion shopping each year. hope this helps..

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Having lived in Sidi Silamane, Morocco when I was younger, the house keeper would always make something spectacular for dinner. I was old and curious enough to follow when she cooke, absorbing everything I could to memory. But when I got older and tried to replicate her dishes, they were just missing...something. I have since found out that 'something' was the perserved lemons that she would sneak in when I wasn't looking. A coworker gave me her recipe for Moroccan chicken and the preserved lemons to go in it. When she told me what they were and how to make them I went into over drive; it was the 'something' I was missing. Luckily for me my neighbor has a rather prolific meyer lemon tree and has graciously given me all that I could take; basically what he couldn't use. Needless to say, I now have jars of lemons preserved in addition to zested, juiced, baked, candied, dried, canned, frozen and yes marmalade as well as any other thing I could think of to do with them and still have a bushel remaining. Thank you for sharing your recipes, the semifreddo and wafers sound divine and will be a great additions to my favorites list. Again thank you..