Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I'm shocked and surprised that the Bazzini folks perpetrated something like this. Their roasted nut products are an industry standard for quality. Perhaps this awful marketing ploy was the brainchild of an advertising agency.

Does one really need a recipe for egg salad? Is it just me that wonders this?

St. Patrick's day, like New Year's Eve and Fat Tuesday, is an "Amateur Nite" for drinkers. The quest for "green" drinks sends shivers down my spine and makes me "green" in the gills.

I love this site but this drink suggestion is a horrendous waste of 1/2 ounce of perfectly good Chartreuse, which, by the way, despite pouring the Irish/vermouth mixture over the back of a spoon into the center of the glass quickly dissolved into said mixture. All combined into a decidedly un-appealing brown mixture.

Shanghai wonton are, essentially, ravioli. They're fine for making homemade ravioli for folks who've not invested in a pasta roller.

However, it's easy and rewarding to make pasta dough in the food processor and then knead it a bit, and roll it out using a pasta machine (hand-cranked, of course). Sure, it takes a bit of practice to get the dough to the correct consistency, but from there on in it's very fast and very, very rewarding.

Thank you, @pearl, for reiterating what I said above. But for those who, in earnest, listed their favorites, I'll chime in.

"Asian Fusion Pizza"

Order Scallion Pancakes from the Chinese restaurant (preferably not cut into triangles, if you can get 'em whole).

Spread each scallion pancake liberally with cream cheese. Top with a layer of thin slices of smoked salmon. Cut into thin wedges. Put a dollop of inexpensive caviar (buy "Roland" jarred black caviar in the supermarket - or splurge and buy something better at the gourmet store) on each triangle and serve.

A lot of good stuff said here. The parents and in-laws above who ask for bites or force bites are smashing through personal boundaries, plain and simple. I, for one, will not tolerate it.

It is with great glee that I order oysters or steak tartare when dining with my mother, a notorious "taster," because she just can't stand either!

On the other hand, my wife and I treat a very close friend to lunch once a week -- we try a different fine restaurant in NYC each week and intentionally over-order. We share freely and share the doggie bags that inevitably result. That's what being a foodie is all about.

@Bananamonkey:

I stand corrected. I've made stock with chicken backs but have thrown them out. Next time I'll "harvest" those 'oysters' and cream them with some peas and pearl onions!

Thanks for pointing out the info you did.

I'm a peeler, myself; but I'll admit that it does take some effort.

Re: cooking: I have an old Revere Ware coffee pot that goes on the stove; it's perfect for cooking a large bunch of asparagus. Half-fill it with lightly salted water and place the stalks in bottom-first (of course). This way the stems are boiled and the tips, steamed. Perfect! - Any tall yet skinny vessel with a tight cover would do.

A few posters mentioned sugar. The sugar in the dates is fructose, which is metabolized slowly, as opposed to sucrose (processed sugar) which is processed far more quickly (and can cause the sugar rush and quick crash). I could think of a thousand things worse to eat for breakfast!

Health-Food pioneer Adelle Davis included a slow-cooking method for roasts in her book "Let's Cook It Right." Basically, you cook a roast at 300 degrees for five minutes per pound (to kill bacteria on the outside of the meat), then dial the oven down to the temperature you want the meat to be when done. Cook for hours. The meat comes out tender and juicy. Tender because the inside hasn't been exposed to temperatures above 200 degrees fahrenheit (the temperature at which proteins become tough). This is similar to what's achieved in sous-vide cooking, but is doable in the home kitchen.

I'm with the "halve and scoop seeds then wrap" school of opening melons.

Honeydew is the melon for wrapping with prosciutto. However, they're more disappointing than under-ripe cantaloupes when the flesh becomes mushy/mealy. I'd love to know how to choose a good honeydew!

Nobody's yet mentioned cottage cheese with horseradish and dill, used as a relish. I first had this at The Dog Team Inn in Middlebury, Vermont. They use a *lot* of horseradish. I use 2 Tbs. to a tub of cottage cheese (pref. large curd). Plenty of fresh dill. Freshly ground pepper, and a little salt.