DameEdna

Does giving up Boone's Farm apple wine count? I used to think that splitting a bottle with a girl down at the Day N Nite Laundromat was a fun date. Nowadays I don't think my wife would agree.

When I was in school, we would go to the Krispy Kreme store at about 3:00 A.M. A dozen glazed doughnuts, still hot. Part of the fun was being away from home, and not having anyone to tell me "no". Now doughnut gluttony is too easy. I walk past their store every day, without yearning for a dozen glazed.

Hillvalley did an amazing job bringing this all together. Someone did ask the frequent question ... "Does Don Rockwell really exist?" Yes, he was just here a few minutes ago. The usual response. Also, thanks for arranging for the beautiful day.

Bartender ... I'll have a Fancy Pants ... with the zipper down.

Rumor is, this was a drink for those days when you had a bad day a work ... one would take the edge off ...

Do I detect a wiff of "Cafe Milano"?

I'm already beyond my expert knowledge, but that has never stopped me before --- blanching corn before freezing it is meant stop enzymes in the corn from whittling away at the sugars (some biologist will correct me on this, I'm sure). These are the same factors that make wonder fresh corn not so good if it is forgotten and cooked a week later. Published formulas for preserving (including freezing) tend to risk over cooking, if that will increase the chances that the product can be pulled out of the freezer, even 10 months later, and look good, and taste OK. Corn-on-the-cob is an even more extreme example, since it needs to be in the boiling water long enough for the cob to be heated through, all so it can be brought out in February, and still look beautiful. If someone did a test and froze some corn without any boiling , and some done 3 minutes, and some done 6 minutes (and some done 9 minutes ...) I don't really know what the differences would be. I know this does not really answer the question ..., but it's the best I've got. (I know I should quit while I'm ahead, but ... (more muddying of waters) ... Most cooks are not like me, in that they don't cook something, plate it up, and hurry to dining room shouting "Eat this before it's ruined!" If I cook corn, and it is not consumed for another 10 minutes, residual heat continues cooking ... I knew shouldn't have started this ...

Basic easy formula: Blanch corn, placing 3 or 4 ears of corn in a large pot of boiling water for 6 minutes. Move blanched corn to a large amount of ice cold water for 6 minutes. Remove corn kernels from the cob with knife. Wrap small amounts of corn in plastic wrap, squeezing as much air out as possible. Put multiple packets in a larger freezer bag. Place in coldest part of freezer. (a more traditional method uses "freezer-safe" glass jars) I have seen numerous variations on these instructions from ag schools, etc. To do corn-on-the-cob, blanch until done (9, 10 or 11 minutes). Place in ice water an equal amount of time. Wrap and freeze.

A young woman asked me "Where is the vegetarian restaurant around here?" ... I couldn't think of anything right off ... Teaism? ... "No,no ... it's on Connecticut Ave." Showed me the address ... I'm not good at such things. She wandered off, looking for someone more knowledgeable. Two minutes later I thought "isn't that where Food for Thought used to be?" "Isn't that where Bistrot du Coin is now?" ... if I had thought of it, I could have told her "the menu has changed a little ...". I hope she had a good time.

I got a copy of Fine Preserving, by Catherine Plagemann, from the library. As near as I can tell, M.F.K. Fischer (sp?) found this book out of print, liked it, and decided to get it back in print, with her margin notes printed along side the text, in red. I would call those notes "marginalia", except that I always think of marginalia as being pencil scrawls beside text. Anyway, so far I find that the original author loved pectin, and M.F.K. Fischer is definitely anti-pectin. Will controversy never end?

We hear the entire staff of Ray's is being enrolled in the Uriah Heep School of Bookkeeping. Then they will go to work for the Federal Government. This will provide them with regular hours, a good pension plan, and low stress. You will still be able to interact with them, but only at 6:00 or 8:00 P.M .

Is there some store in DC or nearby that sells canning supplies? Sometimes I read "your local farming supply store will have ...". I have to go a good ways to find such an establishment. I have an assorted collection of empty jars, mostly traditional Ball type. Checked out Sur La Table on-line, and see that they start with an entirely different type of jars. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Footnote Department: I realize hotel eats are a different category. The Mayflower Hotel (built in 1925) served lunch to J. Edgar Hoover (hotel claims "every working day", but that is hard to believe) for twenty years. Menu for JEH (always the same): Chicken Soup Salad (iceburg lettuce, grapefruit, cottage cheese) (JEH provides own diet dressing) Buttered White Toast I have found menus for J. Edgar Hoover several times in my reading. Maybe I need to re-evaluate my choices in reading material. (I think the Mayflower Hotel will still dish up the JEH special if you would like to try it) --- Craig

Grill, wednesday, may 25 ... Got the pork shoulder (with green sauce) ... gray and rainy weather added dash of chaos, as patrons jammed into back dining room (employees dining room?). I opted for the terrace, whch was beautiful. A few rain drops, then just gray. Pork shoulder was excellent, much better than last time. Last time I was down here (about two weeks ago), someone brought ordering line to a halt: "can I have my sandwich cut in half?" "you want it cut in half?" "yes" "Chef, he wants it cut in half" "(sigh) no, we can"t" "I want to share it" "(another sigh) OK" (just this once look) No such incidents this time.