Ilaine

Tried an experiment. Bought two identical chuck roasts at Whole Foods. Made two identical pot roasts in two identical large Rival Smart Pots. Only variation, browned one roast in bacon fat. Cooked on high for six hours. Results almost identical, the meat was basically the same but the browned meat contributed a richer flavor to the broth. Conclusion, if one has the time, browning is better, but not necessary. Next time I will try cooking the aromatics, onions, celery and garlic, first, for the trial pot, and not, for the control pot. In other words, to sofrito or not to sofrito, that is the question.

Overall, I had a lovely experience. I have reservations for three for the second Don Rockwell farewell dinner at Dino, and anticipate another lovely experience, as well.

Let me preface this by saying that the first time I ate at Dino was a Don Rockwell get-together, which cost way more than $40, and was way more enjoyable. I think it was a mistake limiting the cost to $40, but probably that would have meant far fewer guests. I concur that we felt jammed in. At my first Don Rockwell dinner, there were far fewer guests and far more room at the table. Once the drinks started flowing, we relaxed into the space and felt more comfortable. I concur that it took too long for the drinks to start flowing. I, too, wish that the olives had appeared sooner. I, too, loved the big meatball, which was light and fluffy, and reminded me of a lion's head meatball, and did not love the small meatballs. I almost never order pork in restaurants because it is always too dry for me, unless it's something like a braised pork shoulder, or roast pork. I prefer mahi mahi, a delicate fish, prepared simply with butter or olive oil and garlic and herbs, but the red sauced mahi reminded me of similar dishes from Louisiana and i did not think it was dry for mahi mahi. I would have preferred that the winter squash in the risotto was cooked longer. I would have preferred risotto with mushrooms but it was not my choice and the risotto was very good. I loved the vegetables and the cheese and the olives and the wine, as I always have. Let me reiterate that I enjoyed myself very much, and that we loved our server. I think the grated parmesan should be served with a little serving spoon.

Had an extremely pleasant meal at Dino tonight. Highlights of the meal (for me) were the olives, the kohlrabi (and the other vegetables, which included winter squash and red onions) (I do like my vegetables), the meatball, the risotto, the cheese, and the Nessun Dorma Super Tuscan wine. The people sitting around me seemed most pleased by the mahi mahi, which was very nice, and the tiramisu. As always, the best part of the meal was the company. Thank you again, DanielK, for herding cats, and Dean for a great evening with friends. Also, we loved our server.

Daniel, just in case my posts on the Dino thread got missed, I would like to make a reservation for the 4th. Dean already has my credit care information when I reserved for the 9th. I am plus one on the 9th but can come solo on the 4th. Thank you for riding herd.

Happy Tart pie crust is very good. We had preordered apple and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, faultless. Wish we had preordered brioche, it looked amazing. But alas, it's a small store and everything was spoken for, but for a few things in the display case. I was able to snag the last slice of quiche, which I fell upon like a hungry wolf. Haven't had pie or quiche for a long time. This place is wonderful.

Finally confirmed +2 for 12/9. Please put me on wait list for 12/4. In an ideal world, +3, cannot do +2. Solo or +3 only. My husbands brother is visiting, he won't leave his brother at home alone, but I can go alone since I snagged +3 for the ninth.

Dean, tried again to call, this time at 9:30, voice mail again. Will try again Friday. Things should be calmer tomorrow.

Oh, I have probably ruined the brioche. Using Thomas Keller's recipe from his website for his Cup4Cup flour, but using Bob's Red Mill because we don't have Cup4Cup. Followed the recipe exactly and it was nice and silky and then realized that I had not put in xanthan gum, which Keller's has but Bob's does not. I looked at the package of xanthan gum and it said to add a teaspoon per cup of flour. Bad idea, it turned gummy and leaden. Threw in another egg and a quarter cup of butter and that loosened it a bit. Well, we have never been able to make good bread in this house, there's no warm spot. We have tried the top of the refrigerator, we have tried the laundry room with the drier going, we have tried a heating pad, and this time I have the bowl on a pedestal in front of a space heater. In the past two hours it's risen a little bit but not much. If it ever is ready, it won't be ready for dinner, and we eat late. Not to mention the fact that Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour includes garbanzo bean flour and fava bean flour. It smells like raw beans. I am hopeful that when I finally cook it, it will turn out OK. Whole Foods was out of King Arthur all purpose gluten free flour. But next time I am going to Williams Sonoma for a bag of Cup4Cup. I will edit to add how it came out. Edited to add, the brioche actually rose in time for dinner, thanks to bowl-in-front-of-space-heater-on-stand contraption. Cover with cloth. Rotate bowl every so often. Texture like corn bread. Tasted rather beany. Would not use this flour again. Nick is still picking feathers from the turkey. Edit: he gave up. I did it for a while and I gave up. We got all the ends we could get with pliars, tweezers, and fingernails. There is a ghastly number left. We are not eating turkey skin this year. Edit again: the bird was good but not $150 good.

Dean, tried to call but you were closed. We'll, duh it's 12:15. Will try again tomorrow. Happy Thanksgivukkah!

Ok, totally winging it here. Bought a beautiful bronze turkey, $9;99 a pound, and it's got freaking feather ends. I am grossly pissed. For 10 a pound, could they not defeather it properly? Be that as it may. Done is done, and can't be undone. Not enough time to do a real Judy bird. Rubbed it with salt, pepper and herbs. Not enough time to exude liquid and reabsorb it for a textbook dry brine, so it's in the fridge but not a bag. Just sitting with the rub, and herbs. nude, on a rimmed cooking sheet. I will arm twist the kids to pluck all feathers before roasting. Will it exude moisture but be unable to resorb it? I just don't know. Out on a limb here.

Hi Dean, for the 11th, please put me down +2. If the 4th clears up, put me down for that one, as well, +3, if possible, but +2 otherwise. And yes, we are committing to both days, if it works out. I would not miss it for the world.

Oh, dang! Dang, and dang, and dang, again! Dang that Dino is closing. Dang that I missed signing up for the dinner. We will just have to go another time. Several times. Soon.

I would be there, +1.

Pat, if you rub the turkey with salt, inside and out, that will keep it fresh much longer than otherwise. Might not have to brine, but not entirely sure. Rinse first, i don't care what they say, separate from bloody package at least. Remove giblets, too, those go bad fast. Just a clean naked bird, salted. Google Judy bird while you are at it.

Decided to throw caution to the winds and ordered a ($9.99 pound!!!) Bronze turkey from Lets Meat on the Avenue. As I understand it, this is a British heritage turkey, said to be the Queen's favorite, and one does not cook it like a supermarket turkey. I have been cooking US varities of heritage turkeys for several years, and not doing so well. They do cook much faster than your supermarket turkey, and I have been overcooking them, even burned one (the unburnt meat of which, by the way, was delicious!) The butcher advised me that there is no need to brine a Bronze because it is mature, and full of fat, which makes it juicy without brining, unlike the large but juvenile supermarket turkeys. I would appreciate pointers from experienced cookers of heritage turkeys. (As a footnote, let me observe again that most of the heritage birds I have cooked so far were raised by well-meaning amateurs who did not properly pull all the feathers. Let me never again find myself with a glass of wine in my left hand and a pair of tweezers in my right hand, pulling quills and cursing roundly for hours!) (Until I switched to needle-nose pliers.) (Until I broke down, sobbing.)

With the cooler weather, got the cooking urge this weekend, and cooked up a storm. The goal was cooking dishes that require minimal supervision, that will reheat well during the week, and may be be frozen for later. Beef stew; Moussaka; Red beans and rice; Chili; October beans and three greens soup. The kitchen smells heavenly, and I need to make some more stock soon. Why, oh why, did I wait so many years before taking the plunge into making my own stock? It's like liquid gold. One concept I researched heavily before finally giving up, andouille/tasso stock. I finally just threw the andouille and tasso (from LaPlace, Louisiana), directly into the red beans and the beans and greens soup. Maybe one doesn't make stock with them because the meat is so good, so why exhaust it making stock? One thing vexing me. While I was carefully selecting October beans at the Burke Farmer's Market Saturday, and turning up my nose at the dried-out looking boxes of shriveled-looking other beans next to me, a lady came by and bought both entire boxes of "other" beans, gleefully proclaiming that they were purple-hulled peas aka Crowder peas, and she was going to take them all home and enlist the grandchildren into helping her shell them. And the vendor poured both boxes into a trash bag and she marched out, triumphantly. I WANT some of those beans! They would be perfect in my soup!

Night owl, sounds awed Sounds awesome. Recipe, please?

Well, I got a refund for the $200.00 advanced for the site credited to my bank account, so that's good, at least.

Well, Pat, how did it go? Enquiring minds want to know . . . .

My step-mother, who is Chinese, cooked okra whole last weekend, sauteed in a cast iron pan in a litle bacon fat until the skin is a little crispy and then finished over low heat with the lid on. Very tasty and not slimey. I looked for okra at the Burke farmer's market but the vendors said that okra is done for the year here.

The past two or three years we have been getting grass-fed turkeys from well-meaning amateur poultry raisers. My conclusion, the meat tastes good but buy your turkeys from people who will pull out all the feathers!

I gotta be honest here. The reschedule votes far outweigh the much-appreciated alternative of convening at Catharine's abode. So, as organizer, I officially declare that the official Fall, 2013, Don Rockwell picnic has been shutdown, and furloughed until further notice. In the interest of freedom of eats, if a renegade band of freedom fighters wants to have a non-official potluck, ya'll party on. Maybe I will join you, but NOT with roast suckling pig.

Well, now they are saying that the drop-dead date for the debt ceiling is Halloween. Can I have a show of hands? If you have already voted, do you want to change your vote? If not, I will go with the votes we already have. So far, reschedule, if possible, is winning.

Well, I do not mean to shut it out. If people are passionate and willing to accept Catharine's generous offer, the show will go on! We are the few, the proud, the Rockweilers!