Small Talk: Don't Tell Jeffrey!

[Bastet]

Even if my motion sickness wasn't at its worst on the water, cruises would not be my thing for a variety of reasons - especially cruises like this where you're at sea the whole time - but even though almost nothing described sounded appealing to me (I might have liked - in an odd way - passing by Titanic's final resting place, but that's about it), that was a nicely evocative account of sailing on the Queen Mary 2.  A fun read!

[chessiegal]

When I checked my email yesterday morning, there was one from my friend who took the GM2 back from England last November, telling me about the article. I immediately pulled the travel section from the paper and read it. Yes - fun read. And the writer took the same May crossing we will be taking. Pretty cool there is no "noon" on the ship, as they change 1 hour per day. We're really looking forward to it, as well as the rest of the trip. We've already decided to spend more time in Normandy, as there is more to see than the D-Day beaches.

Edited September 13, 2015 by chessiegal

[Lura]

When the QMII made its (her?) maiden voyage around the world, it stopped in San Francisco.  That is one enormous ship!  There was a huge picture filling up the entire front page of the San Francisco Chronicle, capturing the ship as it crossed exactly in the middle under the Golden Gate Bridge.  It made the bridge look small!  Chessiegal, we've been talking about taking the same cruise you're taking ever since we saw the ship, and we're talking seriously about doing it next year.  I've been so excited for you ever since you wrote about your plans.  I hope you'll tell us every detail!  I hope you have a wonderful time, and now is one of the most thrilling times, I've always thought -- the planning!  Please keep us posted.

[chessiegal]

We are doing a happy dance at the Chessie household tonight as the forecast of hurricane Joaquin to move further east and not come up the Chesapeake Bay as it was 2 days ago means we do not have to spend tomorrow at the marina getting our sailboat ready for a big blow. Our marina is a great hurricane hole - we survived Isabelle unscathed, but this is all excellent news. Even the nor'easter set to hit tomorrow has been downgraded in impact. Fairwinds to all my BC friends.

[vera charles]

That is great news, chessiegal. Thank goodness all the predictions of a huge storm were wrong. We've had some rain but nothing we couldn't handle.

[larapu2000]

The only good thing about storms is the cozy food it inspires! I just had some pozole at dinner and it was fantastic, thinking I should try it at home. Anyone have a good recipe suggestion?

[Motor City]

Anna Pump, a chef and a cookbook writer whose national reputation for deceptively simple gourmet fare emanated from her place of business, the Loaves & Fishes Food store, a humble-looking fixture of high-end living in the Hamptons on Long Island, died on Monday after she was hit by a pickup truck in Bridgehampton, N.Y. She was 81.
For a time, she cooked for the Barefoot Contessa store in Westhampton Beach, the specialty foods business that propelled its owner, Ina Garten, to television fame on the Food Network.
“She was a great home cook,” Ms. Garten said in a phone interview on Friday, describing Ms. Pump as a tireless worker and generous advice giver, with wide-ranging kitchen instincts and expertise.
Ms. Garten added: “Her food was very earthy but served with unbelievable style; she understood the simple elegant country style. From growing up on a farm she knew the importance of quality, fresh ingredients — people here caught up to her — and she always knew the ingredient that would unlock a flavor.”

From http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/nyregion/anna-pump-chef-and-founder-of-loaves-fishes-dies-at-81.html?_r=0

[LilaFowler]

Here's an update on Anna Pump:

 

Luis Ortega, the driver involved in the accident that killed Loaves & Fishes founder Anna Pump last week, has been hospitalized for emotional distress since the incident—and told police he never saw Ms. Pump in the crosswalk before his truck struck her.

Mr. Ortega, 40, of Water Mill had struck her in the crosswalk in front of the Bridgehampton Post Office on Montauk Highway at about 7:30 p.m. But Southampton Town Police Chief Robert Pearce told the Southampton Town Board at its meeting on Tuesday that the man simply did not see Ms. Pump.

Records show that, on that evening, sunset took place at 6:25 p.m., meaning it was completely dark by the time the accident took place.

“He claims he never saw the lady crossing the street,” Chief Pearce said. “It, right now, is being treated as an accident. Speed was not a factor.”

Mr. Ortega had been arrested and charged with circumvention of an interlock device, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Detective Sergeant Lisa Costa of Town Police said Mr. Ortega was charged because he was driving a vehicle that was not equipped with an interlock device, which, due to a prior DWI conviction, he is required to have when driving. An interlock device is essentially a breathalyzer installed on a motor vehicle’s dashboard, requiring a breath test before the vehicle can be driven.

Police had determined that Mr. Ortega was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident, as he remained at the scene and cooperated during the ensuing investigation. He is set to be arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court on Wednesday, November 4.

Mr. Ortega’s attorney, Anthony Rutowski of Astarita & Associate P.C., said that Mr. Ortega was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation shortly after the accident and has since been transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport to be treated for suicide prevention and anxiety as a result of the event.

“Luis is this little, very unassuming and quiet man who is very genuinely distraught about Ms. Pump. He’s not doing this for self-preservation, as it does not appear that there will be any other changes other than the traffic violations at this time,” Mr. Rutowski said. “Mr. Ortega’s family and friends wish to express their deepest sympathies to Ms. Pump’s family.”

Mr. Rutowski said he was unable to confirm Mr. Ortega’s immigrant status, but noted that he previously held a valid New York State driver’s license, which the Department of Motor Vehicles would not issue unless a motorist had legal residency.

He said Mr. Ortega had a DWI in 2012, for which he was convicted in 2013. His license was still suspended because he had not finished paying the court fees, fines and surcharges. The requirement that he have an interlock device was put in place on January 2, 2013, for one year—so the requirement actually would have expired in January 2014 if all the fines and costs had been paid.

“As this community is aware, that area on [Route] 27 is a dangerous spot, especially at night, and it appeared that the ‘yield to pedestrian traffic’ sign was not in the crosswalk where it belonged, but, rather, it was lying in the grass on the side of the road,” Mr. Rutowski said. “Unfortunately, this was an extremely tragic accident, and the Southampton Town Police Department and District Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate the matter and decide whether or not additional charges are appropriate.”

[chessiegal]

I'm going to my club's Fun Lunch on Thursday, and the hostess has requested only finger foods. I'm going to make a Martha Stewart sausage cheese ball that she says to serve warm. Any suggestions on how to keep them warm for the 20 minute trip to the hostess's home?

[chessiegal]

Thanks! Since this is my "Fun Lunch" group, all they do is eat (and drink wine, these ladies are fond of their wine).

 

ETA: I went to B-cubed and settled on this. It has a pack you can heat up and an insulated carrier.

 

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/anchor-4-piece-bakeware-set/1011224105?skuId=11224105&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_bakeware_&adpos=1o1&creative=43742625349&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjwqZKxBRDBkNmLt9DejNgBEiQAq8XWPsyU3qcW4OqBPmmaJsH5UMh7NsGeJjAmAT4CAY2NUHQaAid38P8HAQ

 

I used  $5 off coupon so I got it for $14.99.

Edited October 19, 2015 by chessiegal

[Gam2]

I hope this is the right forum to post this on. I think Ina and Jeffrey are really cute together. They've been married a long time and obviously enjoy and love each other. To my mind, it doesn't matter how old Ina was or why she married him at a young age. The important thing is that they've made a success of their marriage. How many marriages do we all know of that have lasted as long as theirs? So I say, "Congratulations to you, Ina and Jeffrey. Many more years of happiness and chicken on Friday nights!" 

[Lura]

I am just really sickened and sad to read about the death of Anna Pump.  I've told the story here before about the time she sold me her own copy of the "Loaves and Fishes" cookbook, an amazing (to me) experience.  Anna was unpresuming, sweet and so kind-hearted.  She will be missed.

[Lura]

I saw a repeat recently of Ina's show with Giada.  Today I happened to come across this story online.  It looks like Giada has not been wasting her time!

 

http://pagesix.com/2015/11/11/giadas-new-boyfriend-is-technically-still-married/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_774438

[chessiegal]

I thought of this thread today as my Whole Foods has Rao's marinara sauce on sale this week - $4 off. I bought one just in case.

[larapu2000]

What's everyone whipping up for the big day?  We're doing turkey, stuffing (we do cornbread/white bread with celery, onions, & sausage), mashed potatoes, and an as yet to be determined vegetable or salad (I haven't decided yet-Bobby's salad on Ina's special looked good, though).  I'm also making petite desserts this year-pumpkin pies, pecan pies,and apple tarts.  My aunt brings rolls (which I don't like and wish she would just me make the bread), green bean casserole (vomit).  My grandma brings sweet potato casserole (with brown sugar and pecans, no marshmallows), and mini cheesecakes.  

 

Any suggestions for a veg (we like something light-ER, so creamed spinach, etc, would not be an option).

 

Also, I'm not making this for Thanksgiving, but I made a persimmon pudding a few weeks ago, and that was DELICIOUS.  I've had persimmon once before as a dessert over 5 years ago, but I was unaware of how fantastic it is!

[Bastet]

We do a pretty simple Thanksgiving dinner, because we're in a motorhome and we've been snacking all day -- we have our Bloody Marys, then skip breakfast and go right to putting out snacks.  We brine a turkey breast (deboned and rolled, with the skin) and cook that on the charcoal grill, basting with butter.  I make gravy in advance and bring it down with me; I roast some turkey wings to get drippings, and add turkey backs to make stock.  We have cornbread dressing that I wouldn't eat with someone else's mouth (my mom isn't fond of it, either, but it's my dad's family tradition so he gets his dressing at Thanksgiving and my mom gets hers - which I don't like, either - at Christmas), the usual mixed greens salad, and then whatever vegetable I'm in the mood to make.  I think roasted Brussels sprouts this year, with bacon and balsamic as my mom doesn't like them plain.  No cranberry sauce, as I'm the only one who likes it, and I don't want to make it just for me.  (On the years my best friend joins us for dinner, I do make it.)  I am not much of a bread person, and am especially not a dinner roll person, but for some reason on Thanksgiving I must have wheat brown and serve rolls.  My mom bakes a pumpkin pie for dessert, but I don't like pumpkin (smells good, but I don't like the taste).

 

It's supposed to be cold this year (well, 60, but since it's usually 75-85, that's cold, especially since it's also supposed to be partly cloudy), so I may spend more time indoors than usual.  Oh well -- more football!

Edited November 24, 2015 by Bastet

[chessiegal]

I make reservations for Thanksgiving. It's just the 2 of us. We pick a waterfront restaurant - this year one that has a 4 course fixed price menu, with several options for each course. We've eaten there once before and the food was excellent. I think I'll not pick the traditional turkey, so that leaves me with a choice of prime rib, rockfish, crab cakes, or braised ribs. I'll probably go with the crab, even though I've had crab cakes 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I love crab cakes.

 

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

[Bastet]

It sounds like the kind of restaurant that would do crab cakes up right, so I'd definitely pick the crab cakes if I was going.  Good crab cakes are so good (and crab-flavored breadcrumb cakes are so bad).

[3pwood]

If anyone wants to try a new cranberry sauce, this recipe on Amy Thielen's website sounds excellent. 

[biakbiak]

We have a fairly traditional Thanksgiving, apps of crab stuffed mushrooms and whatever my uncle decides to make with his home smoked salmon and trout; herb roasted turkey, two different dressings one oyster and one not (usually we have three but no vegetarians this year), a straight forward cranberry sauce and one experimental one (my dad once made the mistake of not making a regular cranberry sauce and two decades later my grandmother still mentions the time my he ruined Thanksgiving with an Indian spiced cranberry compote), horseradish mashed potatoes, Ina's spinach gratin, roasted Brussels sprouts, a riff on green bean casserole with wild mushrooms and crispy shallots, and my aunts amazing rolls. Because that isn't enough coconut cream pie, bourbon pumpkin cheesecake and pecan pie for dessert. My family doesn't do things lightly.

[3pwood]

stewedsquash, what is "coconut pie (not cream)"?

[maggiemae]

I'm not a fan of the green bean casserole either - I think because of the canned mushroom soup and the canned gb's. But one year I was put in charge of them and made Alton's best green bean casserole ever! And it was....homemade white sauce, fresh green beans, mushrooms......I didn't do the onions though because reviewers had a problem with them so I bought a can of them - at Trader Joes. Excellent recipe!

[biakbiak]

I'm not a fan of the green bean casserole either - I think because of the canned mushroom soup and the canned gb's. But one year I was put in charge of them and made Alton's best green bean casserole ever! And it was....homemade white sauce, fresh green beans, mushrooms......I didn't do the onions though because reviewers had a problem with them so I bought a can of them - at Trader Joes. Excellent recipe!

I agree. The one I make is a combo of his and Cooks illustrated skillet green bean green casserole with wild mushrooms. I like it because it's a little lighter and my family likes our green beans a little less cooked add in the fact it doesn't take up space in the oven and its ideal.

[Bastet]

A friend of mine from England has lived here nearly 50 years now, but she somehow managed to avoid the green bean casserole with the canned soup and canned fried onions until about ten years ago when she had it at Thanksgiving hosted by the parents of her daughter-in-law at the time.  She still talks about how revolting it is; we'll bring it up just to watch her shudder.  I also find it gross, but I've also seen far worse, so her horror cracks me up and makes me think the in-laws made a really bad version.

[chessiegal]

I can't tell you how much that website brought back memories of Pennsylvania Dutch Country when I went to the home page and splashed at the top is a pretty picture of red beet eggs! I love her show but don't recall if she has done them there. I remember my fancy aunts [great aunts actually] who were terrific cooks, making red beet eggs for the first time. They made such a mess! But they are one of my favorite things in the world. Heading back over there now to see what she has put on top of the slices.

I was born in central PA, and every Thanksgiving when I was a child, we went back there for Thanksgiving dinner with my grandparents and aunt and uncle and cousins. Dinner was served after Grandpa and my uncle came back from deer hunting (my Dad didn't hunt, had enough of shooting in WWII). My aunt was raised Mennonite, and boy howdy could she cook and bake. No recipes, no measuring cups, even for baking - she just used the cup of her hand. For Thanksgiving she made a turkey, ham, at least 8 sides, with several pies and cakes for dessert. But one of my favorite "sides" was what we called pickled eggs - hard boiled eggs that had been soaked in beet juice and vinegar. My aunt always made sure that dish was next to my place at the table because she knew it was my favorite. I have to say moving to south Anne Arundel County MD I'm delighted to find these PA foods here -  scrapple on local breakfast menus, even available in the grocery store, but it is such a high fat calorie food I only eat it a few times a year. I've started making my own pickled eggs - can of sliced beets, vinegar, and some water, add hard boiled eggs. Love them!

[maggiemae]

I've never heard of the beet eggs.....but it reminds me of a recipe my mother had as a child (she was born in '21)....long before fresh produce was available year around. Let alone frozen. It had hard boiled eggs, black olives, canned diced beets and green onions/mayo. Actually it was good although I only had it once. A similar one was cheddar cheese, carrots, green onions/mayo. LOL

[jcbrown]

This will be the first Thanksgiving in 22 years that is just the two of us but all our usual guests are either traveling or not traveling. Nonetheless, I am making pimento cheese coins, turkey breast, cornbread dressing, homemade rolls, crispy mashed potato casserole, mulled wine cranberry sauce, creamed corn, and tiramisu.

 

Thank you, 3pwood, for mentioning Amy Thielen's website! I loved her show and don't know why I never looked for a website.

Edited November 25, 2015 by jcbrown

[biakbiak]

I often make pickled beet deviled eggs for Easter, they always look pretty and festive on the table.

[MargeGunderson]

Everyone's dinners sound great! I spatchcocked a turkey and made stuffing, homemade green bean casserole (Smitten Kitchen version), cider and bourbon glazed shallots, yeast rolls, dried cherry and bourbon cranberry sauce, and for dessert a pecan and brown sugar streusel topped pumpkin pie with bourbon mascarpone whipped cream.

Now that I've written it down, I see that my theme is apparently "bourbon!"

Edited November 26, 2015 by MargeGunderson

[3pwood]

Thanks, stewedsquash. I've never tried chess pie, but always thought it sounded good -- adding coconut could only make it better, in my view.  

[maggiemae]

I'm so lucky.....At 68 and living alone I hate to cook....but when I do it usually a BC recipe.

This year I am going with my sister to our "other" sister of over 40 plus years. We have been through divorces, deaths, traveled to exotic places etc So much in common history for decades. Lots of fun. She is doing the apps, turkey, gravy....and us the sides. Well, my sister....I just bought them. So happy camper with an empty to-go container for leftovers.

Let's all be thankful for those guests that appreciate the dinner and contribute in small ways along with the more special reasons for T-Day.

[vera charles]

Everyone's menus sound so delicious! We spent the day with my husband's mother and her two sisters - all in their 80's - and they did all of the cooking. One of them bought a turkey fryer, so they made a fried turkey, two kinds of stuffing (oyster and not-oyster), mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes with apples and pineapple, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn pudding, homemade dinner rolls, pecan pie and strawberry trifle. I brought a sweet potato pie, which was a big hit. It was the famous Patti LaBelle pie that's been on the news and in the papers. It was definitely worth the trouble, it was delicious.

[sunsheyen]

I went very minimalist...Cajun spiced fried turkey, oyster/crab/sausage dressing, green beans ( slow cooked in a vinaigrette), Mac and cheese, yeast rolls, cardamom cranberry sauce and Ina's rice pudding. My brother smoked and pulled a Boston Butt and made a sauce. We went easy, but now I think everyone expects Christmas to be an over the top affair.

[annzeepark914]

Well...whatever!  I'm wishing all BC fans a lovely Christmas and a belated Happy Hannakkah.  May 2016 be a wonderful, healthy and happy year for all of us.

[Lura]

RECALL OF CHICKEN PARTS -- WEGMANS

 

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/01/06/wegmans-is-recalling-about-1-100-pounds-of-chicken-products/21292841/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D214722394

Edited January 7, 2016 by Lura

[larapu2000]

I made whoopie pies for the first time on NYE.  I used Nutella for the filling, but wondering if anyone else here made them and what filling you used?  I'm not a fan of marshmallow, so I wanted to avoid that.  The Nutella was okay, but it had a peanut butter-stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth effect.  I think if I played with it and maybe made a fluffy frosting using Nutella, it might be better.

 

Any ideas?

[Suzes]

My sister and I made chocolate, banana and pumpkin whoopie pies and made a marshmallow cream cheese frosting filling. It's made with Fluff, but not as sweet - I think the cream cheese helps offset the sicky sweetness. They were really good!

[larapu2000]

That sounds perfect!  I don't mind using marshmallow fluff, as long as it doesn't really taste like marshmallow, as weird as that sounds.

 

Do you have a favorite recipe you use or would I find a decent recipe googling?  Those banana whoopie pies sound amazing, too, what a great idea.

[Lura]

I have never tasted a whoopee pie.  Thanks to the FN, I know what they are, but I've never had one.  I've lived in Ohio, Massachusetts and California, but somehow, I've never seen them at stores or bakeries or had friends who made them.  They're supposedly a big deal in Maine, where I've visited hundreds of times but never seen a whoopee pie.

[chessiegal]

I was born in central PA and grew up 30 miles east of Philadelphia. I've known whoopie pies all my life. They are an Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch staple. I think they are still commercially manufactured, as I've seen them in the grocery store.

[autumnh]

I lived in Lansdale and Allentown for years...the Allentown Farmers Market has amazing whoopie pies! but now living in the Great Lakes....Shipshewana, Indiana has probably the best Whoopie Pies i've ever had...

[larapu2000]

I see that Chessiegal is headed to Paris this spring.  I'm actually going to visit my sister in London in early May and we're taking the Eurostar to Paris for a day trip.  Has anyone here done an "eat the street" thing?  Where you find a great street and then literally eat your way down it?  LOL, I realize it sounds ridiculously gluttonous, but what the hey.  I'd love to have Poillane in the mix if possible, or that fantastic cheese shop in the Ina special that just aired.  Any street suggestions?  We're also not opposed to gathering up some good stuff and having a Jeffrey & Ina style picnic with a great view of Paris. 

 

Would love any suggestions-but remember, we're only there a day!  (And yes, i know, I need to actually visit Paris and the rest of France properly, I'm dying, DYING to visit Lyon).

[tvchick]

larapu, I haven't been in Paris for a long time but I would go to two women who have great Paris knowledge:  Patricia Wells and Dorie Greenspan.

 

I read that Wells has an app for her "Food Lover's Guide to Paris" that allows you to search by neighborhoods:

 

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-take-patricia-wells-to-paris-with-you-with-the-food-lovers-guide-to-paris-app-20130514-story.html

 

Edited to add:  I found this WaPo article about Wells and the paper's food editor, exploring Paris:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/paris-with-patricia-wells-eating-up-the-city-with-the-food-lovers-guide-author/2014/03/13/d5c24b92-a946-11e3-b61e-8051b8b52d06_story.html

 

Also, Dorie Greenspan does a chat on Wednesdays at the Washington Post website.  The subject is baking but it might be worth registering at the Post to ask your question there.

 

I wish that I had a Paris trip planned!

Edited February 21, 2016 by tvchick

[maggiemae]

I would do the picnic idea with more time for soaking up the atmosphere at the river and for shopping......and take with you on the Eurostar!

[3pwood]

From the Barefoot Contessa website today:

 

COOKING FOR JEFFREY!

I'm so excited about my new cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey, which is coming out on October 25. It's filled with the recipes I make for Jeffrey at home, and lots of fun stories from our life together. The book is available for preorder wherever books are sold!

 

[chessiegal]

Wohoo - just in time for my birthday. :)

[annzeepark914]

There's a review of Jeffrey's latest book in today's NYT: From Silk To Silicon: The Story of Globalization Through Ten Extraordinary Lives.  Hah!  Something to peruse while munching on Ina's blueberry scones ;>)

[buttersister]

Would love any suggestions-but remember, we're only there a day!

lauapu2000, Patricia Wells is great---as is David Lebovitz http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/. He also has delicious suggestions and an app. For me, eating the street means a trip down Rue Cler (7th) where you can grab bread, cheese, fruit wine and more, then take it all to picnic by the nearby Eiffel Tower. Or the same shopping trip on the market street Rue Mouffetard and a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens (1/2 a mile away). Bon appetit.

Edited April 13, 2016 by buttersister

[Spunkygal]

Chessiegal, tell us how your trip preparations are going! Don't you set sail soon? Please take lots of foodie pictures for is!

[chessiegal]

The QM2 sets sail May 17th at 5 pm. We're taking Amtrak to NYC on the 16th in case Amtrak decides to hit something. There are going to be 4 formal nights, so my husband has decided to take his tux and mail it home when we get to London. I bought a black cocktail dress and a deep blue evening gown. It's going to be like going to the prom 4 times, lol.