Happy Memorial Day!
May 25, 2007 | From the kitchen of Rose
we're in hope already and it feels like summer at over 85 degrees.
bought the herbs and impatience and am now too lazy to plant them.
saw a black bear which crossed the road right in front of our car. wonder if i'll have the courage to go for my usual back road walks....
menu for the weekend: roast duck (defatted and hanging in the basement) with cherry madeira sauce (i promised to post as soon as perfected), last week's rhubarb--so good with duck and with cherries and sat. night baby back ribs.
the only problem with sweet/sour sauces and duck is that they turn burgundy to a nasty flavor so i'm always torn between the sauce and the wine.
by the way, i'm strongly considering if my next book should be savory recipes instead of another baking book (of course a few breads and cakes will creep in). i'm taking a vote so do let me know your preference!(of course rose's heavenly cakes will be the next book but i'm already cooking up the one after!)
and have a great and delicious holiday weekend.








Shimi
11/16/2008 12:02 AM
Rose, you have made me so happy with news of the cupcake section for your upcoming book! But to have to wait a whole year for it... :(
BTW I have to tell you that I made your chocolate chiffon cake earlier today and it was so delicious that half of it was consumed by 3 people in about 15 mins! We just couldn't stop eating it.
Chiffon cakes were all the rage here in the 70's & 80's but I always found the ones from the bakeries rather rubbery in texture, so was leery of making one myself. It was my first time ever baking a chiffon and I'm really really pleased with the result. Thank you so much!
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Patrincia
11/09/2008 10:37 PM
Rose, each new nugget of information you give us about the new book makes me that much more eager to get it. A section on cupcakes is a WONDERFUL idea!!! Can't wait!
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hector
11/08/2008 11:10 AM
much needed and apreciated for Rose to apply on petite cakes, cupcakes, and the small. I hope Rose's Heavenly Cakes becomes the textbook standard on how to bake these, as Cake Bible is for the big ones.
I have NOT been able to make any perfect cupcakes from any of Cake Bible cakes, the texture, crumb, and crusts are just off. So I have been making cutouts of regular cakes instead, like for my Rose Ring, and for my humble Rose World Cake!
Mousseline buttercream is my prefered frosting for cupcakes because it is lighter (lack of yolks), and since often you need a higher proportion of frosting on a cupcake then been not so sweet and fatty helps. All the fruit, chocolate, coffee variations are a good compliment.
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Julie
11/08/2008 10:11 AM
Rose,
I feel as though a genie has just granted my wish! I'm ecstatic and looking forward more than ever to the new book.
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Rose
11/08/2008 10:02 AM
oh julie! you will be so happy (as am i to be able to respond with a yes!) to know that there is a whole chapter addressing everything you requested!!!
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Julie
11/08/2008 08:40 AM
Rose,
I realize that your next book may be well past the topic planning stage by now, but I'll admit to harboring wild hopes that some of your expertise could be applied to the world of small cakes.
There are so many threads over on the forum about trying to achieve the perfect cupcake, and yet none of us seems to be really expert or definitive about it. There are so many sub-categories of small cakes that would be great to get your take on- butter cake cupcakes, chiffon cupcakes, petit fours, financiers, madelines.
For instance, two problems that I'd love help on would be how to achieve a perfectly-shaped top (especially with chiffon), and how to formulate a frosting that isn't too rich for the large bites one sometimes gets from the swirl on top of a cupcake.
Warm regards,
Julie
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Hector
11/21/2007 01:48 PM
Let me continue my progress on Thanksgiving Thursday a la Rose's Celebrations under this blog topic. I hope you enjoy and in fact will need help finishing the 20 lb turkey!
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/11/great_tip_for_your_thanksgivin.html
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Rose
10/30/2007 08:14 PM
hector YOU are priceless!
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Patrincia
10/22/2007 07:32 AM
haha
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Hector
10/22/2007 01:04 AM
But of course Patrincia!
Here is an update
October 20th. Chinatown bounty. Reconnecting with my blood, I took a day stroll in Chinatown. What a treasure! Chinatown is at its best ever, not just China men but World men shop in China town! Today's goal was to find a source of fresh chestnuts which season has just started. I picked 2.5 lbs of fresh ones, plus a few packages of vacuum ones. Love the fresh chestnuts clean taste and smell and heavenly golden color and texture. However, it is not fun to boil and peel unless you plan to have a finger thumbnail transplant. Chestnuts made it home with a treat full of shrimp dumplings, roasted pork, and si-ka squash.
This October 20th went by with a nice intermission at 5:30 pm, when friend Kathy snatched THE YELLOW KITCHEN's soul to attend the lovely benefit play for the Hawaii Arts Foundation, not first having dinner at this new artsy restaurant a block from the theater, called EPIC which photos are from google where controversial reviews can be found about the restaurant's -amazing- grand opening-s. It is good to get reminded that the world outside is nice!
October 20th, evening. The stuffing mix began. Boiling in milk and crumbling chestnuts, tossing 198 gr of bread cubes, 115 gr of corn bread mix, 228 gr of walnuts, black pepper, and a hint of paprika flakes. Corn bread mix derived from The Bread Bible. The fun and unfair part during this process was to taste the stuffing mix after the incorporation of each ingredient. Fun because of the amazing multidimensional taste, and unfair because it can't be eaten until Thanksgiving Thursday! It tasted and looked better than this vacuum packed picture!
October 20th, undisclosed time. Lining the Perfect Flaky Cream Cheese Tart Crust. Here is a little credit card silly commercial: La Cuisine French pin $15.00 (pictured front), closeout store French pin $3.99 (pictured second), another closeout store bargain $3.99 (pictured last), Perfect Flaky Cream Cheese Tart Crust . . . priceless.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/thanksgiving/2007-10-20.html
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Patrincia
10/19/2007 06:01 PM
Hector - I want to eat with you!!!
PS - there is a saying in my family... "Pasta waits for no one!"
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Hector
10/19/2007 04:10 PM
updated October 19th.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/thanksgiving/2007-10-19.html
October 18th dinner. You need to know that I've had the most wonderful and simple pasta with tomato sauce. Too fast to picture. Simmer for 1 hour 2 cups of product-of-Italy plain tomato sauce with 1 cup of caramelized onions, some salt, and one cube of reconstituted Glace de Volaille. While still simmering hot, toss the sauce on just-drained-still-super-hot boiled pasta. Have all your utensils laid out and ready, because you need to believe that handling the pasta as hot and quick as possible with the sauce as hot as possible, is a always must! . . . Glace de Volaille is just the magic stick!
October 19th. Playing with Lyle's. Mixing yolks, lyle's golden syrup, Maui brown turbinado raw sugar (notice the undissolved sprinkles), butter, cream, salt, and vanilla; for the filling of Low-Profile Pecan Pie. Lyle's is such heavenly syrup, not so sweet, but full of butterscotch taste. No problem washing prep utensils since most was licked clean. Again -10oF vacuum sealed.
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Hector
10/19/2007 02:30 PM
Does anyone knows if you can make lox (salted salmon) with fresh Ahi (red tuna) or fresh Mahi (dorado). Thanks!
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Hector
10/18/2007 07:06 PM
May I post this thread under this savory topic: Thanksgiving Thursday with Rose's Celebrations, exactly!
Already doing ingredient hunting and research. Since I will be out of the country from 11/1 to 11/17, everything possible will be done ahead: pre-measuring dry ingredients, freezing what possible, and finding alternative ingredient sources in case the 17th is a grocery store nightmare.
Hope you enjoy these first pictures and get motivated to feast with peace!
Planting dill for Graavlax with Sweet Mustard Dill Sauce. Planting sage and thyme for Turkey with Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing. Planting Italian parsley for Rick Rodger’s Rolled Herbed Turkey Breast. Making Glace de Volaille to quickly execute Turkey Stock. Pre-mix, vacuum pack, and freeze at -10oF the ingredients for Bourbon Whipped Cream for the Low-Profile Pecan Pie. (using Meyer Rum instead of Bourbon since my booze chest already looks like a liquor store).
11/1 to 11/17 will be Italy, perhaps I can pickup the dijon, lyle’s, and chestnuts! And why not prosciutto and pancetta, even fearing to be enjoyed by U.S. customs only!
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/thanksgiving/2007-10-08.html
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Hector
07/22/2007 01:45 PM
Got mine's from Amazon, too. Used/reseller, shipping rate for books is inexpensive. I sense Rose's Melting Pot is a book ahead of its time, perhaps published before fusion cuisine was a common word. This book makes a lot of sense to me now, answering many questions on the origins of fusion food in the U.S.
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Hector
07/22/2007 01:45 PM
Got mine's from Amazon, too. Used/reseller, shipping rate for books is inexpensive. I sense Rose's Melting Pot is a book ahead of its time, perhaps published before fusion cuisine was a common word. This book makes a lot of sense to me now, answering many questions on the origins of fusion food in the U.S.
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Matthew
07/22/2007 11:44 AM
Liliane,
Try amazon.com--there are 54 available right now.
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Liliane
07/22/2007 11:31 AM
Rose... I am dying to try your Killer Mexican Kahlua Chiffon Cake, but I am unable to find your Melting Pot book. I caled Barnes and Noble, but they told me it was out of print. HELP!
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Liliane
07/22/2007 11:30 AM
Rose... I am dying to try your Killer Mexican Kahlua Chiffon Cake, but I am unable to find your Melting Pot book. I caled Barnes and Noble, but they told me it was out of print. HELP!
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Liliane
07/22/2007 11:29 AM
Rose... I am dying to try your Killer Mexican Kahlua Chiffon Cake, but I am unable to find your Melting Pot book. I caled Barnes and Noble, but they told me it was out of print. HELP!
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Rosary
06/25/2007 12:55 PM
No one loves your baking books more than I do, Rose, but I'd love to expand my skills to include non-sweets. So a resounding YES to savory! Can't wait.
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LML
06/24/2007 08:39 PM
I will buy whatever book you write next. But I had been hoping that you would next turn your attention to candy making.
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Hector
06/10/2007 12:08 AM
I think Rose's credentials on cooking (savory meals) is impressive. Page 140 of Rose's Melting Pot, has a pretty neat technique on how to make perfect crip roast duck! clevery method I can't wait to try it next.
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Allison
06/06/2007 09:11 AM
Oh, I hope you stick to baking!
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Rose
06/05/2007 02:15 PM
yes--this is how it's supposed to be. i use a bread knife to cut it.
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Hector
06/05/2007 01:03 PM
I guess I will need to make this again and take a picture of a slice!!! The cake was eaten faster than my camera's shutter.
This is the first time I make a chiffon from Rose. The chiffon's texture was very spongy, almost like mashmellows with very tiny holes. The chiffon will spring back if I smash it with my fingers or with the cake knife while slicing it. I wonder if that is how it should be. I am used to chiffons with more oil and with a harder well defined texture with bigger holes.
Was heavenly though, and I look forward for Rose's upcoming new book where she has a similar chocolate chiffon that "rises to the top of the pan at the end of the baking time" which is what happened on this one.
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Rozanne
06/05/2007 08:52 AM
Thanks Hector. I think I have to get the book now.
Rozanne
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Theresa
06/05/2007 07:22 AM
Hector - that looks GOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!! You need to post a picture of a cut slice for us so we can see what the inside looks like ... that is, if there's any left! :)
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Patrincia
06/05/2007 12:09 AM
Hector - I wish I was you mixing bowl!
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Hector
06/04/2007 08:55 PM
Rozanne, perfect cake for the coffee lover. The chiffon was made with Espresso (a combination of Medaglia di Oro instant espresso powder and Illy espresso). Then it was moistened with straight Kahlua (1 cup!).
The dark glaze was a poured Mocha Glaze (chocolate and espressos). After about 2 hours, when the glaze has set and not stick to your fingers, you drizzle with thick espresso glaze (espresso powder, confectioners sugar, and a drop of water). Be sure not to refrigerate your glaze, otherwise it will not be shiny anymore.
What I am so impress about this Chiffon, is that it doesn't use any baking powder!
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Anonymous
06/04/2007 08:41 PM
The cake looks sooooooo good Hector! Wish I had a piece now. What was drizzled on top, was the flavour of the chiffon Kahlua and was it covered with ganache or chocolate glaze? I don't have Rose's Melting Pot and would love to make this cake for my b'day.
Rozanne
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Hector
06/04/2007 08:11 PM
Made this during Memorial Day weekend. Recipe called Mexican Killer Kahlua Chiffon Cake from Rose's Melting Pot. I am not sure if the cultural notation if politically correct any more, if so, I do apologize.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/KahluaChiffon.html
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Rose
06/04/2007 05:41 PM
it's essentially the same--it's my basic hearth bread with the optional oil and suggested addition of different seeds. it would be easiest to do from the post recipe so i encourage you to get it from their website.
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Sue
06/04/2007 05:32 PM
Is the recipe posted on your website for the burger buns that were in the Wash. Post?
I do not want to register with the Post, but I would like the recipe.
Thanks!!!
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Jane
06/04/2007 03:33 PM
Yes, a savory cookbook would be a book I'd buy, read and use. What I would like to see is an explanation of the many different kinds of rye breads, what makes them different, and what foods to serve with them.
Thank you.
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marie wolf
06/02/2007 05:07 PM
I love the idea of a menu cookbook! Your ideas for pairings with breads in The Bread Bible are always spot on, and it would be wonderful to have a cookbook that would give complete dinner party menus.
Marie
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Rose
06/01/2007 07:30 PM
you'll be surprised by the potential of baby cakes!
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Patrincia
06/01/2007 06:57 PM
Hector - I like your idea ver much, but Yeah on the baby cake chapter... I purchased a 7-inch glass covered silver cake pedistal and can't wait to see if one of the baby cakes will fit on it - would be great for an individual b-day cake.
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Hector
06/01/2007 06:44 PM
Re: baby cakes, by far the method I am using to "shrink" all cakes that call for 3 layers that uses the same frosting as filling between the layers, is to bake just 1 layer, frost it, pie slice it in 3 equal wedges, and stack them on top of each other. It makes a beautiful "full size" cake slice.
I do end up baking the full recipe, and freezing the extra cake layers and frosting for future use.
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Rose
05/31/2007 09:48 PM
fran, there will be a baby cake chapter in the upcoming book--one of my fav. parts!
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Fran
05/31/2007 04:03 PM
Your baby version of the no-knead bread (which has become a staple in our house) got me thinking how much I'd like to see you do something - cakes, bread, savory stuff - for two. It seems like the older we get the fewer opportunities to make a big, fancy cake there are and my freezer isn't big enough to hold too many half loaves of bread.
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Jen N
05/31/2007 11:33 AM
Yea! Savory! It has taken me more than 15 years to bake my way through the Cake Bible (& I bake for a living!), and I still learn new things from it often. By the time the new cake book comes out in 2008, we'll all need another (minimum) 10 years to absorb all of its goodness - so I say that's plenty of time for a book or two of savory recipes (a la Rose's Celebrations)...love the idea of pairing food & cocktail recipes!
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Mona Lyn Reese--The Bangalore Baker
05/30/2007 10:55 PM
Oh, say! I agree with Theresa on the making ahead idea. Most people have a staff of none.
Julia child used to put a little "prepare to here" star in her recipes. When you got to the star, she'd tell you how to store the dish and how to finish it and WHEN! Very helpful. I'd also like a list of appetizers or foods to prepare for small, medium, and large events.
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Mona Lyn Reese--The Bangalore Baker
05/30/2007 10:48 PM
Oh Savory and drinks. Especially "amuse-bouche". I like cocktails, but have a hard time finding nice ones that aren't so sweet and soda-like. Let's have good finger food too. We have hoards of people over sometimes and I'd like some new ideas.
Did I say drinks? I loved your martini in the snow. I long for snow...
Mona
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Patrincia
05/30/2007 12:38 PM
Great suggestion Theresa!
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Theresa
05/30/2007 11:03 AM
Rose, regarding the cookbook: Whatever you do will be wonderful. Your precision is ideally suited to baking, so I'd never be sad to see another baking book from you. But, if you want to do something different, I do like the idea above of an appetizer cookbook. It would be ideal if there were instructions on making ahead as often there is limited time on the day of an "event."
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Rose
05/27/2007 01:20 PM
i'm so glad you brought everyone's attention to this very important matter because the words bleached or unbleached will be written on the label but small so you have to know to look for it. the one's most common available are the bleached and of course that is what you want for cakes--the unbleached for breads.
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Joan
05/27/2007 01:17 PM
well, there I was searching for just exactly to my wondering eyes appeared - your advice about not using cake strips for the chocolate genoise I am abut to tackle. Also, another topic, more clarification please - when one sees label 'Gold Medal Flour,' is this necessarily the bleached all-purpose flour one uses for genoise and other cakes, as opposed to cake flour? I see references to flour and bleached flour, but am still not clear. Thanks so much, Rose, you are indeed a 'wonderment! Joan
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Rose
05/26/2007 02:20 PM
bonnieanne, in response to YOUR question--the cake strips do more than just help to level the cake--they keep the sides from over browning and the cake actually shrinks less from the sides on cooling and stays moister at the edges. i don't use them for cakes that will have syrup such as genoise or biscuit as there's no need.
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Rose
05/26/2007 02:10 PM
thank you all for your great responses! the one about car mechanic instructions reminded me of two things to share: when i first started learning computers i asked my tech why the books were so poorly written and whether i should write one. his answer: bc the technology changes so fast it wouldn't be up to date by the time it got into print!
and perhaps the best compliment of all times (i THINK) it was a compliment: my former assistant and friend judith blahnick said that if ever she required brain surgery she wanted me to do it! all i can say is that several years ago, around thanksgiving time, i had a small cyst removed from near my knee. i asked the surgeon if he would be stitching up the holiday turkey and he said "my wife wouldn't let me." i should have flow off the table--where there might have been 7 little stitched there were 3 frankenstein size/type ones. i wish he had let ME do the stitching.
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Lin
05/26/2007 08:10 AM
Savory please! And whatever else you haven't put down - the finger food bible, the low fat dessert bible, the everything baked bible.....thank you for your persistence and dedication to excellence Rose.
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Rozanne
05/25/2007 09:32 PM
Rose, I think you should do a book with complete menus: appetizer, entree and dessert with wine/cocktail pairings. That way the entire meal will be well co-ordinated and balanced. OK....I know I'm asking for too much, but it was just a thought. Wishful thinking on my part. Have a lovely weekend.
Rozanne
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Amy
05/25/2007 06:03 PM
Sauce vs. Wine?? Go for the wine!!!
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Patrincia
05/25/2007 06:03 PM
Rose - although I truly do enjoy your savory recipes, my vote is most definitely for another cake book. Cakes are, after all, my true creative outlet - much to the delight of my family and friends (thanks in large part to you!).
To reiterate Melinda's sentiments - I will most likely get whatever cookbook you write, but personally, I will always be drawn to a baking book over any other (especially one of your baking books).
There is one thing I know for sure - whatever you decide to do, it won't be done soon enough!
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AnnieBlue
05/25/2007 05:22 PM
I'd be fascinated to see a savory book from you! There are enough baking recipes to get us through in the meantime, lol.
Thanks so much for answering my cake questions; I hope you don't mind another. I baked your Golden Butter Cream cake today and it was wonderful. I noticed that you make a point of saying that the cake will be level, which you don't say for other cakes. Does that mean I can skip the Magi Strip for this cake and still get a level top? That would save some effort.
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Oriana
05/25/2007 04:11 PM
A savory cookbook! Absolutely! Mouth watering recipes with perhaps the best bread to serve with them.
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Melinda Pickworth
05/25/2007 03:08 PM
I probably would buy any book you wrote. I am sure if you did something about car repair it would be done in a crafty and
unique way.
I would cast my vote for savory, just so it counts!
Have a good week end and carry a big stick if you go for the walk!
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Hector
05/25/2007 02:54 PM
YES!!! make your next book about savory recipes and include booze pairings. I am certain you will also bonus us with a few atonishing breads and cakes, too. And write this book before I get to make everything from the aging (but good) Rose's Celebrations and Rose's Melting Pot.
In Hawaii, being the Chinese population very high, we have "wars and gossips" between the several roast duck places! Duck is becoming a starch on most of the Pacific Rim Fusion Cuisine. I am very critical when "someone else" attemps to make a duck.
More on birds, have you ever made your own Ginger Chicken? The recipe starts by having to raise your own female chickens, then sacrifice them just after they lay their first egg. That is when the meat is flavorful (like a stewing hen) but the meat is still tender and plentiful (like a grown young chicken). Also, cooking should be done only until the bones are still red on the inside... don't yuk me because that is how it should be done, and hopefully you don't have salmonella on a home grown / freshly harvested chicken. You also need to mince your ginger by hand cutting against the fiber lines.
I am heading to Hilo tomorrow with my 59 lb dog as baggage and a Mexican Killer Chiffon as a carry on. Fly by air about 45 minutes.
Sorry of being so sassy today, I am just very bake concentrated for this Memorial weekend, and for the Thursday chocolate / panini party back in Honolulu upon I return.
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Yet Another Anna
05/25/2007 02:37 PM
Savory!
Don't get me wrong, your baking books have completely changed the way I cook and think about recipes, but I do need inspiration in other aspects of food prep.
What about appetizers? Party foods? (and drinks, heh, heh) So many of these types of cookbooks are just unhealthy retreads/reprints of recipes that date back to pre-food processor days. An updated take on old classics, something new to spice things up? I definitely need to update my collection of recipes for this kind of foodstuff.
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Matthew
05/25/2007 02:13 PM
I think your next book should be a collection of your favorite cocktails, mixed drinks, and aperitifs, and of course you would call it the Booze Bible :) Just joking! Any book from you will be wonderful, Rose. My only preference is that you write as many more as you can!
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Spring in the Dordogne Vacation Part 1
Note re Burger Buns in the Washington Post Today