knives and honing steels

I was told to use a ceramic "steel" by the knife experts at the gourmet shop near the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park NY. The Japanese knives can easily be chipped. I use my "steel" steel for my German knives.

Merry Christmas. What's for Dinner?

Lasagne seems to be popular this year. I am making one (hubby loves it) and so is my aunt who has lots of cousins visiting. Dessert will be canoli's.

what do you have too many of in the kitchen?

Cookbooks! I started a few years ago with the "cookbook of the month" club. They started accumulating. They fill my entire 6-foot dry sink, with at least 3 times as many on shelves in the garage. I love every one!

Staff Picks: Stocking Stuffers We'd Love in Our Stockings

Erin Zimmer, any idea where to get that nice wooden salt holder?

Recipe pet peeves

I hate the Wegman's magazine recipes, because they call for so many store brand pre-prepped ingredients. Examples are: "Wegman's prepackaged hollandaise sause; Wegman's cut and washed green beans; Wegman's prestuffed chicken breasts" and on and on.....

Farmers' markets observations and questions

My local farmers market is in Ithaca NY. They have a very nice selection of local fruits and veg. The farms must be within (I think) about 50 miles of Ithaca. I don't see any imported stuff. The local community is very "green" oriented and prone to prefer organic, which provides a good customer base for the area farmers.

Cook the Book: 'Farm to Fork'

I grew up on eastern Long Island where there were peach orchards (I don't believe they are still there). My mother and I went to the orchard to buy bushels full of slightly bruised peaches (really cheap) for putting up jam. Their peaches were sweet, juicy, drip down your arm good!

Cooking Channel, Anyone?

I really liked Chuck's Day Off. Interesting food and very unpretentious. Can't wait for Julia Child!

America's Worst Cook: Seriously?

I once knew a guy who was so clueless about food, he put a package of hamburger in the oven to cook - still in the supermarket package!

"no white foods" question

"No white foods" is just a general guideline to eating low glycemic food which doesn't immediately turn to sugar in your body. It means avoiding potatoes, pasta, rice, flour and sugar.

What works for me is the no-P's diet; meaning no pasta, pizza, potatoes, and potato chips.

Is dating a picky eater a dealbreaker for anyone?!

I've been married 27 years to a guy who dislikes a lot of foods. So I make dinner and if he doesn't like it, he gets to make his own dinner. On occasion I will cook something he likes that I don't care for. At least he doesn't complain!

Master Cookbooks

I really like Julia's the Way to Cook. It is very instructive and has lots of recipes that are basic and then built upon to be more complicated. So you can learn basics very well.

I bought CIA's professional chef and almost never use it; for one thing the recipes are for 10 portions each and you have to have your calculator nearby for conversion for a family meal.

Preparaing Green Cabbage

How about making Mu Shu Pork?

Visiting supermarkets when traveling - doesn't everyone?

Love them! I was at the famous Galleries Lafayette food hall in Paris and guess what I saw prominently displayed at the front entrance? Old El Paso pre-made tortillas in a box, cans of refried beans, and salsa. Amazing!

Why The Hate For Alice Waters?

Just compare Alice Waters to Jamie Oliver. Jamie has similar ideals but he is very practical in making them happen. He's campaigning for healthier food for kids in schools; he runs a restaurant where underprivileged kids learn to cook; and his latest TV show is about picking things in the backyard garden and showing viewers how to cook them. Compared to him, Alice Waters seems to me like an old hippie with her head in the clouds.

HELP! BF is extremely picky...

I remember an episode of the TV show "Coach" where Kristine cooked a meal for Harden Fox and he was so happy, he said "Meat and potatoes, no vegetables, my favorite meal!" ;-)

Banning fast food near schools? Your take.

This will work about as well as banning drugs in the US.

What do you collect?

This is a fun topic. My husband thinks I'm crazy. For me, it's really sharp Japanese knives. I have way more than I need. Hubby says I have more better knives than most chefs. But I use them!

For you cookbook collectors out there, do you specialize or is your collection rather eclectic?

How To Save Money at Supermarkets

I shop at Wegman's and I can tell you some of the store brands are terrible, they don't taste good at all. Some items may be the same as the name brand, but I don't try them anymore.

'The Chopping Block': Do We Really Need Another Cooking Competition Show?

I loved the show. Marco Pierre White is just about the most serious chef in our lifetime and he takes what the contestants do very seriously. I am sick of cooking judges that don't know food from a hole in the ground - yes like Padma, who has probably thrown up everything she's ever eaten and never even worked in a restaurant. Ted Allen on "Chopped"? pulease!

Plus Marco has that ravished, evil genius look that is so amazing! Yes, he's doing a bit of following the pack on food TV - but you have to respect his history, being the first British chef ever to win 3 Michelin stars, and who nourished a whole new generation of fine chefs in England.

Coat Check Tipping in the Recession

If you can afford to eat out, you can afford to check your coat.

Cook the Book: 'How to Cook Everything, Revised Tenth Anniversary Edition'

Saving parmesan rinds in the freezer and using them in home made soups; sure makes the soups more delicious.

Tips for a beginner?

I generally like the "America's Test Kitchen" shows and have learned a lot from them. They are a bit geeky though.

Foodie Sins

My husband and I have been known to cook Thanksgiving tacos and Christmas enchiladas. But then no one comes over! There are Thanksgiving foods I love, but many I hate like creamed onions, turnips, and brussel sprouts; all foods I was practically forced to eat as a child.

Strange Food-Related Buildings

I always loved "the Big Duck" on Long Island

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