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Mrs. Chiang’s Szechwan Cookbook
This is the book to get as a beginning Chinese cook, or even as a beginning cook. It’s beautifully written, explains all the ingredients & equipment, and provides background on each recipe. The directions are crystal clear and can be followed by anyone who can read. My kids were raised eating from this book, and…
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Cumin Brown Rice
We make this every week to go with our slow-cooked salmon. The garlic & cumin give it good flavor, but the salt is essential. The dish is very savory.
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Blind Faith Café
Vegetarian (not vegan) restaurant in Evanston, IL. We didn’t like their vegetables burgers, but other than that we’ve had very good food there. We have a couple of favorites that we order regularly as takeout when we’re feeling lazy about cooking.
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How to Cook Everything
by Mark Bittman Every recipe that I’ve tried is good, some are great, like the roasted chicken. The recipes are simple and quick to make, without exotic ingredients. The book is also filled with tips on things like how to use a chef’s knife, how to peel garlic, etc. I highly recommend this book!
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Earl’s Kitchen and Bar
Noisy but very good food and very good service. They paid attention to Vicki’s dietary restrictions and gave her something she really liked. My food was good too.
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Tojiro Fuji Cutlery Stainless Steel Chinese-Style Cleaver
This thing is cheap (under $50), easy to sharpen to a razor edge, balanced well, and has a nice curve to the blade. I really enjoy using it.
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Mahon Curado aged Spanish cheese
Strong flavor, medium hardness. Alli loved it, I liked it but prefer cheeses that aren’t quite as strong. Jason liked it OK, but wouldn’t want to eat too much at a time. Came from Whole Foods.
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Bucheron
A creamy French goat cheese, available at Whole Foods. Alli & I love it. It was a big hit at the New Year’s Eve party. Great!
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Cana de Cabra
A creamy Spanish goat milk cheese, a lot like Bucheron. In fact Alli said that we had had it before because it tasted so much like Bucheron. Very good.
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Camellia
Redwood Hill FarmSonoma County Artisan Goat CheeseCamembert style Very rich and creamy with some bite. Delicious. Bought at Whole Foods.
Food for family & friends