Gramsci wrote: Wed Dec 24, 2025 2:01 pm Ms Gelen also looks good. Although why is the breakfast section just cakes? Desert for breakfast is a bit weird.

Well, she's from Transylvania, so she's probably used to only cooking at night.

RyanZ wrote: Tue Dec 23, 2025 10:01 am
I must give a shout out to my wife's Salmon Rillettes. Every time she brings this to a party, everyone tries to steal her from me.
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salmon-rillettes

Those look awesome.

Dovira wrote: Mon Dec 22, 2025 10:46 am ^ I was thinking along those lines, but I decided on a Finnish rutabaga casserole.

It was delicious by the way, screw the hater(s).

Dovira wrote:

Dovira wrote: Mon Dec 22, 2025 10:46 am ^ I was thinking along those lines, but I decided on a Finnish rutabaga casserole.

It was delicious by the way, screw the hater(s).

I'm no hater. Rutabaga does not have to suck. MrsEaster browns cubes of it, then braises them w/Dijon, chicken stock, cornstarch, and lemon. Works for turnips and celery root, as well. French country preparation, I think.

For NYE, my wife and I like to make mussels. They're easy to make, a little pain to prep. What I love about them is that you can be as free as you want with flavor. An easy one is aromatics, like shallots and garlic, with thyme. Cook in butter and wine. Beer is easy, too. Use sausage. Use other herbs. I had them with tons of bay leaves once. I had them with kimchi another time. Whatever gets you something flavorful to steam with mussels with will work! Serve with fresh, crusty bread. My favorite is still the basic aromatics, butter and wine. Mussels are done when they open up. Never cook an open mussel, usually means they're dead. The hardest part is cleaning them. It's tedious.

We make etoufee (it’s basically a cajun curry) on holidays - my (not american) wife’s request. I feel like cajun (which more of a gulf coast thing centered around Louisiana than strictly associated with New Orleans, which is where it branches off into something else) is the best food america has produced but I grew up eating that shit and associate it more with backyards and kitchens rather than goofy boomer tv personalities though I am located in the hellscape that is just on the TX side between Houston and New Orleans, the Gulf Coast is a distinct culture within the South if you are reading from abroad or weren’t otherwise aware.

That being said, I’ve eaten a lot of etoufee, and that recipe is as good as anything I’ve tried. The color of the roux is important - you cook it long past the french technique but don’t burn it- play Hank Williams for that - and you can add a shot of fish sauce when it comes to a boil to add umami. Worcestershire also works for that if you are cooking at family’s or whatever. Sub any cajun seasoning (tony’s, texjoy) for the spice mix he uses. Note that the cajun seasoning is an important element and it also has salt.

My great grandparents you could hardly understand for their accents, but as my grandpa would say, season as you go and use the smallest best shrimp you can find. We avoid the frozen stuff in a bag, which can make it hard to find the smaller ones but get what you can. Take pains not to nuke the shrimp, they should be just cooked at the end.

The leftovers will be really special.

Our little spin that no one else does is to add andouille sausage to shrimp etoufee or gumbo - if you can’t get andouille don’t try it with anything else.

Just made new year's eve Moussaka! My daughter enjoyed the heck out of it too. I quite liked it as well.

Made creamy salmon for my daughter this evening.





Two big onions, salt, pepper, garlic, turmeric, 2 dcl of wine, Greek yogurt. Green noodles. Salmon ofcs.