The Frying Pan

@JudeNiroshan it's very simple - you draw seven random letter tiles from a bag. From these you have to make a word by laying the tiles out on a board. You can use words previously laid out by yourself and other players. Each letter has a score attached, and you add the letters up to get the score for each word.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by placing tiles, each bearing a single letter, onto a gameboard which is divided into a 15×15 grid of squares. The tiles must form words which, in crossword fashion, flow left to right in rows or downwards in columns. The words must be defined in a standard dictionary. Specified reference works (e.g., the Official Tournament and Club Word List, the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary) provide a list of officially permissible words. The name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in the United States and Canada and has been sold...

Jude Niroshan

not at this time. Not paid to play online scrabble in office... lol

ElendilTheTall

9:27 AM

what a paragon of virtue you are

Jolenealaska

OK, the pass has peen sent to pinesplitter

ElendilTheTall

got it, done it

Jolenealaska

YAY!

Ok let me get my coffee...and we are readyto roll

Jude Niroshan

good luck

ElendilTheTall

I'll need it, jojo is a scrabble demon

Jolenealaska

9:34 AM

Alrighty!

I'll send the invite, the room needs a password, the password is seasoned

ElendilTheTall

roger

Jolenealaska

pogo.com/friend/join.do?sn=AlaskaJolene

Cerberus

2:02 PM

@ElendilTheTall Look who's talking!

Err, was.

Jolenealaska

3:17 PM

Anyone here?

ElendilTheTall

3:29 PM

@jolenealaska just me

How you doing?

Jolenealaska

hi baby, long time no see!

ElendilTheTall

Yeah!

Had a good day?

Jolenealaska

Just quiet, nothing happening.

contemplating macarons

I have figured a use for 3 yolks

ElendilTheTall

Eggs over easy?

Jolenealaska

mayo (that's two)

and I'll put a yolk in the sandwich loaf I'm baking

so that's 3

ElendilTheTall

3:33 PM

Sounds good

Jolenealaska

I've got 4 eggs in the fridge....

About how many whites do I need for the Bravetart recipe?

ElendilTheTall

In my experience, about 4.75

Jolenealaska

OK

ElendilTheTall

Medium eggs

Jolenealaska

Mine are large, so I'll go ahead and separate all 4 and weigh them.

If I need one more, I'll buy more eggs.

ElendilTheTall

3:36 PM

Oh, and by the way - next week could be Scrabble week.

Jolenealaska

yay!

you may need a new pseudonym

the pass lasts for 5 days, right?

ElendilTheTall

That's fine. I may also need blood pressure pills

For the stress...

Jolenealaska

heehee...me too :)

I forgot to call the craft place yesterday

I really would like to find a good powdered red.

I know hot cinnamon isn't your thing, but imagine for a second that it is.

what flavor filling?

I'm also thinking blueberry, I have a gifted homemade Alaska blueberry jam.

that would be great mixed with a bit of cream cheese for a filling

ElendilTheTall

A cinnamon cream, I would thinn

Think

Jolenealaska

I'm kind of leaning towards a contrast

oops, how in earth did THAT end up in my clipboard??

Dissenting opinion:

ElendilTheTall

3:55 PM

Well, the natural pairing with cinnamon is apple

Good gravy!

Jolenealaska

hmmmmm

Apple might work....

ElendilTheTall

Red apple

Jolenealaska

baked, so very reduced....

and mixed with a little buttercream or crean cheese

IF I can get good red, that might be what I do.

If I can get good purple, it's going to be the blueberry, but with no flavor in the meringues, the blueberry jam is powerful enough.

Key lime would be fun too...

damn I'm getting myself all worked up for cookies I won't make until the day after tomorrow.

ElendilTheTall

That's macarons for you

Crack de pâtissière

Jolenealaska

the hardest part is going to be giving most of them away!

I still have a half roll of those sugar cookies. I want to do a bit of a test of my oven with the new pizza stone

I'm going to make CN's sugar spike.

ElendilTheTall

4:17 PM

Ok. Catch you later

Jolenealaska

are you taking off?

:)

This is kind of fun,

kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/04/01/april-fools-kitchen/…

but mine is better than any of these:

That's not some strange utensil, BTW. It's horrific Martha Stewart parchment paper foil on one side, parchment on the other. It rolled like that, parchment from hell.

I did eventually succeed:

Jolenealaska

4:49 PM

@ElendilTheTall HA! He hasn't responded to my email, but he fixed it!

It's funny as hell that he hasn't responded, he ALWAYS quickly responds to my emails. :)

ElendilTheTall

6:53 PM

@jolenealaska victory!

Jolenealaska

He's befuddled.

Of course I gave you no credit at all. :)

@ElendilTheTall I called both stores that maybe would have the tip I want or powdered color. No-go on both counts.

ElendilTheTall

7:18 PM

@jolenealaska of course.

Jolenealaska

So I added the tip to my Amazon order which I'll probably place today.

I can't find a source for good powder that doesn't want an arm and a leg for shipping.

ElendilTheTall

Is it not on Amazon?

Jolenealaska

I'm seem to remember no, but I'll check again.

ElendilTheTall

I'd send you some of mine, but I'm not sure how customs would like a sachet of strange powder :)

Jolenealaska

In a envelope they wouldn't open it.

ElendilTheTall

7:23 PM

wouldn't they?

Jolenealaska

1 in a million

ElendilTheTall

¬_¬

Jolenealaska

truly

Most the seed shops are in the UK.

Unknown seeds are not to be imported to the US without jumping through hoops.

The vast majority of these shipments get through.

So much so, that if you photograph the notice that customs sends with the letter that they send in the envelope that contained the seeds (we destroyed your seeds, have a nice day), the seed company replaces the order.

They don't blink

But, that isn't asking you for powdered color :)

One way or another I'll find some.

ElendilTheTall

:)

I'd send it, but I doubt it would get there in time for your new mixer

Jolenealaska

The red I have seems to do OK as log as I don't mind pale pink. The yellow does OK as long as I get it out of the oven at the exact right second.

OH! Oh!

hold on

ElendilTheTall

7:32 PM

Holding

Hanging by one hand

One finger

Life flashing before my eyes

(incidentally, a scientifically documented occurrence)

Jolenealaska

Sorry I took so long

Remember this?

I had an amazingly quick exchange of emails this morning...

ElendilTheTall

With...

Jolenealaska

I'll enjoy including that picture (of Bob's Red Mill) and an identical one of the same amount of their flour.

And hopefully a pic of gorgeous macarons.

ElendilTheTall

7:47 PM

:)

Jolenealaska

I'm actually going to weigh and sift the flour as soon as I get my bread rising.

A lot of reviews on amazon for almond flour say whatever flour is finer than whatever other flour.

But I'm Jolenealaska dammit!

I document!

:)

ElendilTheTall

Damn straight

I imagine your back yard to be like the end of raiders of the lost ark, but with documents.

Jolenealaska

I'm actually pretty curious.

That kind of feels not too far off (the massive rows of documents)

I have been piling (mostly just junk mail) in stacks in a closet for like 3 years

I've got to through it page by page.

98% will just be tossed.

but 2% (maybe) should be kept (for whatever reason)

perfect example of (gee, it would have been really easy if you had done it when you should have)

It'll probably take 2 hours.

Faheem Mitha

8:12 PM

So, does duck and/or rabbit taste good? And is it sufficiently different from say chicken in taste to be worth bothering with?

Hi guys. That Health site you so disapproved of is up and running. And I've been downvoted already.

ElendilTheTall

@Jolenealaska good grief, why?

just get a steel bucket and burn it all

if you haven't needed it for 3 years, you don't need it

@FaheemMitha duck definitely is delicious and tastes completely different to chicken

rabbit is quite bland

Jolenealaska

Cause there are just a few things that I'm missing, that I need. Unfortunately, the stacks are all mixed up. Something 3 months old may be next to something 2 years old.

If I find what I need toward the top (and I should) then I may do what you suggest.

Faheem Mitha

@ElendilTheTall I see. Thanks.

ElendilTheTall

@FaheemMitha the important thing with duck is not to over cook it

Jolenealaska

there are a few photos and stuff like that too, but they should be near the top.

ElendilTheTall

8:24 PM

it should be pink in the middle - it is not dangerous to eat rare like chicken

Faheem Mitha

@ElendilTheTall First I'd have to get hold of it.

Probably not so easy here.

ElendilTheTall

try getting confit de canard: it is sold in cans

which sounds awful, but is in fact delicious

Jolenealaska

@FaheemMitha Duck needs to be cooked right

It has a lot of fat.

ElendilTheTall

it is a method of preservation: salted duck is cooked slowly in fat, then preserved in the fat. You then just take it out, wipe off the fat, and roast it hard and fast

(I should add that duck breast should be cooked rare)

Faheem Mitha

Sounds complex.

Jolenealaska

8:26 PM

That fat is fabulous, and should be saved, but it needs to be rendered.

Homemade confit is a bit involved.

ElendilTheTall

@FaheemMitha not if you buy the tinned version :)

Jolenealaska

But you can get canned confit that's ready to go.

Faheem Mitha

@ElendilTheTall yuck

Jolenealaska

Breasts are easy, but there are some tricks.

ElendilTheTall

@FaheemMitha normally I'd be right there with you

but tinned confit de canard is excellent

it's traditionally stored in earthenware jars

Jolenealaska

8:29 PM

Since confit is a method of preservation, preserved (canned) confit is fine

ElendilTheTall

a can is just the modern version

Faheem Mitha

@ElendilTheTall ok. tinned duck meat?

Jolenealaska

Fresh breasts are wonderful, but they do need to be done right.

ElendilTheTall

@FaheemMitha a whole leg or two, on the bone

Jolenealaska

tinned duck confit

ElendilTheTall

8:30 PM

Jolenealaska

Breasts you get fresh or frozen.

ElendilTheTall

You take the legs out of that fat, wipe off the excess, and roast

Jolenealaska

All that fat is golden.

ElendilTheTall

the skin goes crispy, but the meat is meltingly tender

Faheem Mitha

Ok. Thanks, guys.

ElendilTheTall

8:31 PM

it is, for want of a better description, fucking awesome

Jolenealaska

People pay big money just for the fat.

ElendilTheTall

it makes awesome roast potatoes

Jolenealaska

Potatoes cooked in duck...

jinx

ElendilTheTall

:D

the best method I have found for breast is to score the fat, then place it fat side down in medium pan for about ten minutes. The fat then renders out.

then turn up the heat a little and turn the breast every 30 seconds

Jolenealaska

So buy fresh (or frozen) breasts if you want, or tinned confit.

Make sure that all of the flabby white fat is gone....

and the skin is crispy, and GBD (golden brown and delicious)

The score is important

Faheem Mitha

8:35 PM

I doubt I can find any of that here. The closest is something like: uppercrustindia.com/oldsite/11crust/eleven/feature12.htm

Jolenealaska

(can you find a picture, tall? Or should I look?)

ElendilTheTall

Faheem Mitha

Ok, now you're just making me hungry.

ElendilTheTall

you could probably make a tandoori duck breast as well

Jolenealaska

That picture actually has a bit more white fat than I would like.

but the scoring is beautiful.

ElendilTheTall

8:38 PM

yes, it needs a bit more rendering

Jolenealaska

And that slicing is typical.

Now you're talking!

man

Ok, now this is getting cruel.

ElendilTheTall

8:39 PM

I could really go for some crispy shredded duck pancakes

Jolenealaska

no shit.

ElendilTheTall

Jolenealaska

that's the danger of these conversations :)

OH nooooooo!

that looks sooooo good.

You can roast a whole duck, but I would recommend against it. At least the first time.

ElendilTheTall

bah, lightweight

Jolenealaska

The best way to cook the breasts is very different from the best ways to cook the legs.

ElendilTheTall

8:43 PM

I say go straight in for canard a la presse

Pressed duck

Pressed duck (French: Canard à la presse, Caneton à la presse, Caneton Tour d'Argent, or canard au sang) is a traditional French dish. The complex dish was developed in the 19th Century in the Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris, France, and consists of various parts of a duck served in a sauce of its blood and bone marrow, which is extracted by way of a press. It has been considered "the height of elegance." == Preparation == First, a duck (preferably young and plump and from Rouen) is asphixiated to retain the blood. The duck is then partially roasted. Its liver is ground and seasoned, then the...

Jolenealaska

I've seen that :)

ElendilTheTall

roast duck, served in a sauce made from the crush bones and blood

go hard or go home

Faheem Mitha

I guess I could check out that Farm Products place. I like pork.

Jolenealaska

I think there was one on Antiques Roadshow and the owners had no idea what it was :)

Faheem Mitha

@Jolenealaska one of what?

Jolenealaska

8:45 PM

@FaheemMitha He's kidding about the press

the duck press

Faheem Mitha

@Jolenealaska oh

Cruel and unusual cruelty to ducks.

ElendilTheTall

basically, during the Napoleonic War, paper was hard to come by in France, so they would print the newspapers on ducks

Jolenealaska

:)

ElendilTheTall

and send them about the country to spread the news

Faheem Mitha

@ElendilTheTall unlikely.

Why not use human skin instead?

Jolenealaska

8:46 PM

There is a song in Les Miserables about that.

ElendilTheTall

then, one Jacques Du Perrier accidentally over-pressed his morning edition, and realised the resulting juices were delicious

duck a la presse was born

@Jolenealaska looking forward to next week's scrabble marathon?

Jolenealaska

very much!

You're going to start winning at least a few.

the last couple of games were pretty neck and neck

ElendilTheTall

yeah, I was hitting my stride

and it only took 6 hours!

Jolenealaska

you really were

there were really clever plays in there

and good strategy, not just good words.

you were playing good words right off the bat

rorquals!

:)

ElendilTheTall

good old rorquals

you can have endless fun with rorquals

Jolenealaska

8:58 PM

yep...especially the ones i'm thinking of

Faheem Mitha

You should rename this room to @Jolenealaska and @ElendilTheTall's French Cafe.

Welcome Weary Stranger. Take a respite from the Wilds of the Internet. Can we offer you a brew?

Jolenealaska

Yep...

We're damn near always open....

except when we're not.

Kind of like a bar I used to run.

Faheem Mitha

@Jolenealaska You used to run a bar? You do get around.

Jolenealaska

You have no idea...

ElendilTheTall

@FaheemMitha the Last Homely Bar West of The Mountains and East of the Sea

Faheem Mitha

9:02 PM

@ElendilTheTall That's a good name too.

Jolenealaska

hnmmm

I'm about to make mayo

I always use lemon juice or wine vinegar

I have neither

I have about a gazillion vinegars though

ElendilTheTall

just use any mild vinegar

heck, any mild acid

you must have one knocking around in your chemistry set

for my part, I am heading bedwards

Jolenealaska

I do

ElendilTheTall

I shall dream of a very particular set of rorquals

g'night

Jolenealaska

Just don't talk in your sleep :)

G'night.

ElendilTheTall

9:08 PM

G'night hon

:)

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