Front Burner, a chat with the Food section staff, is a chance for you to ask questions, offer suggestions and share information with other cooks and food lovers. It is a forum for discussion of food trends, ingredients, menus, gadgets and anything else food-related.
Each chat, we will focus on topics from the day's Food section. Do you have a question about a particular recipe or a food-related anecdote to share? Food talk is sizzling every Wednesday at 1 p.m. on the Front Burner.
A transcript follows.
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Judy: Thanks for joining us. We'd love to talk about our articles today on "Eating your plate"--edible containers that you can make out of a variety of food from chocolate squares to wonton wrappers--and farmers markets or anything else on your mind.
Also, have any of you attended cooking classes you think are terrific?
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Farmers Markets: Hi all, do you know if the Foggy Bottom, Clarendon, or Penn Quarter farmers markets have plans to remain open in the winter?; I know Dupont and Courthouse are year-round, but it would be nice if one of the weekday markets was also - they're a great stop on the way home from work and save the need for weekday supermarket trips.
Judith: Freshfarm Markets, which runs the Foggy Bottom and Penn Quarter markets, plans to keep them going til Thanksgiving (though in the case of the Penn Quarter, which is open from 3 to 7, that plan is dependant on getting street lights). And all markets deal with the realities of the weather, which could effect the amount of produce available, and therefore whether or not the market will stay open thru the fall. Jim Crawford, the president of the Tuscaroral Growers Cooperative in south central Pennsylvania, told me last weekend that last year they'd been devastated by hurricanes that washed away a lot of their soil.
So ask the farmers at those markets what the arrangements are, and there's usually a market manager to talk to as well.
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Great Falls, Va.: I look forward to reading the Food Section on Wednesdays. The only problem I had with the section on beets last week is there were not enough recipes. It also would be nice to see recipes for the greens; beet greens are delicious. I recognize that space is limited, but couldn't you add some web addresses for additional recipes you think would be of interest.
Bonnie: Thanks for your suggestion, Great Falls. Space is certainly a final frontier in the world of newsprint. We usually test several more recipes than we have room to publish in the print edition. Perhaps soon there may be a way to include those on our Food site at washingtonpost.com.
We test, and most often adapt, every recipe that we run, so providing possible links to recipes might not work for the moment. As for beet greens, do you have a good recipe to share?
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Washington, D.C.: I am trying to find recipes that are BOTH low carb and low-fat. Any Web sites or books that you can recommend? Thanks!
Judith: Have you thought of eating fresh fruits and vegetables? Seriously, though, it's fat and sugar that give flavor to many dishes, so you're limited here. But Cooking Light magazine is a good source.
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Bethesda, Md.: A comment more than a question: I read today's farmers market story, but it still irritates me that some stuff at farmers markets costs so much. It looks good, but it feels like a rip-off.
Judith: Look, there are plenty of good-looking fruits and vegetables in the supermarkets. And often very good deals. So if you're happier shopping there, stick with it. Personally I really like to eat and cook with seasonal products (meaning seasonal in this area, as opposed to Chile or China), so I take a you-get-what-you-pay-for attitude. But that's me.
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Bowie, Md.: Last Thursday, the weekly section profiled Korean options, but failed to mention that there's another Korean option in Anne Arundel Cty called Okinawa sushi that does have grills on the tables. It's in Odenton/Ft. Meade and offers a decent lunch buffet for $8.
Judy: I will pass on that suggestion to Nancy Lewis, who wrote all the Korean stories in the Extras. Thanks.
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Washington, D.C.: I was raised to believe that grilling done with gas is akin to microwaving, and charcoal is the only way to go. However, I find that our charcoal grill is languishing because of the hassles associated with it and -- horrors -- I think we are going to get a gas grill. Any advice on how to make our gas-grilled foods taste charcoal-grilled?
Walter: You can't really make gas-grilled foods taste like they have been flipped over the coals. For added flavor of the outdoors, wood chips are an option. Also, marinades and rubs can impart spicy accents to otherwise bland foods.
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Washington, D.C.: Everyone's reading the new Harry Potter book and, as a practical joke, someone in my office bought the trick jelly beans (you know, the ones with flavors like vomit, boogers and pepper). I was wondering if you had ever considered writing a story on jelly beans? I have heard that it was Reagan who popularized them.
Judy: President Reagan always had a jar of them for visitors. When officials went to the Oval office for meetings or reporters went to interview him--there were the jelly beans! We have not thought of doing a story on jelly beans, vomit or otherwise, but we did a Harry Potter recipe story just before the book came out. The butter beer wasn't bad.
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Gaithersburg, Md.: I need a new stove and I'm looking at the smooth top type. Wouldn't the surface crack/break if something was dropped on it? Also, could you shake skillets on the surface? Thanks.
Candy: Here's the deal with the smooth top stove. I just replaced my ratty electric burner top with a smooth top and I love it. It heats much more quickly and evenly and cleanup is easier. But it does take some getting used to. First of all, you need to use the special cleaner they give you (and which is also sold in the supermarket) to keep the surface looking good. The cleaner removes food better and without scratching the surface. And yes, if you drop something really heavy on it (like cast iron), you probably will damage it, but that's not that likely. You can shake a skillet back and forth and it'll be fine. If there are some minor scratches, the cleaning lotion will buff them out.
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Tenleytown, Washington, D.C.: I have more of a layout comment - I like to cut out recipes and keep them in an album - I noticed today that in the section of zucchini recipes, the layout was such that it would make clipping and saving very awkward - for example, the title of the zucchini cake was way down at the bottom of one column, with the recipe itself up at the top of the next. Is there a way to keep a whole recipe together - at least as much as possible?
Thanks!
Bonnie: Tenleytown, you're right. That was a particularly bad break in the recipe (the headline was separate from the rest of the recipe) that we try to avoid. A last-minute edit in the ingredients list caused the shift.
In order to run as many recipes as we can in the Food section, we have to run them wrapped in columns of type. We wish it weren't so. When we can, we change the order of a collection of recipes to keep them reader-clipping friendly. Our goal is to run recipes you'll want to save; would it be possible for you to print recipes from Food's Print Edition on washingtonpost.com?
Chatters, please pass along your Post recipe-clipping coping techniques.
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Trappe, Md.: What's the best way to reheat fish?;
Candy: Very carefully. And quickly. Fish is delicate and dries out fast. Consider reheating it briefly in some kind of sauce or other liquid. I've done it in a microwave with ok results. The oilier fishes, like salmon, come out better. Otherwise, just slather on a nice mayo-and-mustard-and-herb sauce and eat it plain in a salad.
Candy: Sorry--I meant to say to consider eating the fish cold with the mayo-and-mustard sauce (or tartar sauce) in a salad.
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Bethesda, Md.: Not really a question, Just wanted to let you know, The article in the Food section today on Farmers Markets was great, and I have to say , this is the best way there is to eat the freshest produce (I really do notice a difference in flavor, and freshness).
I'm a regular shopper at the Dupont Circle Farmers market, where I usually leave with two large bags full. I buy the fresh flowers, local peaches, berries, cherries, delicious tomatoes, corn, and some of the best asparagus and broccoli that I've ever had. They also sell delicious eggs, meats, and seafood. The difference in flavor is huge, which I'm sure has to do with the fact that it was picked on the same day, whereas store -bought produce often takes several days to get to the store, and often the apples and peaches are picked early, so they ship better. The Farmers market foods may not always look perfect , but the taste is so great. I even stop at another local farmers market during the week.
I go there year round. In the fall, its the only place I'll go to buy my apples (which I eat for breakfast , and snacks all through the fall & winter.) They always have lots of varieties, and have helped me to find the perfect combo of apples for my pies. The cost may be a bit more, but your getting better quality, and fresher foods, a bargain for the quality of the foods there.
Judith: The farmers couldn't have said it better.
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Washington, D.C.: I have a guess that chocolate and garlic could work together in some recipes...any suggestions?
Judith: That's a hard one. One recipe category that does include both those things is the Mexican mole--but there are so many different kinds, you'd need to look at a good Mexican cookbook to find a dish that speaks to you. Otherwise you could ask the folks at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy California south of San Francisco and San Jose--you just missed being able to go there; it's always the last week in July.
Candy: I can't say that this is a combination I'd want to try soon. BUT, if you insist.... the food blog Chocolate and Zucchini (www.chocolateandzucchini.com) talks about a very mild, pink French garlic that was used in a chocolate cake. If you have to force chocolate to play nice with garlic, the mildest garlic possible (maybe even roasted) would be best, and in small doses.
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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: This past weekend I picked up a preseasoned cast iron grill pan. Could you explain exactly how it is different than a regular grill pan? Do I have to care for it differently?
Candy: A preseasoned cast iron pan has already been coated in the factory (with a vegetable oil-based sealant) so that food doesn't stick. It basically means you don't have to go to the trouble of seasoning your cast iron pan yourself (which requires you to coat it with oil and put in the oven several times). You don't want to cook with cast iron unless it's been seasoned--either by yourself or by the manufacturer. Once it's seasoned, never scrub it with soap or you'll get rid of all that lovely seasoning. Just clean it with hot water and a soft brush.
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Frederick, Md.: I'm thinking of making beef potpie, but I don't want to put in both dough AND potatoes. What can I substitute for the potatoes? Thanks!
Judith: Well, you can leave them out, but that's not as simple as you'd think. The potatoes are there not only as themselves, but as a thickening agent in the stew--the liquid absorbs some of the starch in the potatoes. I've sometimes added potato to a stew when it seemed in need of thickening, but I've cut the potato into small chunks in the hope of maximizing the number of available starchy surfaces. (I may have been deluding myself, but it seems to work.)
Judith: I didn't make that clear--I meant I added far fewer potatoes and then chopped them up.
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Salad bars: Germ bars or not?: My roommate and I are having this argument about salad bars in supermarkets. I like to stop on my way home and make up a salad for dinner. She thinks this is disgusting. She says they're full of germs from customers or just from being open to the air. She insists that I'm just a food poisoning case waiting to happen. What do you think?;
Judith: Look, if you've had good luck at the salad bars, that's great. I do too sometimes at lunch. But if I stop to think of the number of hands involved (even in rubber gloves, which is common, if not mandatory) and the number of customers who've breathed over the ingredients, I hold back.
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Sterling, Va.: Last week, I bought fish at my local supermarket. When I got it home, the smell was overpowering. I cooked it, but it smelled of iodine so badly, none of us could eat it. I got my money back, but now I'm hesitant to buy fish there. How do you know if the fish is fresh before you pay for it?
Bonnie: Sorry about that, Sterling. Next time you're buying fish, ask the seafood merchant to let you smell it first at the counter. It should smell fresh -- not too fishy, and never overpowering. When you bring it home to cook right away, unwrap it and rinse it with cool water. As a rule, you should cook it within a day or two at most after you've purchased it, as long as it's been in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Here's hoping you can return to preparing fish at home...
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McLean, Va.: Is there a local caterer who does Low County Boils and similar "outdoor" meals?
Walter: Generally, caterers are in business to provide foods of any sort to please a client. And they love a challenge.
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The District: The Food section needs to do more local stuff, like the farmers market story today, and less who-cares food stories like those silly chocolate boxes. The market story mentioned producer-only farmers markets. Where are the fruits and vegetables coming from at markets that are not producer-only?
Judith: A non-producers only market can, and probably will, have 'middle men.' That could mean someone who's gone to other farmers and brings their products to a market (and in those case you need to ask about the freshness of the product--it's probably fresh, but maybe not quite as fresh as it would be at a producers only market. Or it could mean the wonderful mushroom woman at the Arlington market. At many markets there are also home-canned jams and jellies, baked goods, cheeses, chickens, etc., and it's unrealistic to think those producers could make time for traveling to farmers markets.
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Washington, D.C.: Thank you, thank you whoever included the recipe for masgoof in today's Food Section. That was my absolute favorite dish when I was in Iraq last year, but I'd honestly forgotten about it until I saw your recipe today. I cannot wait to cook it this weekend. Thank you!
Judy: That was Bonnie, and she thanks you.
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Zukes lover: I love zucchini!; I can't imagine why people would qvetch about having too much. Having said that, I have several big ones that I want to use to make zucchini bread. Do I have to grate them?; Why couldn't I just mince them up in my food processor?;
Candy: Grating isn't great to do, but chopping them up with in a food processor would turn them too mushy for your zucchini bread batter. Sorry, but either use the grating disc on the processor, or pull out the ol' box grater and get a little arm exercise.
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Judy: Chatters: Seriously, please tell any of your friends who teach cooking classes to send in the information for our annual list. Due Saturday.
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Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: Would the Post Food Section consider doing a guide to the areas best bakeries? I work in the Foggy Bottom area and my place of employment subjects us to cake from the Watergate Bakery for going away parties. Maybe they were good once, but I can't tell. I'd rather eat cardboard. Also, I would just like to know where I can get decent bread and other treats that I can't get at my local supermarket. My favorite bakery is 100 miles away in Richmond. Can the Post please help!
Judy: Good idea. Also, watch our "Foraging" column for bakeries. We wrote about an accountant turned pastry chef last week who delivers from Falls Church. Her pastries are not overly sweet, and to our taste, very good. Natalia's Elegant Creations is the name of her company.
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Steubenville, Ohio: Potpie suggestion:
Use mashed potatoes as the crust, and skip them inside with the other vegetables & meat.
Just make them as usual and use them as a topping, then bake.
Judith: Sounds delicious. Thanks.
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Washington, D.C.: My friends from college are adamant about not washing their cast-iron pots with soap. Are they right and what does soap do to cast iron?
Candy: I had a friend who threatened to divorce her husband after he soaped and scrubbed the cast iron skillet her grandmother had given her, scrubbing off all the beautiful seasoning from decades of use. Scrubbing your cast iron with soap and a brush cleans off all that seasoning that keeps food from sticking, which means that each time you use your cast iron pot or skillet, you'll need to season it again, which is a giant pain. If it bothers you not to use soap, use very little and a soft brush or cloth just to loosen any remaining food. If you're still worried about germs, remember that cast iron gets heated over very high heat (one of its wonderful qualities), which will kill anything remaining.
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Alexandria, Va.: Can you please tell me where I can find a listing of local farmers markets?;
--Food Section fan
Judith: It's a bit more than local, but look at http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/States/Maryland.htm, and http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/States/Virginia.htm.
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Washington, D.C.: You wrote a piece about two ladies that run an internet site about restaurants and things to do in the D.C. area a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I forget what the site is called, could you remind me?
Candy: Terri Sapienza wrote about The List at www.thelistareyouonit.com, in the Food Section of July 6.
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Burke, Va.: Another good option is the farm share. This is where you buy a share of food from a farm which gets delivered each week during the growing season. For the one I'm in the price is excellent and the food is good. The farmer also gets much more money for it. Sometimes the food won't be as pretty as what you get from the supermarket but it's really tasty.
Candy: Burke: You're absolutely right. Farm share or CSA (for Committed Supported Agric) is very popular with people. There's an excitement about what's going to be in your weekly box o' produce. Also, the farmers really like having those subscription customers locked in for the season--it's income they can count on.
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Washington, D.C.: I was faithfully reading your section this morning when I came across the Robert L. Wolke's article that answered a question from a woman wondering about the toxicity of the glue that holds stickers onto fruit. Just what America needs, another completely ridiculous thing to worry about.
Bonnie: We hear ya. There are SO many other things to worry about -- like the increasing prevalence of inked labels printed directly on the fruit itself. (Insert that smile emoticon here, D.C.)
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Fairfax, Va.: I have a lot to say about Farmers Markets. For one thing, my wife and I go to at least 2 markets a week - often 3. And this is in addition to the CSA to which we subscribe. Honestly, we don't go to a grocery store for much in the way of food from May to November. Yes, the prices can often be higher than at the grocery store. But over time, you can cultivate a wonderful relationship with the farmers that you would not get in the store. I have been going to the same market every week that it's been open for 4 years. There's a farmer there who grows tomatillos just for me. You just don't get that kind of service anywhere else. The farmers also tend to throw things in for free to loyal customers (from time to time). Just from a dollars and cents perspective to our own checkbook, I'm certain we at least break even with the super markets and probably come out ahead.
On top of that, we get the satisfaction that we are actually contributing positively to the preservation of farmland and family traditions. Beyond that, to take into account an even more global perspective, we are buying produce that only traveled about 100 miles and didn't need to be refrigerated. Just think about the environmental costs that are saved when you buy a Virginia strawberry during strawberry season vs. a California or Chilean strawberry any time of the year.
Judith: Thanks for your comments. I appreciate your talking about the personal relationships between farmer and customer. I think farmers markets provide a very valuable sense of community that's often elusive in modern life. And given the cost of fuel, the prices for fruits and vegetables that have had to travel a long way are bound to rise.
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Washington, D.C.: What's masgoof?; I can't find the recipe on-line!;
Erin: Dinner in Minutes
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Leesbug, Va.: Hi,
Thanks for the Farmers' Market story today. I loved it and am a big believer in this mode of distribution for so many reasons!
I have a question about all the corn I've gotten lately at local farmers' markets: How can I roast it in the oven. I tried just taking it off the cob, sprinkling with olive oil and roasting at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, but the corn is really chewy. Not right texture. What did I do wrong?
Thanks!!!
Candy: Leesburg: Andrea Chesman's cookbook, "The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook" recommends roasting corn in its husk. Her recipe: Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Peel back husks of 8 ears of fresh corn and remove the silks. Then fold back the husks, smoothing them into place. They will fit loosely, leaving tips of ears exposed. Place corn directly on oven rack and roast for 20-30 minutes or until corn is lightly browned, turning occasionally. Wearing mitts, remove husks over large bowl or newspaper to catch the crumbling husks. Serve at once, passing salt, pepper and butter at table.
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Scotia, N.Y.: Foodies,
I loved the article about food containers. I remember as a young cook seeking people hollow out rye breads and fill it with mini hot dogs. The lid can also be hollowed to hold mustard dip. Of course, I don't know that the "bowl" ever got eaten.
There is a restaurant in Baltimore, Amici's in Little Italy that makes a wonderful dish of a hollowed out loaf. It is filled with shrimp and alfredo sauce. The bowl is the best part! That could be adapted to something less artery clogging I am sure. It's a good old-new idea.
Candy: Serving soup in a hollowed out bread is a fun idea. You could use the scooped out bread to make homemade bread crumbs.
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Pentagon City/Crystal City, Va.: Do you know how I can get a farmers market come to my neck of the woods? I know there's one in Courthouse, but this part of Arlington could use one too!
Judith: It's complicated and time-consuming to set up a market--just think of the necessary insurance and permits for starters. That said, you could contact the folks at freshfarmmarket.org for guidance. (See the information about Fresh Farm Markets as well as a photo of its co-directors Ann Harvey Yonkers and Bernadine Prince inside our food section today).
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Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Lot eating jalapenos, but find limited recipes for them. Any suggestions for unusual recipes?
Judy: I have used jalapenos only as ingredients in other dishes. Suggestions, anybody?
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Chevy Chase, Md.: I am in the middle of a baking project and my Salton Digital Scale has broken. The digital readout is not legible. The batteries were changed, so it is not that. Do you have any suggestions for a more reliable scale? This is the second scale of that brand that has broken after only a few months of use. Thanks for your advice.
Marcia: I just got a Soehlne scale, so it's too soon to know if it will outlast the Salton, but it comes with a CR 2430 battery and is guaranteed by the manufacturer for five years. Soehlne has been making scales since 1868. It's a German firm, but fortunately the instructions are not in German -- they're in a picture format. It's very easy to use, and it's lightweight. As a bonus, it's supposed to be accurate enough for mail, too. So after you're through weighing your zucchinis and your cheeses, you can figure how much postage you'll need!
Also, colleague Candy Sagon has a Soehlne and swears by it. Very user-friendly and easy to read, she says.
That's not the only good brand, though. Colleague Bonnie Benwick has a Frieling digital scale that she likes a lot.
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Woodbridge, Va.: There's a farmer's market in Dale City that I sometimes visit. How do I ensure I am buying authentic farm-fresh foods and not something that was shipped from N.Y. or FL? I remember going once and seeing something obviously out of season for this area. I know the basics like apples in the fall, tomatoes now, etc. but I don't know when every produce is supposed to be in season. Thanks!
Judith: That's the advantage of the producers-only markets. However, you should feel free to ask where the tomatoes/apples/whatever that's for sale come from. After all, it's not a hostile question, and the markets encourage communication with the customers.
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CSA: Can you give us some more information about this? How do we join one? Which ones do you recommend? Do you know what the prices are like? Thank you.
Judy: We published a list of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms on March 2. The sign-up dates were fairly soon after that. (The money goes to farmers in advance to help them buy seeds, etc). As I recall, my weekly CSA delivery cost about $400, but I also ordered eggs and flowers and can't remember if they were included. The weather has been so hot that my delivery was cancelled last week; the stuff would have been wilted before it got here.
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Farmer market comment: I can't believe people complain about the cost of farmers market fruits and vegetables. I can't tell you how many times I've bought a bag of peaches at Giant and brought them home to find they're mushy and tasteless and I have to throw them out. Give me farmers market peaches any day--they're a little more, but they taste great. And I've gotten a lot of good recipes from the market people. I never would have thought about spinach salad with sliced fresh peaches.
Candy: That's part of the enjoyment of farmers markets--getting to talk to people who are as enthusiastic about food as you are. Many farmers are avid cooks and keep track of food trends in restaurants because they know that if it's showing up on menus, their customers will want it, too.
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Richmond, Va.: Hey-
I live in Richmond, what's the name of that bakery?
I just wanted to say that I picked up the cookbook from last week's section - Cooking School Secrets and love it. TONS of good info, I thought nothing could be as informative as Cookwise (Shirley Corriher) but this one is sure close.
Also, if you like to read food sections www.sautewednesday.com has links to lots of food sections from different papers US and international.
Bonnie: Sautewednesday is a good site.
I bet you'll be cooking from Linda Carucci's new book for a while, Richmond. If you'd like to know more about the author, check out her own Web site, www.lckitchen.com.
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Rockville, Md.: Which of you is Judith, and which is Judy?
Judy: Thanks for giving me a chance to introduce ourselves, which I should have done earlier. Some of the questions are posted in advance and we got so excited about answering them we skipped some of the basics. I am Judy Havemann, the editor. Judith Weinraub, Candy Sagon and Walter Nicholls are the Food section's staff reporters. Bonnie Benwick and Marcia Kramer are assistant editors. Terri Sapienza is our editorial assistant --the helpful person who sends out copies of recipes and such when people lose them.
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S. Arlington, Va.: For the Pentagon City/Crystal City poster looking for a closer farmer's market. There's a small farmer's market at Columbia Pike and Walter Reed Dr. on Sundays, 10-2.
Judy: Thanks.
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Cooking classes: In answer to your opening question about cooking classes, I've taken a few at Sur La Table in Arlington that were worth every penny. I took a knife skills class with Frank Linn and a Chinese cooking class with Rebekah Jewell that were top-notch. They're both skilled instructors who obviously enjoy teaching, which makes the class entertaining as well as informative. Getting to sample the food at the end isn't bad either!; (And no, I'm not a publicist for the store or for either of these chefs, just a satisfied former student!;)
Judy: Thanks.
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More zukes: In the zucchini story today, what are zucchini blossoms?;
Candy: Greetings zukes lover. Zucchini blossoms are literally the flowers that bloom on the very young zucchini. Chefs often batter and deep-fry them. They have a delicate, sweet flavor.
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