Free Range on Food

Dish With the Experts

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? The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

The transcript follows.

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Bonnie: Man, there must be a lot of Google cookin' and baking for the military going on out there. We'll get right to your questions, which are stacked up like the dishes in our Thanksgiving test kitchens. (O Marcia, we feel your pain.)

For the chatter who relates the best Internet/recipe/cooking story, we have a choice of Joan Nathan's "New American Cooking" or Fine Cooking's "How to Break an Egg," a compendium of tips. We'll post the winner near the end of the chat; be sure to send us your mailing address and info to food@washpost.com.

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Washington, D.C.: Our family prefers to eat out on Thanksgiving Day. It keeps the smell and mess out of our small apartment. But one meal isn't really enough to satisfy everyone. Any suggestions? Brunch? Late supper after the game?

Judy H.: How about a serving brunch and then going out for a late Thanksgiving dinner? In our special Thanksgiving edition a week from Sunday (we have two Thanksgiving editions, the 16th and the 20th) we have a story by New Orleans food writer Tom Fitzmorris about a remembrance of Thanksgivings past in New Orleans. One of his favorite recipes is to make a savory waffle filled with little bits of sausage or shrimp--or even caviar. He's posting the recipe on his web site right now: nomenu.com/waffles.html

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Washington, D.C. One of my Thanksgiving guests is a vegetarian and I'm having a hard time finding a menu that has enough dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Any ideas?

Candy: Hey, D.C., we will have two great recipes for you in our Nov. 16th section that are specifically aimed at vegetarians (but are so good, the carnivores will love them, too). One is a baked mac n' cheese, the other a corn pudding. The both contain eggs and dairy. Despite the turkey, Thanksgiving really is a great holiday for vegetarians because there are so many side dishes and vegetables for them to eat. A stuffing with lots of vegetables is a good choice--filling and good for both veg-heads and non. Have you thought about starting dinner with a creamy squash soup? There's also mashed potatoes (we'll have an easy, baked recipe for that), plus sweet potatoes, green beans, salad--I can't imagine a vegetarian going hungry on this holiday! Just in case, here's a no-brainer mashed sweet potato recipe from Andrea Chesman's "Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook." She says there is no better way to make mashed sweet potatoes--and so easy.

Best-ever Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons light cream, heavy cream or whole milk

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, or more as needed

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced

Fresh ground black pepper

Combine the butter, cream, syrup, salt and sweet potatoes in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are quite tender and fall apart as you stir, about 35 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Whip with a whisk or spoon. Season with pepper, taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

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Takoma Park, Md.: I'm having Muslim guests for Thanksgiving dinner and don't want to serve anything alcoholic. I wonder if you could recommend a festive looking beverage that could be served in wine glasses but would not offend my dinner guests.

Walter: How about a sparkling cider with splash of cranberry juice and a garnish of a whole cranberry or two.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I loved your coca cola cake but have lost the recipe and can't find it online. Could you please reprint it for me?

Bonnie: I made this for a school bake sale a few weeks ago and sold it in the squares shown in Lisa's book. In minutes, they were g-h-o-n-e.

Coca-Cola Cake

(From Lisa Yockelson's "ChocolateChocolate")

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into large chunks

1 cup Coca-Cola

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

2 cups superfine sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Coca-Cola Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray inside of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the buttermilk and baking soda together in a nonreactive bowl. In a few minutes, the buttermilk will swell somewhat.

Place the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa powder in a large saucepan, set over moderately high heat and bring to a boil.

In the meantime, sift the flour with the sugar and salt into the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Pour the hot Coca-Cola mixture over and mix on moderately low speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Blend in the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk-baking soda blend. Mix well to combine. The batter will be thin.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven to 20 minutes, or until risen, set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clan. The baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the baking pan.

Let baked cake stand in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. To frost the cake (see frosting recipe below), carefully place dollops of the frosting on top of the hot cake. Smooth over the frosting with a small frosting knife or rubber spatula, taking care not to cut into or dislodge the top of the cake. The frosting will begin to melt down a bit as you spread it on the hot cake, but it will set as it cools.

Coca-Cola Frosting:

3 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

Large pinch of salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons Coca-Cola, at room temperature

Combine the powdered sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the butter and melted chocolate until smooth. Blend in the vanilla extract. Pour the chocolate mixture over the powdered sugar, add the Coca-Cola, and beat on low speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until just combined and smooth, using an electric hand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently to keep the frosting even-textured.

Use the frosting immediately or press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. The prepared frosting can be made about 15 minutes before using. It will firm up as it stands.

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Baltimore, Md.: Is there any way to hurry up the turkey-thawing process?

Bonnie: Start now and ... just a little pre-Thanksgiving humor, Bawlmer. Believe it or not, placing the packaged turkey breast side down in a sink full of cold water will thaw your frozen bird at the rate of about 30 minutes per pound, instead of about 4 hours per pound, left on its own in the refrigerator. If you're so inclined, check out how the pros do it: the "Thawing Video" at www.butterball.com.

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Washington, D.C.: What is the background of the staff of the Food section? Did everyone go to cooking school?

Judy H.: Our backgrounds are all over the map, literally from Michigan to Florida, Los Angeles to D.C. We've been a caterer, students at cooking schools here and abroad, and we have extensive backgrounds in journalism, food and otherwise.

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Alexandria, Va.: A very simple question but which is better for cooking a turkey, high or low heat?

Marcia: That depends on your comfort level with high roasting temperatures. We like the high-heat method: It's not only faster and produces juicy meat, but it's also easier: No basting (not opening the oven door repeatedly keeps the heat high). Our colleague Judith Weinraub has been testing turkeys for weeks, and we'll be featuring her high-heat recipe (along with more traditional cooking methods, for those who prefer them) in Food next Wednesday (11/16).

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Baltimore, Md.: Any tips for cooking my Thanksgiving turkey on the grill?

Marcia: For starters, make sure the turkey will fit -- don't try to do a 24-pound turkey on a little-bitty grill. You'll want to cook it unstuffed (stuffing might not get hot enough, which could cause salmonella poisoning). Whether you're using gas or charcoal, use an indirect cooking method (for charcoal, put a drip pan beneath to prevent flareups). Allow 11 to 13 minutes per pound, which means about 2 hours for a 10-pound turkey; 3 to 3 1/2 hours for a 16-pound turkey and 4 to 4 1/2 hours for a 24-pounder. The breast meat should be 170 degrees and the thigh meat 180. Factors such as the outside temperature can affect the timing. I started a turkey on the grill one Thanksgiving when it was cold out, and we wound up sitting down to eat a lot later than we had expected...and that was after finishing the turkey indoors. Need assistance? Call the Weber Grill hotline at 1-800-GRILLOUT or the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL.

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Baltimore, Md.: Like many others who consider the Post their hometown newspaper, I commute to the District from Baltimore every day. The Post really needs to include places in Baltimore in the Food section.

Judy H.: We do feature new food stores and take out places from time to time in our "Foraging" column. Send us some ideas of places you recommend and we will try to check them out.

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Baltimore, Md.: When I make salad dressings that I plan to use over time -- anything from Good Seasons vinaigrette to homemade poppyseed (honey, oil, vinegar, a little onion) -- do I need to refrigerate them? The individual ingredients aren't refrigerated, plus the dressings congeal in the fridge, but I don't want to do anything unwise. Thanks.

Bonnie: Way to go, we applaud the effort to make your own. Refrigerating vinaigrette shouldn't be a problem, as long as you let it come to room temperature and shake before serving. If you store long-term for dressings that have onion or garlic in them might

Bonnie: aHEM! as I was saying, onion and garlic bits in dressings that are stored for a few days might tend to overpower. I guess the answer is make ahead, but not too far.

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Bethesda, Md.: Thanks for the take-out list, great idea, but why didn't you include the Spring Hill Bread Co. in Bethesda. Their pies are delicious.

Judy H.: Thanks for telling us about them. We will contact them next year.

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Baltimore, Md.: Last year I slaved away to make a turkey, only to find that my mother-in-law complained about its tasting too "herby". Do I have to invite her again?

Walter: Absolutely not. Send the old bird on vacation. Wait, wait, WE ARE KIDDING. You have to invite her. Just use fewer herbs. Or just put the herbs on one half, and leave the other half an herb-free zone. How's that for diplomacy?

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, I'm hoping you'll take pity on this newbie, recently single, very hungry cook and answer my question! I am seeking recommendations of books or inexpensive local cooking classes that would help me learn basic cooking techniques that I could use to make quick, healthy weeknight meals. I'd like to begin moving from depending on cookbooks to being able to open up my fridge and improvise. So I'd like ones that mention possibilities for substitutions and stick with very basic ingredient lists. I don't have a lot of time to cook, but I'd like to eat healthy food more often.

Judy H.: You're in the perfect place for this. L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda and Stratford University in Falls Church have exactly what you are looking for. Don't know if you are interested in meeting like-minded people, but that might happen also. Have you looked at the cooking school list on washingtonpost.com? I wouldn't say a lot of the classes are cheap, but the ones I have been to have been worth the money.

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Alexandria, Va.: Submitting before so I won't forget...PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help me!! My husband and I moved here from Georgia a year and a half ago. Since that time, I have not been able to find two staples: Boar's Head brand deli meats and Mahatma Wild Rice. You can find these at any grocery store in Georgia, but not here. Do you know of any places inside the Beltway that sell these, esp. Boar's Head (I can't keep paying $6 a day for a sandwich at the place across from my office!)? Thanks so much!

Candy: You're right, it's tough to find Boar's Head around here. Balducci's used to carry it, but no longer. (The deli guy told me their Balducci's brand is better.)I called Boar's Head and they directed me to one of their distributors in this area--Dandy Provisions 703-437-5070. I called and Dandy said the Giant supermarket on Jermantown Rd (703-277-2861) in Fairfax carries Boar's Head (which they do--I called to check). Brookville Mkt. in D.C. also carries it. If you need other places, I'd suggest calling Dandy. They were very nice. As for Mahatma, Giant carries several Mahatma products. You also might check with some of the small Indian markets in the area. Anybody out there have other suggestions?

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Washington, D.C.: Just a slight correction: You listed cookinglight.com as a good resource for recipes, but access to recipes is limited to people who buy the magazine.

Judy H.: Thank you Washington.

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Herndon, Va.: The story on the two-hour Safeway turkey has me intrigued. How long would it take to roast a 10 or 12 pound turkey at 475? There's only four of us and I'm thinking this is a fast way to get the turkey on the table.

Marcia: A 10- to 12-pound turkey would take only about an hour at high temp. Make sure you're starting with a clean oven so you don't set off any smoke detectors.

Judy H.: I am the nervous type, so I would give myself leeway on this. First, you need to go to the store and get the detailed directions. And I mean detailed. When we followed them to the letter, they worked.

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Bethesda, Md.: Hello Kitchen Doctors !

Thanks so much for these chats - I've been able to pick up lots of good advice (and recipes thanks to you)! I'm still a little skeptical about the 2 hour turkey, but I'll have to give that a try..(before Thanksgiving , though!)

I have a question about knives and cutting boards. What are the best quality to buy ? I've heard from a fellow cook that a lot of the German knives ( Henkels , Wustoff) are overrated .. What else is there ? One thing I'd like is a good filet knive, for cutting raw fish (which is tough to cut - especially with the skin!).

Also , in terms of cutting boards , which kind do you recommend? The one I have now is a thick plastic, but I've been getting lots of catalogs in the mail, some of which advertise them, but both kinds as being "superior." What is best?

Walter: You're welcome, Bethesda. As far as cutlery is concerned, Kershaw Shun knives are considered in the top rung and available at Chesapeake Knife & Tool stores. OXO has a new cutting board in stores made of polypropylene that resists deep scratches. They come in three sizes and have juice grooves on one side for carving a roast, let's say.

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Washington, D.C.: I would like to know what other people do with must-invite Thanksgiving guests who always drink too much and monopolize the conversation. Should we just stop serving wine or do we just put up with it because it's only once a year? What do people think about trying to organize the conversation around the table so that everybody gets a chance to talk in turn, or is that too controlling and unfriendly?

Bonnie: We're a little off the Food reservation here, but consider this. Some families have a tradition of taking turns around the table answering the following question: "What do you have to be thankful for this year?" It's inclusive and promotes sharing (as in, equal face time for quiet cousin Audrey). Of course, there's always the welcome interruption of another course or glass of wine...

Marcia: We consulted our Post colleague Carolyn Hax, who writes the Me About It advice column. Here's what she says:

"It's really what your pain tolerance is. You have to decide which will make you more miserable: this drunken guest or having this guest without benefit of alcohol. My inclination would be to leave things as is and make adjustments in attitude, along the lines of resignation and humor (and more wine)."

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Washington, D.C.: I am hosting a brunch on Sunday for 10 people total. I am planning on having cranberry bread, pumpkin muffins, a ham, a quiche and fruit salad. Should that be enough food? Should I add potatoes to the menu?

Bonnie: How much of that are you making yourself, D.C.? Perhaps a salad or something green like roasted asparagus with a lemon vinaigrette served on the side might be just the ticket. With your lineup, I might do a soft polenta or baked grits instead of potatoes.

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Miami, Fl.: Do you have a recipe archive. In my move to Miami I lost the chocolate chip pancake recipe published 1/21/98 that was my claim to fame among my kids friends. (ok ok my husband loves them too)

Marcia: Here you go, Miami:

TASTES-LIKE-CHOCOLATE-CHIP- COOKIES PANCAKES

(About 15 3 1/2-inch pancakes)

All the familiar flavors present in a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough (butter, brown sugar, vanilla, chips and walnuts) wrapped up in a tender batter -- these pancakes are supple and positively ooze semisweet chocolate chips.

1 cup unsifted bleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 extra-large egg

3/4 cup milk, or more as needed

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to warm

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup lightly toasted, chopped walnuts

Butter or plain vegetable oil (such as canola) for the griddle

Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Place the flour, baking powder, salt and light brown sugar into a sieve set over a large mixing bowl; using a flexible rubber spatula, sieve the ingredients into the bowl, taking care to press the brown sugar through the mesh. Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla extract and butter in a small mixing bowl; using the spatula, stir into the sifted mixture along with the chocolate chips and walnuts. The batter will be slightly lumpy. If the batter is thicker than a soft, spoonable pudding, add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time; it should be thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon, but light enough to drop in dollops onto the griddle.

Using 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake, cook the pancakes on a hot, lightly greased griddle for about 1 minute, until the undersides are golden and bubbles appear here and there on the surface; flip over and continue cooking for 1 or 2 minutes longer, until golden on the bottom, completely set and cooked through.

Serve the pancakes hot, their tops dusted with confectioners' sugar, if you like.

Per pancake: 133 calories, 2 gm protein, 14 gm carbohydrates, 8 gm fat, 22 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 35 mg sodium

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Safeway in Maryland: Does the new "Safeway method" that they are touting all over the stores work?

Judy H.: When we followed the directions precisely, it worked. See above.

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Wilmington, N.C.: I really enjoyed the story about the sisters baking for their children in the military. As a military spouse and sister of college-age brothers, I'm still trying to master the art of the care package. Any suggestions for good recipes that will withstand being mailed and last for several weeks (since that's how long it takes for a box to get to Iraq)? Thanks for your help!

Candy: Hi Wilmington. Thanks for joining us. The sisters picked cookies to make that were pretty sturdy and, generally, did not contain chocolate since it can melt so easily. The molasses spice cookie recipe we ran is very easy, the cookies are delicious, and they pack easily. A good oatmeal cookie is another good choice--make some with dried fruit, some with mini chocolate chips or mini M&Ms (the mini's don't melt as easily--as long as the person you're sending them to isn't stationed in some hot tropical place). It's very important to pack things correctly. Check out the step-by-step photos and instructions on page 2 of our section. Pack one type of cookie per plastic box (the sisters like the Glad Ware boxes) and use waxed paper between each layer of cookies. When the box is full, put it in a sturdy cardboard box that's insulated with bubble wrap and/or newspaper so the boxes don't slide. If you don't want to bake, my neighborhood recently sent a group care package that contained candy, gum, magazines, puzzle books, and letters from each family. Check out the anysoldier.com web site for suggestions and advice on packing and sending care packages.

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Washington, D.C.: re: safeway 2-hour turkey: ok, so how hard are the directions to follow? are they very complicated? honestly, I've never found my usual 12-pound turkey to take much more than 2 hours anyway.

Judy H.: No, the directions are not complicated at all. They are easy. They include such no-brainer, but important, tips as cleaning your oven in advance so that you don't have a fire on your hands.

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Drunken Thanksgiving guests: Serve beer instead of wine. It will take your guests longer to get drunk and they will be confronted more often with the evidence of their drinking ("Another bottle already, Bob?") Not that they sound like the kind of people to be ashamed of that, but still, beer goes great with turkey and certainly trying this alternative won't make your dinner more unpleasant than it already is. Buy a variety of different types, it can become more about taste than volume.

Judy H.: Thanks Drunken.

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Washington, D.C.: This may seem like it goes without saying, but if you are going to offer stuffing to your vegetarian guests, cook it in a separate dish, not in the bird. You would be shocked how many hosts, especially of the older generation, still say, "What? I left the sausage out just for you!" even when the whole think is soaked in turkey juices.

Judy H.: Ouch!. Good advice.

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Boar's Head: That's easy! So's Your Mom in Adams Morgan uses, and sells, Boar's Head meats. Columbia, 1840 block.

Judy H.: Thanks Boar's.

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Fairfax, Va.: Thanks for publishing the turkey-day take out list. But, you should have added Wegman's, too.

Judy H.: You are right! Thank you Fairfax. Sometimes the most obvious things escape me (not my staff,just me!).

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Baltimore, Md.: Is it really too dangerous to stuff a turkey? My mother-in-law demands that we do so--she's done it for over a hundred years, after all. Is the turkey more dangerous than it used to be? Or are people more careless in preparation? Or are people more worried about small risks than they need be?

Bonnie: Oh, go on. Bet your mother-in-law doesn't look a day over 87. We, too, have stuffed turkeys and lived to tell the tale. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the folks at Butterball and many other reputable sources offer safe methods for stuffing again this year--if there wasn't a safe way to do it, would they continue to advise? We can't discount the fact that some people don't store their turkeys properly, or shove still-warm stuffing into places where it shouldn't go or putting it in too long before it goes into the oven. In these instances there is legitimate risk. Then again, some people should worry a bit more about the lumps in their gravy...

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Boar's Head: The Brooksville Market in Cleveland Park sells Boar's Head.

Judy H.: Another good steer. Brookville Market is also in Chevy Chase.

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Rockville, Md.: Hi,

I just received a beautiful, heavy, hand-made copper pot (6 qt) as a present. It came from a small town in Ohio, the only remaining place in the US that still produces hand-made copper cookware. It is unlined. My question is that I've heard that cooking with unlined copper cookware can cause elemental copper to leach out into the food, which can be harmful to one's health. I know they say to not put acidic foods in the copper pots for that reason, but is it OK to cook with those pots otherwise? and if you do use a few tomatoes or vinegar in a recipe (like making a soup or stew), is it alright to do so occasionally without harming your health? Can you give us your thoughts about using unlined copper cookware in general? thanks.

Walter: We asked Stephanie Gorenflo, a manager at La Cuisine-a cookware store in Alexandria that sells a lot of cooper pots. Unlined copper pots are wonderful for making caramel or any candy or sugar work. But for anything else, there may be a negative reaction. If you would like to have your pot lined she suggests you call Abercrombies in Silver Spring (800-585-2387.)

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Re: Boar's Head: Thank you!

Judy H.: Thank you chatters.

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Baltimore, Md.: The highlight of our Thanksgiving has always been my mother-in-law's grasshopper pie. It is made with egg yolks and isn't cooked. Is that dangerous?

Candy: That depends (and we certainly hope you get along with your mother-in-law, otherwise it definitely is dangerous). Is she using pasteurized eggs? Davidson brand pasteurized eggs (sold at Harris Teeter) don't carry the risk of salmonella even if they're uncooked.

If she isn't using pasteurized eggs, well.... Personally, I wouldn't want to risk it. However, if she's been doing it for years and everyone's still standing, she'll probably think you're nuts for worrying.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi. Regarding the 2-hour turkey...I was planning to buy an ordinary turkey this year and improve it's taste by brining (my first time; I'm a little scared). does that 2-hour turkey need brining? would that be a welcome improvement or not necessary? I have 7 people counting on a tasty bird!

Judy H.: The two hour turkey does not take brining. Many people swear by brining and we have recommended it in the past, but this year we've gone back to the traditional high heat roasted turkey. It produces better juices for gravy and is very flavorful.

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Arlington, Va.: Do you have a good recipe for a salsa-like sauce that goes with a turkey. I refuse to go another year eating the sickeningly sweet cranberry sauce from the can.

Marcia: Here's a cranberry relish that was in Bon Appetit in November 1997. It does have sugar, but it looks to be short of the sickeningly sweet tipping point. We haven't made it ourselves -- let us know if you like it.

Mango and Cranberry Relish

Makes 2 3/4 cups

1 pound mangoes (about 2 small), peeled, pitted, cut into large pieces

2 cups cranberries (about 8 ounces)

1/2 medium unpeeled orange, seeded, cut into large pieces

1/2 cup sugar

Using on/off turns, coarsely chop mangoes, cranberries and orange in processor. Transfer to medium bowl. Stir in sugar. Let relish stand at least 30 minutes before serving. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Food Section. A food safety question: Why don't I get food poisoning whenever I use the same spatula to put raw meat into a pan, move it around, and remove the cooked meat from the pan? Am I just lucky?

Also, why don't wild, carnivorous animals get food poisoning all the time?

Candy: Tell me, do you have a death wish?

You probably are lucky. If you did that in a restaurant, the health inspectors would slap you with a zillion violations. Raw meat can--although not always--contain bacteria like e-coli and salmonella that are not killed by cooking. You don't want to take that risk by cross-contaminating with the same spatula. Wash it off, for heaven's sake.

Oh, and wild, carnivorous animals do get food poisoning. They just go to carnivorous animal hospitals who refuse to divulge those statistics to the press.

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Chevy Chase, Md.: I am interested in sending cookies to my friend's son in Iraq for the holidays, but I do not know when to send them. Do you have any idea? Thanks and keep up the good work!

Candy: Chevy Chase, I'd recommend you send them NOW. It can take two to three weeks for a package to get delivered, so if you want him to have them in time for holidays, I'd start baking.

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Washington, D.C.: For our first Valentine's Day, I decided to cook some pheasants for my then-boyfriend/now-husband. We had been sent some wild ones as a gift and they had been sitting in the freezer. I searched for pheasant recipes, not even knowing what pheasant tastes like. I was clueless.

I found a recipe on Epicurious from the 21 Club. It had Grand Marnier, dried apricots and dates. I made it, and the apartment smelled like heaven. I'll never forget how exceptional it was. Despite my having cooked for years, it was the most daring - and gourmet - thing I had ever made. And I never would have done it, if not for the user comments that accompanied the recipe.

Candy: I love those reader comments--they really help me figure out if the recipe is worth trying or not.

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Washington, D.C.: Great job!

My question is regarding today's story on Google Cooking. Do you think that its just a gimmick--just another way for that company to make some money? Or would you actually recommend it? Are the recipes any good?

Thanks so much.

Judy H.: Well, Google cooking depends on how much of a gambler you are. We kind of like sites with tested recipes. But it's not a gimmick, it's part of a trend toward "googling" everything instead of looking things up in-- say-- a dictionary or telephone book --or cookbook. Beware that it is a time-eater. Don't wait till you're starving to start.

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Savory waffles: Those sound great, but can't find the recipe on nomenu.com... can you post a link or the recipe, pretty please?

Judy H.: He was going to post it immediately when I spoke to him an hour ago. He is in New Orleans so maybe there is a technical problem. Send me your address after the chat and I will get you the recipe.

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Safer Stuffing: Alton Brown from Good Eats used to eschew stuffing, but has developed a way to do it safely - basically, you nuke the stuffing in the microwave to bring it to temperature before you stuff it into the bird (and you do this all immediately before putting the turkey into the oven.) I am nice and did some digging for it, so here it is:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29138,00.html

Judy H.: You are nice. Thank you.

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Ann Arbor, Mich.: Dear Food Section:

Great job on your section; I look forward to reading it online every week!

I am a college student, living on a tight budget and few ingredients. What is lying around the kitchen is very random, and usually not obviously combinable. The only nearby grocery store is a corner market that sells on the basis.

Is there a way that Google Cooking could help me? I worry that by typing in what I have lying around, Google will tell me to go buy some very exotic things that I don't have easy access to. Is there a way to limit the search to "common ingredients" or something like that?

Thanks so much, and keep up the good work!

Bonnie: Thanks, AA. And for your dining pleasure we just happened to have the Google story's author, standing by to answer your query:

Hi, this is Andrea, the newbie Google cook. Google can definitely be your savior, since remember: It is there as source of inspiration, and you don't have to follow the Google recipes to the letter. For example, the recipes I tried had some ingredients that I did not have on hand, so I improvised (subbing my noodles for sticky rice, for example). So, do give it a go; if your first Google search does not produce anything you like, plug in a new trio of items--eventually, it will find a recipe you can live with.

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Fairfax, Va: This is a comment regarding "The Queen's Scones." From a British woman who has long enjoyed this tasty treat, the Queen's scones are not baked, but instead, dropped onto a hot griddle (about a quarter cup per scone).

Bonnie: No royal convection?

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Washington, D.C.: Do you think the fast-cook method for turkeys would work with a brined turkey?

Judy H.: Personally, I would stick with the exact recipe, at least the first few times.

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Arlington, Va.: Loved the cookie story today. And such good timing, too! My neighbors and I are getting ready to send a care package to a young woman stationed in Afghanistan. I thought about making brownies, but you mention that chocolate isn't always a good idea. Any other ideas for bar-type cookies?

Candy: Hi Arlington. I wouldn't recommend brownies both because of the melting problem with chocolate, and because really good, fudgy brownies tend to be soft and would get squished easily during shipping. As the anysoldier.com web site puts it, "Godzilla will be handling your package, so pack it well." If your heart is set on bar cookies, choose wisely. Lemon bars obviously won't survive. But you might try blondies or congo bars, which are firmer. Other cookie suggestions: snickerdoodles, Mexican wedding cookies, oatmeal cookies (add chopped dried fruit or some mini chocolate chips).

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Washington, D.C.: My boyfriend decided he wanted to make something nice for me for dinner. He called me at work to tell me that he needed some extra ingredients for his special meal. He requested 12 red bell peppers, which I thought was an awful lot. It turns out the recipe called for one bell pepper cut into a dozen or so strips. Needless to say there was a lot of red pepper puree/soup/etc. eaten that week at our house....

Bonnie: Good one.

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Annandale, Va.: My kingdom for a decent corkscrew! I've bought half a dozen in the past five years of different designs yet all seem to be poorly designed with the fatal flaw of the corkscrew tip going sideways instead of straight down like my old faithful but broken one did. This ensures that you cannot center the corkscrew in the center of the cork and makes it very hard to get the cork out without breaking it. ARGH!

Walter: The sales team at Calvert Woodley wines and spirits in Northwest says, nothing beats a good old fashioned waiter's corkscrew, available at CW for $4.99.

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Bangor, Maine: How many of the recipes in your "Dinner in..." in the past 2 months have been vegetarian?

It seems like more than before. Is this a coincidence or an intentional trend?

Marcia: We intentionally try to mix it up a bit. Some have meat, some don't. All of them, we hope, taste good (which is to say: we've tested them and we think they taste good, and we hope you like them, too). And all, whether with meat or not, can be made reasonably quickly and with easy-to-find ingredients.

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Ohio: How long should you allow to defrost a turkey (it's about 16.5 pounds). Thanks.

Bonnie: For your 16.5 pound bird, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends thawing in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or 8-10 hours in cold water (keep it in the original packaging, either way).

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Bethesda, Md.: Heidelberg Bakery on Lee Hwy in Arlington sells Boars Head deli meats. You need to know about this place anyway. Amazing doughnuts, pastries, cakes, sandwiches. My husband and I were so sad to have to move to Bethesda, mainly b/c of missing our Saturday a.m. weekly excursions to Heidelberg. Seriously, their doughnuts are the best ever.

Candy: Thanks Bethesda! I knew our chatters would help our homesick Georgia girl.

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Online Recipes: For online recipes, I love Simply Recipes at http://www.elise.com/recipes/.

I made the curry peanut chicken last night and delicious banana bread over the weekend. The food is simple, easy to make, and the comments provide nice feedback too!

Judy H.: Thanks online.

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Cranberry Sauce tip: For the person who can't deal with another year of sickeningly sweet canned sauce... it's super-easy to make your own! I just follow the directions on the bag of fresh cranberries (boil berries, H20, sugar). I usually use a bit less sugar than suggested, because I like it tart. Sometimes I add either OJ & orange zest, or grated ginger (YUM!). It's easy enough to make a day or 2 in advance, or even earlier & freeze. If you try it once, you'll never go back to canned (& it's a gorgeous scarlet color, nothing like the canned stuff)! Just my 2 cents...

Judy H.: Thank you sauce.

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Wild animal hospital: Actually, they don't get food poisoning because they eat their kills right away. They don't let them sit in processing plants and trucks and supermarket shelves and refrigerators for 6-12 days before consuming.....

Candy: And they don't use unclean spatulas either.

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Alexandria, Va.: I'm posting early, so I hope you will be able to answer my question. I'm planning a holiday party for about 30, and I'm trying to decide whether to rent dishes and glasses. Do you know where I can look for such items to rent? Thank you.

Marcia: Sure, there are businesses that specialize in renting party equipment. If you have an old-fashioned Yellow Pages directory (remember those?),look under Party Supplies--Renting. Or do like everyone else and Google it (with "Alexandria" to limit the search to rental places in your area). Rental places will be happy to supply you not only with dishes and glasses but also with a table to put them on, linens, chairs and -- if need be -- a tent.

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Arlington, Va.: I just wanted to share my awesome, easy salsa recipe. I always get compliments on it, and it takes about two minutes to make. This is a great thing to either bring as a hostess gift or to serve to hungry guests while you finish up your cooking. It keeps them out of the kitchen. This salsa is healthy, light, flavorful, fresh, and fun.

Salsa Festiva

Ingredients:

-1 pkg grape, cherry, or baby roma tomatoes (really, don't use big tomatoes--the results are nowhere near as good)

-1/3 bunch fresh cilantro

-kosher salt and pepper to taste

-approx. 1/4 to 1/3 cup lime juice (I use Nellie and Joe's Key West)

-(optional) 1 t. Lee Kum Kee chili-garlic sauce (can substitute 1-2 garlic cloves)

Don't chop anything--throw it all in the food processor and pulse till pleasantly chunky and homemade looking.

Serve in shallow bowl with a sprig of fresh cilanto as a garnish, alongside a basket of tortilla chips.

Candy: Thanks for the recipe. It would make a good nibble to have with chips while everyone's waiting for the turkey.

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RE: Google Cooking: I think the "gimmick" commenter is confusing Google Cooking with one of their marketed searches, like Google Images or Froogle. The idea is simply that you can use the search engine to find recipes stored on sites across the world wide web. You could do so on any search engine, but Google is better at providing a wider variety of results.

Judy H.: Good explanation Google. Better than mine. Thanks.

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Arlington, Va.: I recently saw a recipe in a magazine for chestnut hot chocolate that I wanted to make. It calls for chestnut puree. What is it. Do I puree my own chestnut (and how do you do that) or can you buy it?

Bonnie: Chestnut puree is a product you can buy (in cans, usually) that has vanilla and/or sugar added in. You could roast chestnuts to make your own puree, but you can also buy it at Balducci's stores. A 15-ounce can is about $6.29.

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Rosslyn, Va.: My favorite cousin (who is like a brother to me), decided one day to make hot chocolate all by himself. He must have been 16 at the time. Now, in my family, we are a warm milk/cocoa powder/sugar bunch. No pre-measured mix for us. Well, dear cuz got the cocoa powder and sugar right, but unfortunately, wound up killing his mother's tea kettle by boiling the milk in it. He's vastly improved and will hopefully be brining the turkey this year.

Judy H.: Keep him away from the deep fat fryer!!!

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Washington, D.C.: I am so intrigued by the Safeway turkey recipe! However, there are just two of us at my household, could I do this with a turkey breast? Also, could you print the whole recipe for us?

Candy: A turkey breast is too small to use the Safeway method. The smallest turkey they used was a 10-pounder.

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Bonnie: And the winner of today's chat is Valentine's Day pheasant. Remember to send your particulars to food@washpost.com. You're all good sports.

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Mahatma Rice: Check the Latin markets. This is popular for Spanish rice

Judy H.: Thanks mahatma.

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Washington, D.C.: To accommodate over indulgence, try having a special t-giving punch where you determine the alcohol content with dinner and then offer wine or cocktails later. Kind of keeps you from being a teetotaler through dinner and may at least buy some relief from el wino.

Candy: another idea for those over-indulgers. Thanks!

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Boar's Head deli: in Arlington, at the Pica Deli, on Washington BLVD, across fro the Giant.

Judy H.: Pretty soon we're going to have to publish a list of places that DON'T have it. Thanks.

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Drunk Relative: Put the wine bottle at one end of the table, and the relative at the other end. It's too embarrassing to keep making you get up to serve him all the way at the other end.

Judy H.: Keeper advice!!! Thanks.

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Columbia, S.C.: I think your answer regarding salmonella and the grasshopper pie seemed a bit over-cautious. Isn't the risk of salmonella from store-bought eggs pretty minimal if they're stored (and the items you're preparing with them uncooked) properly? I feel as though I read in an Alton Brown book that there are almost no cases of egg-related salmonella from home-prepared foods.

Candy: You're right. I am paranoid (but I know those bacteria are watching me!). The risk is probably minimal. But as a food writer, it still makes me a little jittery. Especially for people who might be immune-compromised.

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Potomac Falls, Va.: For the poster asking about Boar's Head deli meats and Mahatma rice, most Giant stores sell Boar's Head AND Mahatma rice. I know that Cascades, Ashburn, and Centreville Giants all sell them. Boar's Head is THE BEST!!

Candy: Yay, chatters! Another good answer.

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Internet recipes: I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I absolutely love, and swear by, Epicurious.com. The user reviews are incredibly helpful -- you can usually tell right off the bat if a recipe is a dud, plus reviewers often have great suggestions for tweaking (either to fix recipe issues or just to be creative). Plus, if you sign in, you have your own "recipe file" which is really useful for looking back at past recipes or saving new ones for later. I actually feel guilty that I never use my cookbooks, because epicurious is so much easier!

Candy: Epicurious is good, but remember--they only have recipes from the two magazines.

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Washington, D.C.: Wondering if you guys could give me some help. I grew up always cooking so I have a good knowledge of techniques. I also have pretty much everything a girl could need as far as cooking ware. The problem is that my range is somewhat limited. In college I wowed all my friends by cooking food that didn't come out of a box. Now in my mid twenties I am still impressing but I feel like I have sort hit a plateau. My main problem is cooking meat. I am almost exclusively cooking chicken which is getting incredibly boring. I would like to branch out but haven't because of budget and because I am a little intimidated by it. I can't really be buying top of the line cuts of meat but was wondering if you all had any ideas of kinds of meats or ways to cook them that's not too difficult or maybe a cookbook you would recommend for someone who isn't a novice but isn't an expert either. Thanks so much.

Judy H.: Have you tried short ribs? These cuts of meat are definitely not the top of the line, but they produce incredibly rich ribs that will broaden your offerings and make people think you are a fabulous cook.

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Bonnie: That's all for us today, chatters. Sorry we couldn't get to all your q's. Be sure to look for our next TWO issues, Wednesday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 20, which are All-Thanksgiving. We will not publish a Food section on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Today's Thanksgiving prepared food takeout list will stay posted on washingtonpost.com, if our wpni pal Erin is true to her word.

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