Free Range on Food: Toaster Oven Love, Chicken Wings vs. Sausage Bites for the Big Game, From-Scratch Margarita Recipes and more

A chat with the Washington Post Food Section staff is a forum for discussion of all things culinary: food trends, recipes, ingredients, menus, gadgets and more. You can share your thoughts on the latest Food section, get suggestions from fellow cooks and food lovers, or swap old-fashioned recipes the new-fashioned way. The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

A transcript follows.

Transcripts of past chats

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Joe Yonan: Happy icy afternoon, residents of Chatlandia. Welcome to Free Range, the chat that forces you to think about all manner of deliciousness right when you're probably hungry for lunch. Cruel, cruel chat.

What's on your mind? Does Scott Reitz's fun piece on his playoff parties get you in a Super Bowl frame of mind? Have you voted in Smackdown III yet? (I promised Bonnie: NO CAMPAIGNING.) Does my toaster oven tale cause you to reevaluate this little appliance? Does Jane's complaint about restaurant lighting make you shade your eyes or squint in sympathy?

Now's your chance to sound off, comment, get clarification, seek a recipe, weigh in with your own. We have two special guests to help us today: First, there's Scott, author of the "Home Field Advantage" piece and accompanying recipes, to catch any ... oh, I am incapable of a convincing football pun, so I'll stop while I'm ahead. Second, welcome our wine columnist Dave McIntyre, who can handle all matters vino.

And we of course have giveaway books. SIX giveaway books, so it's a festival of freebies here at Free Range today.

Let's do this thing.

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Leesburg, Va.: Great section today! I am looking forward to trying those sausage bites. My Superbowl spread will have a Tex-Mex theme this year and I am looking for a recommendation for margarita mix. I have never made them before and don't regularly order them so I figure my best chance of success is a mix. I was also thinking of making cheesecake bars with a margarita flavor, how best to accomplish this? Maybe some grated lime in the cheese mix? Thanks!

Joe Yonan: Please step away from the margarita mix. Really, it's a super-easy cocktail to make, and you can do it in a large batch/pitcher ahead and just pour, pour, pour. As for the cheesecake bar question, you need juice in addition to zest in there. Now, I have two recipes for you, this one from Bon Appetit and this one from Gourmet (through Smitten Kitchen). I haven't made either, but they come from reputable sources, look promising and both use key limes, which would certainly up your tart factor here. The other thing you might think about to play up the margarita idea is to sprinkle them with flaky sea salt after baking.

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Arlington, Va.: Thanks for the wings recipe today. Did you actually try the recipe? Does the hot sauce flavor remain in the wings? I like my wings sloppy, hot and not fried -- do you think I'd be happy with this version?

Joe Yonan: What do you mean, did we actually try the recipe? Of course! Nothing appears in the section without being tested. I picked the recipe from Debbie Moose's "Wings" book because I found it intriguing, made it and loved it. The hot sauce flavor definitely remains in the wings, but they're not sloppy/wet. You could sloppify them, though, by rolling them in more sauce (or the classic combination of hot sauce and butter, a la Buffalo). I added the broiling aspect to the recipe to get them crispy -- not as super-crispy as fried, but so much less trouble.

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Adams Morgan: Wings --

Outside of saving some calories, what is the advantage of marinating the wings before cooking them instead of cooking them and then coating in a butter/hot sauce ?

Thanks!

Joe Yonan: It's much simpler, really.

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Texas: Thanks so much for the articles about toaster ovens. I was so happy to see them, as I am deployed by the government to disaster sites to help with relief work, so I do a lot of toaster oven cooking (and buy a lot of cheap toaster ovens, too!) I use mine mostly for roasting veggies, making cheese toast, and the occasional batch of "brownies for two" that I developed just for my toaster. Given that I go through a certain number of cheap toaster ovens (I donate them at the end of my deployments), can you recommend anything at the bottom end of the price scale? The one I bought last summer was OK, but my latest $30 special from a local grocery is out of control: burns the toast like you wouldn't believe. Thanks!

Joe Yonan: I only tested the ones in the Tool Test piece, which range from $80 to $200. But the number-two preference, which I liked quite a bit, is the T-Fal, for $90. (That's not $30, but it's certainly not $200, either.)

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meatloaf!: I love the idea of making several small meatloaf meals, and saving some for later. Can these be made in a regular oven -- and, if so, would any adjustment be needed?

Joe Yonan: The only adjustment you'd need to make is in waiting for the oven to preheat, which takes longer than in a toaster oven. But as for the cooking time and temp, it should work the same.

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Washington, D.C.: Your recipe for quinoa sounds delicious! In reading it, however, it mentions a six-part series on quick cooking whole grains. How do I find the other recipes in the series? I must not have been paying attention the past couple of weeks with the 147 inauguration visitors sleeping in my house...

Bonnie Benwick: Hey, D.C. If you search in our Recipe Finder database (www.washingtonpost.com/recipes) with the words "whole grains" you'll see the previous four Dinner in Minutes recipes in this series thus far: today's Mediterranean Quinoa With Broccoli, Fruitty-Nutty Wild Rice and Turkey Salad, Soft Chicken Tacos With Smoked Paprika Sour Cream and Quick Brown Rice With Tuna and Green Beans.

As a person in watch-my-weight mode (with the goal of appearing non-blimp-like at an upcoming family wedding), I'm on the Eat Less Meat train. And these whole-grain meals have been surprisingly filling.

Next week: Millet. I can't say I'd ever eaten it before. It mashed up sort of like polenta.

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Takoma Park, Md. RE: Solo Strategy: I loved the toaster article, especially since we use a Cuisinart Convection model we really like. My main strategies for our empty nest -- leftover management and a Food Saver vacuum to keep them fresh and safe longer. Some of the pork roast from Saturday gets sliced as part of the Cubano sandwiches for Sunday's game meal (toaster sized), some shredded and tossed with Adobo for a toaster sized enchilada casserole on Tuesday, and perhaps a stir-fry if there is enough left on Thursday. We could finish up as a torta or fried rice ingredient if there isn't enough for a stir-fry, though. The different preparations keep using the same meat interesting. Next week, maybe a roast chicken...

Joe Yonan: Such good leftover management is something we all should aspire to. Thanks for the inspiration!

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FoodPost: I really like the idea of the Food Post thing.

Based on the article, it seems like the focus is on beer/wine/spirits. That's fine, but since I don't really drink alcohol do you think it will still be worth my while to sign up?

Bonnie Benwick: TASTEpost. TastePost. It's content is more potable than edible. But if you or your friends like a bargain, or want lots of good info about wine and spirits, it will be worth your two sawbucks.

Joe Yonan: And later, we hope to add more food content, so keep checking back!

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Foodie-fan re TastePost: Hello, Foodies, Please reassure me that the birth of TastePost does not mean the death of our free discussions here!

Joe Yonan: Consider yourself assured! Big time.

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Clifton, Va.: Why doesn't your wine guy concentrate on East Coast wines with his reviews? Your wine reviews seem have a definite bias against local wineries in VA, MD and NC.

With the movement towards locally grown produce and locally raised livestock and poultry local wines would be a logical thing to review at least once if not twice a month.

Dave McIntyre: You're preaching to the choir, bub! I'm a regular judge at the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, speaker at the Virginia Wine Festival, and a frequent champion of local wines - all of which you should know from reading my columns here in the Food section and elsewhere.

My second column in the Post, on October 8, featured local wines from Virginia and Maryland, precisely on the theme of "Eat Local, Drink Local." The column featured "Regional Wine Week," which I created along with Dallas-based writer Jeff Siegel, to encourage wine columnists and bloggers to write about wines "from around here." The Web site we created, www.drinklocalwine.com, is still up with links to these writings. And I frequently write about local wines on my own blog, which with Joe's indulgence, I'll mention here: www.dmwineline.typepad.com .

In addition, you may recall - or maybe not - that I featured three Virginia wines in my Thanksgiving recommendations. I have twice mentioned that Virginia is now producing some very exciting sparkling wines, and I have featured Black Ankle Vineyards, which is rewriting the book on Maryland wines. (Black Ankle just won Bronze Medals in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for its Syrah and Crumbling Rock Bordeaux blend - WooHoo! Way to go, locals!) I also featured New York wines in my recent column on Riesling.

Wines from around here are indeed getting better, and they deserve attention from retailers, consumers and restaurants. The problem, however, continues to be availability. For example, you want me to write about North Carolina wines - fine, but they aren't in this market. At least, I haven't seen any here.

And of course, the vast majority of the wines available here are from California, Europe and South America. I'll never be shy about writing about local wineries and the people who make the wines, but my beat is wider than that.

There is no way you can accuse me of "a definite bias against East Coast wines." Except maybe Norton. [Shiver]

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Question for Dave McIntyre : Thanks for last week's column about pairing sherry with Chinese food. For cooking, can I substitute Sherry for Xiaoshing wine? If so, could you recommend something inexpensive that will go with most anything ? I'm also wondering how long an open bottle of Sherry will keep. Thanks.

Dave McIntyre: Good question - the main thing to avoid is "cooking sherry", or cooking wine of any sort from the supermarket shelf. These are nasty concoctions that tend to be loaded with salt.

For cooking, I'd recommend a basic fino for recipes that call for rice wine, or perhaps an amontillado for a slightly stronger taste. If you're just using a bit, the Lustaus would be fine. Though here's where I'd cheat a little and consider a Taylor "sherry" from New York state (with apologies to the Sherry Council, which doesn't like US wineries using that name). These are unexciting wines to taste, especially compared to the real thing, but they are fine for cooking and they are very cheap.

An opened bottle of sherry will generally keep for a week or two - keep it in the fridge. Finos and manzanillas tend to be more fragile, so drink them up in 3-5 days.

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Adams Morgan: I have a question that's not really your purview, but since you mention toaster ovens...

I have a fantastic Cuisinart toaster oven that I loved until I stupidly blew its fuse when I took it abroad. Now I'm back in D.C. and I'm embarrassed to say that I have no idea where to take it to get it fixed. The toaster was around $150, so I'm assuming that the fix will be cheaper than buying a new one...?

Joe Yonan: Hmm. Well, the inimitable Consumer Reports says, if the cost of repair is more than half the replacement cost, don't repair it, get another one. If it's just a blown fuse, you might be in luck, but a repair service might charge too much just to look at and diagnose. Any chatters have ideas about such resources?

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B'More Cat and Toaster Oven Lover: Thanks for the article on toaster ovens. I love mine and use it almost every day. It is an Oster that I bought on clearance for $26 at Target about eight years ago. Certainly has paid for itself many times over.

I have baked muffins in it, broiled meats, toasted cheese, baked casseroles (just right for a 2 qt Pyrex casserole dish), heated up leftovers, cooked bacon, and more. While I typically cook only for one, every June I host a brunch for 25-30 people and the toaster oven supplements my standard oven very well.

After eight years of daily use, it is getting a little beat up and I am thinking of upgrading. Not sure I will ever be able to pay $200 for one, though. Thanks for the article and the weekly chats!

Joe Yonan: Our pleasure. Happy toasting!

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Bonnie Benwick: Attention (beef) goulashers -- someone asked a while back for Old Europe's recipe, and its owner has come through.

It's for 10 servings, and rather than take up valuable NONCAMPAIGNING space here, resend your requests for the recipe to food@washpost.com and you'll receive it today, I promise. This would be a good day for goulash.

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D.C.: We have the Krups toaster/convection oven, but the baking tray coating is very fragile and scratches much too easily. Have you experienced this?

Joe Yonan: I haven't, but I obviously haven't been scraping it enough. Thanks for the warning...

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Houston: Your story reminded me that I should get a toaster oven; I never replaced my last one after it died. I've been using my regular oven, which really wastes a lot of energy if you're warming up something small. And last week I used my oven's self clean cycle and next thing you know, I heard a whoosh, tuned around and saw my oven was on fire. I had to turn off the oven using the breaker, and wait for the fire to die down and oven to cool off so I could turn it back on and the door would unlock! The entire event left me very shaken up and while I used the oven again over the weekend to bake cupcakes, I'm still nervous.

Joe Yonan: Wow -- that's scary, indeed! Your story reminds me, though, that one of the reasons I started investigating toaster ovens was through my testing of recipes for roasted sweet-potato toppers and the realization that the little 6-ounce potato looked so lonely (and wasteful) in that big oven. Anyway, one reader chastised me for what she considered very dangerous behavior: taking my dog for a walk while the potato roasted in the oven. I think that's ridiculous, but I will say that I would be MUCH less likely to leave a toaster oven unattended than a full-sized oven.

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Silver Spring, Maryland: Want to know if I can prepare the entire "grown up sausage bites" recipe the day before and if yes... how do I store them overnight?

Bonnie Benwick: Yep. You could bake and cool completely, wrap loosely in foil; do not cut the wrapped sausages into bites. Refrigerate, then place the whole logs on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes; cut 1 of them in half to see whether the sausage has warmed through. If you do it this way, wrap the dough very, very tightly around the sausage, as the cooked sausage tends to contract a bit and create some gaps between pig and blanket, as it were.

But I think it'd be better to roll out the dough, use it to wrap the (uncooked) sausages, then refrigerate overnight. Let them sit at room temp for 20 mins, then brush with water/salt and bake shortly before serving. Your guests would appreciate that heavenly aroma. They actually assemble quite quickly.

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Falls Church couple lovin' the Toaster-Oven Life: Good afternoon. I, too, only got a toaster oven a couple of years ago, and am quite fond of the saved money and time. Heats up like a charm, and generally does everything I need in my simple kitchen requirements. Small things -- like learning to put a bit of aluminum foil to avoid charring from a too-close heating element -- make a big difference. We even removed the wooden handle from an iron skillet so we can make lovely cornbread in the tiny oven. (Skillet wouldn't fit otherwise.) Christmas gifts included tiny Emile Henry pots and some single-serving loaf pans -- great way to cook for two and still feel a bit of style along the way. Biggest drawback is still finding tasty things to try that 'size down' easily. Thanks for giving this countertop item a bit of deserving kudos!

Joe Yonan: You're welcome! Interestingly, you're probably violating the manufacturer's instructions with that piece of foil. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but all four of the models I tested said not to put foil over the tray because it could cause overheating. I don't want to be responsible for any accidents by saying that I use the foil anyway, so I won't say that ... I use the foil anyway. I love the little cooking vessels such as those you describe. The Lodge ones are perfect, too.

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can lady: I know I've asked this question a lot, do you know of any brand of canned tomatoes that does not have Bisphenol A in the can linings?

Thank you!

Joe Yonan: Thank goodness you're back. Last week, I FINALLY got the answer nailed down in the hopes that you would return, and you didn't -- I thought, "O Can Lady, Where Art Thou?"

The answer, in a nutshell, is no. All the brands use BPA, according to multiple experts I consulted. For a longer explanation of this, check out next week's section; I'll try to run the full results of my investigation.

But for now, you need to know that the only way to avoid BPA in packaged tomatoes is to look for ones in glass jars (like Bionaturae) or in aseptic packaging (like Pomi).

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Rice salad: Hi -- I want to make a cold rice salad tonight so that we have a quick dinner tomorrow night before my husband teaches a night class. Rice rather than pasta because the rest of the week is really pasta-heavy. I have cooked shrimp, feta, tomatoes, olives, and onions. What should I do about a dressing? Oil and vinegar? Yogurt and lemon juice? Sour cream? Thanks for your suggestions.

Bonnie Benwick: An olive oil and white balsamic vinegar would be nice; maybe whisk the feta right into the dressing itself. Or how about a citrus juice or carrot juice, combined with a little mayonnaise? That kind of dressing's not creamy but has a little sweetness to it.

Scott Reitz: Any fresh herbs in the mix?

I would think a salad of shrimp, feta, tomatoes, olives, and onions would scream out for a simple and light dressing of lemon juice, and really good olive oil.

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Washington, D.C.: I LOVE my toaster oven. A couple of years ago my oven died. Since it was a wall oven -- stove top separate on the other side of the kitchen -- we didn't want to replace it because we had always wanted a combined unit and didn't want to do that until we remodeled the kitchen. (Procrastinating on the kitchen redo, but we'll get around to it.) I do everything in that little thing -- bake pies, roast vegetables, bake pizzas, etc. One inconvenience is that I need to bake cookies and other items (cakes, pizzas, etc.) in smaller batches or in smaller sizes. However, when we do finally get a new oven/range I have a feeling I will still use the toaster oven often. With just my husband and I it seems like a smaller appliance for small jobs would help us to save energy and do our part to help the environment. I am a total toaster oven convert -- never had one until I needed one when the oven broke down.

Joe Yonan: You're a devotee. I can understand why.

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Herndon, VA: I was glad to find your article on toaster ovens today. I'd recently mentioned to a friend that I'd give up my microwave before I'd let go of my toaster oven! It's the most used appliance in my cooking for one kitchen. I'm off to find the cookbook you mentioned - I hope it's not out of print!

Joe Yonan: It's not!

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energy efficiency: If only they made gas powered toaster ovens. I still think my gas oven is cheaper to run for a short time and a small item than a toaster oven.

Joe Yonan: It's not.

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Knife Sharpening?: This has probably been asked before, but I can't seem to find it in prior transcripts: where can I sharpen my knives? They are Zwillinge, but have become dull... Thanks!

Bonnie Benwick: You can contact Frank's Cutlery Service in Baltimore (410-426-6720). Frank Monaldi's a guy with a small shop, a huge whetstone and many years of experience. He delivers/picks up from D.C. restaurants so maybe you can work something out.

Sur La Table stores in the Washington area offer year-round services, but each store may use, or contract out to, a different knife-sharpening professional.

We tested knife sharpeners at home (see Tool Test, 3/26/2008); the Chef's Choice Edge Select 120 Professional Knife Sharpener and the AccuSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener fared reasonably well.

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Jane Black: Hi everyone,

Here's a question for you. I'm working on a story about buying habits in response to the latest food scares. Anyone changing what they buy/eat in light of the news about salmonella in peanut butter or mercury in high fructose corn syrup? If so, how?

If it has changed what you eat, are you just avoiding the food that is specifically targeted at the moment (spinach, peanut butter, jalapenos?) Or does it make you rethink processed foods generally?

Email me if you are interested/have time to be interviewed. blackj@washpost.com Thanks!

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Pine Plains: I have a Cuisinart toaster oven (TOB 165C) that's a few years old and the controls drive me crazy: You have to keep tapping the temp up and temp down controls rather than holding the pad down for multiple changes; if you want to change the temp, you have to shut the oven off, pick your function again and start tapping again. Are the Krups' controls more convenient?

My ideal temp. control would be an analog knob and digital display.

Joe Yonan: Yes, I had problems with this Cuisinart's controls, too. They're analog knobs, but the function control has one section that says "Bake/Toast Conv.," and it's nearly impossible to tell whether the categories are "Bake" and "Toast Conv." or "Bake/Toast" and "Conv."

The Krups controls I thought were very intuitive and easy to read.

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Blacksburg, VA: Last night my 6-year-old daughter and I made orecchiette for the first time. She had great fun with it -- it was like playing with Play-doh -- but she didn't make them thin enough and it ended up very, very chewy.

Still, though, she's excited and I'm inspired. Do you have any other suggestions for hands-on food to make with an early-elementary kid? Thanks!

washingtonpost.com: Pardon the plug -- here's a little post I did for the Mighty Appetite blog on baking yeast rolls with my 4-year-old nephew. - Elizabeth

Jane Black: Anything that needs to be shaped or doesn't require lots of knives or high heat counts as hands-on food: Kebabs, cookies, popsicles, meatballs, guacamole, salsa...

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Silver Spring, MD: At the risk of sounding like a grump, I was less than impressed with the quinoa recipe. if you already know how to cook quinoa, it's little more than the basic "cook up some veggies with the grain" thing, and it uses a ton more oil than makes sense to me.

But I guess if it lures new people to the best grain ever, it's worth it.

So I'm over my grump fit. But please do bring us a more original and interesting recipe next time - that will make experienced grumps AND newbies both happy.

Bonnie Benwick: Your risk has been realized. I disagree about the oil.

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Dupont Circle: Trader Joe's has pre-diced onions, celery and carrots (mirepoix) for sale. I live alone. I cook a lot, but can't use an entire container before it goes bad. Can I freeze it? Cooked or uncooked? I use the combo for soup bases, lentils, beans, and pasta sauces. Thanks!

Joe Yonan: The key to getting your onions, celery and carrots to last longer is to ... buy them whole. (And buy just a stalk of celery if possible.) Seriously. If you can spell mirepoix, I think you can prepare it, too. Now, you could freeze the pre-cut stuff, sure, but to my mind the extra trouble to bag up and thaw wouldn't necessarily be worth it.

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Budding Bagel Baker - DC: Good afternoon Food Sectioners. I'm perfecting my bagel recipe. It depends on high gluten flour, and I'm getting tired of buying tiny bags from King Arthur.

Do any local bakery or food supply places sell 50-pound bags of flour to individuals?

Bonnie Benwick: IF you have any pals who work at restaurants, ask to borrow their Restaurant Depot card and get thee to the Alexandria or Upper Marlboro locations (or if that's verboten, maybe they'd haul a bag back for you).

Warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's don't carry it, eh?

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Downtown Icy Baltimore: I have a lot of fresh arugula and six fat links of chorizo (not dried but pre-cooked) in my fridge. Any ideas for dishes that include both?

I was thinking about making a pizza for Sunday's game. Would it be weird to have both arugula and chorizo on it?

Jane Black: No way! Yum.

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Stilton followup: Hey, Stilton crumbles poster from last week here. I made those Pecan Napoleons that another chatter recommended, and they were tremendous. Instead of layering pecan-cheese-pecan-cheese I just used the cheese to stick two pecans together, and I also lightly candied the pecans with a water-butter-brown sugar glaze from The New Best Recipe. Totally excellent and a good make-ahead app option. Thanks!

Joe Yonan: Nice!

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London, UK: I'm a D.C. native living in London, and I have to report that Britain seems to be a non-toaster-oven culture. Which is weird, because they love toast.

Here I have no toaster ovens; in D.C. I have no crumpets. When I can get these two objects in the same space, I'll be a happy woman.

Jane Black: Yes, but they do have those electric kettles everywhere. And tea with crumpets is more important than how you toast your crumpet. Or at least that's what my Brit friends would say.

I lived in London for many years. There was this awful electronics place ... I've blocked out the name. You had to go and look through a book, then take the number to the counter, then they got it from the warehouse for you. I bet they'd have a toaster oven. Am checking with Brit friends right now to find out.

Joe Yonan: Here's a thought: Since the toaster ovens I tested didn't do that well with actual toast, maybe the toast-loving Brits don't think they're worth it!

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Arlington, VA S: Just wanted to say that I'm grateful that Joe recognized the difference between wings and Buffalo wings. Horrifying, it is, to order something that is called Buffalo wings and not have it tossed in the sloppy butter and hot sauce combo. Or be served ranch instead of blue cheese dressing. Worse than that is to get grilled wings. Oh, the horror.

Jane Black: Yeah, well, Joe is just that kind of guy. Smart. Responsible. Dashing. Oh, did I mention, he's my boss?

Joe Yonan: I am unable to respond to any of these adjectives under the Post's guidelines for manager behavior.

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Healthy Super Bowl Snacks: Do you have any ideas for a Super Bowl snack that is relatively healthy beyond the normal shrimp cocktail? I am un-inspired....

Bonnie Benwick: I love this warm dip (made with many vegetables), which has fairly friendly nutritionals and goes great with hunks of raw cauliflower and other crunchy vegetables.

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Arlington, VA: My husband got a bottle of Lucid Absinthe for his birthday. Are there interesting drinks we can make with it?

Dave McIntyre: Lucid Absinthe? Interesting name, considering absinthe typically has the opposite effect. Can't say I'm a regular imbiasdfru er of the asdfaswerouasd., taslkdjt though ....

Dave McIntyre: Hold on, I'm having a flash of lucidity - you might consult John Fulchino at Johnny's Half Shell on Capoituawer Hill, he's been 'speriminting mit ze admasdinthe askdlrysydkf

What time is it?

Joe Yonan: And, you could check out the recipes that Spirits columnist Jason Wilson has come up with.

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Cornbread: I just want to give a shout out to Bob's Red Mill blue cornmeal (I do not work for them). I bought it on a whim and made the cornbread recipe on the back of the bag. It was incredibly moist and the larger grind to the cornmeal made it have a really nice texture. In case anyone is making chili for the Super Bowl....

Jane Black: Thanks for the tip.

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Toaster ovens catch fire too!: Make sure to clean out all the crumbs on the bottom - we had a bad enough flare up in our previous toaster oven that we decided to throw it out and buy a new one rather than risk another fire. Now I'm much better about cleaning it out regularly!

Joe Yonan: Yes, they need to be kept clean, absolutely.

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Rockville, MD: Glad to see the toaster oven article. As a single person, I do a LOT of toaster oven cooking. I started out mostly baking potatoes or sweet potatoes, but have branched out significantly; about the only time I use my main oven is for cooking spare ribs (whole slabs) and if I'm baking a full-size cake or pan of brownies. My 2 latest toaster oven endeavours included crab-stuffed mushroom caps and broiled lamb chops.

I inherited mine from when my great aunt passed away about 15 yrs ago. It wasn't new then, so no telling how old it actually is. It seems to work fine, but would there be any advantage to getting one of the newer models?

Thanks.

Joe Yonan: I say if you're still loving it, stick with it until it dies!

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Falls Church, Va.: Sous Vide: In last week's article you mentioned cooking the meat to an internal temperature. How do you measure the internal temp when vacuum packed and submerged without puncturing the bag?

Joe Yonan: The Gastronomer's recipe, for Filet of Beef with Bernhard Sauce, doesn't ask you to check the temperature of the inside of the meat until after you take it out of the water and the package, and have seared it and continued pan-frying it for a few minutes. So you can puncture away.

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Washington D.C.: Any tips on some easy to make tofu recipes? I am not a big meat eater and would love to learn how to make tofu at home, since I enjoy it so much in restaurants. How can I add it to a stir fry? Any other ideas? The only thing I don't like is spicy food.

Jane Black: We ran a story recently on how to use tofu in smarter ways. There were several recipes with it too. One is for Ma Po Tofu which will definitely be too hot. But the others might be a good fit. Check it out.

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Recipe Please!!: I had submitted this question earlier. will try again. I have a hankering for salted caramel hot chocolate like the one served at Co.Co. Sala on this cold miserable day with our President complaining that we are not tough enough.

Jane Black: I called Co Co Sala and they gave me the outlines of their recipe. About 6 oz of milk chocolate (40% cacao), 1 ounce of salted caramel sauce, 2 - 3 ounces of steamed milk. (No wonder it's good!) Here's a recipe for sundaes that includes salted caramel sauce. So now you have what you need. Have fun.

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Atlanta: Re toaster ovens: can they bake potatoes? Or is it harmful to let them run so hot for so long? Thanks!

Joe Yonan: Sure they can.

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Appliance risks...: and you shouldn't run your dishwasher overnight lest it flood with nobody watching.

I've had stuff start smoking in the oven while I too the dog outside for a fast walk. I don't do that any more while the oven is on.

Joe Yonan: Ah, I don't know. I only leave the oven if it's on pretty low or I am confident nothing is going to overcook, and haven't had a problem with such a thing in decades. And I run the dishwasher overnight all the time. I think if I were watching TV and it flooded in the other room, I'd have the same problem, and I'm sure as heck not going to park a chair in front of it!

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For Dupont Circle: I buy pre-chopped mirepoix at Wegman's and freeze it, breaking off a chunk when needed, and it's fine for a couple weeks (until it starts getting icy). Another idea I've used: Buy small amounts of the vegetables at the salad bar and use in your recipe that nite. No waste!

Joe Yonan: Yes, I've seen others do the salad bar thing, indeed. But why are people so afraid to cut up a carrot? Does it really take that much longer?

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Washington, DC: Since most slowcooker recipe call for a time shorter than I have to make it home in time, would it be weird if I used it overnight and then just reheated it in the evening?

Joe Yonan: Of course not! Whatever works.

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A Texan: I don't understand why you needed to poll us on wings versus bites--the Texans are always right. Wings, baby, wings. However, since the nonTexan worked with Jamie, did he reveal how he makes the grilled wings at his restaurant, Thirsty Bernie's, which are awesome?

Bonnie Benwick: Grrr. You had me until the "right."

You know he's no longer associated with Thirsty Bernie, right, Mr/Ms Texan? The restaurant might still be using his recipe, though. Chef Jamie says his wings were marinated in a special hot sauce made in-house (which started with a prepared hot sauce, then added butter, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, more vinegar; brought to a boil then cooled). Then they were grilled with a cover on top so the meat cooked through as the wings crisped up.

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Frozen New England:: LOVED the toaster oven story. My kitchen felt empty until a hand-me-down toaster oven appeared! I use it constantly in the hot summer when I still want to bake (stuffed peppers, gratin of veg. from my garden, berry crisp ... and to warm tortillas year-round.

Yes, margarita-maker: Skip the mix, and 2 more tips: A friend in Albuquerque who made the best margs ever squeezed fresh limes and shook the drinks in a jar before serving.

Joe Yonan: Absolutely, they're perfect for these hot DC summers, when you don't want to heat up the kitchen. They do emanate some heat, though -- and some of them get pretty hot to the touch on the exterior. (The T-Fal model I tested is a welcome exception.)

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Alexandria, Va.: For Dave McIntyre: I appreciated your article on fair-trade for wine growers. This question falls into the "everything you ever wanted to know about wine but were afraid to ask category": Do small winery employees still get into a vat of grapes and crush them with their feet? I have said about myself, it is time for me to get out of the covered wagon and onto a jet plane.

Dave McIntyre: Usually not. Foot treading is rare nowadays. One place where it is still used is the Douro Valley of Portugal, especially for port wine. No worries here though if you're thinking of sanitation, because the fermentation of the juice and the fortification with neutral grape spirits to 20% alcohol kill off any contamination anyway. But some port producers believe the human foot is the best winemaking tool - it is gentler than a mechanical press and doesn't extract so many tannins from the skins and seeds. However, with modernization and the ease of travel in the EU, the port houses have found their regular harvest workers have moved away. Some of them have come up with very interesting mechanical contraptions that march across the low cement tank - called "lagares" - in a slow rhythm that mimics the treading traditionaly done by vineyard workers moving in a slow line.

I've been lucky enough to see foot treading in the lagares in the Douro - it's hard work after a long day of harvesting - and I even got to join in the fun part at the end of the evening when the workers crank up the music and dance in the juice for an hour. Man that stuff is slippery!

Your question reminds me of two hilarious cartoons. One has a Frenchman in a beret, cigarette dangling from his mouth, furiously stomping grapes in a large vat. At the foot of the vat are several spigots labeled "Bordeaux," "Burgundy," "Rhone", etc.

In the other, two people are studiously treading grapes in a large vat; next to them a bunch of fat cats in sunglasses are lounging in a hot tub, martini glasses in hand. One worker says to the other, "Haven't you ever seen California wine being made before?"

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Helloooo!

I'll be tuning into the chat tomorrow in real time, but I'm submitting this early hoping you'll receive it early and answer it. -strategy-

So... I'm having trouble making good roasted butternut squash. What I want is browned, crispy outside and fluffy inside. What I get is skin that gets stuck to the pan and a generally mushy texture. I'm baking at 425 for about 35-40 minutes. Do I need to increase/decrease temp? Should I not open the oven for a certain amount of time? Am I flipping the squash too soon? (usually after 25 minutes or so) Also -- maybe my chunks are too big? Help! For what it's worth, the flavor is very good, but it looks so bad, I would never serve it to guests.

Jane Black: So what are you after exactly? Roasted butternut squash to serve as a side dish? In a salad? Are you going to dress it? From what I can gather, it sounds like you're overcooking it. Here's my advice: Cut into the size chunks or slices you like. (It can't be too big or small; you just have to adjust temp and time.) Brush with a little oil (so it doesn't stick). Then roast at 400 for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Just check it until it's the way you want it.

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PA Dutch: I'm a real fan of fruit wine. Mostly as an after dinner thing. Do you have other suggestions on pairing it with a meal ?

Dave McIntyre: If the wine is dry (not sweet), it might go with anything you'd have with a grape wine. If it is sweet, think perhaps of spicy foods. If it's blueberry wine - and there are some mighty fine ones from NJ, Maine and elsewhere - I vote for pancakes!

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Oxford, UK: Argos is the catalog place in the UK. You can also get the same types of stuff from Tesco's website.

Jane Black: Oh right!!! Argos. It was driving me nuts. I wonder if they have toaster ovens.

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D.C. slow cooker: You could also cook on the weekend and reheat during the week. I did that with the black bean soup recipe that ran a couple weeks ago and the flavor even improved on reheating.

Joe Yonan: Yes, Candy Sagon mentioned this in her great slow cooker piece.

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Need chili-cook off dessert: I'm participating as a judge in a chili cookoff this weekend. While I don't have to cook any chili, I do have to bring a dessert but I'm at a loss at what would go well with chili and cornbread. I'd love some suggestions on something to bring. Thanks!

Joe Yonan: The absolutely best thing to bring for dessert after chili and cornbread would be chocolate cake. To be most authentic, I'd consider Texas Sheet Cake, although Lisa Yockelson's Buttery and Soft Chocolate Cake for a Crowd is killer.

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Butter Storage: Re: a previous Free Range chat. I have heard that the reason butter can be left unrefrigerated (so that it is soft enough for spreading) is due to the salt content. The salt in the butter preserves it. So using unsalted butter for this practice is not recommended.

Joe Yonan: Salt does help preserve butter, but unsalted butter is indeed recommended for butter-bell use, too. It's the lack of oxygen that helps keep it from turning rancid.

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Healthy Snacks: I like to use baby carrots, rather than crackers or chips, to dip in hummus. And some air-popped popcorn with a little garlic salt. And maybe a casadia made with low-fat cheese, dipped in salsa. Don't use fat-free cheese, it has absolutely no flavor.

Joe Yonan: Casadia? Ouch. Try quesadilla.

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Arlington: Please, please! Help me come up with something. I am racking my brain to come up with an entree for an elegant dinner party. I have done beef tenderloin too many times already, not sure about fish for some, chicken is blah, my hubbie hates pork. What would have broad appeal???

Jane Black: Well, you've ruled out most proteins except duck or venison. Would either of those work? And, though I tend to agree with you about chicken, a stuffed chicken ballontine can be elegant. Something with cheese and vegetables? This BBC recipe may not work for you but it gives you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Bonnie Benwick: Lamb shanks are awesome, look special and are quite easy to braise to perfection -- usually well in advance. Look for a nice tagine recipe or try these: with root vegetables OR tangia, parts I and II.

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Campari: Jason, I LOVE Campari, but rarely get to enjoy it, as it can be hard to find in bars. So, I finally picked up a bottle when I saw your cocktail with Campari and Aranciata. It's wonderful, but not super-wintry. Do you have any suggestions on how to enjoy it a bit more seasonally? I was considering ginger ale as an option. Thanks!

Jason Wilson: Winter is prime citrus season, so why not try something with grapefruit juice? I made a nice drink the other night with 2 oz. of reposado tequila, 1/2 oz. of Campari, and juice from half of a ruby red grapefruit. Very nice. Campari is also nice alone with fresh grapefruit juice. You could substitute it for the Aranciata in the recipe you speak of.

Joe Yonan: I love the combination of Campari and grapefruit. Good in a sorbet. (Oh, no, now somebody's gonna ask me for the recipe.)

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High Gluten Flour: I buy mine at the local co-op, in the bulk bins. Buy as much as you want at a time. I'm not sure if that is cheaper than KAF or not.

Joe Yonan: Thanks! Here's to coops.

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quinoa: Quinoa is close to the perfect food, nutritionally, but people don't make it much. I do agree with the poster who said the quinoa recipe was a little boring, but I understand this would make a good intro to trying the grain. I would just recommend adding more seasoning--maybe garlic? Parmesan? hot pepper?

Bonnie Benwick: There you go.

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muffins vs. cupcakes: I've seen recipes for carrot muffins and for carrot cupcakes and I can't quite tell what the difference is. Do you know? Do you have a killer recipe for a moist carrot cake?

Bonnie Benwick: There's not too much of a difference, other than a looser batter for the cake. The muffins might be not quite as sweet. Here's an Elinor Klivans recipe for some killer Walnut Carrot Cake Squares.

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Alexandria, Va.: Does the Quick Whole Grains book have any suggestions for cooking kasha that's not just kasha in the usual way? The package suggested breakfast cereal, but that was not very tasty.

Thanks.

Bonnie Benwick: Kasha's the toasted version of buckwheat groats. It's not really wheat-related, but has a nutritional profile similar to a grain. Maybe since your package mentioned cereal, you've got UNTOASTED granulated buckwheat, which does make a less-earthy tasting porridge than the toasted kind would.

And yes, she does: Lorna's got a Buckwheat With Cheddar and Pickled Jalapenos recipe in her "Whole Grains for Busy People" cookbook.

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baking powder: I finally broke down and bought a new container of baking powder. The stuff expires in 2010. My old container expired in 2006, so I must have bought in 2003. Hey, it still made my cakes rise just fine. My new container says double acting. What does that mean, how does that work different than the old/regular stuff?

Bonnie Benwick: Expert baker Nancy Baggett says: Almost all baking powder today is double-acting, you just probably didn't notice that on the previous label.

The formulation of double-acting includes two different acids: one begins to react as soon as the mixture is wetted, the other from heat once the batter begins to bake or cook. The advantage is that the batter or dough will still rise even if it isn't put in the oven immediately after being mixed -- the most obvious case is pancake or muffin batter, which is often kept in the refrigerator and used over several days.

I guess the simplest way to explain the advantage is to say that double-acting is more versatile and foolproof. As for the staleness issue, baking powder will gradually lose its puffing power over time; you might notice if you baked two batches and did a side-by-side comparison of the amount of rising, but otherwise you probably wouldn't.

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Tofu Cooking: We always marinate firm tofu in teriyaki sauce (or whatever sauce you like) for about 30 minutes, then grill or bake it on a wire cake rack (350) it until it is well done (the outside is kind of dry). The sauce kind of caramelizes...really good!

Jane Black: Nice idea. Thanks.

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Lexington Park, MD: Food gurus! Love the section and the chats.

I was just the recipient of a lovely baby shower from my co-workers, and would like to express my appreciation by bringing in some tasty comestibles. Any finger-friendly nibbles you would particularly suggest as crowd pleasers? Savoury or sweet (or both), the time/skill level involved isn't an issue as I adore cooking and baking.

Joe Yonan: How about cupcakes? (It's been too long, and I need a fix!) Chocolate ganache, coconut, Smith Island?

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Mirepoix: I would buy whole but then the entire package would spoil. Plus I cry a lot when I cut onions. I can buy single carrots and celery stalks at Safeway in Dupont.

Joe Yonan: Whole onions last a long long time. And we recently gave you these tips for avoiding the tears.

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Recipe Finder: If there are chatters who subscribe to Fine Cooking magazine they will know my pain. Until recent "improvements" FC was my go to website for most recipes I used. The "improvements" made searching for recipes so frustrating and tedious that I am considering giving up my Fine Cooking subscription. (If you visit FC's Cooks Talk you will know I am not alone.) But there is always a silver lining. Inadvertently I discovered your Recipe Finder and I love it. I love the way it is organized, presented, dated, and the way the recipe tester's name is included, so you know WP did not get it from Epicurious, where recipe quality is not always reliable. Whatever you guys do, hold on to your Recipe Finder's webmaster, or whatever that person's title is. If Fine Cooking's editor is smart, she will hire yours away.:)

Bonnie Benwick: Nice. Thanks! (In truth, we would like to be able to add reader comments; maybe someday soon, that will be worked on...)

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Uh-oh! re corn syrup and mercury: Now I'm worried about eating corn tortillas, and about the zillions I already ate in Mexico and here, since I always heard that lye was used in the production process. I didn't know that meant I was eating mercury!

Joe Yonan: Who told you that corn tortillas contain HFCS? They don't.

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To be most authentic, I'd consider Texas Sheet Cake: or red velvet cake!

Joe Yonan: Sure!

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McConnellsburg PA: How do I know when it's time to retire my Silpats? They are stained but not pitted, cut, nor thin in spots.

Joe Yonan: I think you have your answer. Stains don't mean a thing.

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Campari lover again: Of COURSE someone will ask for the recipe. Why not just share it in the first place? PLEASE!

Joe Yonan: Because I didn't use one and would now have to make it up on the spot.

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Casadia? Ouch. Try quesadilla. : Thanks! I've got a newborn at home and have had no sleep for a few months - my mind is foggy. I knew that was realy wrong when I typed it, stared at it for a few minute, then hit submit thinking "they'll know what I mean."

Bonnie Benwick: Mazel tov. I bet Editor Joe's feeling sheepish now.

Joe Yonan: Not sheepish, no. Sorry! I feel for your lack of sleep, though... Thanks for joining us despite the fatigue!

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red sauce: Crystal rules over Tabasco.

Bonnie Benwick: Perhaps that will be in our next poll!

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Sazerac: David - After visiting Nawleans several times in the past few years, the Sazerac has become my go-to cocktail. After ordering several in better bars/restaurants and getting blank stares(similar to a negroni) I have tried 10 different ways at home, and they never come out as good. Any ideas would be great. Thanks

Jason Wilson: The most important ingredients in the Sazerac -- which many bartenders leave out -- are the absinthe and the Peychaud's bitters. Also, make sure to use rye and not bourbon. Here's the traditional recipe:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2008/07/23/sazerac/

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Absinthe-savvy thought:: Try talking to the barkeeps at Oyamel in D.C. (home of the cricket... er, rather grasshopper taco). My Sweetie and I enjoyed some absinthe drinks there not too long ago, and he enjoyed the hopper-happy taco. (I struggled through a bite of taco in good ol' 'Sure, honey' attitude.) They have a variety of drinks, most I think had tropical fruit drinks for the base. Yummy, though!

Jason Wilson: I really like the drinks at Oyamel. Great tequila selection.

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Those margarita mixes are nasty!: They are so easy to make from scratch, perhaps the easiest drink out there.

2 oz Tequila, 1 oz orange liqueur, 1 oz fresh lime juice

Combine, shake with ice, strain into a glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. To coat the glass with salt - pour some salt onto a plate, wet the rim with a lime, dip in salt.

I make pitchers of these at the beach every year, and everyone loves them.

Jason Wilson: Amen to that! The notion that mixers save time is ludicrous. Always go with fresh-squeezed citrus, and I would recommend Cointreau.

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Elegant dinner again...: You've got me thinking, thanks, but is there some other beef dish that's elegant?

Bonnie Benwick: Dare I say it? Mahogany Short Ribs. (see Recipe Finder).

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Joe Yonan: Well, you've broiled us one sheet at a time and we're nice and crisp, so you know what that means: We're done.

Thanks to all for joining us today, and thanks to Dave, Jason and Scott for helping us handle the questions.

Now for the giveaway books: The Takoma Park empty-nester will get "Pop it In the Toaster Oven." The Falls Church "toaster oven life" chatter will get "125 Best Toaster Oven Recipes." Stilton followup chatter will get "Great Party Dips." The Arlington chatter who complimented my ability to understand Buffalo vs. non-Buffalo wings will get "Wings." The chatter called Healthy Super Bowl Snacks will get another copy of "Great Party Dips." And the Texan who said "The Texan is always right" will get "Chili Madness."

Send your mailing info to food@washpost.com, and we'll send you your book!

Until next time, happy cooking, eating and reading.

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Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.