Free Range on Food: Food Safety, Martinis, Chickpeas, Sauce Help, Local Cheeses 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: Welcome, all, to Free Range. What's on your plate today? Have you had lunch yet? (Was it a three-martini lunch?)

We're ready to answer your food and drink questions. We've got spirits writer Jason Wilson here to stir (not shake) up trouble, Steve Katz here to further shed light on his undercover chickens, Massachusetts jam maker Bonnie Shershow to inspire you to "put up" with the winter, and of course the rest of our regular team to ply you with recipes, tips, advice, whatever you order up.

The bounty of giveaway books last week has slowed to a trickle this time: but the one I have is a good one. (I have one clue for you: Moo.)

Let's get going!

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Columbia, Md.: Jason - thanks for another great piece on cocktails. I have been drinking my martinis "wetter" (roughly 3:1) over the last few years for two reasons. 1. They taste better, 2. they are not as strong and I can have two and still walk and talk. What are your thoughts on the Dogfish Head Gin? I love it, my wife is not a fan. I find it's great for martinis but not so good for a gin and tonic.

While we're at it, I suggest that folks try playing with the ratio in their Manhattans. Lately I have been drinking them closer to 2:1 and I'm enjoying it. I find it's especially good to use a closer ratio when using a higher proof Bourbon.

Jason Wilson: I totally agree with you on points 1 and 2. As for the Dogfish Head gin, it's okay. I've only had a it couple times, and don't love it, but it works. I tend toward a more traditional style of gin in most drinks.

As for the Manhattan ratio, I concur. That's how I take mine, always with a couple dashes of bitters.

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Cheers!: With all the bad economic news, a good stiff drink is the perfect antidote. Thanks so much for the interesting story on the evolving martini. On the other hand, I had to laugh at the price Marcel's charges for basically a roast chicken with veggies. Not quite sure I understand the big deal, but still better reading than page one.

Jason Wilson: I agree! That's why the spirits biz always does okay during a recession.

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Washington, D.C.: Interesting article on people not changing their eating habits when there are recalls. This is nothing new to me as I see people every day on my job who are paranoid about cleanliness whom I ask whether they eat organic food and I find that they are more concerned with being clean on the outside instead of what goes inside the body -- gives me pause for thought.

Jane Black: It's an interesting dichotomy. Do other chatters see this kind of contradiction?

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Monkey County: Count me in as someone who isn't hesitating to eat peanut butter products. I also eat raw cookie dough if I'm making cookies, so clearly I am not bothered by the possibility of salmonella. I figure that I'm a healthy adult; I can fight it off. Kids, the elderly, and those with other health problems are more at risk.

With mercury, it's slightly different. I am aware of the risk, but I figure since I eat a widely varied diet, I am unlikely to eat enough mercury-tainted fish over a short enough period to make a difference.

Are my assumptions way off base?

Jane Black: I think it's true to say that most food is safe. But everyone has to make their own decisions about where they draw lines. Personally, I would eat raw cookie dough but then I am very careful about what ingredients I buy. (When at all possible, I only buy eggs at the farmers market.) Ditto beef. I'm happy to eat a burger medium rare because I don't buy the cheap stuff.

I go out of my way to purchase what I believe are good ingredients mostly because of flavor and to support local economies. That I think they are safe as well is a bonus.

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Washington, D.C.: Love the martini article today! My boyfriend has recently developed an interest in martinis, though he has definitely tended toward the dry, dirty, shaken, vodka ones. His birthday is coming up, and I'd love to get him a martini-related gift -- any ideas? Maybe a bottle of one of the fancier gins or vermouths in your article today, but any other ideas for fancy garnishes, or accessories (other than a shaker and glasses, which we already have)?

Jason Wilson: The newly available Dolin vermouths (both dry and sweet) are a bit of splurge at $18 but very nice. As for gin... if he's not really a gin guy right now, let him try the Plymouth and see if that changes his mind. As for accessories, I love the tall, narrow martini pitcher with the glass stirrer that my grandmother bequeathed to me -- you can find those around and they're very nice.

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Washington, D.C.: So, I was reading the marmalade recipe, fantasizing about making such a thing. I know it probably won't happen, but a girl can dream. I didn't understand the instructions about removing air bubbles -- do you run the chopstick around the jar like you're stirring up the contents? Or are you just running it over the top of the marmalade? I couldn't picture exactly what you're supposed to do. Thanks.

Bonnie Shershow: Well here is what happens -- the jam or marmalade cooks until it gets a little thick -- if not too thick you can pour it into a jar and clearly there are no bubbles. If the jam becomes really thick and then you pour it in some air bubbles will form. Because you want the jar to vacuum seal, you don't want air bubbles so taking a skinny knife or a chopstick and running through the bubbles will allow the thick jam to fill into those crevices.

Joe Yonan: It's important -- and what you do is run the knife or chopstick in between the jam and the edge of the jar, watching as the bubbles disappear.

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Suburban D.C.: This is a very interesting and insightful article concerning people's habits. Unfortunately lots of smokers do the same thing: "well something is going to kill me so what the heck, I'll quit someday." I know there are people who simply will not change their behavior and what is even more amusing (I am working in the fringes of food safety for the gov't) is that when I make some simple suggestion to a family or friend about things as simple as cross contamination with raw meat they look at me like I am a nut. It is behavior that is difficult to modify because getting sick from food is in essence a rare occurance. The probability of a said item being contaminated, even during an established food borne outbreak, is small combined with the fact that even if you consumed the contaminated item you still might not get sick and even if you got sick the only symptom could be brief and mild. Those are the facts and convincing people to modify their behavior is a long expensive process.

Jane Black: Well said. Just anecdotally, I find there are only two things that radically change people's eating habits quickly.

1. Having children: Babies are so precious, parents realize they don't want to take any risks. Or, some people have told me, it may be too late for me but I want to make sure he/she has the best diet.

2. Getting sick: When people get suddenly ill (whether it's food poisoning or another potentially fatal disease such as cancer), they are ready/able to change their habits, sometimes radically. It becomes essential rather than optional.

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Washington, D.C.: I have a question about the ginger spiced chickpea recipe. What quantity of dried peas should I use if I want to make them from scratch?

Bonnie Benwick: About 1 cup of dried will give you 3 cups cooked.

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Metro Center: Hi Food Section!

We'll be staying in this Valentine's Day, forgoing the mob scene of restaurants that night. Any thoughts on a relatively easy (skilll level wise) menu for a dinner for 2?

Thanks!

Bonnie Benwick: Your choice will be rewarded with a nice menu for 2 from David Hagedorn. Look for it in the Feb. 11 Food section.

Joe Yonan: If you can't wait, here's a piece Tony Rosenfeld wrote a couple of years ago, with recipes attached.

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SW D.C.: I went to Eastern Market a couple of weeks ago and found a wonderful cheese from Virginia called Grayson. What are the best regionally made cheeses? Where else might I find them?

Joe Yonan: I'm a big fan of the Piedmont cheese from Everona, it's a raw sheep's milk cheese from Virginia, sold at Dupont on Sundays (and at the farm, or by mail order) and probably at other places, too. I also like Firefly cheeses, also sold at area farmers markets.

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Rockville, MD: Hi, I really enjoy the Food section, the articles and columnists are really top notch and this is big reason why I continue to subscribe to the paper Post. thank you

Have you considered printing a recipe for Peruvian chicken and those great sauces that go with them? I've searched the site and have not found anything.

I also want to thank Jason for his recommendation of DuPont Calvados, a lovely drink. I would appreciate his considering a column on rye whiskey. Rye has local roots, is great on its own, and in cocktails. There are apparently "Maryland" and "Pennsylvania" versions so I'd be interested in knowing of recommendations for each style.

Finally, I think Jason was a bit unfair to Eric Felton, the WSJ columnist who wrote about the change in Noilly Pratt (1/9/09 WSJ). I think Felton's point was that with the new formulation, the traditional dry American Martini (he advocates a 4:1 blend) will taste too sweet.

Jason Wilson: Stay tuned, I will be dealing with rye, especially some of newer, boutique bottles, in the near future. I'm liking the Tuthilltown these days, which is a New York distillery.

As for Mr. Felten... I just call 'em how I see 'em. Eric's a good guy and we're friendly -- I'm sure he'll take it in the spirit of fun it was meant.

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D.C.: A random question for you as I sit here eating my lunch:

Why are some Clementines seedless and some not? There wasn't a single seed in my last whole crate, but this one is running at about 50%, while some of the suckers have 2-3 seeds per section. What's up with that?

Bonnie Benwick: Clementines naturally contain seeds, as do mandarines and tangerines, says Robert Schueller of Melissa's Produce. Growers get varietals and cross-hybridize them to make seedless clems.

We Americans like our fruit seedless, don't we? Clementines are grown in this country but he says that right now, chances are you're buying fruit that's imported. The global market doesn't worry quite so much about seeds in that citrus.

And he says take heart: Ojai Pixie mandarine/tangerines/clementine start coming into stores within 3 weeks; they're always seedless and sweet.

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whole chicken: I would like to make a whole chicken for dinner. Does it need to say roaster or something special on it? How long do I put it in the oven for, and at what temp? Do I need a thermometer or does it come with one?

Steve Katz: I recommend Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Herbs. Pancetta is an Italian uncured bacon that you can purchase at the deli counter in grocery stores and ask for it in about 1/4 inch round slices.

The whole chickens do not need to be labeled specially, however it is best to purchase an air chilled chicken that is not frozen. You do not need a thermometer.

Here's the recipe, just follow the directions.

For 4-6 Persons

1 roasting chicken about 4 pounds

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried and chopped; together with 3 or 4 fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried

2-3 strips of lemon peel chopped fine

Salt

Black pepper

2 ounces pancetta cut into narrow strips

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon

1. Turn oven to 350

2. Washington chicken under cold running water, and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.

3. Rub cavity with mixed chopped rosemary, sage, lemon peel, salt and several grindings of pepper. Place strips of pancetta in cavity.

4. Line a baking pan with a full sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil or two sheets of lighter weight foil, enough to fold over and wrap chicken completely.

5. Place chicken breast side up on foil, and moisten entire chicken with olive oil. Then moisten entire chicken with lemon juice.

6. Fold foil over chicken, wrap tightly and crimp all edges to make a tight seal.

7. Place pan with chicken on it in uppermost level of oven and bake for 35 minutes.

8. Remove the chicken from the oven, turn up oven to 425.

9. Unwrap chicken from foil, and being careful of the steam and to pour juices back into the roasting pan.

9. Return chicken to pan and roast breast side down for 20 minutes. Then roast bird on one side for ten minutes, then turn on other side and roast for another ten minutes. Finally, turn chicken breast down and bake for 10-15 mintues more.

10. Remove chicken from oven and after it has rested for 5-8 minutes, carve chicken, place on platter and pour pan juices over and serve.

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Gruyere substitute: I'm going to be making a shiitake mushroom soup that is paired with a toasted baguette with gorgonzola and Gruyere cheese. I haven't been able to find the Gruyere, what would be a good substitute? Thanks much!

Joe Yonan: Where have you been looking for Gruyere? I usually see it in any store that has a decent cheese selection (Whole Foods) or of course you could find at a great cheese shop such as Cheesetique. But if you can't find it, another nutty mountain cheese such as Italian fontina would do nicely.

Jane Black: I also like the one they sell at Trader Joe's, which has the added advantage of being very reasonably priced.

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skillet cornbread: I attempted to bake a skillet cornbread last night, but it came out very dry and flavorless. I used spices, salt, and green onions, but it had no taste. Maybe the cornmeal overpowered the flavor? I baked it 450 degrees for 25 minutes and this dried out the whole thing, and it was quite brown on top.

Steve Katz: I would suggest that you go to the Anson Mills Web Site and consult their recipe for Black Skillet Cornbread.

Dryness reflects the lack of moisture or moisture holding ingredients, and is often the result of not using milk or buttermilk which would contain sufficient fat moisten the bread, absorb and carry the flavor of the corn meal, and other ingredients. It is also recommended to concentrate on one or two flavors that you want from the cornbread and not load it up with a range of spices and other ingredients.

Joe Yonan: This is a great one, too, made with bacon and cheddar. Steve's right about the milk or buttermilk; I would add that you also should, like so many baked goods, check earlier than the time suggested, given the differences in oven temps, pan sizes, etc., and take it out as SOON as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Better yet, take it out when there are still a few little crumbs on the toothpick.

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Manhattans: I love Manhattans, but usually only drink them when I'm out. How would I order one like you're suggesting? Just say 2:1?

Jason Wilson: I think most decent places will use a 2 to 1 ratio (bourbon to sweet vermouth), but sure, if you have a concern you should always feel free to specify and also a brand of whiskey you like. I often specify "couple dashes of bitters" if I think it's the kind of place that would forget that sort of thing.

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Missing my Food Section: Help out a fan here, please. I didn't receive my home-delivered WP on January 21 and discovered this too late in the day to get a replacement. I'm disappointed to have missed the whole paper but particularly the Food section. I know I can get the articles online, but I regularly pass the print version of Food on to my mother, an 85-year-old devotee of all things edible who doesn't have Internet access and whose hometown paper offers nothing to compare. Is there any way at all that I can get a replacement? Pretty please?

Joe Yonan: Could you email your information to food@washpost.com? We'll get you a replacement, sure.

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Arlington, Va. S.: Not directly related to today's Food section, though the Style section uses the term in describing a weekend getaway. Can you help me out with what you feel is the definition of gourmet? I see the term bandied about a lot and it no longer seems to have any real meaning (heck, condo developers even refer to kitchens as "gourmet" as if I'm going to eat the appliances).

Is it the quality of the ingredients? The skill of the cook/chef? The taste of the final product? The presentation? None, some, or all of the above?

Thanks much!

Joe Yonan: To me, use of the word "gourmet" denotes one thing and one thing only: a level of pretense that offers little or no guidance as to the actual level of skill or quality of the food.

Jason Wilson: It's a French word right? All I know is you don't pronounce that last "t" -- it's silent.

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Chickpe, AS: Help! I reconstituted too many chickpeas! I was planning on making hummus, but now have many more peas than planned, and need some ideas. Can you tell me, please, if:

1) once cooked, can the chickpeas be frozen? 2) are there any "rules of thumb" for knowing how "x" amount of dried beans/peas will make, once reconstituted?, and 3) Any great ideas on what else I could make with the peas? Thanks much!!!!!

Bonnie Benwick: Do any of these sound good? Chickpea Stew, Chunky Balila With Citrus Explosion, Skillet-Braised Spiced Potatoes and Chickpeas, Chickpea and Pasta With Rosemary Soup, Moroccan Vegetable Tagine and today's Ginger Spiced Chickpeas. They're all at www.washingtonpost.com/recipes. One cup dry = 3 cups cooked.

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cinnamon rolls: I was hoping a Ranger or chatter might have a favorite cinnamon roll recipe that they could share. Thank you.

Steve Katz: I suggest that you go to the Joe Pastry website (via Google) or search How to Shape Cinnamon Rolls and Sticky Buns for the Joe Pastry link and you will find a very good set of visual instructions and recipe.

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what a mess: I am trying to teach myself to make sauces to enhance our dinner plate. I thought I would try something simple to pour over vegetables. I melted butter, added flour, and poured in milk. I never got as far as flavoring the mess. I keep ending up with dough. It's disgusting. What am I doing wrong and how can I make it right?

Joe Yonan: You're using too much flour, sounds like to me, or aren't whisking in enough milk. (A bechamel sauce is 1-to-1 butter and flour, but then 1 to 2 cups milk, depending on how thick you want it.)

But why use flour at all if you want something simple and niftier than a flavored bechamel? How bout a curry sauce, like the one in his scallop recipe? Uses coconut milk. Or a simple peanut-ginger sauce, in which you combine peanut butter with a little fresh ginger, soy, sugar and hot sauce if you like?

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tarragon: I've noticed that tarragon chicken salad is a popular sandwich at many coffee shops. Is it just dried tarragon that is added to the chicken salad? Do you have a recipe for tarragon chicken salad please?

Bonnie Benwick: Ah, how fondly I recall the tarragon chicken salad at the now-defunct American Cafes in D.C. Vie de France shops had a good one, too. They both used fresh tarragon, and that's what you should shoot for, instead of the dried stuff.

And here's a 1990 classic recipe from Lisa Yockelson. She calls for roasting the chicken, but I'd bet you could poach some chicken breasts and achieve good results. Note that tarragon's used in the roasting as well:

TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD

(4 servings)

A touch of hot mustard in the dressing is the secret ingredient in this classic salad.

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1/2 teaspoon hot prepared mustard

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 recipe Oven-Roasted Chicken for Chicken Salad (see below)

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Blend together the mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon, mustard and vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Blend well. Serve immediately.

Note: The chicken salad may be made up to 1 day in advance; refrigerate it in a tightly covered container.

Per serving: 336 calories, 36 gm protein, 1 gm carbohydrates, 20 gm fat, 4 gm saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 199 mg sodium.

OVEN-ROASTED CHICKEN FOR CHICKEN SALAD

(Makes about 3 1/2 loosely packed cups hand-shredded chicken)

1 large, whole bone-in chicken breast (about 2 1/2-3 pounds), from a large roaster

4 small sprigs fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Pat dry the chicken breast. Carefully separate a few inches of skin from each side of the chicken breast with your fingers, creating a pocket on either side of the breast bone. Tuck two sprigs of tarragon underneath the skin on each side. Massage the skin with the oil.

Place the chicken in a small roasting pan and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 55 to 70 minutes, or until cooked through. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until the juices retreat and the chicken is cool enough to handle.

Remove the skin from the breast; discard the tarragon. Cut off the meat from each side of the breast bone. Hand-pull the chicken into long, irregularly shaped shreds. The chicken is now ready to be made into salad.

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Washington, DC: I had never been a fan of the martini until I discovered Hendrick's and Boodles gin. The strong juniper taste in most gins was just too much of a turn off for me. Now that I've learned to love the martini, I'm game to try Old Tom--but how juniper-y is it? And does the higher proportion of vermouth counteract some of that strong flavor?

Jason Wilson: The thing about gin and vermouth is that each spirit is infused with botanicals and the two together mingle particularly well together. They complement one another. This is why neutral vodka doesn't work as well with vermouth. As for Old Tom gin, it's sweetened and so it won't give you that Christmas tree whack in the face that a big traditional high-proof gin often does. I find Old Tom works best with sweet vermouth.

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Washington, D.C.: After I turned 21 I ordered a martini only to be turned off for years by what was delivered. (Mental note: don't order martinis in college bars.) I'm a fan of the vodka martini, I won't lie, but have been wanting to try a good gin martini again. And, I'm not afraid of vermouth. The drink at the Gibson sounds great, but does anywhere in town do a classic, classic? Thanks!

Jason Wilson: They'll do a classic at The Gibson, too, but any of the bartenders in the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild can make you a nice martini, I'm sure: Adam Bernbach at Bar Pilar; Gina Chersevani at PS7; Chantal Tseng at Tabard Inn... etc.

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Washington, D.C.: My mom recently told me that she made a recipe to cook flank steak in the crockpot. I've always broiled or grilled mine, but she'd heard this would be good. In the end she hated it, and she thought perhaps because she substituted madeira for sherry, but I thought it might have been because she used a cup of soy sauce. Any thoughts?

Steve Katz: It wasn't the wine, or sauce or anything you could add to making a flank steak in a crock pot that would make a difference.

Contrary to popular opinion, not everything that you place in a crock pot can be turned into a better tasting or more edible dish, and flank steak happens to be one of those cuts. It is too thin, too sinewy, and lacking in the fat or collagen that tenderize and flavor meat as it is slow cooked. In fact, as you have probably noticed when you broil or grill flank steak, it has to be eaten relatively quickly after it is taken off the fire and cut in thin strips.

If you are committed to flank steak, another approach would be to place it on a tray in a 170-degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 100 degrees (this should take about 15 minutes), then broil or pan saute the meat for a short period of time to medium rare to medium. Prepare a sauce to serve with the meat -- and I believe you will have found the way to tenderize the meat with a slow roasting preparation.

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Chickpeas: I like using dried beans. However with chickpeas, the dried beans are so different from canned. I used them over the weekend for a stew and while they were tender to eat there were much, much smaller and darker.

Bonnie Benwick: Where did you get them? I recently improved my pantry stash with the dried chickpeas bought at a Turkish market. They were delightful.

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food poisoning?: Is there any reliable way to figure out what you ate that is responsible for a bout of food poisoning? I was very sick yesterday to the point of being unable to sit up and eventually throwing up rather violently. Looking back, I think I was a little queasy on Monday, too. I bought a small frozen pizza and ate half during the super bowl and half Monday evening. The company makes a pizza that includes a peanut sauce, but mine was just plain cheese. Could this have been related to the salmonella outbreak - maybe very slight cross-contamination? I cooked the pizza the day I bought it, though it had defrosted a bit by the time I put it in the oven.

That is the only thing I ate on Sunday and Monday, so it is the only thing I can think of that would have made me a little ill on Monday and very ill on Tuesday. Is there any other way to figure out what caused this? What is the normal lead time to get from eating something to getting sick?

Feeling somewhat better today. At least, I am capable of sitting up and I've been drinking water. Dry toast stayed down too.

Thanks.

Jane Black: I'm not a doctor but I do know that medical experts say that it's not what you ate the night before you got sick, it's what you ate 48 or even 72 hours before. So it's possible the pizza was a culprit. (That's really all you ate Sunday and Monday? Really?)

That said, it seems unlikely that there was cross contamination from a pizza with peanuts to one without. (Who even knows if it was made in the same plant?)

I don't know a guaranteed way to figure out what it was that caused it. Any doctors out there who can advise us?

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best canned broth?: Can you provide a link? We're making a lot of soup these days.

Bonnie Benwick: Here you go, assuming you're not looking for vegetarian. Maybe if you're souping it up, you'd want to make your own -- or at least improve upon the store-bought stuff this way?

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Washington, D.C.: Can you recommend a good airtight container for storing brown sugar? The Rubbermaid one I'm using doesn't work very well.

Bonnie Benwick: Try sealing the sugar in a resealable plastic food storage bag, pressing out all the air, then storing in your Rubbermaid.

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olive oil and roast chicken: If you are making Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Herbs, why wouldn't you just go ahead and use bacon fat instead of olive oil to rub on the bird?

Steve Katz: 1. Marcella Hazan, the author of the recipe is Italian and uses Pancetta --

2. As the recipe denotes, the olive oil is rubbed on the bird at the same time the pancetta strips are placed uncooked into the cavity of the chicken.

3. Bacon fat will produce a greasy chicken.

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Philadelphia, PA: Wanting to make a simple but not plain couscous to go with a lamb tagine. Other than throwing in warm chickpeas and almonds, what would you recommend? If I use dried apricots, should I hydrate them first?

Bonnie Benwick: You can, but don't need to, rehydrate the dried fruit. Think about using a different liquid to cook the couscous with, other than water or stock: carrot or beet juice, perhaps? Provides beautiful color and flavor. Or some curry powder would work nicely, too.

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Athens, Ga.: I enjoyed the article today on martinis and give you a big thanks for helping quash the notion of a vodka 'martini'. I feel a duty as a real martini drinker to always point out the folly of such a moniker to anyone who orders one.

But I have to take serious exception to your notion that we should trend towards martinis with a higher ratio of vermouth. If you don't like the flavor of gin, why are you drinking a martini? And before you write off my comments as just another "gramps" who likes his martinis dry, I'm in my mid-thirties.

Adding more vermouth is to me just another part of the troubling wuss-ification of America. If you can't handle the bite of the gin in a dry martini, you really shouldn't be drinking them at all. People who are leading us towards weaker martinis are the same people who, when looking for a beer, tell you they want something that "won't fill me up" and has a high "drinkability factor" or something equally pathetic.

Bone dry martinis taste better. Period.

Jason Wilson: Um, "wuss-ification of America"? I think we've had quite enough of the cowboy talk in America for one decade, don't you think?

And, I hardly think the guys that drank the original 50-50 martinis back at the turn of the century were "wusses". They probably drank more before breakfast in 1888 than any of us drink in a weekend.

Maybe this all boils down to nomenclature. By all means, drink a big cold glass of gin if you want to. Knock yourself out!!

But if you want a martini, the drink is made with vermouth and gin. Not to be "weak" not to be a "wuss"... just to be delicious and correct.

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Wings recap: Just wanted to let you all know the wings for the Super Bowl came out great. I was worried about their hotness and didn't marinate longer than 5 hours, but I could have easily without them being too hot for my guests.

The hardest part was finding a jelly roll pan with a cooling rack. I finally got a nice one at Sur la Table, but none of them say anything about being able to safely bake and broil on them. The chrome one seemed the safest so I got that one for the rack.

Joe Yonan: Great! So glad you liked them. They did instantly make it into my wings repertoire.

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Wing recipe and a question: I was just asked to cover for someone at a conference so I'll miss the chat but I wanted to let you know that I made the chicken wing recipe from last week's Super Bowl article. They turned out so well and everyone loved them.

I had a question about one of the recipes in today's article on the farmhouse chicken. The recipe gives the nutritional content if you use clarified butter or olive oil. I don't have any health problems (yet) so I would opt to use the butter but I was wondering why else it would show the difference between the two? I could understand if one was by far the healthier option but since there isn't one (to me, a difference of a few grams doesn't make it overwhelming better/worse for you), can you explain the reason? Or is it that many people have olive oil on hand vs clarified butter?

Bonnie Benwick: We called for either-or ingredient, and our program allows us to run and show the numbers for both, so we did. Nothing's particularly healthful about this dish, but then again, the program measures skin and meat, and no one I know eats all the skin off a whole chicken. The analysis sometimes is more of an advisory than exact, when it comes to poultry.

Do any chatters have programs at home they use that offer better options for measuring?

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Cream cheese cinnamon toast?: Jane's article on Crepes-a-Go-Go makes me crave crepes, but also makes me want to try this cream cheese cinnamon toast.

Would you mind filling us in on the recipe, or at least the general method if it is too simple for a recipe? Is it just cream cheese and cinnamon sugar on a piece of toast?

Jane Black: Definitely check out the crepe place. It's great. As for cinnamon toast, my grandma used to make toast with cinnamon swirl bread from Pepperidge Farm and spread whipped cream cheese on top. Super easy. Super good.

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Philadelphia, PA: Thinking of serving oranges in a cardamom syrup over Greek yogurt as a not-too-unhealthy dessert. I've done it before but don't remember the proportions. What do you think about a half-cup of water, a half-cup of honey, and six cardamom pods for starters? Then I'd supreme the oranges and let them sit in the syrup overnight. Needs to serve 4.

Joe Yonan: Doesn't sound too far off, except I'd probably leave out the water and instead add honey to the juices you collect when supreme-ing the oranges.

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brine: I always brine my chicken before roasting, with 1/2 cup kosher salt, star anise, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cardamom, with enough water to cover. I leave it in for a day or so and it usually is just the right level of saltiness. How should I adjust to do the same with boneless skinless chicken breasts? Or should I not try that?

Steve Katz: Brining is not done to add salt to the chicken or other meat that this technique is applied to. It is done to open the cells of the meat, increasing the moistness and plumpness, and also allow flavors during the brine, or subsequent marinade or cooking to be absorbed with in those same cells. It is also recommended to rinse the chicken off after brining.

Most brining specialists suggest that 30 minutes to perhaps an hour is actually sufficient time to brine a chicken before roasting. I generally follow the thirty minute approach, and I also use ice water, or add ice cubes to the water if I am doing this on the counter.

I suggest that you use 30 minutes for your boneless skinless chicken breasts -- you may wish to experiment with simply doing a salt water brine, then preparing a marinade with your other ingreditents and perhaps adding olive oil, wine, or even a juice that you like to use as a marinade.

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Philadelphia: Is there any chance that the discovery of mercury in HFCS will make people stop adding that to just about everything? I cut it out of my diet some time ago - and, among other benefits, noticed an almost immediate, dramatic improvement in tasting natural flavors again - but have had a hard time convincing people that they really are better off without it (not random people, but people who have asked me what I eat and why). They complain that it's just too difficult to eliminate from their diets, so have given up.

Jane Black: Eliminating HFCS from products is a complicated thing to imagine. Companies use it because it's cheap and versatile. I can only imagine two ways that it would be eliminated. 1) If more/enough evidence accrues that there is mercury in corn syrup and it's dangerous, the government could step in. 2) If consumers do abandon it and demand products without it, companies would change their tune. I recently interviewed Rusty Coco of Jason's Delis, a chain of restaurants with several outlets in the area. They worked very hard with suppliers to eliminate HFCS from the bread, ice cream and other products they sell. Because they are a restaurant with many outlets, they could exert pressure on their suppliers. Consumers, I imagine, could do the same thing if they really were concerned. You can read the interview in the link above.

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Washington, D.C.: What is the difference between air chilled and organic chicken?

Bonnie Benwick: Air-chilled has to do with how it's processed at the plant (proponents of the system say it reduces the risk of cross contamination, helps tenderize the meat and does not inject/infuse the meat with excess water/sodium). Organic applies to how the bird was raised and fed.

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gruyere substitution: If you can't find gruyere and need subs that are readily available, you can mix Swiss and parm half and half. It is melty like Swiss but sharp/dry like Parm, and especially if you're just putting it on a crostini, the texture won't be too far off.

Joe Yonan: Thanks for the in-a-pinch idea.

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Re: food poisoning: For the previous poster, just wanted to mention that there is a horrible stomach virus going around the D.C. area; it might have been that.

Jane Black: Or it could be that!

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Oakland, Calif.: I love kale (lucky for me since it's so good for you!), but I need some ideas of new things to do with it. I've been doing a lot of blanching/sauteeing and cooking it with leeks or bacon and putting it over polenta or pasta, which I love, but kale is one of the few fresh green vegetables out there this time of year, so I need some new ideas!

Jane Black: I've been adding it to soup lately. Chicken and rice soup. Minestrone (instead of cabbage).

Joe Yonan: I've been using it in variations on a spicy stew with potatoes and beans. It's an all-over-the-place recipe: sometimes cabbage, sometimes other greens, different potatoes, different beans. Always a garlic/onion/red pepper flake base, though. Oh, and a good squirt of fish sauce.

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Rube Goldberg would be proud of you: That's the most complicated way to roast a chicken I've ever seen. Buy a chicken, remove the giblets, rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper, roast on broiling pan in oven at 350- for 20 minutes/pound. Test for doneness by making sure the juices run clear (poke near the thigh.)

Steve Katz: Of course there are many ways to simply roast a chicken.

However, Marcella Hazan is a consistent source of flavorful recipes. The steps are easy, and easy to remember once you do it, and you will produce a chicken you and your guests will enjoy.

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gin allergy?: My late father was a fan of martinis, but drank only vodka martinis. His reason? When he was in his early 20s, he had a gin martini and had a severe allergic reaction -- he was by no measure a hypochondriac, but what he described was very nearly anaphylaxis.

I've avoided trying gin as a consequence -- since I don't know what would have caused an allergy to gin, of all things, it seemed prudent to me to just not risk finding out it was an inherited thing. However, I am curious. Have you heard of a gin allergy? And what of the risk that it is inherited or just a fluke?

Jason Wilson: never heard of it, but it seems reasonable that he and you might be allergic to various herbs or spices. Although these botanicals have been soaked and distilled to 90+ proof...so I have no idea. I really wouldn't seek health/medical advice from me.

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Petworth, D.C.: Dear Food Folks;

Thanks you for a WONDERFUL food section today. The martini article was especially good. 2 years ago, on a visit to Spain, we visited a vermouth bar (Sierra Angel) and tasted as much vermouth of various kinds as possible. The inspiration for these visits was both a food section article from several years ago in the food section about vermouth, and several encounters of the "A Martini please" (handed a glass of vermouth) "uhhhh?" nature over the years on various trips to Europe. Now I need a link back to your previous vermouth article!

Anyhow, I also wanted to comment on the article about food habits not changing based on food safety information. Honestly, that is terrifying. I shop as local and as unprocessed as possible. I also eat raw cookie dough, because I shop local. It's not cheap, and it means that we eat very little meat, because we can't afford that much meat. But I cannot imagine continuing to put lots of processed food into my body, knowing that factory farming has broken our food safety system in this country. How can people eat that stuff regularly, knowing what's in it?

Jane Black: Anyone who hasn't changed habits/loves processed food want to answer this?

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Chevy Chase, Md.: In response to Monkey County's comment and yours in reply, I too, am very careful about the quality of the ingredients I buy. However, I had salmonella as a 5-year-old child and was hospitalized at the old Children's Hospital. I can still vividly recall many of the experiences I had there and have never gotten over my cautiousness about salmonella, especially in the summer. I am now 60-something and only want to advise your audience that salmonella is nothing you want to experience.

Jane Black: I think we can all agree with that.

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Washington, D.C.: So I hear that Book World is going away soon, following the recent deaths of the Sunday Source and Arts sections. Are you guys safe for now? If the Post dropped Food section too, I'd seriously consider ending my subscription. I LOVE the Food Section. It is so good -- way better than the NY Times Dining section.

washingtonpost.com: Just to clarify -- Book World as a separately-published Sunday section will end, but its content will continue to be published in other sections of the Sunday paper (Outlook and Style/Arts). -- Elizabeth

Joe Yonan: Thanks for the support. Our advertising in the Food section has remained strong (knock on wood), so we're in good shape for now, yes. But, well, the best thing you can probably do to make sure we're around and vibrant is to patronize our advertisers and to tell them that you saw their ad in the Food section. That'll keep them there, and that'll keep us safe.

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Cloverly, Maryland: Help. I made two batches of the dough for the "adult pigs in a blanket." Couldn't get either to rise. I was hoping (!) the recipe was printed wrong. I've made lots of doughs and my yeast was fresh. Any suggestions?

Bonnie Benwick: Oh dear. Not sure what went wrong... I made that recipe twice on my own and once with chef Jamie. The dough was quite soft.

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Food Safety Question: Hi Foodies,

I share a kitchen. Certain person made a pot of split pea soup (with old ham bits and some fresh sausage) in the crockpot Saturday. Smelled good. Said person turned off the crockpot around 9 or 10 p.m. and left it on the counter overnight through about noon on Sunday. The "logic" behind this is that it isn't good to put a container of something hot in the fridge, that one should only put cooled/cold things into it or put the rest of the contents at risk.

Certain person expects me to eat this soup, and enjoy it. There will be a large uproar if I don't. So far, we have avoided this by virtue of mismatched schedules -- but he has already had some as a meal. On Monday, while he was out, I put the open container of soup on the stove and boiled it for a few minutes. Put it in a clean container and back into the fridge. The rest of the soup had been batched and put in the freezer.

Speak to me of anything else I can do to improve the soup safety before being served it at dinner, please. We have had discussions about food safety before to no avail, so converting him to "keep it hot, keep it cold, or don't keep it" is not an option. And the level of uproar when declining his food is huge. Sigh.

Help?

Joe Yonan: Certain persons may be beyond help! I will say, though, that CP has a point about not putting a big batch of a hot food in the fridge; depending on how full or empty it is, and how cold it runs, I would also avoid because of the bringing-the-temp-of-other-things-down problem. I go by the rule that says that you shouldn't keep foods in the temperature "danger zone" of between 40 and 140 for more than four hours. So in the case of the soup, CP could have transferred it to a shallower bowl (restaurants use a big sheet pan) to let it cool to room temp within an hour or two, and then spooned it back into a regular container and put it in the fridge. Then maybe you'd both be happy?

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Tomatoes: The minestrone piece got me thinking about tomatoes in the winter. Is it worth buying fresh or should I stick with canned?

Jane Black: Canned. Definitely.

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Faux Foie: Hi! Lunch today: my faux foie. I lost 8 pounds in January and am trying to make some big changes in my life; but as a major foodie I found that while flavor is not problem in healthier eating (just add more fresh herbs, vinegars, small amounts of infused oils) I was missing the richer mouth feel and the sumptuous texture of higher-fat foods. So I invented this and it's on the menu for lunch today: saute one chopped shallot in 1 teaspoon of olive oil until dark golden; add some kosher salt, black pepper, and deglaze with two or three tablespoons of brandy. Puree one can of drained white beans in a food processor; add the shallot brandy sludge and puree some more. Add nutmeg and fresh thyme to taste. Serve with whole grain crackers or as a thick spread on toasted baguette. You know, I was originally going to stir in some softened butter at the end, but found that that luxurious pate thing is going on already. I wanted to share the yumminess!

Jane Black: Sounds great. Thanks for sharing.

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bacon fat: Does not produce a greasy chicken when used as a rub before roasting, but it doesn't have much in the plus column either. Save it for something where you'll taste it, like beans.

Steve Katz: You will discover that if you coat a chicken with bacon grease and wrap it in foil as directed in this recipe, you will produce a greasy chicken, and an even messier roasting pan for the other steps in the recipe.

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Sauces: Nothing beats "the Saucier's Apprentice" by Sokolov. Not saying I'll be making any of them any time soon, but it's a great read!

Steve Katz: I agree, the Saucier's Apprentice is an excellent resource, however the recipes, as I assume that you are referencing in your comment about not making them any time soon, are authentically complex.

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Burke, VA: I love Stephanie's write-up that went with her minestrone recipe. It is so refreshing to hear someone admit that they -miss- having green beans and zucchini in the winter. With the "eat local" drumbeat, it's easy to forget that doing so exclusively means a fair amount of monotony in the winter. Particularly if you despise turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and their ilk.

Bonnie Benwick: Yep, she has the voice of a real home cook (albeit one with a culinary degree).

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Annapolis: I'm frustrated by an occasional problem I have with certain egg and milk dishes (eg: corn puddings, custards, et. al.). Sometimes, they turn out watery -- as in, a thin layer of water at the bottom of the dish. I can't find a cause -- or a solution -- anywhere. Can you help?

Bonnie Benwick: Sounds like temperature issues. Things might be curdling/weeping. Do you bake them in pan placed in a water bath? Sometimes this is easier to figure out via a therapeutic phone call...

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Bethesda, Md.: I was not the original asker, but I wanted to thank you for the great soft caramel recipe you posted a few weeks ago. I made them last night for a birthday gift and they are fantastic! I sprinkled them with fleur de sel because I love that combination.

My only note is that it took me over 20 minutes in the second cooking stage to get to 252 degrees -- but I likely just didn't have my burner at the same level as you.

Thanks again!

Jane Black: More evidence that it's good karma to share recipes. Thanks!

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Hey food section! Thanks for the Great Party Dips book! Looks like a real keeper, and I'm making something from it tomorrow: deviled shrimp. Been looking for a way to use frozen cooked shrimp I foolishly bought on sale (should have bought uncooked, or none at all) and this sounds like it. Mayo, cream cheese, shrimp, horseradish, served hot... mmmmm.

And now a question: ideas for vegetarian Valentine's Day food? We're thinking of doing a couples' night on V-Day so we'd have three omnivores and one vegetarian. Normally I'd whip out the homemade wild mushroom pappardelle or butternut squash lasagna, but neither seems elegant enough for the occasion. Whatcha got? If I want to make ravioli, should I just cut the dough out in circles and seal with egg wash? Any non-pasta ideas?

Jane Black: If homemade wild mushroom papparadelle isn't fancy enough, I want to eat dinner at your house.

I think ravioli would be nice. And yes, lay out one sheet. Add a row of filling. Then lay another sheet across. Stamp out the ravioli and seal with egg wash.

As for other ideas, I hate to get this debate started again but is your vegetarian really vegetarian? Or will he/she eat fish?

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D.C.: I've mastered canning fruit--mostly jam and marmalade. What about sauces? I have a great BBQ sauce recipe that I'd like to jar and store. If it's hot, and the jars are clean will the traditional water bath method work? What about lemon curd? Hot fudge sauce? Boiled salad dressings?

THX!

Bonnie Shershow: Yes the BBQ sauce would work well with one caveat -- jams and marmalade keep well when canned because they have a high degree of sugar and acid so to avoid any hint of botulism make sure that your sauce has both the sweet and the acid. (although canned vegetables are popular in farm country I stay away from them because the the risk of bacteria.) Lemon Curd and Hot Fudge sauce keep well when canned too. I would be a little careful with the salad dressing -- oil can be a medium for bacteria so I would say to make sure the recipe has a good balance of vinegar.

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Moo: Oyster sauce in the great burger recipe sounds interesting - I'll have to try it. Why add an egg yolk? Isn't there enough fat in the meat?

Bonnie Benwick: John Torode uses oyster sauce instead of salt; he says salt draws moisture from the meat and makes the mixture dry. The egg's a binder (a la meatloaf). This was a good, good burger, even done on a grill pan.

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Nutmeg, D.C.: I love the way whole spices look so I bought the pretty bottles with whole nutmegs, cinnamon, etc. The problem is grating the nutmeg to use it in pastries takes forever. What is the best way to grind these spices?

Joe Yonan: Different spices are different, but for nutmeg, I run it across my Microplane grater.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi,

We just bought a slow cooker, and I'd like to use it for a beer braised beef and onion recipe that is supposed to be braised in the oven for 3.5 hours. How long would this dish need to cook in the crock pot? Is there a formula to convert conventional cooking times to crock pot cooking times?

Bonnie Benwick: Depends on whether you want to slow-cook on LOW or HIGH. There are several formulas, but here's one.

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Jane Black: Per the discussion on high fructose corn syrup, the folks from the Corn Refiners Association just gave me a call. Here is their take on the reports that there is mercury in HFCS:

1) These reports are seriously flawed. It would be wrong to conclude that there's any kind of food risk based on these reports.

2) Even if the research were complete and correct, the mercury levels cited by these reports is far below levels of concern set by the federal government. For example, EPA sets limits for mercury in water at two parts per billion. In comparison, the authors measured levels at parts per trillion in foods with high fructose corn syrup.

3) The reports are also based on outdated information. The high fructose corn syrup industry uses only mercury-free versions of these re-agents.

4) High fructose corn syrup is safe. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets FDA's requirements for the use of the term 'natural'.

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Chickpeas: Yes, you can freeze chickpeas. I do it all the time. I like to divide them into one-cup portions, put these into sandwich bags, and put them all into freezer-quality zipper bags. They'll last for a couple of months.

Bonnie Benwick: There you go.

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Chickpeas: Hmm -- I got them from a friend who was moving away. It's actually a big unopened bag of dried, organic chickpeas -- can't remember the brand now. She spends a lot of money on ingredients and shops at specialty markets so I just assume they were top quality. Maybe I was wrong?

Bonnie Benwick: Right impulse. Unless the bag is dated, you can't be sure about how old dried beans are.

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Bethesda: I really try to not eat things with HFCS, which is why I don't buy Kellogg's cereals anymore, but it is astounding to me how many things it is in. I love sweets as much as the next person but I don't want things like spaghetti sauce to taste really sweet. I don't know if it is because my mother fed me mostly healthy foods or because I'm getting mature but I like a certain tanginess or bitterness or whatever.

Do we have to tell companies why we don't use them or do they figure it out on their own when their sales slump?

Jane Black: Both. They figure it out very fast when sales slump. And though it's unlikely you'll get instant gratification, I always think it's worth sending a letter or email to a company letting them know your preferences. If they're smart, they'll listen. Look at Wal-Mart, it realized that being green was important to its clientele. I'm not saying everything they do is perfect (indeed I don't follow the company close enough to know more than what I read in the paper). But it is clear that certain moves, from light bulbs to milk containers, they've made have had a huge impact.

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wings and the rack: Was I supposed to use a special rack for the wings? I used the rack I normally use when cooling cookies. Was this wrong? Will I get salmonella poisoning? :-)

As a side, when I was in high school I did get salmonella poisoning. We think it was a cross contamination at a bbq. I still eat raw cookie dough and I have peanut butter that I will eat. But if I see a burger or meat that looks slightly uncooked (when it's supposed to be) I won't eat it.

Joe Yonan: An oven-safe rack, yes. If yours didn't drip melted metallic coating all over the oven, then I think you chose well.

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Bethesda: Not that I don't love beef, I really do, but I was so excited to see the chickpea recipe today. I love chickpeas. Also, thanks for the dried vs. canned tip -- I always wondered how that worked out as most recipes just call for canned chickpeas. I have tried making from dried and found that it really isn't that hard, you just need to plan ahead. (Which is why I have both canned and dried chickpeas.)

Bonnie Benwick: Give that (cooking) fan a contract.

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Hummingbird cake: Where did the name for hummingbird cake come from? I thought maybe since hummingbirds like to drink that sweet red syrup, they thought the pineapple would be a treat as well. Do you have a recipe for this Southern favorite?

Bonnie Benwick: Food historians and writers offer different theories about the genesis of the name, it seems. Some point to the bird as a Jamaican symbol, with the banana/pineapple ingredients appearing in Jamaican recipes (referenced as the Doctor Bird, actually) made popular in America. The recipe got a lot of play after it was published in a 1978 Southern Living magazine. And some folks think it's because the cake's intensely sweet ingredients attract people like hummingbirds to a flower full of nectar.

Anywho, here's a recipe courtesy of a 1998 Elinor Klivans story in Food:

Hummingbird Cake

12 to 14 servings

This Southern specialty is a very moist banana, pineapple and pecan cake good enough to serve without any frosting at all. Toast the pecans in a 325-degree preheated oven for 8 minutes to enhance their flavor.

Butter for the pans

For the Cake:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (about 3) mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 scant cup (8-ounce can) crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained

1 cup rough-chopped toasted pecans

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup rough-chopped toasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottoms and sides of two 9-inch, 2-inch-deep cake pans. Line pan bottoms with parchment or wax paper and butter the paper.

For the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on high for about 3 minutes until fluffy. You will have small crumbs of butter. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and mashed bananas, mixing until no large pieces of banana remain. On low speed, add half the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated. Add the buttermilk, mixing just to incorporate it. Then mix in the remaining flour, stopping as soon as it is incorporated. Use a large spoon to stir in the pineapple and pecans.

Divide the the batter equally between the prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick withdraws clean from the center. Cool the layers for 5 minutes in the pans. Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the layers onto a wire rack and discard the paper liner. Turn the cake layers right-side up to cool completely, about 1 hour.

For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth and thoroughly blended. On low speed add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat until the frosting is smooth, about 1 minute.

Put one of the cake layers top-side up on a cake plate. Spread about 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the top of the cake layer. Top with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the pecans over the top. Refrigerate for up to 3 days and serve at room temperature.

Per serving (based on 14): 630 calories, 6 gm protein, 76 gm carbohydrates, 36 gm fat, 113 mg cholesterol, 16 gm saturated fat, 220 mg sodium

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Re Petworth: WHY does everyone think that processed food is the danger here? Think back 100 years, and you are at a far less risk today. Today, we have notification systems and recalls, and only 8 people died from the peanut scare going on. That's huge compared to 50 years ago.

No one is safe. Ever. That's a fact of life. You can have a tainted meal anywhere, even at your own home, because there is always a risk. It's like "safe sex." There is no safe. Only safer.

Jane Black: An excellent point. I think what can be scary about processed foods is that you don't know/can't trace how they are made. The fact that ingredients from an unknown peanut plant ended up in everything from Clif Bars to Little Debbies makes some people want to have more control over what they eat and where it comes from.

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Petworth, D.C.: I don't think the gentleman from Athens actually READ the article.

Dude, Nick Charles drank his martinis with vermouth. He, despite being fictional, is the definition of a manly man. So, no talking smack about martinis with vermouth.

Joe Yonan: Well said, dude.

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SW D.C.: One last question (and addendum): Is it shad roe season yet? Is there any mercury risk?

Bonnie Benwick: A little early yet. Hurry spring. Mercury, I don't know.

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For food safety questioner: Do you have a large life insurance policy that maybe a certain person hopes to cash in on? Otherwise, you definitely should not be eating food that sat out at room temp for 10 hours. I've gone thru food safety training and a crock pot, after a brief cooling off, can put still warm in the fridge. What you can't do is let someone eat food that sat at the perfect temp for bacteria to grow!

Jane Black: I didn't get to answer the original question so I want to add a little Carolyn Hax-inspired comment to the debate. You should certainly be honest with your housemate about what you feel comfortable eating. If you think it's dangerous, you are under no obligation to eat it, nor should you. Your housemate is a responsible adult and can make his/her decisions about what's safe. So should you.

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Curries and things: I'm looking to expand my knowledge of Indian curries . . . I have powder at home, but saw paste at my co-op and and am assuming paste is better than powder. Are there any WaPo links to learning to cook with curry?

And this is a thank you to Jason -- one of his columns pointed me in the direction of F. Paul Pacult's new edition of Kindred Spirits. It was the perfect gift for my boyfriend -- we spent Christmas night laughing at the blistering reviews of the one star recommendations and had fun trying to see if he had written reviews for any of the lower budget spirits in the cabinet.

Jason Wilson: Yeah, Paul's book is a great resource, whether you agree witha all his assessments or not...

Joe Yonan: On the curry issue, we'll have some Indian-cooking pieces coming up in March that should help. Keep reading.

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Shivering!: I always want to make nice cozy braised meat dishes around this time of year. While I love braised short ribs and beef stews, I'm in the moood for something new, any great ideas?

Steve Katz: How about stovetop braised Marsala Spareribs?

Get the mashed potatoes or polenta ready in advance and here's what you do:

1 rack of pork spareribs or baby back ribs per person

1 cup Marsala (Dry not Sweet)

Olive oil to coast pan

3 stems Rosemary

4 cloves garlic

4 strips lemon peel

4 dried prunes

1 half jar of tomato paste

Salt and Pepper

1. Strip fat off back of ribs or ask butcher to do it, and slice individual ribs.

2. Working in small batches, brown all the ribs, placing on pan or bowl beside stove until all are brown.

3. Pour off all the fat, scatter rosemary, garlic, lemon peel, and prunes on bottom of pan, then layer all the ribs on top.

4. Mix tomato paste with Marsala, and pour over the ribs.

5. Cover pan and simmer for one hour.

6. Remove ribs, to warm oven with foil

7. Strain sauce, and if thick enough use immediately, otherwise reduce over medium low flame to desired thickeness.

4.

Bonnie Benwick: A Flemish carbonnade? Lamb Braised With Ancho Chilis and Honey? Cider Braised Pork Steaks? Keep readinggggg....

Lamb Braised With Ancho Chilis and Honey

4 servings

The dish, inspired by a recipe from chef and author Rick Bayless, is at its best when spiffed up with garnishes typically associated with chili, such as thinly sliced raw onions, tangy crumbled cheese and cilantro. (Those not accustomed to chili peppers may also crave a spoonful of sour cream to temper the heat.)

Use cubed lamb shoulder meat.

About 1 cup water

3 to 4 ancho chili peppers* (about 1 ounce), stemmed and seeded

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

11/4 cups beef stock or broth

6 tablespoons honey

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced (optional garnish)

1/4 cup grated queso anejo* or crumbled feta cheese (optional garnish)

Minced cilantro (optional garnish)

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat; add the chili peppers, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

Transfer the chili peppers and about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid to a food processor or blender, discarding the remaining liquid. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to taste and pulse to combine at first, then process until smooth. Set the puree aside.

Pat the lamb dry. Place a Dutch oven or a large, deep-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, uncovered, turning as necessary, until evenly browned, a total of about 10 minutes. (Be careful not to crowd the pan; may need to cook in batches.)

To the lamb and the drippings in the skillet, add the reserved puree and the stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, turning the lamb occasionally, until the lamb is extremely tender, 11/2 to 2 hours. Transfer the lamb to a platter and cover to keep warm.

Skim and discard any fat from the surface of the sauce. Add the honey and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until reduced to the desired consistency.

Pour the sauce over the lamb and, if desired, garnish with onion, cheese and cilantro. Serve immediately.

* Note: Ancho chili peppers are dried poblano chili peppers. Queso anejo is an aged Mexican white cheese. Both are available at many supermarkets, Latin American markets and some specialty stores.

Per serving: 682 calories, 41 gm protein, 32 gm carbohydrates, 44 gm fat, 161 mg cholesterol, 19 gm saturated fat, 522 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber

Flemish Carbonnade

4 to 6 servings

This classic Belgian stew of beef, onion and beer is deceptively simple. For an impressive, traditional presentation, serve over wide egg noodles and sprinkle with parsley.

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

4 large onions, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

11/2 cups (about a 12-ounce bottle) beer

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

About 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place an ovenproof Dutch oven or a large, deep-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, uncovered, turning as necessary, until evenly browned on all sides, a total of about 15 minutes. (Be careful not to crowd the pan; may need to cook in batches.) Transfer the beef to a plate; cover to keep warm.

To the drippings in the skillet, add the onions and garlic and cook, using a wooden spoon to stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet, until the onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the beer and flour until no lumps remain. Add the vinegar and sugar and stir to combine.

Add the beer mixture to the softened onions in the skillet, return the beef to the skillet, add the bay and thyme and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer the skillet to the oven until the beef is very tender, 11/2 to 2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the stew to a serving platter or dish and, if desired, garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 467 calories, 29 gm protein, 15 gm carbohydrates, 30 gm fat, 104 mg cholesterol, 12 gm saturated fat, 97 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber

Cider-Braised Pork Steaks

4 to 6 servings

This dish of apple-infused pork takes well to a side dish of slightly sweet winter vegetables, such as baked acorn squash or mashed sweet potatoes.

A pork blade steak is cut from just behind the shoulder; it is a tough cut that becomes meltingly tender with long, slow cooking.

2 pork blade steaks (1 to 11/2 pounds each)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup apple cider

3/4 cup chicken stock or broth

2 tablespoons coarse brown mustard

3 tablespoons minced fresh sage

4 tablespoons chopped scallions (optional garnish)

Pat the pork dry. Season the pork with salt and pepper to taste. Place a Dutch oven or a large, heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, uncovered, turning to brown each side evenly, for a total of about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate; cover to keep warm.

To the drippings in the skillet, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cider and, using a wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Add the stock, mustard and sage and stir to combine. Return the pork to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the pork is tender and falling off the bone, about 11/2 hours.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and carve it into individual portions. Transfer the pork to a platter and, if desired, spoon some of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 160 calories, 17 gm protein, 3 gm carbohydrates, 7 gm fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 3 gm saturated fat, 211 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber

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Corn Refiners Association?: No offense, but of course they would play down the mercury issue. I don't trust anything this group says. Or adds to my ketchup and cereal, for that matter.

Sometime last year I started looking for HFCS and eliminating it from new food purchses. It's been a challenge, but once you remember which products are ok, it's not too hard to do. Living near Canada helps, since it's not widely used there.

Jane Black: Of course, it's no shock. But it is their opinion and it may be helpful to some. And we aim for balanced coverage.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you know of anyone who makes tomatoes that are sold in glass containers? Now that I know that canned tomatoes have BPA in the lining I am trying to stay away.

Joe Yonan: I answered this in the section today. Look for Bionaturae brand, sold at Whole Foods and other natural-foods stores. Another option is Pomi, sold in aseptic packaging.

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re: vegetarian Valentine's day: Two years ago, my boyfriend (who is not a vegetarian) made us individual vegetarian pot pies for Valentine's day. They were basically just a good vegetarian stew served under a puff pastry crust, and were delicious. With a side salad, some wine, and a yummy chocolate dessert, we had a very lovely meal.

Joe Yonan: Nice!

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buttermilk: I would like to learn to make really great fluffy pancakes, but I never have buttermilk at home. I read that I can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk and let stand 10 minutes, as a substitute. Also I have noticed recipes either call for 1 cup, 1 1/2 cups or 2 cups of buttermilk for every cup of flour. Does more buttermilk just make thinner, crepeier pancakes?

Steve Katz: Real buttermilk produces the best results for pancakes, and it can be purchased in pints in the grocery store.

Buttermilk contributes fat, protein, and moisture to the batter which gives it more body, flavor and height. They only become thinner if you increase the liquid ration to dry ingredients by a greater degree.

Another alternative you might like to add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and a tablespoon of sour cream. The acid in the sour cream will activate the baking soda, just as in some traditional European coffee cake recipes, and this will also serve as a leavening agent.

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"How can people eat that stuff regularly, knowing what's in it?": Easy. Many people cannot afford food that isn't highly processed. Yes, I know, dried beans, pasta, and rice can (often, but not always) be bought cheaply, but try living in an inner city without access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and poor public transportation, and then try to feed two children a healthy diet while living on food stamps and WIC support. I've never had to experience it myself, but have had many neighbors who did. Some restricted themselves to dried beans/pasta/rice, and others caved in to their children's demands to eat "normal" food. My local grocery store sold apples for one pound for the same price as a giant bag of potato chips. Guess which provides more snack opportunities for a large family? Most parents aren't going to happily feed their children toxins, or adults happily eat them themselves, but not everyone can make that choice.

Jane Black: Too true. That opens a broader, complex debate about why those snack foods etc are cheaper. Are they really cheaper? Or are they cheaper because of federal policies that subsidize corn growers and other agribusiness. It is important not to cast blame on people who make different decisions, especially those who, as you point out, may not be lucky enough to have other options. But we should think about why and whether it's ok that people of lesser means shouldn't be able to afford good, healthy food.

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U Street: Just wanted to pop by with a quick dinner dilemma. I'm trying to think of what I can make out of the contents of my fridge and I'm leaning towards a white pizza topped with garlicky shrimp. Just a couple blanks left to fill -- any suggestions for a secondary cheese other than parm? Also, I'm planning on lightly sauteeing the shrimp in garlic/rpf before topping the pizza -- should I just undercook them slightly so they don't get too rubbery in the oven? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!

Steve Katz: Fontina cheese is sometimes used.

Yes, you are correct, if you only briefly saute or even blanch the shrimp they will be cooked on the bottom and hopefully not dry out too much when the pizza is cooking.

However, you may wish to do what some restaurants do, and that is to add their toppings later in the cooking of the pizza -- especially if you are using the hotter clay ovens or wood burning ovens seen in restaurants.

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slow cooker conversion: To convert a traditional recipe to a slow cooker version, do this: for every 30 minutes of stovetop (or oven) cooking, it's one hour on High, two hours on Low.

Bonnie Benwick: Simpler. thanks.

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I eat anything: I shop at a local organic market sometimes. I love the fresh produce. But I don't see why I should pay more for certain things. Let me use Milk as an example. At the organic market it is $2 MORE a gallon, because it has the word ORGANIC on the container. What should that mean to me? How do I know those standards are in place? What value is that to my family? I am not convinced.

Steve Katz: This is a good question to pose to organic food growers directly or to associations created to develop and protect the organic "brands" just as the uniqueness of certain growing areas has developed over time.

However, a brief answer from questions that I have posed to a variety of producers -- including McCormick Spices for their organic cinnamon, and beef and chicken producers is that you are paying in part for the increased cost when products are not mass produced, when the land has been preserved in a condition that meets organic standards, and other steps need to be taken to keep the food safe and pest free as it grows.

Some products are now using organic ingredients grown on a larger scale, and while this should drive the cost down, demand in the economy plays a role in driving such prices up.

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V-day Vegetarian: Real vegetarian. No meat, chicken, fish. Not vegan though, so cheese/milk OK.

Jane Black: I'd definitely go for the pasta then. Just my 2 cents.

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Help! Need to offset a heavy kasha pilaf: Greetings...seeking healthy grains, I made a huge wheat-and-gluten-free kasha pilaf last night (sauteed onions and veggies, added kasha in correct proportions on the box). The problem is, the final dish was so heavy my husband gagged. I made an over-abundance and would love to 'fix' it. Any ideas -- maybe add stewed tomatoes or something? As you can see, I have no imagination, but I'd hate to throw it out... thanks!!!!

Bonnie Benwick: Add cooked pasta bowties? Pat the mixture into small pancakes and saute, serve with a roasted tomato sauce? Or Bonnie Shershow suggests turning the kasha into a room-temperature or chilled salad with vinaigrette and tomato or orange sections.

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Wash, D.C: I rushed to the website to look at the CSA offerings posted today, but I was totally overwhelmed. Any suggestions for wading through the list?

Bonnie Benwick: Depends where you live, if you'd prefer going to a pickup at the farm or a at a farmers market. Find ones that make sense for you geographically then ask for subscriber recommendations. I know Jane Black has certain feelings about a certain CSA...

Jane Black: I do. I was very disappointed with mine last year. I'm hesitant to out the farm on the chat but if you want advice on at least one farm, drop me a line. blackj@washpost.com

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Dry cornbread: To the person with dry, flavorless cornbread....oftentimes, I like to taste the batter ahead of time to see if it tastes salty/spicy/right and adjust from there. I hope this doesn't sounds like a "duh"-- though one might be less prone to dip into a cornbread batter than, say, cookie dough. :)

Also, regarding the dryness -- I often find that if I let the batter sit for a few minutes before the pan is heated in the oven, it stiffens up a lot and I tip in a little more liquid -- maybe 1/4 cup for a 12-inch skillet recipe? -- and it makes the batter seem "right". Might find you want to add a little more salt or seasoning to compensate, however -- I usually don't for such a small amount.

Finally, if you can, bake the cornbread on the middle rack if possible. Keeps the crust from drying out too much, in my experience.

Good luck!

Steve Katz: Thank you, good suggestions.

Several additional factors and tips may help:

1. The size of your skillet cannot be so large that the batter spreads too thin, as this will cause the corn bread to dry out.

2. Place your skillet on a baking tray or cookie sheet to regulate the heat from below.

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NoLo, DC: For the person seeking local cheeses, I'd also throw out a plug for Blue Ridge Dairy. They make a fabulous fresh mozzarella, as well as an apple-smoked variety, as well as some other items like yogurt and ricotta. They're at the Dupont farmer's market and the P Street Whole Foods.

(and count me as a huge fan of Firefly's products too! The Merry Goat Round is great as is the Allegheny Chevre. Oh, and their fresh chevre with candied ginger, almonds, and honey is fab on figs, pita chips, and lots of other things...)

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

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GIN Martini with limited vermouth ...: I have to side with Athens. I am a female who has been enjoying real gin martinis for years. We actually had a little spray bottle once for our vermouth so we would just have a hint of vermouth in the gin (we use Bombay Sapphire as we like the taste). I am 5 feet tall and in my late 30s so wouldn't qualify as either a grumpy old man nor a tough guy. I do, however, also wonder how ANYONE had a 3 martini lunch :)

Joe Yonan: Very funny.

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Martini: Jason, love your columns! Your column a year or so back on the well stocked winter bar turned me on to the Bijou cocktail and then "real" martinis. you and Robert Hess are inspirations for true mixologists.

Joe Yonan: Jason had to take off, but he'll be thrilled to hear this.

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Arlington, Va.: Ladies real men in the 1880's who worked for a living and were not members of the elite drank their liquor straight. No martinis please. And those who lived in the rural areas of the country drank their liquor out of Mason jars. Puts hair on your chest. Oops sorry, you have your chests waxed. You can't tell the difference when you mix good bourbon with Coke or use real good tequila in a margarita.

And a good single malt should always be served neat and a good bourbon with branch water and rocks on the side. No need for fancy mixologists.

Joe Yonan: Woof.

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Joe Yonan: You've removed our air bubbles and sealed us up tightly, so you know what that means: We're done. Thanks for the great questions today, all, and thanks to guests Bonnie Shershow, Steve Katz and Jason Wilson for helping us handle them all.

Now for the giveaway book: The Bethesda chatter who declared love for chickpeas and for beef will get ... "Beef" by John Torode (which Bonnie reviewed today). Send your mailing info to food@washpost.com, and we'll get you the book.

Until next week, happy cooking, drinking, eating and reading.

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