Free Range on Food: Pasta, Making Yogurt and Fish and Chips

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.

The transcript follows.

Transcripts of past chats

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Joe Yonan: Greetings, nation, and welcome once again to Free Range, the chat that makes you hungry but gives you strategies (and recipes) to deal with it.

So today thanks to the fabulous and talented Domenica Marchetti (with backup from Bonnie and the amazing graphic artist Laura Stanton) we gave you dozens of "nice dishes of pasta," or at least the information you need to make such things yourself, night in and night out. How do you pasta? We also gave you the means to set your mouth on fire with Andreas "The Gastronomer" Viestad's take on chili peppers. Yowsah!

Both authors are in the room today to help us tackle your questions, so let loose with all manner of pasta, pepper, pepper-pasta and pasta-pepper questions. And, of course, anything else that's on your mind.

For our favorite posts, we have giveaway books: A SIGNED copy of Domenica's new "Big Night In" for our best pasta-related query. And on the spicy side of things, "Cuisine a Latina" by Michelle Bernstein.

Let's do this.

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Pasta lover: Congrats on the terrific pasta poster in today's section! I just loved those simple-to-follow sauce recipes and my kids loved looking at the photos of the different kinds of pasta and picking some new ones to try. My question: Is there some rule to follow on whether you choose a shaped pasta or long strands to go with a sauce?

Domenica Marchetti: Ciao, fellow Pasta Lover,

In the text of the pasta story I give some guidelines. Here's an abbreviated version:

tiny pasta shapes: soup

medium pasta shapes: heaty soups, pasta e fagioli

short sturdy shapes: robust chunky sauces; cream sauces

thin long noodles: lighter, smooth tomato sauces, butter-based sauces

flat noodles such as fettuccine: slinky butter and cream sauces

long hefty noodles such as spaghetti, bucatini: rustic sauces such as pesto, carbonara, hearty tomato sauces

Hope this helps!

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Silver Spring, Md.: In your discussion of Pasta in today's Food Section, you mention acini de pepi. I have used this frequently in the past, but I can't find stores that carry it now. Can you tell me where this can be purchased?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Silver Spring,

One place I know that you can get acini di pepe (which means peppercorns and refers to the shape of this tiny pasta) is The Italian Store, in Arlington. I have gotten in the past at my local Safeway. I usually buy DeCecco brand, but, alas, my Safeway seems to be carrying fewer of their products. There is a brand called Don Pepe that I've used that is also good. I'm afraid I'm not familiar enough with Silver Spring markets to be able to suggest a place.

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Arlington: Loved the pasta article! I have a quick question that, as a relatively experienced home cook, I am a bit embarrassed to ask. Very often when I cook pasta it sticks to the bottom of the pot. I'm using a large 4 quart La Crueset pot, usually for 1/2 pound of pasta. Maybe I have the heat up too high (gas stove)? It isn't meal-wrecking, just a few pieces, but just the same I know I'm doing something wrong. Any ideas? Thanks!

Domenica Marchetti: This is an excellent question, Arlington. I love my Le Creuset pots, but I think that because of the material they are made of (enameled cast-iron) they are best for browning and braising. For cooking pasta, I use a large (6-qt) stainless steel pot to cook a pound of pasta. 4 quarts should work for 1/2 pound. You just want to be sure that there is abundant water in the pot and that it is boiling vigorouly over medium-high to high heat, so that the pasta swims around and doesn't get stuck. Give it a stir now and then to make sure no pieces are sticking.

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Clifton, Va.: Nice article on pasta and sauces. For canned tomatoes one needs to read the labels very carefully. Tomatoes should be the first ingredient and not puree. And tomatoes in juice are always preferred over tomatoes in puree since tomatoes in puree are cooked longer and don't have a fresh taste. It is almost impossible to find San Marzano canned tomatoes in juice because of traiffs.

You should do a taste test of tomatoes and pasta. ATK doesn't have a clue.

Bonnie Benwick: Really, about San Marzanos? I see cans in my Safeway that say they contain SMs.

Jane Black: They also have San Marzanos at Whole Foods. But I don't remember if they are in juice or in puree. I think it's a SM puree. But it is delicious.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi,

Over the past few years, I have become allergic to tomatoes and dairy. This makes it hard to eat pasta. I've tried to create a pumpkin sauce for my pasta, with some luck. I add cumin, onions, and sea salt for some flavor. Any tips for creating a tasty sauce for my pastas, given my food allergies? Thanks!

Domenica Marchetti: One of my favorite ways to eat pasta is very simply tossed with good olive oil, garlic, chopped parsley and hot pepper flakes. Cook the garlic in the olive oil over moderately low heat so it doesn't burn. Add the hot pepper flakes. If you like you can add blanched broccoli or caulflower to the pan and toss it with the sauce. At the very end, add the parsley. Other vegetables that work great in tomato-free sauces are onions and peppers (maybe with olives and capers), fried or roasted eggplant with herbs, and--my favorite--braised or sauteed greens such as rapini, kale, or swiss chard. If you like shellfish and can eat it, nothing beats pasta with clams (steam the clams open in olive oil and wine, with lots of garlic and parsley added in).

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Silver Spring, Md.: Loved the article on pastas and sauces. It's very timely as just this week, in his New York Times blog for Fashion Week, Giorgio Armani criticized Americans for overcooking their pasta.

I make my own pasta for ravioli and recently, made some for a party where someone else was bringing the sauce. Turns out, it was a thick, meat filled tomato sauce. The world didn't come to an end when we poured it over my ravioli, although at that moment, I was very glad Giorgio Armani was not sitting at my table.

I've never made pasta without eggs. I've always wondered how do the commercial companies make it without eggs. Wouldn't water and flour make paste and not dough? Does anyone know how they do it?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Silver Spring,

Sorry about the overladen sauce. I'm sure the ravioli were wonderful anyway.

The answer to your question is: yes, there are many kinds of pasta made without eggs, including orecchitte and cavatelli, plus all sorts of pastas made with different flours such as chestnut and buckwheat. They are basically a mix of flour, semolina, lukewarm water, and salt. Believe it or not, once the dough is kneaded it makes beautiful pasta, though more rustic than the typical egg noodles that are the hallmark of Emilia-Romagna cuisine.

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Arlington, Va. S: I enjoyed the pasta article very much, though I don't agree with the premise that pasta makes an economical meal. This is due to my upbringing by Italian immigrant parents -- pasta is a first course, not a meal. This generally applies, though there are exceptions.

One of my favorite dishes is pizzocheri. This is both the name of the pasta (made with buckwheat flour) and the dish (which includes cheese, cabbage and potatoes). I've never made it as I've always thought that the specific cheeses from Valtellina in Lombardy to be difficult to find here. Have you ever tried to make it? If so, what are your experiences with the ingredients and techniques?

I thought I saw a restaurant review from Tom Sietsema a couple of months ago that described this dish but didn't name it, but I can't find the article anymore.

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Arlington S,

It is true that in Italy pasta is traditionally a first course, but as you probably know, they serve judicious (ie: small) portions of it and very little sauce. Even in Italy, however, meals are changing. More working people are eating lunch rather than large meals during the day and sometimes this means a dish of pasta.

I have never made pizzoccheri, but I am looking at a recipe from Giuliano Bugialli's book, Bugialli on Pasta. He says you can substitute aged Asiago for the aged bitto cheese from Valtellina. Who knows, with the wonderful and growing selection of imported cheeses we now have access to, perhaps you will be able to find the original. BTW, if you are interested in authentic recipes for Italian regional pastas, I highly recommend that Bugialli book.

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Washington, D.C.: Would like to see a recipe for home made yogurt, without using a machine. Thanks!

Andreas Viestad: Making yogurt is an art form, something more than just cooking.

The simplest way is to use the starter from a good Bulgarian or Greek yogurt. Try to find a yogurt without starch and stabilizers, if possible. Heat milk to about 100 degrees, add a tablespoon of yogurt cover with a cheesecloth and leave overnight. It is not perfect but it is quite nice i think - a good starting point.

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Fish and chips: Since I am making these for kids, should I use O'Douls rather than beer or ale for making the batter of fried fish, or will the alcohol be cooked out?

Andreas Viestad: You shouldn't worry. The alcohol will evaporate.

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Centreville, Va.: Wegman's recently introduced these "whole grain" muffins made with white whole wheat flour. I really like them because unlike most whole-grain muffins I've tried, they're very light and not dense. What exactly is this kind of flour and does anyone sell it for home use?

Joe Yonan: White whole wheat is very cool. It's made from a paler, milder-tasting variety of wheat, but it's still the whole grain. You can sub it for white flour in many baked goods. King Arthur, Bob's Red Mill, Hogson's all sell it for home use. I've seen KA and BRM versions at Whole Foods.

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Alexandria, Va.: LOVE you guys and all your chats and articles. I am posting a day early here because I don't want to forget tomorrow!! I really want to make a king cake next week. I have enjoyed many before but have ever made one. I am a fairly capable and talented cook, however, I don't have a dough hook mixer or any real desire to use yeast and make my own dough. Is there any allowable 'cheating' method for making a king cake with packaged cinnamon roll dough or other ready-made dough from the grocery? I make everything else from scratch, I promise! Can't I get a pass on just this one non-homemade item? And I'd rather not buy a prepared one. Thanks!!

Joe Yonan: Of course you can get a pass. No judgments, I promise. There are lots of recipes out there on the good old Internets for such a thing. Take a look at this one. I haven't made, but it looks reasonable enough -- although I must add that putting a shiny pink Mardi Gras mask next to the dough on your countertop, cutting board, baking pan and serving dish is not recommended. Seems like overkill, but surely done just for (cheesy) photography purposes.

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Frederick, Md.: What is the proper way to use a tea infuser? Do you run hold it over the cup and run the hot water over it or dunk it in the cup?

Joe Yonan: The key is in the name: infuser. So once you fill it with tea, it sits immersed in the hot water, letting the tea infuse the water.

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Washington, D.C.: Please help. I started eating calamari back in the late 1980s, when it was by far the cheapest item at the fish counter. I haven't cooked it in years, but have clipped a few recipes that I would like to try. Unfortunately, it seems to be pretty hard to find. They do have some at Whole Foods and Harris Teeter, but it's the really large steaks, and they're $7-8/lb. Do you know of cheaper places to try? I'm not afraid of cleaning them myself - it's pretty easy.

Domenica Marchetti: I would check out one of the large Asian supermarkets. They usually have fresh calamari, both the sacs and the tentacles, and you can usually buy them either cleaned or whole. Balduccis has them as well.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: I've got a recipe I make every so often that calls for me to crush caraway seeds. I can never successfully do this. I've tried using spoons on plates, using the bottom of a saucepan on a plate, and then on a wooden cutting board. I've tried using the side of a knife, like one would crush garlic. Aside from buying a mortar and pestle, which I'm tempted to do, is there a good way to crush these seeds?

Domenica Marchetti: I have a mortar and pestle now, but for a long time I would crush fennel seeds, and sometimes caraway seeds, which I also love, by putting them in a small zipper-lock bag and then pounding them with a meat pounder or small cast-iron skillet. Very dramatic, and it works.

Andreas Viestad: I would recommend everyone to have a pestle and mortar. But for your caraway problem, I would use the underside of a skillet.

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Spicy white bean and pork chili: Thank you for including instructions for both dried and canned beans in this recipe. I prefer to use dried beans, but often it's hard to translate recipes that use one to the other. (It's usually not clear what amount of dried bean equals, say, a 15 oz. can's worth of beans.)

It would help if all Washington Post recipes that contain beans would include instructions for using both dried and canned varieties. Thanks for doing so today!

Bonnie Benwick: We'll keep that in mind! At least you know it always be those online recipes (www.washingtonpost.com/food) from henceforth.

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Burke, Va.: I loved the pasta article.... so many good ideas. I'd like to ask Domenica Marchetti if she has good olive oils to recommend for the sauces? Does she have favorites?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Burke,

This is a tough question, as I am always trying new ones. However, for everyday sauteeing etc. I use one of the well-priced Trader Joes extra-virgin olive oils. I sometimes use their Italian one, but more often I use their Kalamata olive oil (from Greece--don't tell my Italian mother!). It's a little assertive but not too much, so it's good for cooking but can still dress a basic salad.

Joe Yonan: I noticed this brand in one of the photos and indeed, I thought: Greek! For shame! I'm kidding, of course, as my own favorite everyday olive oil is the basic Spanish one from Whole Foods. I agree about TJ's generally, but I'm not near one.

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Pasta sauce question: Question for Domenica-- I love Bolognese sauce, but we need to cut back on fat in our household. Could I use ground buffalo instead of beef?

Domenica Marchetti: Why not? I have made chili with buffalo meat and really enjoyed it. I've never tried it in Bolognese, but I say go for it.

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Pastry: I've found a recipe for chicken in brik pastry (on the BBC website). What is brik pastry? The recipe says to use a packet of bought pastry. I've never heard of it.

Jane Black: Brik pastry (pronounced breek) is a filled Tunisian pastry made with phyllo dough. The best known, according to Wikipedia, is "the egg brik, a whole egg in a triangular pastry pocket with chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley."

So if you are following a recipe, I'd suggest picking up frozen phyllo for best results.

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Progressive Dinner Dessert Idea: I'm in charge of dessert for a progressive dinner, the theme is basic American food, the main course will be pot roast. I want the evening to end on a high note but I don't want to do my typical cake, muffins etc. Any ideas for a good dessert I can prepare ahead of time and perhaps a drink that could go along with it? I really appreciate it.

Also, you gave me the idea of making Texas Sheet cake for dessert at a chili cook-off a few weeks ago. It was a big hit. Thanks again!

Joe Yonan: How bout a cheesecake? Not only can you make it ahead of time, you should, to let the flavors meld. Maybe this comes to mind because I've got one hanging out in my fridge as I type, awaiting dinner guests tonight. Here's a delicious Buttermilk Cheesecake from pastry chef Peter Brett that would do the trick nicely.

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Egg-free: I am having a cupcake party for a bunch of 3 year olds next week. One kid can't eat egg, so he'll have to skip the cupcake. What can I make on the side so that he won't feel left out?

Joe Yonan: Why not make egg-free cupcakes so that he gets to eat what everybody else eats? These Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes from vegan queens Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero would be just the thing, and if you can't find or don't want to use some of the other ingredients that make it vegan (soy milk, vegan margarine, vegan "Oreos"), you can certainly sub back in regular milk, butter and Oreos.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Free Rangers,

I finally made your braised short ribs -- okay, a modified version. I wanted some veggies in there -- and they were fantastic.

I know short ribs are normally fatty, but there was a ridiculous amount of fat I had to skim off. Must have been almost a cup of fat in all. Aside from searing the ribs to render some fat and skimming all of the fat off the top of the braising liquid, is there any other way to get rid of some of the fat?

Joe Yonan: Glad you liked them. And yes, there is a foolproof way to get rid of all that extra fat, and that is to make the ribs the day before you're going to serve them, let them cool to room temp in the braising liquid, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you can easily take off all the fat, which will not just have risen to the top -- it will have solidified. This works with any braised meat dish, btw. If you want to make it even easier to get all the fat in big pieces, you can take out the shortribs when they're done and cool them and the liquid separately.

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Re fish and chips: If, you do not want to use beer, you can always use soda water.

Jane Black: Great idea...especially if you don't have beer on hand.

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Cauliflower: I was thinking of roasting cauliflower for dinner but not sure how to zest it up as it sounds boring alone. Hubby doesn't care for cheese sauces. What else could I do with it? It seems more of a side dish, but I need to make it a main dish for a vegetarian (dairy okay).

Joe Yonan: Talk about a coincidence -- in next week's section we're going to have a fabulous recipe that absolutely celebrates cauliflower: roasted, pureed and raw. It's spiced with vadouvan, the hauntingly delicious Indian spice mixture, and makes it worthy of main-dish status, no doubt. Can you wait?

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Arlington pie baker: Hi foodies. I have a baking question. My husband loves pumpkin pie, but can't have dairy. Someone suggested I use coconut milk instead of cow's milk; another friend suggested vanilla soy milk. Which do you mavens think would work better (meaning, create a pie close to the Libby's original)?

Joe Yonan: I vote for the coconut milk. And I'd consider using it in this Ginger Pumpkin Pie recipe, since coconut and ginger go so nicely together.

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Joe Yonan: Before I forget, for you wine lovers out there, this just in from Dave McIntyre:

One problem with writing about chardonnay is that there are too many wines to try! Here are some others that were squeezed out of today's column but are definitely worth seeking:

Domaine Cordier Pere et Fils Macon 2007 "Aux Bois d'Allier"

2-1/2 Stars

Burgundy, France $31

Tight and focused, with some creaminess on the mouthfeel that comes from aging in large oak casks. The concentration comes from old vines and low yields. This is a thrilling chardonnay.

(Kacher/Washington Wholesale, available in the District at Ace Beverage, Calvert-Woodley, Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Pearson's, Schneiders of Capitol Hill, and Whole Foods Market P. St, and on the list at Bistro Francais, BlackSalt, Bourbon Steak, Marcel's and Nora's.)

Aresti Chardonnay 2008

1-1/2 Stars

Curico Valley, Chile, $13 GREAT VALUE

With just a small part of the wine fermented in barrel, this wine shows some of the texture from oak with all the vibrant freshness of an unoaked chardonnay.

(Country Vintner, new to the D.C.-area market.)

Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2007

1-1/2 Stars

Columbia Valley, Washington, $12 GREAT VALUE

Only 15% of this wine was fermented in new barrels, and another 10% was fermented in tank to give added freshness. This is a widely available, highly marketed wine that succeeds with peach and apple fruit and a medium creamy finish. Fine by itself, it is also ideal with casual fare.

(RNDC, widely available.)

Moulin d'Argent Chardonnay 2007

1 Star

Loire Valley, France $11

This is a chardonnay for the "anything but chardonnay" crowd - light and delicate, with a minerality that grows into an impressive finish after an unassuming introduction. Unoaked. From the western Loire, near where muscadet is made, it shares some of the same characteristics.

(Bacchus, available in the District at MacArthur Beverages and Wagshal's, and on the list at Ardeo, Bistro Bis, Circle Bistro and Petits Plats.)

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Richmond, Va.: I'm always raving to my significant other about my love for certain veal dishes -- wiener schnitzel, jaeger schnitzel, veal parmesan, piccata, etc. The other day he saw some veal on sale and bought it in the hopes of making me happy. I loved the gesture, but I'm not sure what to do with it. You see, the dishes I love usually call for a boneless cut that has been pounded flat. These are veal chop steaks. What would you suggest?

Jane Black: You could cut them off the bone and pound them out thin. Or can treat it like any other chop. Season it with salt and pepper or in a marinade, then throw it on the grill or into a saute pan and the oven.

Domenica Marchetti: How about grilling them? Perhaps you could marinate them with a little olive oil, rosemary, some freshly ground black pepper and crushed garlic, maybe even a little red wine and then put them on the grill. Sear on both sides and then finish grilling to desired doneness.

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Bread Pudding Poster from Last Week: Hi, I'm the poster from last week inquiring about the bread pudding recipe. I took Liz's advice and added chocolate chunks to the recipe Jane recommended. It was a hit! Thank you also for the 'Chocolate for Breakfast' book; I can't wait to try some of the recipes!

Joe Yonan: Good to hear!

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Back from Napa!: And it was great (although wet)! We went to some small family wineries and some huge ones. Some highlights: Goosecross Cellars - small family place - we took their free Wine Basics Class; Frank Family - free tastings and great wine; Mumm Napa - great scenery and Ansel Adams photos (good bubbly, too); and Prager Winery and Ports - very friendly, different (dollar bills and other currency cover their walls), my sister loved their Reislings. And we got to eat at ad hoc, Thomas Keller's more reasonable restaurant - yummy and fun! Dave should definitely schedule a trip there soon!

Jane Black: Yeah, you can't beat a trip to Napa. So fun.

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Bourbon substitute: What would work as a substitute for bourbon in baking or in a marinade?

Bonnie Benwick: 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or

4 1/2 to 5 teaspoons apple cider or

3/4 to 1 teaspoon rum extract or brandy extract.

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Washington, D.C.: I just want to put a plug in for the Rusticella d'Abruzzo brand of pasta. It's three times the price of De Cecco, and 10 times as good. I've never tastes a dried pasta that comes close to the texture of this brand, or one that has such a pronounced flavor. I've seen it at Whole Foods (usually only two or three shapes) Balducci's, Bassin's wine on MacArthur, and Dean and Deluca (best selection). Fat Duck's Heston Blumenthal mentions it in his seeking perfection book. Have the food section staff tried this stuff yet? My selfish interest is to make it fly off the shelves so retailers will continue to stock it.

Bonnie Benwick: It comes in those light-brown paper bags with a cello window? Absolutely with you on this.

Domenica Marchetti: I also concur. It is a great brand of pasta, and I'm not just saying that because my family is from Abruzzo! (De Cecco is also produced in Abruzzo and I feel it is a very high-quality product for mass-produced pasta.)

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Domenica: Congratulations on the cookbook! I've put it on my wishlist. My husband has a moratorium on my cookbook buying. I read about you in my most recent issue of Woman's Day and here you are in The Post. If you had a box of angel hair, a can of tuna and can of slice olives in the pantry, what would you do with them?

Domenica Marchetti: Thank you! Please tell your husband to reconsider! Nothing brings me more pleasure than getting a new cookbook and reading through it cover to cover like a novel. I have so many now that they are stacked here and there and everywhere, but in the greater scheme of things I happen to think a cookbook is still a great bargain.

On to your question: Angel hair pasta and tuna are a great match. Every Christmas Eve my mother makes a sauce with chopped canned tomates, garlic, parsley, and canned tuna. She also adds best-quality imported anchovies and hot pepper flakes. It's wonderful. I think you could add olives to this and have a wonderful sauce. If you are not fond of anchovies, just use the olives. buon appetito!

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Richmond, Va.: Great timing, my sisters and I are having our annual pasta party this weekend! Host makes pasta and each sister makes one or two sauce and we have a buffet of mix and match pasta sauces. Last year I did puttanesca and my standard bolognese. I'd like to do something different this year. I was thinking of a lighter spicy chicken alfredo, or even a chicken tagine with couscous (which IS pasta, right?). Throw out some unique ideas, not tomato based. TIA!

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Richmond,

Chicken tagine with couscous is an excellent idea. Also, lots of ideas in the pull-out pasta pairings page in today's section. Here are a few to get you going:

egg noodles with browned butter, sauteed mushrooms and chopped sage; or with hot-smoked salmon, sauteed asparagus and cream.

Tortiglioni (or penne or rigatoni) with sauteed cabbage, onion, and caraway seeds. Add crumbled sausage if you like.

Other ingredients I like to toss with pasta: braised kale or rapini; sauteed brussels sprouts and toasted chopped hazelnuts or walnuts (use hazelnut or walnut oil to enhance the flavor of the nuts). Or make a nut pesto with walnuts, almonds, or a mix. These are good tossed with hot pasta and finished with pecorino cheese. Good luck!

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Washington, D.C.: Do you all have a recipe for raisin bran muffins? I accidentally amassed quite a stockpile when it was on sale and I'm now sick of eating it with just milk. Thanks!

Jane Black: We don't have one in our archive but here's one that's probably trustworthy. It's from Kellogs, a company that has every incentive to make raisin bran muffins taste good.

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Yet another hotel: A quick pasta question: Right now, I am in a hotel with no stove for the next couple of weeks. Is it possible to make decent pasta in a microwave? If so, how? Is fresh a better bet than dried?

Thanks so much for these chats!

Domenica Marchetti: Oh dear. My microwave konked out about 3 years ago and I have never replaced it. Maybe someone else has a more helpful response?

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Here's how I measure dry pasta for one, since I don't always want the same amount: I fill my bowl halfway to where I want the final volume of pasta to be. It'll double in volume when cooked. This doesn't work very well with long pasta, of course; thanks for the tip on measuring a serving of strands.

Domenica Marchetti: What an excellent tip. Thanks for sharing it.

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Peppers: I finally found chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, called for in the slow-cooker black bean soup recipe, after I e-mailed the reporter. I love the soup, but I'm still not exactly sure what those peppers are. Can Andreas help?

Andreas Viestad: Chipotle is a smoked and dried jalapeno chile. It lends a really nice smoky flavor to the food.

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Montgomery County, Md.: Any suggestions on the best types/size of pasta to make (how to prepare) for kids to take to school for lunch? Thank you.

Domenica Marchetti: Great question. My daughter (10) loves pasta and often takes it to school for lunch. I usually cook pastina (tiny pasta) in broth and add some grated parm. I put it in a thermos so it will stay hot till lunch time. Short pasta is probably the tidiest option for kids--just toss some cooked pasta with a little tomato sauce, add grated cheese. Or toss with butter and parmigiano cheese. You can even mix cooked short pasta such as farfalle (bow ties) with some tuna and peas, and add a splash of cream. There's a nutritious school lunch!

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Fried Sage: I asked KOD yesterday how to use up some fresh sage and whether it would be icky in pasta. She said to add fried sage to my pasta. Do I just fry it up in some olive oil before I saute the other veggies? Penne with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and some beans, topped with parmesan.

Bonnie Benwick: Yep, and it doesn't take too much oil at all.

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Rockville, Md.: I love shrimp, but my SO is allergic to shellfish therefore I don't usually have it unless he's out of town. He's away for business this week, so after reading the pasta article, I was thinking of doing some sort of shrimp and pasta dish. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Jane Black: My standby is linguini with shrimp, feta and, when they're in season cherry tomatoes. Saute the shrimp in a little garlic until they are just cooked through. Then toss the shrimp, a little olive oil, fresh thyme and cubes of feta cheese with the pasta. Add a little lemon zest on top and some pasta water if the dish seems dry. Delicious.

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Joe Yonan: Free Rangers, Dave McIntyre is in the house! Send any and all wine questions ASAP so he can handle them in the last half of the chat...

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Silver Spring, Md.: In Domenica's article, she spoke of a "lobster ragu"....can we get details of this sauce? It sounds heavenly.

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Silver Spring,

For a lobster ragu, I would use lobster tails, rather than a whole lobster. Remove the meat from the shells and cut into chunks. Saute with a little olive oil and butter, some finely chopped shallots. Add a splash of wine. Stir in a little tomato sauce--you could even use some of the tomato-cream sauce in today's pull-out page. Unlike a long-cooked meat ragu, a lobster ragu is a much quicker sauce to make.

Joe Yonan: Oh, man. This is difficult to read after my oh-so-healthful lunch experience.

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Alexandria, Va.: Pepper question -- purists will argue that it's not green chili stew if you don't use New Mexico green chilis. However, considering I love the stuff, and it's prohibitively expensive to ship the fresh roasted goods from NM more than once or twice a year, what kind of fresh peppers can be purchased in this area and roasted at home that would be a reasonable substitute? Anaheims?

Andreas Viestad: If you can find anaheims in the store I suggest you take your wand and wave it over them. And you will find that they have become New Mexico chiles.

Anaheim is a milder variety of the NM chile, so the only thing is that you might want to adjust the heat with a little chili powder or some hotter chiles.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hello. I love your online info and it keeps me checking back.

I'm one of the recent -unintended] umemployed, so am trying to rediscover eating in. I tend to create from whatever I have on hand, and just wanted to brag on what a great lunch I made yesterday! I had elbow pasta (the omega enriched w/more fiber), and for a sauce I sauteed half an onion in olive oil. I added to that a cube of frozen pesto (thanks to my cousin's generosity from her bounty), some grape tomatoes (cheap from Costco), some sweet peppers (also from Costco), and then some left-over fish -- wood-grilled haddock from Sunday lunch. Added some pepper and was done -- quick and SO YUMMY! It's inspired me that it doesn't always take so long to cook something, rather than eating quickly out of a can (I'm admittedly a "bit" impatient when it comes to food).

Thanks for letting me share. I just wanted to encourage others who are also on a budget and think they don't have time to cook well. And, you're right -- pasta is such a great vehicle for easy creations.

All the best to your team, and thank you to the WP for keeping such a robust food team.

Joe Yonan: You're an inspiration, definitely. As the resident cooking-for-one writer, can I ask you to email me at food@washpost.com?

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Boulder, CO: Hi food folks. My beau and I are going to make a lovely dinner next Saturday night for "Open that Bottle Night". I have a bottle of dry champagne that I'd like to start and end the evening with. Any appetizer suggestions which would pair nicely with bubbly? My only caveat is no seafood. Thanks.

Dave McIntyre: Champagne is so versatile that almost anything would work. I'd suggest staying away from red meats (though in small bites you'd be fine with some), but pork and chicken dishes or even a vegetarian app would suit it fine. The beauty of champers is in the bubbles - they are very palate-cleansing and food-friendly.

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Yoghurt starters: I love Canadian starters too - 'Yes' often has them

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

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re: pasta in a microwave: I've had to do it before in a similar situation. Get the water to boil as much as possible (same rules of water to pasta ratio apply), add the pasta, and continue to cook on high checking the pasta every 3 minutes. When the pasta is still a bit underdone, drain, add the sauce you're using, and put back in the microwave to heat until the sauce is hot and pasta is done.

My grandparents (also from the Abruzzo region) are probably rolling in their grave as I submit this . . . .

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

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avocado: When I buy avocados, they are always very hard. I keep them in the fridge and then when they are softer, I find that they are brown inside the peel, and greener further in. Is this bad to eat? How to keep them green and soft?

Andreas Viestad: A common way to handle this is to leave them in a paper bag on the counter for a couple of days until they ripen. You might still have some brown spots, unfortunately but it is the best way to ripen them that I know. The brown stuff is not dangerous - but it isn't always that tasty.

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Starving for knowledge: I am a single male trying to save money and eat healthy. The easiest way for me to do this is by cooking for myself, something I am terrible at. Any ideas of good and easy to use cook books or websites that can help me?

Joe Yonan: Well, I hope you've noticed our Cooking for One monthly column , which I've taken on. As for books, I'd suggest Jane Doerfer's "Going Solo in the Kitchen" and Joyce Goldstein's "Solo Suppers" as places to start. You might also look up books aimed at cooking for two, as many of those recipes can either be easily divided, or the leftovers issue certainly isn't as severe.

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Homemade pasta: Do you have any tips for making pasta at home? Mine is tough and chewy and the strands form a clump even though I toss them with cornmeal before boiling. How can I make pasta that is tender with a nice mouthfeel like at the restaurants? Do I need to get 00 flour and if so where can I find some? Thanks!

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Homemade,

The biggest tip I can offer is to keep doing it. Like so many challenges in the kitchen, the more you make homemade pasta the better you will get at it, and the more you will be able to finesse it. You don't say what kind of pasta you make (egg noodles or something else). Are you letting the dough rest before you cut it, and are you rolling it out thin enough? It can help if you let the pasta dry a little before cooking it. That way it tends to stick less. Also, make sure you are cooking the pasta in plenty of boiling water, so that it is swimming around. Stir it gently in the beginning to prevent sticking. 00 flour is nice, but not necessary to make good homeade pasta. You should be able to find it at places such as The Italian Store, Balduccis, probably Whole Foods, as well as through online sources.

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Arlington, VA: for the progressive dessert maker: For a good dessert ending to an all-American meal, I suggest a fruit cobbler, which you can absolutely make in advance. An apple crisp would be very nice.

Joe Yonan: Sure.

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Washington, DC: I love the pasta section today as I sit here enjoying my home made spaghetti sauce with jalapeno peppers added for that zing I so love. I added chili peppers to most everything I cook and especially my bean recipes. To avoid canned beans I want to know if it is possible to cook various fresh or dried beans until done then store in the freezer until beans are needed. Would this affect the taste, consistency, etc.?

Joe Yonan: Absolutely, cooked beans freeze beautifully.

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Rockville, MD: Not a query, but a THANK YOU in the spirit of this chat, the pasta article, and "Wedding Week." We will be catering our wedding late this year we got SO many ideas reading this article for meals that are sophisticated but doable, especially in large quantities. I'll be checking this book out at the library. Or buying it. Thanks!

Joe Yonan: Great!

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Arlington, VA: Quick food related question: My boyfriend and I saw a tv show about the makings of sausage and specifically the sausage casings. We had turkey sausage in our dinner last night and I said that the same type of casings would be used for turkey sausage as would be in pork sausage, he disagrees, thinks it would be some man made material or something else entirely. Do you know the answer? Maybe it varies, but any clues? Thanks! Love the chat, where else could I ask this question?

Bonnie Benwick: It really depends on the company/manufacturer. An all-natural product would have casings made of a natural substance (say, collagen from intestinal linings of an animal). Chances are that if you are meant to eat it, the casings will be made of that ilk. I'll check on a source for you. Stay tuned.

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Washington, D.C.: Because of my Italian-American father, I grew up eating pasta about four times per week. Here are the two main ways I pasta:

In the fall and winter, I make a vat of basic tomato sauce about once every two months. I keep about half of it chunky, puree the rest, and then freeze it all in varying portion sizes (lots of single servings because I live alone; a few sized for two for when I let boys come over for dinner; and I usually keep one for four or five). Sometimes I just reheat it as is, finishing it with a little olive oil after tossing and heating it with the pasta, but I often add things to it like black olives, red pepper, and capers.

My ultimate comfort meal, though, is to boil some pasta, drain, add a boatload of freshly shaved parmigiano, toasted pine nuts, and shredded basil, and follow with a healthy splash of good olive oil just to coat the pasta. Yum! In the summer, sometimes I'll add halved cherry tomatoes.

Regardless of what I'm adding, I almost always use penne. I just love the taste of good pasta.

I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

Domenica Marchetti: And I think I know what I'M having tonite. Like you, I love pasta tossed with lots of parm. Sometimes I toss with butter, sometimes with olive oil. My daughter, unfortunately, is terribly allergic to pine nuts (which we found out when we fed her pesto as a toddler!) so I now use almonds instead. They are a nice alternative.

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carytown (richmond, va): I'm in a Cabernet Sauvengon (ok, faded out on the spelling) mood AND an austerity program (fiscal year end June 30th, may not be employed July 1st--especially if I keep reading these chats!, lol). REcommned some good buys, cheers!

Dave McIntyre: For the best bargains, look to Chile and Argentina. My personal fave is Cousino-Macul. Their basic Cabernet sells for $10 and under, and is juicy, exuberant, and fun. For a more sturdy wine with some oak, try their Antiguas Reservas Cabernet, which you can usually find for $15 and under.

If you can wait until next week, my column will be about Bordeaux from the fantastic 2005 vintage that are still available for $20 and under.

Oooh, an advance plug. I feel like Sietsema! :)

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avocados: I don't think you should put them in the fridge, they're like tomatoes, that halts the ripening process and you end up with mush.

Bonnie Benwick: No fridge, I agree.

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chesterfield, va: I am always behind the times, just deciding to try some malbecs. Any budget minded recommendations?

Dave McIntyre: Look for Maipe brand, $10 and under. Other good ones are Alamos, Santa Julia and Trumpeter. These are all from Mendoza in Argentina, which is churning out the malbec at a dizzying rate - and it is today's best bargain red category!

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re yogurt: There was a lot of info yesterday in KOD's discussion, including several approaches to making your own.

Joe Yonan: Absolutely, thanks.

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Anonymous: Sebastian, FL. A close friend emailed me your article on pasta this morning, Domenica. Very informative. My question: Recently, I made an Osso Buco with veal shanks in my slow cooker. It was very good; however, the veal was very expensive. What other cut of meat would be a good replacement? Also, what would you recommend for an accompaniment: pasta? rice?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi there Anonymous, glad you liked the article.

You might want to try beef short ribs, or even pork ribs, as a less-expensive alternative to the veal. Both turn wonderfully succulent when done in a slow-cooker.

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SW DC: Another pasta sticking question: When I cook long flat pasta (mainly fettuccine, but sometimes even spaghetti), I have problems with it sticking to itself and not cooking through all the way. I try to separate it as I put it in the water and I stir it frequently, but it still seems to clump together. Any suggestions?

Domenica Marchetti: Lots of sticky questions today!

Be sure that the water is at a rolling boil and that you are using a large enough pot. 6 quarts for one pound of pasta. I don't oil the water, as I have found it does not help, and can also prevent sauce from sticking to the noodles. As soon as the noodles begin to soften, use a large serving fork or tongs to swirl it around in the water. Do this a few times during the first few minutes of cooking and the pasta will be less likely to stick.

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Ripening avocados: I recently found out that putting a unripe avocado in a bag with a banana really speeds the ripening.

Joe Yonan: Yes. An apple works, too.

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Pine Plains: A question for Andreas: I like pepper hot but my husband likes horseradish hot. Do you have any recipes that include both?

Also, last summer I prepared some peppers that didn't taste particularly hot until I cooked them. Is this common? Since they didn't seem hot, I didn't protect my hands, and oh boy, did my hands hurt. The "cures" I found on the Internet where horribly destructive (like scrub your hands with Clorox) but they reminded me that the problem was oil. So I used a product, Tecnu, that removes poison ivy oil and it worked!

Andreas Viestad: A really interesting combination, chile and horseradish. One is hot the other cold. I normally just use horseradish and sour cream with salmon (I am from Norway). I think it would be nice to try a really nice and spicy fish or meat preparation with the same horseradish sour cream or yogurt on the side.

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New York, N.Y.: Hi, and thanks for taking my question. I love to cook but unfortunately live in an apartment with no oven or stove. Do you have any suggestions for how to boil water without said devices? Sometimes I wonder whether my blender could generate enough electricity to heat something up? I happen to own one so figured it might be of some help.

Also wondering if you have a good recipe for alpaca, preferably a cold dish since I am constrained appliance-wise...

Many thanks, and love your work!!

Andreas Viestad: If I were you, I'd buy a water boiler. That said, you can probably cook fish with the hot water from your tap.

As for running you blender until it is so hot that it heats the water: How far is it to the nearest fire station?

Joe Yonan: By water boiler, I think Andreas might mean an electric tea kettle. If he didn't mean that, I do.

And ... did you say alpaca?

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Whole wheat pasta: Domenica: I had whole wheat pasta in a simple garlic, oil and sauteed greens sauce in Italy, but whenever I try to make whole wheat pasta here, it's truly awful. Any hints?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Whole Wheat,

Are you talking about making homemade whole wheat pasta, or cooking boxed whole wheat pasta? It may be that what you had in Italy was a homemade pasta, rather than boxed. I would try different brands and see if there is one that appeals to your palate. Some people seem to really dislike whole wheat pasta. I enjoy it, but as something altogether different from regular pasta made from durum wheat and semolina.

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pasta in a microwave: you can also buy some of that tofu shiritaki 'spaghetti.' It cooks in the micro well. The texture is squeeky, though--not to everyone's taste.

Bonnie Benwick: True! But a good option.

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Reston, Va.: Great article on pasta--thanks! I do have a question about pasta storage. My husband cooked the whole box of pasta (for two of us) the other day and we had tons of leftovers. What's the best way to store cooked plain pasta; that is, just the pasta, no sauce or anything? It dried out before we could finish it.

Of course, I do realize that the solution is not to cook so much pasta, but still, thanks!

Bonnie Benwick: Wait till it's completely cooled, then toss or drizzle it with a little olive oil and put in a resealable food storage bag. Seal and mush around a little with your hands to make sure the pasta's evenly coated. To reheat, you could throw it back in boiling water, briefly, or brown it in a skillet -- it's really good that way, the outside gets crisp, the inside's still pasta as We Know It.

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cooking for one: remember, cooking for 4 and freezing some and taking some to work for lunch saves even more money and time!

Joe Yonan: Yes, it absolutely can -- but sometimes you don't want to eat the same thing four times! I tend to alternate the single-serving cooking with the make-multiple-and-freeze-approach.

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Silver Spring: Someone gave me a bag of this pasta-ish couscous-ish stuff called Fregola.

Can I do any of the pasta recipes with it?

Joe Yonan: It's in the chart, SS. Right there between calamarata and bucatini.

I love me some fregola.

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Bowie, Md.: We put food in our freezer with the best of intentions and quite often toss after freezer burn sets in. Are there any thawing instructions for dummies that can give us confidence that defrosted food can be safe and reasonably tasty.

Joe Yonan: See Bonnie's great take on freezing.

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Miso Paste: I made miso soup for the first time this weekend and am left with a ton of the paste. How long can it last in my fridge - it's white if that helps?

On a pasta note, I love mushroom or veal sauces on small flat noodles in the winter.

Joe Yonan: Since it's already fermented, that miso will last indefinitely in the fridge.

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Alexandria, VA: Do any of you have experience with the "famous" Julia Child French Bread recipe?

On Monday I made my 4th attempt to master this one (I've baked a lot of bread over the years, but this recipe has given me fits). The resulting batards were, for the first time, very close to what I would consider a success. The last thing I have to figure out is the internal baking temperature. The crumb of these loaves still appears a little wet. Bread I've had in Paris is chewy, but the crumb definitely appears dry.

Julia doesn't give internal temperatures in MAFCII (which is about the only detail she leaves out), so I've been shooting for my standard 200 F. Going much over that results in a very hard crust.

Any suggestions you might have if you've tackled this monster are appreciated. FYI, I'm using King Arthur unbleached flour (a true wonder compared with mass-market brands), baking on a very large stone in my oven at 450 deg, and using ice cubes to generate steam at the beginning. After shaping, the loaves make their final rise in wicker bannetons with linen.

Dave McIntyre: As an avid bread baker, I haven't tried this recipe in awhile, but my favorite, which has never let me down, is in her Baking w/Julia book. The recipe is from Steve Sullivan of Acme Bakery fame, and uses a piece of old dough from a previous batch to start the three-stage bread. I keep a lump in the freezer - my only fear is forgetting to save it when I'm shaping the loaf. It also gives continuity for a sourdough style w/o the fuss of feeding a levain.

As for when it's done - give the loaf a thwack on the bottom, it should sound hollow. And when you think it's done, cook it a little longer - Color = flavor!

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detroit, mi: do you have any recommendations on how to incoporate swiss chard into a pasta dish? i've never cooked with it before, but would like to try!

Domenica Marchetti: Detroit! My old stomping ground (I used to be a reporter at The Detroit News).

I like to saute chopped swiss chard (with stems cut into short lengths and leaves coarsely shredded) in olive oil, with thinly slivered garlic and hot pepper flakes. Very simple, but delicious tossed with a short sturdy pasta. I also love to put this sauteed chard in pasta and bean soups. Last night I added it to a quiche (but here we're getting off subject). Another great combo is swiss chard and potatoes. Saute the chard as described, but toward the end add some chunks of cooked baking potatoes. You can toss this with pasta or add it to soup and it is delicious.

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sausage: I think poster wants to verify that turkey sausage does not have pork products?

Bonnie Benwick: Best to check the label on the turkey sausage. It would have to list pork as an ingredient if the casings were porcine.

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Falls Church: Hello this lovely day!

First, I wanted to thank Ms. Marchetti for the Stuffed Pepper recipe she provided us with a couple of years ago. It is one of my favorite summertime recipes.

Second, I wanted to thank the food section, in general. An awful lot of my favorite recipes, that actually work, come from you. Last night I made Jacques Pepin's Roasted Chicken Thighs to go with Eggplant With Spicy Ginger Sauce. I had a very nice dinner and will again tonight.

I realized that I actually do have a question that you may not be able to answer but figured it was worth a try. I have several recipes for Brussels Sprouts that I have been testing out. I love them properly boiled but thought I should expand my horizons. The only recipe that I thought was any good was braising them in cream, amazingly good. I just made some that were shredded and sauteed and they were crunchy and burned much like the roasted ones I tried making -- is that what is intended? I mean, they don't taste like Brussels Sprouts, which may be what the author intended, but I don't think they taste very good, either.

Bonnie Benwick: I can't vouch for the specific recipe you chose, but seems like they would do better with a bit less cooking. We have some really interesting and different Brussels sprouts recipes in our database...this slaw comes to mind, and these braised babies are meltingly tender.

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Wine question: I'm having a wine tasting party this weekend and would love to offer a glass to guests as they arrive but before the official tasting begins. Any suggestions for something that won't ruin the palette? Thanks!

Dave McIntyre: BUBBLES! Far from deadening the palate, Prosecco or Cava will refresh it and get your guests eager for the party! I recommended several nice ones in my December 10 column.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello fellow foodies! A but of a dilemma I was hoping you could help me with. I am looking for some yummy vegetarian dishes that are also low on carbs. Any suggestions on recipes that might fit this bill? I'm a pretty decent cook and fairly open to new food! Thanks!

Joe Yonan: Sure thing. How about this Roasted Eggplant entree -- spicy and filling? Or my own Tacos de Huevos? Or Vita's Vegetarian 3-Bean Chipotle Chili? Or, when zucchini season hits, Zucchini "Pasta"? Those should be enough to get you started. Let us know how they go...

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Boulder, CO: We've never made homemade pasta before but would like to try and are toying with the idea of buying the pasta roller attachment for our Kitchenaid mixer. Is it worth it?

Domenica Marchetti: Hello Boulder,

I have a manual roller, but I, too, have thought of buying the Kitchen Aid attachment. Anyone out there have experience with this?

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NoLo, DC: I can attest to the deliciousness of a pumpkin pie made with coconut milk, as I once served one for Thanksgiving in my kosher home!

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

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Alpaca: Do you think maybe the blender and alpaca person was a joke?

Joe Yonan: Could be. We do get jokers. But it seems that whenever I accuse someone of joking, it turns out they were serious!

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Arlington, VA: Okay, I know I should wait for next week, but you have me curious, where can you buy vadouvan? I wrote in with this question several months ago, and your guest recommended that I contact a restaurant in Napa where she had just dined. I did, and the chef steered me to a small store in San Francisco where it sells for $30 a bottle! Alas, I didn't buy it, esp since I suspect I have many of the individual spices to make it. Are you including a recipe or suggested sources with your story?

Bonnie Benwick: We are including a recipe, yes indeed.

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Sausage Casing again...: Wait...sometimes you aren't meant to eat it? My recipe didn't say anything about taking it off, I included it in my gumbo with the casings and all, and ate it that way.

Bonnie Benwick: Yes, you're meant to eat the casings on your turkey sausage. Some artificial casings are made just to hold or process products that are sold withOUT casings. oy!

That said, it's best to take casings off of sausage that goes into gumbos, soups and stews...especially if the sausage is cut into pieces, the casings can slip off and become unwanted chewy bits.

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Arlington, VA: Hi -- Great feature today about pasta! My husband and I make pasta frequently on week nights because it's affordable and relatively quick to get on the table, and provides leftovers for the next day.

The thing that stood out the most to me, though, in your article was when you mentioned that you would proudly serve pasta for guests (in lieu of something like beef tenderloin).

As someone who loves to entertain, I often debate whether pasta is guest-worthy. For a long time, I've typically regarded pasta as one of those things you shouldn't cook for guests (it's too easy or "not special enough"). But really...what's better and more comforting than a nice bolognese, or a pork or lamb ragu with pappardelle?

However, I often struggle with how to incorporate other dishes/sides into the meal. Just curious, when you entertain, do you typically serve a salad or anything else on the side? And if so, at the same time, or before, you serve the pasta?

Thanks!

Domenica Marchetti: Hi Arlington,

Glad you liked the feature. I made the pork ragu for some friends the other night and I served it as the main course, together with a Caesar salad on the side. I served them both at the same time. If you like, you could do a couple of cheeses and olives for hors d'oeuvres, and then something simple, like a tart for dessert.

For big celebration and holiday meals, I serve pasta as a first course, usually before a roast of some sort, but I make the portions smaller and keep the sauce a little lighter. One of my favorite first-course pastas is Crepe Cannelloni in Tomato-Cream Sauce, in my book Big Night In (the cannelloni are made from crepes rather than from traditional pasta dough).

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DC: I nearly always use fresh parmesan on my pasta but it is expensive. Are there any good substitutes (even just to vary the flavor)?

Domenica Marchetti: Hi DC,

today's feature on pasta includes some alternatives to try. Here are some ideas:

Aged asiago, pecorino Romano or pecorino Sardo (from Sardinia), or cacio di Roma.

Non-Italian contenders that I like to use include Dry Jack and Parrano or some other aged gouda. All are good in pasta.

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re: Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes: The frosting calls for: 1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening 1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, such as Earth Balance

Can I just use 1 cup of butter?

Joe Yonan: Yep.

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Wine question for Dave: The Whole Foods near me was offering 30 percent off all their wines. The shelves were almost bare by the time I got there, but I grabbed a few of the last bottles on faith. I got a white Burgundy from Macon Davaye and a Simi Merlot. What do u think?

Dave McIntyre: I think you did well - especially on the Macon, which should fit into the "naked" or unoaked chardonnay category I wrote about today.

By the way, I want to state here uncategorically for the record, that despite the implication in the headline, I do NOT advocate drinking while naked. Unless the bottle has a screwcap.

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Gaithersburg, MD: I just wanted to let you know that the Ginger-Spiced Chickpeas from a few weeks back are fantastic on a baked sweet potato (a la Joe).

Bonnie Benwick: Awesome.

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Comment for Domenica: Hi Domenica, Just wanted to say thanks for your pasta article-growing up in a home where " a nice dish of pasta" was as common as Sunday Sauce and with a grandmother named Domenica, it's always fun to read about similar experiences especially here in DC where I miss my Italian roots! and thanks to your article I can't wait to run home and make a sauce with olive oil and a hot pepper, garlic and herb mix that I picked up in Italy last summer!

Domenica Marchetti: thanks!

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For the Julia Child Baguette baker: I have had some trouble using a baking stone with that recipe. Sometimes too much heat coming from underneath, which sets the bottom too fast.

This may be my oven's peculiarity. But I'd try different rack heights to see if any of them helps.

Bonnie Benwick: Here's what local ace baker Nancy Baggett says:

"I have not tried this recipe but think that perhaps baking a little longer while lowering the temp to 425 the last half of baking would ensure more interior doneness without over-browning the crust. Most artisan bakers are browning crusts more than they used to and going for a slightly higher internal temp--maybe 203 to 206.

"If the crust seems too hard even at 425 degrees, it can be readily softened by just enclosing the loaf in a plastic bag a few minutes--this will trap some steam, which will definitely soften the crust--so don't overdo it or the desired crackly crispness will be lost. Incidentally, the advantage of a slightly wetter dough is that the bread will resist staling longer than the really dry, more traditional style of French bread.

The unbleached King Arthur flour is indeed excellent."

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Joe Yonan: Well, we're heated through, and you've adjusted our seasoning, so you know what that means: We're done!

Thanks for the great questions, and thanks to Domenica and Andreas and Dave for help handling them all.

Now for the giveaways: The Silver Spring chatter who mentioned Armani will get Domenica's "Big Night In." The chatter who asked about New Mexico chilies will get "Cuisina a Latina." Please email your mailing info to food@washpost.com, and we'll get you your books.

Until next week, happy cooking, eating (a nice dish of pasta) and reading.

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