Free Range on Food: Staffers Solve Your Cooking Conundrums

Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary. You can share your thoughts on the latest Washington Post 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.

Archive of past discussions

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Joe Yonan: Welcome to today's chat! We've got answers, so hopefully you've got questions. What's on your mind? We had some cool stuff for you in the section today, including Bonnie's fried-chicken extravaganza (which one of the four appeals to you most?), Ezra Klein's new column, Jane's profile of a Loudoun suburban farmer, and dessert sandwiches by Elinor Klivans.

And that's to say nothing of wine, spirits, First Bite, Good to Go -- and more.

But you knew all that. I hope. So did we. But what we don't know is what you want to really talk about -- so you tell us.

Jane B's out of the office reporting a story, but Bonnie and I and hopefully Leigh will be at our keyboards, trying our darndest to help.

For our giveaway books (prizes to our favorite posts), we have these: "Cooking Green" by Kate Heyhoe and "Big Green Cookbook" by Jackie Newcent, source of Bonnie's DinMin recipe today.

Let's do this.

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Green quiche: Hi. Today's quick recipe for green quiche looks great. Could it be cut in half and made in a 9-inch square pan? Or even a pie plate?

Bonnie Benwick: Certainly. Just keep nuking, um, I mean "micro-roasting" till it's done.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello, I loved devouring the Food Section on the train to work this morning. It's my favorite part of the week. I'm going camping this weekend and we're trying to plan meals around the '5 dollar unlimited firewood' offering by the campground. I usually like to make a foil packet with sliced sweet potatoes and onions spiced with cumin, coriander, etc., but I'm stuck on dessert. Can you think of anything involving apples and tinfoil? Or another dessert that's pretty simple? Also, additional campfire dinner ideas are welcome! Thank you so much.

Bonnie Benwick: Foil packet cooking would be easy. Try these Grilled Figs; you could do peaches, too. Maybe throw together a mixture of spices and brown sugar in a small resealable plastic food storage bag to put on top. Apples might take a little longer than softer/stone fruit.

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Local crab cakes: In a recent WaPo chat Jane Black asked for favorite local crab cakes. Tom Sietsema is touting Faidley's in Baltimore's Lexington Market. They will ship anywhere in the U.S. or you can pick them up at the market.

Joe Yonan: Yes, we actually do talk to Tom! So we had heard this one...

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3 ingredient dessert: In upstate N.Y., we're smack in the middle of strawberry season, so I have to share my latest addiction:

Mix brown sugar and sour cream (I probably use 1/2 a tsp dark brown sugar for every TB sour cream.)

Dunk in strawberries. Devour.

No whipping of cream. No slicing or baking anything. I never tried this until last month, and I'm hooked. It's a nice change of pace from just eating the fruit as is.

(Also, not being a shill, but Daisy brand light sour cream is good stuff without a bunch of ridiculous stabilizers.)

Bonnie Benwick: Well, that's pretty much the filling for one of Elinor Klivans's lovely desserts today.

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Wow!: Food mavens -- you have outdone yourselves with today's section. Absolutely loved the fried chicken recipes -- only problem is figuring out which one to try. And the story on the farmer in Loudoun County was so interesting. My question for the reporter is, do you think he ever will make a living from his farm? 80 hours a week, no help, no salary -- how long can a person keep that up?

Joe Yonan: Thanks. Glad you liked the section. Jane's out, but from my conversations with her it sounds like Jim Dunlap is fully of energy and passion for this, and that can take you a long way. And he has plans to get help. It reminds me that the definition of sustainable is about more than the ground and the plants etc.; it's about people and whether they can find doable solutions for the long haul.

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Oven question: I designed a kitchen for myself and splurged on a pro-style oven/range. I had the appliance people check it because it heats over temperature. If I set the oven for 350, it goes to 400. The repairmen insist this is normal and that it eventually goes down to temperature. Well, that takes about a half-hour! Who waits a half-hour when preheating their oven? Am I right to think this is crazy? Have you ever heard of this?

Bonnie Benwick: I have never heard of that. What's the brand? Sometimes dedicated Web sites have consumer comments that you could track. I'd find different repairmen...

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Arlington, Va.: I rather enjoyed the article on the suburban farmer, Jim Dunlap. I'm curious if there are any other models for suburban farming that you've heard of.

I was thinking as I was reading the article that my local government frequently pays for common services such as dog parks, community gardens, parks and athletic fields, and so on. And in some areas such as Arlington, there are rules that require builders to set aside a certain percentage of apartment units for people below the medium income if the builder and county agree on other criteria (taller building or other). So I was thinking, are there any cases where the community/local government gets involved in helping out a local farm in return for benefits of that farm?

Thank you!

Joe Yonan: Glad you liked it. The comments on the story online indicate that Jim is not alone. I haven't heard of the cases such as you describe, but we'll keep our ears open.

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Falls Church, Va.: I asked a few weeks ago for any insight as to Lebanese Taverna's cooking classes. Since then, I've had a chance to try one out and have some feedback to share. It was fun, but I'm not sure I really learned anything. It was apparent that some of the people who were beginning cooks did pick up tips, but if you already know most basic kitchen skills (how to use a knife, how to separate eggs) there wasn't a lot to learn. I feel like if handed the recipes, I could have done equally well before the class as after, and I don't consider myself a particularly advanced cook.

However, it was fun, and the food was good in the end. If you take it as an evening of entertainment and dinner rather than instruction on how to be a chef, it's fine.

Joe Yonan: Thanks so much for reporting back!

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Washington, D.C.: It would be nice if the recipes in the database included links to the article/blog posting that were related to it.

Bonnie Benwick: We'll see if that's possible. Right now, the recipes are done before the stories have links, so we'd have to backtrack a bit. But hey, you're worth it.

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Washington, D.C.: What's the best way to store feta cheese? I always thought leftover feta should be stored in water, but after 1 day it's tasteless. Thank you.

Bonnie Benwick: Was the water tasteless? Good feta is usually stored in briny water, and it should be good for a few days.

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Alexandria, Va.: I need advice as a novice rib cooker. What's the best/easiest way to cook ribs without spending lots of time babying them on the grill?

Joe Yonan: You're a perfect candidate for these First-Timer's Ribs. They are the key to your rib salvation, or indoctrination.

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Anonymous: Not to be obvious, but S'mores!!

That being said, if you dice the apples in the foil packet, it doesn't take as long to cook.

Also, you can buy those weird sandwich pie things that make pizza sandwiches over a fire, and make apple "pie." You might have to cook the apples separately, then put it in the bread and the clam shell pie cooker as they're intended to be used with canned pie filling.

Bonnie Benwick: You lost me at "weird" and "things."

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Buttermilk chicken: Hi, Am I supposed to pierce the chicken skin before marinating it in buttermilk? And will this marinade make a noticeable difference even if I then broil the chicken instead of fry it? Thanks!

Bonnie Benwick: You don't have to pierce the skin. People are of different minds about the efficacy of marinades, but I'd think a combo buttermilk/salt/seasoning bath beforehand would help any old bird.

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Bonnie Benwick: Hey Alex, you could also try David Hagedorn's foil-packet ribs. As he says, "No fuss, no muss, but you could, for the final browning, finish the ribs on the grill instead of in the oven for extra flavor."

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Yeah for Wegman's!: Have to share a recipe from Wegman's that is perfect for summer. On their website it is called 'Summer Tortellini Salad'. It's cheese tortellini tossed with sun-dried tomato pesto, and roasted red onions, asparagus, and red bell pepper. Add a dash of Tabasco sauce and some cherry tomatoes and chill. I made this for Father's Day, and it's great for entertaining.

Bonnie Benwick: Yay for sharing.

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Washington, D.C.: What kind of pot/pan would you recommend for making fried chicken (other than a deep fryer, which I don't own and don't want)?

Bonnie Benwick: Cast-Iron Skillet, or an electric skillet. Both provide even heat and temperature control; both can be found at secondhand stores, I bet.

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Philadelphia, Penn. : Hi Free Rangers!

I don't have a working oven or range, but I do have a gas grill. Is there a good way to prepare wild salmon on the grill? All my recipe searches have yielded pan-searing or roasting techniques. I'm not cooking-savvy enough to translate these techniques to the grill. If wild salmon is not that good on the grill, should I just save my money? I know it's a seasonal treat, and I really want to partake in some wild salmon goodness! Can you help?

Also (and I know we talked about this before, so I'm sorry), when grilling corn outside of a husk, do you need to soak it first? I don't want to end up with little, burnt logs, but I do want the little carmelized kernels!

And sorry to be of further high maintenance-ness, but can you be specific about cooking heat/times? I'm a novice.

Thanks! You guys rock!

Joe Yonan: Check out these recipes for grilled salmon from our Recipe Finder. Any one of them would work. The key with fish is to make sure the grill is hot and cleaned, and to leave the fish without moving until they get a nice sear, then it's easier to release. Temperatures and cooking times are in these recipes. You might also try Cook's Illustrated's fish-grilling technique, which makes so much sense. Just spend some time super-seasoning your grill, "brushing it over and over with multiple layers of oil" until the grates get very shiny and dark.

For grilling corn, you don't need to soak it. Just brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, and watch it carefully. Check out this recipe for Cambodian Grilled Cor, and you might not ever grill it any other way.

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To the oven question: If your oven preheats in half an hour you have a winner. Most serious pastry/baking book authors instruct to preheat your oven for an hour before you start baking. Your repairman is right, modern day ovens go up and down in temperature before they stabilize the heat.

Bonnie Benwick: How modern-day?

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Prepping fruit desserts in advance: Hello all!

Just wondering how far in advance baked fruit desserts like crumbles, cobblers and crisps can be assembled (without baking). I figure I can slice the fruit and have it on standby with the topping separate, but just I'm trying to simplify if I can.

Also, as long as the baking dish can withstand the temperature change, how different is the baking time starting from refrigerator-cold?

Since this is for friends I want to make sure the timing (and outcome) are right! Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Leigh Lambert: Unless you're taking something from freezer to oven, you won't need to add more than 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time. Cobblers are forgiving in terms of baking specifics. You really just need to heat the fruit and crisp the topping.

Even streamlining the process I don't think you're going to save yourself that much time by putting the topping on ahead. As you said, you can make all the parts and then assemble right before baking. The base could be made ahead by a couple of days and chilled.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm making a cake on Friday that calls for 1/2 cup whole milk. I never drink whole milk, only skim; however, I have some heavy cream on hand. Would it work to add enough heavy cream to the skim milk to equal the fat content of an equivalent amount of whole milk (just over 2 teaspoons of cream)?

Bonnie Benwick: Here's Lisa Y. again: "For this, it would seem that using 1/3 cup skim milk and 3 tablespoons heavy cream would work out just fine, but I would reserve final judgment if you could tell me what kind of batter (flavor, type of cake) you are making."

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Brownie Physiology: Could you please explain to me the difference between using oil vs. butter in brownies, and also the difference in using cocoa vs. melting chocolate? Is it a difference of a fudgy vs. cakey texture, or is that the number of eggs used?

Bonnie Benwick: We've consulted baking ace Lisa Yockelson:

"Regarding the first question, using oil versus butter: I am assuming you mean melted butter, and as such, the difference is a matter of taste and texture. Fat, in the form of butter, generates the best-flavored brownie batter because it builds the essence of chocolate. Usually, the oil used in a brownie batter, a neutral one, delivers moistness but does nothing to build, or layer, the taste of the chocolate.

"Regarding the second question: Using cocoa powder versus melted chocolate: once again, I am assuming you are speaking of melted unsweetened chocolate and, as such, I can identify some differences -- cocoa powder is a reasonably low-fat ingredient due to processing, so it is used as part of the flour and/or as a deepening flavor agent in some recipes while melted unsweetened chocolate adds both flavor and fat (in the form of cocoa butter). Also interesting to note, some brownie batters employ the used of melted bittersweet chocolate with a high cacao percentage -- this adds a luxurious depth of flavor and creates a silky 'crumb.' A fudgy or cakey brownie is a matter of choosing the right level of ingredients and the method for putting together the batter; a cakey batter generally has more flour, while a chewy-fudgy batter less flour (and surprisingly, can hold the same number of eggs) so it is not really dependent upon the type of chocolate used.

"I have laid out extensive information on the interplay of all these ingredients and how they function in a batter or dough in my book, CHOCOLATECHOCOLATE."

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Eastern Market, Washington, D.C.: Just a shout out to say that I love the new Facebook fan page! I now get updates in my feed, which reminds me to check out the blog -- otherwise, I kinda forget it's there. Keep up the good work!

Bonnie Benwick: Love that.

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Fried chicken: Could you please explain what soaking in buttermilk does for fried chicken?

Bonnie Benwick: Three things: tenderizing, flavorizing (hey, is that a word?) and providing a good surface for coating to adhere to.

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Flavors Soul Food rocks: So glad you included my favorite place for fried chicken in your roundup. In fact, I think I first read about it in your paper several years ago, tried it out and now I call in an order ahead of time when we're putting together a picnic. (And that's another thing they offer that your other chefs don't, I bet -- takeout.)

Bonnie Benwick: Francine Helton, the owner, is a hoot. She would not give up her recipe, but she did talk me through do's and don'ts. She's never been into the buttermilk thing, but she is very strict about kitchen cleanliness and hygiene when it comes to handling chicken. Her cornbread is slap-yourself good, isn't it?

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Oxford, UK: I would love to make the fried chicken in today's story. The only somewhat suitable pan I have is a Le Creuset braising one, shallow, about 3" deep. Would that work?

Bonnie Benwick: How wide? It might be just a bit too shallow.

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Weird and Things: I'm sorry. Pie irons are what they're called after some Googling. It's hard to search for something when you don't know what they're called!

Bonnie Benwick: Way to go! Thanks for the link.

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Feta storage: I've never stored leftover feta in water; I just keep it in a tightly-sealed plastic container. It's been fine for a week or two using this method.

Bonnie Benwick: Even if it started out that way?

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While on the subject of brownies: The 'Man-Catcher Brownies' are wonderful...and live up to their name!

Bonnie Benwick: That name; always a source of interest. They are indeed great.

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Agavoni: Thank you so very much for this great idea! I have been drinking Negronis for 10+ years, and only recently have I seen any twists on this classic. A classmate from college is a big player in the New York restaurant scene. I saw him a few months ago, and he also had a twist on a Negroni: tall highball glass filled with ice, 1/2 campari, 1/4 sweet vermouth and 1/4 grapefruit juice shaken and served with a orange slice. Its a great drink before sitting down for a meal.

Bonnie Benwick: Spirits guru Jason Wilson says: "That sounds really good. I like grapefruit juice with Campari. I know what I'll be mixing up tonight."

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campfire ideas, you ask?: Desserts:

Slice a cake donut in half (like you'd slice an English muffin). Insert pineapple slice. Add pat of butter and brown sugar. Wrap well in foil and bake on coals for 5 minutes.

Slice a banana down the center like you're doing open heart surgery, taking care not to cut the bottom peel. Stuff in marshmallows and any form of chocolate. Wrap in foil. Bake 5 minutes.

Other foods:

Core head of cabbage, add 2 ice cubes and 1 bouillon cube. Wrap well in foil and bake on coals for 45 minutes. Unbelievably delicious.

Add grated cheese and Worcestershire sauce to cream of anything soup and dunk bread cubes for campfire fondue.

Best tip ever: take your first evening's meal already made. Chili, hot dogs, stew, or whatever. Make it a heat-n-eat meal because you'll be too busy setting up camp to actually prepare anything.

Have fun! (And I am so utterly jealous.)

Bonnie Benwick: Sounds like you've been there. Thanks for all the options.

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Firewood cooking: If you happen to have a cast iron Dutch oven, one of the best campfire meals I've ever had was baked ziti. The chef boiled the pasta on the camp stove, then tossed everything into the Dutch oven and finished it off in the hot coals. I think he fed about 14 of hungry hikers on a large batch.

Joe Yonan: Nice!

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For Arlington on farms: It's a matter of zoning in most areas. Unless they're just gardens, large or medium-scale farming usually isn't an approved use of land in the suburbs. (Outside right-to-farm laws, that is, where the farms were there first, and then it moved to a more low-density, residential area.) Farming can be taxing on the land and people who live around farms -- fertilizers, runoff, noise, smells, etc. Granted, organic farming would take care of some of this, but not all.

Not saying that's the way it should be, but there's some reasoning for why it is the way it is.

Joe Yonan: Thanks for clarifying this. And to your last point, indeed, Jim Dunlap says he's going out of his way to be tidy, and is making sure he doesn't have big equipment or livestock, etc., so it's easier on the neighbors.

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Dupont Circle: Hi Food Staffers.

I have a bottle of vodka (Kettle One) that I would like to bring to a friend's house for the 4th. Any cool ideas for mixers celebrating the holiday?

Bonnie Benwick: Jason says, "I like vodka with a squeeze of lime and ginger beer -- a Moscow Mule."

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re Cambodian corn: It looks great, but I live in an apartment and can't fire up a charcoal grill here. How could I adapt this recipe for the oven, my George Foreman grill or the microwave? Thank you!

Bonnie Benwick: You know, not too long ago I tried to do it on a grill/griddle thing on the stovetop, and the corn didn't work so well. Maybe try this: slather the corn with the coconut milk mixture right at the start, then either close up the husks or wrap tightly in foil and roast at 400 degrees. Peek after 15 minutes; if the corn has started to darken a bit, go ahead and open it up so it can get a little caramelized on the outside. Brush with more of the mixture. Or maybe use the broiler for the last few minutes.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi, Cooking Experts! I need a great potato salad recipe for this weekend, but one that uses mustard as a base, not mayo. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Leigh Lambert: I have a confession to make. I made potato salad this weekend and used bottled (gasp) balsamic vinaigrette. I used mayo (and the requisite scallions and celery), but it would be great with a grainy mustard in place of the mayo. I poured the dressing over the potatoes while they were still hot. This way they absorb more of the flavor.

Leigh Lambert: If you'd rather have some guidelines, try this Asparagus and Potato Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette we published.

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Richmond, Va.: Ack, suffering from a cucumber overload! How can I prepare them as a substantial dish rather than the practically garnish/condiment status they tend to have?

Leigh Lambert: This Sichuan Cucumber Salad is absolutely addictive. There's something about the salty, sweet and sour combination that keeps dancing around in your mouth.

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Country Ribs: Having just seen an article offering four ways to make country ribs on the grill, I snatched up a beautiful package at our market when they were on sale. Now, of course, I cannot figure out where the recipes were printed or what I did with them. I thought it might have been our local paper, but their search engine is understaffed, so I can't find anything there.

Would you please help? My husband and I are looking forward to a relaxing Fourth by ourselves, and I'd love to have these ribs for the grill. But the entire reason I bought them was to use the new recipes, since I had never made country ribs anywhere except the slow cooker. Argh.

Love the WaPo food section. Makes me wish I still lived there... especially the references to blue crab. Sigh. Maybe I'll splurge and order from the place Tom recommended.

Thanks, and have a Happy, safe Fourth.

Joe Yonan: How bout these Asian-style country ribs from a veteran Redskins tailgater?

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Washington, D.C.: Today's cocktail sounded really interesting. Is sweet vermouth the red kind? Any particular brands? I've been frustrated in the past with buying a large bottle and not using it (since I don't drink martinis much).

Bonnie Benwick: From Jason: "Yes, by sweet vermouth I mean red or rosso or 'Italian' -- all the same. Martini & Rossi works for me, but more expensive brands such as Carpano Antica or Dolin are also very nice. One nice thing about M&R is you can buy them in half-bottles, so the vermouth will always be fresh when you use it, especially if you don't use very much."

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4th of July picnic spoilage question: Before heading out many hours early to sit on the grass for the fireworks and concert on July 4, I wanted to get your advice about avoiding food spoilage that could cause gastric distress. Specifically, I'm wondering if it's safe to pack foods like egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad that are made with mayonnaise. Once I got sick from eating mayo-laden food that had sat out for a few hours, and I know other people who've had the same problem. But packing dry ice isn't an option for us right now. Thank you for your guidance on this and on other foods that might spoil, even without mayo.

Joe Yonan: Mayo gets a bad rap when it comes to food sitting out. It's actually quite stable, if made commercially. (Homemade with raw eggs is another story.) Having said that, though, you'd be fine using a cooler and making sure that the items aren't kept out of it for more than two hours. Just ice, not dry ice, can do the trick.

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Petworth: Camping dessert - Let me state up front that I hate camping. I was forced into it as a child, but now consider "roughing it" to be staying in a hotel that doesn't have coffee in the room and newspapers that come to your door.

I am also a food snob.

But one thing that I do very much like remains from my camping memories. Doughboys.

See, you take a tube of biscuit dough. A you take a stick. Then you take one of the biscuits, pull it thin, wrap it around the stick, and toast it like a marshmallow.

When it's all toasty, take it off the stick and eat it with jam or honey or maple syrup.

Wow, I haven't had those in so long. I hope they're as good as I remember!

Bonnie Benwick: I think we're stirring the ashes of campfire memories today. The bugs and the dampness, I'm with you. But the food tastes pretty good outdoors.

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Maryland: Almost lost last week's Nourish recipe for pilaf -- can't wait to try it. This week's beans and feta looks great. It's a shame, but sometimes the Nourish column gets lost in the shuffle.

Bonnie Benwick: Lost? Do you mean it should have a stronger presence online? We treasure Nourish.

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NoLo, D.C.: Any suggestions on something in which to soak kosher chicken before frying? Obviously I wouldn't use buttermilk, and brining is out due to the kashered nature of the chicken!

Bonnie Benwick: I think kosher chicken's treated to something like a brine, so it should be ready to go for you. Maybe a dry rub/seasoning would be the way to go.

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Din Min: Reading the Food Section on the Internet, Joe Yonan's "DinMin" reference had me stumped for awhile. It sure looked like an Asian entree to me. However, Googling "Jackie Newgent Big Green Cookbook Washington Post July 1 2009" I found her green quiche recipe. It looks divine.

Joe Yonan: Sorry -- DinMin is our shorthand for Dinner in Minutes!

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Favorite local crab cakes: Friendly Farms in Maryland. My Dad (from Tidewater and a long family of watermen) said it was the best crab cake he'd ever had.

Joe Yonan: Thanks!

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Middlesex, Vt.: On the question about the pan, if you're pan frying the chicken, use a cast iron skillet. If you decide to deep fry, use a heavy stockpot and get a deep fry thermometer -- Taylor's is good and recommended by ATK. A great deep fried recipe that is based on one from Paula Dean, can start with the brining or buttermilk soak, as described in today's recipes and wipe off the excess. You can also totally skip the brining, I tried it both ways and the brining or soak made no difference. Dip the chicken in a few beaten eggs with hot sauce (enough to make the eggs orange -- and it doesn't end up spicy hot when cooked) roll in self rising flour, let sit on a rack for a few minutes, roll in the flour again and fry at 350 for about 13 minutes. It works like a charm, always gets wows, and is good hot or cold. It's also great with kale or other greens on the side.

Bonnie Benwick: I just saw "Cook's Country" fry chicken, and they combined the step by adding salt/seasonings to the buttermilk.

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Bonnie Benwick: Last week, Roseland, N.J. asked: What is the proper way to prep crabs when making a crab stock? What parts should be added, and which should be thrown away?

Respected seafood chef and cookbook author Jasper White offers good advice about this: If you've got whole crabs, you'll want to discard the top shell (and reserve the tomalley, part of the crab's digestive tract, for another use if you'd like). Discard the lungs and gills(also inedible), then cut the remaining crab parts into fairly uniform, smallish pieces. You can extract the meat or leave it in.

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Campfire desserts: A tried-and-true Girl Scout camp recipe: banana boats. Take an unpeeled banana and cut a slit in the peel from the stem to the base, along the "inner curve"--the upper part, if you're holding like a, well, boat. Put the 'nana on a square of tinfoil. Open the peel up as much as you can and stuff it with marshmallows and either chocolate chips or PB chips (or both!). It's okay if not a lot fits -- just fling some in there and wrap the whole thing in the foil.

Put it in the embers of the campfire for five minutes or so, until the marshmallows and chips are gooey and the banana has softened a bit. You'll need a spoon, or a lot of napkins.

I remember people doing this with halved and cored apples too.

Bonnie Benwick: More fruit-filled fun for the trail.

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Cake with Whole Milk Substitute: I'm making a lemon cake (basically using a yellow cake recipe and adding lemon jello -- it's delicious!).

Leigh Lambert: Oooo... that sounds like a guilty pleasure. FYI, the Cake Mix Doctor, Anne Byrn is coming out with yet another book on making box taste homemade.

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Kitchenphobe: I hate cooking. There, that is out of the way.

However, I am getting married next year. Do you have any tried and true recipes that could make someone like me come out looking like Ina Garten? Any cookbooks that you could recommend?

I have a few dishes that I do well, but other than that, I am at a loss.

Bonnie Benwick: It's easy to cook like the Contessa; buy her Back to Basics cookbook. Can't go wrong with a roast chicken.

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Eastern Market: Hope to sneak this in on time:

I finally got around to printing out my sustainable seafood guide -- I know, I know, about time. But your profile of Barton Seaver clinched it for me. So now I've finally given up on Chilean Sea Bass (which I always knew was bad and ate only in moderation, but now don't buy at all). What can I buy to satisfy my longing for delicious, meaty, flaky white fish like it? I miss it so...

For what it's worth, I love simply sprinkling it with salt, pepper, cumin and cracked coriander seeds and sautéing in a pan. Bliss...

Joe Yonan: The folks at Monterey Bay Aquarium suggest striped bass, Pacific halibut and sablefish (black dod) as the best alternatives to CSB.

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Washington, D.C.: I have the Weber Smoker (that you all suggested last year), and it's great. Two questions: it doesn't have a temperature gauge on the outside, so how do you determine when its best to put the meat on, and how do you determine when to put more coals in? Also, any tricks for putting more coals in? You guys are great, thanks for the repeated help.

Bonnie Benwick: We'll get back to you on this next week. Good questions that I bet many folks want to know the answers to.

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Chesterfield, VA: I loved your story on Jim Dunlap -- and it gives me hope. I have planted a mish-mash garden (very small yard) that includes a 4'x6' raised planter that I built with the assistance of some very patient gentlemen at my local Lowe's, a converted fire bowl, several big pots and two topsy-turveys. So far, I have harvested four zucchinis and a few hot peppers and am looking forward to having to look to your crew for ideas on how to cook my (hopefully) bumper crop come August.

Bonnie Benwick: Thanks on behalf of Jane Black, who's on assignment. We'll try to do right by you in August, recipe-wise.

Remember to enter the Top Tomato Recipe Contes!

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Columbia, Md.: Where on the WaPo site can I find this summer's CSA blog/chat/whatever? I really like this feature but can't seem to find it.

Thanks.

Joe Yonan: It's part of our All We Can Eat blog, which you can find linked to at the top of our Food page (www.washingtonpost.com/food), or you can bookmark your way right to the blog at www.washingtonpost.com/allwecaneat (or, of course follow this link), and then sign up for an RSS feed. Anyway, once you're on the blog page, look at the category list on the left-hand side, and click on CSA Scout, and you'll see every one of the posts that we've done on this topic.

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Washington, D.C.: Urgent party question! I've just decided to expand my menu for a cocktail party and thought that sliders would be a good, make-ahead option. Where can I buy appropriately sized buns?

Bonnie Benwick: Try using Parker House rolls; they should be widely available. Or use our best bun recipe and scale down to fit.

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turkey burgers....: Anything special I should do to season turkey burgers? They will be cooked inside as I have no access to a grill. I was wondering if Penzey's Mural of Flavor would work.

Bonnie Benwick: Of the four turkey burger recipes in our Recipe Finder database, I like these the best: Asian Turkey Burgers.

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Washington, D.C.: Greetings, Foodies! I have a guest with significant dietary restrictions joining us for a BBQ on the 4th. Can you recommend a salad or other side dish that does not include any of the following: tomatoes, corn, grains, mayo, vinegar, peppers, mustard or potatoes? I know this is a nutty question, but I could really use some suggestions. Bonus points for something that can be made in advance, but I'm not going to be greedy! Thanks, and happy 4th!

Bonnie Benwick: Sounds like you're headed for three-bean territory, or maybe a rice salad.

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San Francisco: 1. Is there a secret to removing sausage casings? 2. Is there a secret to peeling ginger (which often presents a challenge with its lumpy bumpy, multi-pronged shape)? 3. Is there a secret to storing ginger? It's probably not fresh enough when I buy it -- the stringiness seems a giveaway -- but is there a way to prolong the shelf life? I always end up throwing away a chunk. 4. Is there a secret to peeling uncooked butternut squash? 5. Have I exceeded the question limit? (I could go on for a few pages with similar queries!)

Bonnie Benwick: No secrets. Make a shallow cut with a knife, then pull. It's easy to do when the sausage is quite cold. Refrigerate ginger loosely wrapped in plastic; use a spoon (held bowl down) to peel it. Lop off top and bottom of butternut squash, then place remaining cylinder of squash on the cutting board and cut away the edges. Editor Joe is calling...counting down...c'mon back next week...

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Joe Yonan: Well, you've pierced us in the thigh and the juices run clear, so you know what that means -- we're done!

Thanks for all the great questions today. Hope we were able to give you at least the makings of some meal strategies in our answers.

And now for our giveaway books: "Cooking Green" goes to the Chesterfield chatter who wrote in about gardening. And "Big Green Cookbook" goes to the Eastern Market chatter who asked about subs for Chilean sea bass. Send your mailing information to food@washpost.com, and we'll get you the books.

Until next time, happy frying, eating and reading...

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