I have a small (3-1/2" diameter) mortar and pestle (marble? granite? not sure; bought it in Chinatown). Whenever I try to crush something it flies all over the place. Needed to do this this morning to season a pork roast. Recipe... (5 replies, last updated by Quine December 27, 2006)

I’m pondering making tamales for the first time this Xmas although the prospect is daunting. I’ve been told the key is good quality, fresh lard. Where do you tamale-makers or die-hard pie crust makers get your lard?... (22 replies, last updated by jeanmarieok November 14, 2008)

sorry, chowpersons, but I took your advice and ate at boulevard the other day; should have gone to rubicon (my friend is a regular there and says it is consistently excellent). the food at boulevard was decent – at best... (13 replies, last updated by srf1 November 27, 2001)

You need to shmear the oil into the pan when it is very warm. The entire surface must be coated, so you may need to do it several times, until all bare metal is covered. Then you need to bake the oiled pan for several hours in a... (15 replies, last updated by alanbarnes May 11, 2009)

Erik, regardless of VI’s carping – don’t shut up. I’d love to have all your finds on the steam table, and a second point of taste is always valuable. (19 replies, last updated by Erik M. April 15, 2003)

as I know.) It’s not all-you-can eat, but the quality of the fish makes up for not needing to let your belt out a notch after the meal. It’s called “Fuji” on 56th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue on... (8 replies, last updated by Mateo August 16, 2000)

I’ve been here for 16 years now and, much as I love tavernas, would also like to experience ‘world’ food (I’m open to anything – as long as it is ‘real’). Trouble is, I don’t get... (1 reply, last updated by Lori McLaughlin December 31, 2001)

the ocean and medical backgrounds to boot fail their children what chance do the rest of us have? What my schools are doing wrong: They are regulated by Big Brother and all his cousins and you can’t buck the system. Budgets... (60 replies, last updated by stuck in Hartford County November 4, 2009)

sleep! 7. Above all, have fun with your bread. Bread dough is actually really forgiving and you can’t do that much to mess it up. Good Luck from one beginner to another! (45 replies, last updated by LabRat June 28, 2007)

but plenty of butter and a tad cream in the pastry mix. What am i doing wrong? Should i NOT spray non-stick? What about when baking on parchment paper? Is it the dairy ingredients that’s causing this? Please help, originally... (12 replies, last updated by yayadave January 31, 2008)

doing wrong? (34 replies, last updated by kchurchill5 March 4, 2009)

:" and all subcategories (all, recipes, topics, stories, ingredients, blog posts) say zero. i know i have a setting wrong somewhere, but i can’t figure out how i can search the board i’m selecting. any thoughts??? TIA! (7 replies, last updated by Robert Lauriston January 31, 2007)

It might be helpful if you tell us what it is that you ARE doing, so that we can give you advice on what you may be doing wrong. A few starter questions: what consistency is your fat? (softened butter, melted, cold, etc.) What... (19 replies, last updated by CookieEater January 3, 2008)

hanging out in your fridge for a while, they do tend to become...well...crusty..dried out around the edges, or even cracked and broken from being dried out in the fridge. hope those help. get back on the cast iron horse! (7 replies, last updated by chocolateman January 6, 2009)

So JoanN.... do you brush yours with anything? I brushed mine with a beaten egg and sprinkled some of the parmesan on them as the recipe called for. (12 replies, last updated by cjc519 December 13, 2007)