Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I just started on this site because I was getting bored with another popular food blog, unfortunately for the same reasons you are all unhappy about here. I am looking for plenty of new content to enjoy each day and comment about, the caliber & quantity of food discussion to educate me or questions about food prep, baking, etc, that I could share some info and offer help to those posing questions or trying to learn.

The hype for this particular flu is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy overblown. This is just another strain of flu and unless you already have a pre-existing health condition or problem, IT"S JUST ANOTHER FLU BUG GOING AROUND only earlier in the season. The college campuses aren't screening for it, the vaccine isn't out for it yet, and the student health services asked my son not to come in to be seen unless he was having severe symptoms. Go figure! He has a sore throat and chills, a positive comfirmed case of H1N1 of a fraternity brother, but my son doesn't live at the house. He's a dormitory resident assistant, and the health services aren't worried this is going to spread?

Did you catch the reference in the article that maybe everyone in Cambridge perhaps vegetarian or very health conscious? Too bad for a grand old home to have such a death as this.

The technique description is lengthy so you understand how to fold and turn, but once you do it and know how to accomplish that's the key - the folding and turning creates all the layers of dough with butter inbetween.
If you make a large batch, you don't have to bake them all the same day.
Freeze the shaped croissants before baking on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container until you want to thaw and bake them fresh.
For sure use fresh yeast and unbleached flour.

I was raised in the country on a farm, enjoy good pork. Early posters are correct:
1) You don't have to overcook pork anymore, but it's not the type of meat to cook like a good beef steak, pork is better cooked through
2) Secret to moist, tender pork loin is slow cooking on a low heat
3) I brown my chops beginning with a dab of bacon grease
4) Season the chops with salt, pepper and Mom always used lots of paprika, too
5) There's nothing better than creamy pan pork chop gravy over mashed potatoes with pork chops

One major factor in biscuit making is to use cold shortening, cut it in with a pastry blender of food processor until the shortening is the size of small peas, adding the milk, buttermilk or cream and not over stirring the mixture; just until almost al the flour has disappeared. Knead only the number of times a recipe suggests. Don't reroll the scraps after you have cut the first biscuits, merely move the scraps together enough to stick to each other and cut until all dough is used. Sometimes I measure my shortening and put it on a small plate and set it in the freezer for 15 minutes before making the dough.
Have the oven preheated to the proper high temperature, and for really good biscuits, I bake mine on a cast iron griddle in the oven.
I have experimented with using butter, lard and Crisco in my biscuits, personally I thing they are better with Crisco, lard and butter in that order. I like a crispy crunch to my biscuit crust. Butter doesn't do that.
We don't get White Lily flour in this area, I wish we did. Another flour company spokesperson even admitted White Lily is best for biscuits.

The suggestion is great of taking something that can be put in the freezer for later use.
I also have found that taking a brunch casserole or quiche, a coffee cake, muffins, scones, etc. and a not too big bag of really good freshly ground coffee offers the bereaved an alternative to the lunch and dinner items most friends bring to the home. If I take quiche, I prebake my shell about 5 minutes, let it cool and then fill with cheese, meat and sauteed veggies, etc. I combine the eggs, spices and light cream together thoroughly and put it in a glass or plastic quart jar that can be tossed in the recycle. This allows easy transport and the mixture will hold for a couple of days if they aren't ready to use it right away.

I'm LOL at all these antics. Yes, I've snuck in my own popcorn, cans of pop, wine coolers, candy, etc. I just hate the prices they charge for horrid popcorn and watered down fountain soda. I wait until the previews come on so loud you can barely stand it and then bust open the cans of pop or beer.
We've been going to the MET Opera HD broadcasts at our local theatre the past couple of years and one day the local performance critic met several of his friends at the theatre and were seated a few rows ahead of me. I don't recall which opera performance, but it was going to be a long one 4+ hours, here's George with a pretty colored handled shopping bag in hand and he pulls out a big bagful of burgers from Micky D's Supper Club!
Other friends take a bottle of wine and 2 wine glasses up the sleeves of winter coats.