tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36418932011-07-07T23:03:53.780-07:00Cooking, Life, Books and Words -- sometimes with recipes. Home of the Paper Chef event. Also check out <a href="http://www.pressforchange.com">www.pressforchange.com</a> to see what other projects we are involved in...Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.comBlogger4521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-73541209790844637992008-08-29T15:39:00.000-07:002008-08-29T15:46:30.587-07:00

This little list has been idling around the food blogger world for a few weeks. I decided to take a look and I am sad to say that I have eaten 90 of these and know for a fact that I will never hit 100 since I have no intention of eating fugu and I'd probably skip the kaolin too - although I may have eaten it and never known since it IS an additive. For the record I have not eaten crocodile, vodka

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-74942199457741405742008-08-20T10:58:00.000-07:002008-08-20T11:08:29.126-07:00

Some friends of mine have launched a new food community site called Foodproof. What does that mean? This is a real social community with membership and blogs, forums, videos, recipes, cross connections and a lot more - and everyone gets access to everything in clever ways so you can make the site what you want it to be. I like the forums, the videos and just the general ambience. Note this is a

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-18660545706755582652008-08-11T12:54:00.000-07:002008-08-11T13:01:46.971-07:00

It is with great pleasure that we have a guest post here at Tomatilla! My lovely spouse, Doc Gurley, has a wonderful medical blog (it helps to be a doctor - just imagine if I had a medical blog...OK, don't, let's just say it would be bad) and she has been doing her bit this past week to support research and healthcare for pediatric brain tumors. How? well read on - and then go visit her blog and

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-17249948728856942072008-04-28T12:40:00.000-07:002008-04-28T12:48:25.489-07:00

I am so excited! My sharper-eyed readers will have noticed a little web form thingy over on the right hand sidebar that has three little entry windows that say 'first ingredient,' 'second ingredient,' and 'third ingredient,' with a button below that says 'Get Recipes.' Anyone who tried it found out that it did nothing.Not anymore!Now it searches a conglomeration of web sites that let people

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-76140947222845423102008-03-25T17:17:00.000-07:002008-03-25T17:34:09.784-07:00

I've used Adsense for adverts on this blog for a couple of years as a way to pay for hosting - it never quite has done that and it has also never really delivered ads that made much sense. And recently it stopped even doing that. Basically if this is what Google is relying on for all that money it supposedly makes then I would sell all my Google stock now (if I had any). Plus Google search is

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-84952659562822653942008-02-20T17:38:00.000-08:002008-02-20T17:55:08.912-08:00

VERY easy. So easy. Ridiculously easy. Almost as easy as opening a jar and MUCH easier than driving to the store...There are two ways to make lemon curd. One involves double boilers and careful stirring and sieving and many things that I don't care about. The other involves a secret piece of equipment to be revealed in a moment.Easy Lemon CurdIngredients2 Lemons1 cup sugar3/4 stick butter (3 oz.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-46862536729830434642008-01-28T11:22:00.000-08:002008-01-28T11:25:44.556-08:00

OK, stop whatever else you are doing and rush right over to Lucullian Delights, Ilva's totally lovely food blog where she is relaunching Paper Chef. I am so happy that she has taken this on and while I will always think of it as my baby I have had to acknowledge that I can't run it anymore, so I am so very grateful that she has taken it on. We are in the ingredient nomination phase right now - go

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-43905593062605230752008-01-24T17:29:00.000-08:002008-01-24T17:33:48.491-08:00

Just for kicks - I am going to see if I can get some help. As you may know, I am close to building my wood-burning oven - but it now looks like I may have to come up with a GOOD gluten-free pizza recipe. In this case, good means NOT a batter you spread on a tray as in almost all the recipes I have seen so far.So here is a 'tag cloud of associations' and maybe someone will see it and get creative

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-81992801021875649992008-01-11T15:33:00.000-08:002008-01-11T16:22:17.087-08:00

Now that I am experimenting with gluten-free cooking I have discovered one true tragedy. Real bread is an impossibility. Sure there are lots of recipes that SAY they have good bread. But the bottom line is that for REAL bread you need gluten. The gluten is what makes the dough 'thready' and that holds it together during rising and after baking. So now it is time to dig into some food science (

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-36344916750256680422008-01-06T09:46:00.000-08:002008-01-06T10:21:59.635-08:00

First, Happy New Year to you all! I am determined that this year will be different, better and far more worthwhile. So a lot of changes are planned . I started out with the simplest - no New Year's Resolutions! In the past they have just been a way to feel guilty. No more....Next, we are rapidly becoming a gluten-free (as well as often vegetarian) household. It is looking likely that 1.5 of us

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-48824411373856876032007-12-18T10:49:00.000-08:002007-12-18T10:57:44.557-08:00

Well, Ilva, over at the truly lovely blog Lucullian Delights, has decided to take on Paper Chef so that it doesn't die out. I'm really happy because she has always been one of its biggest supporters (and one of the best entrants). This way my little monthly event will carry on.For those of you coming over here from her blog or who have no idea what I'm talking about, below is a little potted

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-74697841157378098092007-12-10T10:58:00.000-08:002007-12-10T11:04:29.506-08:00

This year, I was again honored to be asked to help judge the annual Food Blog Awards, the prestigious awards for food bloggers that were started four years ago (I think - maybe it was three - I'm getting old) by Kate at Accidental Hedonist and then taken over by the other Cate at WellFed.net.Anyways, I and some other fantabulous judges, just finished a LONG weekend of looking at food blogs and

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-34252072223863774612007-12-05T17:55:00.000-08:002007-12-05T18:02:40.854-08:00

It seems that quite a few took my most recent post (just below) to mean that I was giving up the blog altogether. Don't know how they got that form my completely clear and lucid prose. ;-)In fact I am just saying goodbye to the Paper Chef (which lives on in Sweden - but I can't tell you how to participate - to the shame of my ancestors I can't speak or read Swedish). I haven't been able to give

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-80712705582426857882007-11-22T08:19:00.000-08:002007-11-22T08:23:50.573-08:00

It is time for me to face facts. I no longer have the time or energy to keep Paper Chef going. I don't have time to even write short notes in what was - more than four years ago now - intended just to be a personal record that would help me remember how to repeat dishes I'd made that I and others liked.So, first of all, I would like to give a huge thank you on this day of thanks to all of you -

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-87383343499701052412007-10-18T11:16:00.000-07:002007-10-18T11:22:53.023-07:00

If I get started now I think we can pull this off! So....Paper Chef 26 ingredient nominations are now open.the current ingredient list is: Zucchini (courgettes), crawfish (crayfish), scallions (spring onions), cocoa nibs, italian prune plums, saffron, blueberries, olives, chicken, peaches, rosemary, five spice (the chinese blend of five spices), 'skin' (presumably of anything), basil, cod roe,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-57264442442769298522007-10-15T17:29:00.000-07:002007-10-15T19:00:04.133-07:00

OK, despite all my intentions I am not getting updates done at anything like an acceptable pace. However, in an effort to keep moving, here are the official winner(s) of Paper Chef 25. Since we had a couple of single dish entrants and a couple of multiple dish entrants I am going to just decide to have a singel dish winner and a multiple dish winner this time around.As usual, it is practically

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-78132181266731974832007-09-24T12:18:00.000-07:002007-09-24T12:25:24.431-07:00

I know that I am holding fire on announcing a Paper Chef winner - especially since the next one is due to kick off pretty shortly! So that'll come later today.In the meantime I just need to record a few notes about things I have cooked recently so they don't slip my brain entirely. We hosted a few parties lately and I actually got to make some new things that came out well. So, in no particular

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-45309471476344227152007-09-18T13:58:00.000-07:002007-09-18T14:21:02.640-07:00

I guess the theme song for this should be 'Home on the Range' rather than something less cooking related – but it makes me think of rather different things. Tradition and a relaxed frame of mind and a relaxed approach to life. Rather more 'slow food' than cowboy food perhaps.Here's how this edition of the Paper Chef event was set up: "The theme for this edition of Paper Chef is 'Home.' That means

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-11732582549842756742007-09-12T14:58:00.000-07:002007-09-12T15:26:53.373-07:00

Entries and recipes and photos are coming in for Paper Chef 25 and since I am stuck at work until late in the day anyhow, I am extending the deadline until the end of the day. Regular participants and lurkers already know that we don't pay too much attention to deadlines and rules around here, so this extension isn't much of a surprise.I realised that in futzing around with things here over the

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-57129862554826222252007-09-11T16:12:00.000-07:002007-09-11T16:24:08.157-07:00

The short answer is whenever it's hot, which means most of the year here. But it is more complicated than that. For example, although my fancy new gas (propane) grill has a side burner, I wouldn't make it my first choice for boiling water. In fact it is used mostly for roasting coffee. But that means all boiled foods are out when it gets too hot to cook in the house.That in turn means getting

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-83044689345697819872007-09-10T14:27:00.000-07:002007-09-10T14:50:57.179-07:00

While I wait for the Paper Chef entries to come flooding in, I'm going to resume blogging about other subjects. In this case the matter of going out to eat at restaurants. I do this less and less and especially less and less at fancy dining establishments. Why? Because I find it a worse and worse experience. The cult of celebrity has made truly high end dining so expensive that it cannot be worth

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-27132211762695160982007-09-07T15:47:00.000-07:002007-09-07T15:52:55.673-07:00

OK - a couple of hours late, but here we go...The theme for this edition of Paper Chef is 'Home.' That means that the fourth ingredient is 'something you already have in your home' - you can't go out and buy it - you have to look around and use something. If the cupboard is bare then you may have to make water the special ingredient! A reminder, the other ingredients are chile peppers, smoked

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-83886813661646875142007-09-05T11:21:00.000-07:002007-09-05T11:30:19.668-07:00

The final ingredient list after all nominations was: Chile peppers, zucchini (courgettes), crawfish (crayfish), scallions (spring onions), cocoa nibs, italian prune plums, saffron, blueberries, olives, chicken, peaches, rosemary, five spice (the chinese blend of five spices), 'skin' (presumably of anything), basil, smoked swordfish, cod roe, aubergine (eggplant), lard, sardines, caraway seeds,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-55911593470608688662007-08-31T11:13:00.000-07:002007-08-31T11:19:55.260-07:00

Not a long post this time - just an update on where we stand. First off, the event will start properly next Wednesday, Sept 5th, when I'll announce the three random ingredients. Then on Friday September 7th I'll announce the 'special' fourth ingredient and you'll have until the following Wednesday Sept 12th at noon PST to make a dish using the four ingredients and write a post about it in your

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-63457877915869801792007-08-27T17:06:00.001-07:002007-08-27T17:15:13.774-07:00

Come now people! This is not good enough. So far we only have eight ingredients nominated for Paper Chef. Admittedly, they are very high quality ingredients - just the kind a Paper Chef would use - eccentric, interesting, bursting with flavor. But really, I can't in good conscience pick three from eight! I barely need a true atmospheric random number generator for that!So far we have: Chile

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-16332900816003306282007-08-21T16:39:00.000-07:002007-08-21T17:06:17.312-07:00

It looks like we are going to hold the Paper Chef in the same general time period as in the past but stretch it a bit. That means that the official start of Paper Chef 25 will be Wednesday September 5th when I will reveal the three random ingredients. Then on Friday the 7th I will reveal the fourth 'special' ingredient or theme and from then on you will have until Noon PST the following Wednesday

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-59110754557778891472007-08-09T20:44:00.001-07:002007-08-09T20:59:48.410-07:00

This was a tough decision. I liked thog's theme a lot and his little biographical story was very touching - AND the dish looked excellent - although I STILL don't get the Choko experience. Wikipedia says its like a chayote but pictures from Australia and the descriptions bely that. Basically a bland and bumpy flavorless squash.I really liked the look of Brilyn's roulade - I'm going to have to try

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-22340538401409787462007-08-06T10:34:00.000-07:002007-08-06T10:37:13.990-07:00

It was pointed out to me that I had neglected to actually wrap up Paper Chef number 24 during my five month long hiatus from blogging. So here we go...roundup first and a winner in a day or two. It was a smallish set of entries, but as usual, all of very high standard. I have noticed over the three years or so that the contest has been running that we get a LOT of Australian entrants. Do they

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-56704499172251771962007-08-03T11:10:00.000-07:002007-08-03T11:18:18.747-07:00

OK, my sincere apologies to whoever actually reads my blog. I took an extended hiatus from Spring through Summer. Work has overwhelmed me and so has life. But I've started to come out of the doom and gloom and I think I'll have time to post here again - probably not as often as I would like, but still often enough.Naturally I haven't given up cooking in the time I've been away, but I have been

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-67782078170189199002007-02-17T10:27:00.000-08:002007-02-17T10:31:28.406-08:00

Here we go:the theme this month is 'Peas in the Middle East' - interpret that how you will peas/peace/middle eastern dishes, etc.The four random ingredients are:coffeericeprosciuttoand...chilisAs usual substitute away for allergies/vegetarianism/inability to get ingredients.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-4727230197149552702007-02-16T15:37:00.000-08:002007-02-16T15:42:04.266-08:00

Because here in the US this weekend is a time to celebrate all the dead presidents, I am kicking Paper Chef off in a few hours. Here is the final list of ingredients:peas, olives, feta, ice, dates, chickpeas, prunes, coffee, bay leaves, cucumber, couscous, pomegranate, prosciutto, rice, chili, saffron, almonds, lemon, eggplant (aubergine) and something connected to your heritage. Stay tuned for

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-80996930088433892282007-02-09T16:29:00.000-08:002007-02-08T20:40:37.999-08:00

Well, it looks like people are still coming out of the woodwork, so I'm going to hold until next week in the hope that we get more ingredients.Right now the list is:peas, olives, feta, ice, dates, chickpeas, prunes, coffee, bay leaves, cucumber, couscous, pomegranate, prosciutto, rice and chili.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-82738135821237715042007-02-01T22:23:00.000-08:002007-02-01T22:37:18.991-08:00

While the nominations are starting to come in I felt I should keep the potential participants informed and entertained, so I'm going to run a brief recap of Paper Chef through the past ages.The initial announcement, back in November 2004, was a little sparse compared to the current rules. And our very first winner was Viv of Seattle Bon Vivant for a Curried Chicken And Squash Soup With Meyer

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-38632299539293012432007-01-30T17:04:00.000-08:002007-01-30T17:14:53.060-08:00

Because most of you will miss this and the rest will fall off your chairs and hit you heads and suffer short term memory loss, I'm giving a little extra notice. Paper Chef 24 (our 2 year anniversary - or would be if we hadn't missed a bunch on the way) is going to happen Friday February 9th through Monday February 12th.In my role as autocratic dictator of the event, I am also going to complicate

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-13322369313624631942007-01-04T10:42:00.000-08:002007-01-04T11:40:33.905-08:00

Thanks to my outage/hiatus from blogging due to issues with moving over to the new Blogger, I have grown rusty. So forgive me, please for being creaky and slow about updating you all on Paper Chef 23, the celebration edition.Making judgements and decisions this time was extremely difficult despite a low number of entries because the quality of the entries was so high.We had Brilynn's fantastic

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-39173187898806499222006-12-28T22:36:00.000-08:002006-12-28T22:44:59.189-08:00

Well – this has been a thoroughly frustrating month blogwise! Basically I haven't been able to post at all between December 1st and December 27th. Something to do with the Blogger beta nonsense and settings getting changed as I migrated to the new version. But I was mostly annoyed about the complete lack of support from Blogger – oh, wait, what am I talking about? They don't HAVE support!We'll

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-74559216748671396912006-12-27T18:45:00.000-08:002006-12-27T18:48:43.999-08:00

I'm back! Although I am concerned about the fact that every publish is now accompanied by a laundry list of publishing errors - despite that the blog seems to be OK.The problem - unknown. I had narrowed it down to an issue with ftp to an external host and today I just reset the ftp process within blogger from the beginning - entering as if new some incorrect details and then re-entering exactly

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1165017657196526802006-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:002006-12-01T16:23:45.836-08:00

OK – time for the revelation – what IS this month's Paper Chef challenge?Here are the nominated ingredients: Crab, Pork, Something you or a friend grew, White wine, Sour cream, Cheddar, Mushroom, Ramen Noodles, Edible flowers, Vermouth, soda pop (any kind), frog (legs), coconut milk, wattleseed, broad/fava beans, ground meat (any kind), pomegranate, beef, lentils, ginger, maple syrup, apples,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1164995439009550672006-12-01T09:48:00.000-08:002006-12-01T09:50:39.033-08:00

Just a heads up - I'll be too busy to turn this on at my customary noontime, so it will be a couple of hours later than that...and I'm looking forward to the comination of crab, soda pop, chestnuts and maple syrup (just kidding - I haven't picked the ingredients yet!)

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1164737047656528042006-11-28T09:55:00.000-08:002006-11-28T10:04:07.686-08:00

OK - I know nobody was worried, but it HAS been a long time since I last posted. And once again, it is guilt that makes me. I love the Paper Chef and I have neglected it sorely. I think last month was the first month I have missed one without even a notice of what was going on...Anyway - this time around we are going to do a lightning set up but give people over a week to do the challenge so that

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1161639709475699092006-10-23T14:41:00.000-07:002006-10-23T14:41:49.536-07:00

Carolyn of 18thC Cuisine has finished the judging. You can get all the results here!Technorati Tags: paper chef

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1161388349080937662006-10-20T16:45:00.000-07:002006-10-20T16:58:08.396-07:00

It was a quiet month for the Paper Chef event. Probably because it was a particularly challenging combination of ingredients. This time around, however, we did give everyone a week to come up with and cook their recipe and post about it. In a weird way that may have hurt entries as well – part of the essence of the challenge is the time constraint. But it wouldn't be fun if we didn't change

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1160760704090790802006-10-13T10:31:00.000-07:002006-10-13T10:32:44.770-07:00

For this slow edition of Paper Chef, you have until this coming Monday, the 16th, to get entries in. You can find all the details in the post right below this one....paper chef, recipes

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1160365344403934942006-10-08T20:28:00.000-07:002006-10-08T20:42:24.426-07:00

First off, a thank you to Noodle Cook who caught me in an error - it is indeed Paper Chef #22.Second. Here is the final list of ingredients as suggested by our wonderful participants:Peanut butter, Apple cider, Daikon, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Crab, Pork, Something you or a friend grew, White wine, Sour cream, Cheddar, Mushroom, Ramen Noodles, Edible flowers, Vermouth, soda pop (any kind), frog (

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1160152591913341842006-10-06T09:29:00.000-07:002006-10-06T09:36:31.946-07:00

OK - we are going to give it a shot...but because I have been late we are going to alter the rules a little.Paper Chef will start officially TOMORROW sometime in the morning - so that you can get a quick ingredient nomination in if you can. And it will run all week - so this week you get a full seven days to come up with and make your dish and post about it. Entries will be due a week from Monday

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1159895420585948502006-10-03T10:08:00.000-07:002006-10-03T10:10:20.616-07:00

That was fast! Probably good to have roundups and judges aligned on different time zones so as one day ends another starts (or something like that). Ilva over at Lucullian Delights has judged and announced the winner! Just in time, too since I have to open ingredient nominations immediately!

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1159818534992443342006-10-02T12:41:00.000-07:002006-10-02T12:48:55.020-07:00

This is I think the smallest Paper Chef gethering to date except for the very first one. And it is clear that there is one major reason for that and one minor reason. The major reason is one of the ingredients - giblets. This was just too far out of the realm of experience for many entrants and despite enthusiasm for the overall theme, many potential participants dropped out. The other reason is

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1159549494730164782006-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:002006-09-29T10:04:54.756-07:00

My apologies - I didn't realise Ilva was back - so the roundup will go up later today and hopefully we can get a winner sorted out before we start the next Paper Chef!I know that the past few months have been difficult for fans of the Paper Chef - I have not paid the event the attention it deserves and despite best intentions when I took it back over I haven't really delivered. I will keep

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1157511889920028012006-09-05T20:03:00.000-07:002006-09-05T20:04:49.933-07:00

Whenever I go to the Farmer's Market I always wonder why I don't go more. The main reason I went this time was to get some local small-ranch, grass-only beef to compare with the La Censa I got sent. That mission was somewhat successful - I was not able to mirror the cuts exactly since our local ranch is running low on what it has from the single cow or so it slaughters at a time.But I naturally

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1157137106321525282006-09-01T11:57:00.000-07:002006-09-01T16:35:01.883-07:00

It is time to kick off the latest round of Paper Chef. We got very many fewer ingredient nominations than normal although the pre-existing list was already so eclectic it may just have left potential nominators in a stupor!Anyway, I have in the past indicated how I select the three random ingredients. I usually use the website Random.org, because it generates true random sequences using

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1156993464993488262006-08-30T20:04:00.000-07:002006-08-30T20:04:25.016-07:00

We now have a few more ingredients and tomorrow is the last day to get ingredient nominations in. Here's the current list...Eggs, Vinegar, Sun-dried tomatoes, black fermented soy beans, Giblets,Peanut butter, Apple cider, Daikon, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Crab,Pork, Something you or a friend grew, White wine, Sour cream, Cheddar,Mushroom, Ramen Noodles, Edible flowers, Vermouth, soda pop (any kind

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1156813167838182612006-08-28T17:54:00.000-07:002006-08-28T18:02:27.503-07:00

It is that time of the month again! Nominations for ingredients for the next Paper Chef are now open. As usual, one nomination per person and nominations should be at least arguably in good taste (both kinds).To nominate, make your nomination in the comments below or email it to me. I will update the list periodically before Friday...Rules for Paper Chef for those not in the know are

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1156214430255773132006-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:002006-08-21T19:43:38.793-07:00

As promised, here is the first of several quick Paper Chef retrospectives.The very first Paper Chef was way back in 2004 - December 2004, but 2004 all the same. The first set of ingredients was:Cilantro, Ginger, Almonds and Winter squash. I have lost comments from that time since I used an external commenting system but switched to Blogger's own when it became available.The first event only had

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1155944985889855252006-08-18T16:49:00.000-07:002006-08-18T16:49:48.400-07:00

Since it has been four years since I started Tomatilla! and it has even been three years since I started writing in earnest, here's a quick look back presented in several stages. The first post was on July 16th, 2002 and was about one of my favorite topics: roast chicken. Then nothing happens until the middle of 2003 when I finally get going on what was my stock-in-trade for about a year - very

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1155776925638740922006-08-16T18:08:00.000-07:002006-08-16T18:08:45.696-07:00

Now that I have managed to crowbar a tiny smidgen of time free for Tomatilla! again, I thought I'd try to make sure I got some of my little list of projects done by setting them down here as plans and then maybe I'll manage to do them. First and foremost, the next Paper Chef starts in a couple of weeks on September 1st.Next up after that is a comparison of La Cense grass-fed free range beef that

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1155187765609758082006-08-09T22:26:00.000-07:002006-08-09T22:29:25.613-07:00

Stephen completed his talk in record time and the new Paper Chef #20 winner is announced!Although we have two official categories (and as many other categories as the judge wants to assign), in fact only one entrant nominated themsleves in a category so that part didn't work out. We'll try again next time. Paper Chef 21 will start the first Friday of September - which is September 1st! Not long

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1155078186730906202006-08-08T16:03:00.000-07:002006-08-09T22:25:50.650-07:00

Although the tunrout was a little low - thanks undoubtedly to my recent lack of attention - the quality was as usual really, really high.Before I go any further, I really, really need to thank Kevin who not only kept Paper Chef going but did it with panache and flair. Everyone who reads this needs to go visit his site and prefereably encourage everyone you know in his area to check out his

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154991475673370632006-08-07T15:56:00.000-07:002006-08-07T15:57:55.686-07:00

So far I have four entries - that's a tad low, so I am hoping there are a few shy people out there or a few stragglers to round out and up the numbers. Let me know! email to owenl1998 at yahoo dot com or comment here.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154735573913413972006-08-04T16:52:00.000-07:002006-08-04T17:02:49.146-07:00

One of the things I love about food blogging is the creativity and fun that shines through. I mean what other online or blogging group has as much fun as the food blogging community does with EotMEoTE? For my own contribution, see this little parody.But it doesn't stop or even begin there. Two examples of why I love food blogs and food blogging came my way today from two of my favorite food

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154714520940261522006-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:002006-08-04T11:02:01.023-07:00

The final ingredient list was:Coffee, A spiky plant like cactus (nopales!) or nettles, Guava, Dragon Fruit, Turmeric, Andouille sausage, Berries, Eggs, Cherries, Vinegar, Sun-dried tomatoes, black fermented soy beans, Giblets, Peanut butter, Apple cider, Daikon, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Crab, Pork, Something you or a friend grew, White wine, Sour cream, Peaches, Cheddar, Mushroom, Ramen Noodles,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154634283975869102006-08-03T12:44:00.000-07:002006-08-03T12:44:44.046-07:00

Paper Chef 20 starts tomorrow. Please try to get entries in by Monday Noon PST - the judge this time, Stephen of Stephen Cooks, (as usual the winner last time) is under severe time pressure - as am I. I will do the roundup and help with judging if Stephen runs out of time. However, this is a relaxed event as always. See the new (very slightly modified) rules here. I also want to acknowledge and

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154472918654850402006-08-01T15:55:00.000-07:002006-08-01T15:55:18.686-07:00

The new (very slightly modified) rules are here. Current ingredient list is: CoffeeA spiky plant like cactus (nopales!) or nettlesGuavaDragon FruitTurmericAndouille sausageBerriesEggsCherriesVinegarSun-dried tomatoesblack fermented soy beansGibletsPeanut butterApple ciderDaikonBlueberriesCantaloupeCrabPorkSomething you or a friend grewWhite wineSour creamPeachesCheddarMushroomRamen NoodlesA newly

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154472304434636882006-08-01T15:45:00.000-07:002006-08-01T15:45:04.496-07:00

Technically speaking, Tomatilla! is a ripe four years old today. In Internet years that is something like 1000 years old! In reality, however, I only really started posting regularly in July of 2003, so you could also say it is about 3 years old (a relatively spring chicken-like 750 years or so in translation). According to Blogger's statistics, I have made 389 posts. And according to my rather

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1154384797576763652006-07-31T15:26:00.000-07:002006-07-31T15:26:37.623-07:00

Thought you all might like to see the pork results... I ended up cooking it for nine hours and it was simply 'marinated' for half an hour in a simple bottled chinese marinade. So how did it taste? Even better than it looked... Pork shoulder is a very cheap cut of meat partly because it pretty much has to be slow cooked. Regular techniques mostly just dry it out. I can tell you that sealing it

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1153855524361058502006-07-25T12:25:00.000-07:002006-07-26T15:47:06.370-07:00

It is time for the 20th Paper Chef Event. But this time since it is Paper Chef 20, we are also making it Paper Chef 2.0 - a revised version of the event with an adjustment to the 'guidelines'.The reason for the update is that we have discovered that certain people have been a little reluctant to take part because of some of the more extravagant creations that other entrants have come up with. We

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1153503770997550522006-07-21T10:28:00.000-07:002006-07-23T20:02:09.676-07:00

It's hot! The past week daytime highs have all been over 100F and nightime lows have still been mid-70s. We don't have real air conditioning and at night we open all the windows wide and run an industrial strength fan. So we have been looking at ways of not cooking - the best ones involve cooking outside and the best by far is the smoker.I use a Char-broil charcoal and water smoker. It cost me

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1153418889109725992006-07-20T11:00:00.000-07:002006-07-20T22:28:21.660-07:00

OK - it seems like the majority like the idea of some categories. And it is really flattering to discover that there is a Swedish offshoot of Paper Chef(!)But I also appreciate Magic Tofu's point that we shouldn't restrict people to a singel category. Plus I have enjoyed especially the Paper Chef's where judges make an effort to add in new categories. So we are going to end up with two or three

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1153158745873850592006-07-17T10:52:00.000-07:002006-07-20T08:14:17.216-07:00

It's time to try to get back into the blog again. Looks like Paper Chef kind of fell through the cracks - we have some entries though so I'll do a roundup in the next couple of days and ping our last month's winner to judge the entries and then I'm going to take up the reins with some changes.It seems like there are several categories of people who like Paper Chef. But there are two main groups.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1146858127413069162006-05-05T12:30:00.000-07:002006-06-30T18:52:16.423-07:00

Thanks to Kevin over at Seriously Good. Really - lots of thanks - I am getting about 5 hours sleep a night and am having to let lots of things slide. Here is the announcement. Here is the final ingredient list and kickoff.Final ingredients: miso, lavender, chickpeas and something local. This one promises to be tough to do and with some great results. I have noticed that in the past the tougher

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1144454678481006862006-04-07T17:04:00.000-07:002006-07-13T07:03:43.723-07:00

...and into the frying pan with the shortest of detours to rub down with a seafood rub (garlic powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper, lemon zest, herbes de provence). This was a truly delicious supper last night and the rub was the secret. Well - apart from the fish being REALLY fresh. With any fish you have to work with care. It is delicate, tender and easily hurt. But it is actually a crime

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1144344817639136542006-04-06T10:33:00.000-07:002006-04-11T22:21:44.070-07:00

A quick glance down will see that I have been far behind in my posting here. VERY far behind. A careful reading between the lines should show you that the reason is work. But I'm going to take the first real signs of Spring in the Bay Area (it actually stopped raining) as an indication that it is time for some personal Spring cleaning. That means that I am not going to let my job rule my life

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1142919088012686542006-03-20T21:31:00.000-08:002006-03-21T18:04:07.563-08:00

I haven't blogged much at all lately apart from the obligatory Paper Chef tracking and I've been missing it - but work is busy and pretty interesting too, so that's that. I have been cooking but nothing terribly memorable. Last night for example was the traditional garlic pasta. Accompanied by a variation on my normal greens - this time with purple kale, beet tops, leeks and seasoned with soy

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1142024325080191602006-03-10T12:48:00.000-08:002006-03-10T14:35:52.036-08:00

Paper Chef #15 – the Oscar/Sports/Round Edition was clearly too confusing. Somehow we managed to confuse enough of the Paper Chef faithful that we ended up with only six entries – our lowest number ever apart from Paper Chef #1. On the other hand the quality was at least as high as ever with some truly amazing dishes for Haalo to judge.Emma at the Laughing Gastronome entered a lovely golden prawn

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141770695518086962006-03-07T14:23:00.000-08:002006-03-07T14:36:04.193-08:00

Went for 'Broke', ended up 'Crash'-ed at Paper Chef 16by Surfin' DaveThe Oscar 2006 Snack Plate - Grilled Prawns wrapped in Buffalo Prosciutto and stuffed with Basil Goat Cheese, with Jalapeno Dipping Sauce, Fried Basil Leaves, Shrimp Chips, Rice Crackers and ChampagneI wanted to design a recipe for the Paper Chef contest based on the Best Film winner. I envisioned sitting back with a platter of

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141683328053336472006-03-06T14:14:00.000-08:002006-03-06T14:15:28.063-08:00

You have 24 hours left to get your entries in for Paper Chef #16! Basil, verjuice, prawns and something movie-inspired or movie-associated and/or something round. See below for lots more details!

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141433405994318502006-03-03T16:43:00.000-08:002006-03-03T16:50:06.006-08:00

OK - here we go. The four ingredients are:Basil - that one's pretty straightforwardVerjuice - that one isn't. Please feel free to substitute freely (grape juice or even wine will sub here).Prawns/Gambas - obvious but again - feel free to substitute all those allergic or challenged as to source or vegetarian.and finally - an ingredient inspired by the movies in honor of the Oscars.There are some

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141420937063170752006-03-03T13:01:00.000-08:002006-03-03T13:22:17.083-08:00

Here is EVERYTHING you need to know and more!Rules and RegulationsAs a reminder, here are the 'rules and regulations,' which I prefer to think of as something akin to the pirate code of Captain Jack Sparrow and thus 'more like guidelines.'For absolutely only the fun of it and for no other reason whatsoever, the Paper Chef challenges each and every one of you reading this to let loose your

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141410304635846362006-03-03T10:18:00.000-08:002006-03-03T10:29:09.176-08:00

The final list is:Something derived from a goat (meat, milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, etc), rocket (arugula), macadamia nuts, pomegranate molasses, hot bean paste, chestnuts, grits, chicken thighs, ham, kale, dried beans, miso, simple syrup, buffalo (bison), veal scallopine, chocolate, wattleseed, lemons, pomegranates, flowers, cinnamon, gambas/prawns, verjuice, lavender, broccoli raab,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1141241165116856482006-03-01T11:20:00.000-08:002006-03-01T11:26:05.126-08:00

Help! Caught out by work and the calendar (why don't they publish these things in advance?) Paper Chef starts Friday - so you have today and tomorrow to nominate ingredients. We actually have a pretty humungous list already since we got lots of nominations the past two months - so here is the list at the moment - you may nominate one ingredient more per person....all usual rules and regulations

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1139606065612842522006-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:002006-02-10T13:14:25.613-08:00

OK - we are ready! The official announcement will be over at Slurp & Burp, Magic Tofu's blog, but we have a lovely February themed Paper Chef this time around!

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1139605658645286392006-02-10T13:01:00.000-08:002006-02-10T13:16:00.693-08:00

(While we wait for Paper Chef formalities)It's been a long time since I entered an eotmeote, but I couldn’t resist this one. As some of you (well maybe only Jeanne) I like writing verse parodies. And this time it had to be of a favorite poem/poet.I like Shelley anyway, but this poem is the epitome of savage political satire - someone needs to rewrite it about the current American government -

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1139603645872168502006-02-10T12:31:00.000-08:002006-02-10T12:37:08.153-08:00

we have the three random ones selected - and as soon as we have the fourth we will get going - and - since Valentine's day is Tuesday and completely arbitrarily, the deadline is extended to Wednesday at noon - that way I can incorporate the ingredients into the magnificent Valentine's day feast....and since I am the benevolent dictator around here, that's all that is important, right? right? why

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1139349681479893222006-02-07T13:52:00.000-08:002006-02-07T14:01:21.493-08:00

OK - it is coming up fast - and I've been remiss - here is the current list of ingredients:Cream of rice, cornish hens, honey, something derived from a goat (meat, milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, etc), rocket (arugula), cashews, macadamia nuts, pomegranate molasses, hot bean paste, chestnuts, grits, chicken thighs, ham, kale, dried beans, miso, simple syrup, buffalo (bison), veal scallopine, limes

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1138735435369356752006-01-31T11:18:00.000-08:002006-01-31T11:23:55.380-08:00

Due to lots and lots and lots of work and the fact that this month crept up on me (why do they keep the calendar such a secret?) we are pushing Paper Chef back a week this month. That way that inimitable world ruler (read the comments...) Magic Tofu can have some time to prepare to rule judge the next Paper Chef properly...So Paper Chef will start on Friday February 10th at about noon and end

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1136916366911796032006-01-10T10:02:00.000-08:002006-01-10T10:06:06.926-08:00

Paper Chef UpdateThe dynamic duo at Belly-Timber is hard at work gathering, evaluating, annotating, rounding up, etc. all the Paper Chef entries and promises to have a report up on Thursday. So head on over there to check it out. I have lamely bowed out of doing a roundup this time because of pressure of work. But I understand that we got a LOT of entrants this time around so it should be a big

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1136569426751831302006-01-06T09:34:00.000-08:002006-01-06T09:43:46.766-08:00

We are getting a few questions about how, who, what, etc. for the Paper Chef. So here is EVERYTHING you need to know and more!First - the contest is being hosted by Belly Timber. After you read this, go over there and get the ingredient list and so forth - plus you should check their totally wacky and fun site out.As a reminder, here are the 'rules and regulations,' which I prefer to think of as

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1136423506901082992006-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:002006-01-04T17:11:46.916-08:00

We have a storm of ingredient entries to add and a few tweaks - our eagle-eyed judge noticed that basil was a recently used ingredient and so needs to be avoided for another month or two. Here is the latest list:Winter root vegetables, butternut squash, scallions, quinoa, olives, yoghurt, barley, fennel, pumpkin (or any squash) seeds, fancy vinegar, cranberries, cream of rice, cornish hens, honey

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1136233779673329762006-01-02T12:20:00.000-08:002006-01-02T12:29:39.693-08:00

...they are all connected. Well - a little. First, to all my readers (there are a few of you I know) Happy New Year and all the best for the coming year. There are many ways it can be an improvement on the past year, especially in the political arena. In the food area, I will continue to do Paper Chef as long as there seems to be demand. I resolve to cook more and think more about what I cook and

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1136231342794517542006-01-02T11:23:00.001-08:002006-01-02T14:03:53.343-08:00

It is time - past time - to kick off the New Year with another Paper Chef event. It is a time for a lot of careful consideration and looking back and looking forward. It is time for reflection and analysis. It is a time for casting off old vices, old attitudes, old things that you want to remove from your life and a time for renewal of the things that are important to you. It is spiritually a

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1135275737919174152005-12-22T10:18:00.000-08:002005-12-22T10:22:59.363-08:00

I'm reposting the Menu for Hope entry I made a week or two ago since we have only two days left in this drive to raise money. We have already raised well over $10,000 - a great reponse in this season of giving and hope. Now, in the last two days we are hoping to get over the $15,000 mark! There are some staggeringly amazing prizes on offer (every $5 donation goes into a raffle and you can

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1135209634506218312005-12-21T16:00:00.000-08:002005-12-21T16:01:23.670-08:00

My new employer just had its Christmas party and one of the events was an eggnog-off. Participants had to bring in eggnog (preferably but not necessarily alcoholic). So of course I had to take part even though I'm not really a big fan of eggnog. The only eggnog I've had that I liked was my chef friend Sharon's Neggnog (so called because you had to stop drinking when you started calling it neggnog

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134674588504994842005-12-15T11:21:00.000-08:002005-12-15T11:23:08.506-08:00

The results are in. And I think this is the longest roundup and the most contentious judging effort ever. And the largest number of prizes awarded! So go check it all out!

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134535938895331252005-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:002005-12-13T20:52:18.906-08:00

Donate here!I'm hurt that not one of you so far has elected to receive a copy of Digital Dish in the raffle. Does that mean you are all cheapskates who won't donate or is it that you prpefer the really good prizes like actual food and actual dinners and even a real live lamb? Whatever - I shall take a leaf out of my daughter's book and whine until you put Digital Dish down as a prize you want

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134494499763502972005-12-13T09:16:00.000-08:002005-12-13T09:21:39.776-08:00

First, don't forget to donate....for the Menu For Hope...For those looking for Paper Chef Updates. There is a knockdown, drag-out battle raging between the judges (which I think means they had a tie on a couple of categories and have to reconvene) and they have not yet rendered their verdicts. I believe the place to get the scoop first is the Electric Resturant, home of the Two-Minute Noodle Cook

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134440472196615192005-12-12T18:03:00.000-08:002005-12-12T18:21:12.210-08:00

About a year ago several food bloggers banded together to create A Menu For Hope to provide some support for victims of the tsunami in South East Asia. This year many, many more of us are getting together to raise money to support UNICEF's relief efforts in Northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan after the devastating earthquake there has left thousands homeless just as winter approaches. High

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134098035784340862005-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:002005-12-08T19:13:55.796-08:00

Every now and then I mention my littel vegetable garden strip out back near the pool beneath the cherry tree and shadowed by the neighbour's Beech. One of the reasons this blog is called Tomatilla! is because the tomatillas love this little strip of land. I no longer plant them any more they self seed/sow through fruit that fall and rot and I just thin them out in the spring to four plants or so.

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134079083728124322005-12-08T13:54:00.000-08:002005-12-08T13:58:03.743-08:00

Since all our judges this time around (and we have a PANEL) are Australian, many of our readers took Australia to heart and combined their entries with some kind of Australian touch. In Alanna's case she delved into memories of lullabies and family and came up with the jolly swagman perched beside the billabong, so she made a sensationally rich-sounding Swagman Stew. She also held her nose and

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134016696748121492005-12-07T20:29:00.000-08:002005-12-07T20:38:41.953-08:00

It is time for the grand roundup of Paper Chef Entries. This is the most fun part for me. I get to write nice little summaries where I hope to pique the reader's interest enough to go check each and every entry out for themself. I get to read about fantastic, inventive, funny, serious, casual, sublime and ridiculous food. I get to post the roundup, and turn away hungry and leave the hard part,

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1134012079590223652005-12-07T19:03:00.000-08:002005-12-07T19:21:19.603-08:00

Hah! Here you all are awaiting the roundup and instead you get yet another entrant. In this case, an intrepid newcomer emailed me his entry bang on time (early Sunday evening) and I didn't notice until just now that he doesn't have a blog!He does, however, have something almost as good - a very nice 'n' spicy commercial website selling some very serious hot spice products. Anyway, there is a

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3641893.post-1133918514015197302005-12-06T17:16:00.000-08:002005-12-06T17:21:54.026-08:00

Paper Chef afficionados, participants and esteemed judging panel. I hope to get the roundup done tonight but I must face the reality of reality. I may not get it done until tomorrow. Plus looking at the entrants so far I am faced with the grave challenge of at least indicating the level of their wittiness, creativity and originality. That takes time for my slow brain. Let's just say that we may

Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138602451739371noreply@blogger.com3