I have the book...but I found the recipe online...saves my poor typing! I compared the recipes and found just one difference, in the amount of EVO called for. FRENCH POTATO SALAD From: America's Test Kitchen Live! by Cook's Illustrated If fresh chervil isn't available, substitute an additional 1/2 tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional 1/2 teaspoon of minced tarragon. For best flavor, serve the salad warm, but to make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before serving, bring the salad to room temperature, then add the shallot and herbs. Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients  2 pounds (about 6 medium or 18 small) red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices  2 tablespoons salt  1 medium garlic clove, peeled and threaded on a skewer  1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar  2 teaspoons Dijon mustard  1/4 cup olive oil (2 Tablespoons called for in "The Best Light Recipe Cookbook")  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper  1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)  1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil leaves  1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves  1 tablespoon minced fresh chives  1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves Directions 1. Place the potatoes, 6 cups cold water, and the salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Lower the skewered garlic into the simmering water and blanch, about 45 seconds. Immediately run the garlic under cold tap water to stop the cooking process; remove the garlic from the skewer and set aside. Simmer the potatoes, uncovered, until tender but still firm (a thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center of a potato slice with no resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Arrange the hot potatoes close together in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. 2. Press the garlic through a garlic press or mince by hand. Whisk the garlic, reserved potato cooking water, vinegar, mustard, oil, and pepper together in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the warm potato slices; let stand 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, toss the shallot and herbs gently together in a small bowl. Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Add the shallot-herb mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula to combine. Serve immediately. Variations FRENCH POTATO SALAD WITH ARUGULA, ROQUEFORT, AND WALNUTS Follow the recipe for French Potato Salad, omitting the herbs and tossing the dressed potatoes with 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse, 4 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled, and 1 small bunch arugula, washed, dried, stemmed, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups), along with the minced shallot in step 3. Nancy

Ditto on Vermouth (mom used it long before Julia Child popularized it for cooking) I also keep Sherry, Madiera or Port on hand to add when the recipe or marinade requires it. Unsweetened grape juice, actually the must is called Verjus. It's not as easy to locate, but a good sub for some recipes. I also keep a variety of vinegars on hand including fig, balsamic (white & red), orange & other fruits, rice vinegar, red & white wine vinegar and the more common white & cider vinegar. Another idea for cooking wines is to buy those half bottles which have screw tops and keep easily in the fridge between uses.

Ricotta Cheesecake Serves 8 to 10. Published December 12, 2006. The ricotta cheese must be drained in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight. To drain the cheese, line a fine-mesh sieve with two layers of paper towels, place the cheese in the sieve, place the sieve over a bowl, and refrigerate. Ingredients Amaretti Cookie Crust 5 ounces amaretti cookies , processed in a food processor to uniformly fine crumbs (1 1/4 cups crumbs) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan Ricotta Filling 2 pounds ricotta cheese , drained overnight (see note above) 4 large eggs , separated 3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces) 1/4 cup light rum 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon table salt Instructions 1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In small bowl, combine amaretti crumbs and 4 tablespoons of melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with most of remaining tablespoon melted butter, reserving small amount of excess melted butter for brushing sides of pan after crust cools. Empty crumbs into springform pan and press evenly into pan bottom (See illustration). Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. (Do not turn off oven.) Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter. 2. For the filling: While crust cools, place drained ricotta in food processor and process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add egg yolks, sugar, rum, flour, zest, vanilla, and salt and process until blended, about 1 more minute. Scrape mixture into large bowl. 3. In bowl of standing mixer, beat egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks. Fold whites into ricotta mixture until fully incorporated and pour mixture evenly into cooled crust. 4. Bake cheesecake until top is lightly browned and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers about 150 degrees, about 1 1/4 hours. (Perimeter of cake should be firm, but center will jiggle slightly. It will solidify further as cake cools.) Transfer pan to wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cheesecake is cold and set, at least 5 hours or up to 2 days. 5. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. Perfect Crumb Crust Crumb crusts come together in just seconds, but they can sometimes fall apart. Here's how to make a neat and sturdy crust. Using a flat-bottomed measuring cup, gently press down on the crumbs in the center of the pie plate and then work toward the sides. Tilting the measuring cup, press the sides while squaring off the top edge with your thumb.

Oh it IS exciting, and I'll definitely post pictures. Lpinkmountain may join us, if family responsibilities allow, and I've also been in touch with Naturegirl, who would like to meet us and I've not met her, so that's also exciting. I've emailed both of them to try to nail down a day when they can either just meet us here at the farm or go somewhere for lunch and adventure. Lars, I'm sure Elery would very much appreciate your hot sauce and you can try some of mine too. You guys can have your very own tasting and I'll just trust your judgment. (grin) Even if you don't make it all the way to the U.P., I still hope you and Kevin at least make it as far North as Mackinac Island. Although it's very "touristy" now, it's still beautiful and interesting and historic. I also would like to take you to Traverse City, the "Crown Jewel" of Michigan, and let you and Kevin do the winery tours, the Peninsula is astonishingly beautiful and I'm the world's best designated driver. South to Saugatuck for the "art scene" too, and cooking in between! Kevin and Elery can just eat and laugh at us. They are both pretty quiet, but I'm also glad they get along well. Lpink's husband is also a little quiet but a very nice man, so if he's with her I'm sure Kevin would like him also. I don't think all three of them together make as much noise as I do, though, LOL. I may have to do a little canning while you are here, though, as I don't think my garden is going to slow down while I visit... Meanwhile I've made AnnT's scones, they are waiting in the freezer for baking, and I just finished running the dough for pappardelle through the Atlas. I bought fresh local oyster mushrooms today at the farmer's market, as well as some sockeye salmon. I just need to mix up some spices for chicken chorizo to go in the shakshuka... Annie