For those unfamiliar with Nalgene bottles, they are plastic transluscent water jugs that athletes carry with them when they exercise. Here’s a pic:Here’s my thing with Nalgene bottles: Lauren has a ton of them. She’s always filling up and carrying around her Nalgene bottle. “Is this Nalgene bottle clean or dirty?” she’ll say, holding up…

Dear Tara,You challenged me to make Thai Chicken Barley Risotto. Now behold my splendor:And now that you’ve been conquered, do you dare reciprocate? Will you attempt to take my title? Avail yourself and prepare to meet thy doom.Sincerely,The Amateur “Champ” Gourmet

Yesterday, I went to Kroger and used the automated checkout. Do you have this in your city?Basically, you scan your own items and put them in the bag. Everything goes smoothly unless you remove the bag prematurely and place the bag in your cart.”Please place the item back in the bag,” says the automated voice.”Excuse…

Several days ago, in the comments section of my vanilla ice cream post, site reader McColl wrote: “The first ice cream recipe I tried was from a June 2000 Atlantic Monthly article by Corby Kummer (a great food writer) called Toscanini’s Burnt-Caramel Ice Cream. It’s still available on-line, I think. It is absolutely, I mean…

“I’ll be taking my meal in the dining room, Jeeves,” says Lolita.”Yes ma’am, right away.”

Today I had planned to take Tara up on her challenge, making her elaborate Thai Chicken Barley Risotto. But, alas, it was Easter and Publix was closed.Was this part of Tara’s plan?Amateur Gourmet investigators have attempted to reach Tara for comment, but she refuses to take our calls. A few basic facts have developed:1. Today…

Site reader Elise, in the comments for my first sorbet post, asks: “How do you maintain your girlish figure with all of this delcious food?”A lot of people ask me this. It’s the fourth most common question I’m asked, after “Why are you punching that muppet?”The simple answer is: although I don’t watch what I…

Well, look, here’s the strategery:If I had waited to make the lemon thyme sorbet from last night, could I make burnt caramel ice cream later? Surely not. That bucket’s gotta freeze.So, crack o’dawn this morning (around 11:30 am) I removed my freezer bowl and poured in the lemon thyme syrup.Twenty minutes later, she was done:Check…

If there is one question I get asked more than any other it would have to be: “Why are you naked in our nursing home?”But if there is another question I get asked more than any other, it is surely: “How do you manage your website and attend law school all at the same time?”Tonight…

This morning I decided to remove my starter from the fridge, where it has lain in a state of cyrogenic preservation like Dr. Evil.Here’s what I saw:Is it dead pa?Well, hmmm, it looks a little like death:But we stirred it up, poured out the two cups for the feeding and saw–to our vast delight–bubbles!That’s a…