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I have found that the microwave oven is my best appliance for making syrups and candies. I put the ingredients in a large corningware casserole, allowing room for the sugar mixture to bubble up during cooking. I can remove the pot as often as needed to insert a candy thermometer or do a "soft ball" test. By comparison, when I cook syrups or candy in a pot on the stove, the stirring often causes crystalization of the sugar - which ruins the batch!

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Happy Holidays!

I have a bottle of Calvados: what do you think of substituting Calvados for Brandy? Salty Caramel Calvados Sauce??

In Albany, NY, forty years ago, a neighborhood bistro featured a chicken or veal dish with a calvados cream sauce. Does anyone have suggestions for how I might recreate this?

Any suggestions for using Calvados?

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author

I love Calvados and often use it place of brandy or Armagnac. I always use it in my chicken liver mousse (along with grated apples). Calvados cream sauce.... great idea.

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Dear Ruth: thank you for all your wonderful radio programs, TV specials, and most specially for your books. I loved the novels!

Reading your reviews and your recipes makes my mouth water and my spirit soar.

Happy Holidays!

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So sweet , a message from Melvin Master. Mr. Too Much Fun.

I have Four Seasons menus dating back to 1959 if you're interested, all of them.

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author

Definitely interested. Would love to see those menus!

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founding

I remember seeing that sharpening video years ago. I’m surprised it’s not on YouTube.

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Thanks for this gift of today's article. I loved reading the Terra menu from 1988 and appreciated, as you noted, the mashup of ingredients, and just how contemporary it seems today with the exception of the prices. Wishing you a wonderful holiday and looking forward to more gems like this in the new year!

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Thank you for the Chaya Menu! I was part of opening staff. Those were exciting times although I could never afford to eat there back then.

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Dec 23, 2022·edited Dec 24, 2022

Gianni Paoletti is still manning the stoves in Brentwood and still has one of Los Angeles’ best collections of older wines. He has since founded his own winery in Napa, Paoletti Estates Winery in Calistoga. Ken Frank is now up in Napa too with an updated version of La Toque. Spago is still around too with a great but pricey list but a sweet spot on Austrian wines for some unknown reason 😉

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Ah yes, the grand old days!! LA was the cutting edge of everything then. Thanks Ruth!!

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