>  ML> Swisher does that too, giving me hope that he
>  ML> defects from the army of the Eats or at least be
>  ML> a sort of double agent.
> That started out as an act of desperation.  I wanted to make some hamhocks and
> beans.  Couldn't find hocks at the store, but I found some hog jowl bacon.

Good start. So in Alaska they trim their hog jowl bacon?

> Problem is that there's none of that yummy stuff like cartlidge/marrow in
> bacon.  So I pondered it a bit and dumped in some gelatin.  Now I'll
> willy-nilly add it to things if I intend to use the liquid for something other
> than to provide wet heat.  I've found some small jars of frozen

This underscores the important practice of keeping every
scrap of rind of whatever kind of bacon you get.

> somethingorother, I now label jars, in the freezer.  They're becoming the
> liquid I add to rice, always an adventure.  I keep threatening myself that I'll
> fiddle with other thickeners.  

Rice wants a thin liquid - perhaps diluting your 
somethingorother with water is in order. If you use 
all heavily jellied stuff, water doesn't penetrate
the grains quickly enough, so you have to use more
liquid and cook for a longer time, risking bottom
scorch and other ailments.

> Sorry, I'll never be a cook.  I don't follow recipes well.

Heh, I don't follow recipes at all.

 If I can produce something that's close to edible to me, that's
> close enough, and I have low standards.  I've since discovered that Freddies

That would tell me that you're not a proper Eat!

> hides their hocks in the freezer section, so I have some suckie bagged. 
> Although I've grown accustomed to jowl's now, I have a pound or two in the
> freezer also.

>       Title: Mos' Nilly Guacamole
>       4 oz Feta cheese

Mmm, feta in guacamole. Why didn't I think of that? Oh.

Ismail Merchant's Very Hot Chicken Soup
caegories: Indianish, New Yorkish, main, poultry
servings: 4

3 lb chicken, whole or quartered
5 c water or as needed, no more than 6
8 whole cloves
1 in fresh ginger, peeled and crushed or minced
2 whole dried hot red chili peppers
- or 1/2 to 1 1/2 ts dried red pepper flakes, to taste
2 Tb olive oil or unsalted butter
2 sm fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
3/4 salt or to taste
1/2 ts coarsely ground black pepper or to taste
fresh cilantro or parsley leaves to garnish

Put the chicken in a straight-sided 3-to-5 qt nonreactive 
pot, and add just enough water to cover. It should not 
take more than 6 c. If it does, cut the chicken in 
quarters so no more water will be needed.

Add all the other ingredients except for garnish, using 
the minimum amounts of chili pepper, salt, and black 
pepper for the first 25 min of cooking time. Simmer 
gently, partly covered, for 15 min, adding water if 
necessary to maintain original level.

Taste for seasoning and cautiously add more chili, salt, 
and black pepper. Continue to cook for another 20 to 
25 min, until chicken is just about falling off the bones. 
Keep adding water to maintain original level. Remove 
cooked chicken, cloves, and chili pepper stems, if any. 
Pick the chicken meat from the bones, discard skin and 
bones and return small chunks of chicken to the soup. 
Garnish with cilantro or parsley leaves.

Ismail Merchant via Mimi Sheraton via Suzanne Hamlin