Dear Matt:

I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said that cochinita pibil tastes the same when baked in an oven or a wood-fired pit in the ground.   The in-ground method produces a slightly smoky flavor and supple texture that you'll never get in an oven.  That said, how many of us have the time or wherewithall to do the pit thing?  And that's okay, because cochinita pibil in an oven (or a slow-cooker, for that matter) is a truely delicious thing.  Bones matter, perhaps, even more than the pit.  They add so much flavor.  So be sure to use a bone-in pork shoulder roast for your cochinita pibil.  And, if you're ever going to serve a crowd, buy a suckling pig.  The additional flavor you get from the trotters (and head!) are incredible.

Hi Aimee,

That recipe is on the web site under Recipes - Main Dishes.  Hope you enjoy it.

Deb

Hi Sonia,

The container boxes that we use are called earthboxes.  Check out their web site for more information about the system and where to buy.  They'll be featured in next month's newsletter as my sustainability item.  There's also a link to Growning Connections on their site.  Growing Connections is a charitable organization that provides earthboxes to schools and community gardens around the world.  The web address for Earthbox is:  www.earthbox.com 

Good luck with your garden.

Deb

Hi Kevin,

Glad you're such a loyal viewer.  In answer to your question, avocados do have fat, but it's a healthy fat, monounsaturated.  One ounce of avocado is about 50 calories.  From a nutrition standpoint, they contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, fiber, iron, and potassium, along with lutein and beta-carotene.

Deb

Hi Judy,

Here's the link to the Cafe Tacuba-Style Creamy Chicken Enchiladas recipe that Rick made on the Moveable Feast PBS special.  I've posted it under recipes - casual fare.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=167

This recipe is as fabulous as it looks ... enjoy.

Deb

Hi Robin,

This was a recipe invented by Rick's dad and it happens to be one of Deann (Rick's wife) favorites.  The recipe is in "Rick & Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures" cookbook.  The pickles are stuffed with shredded cheese, mayo and pimento.  Rick describes it as like stuffed celery, but made with dill pickles.  Enjoy!

Deb

Hi Chris,

Actually, we do bring one couple with us on our staff trip every year.  The opportunity to join us is a silent auction item at the evening benefit dinner for the Frontera Farmers Foundation.  This year's event will be held on Sunday, June 14th.  If you're not familiar with the foundation you can get more information on our web site.  Should you have the winning bid this year, you can join us for the 2010 trip. 

Deb

Hi Christy,

I’m sorry to say that the avocado scoop is no longer being manufactured.  It's a long and convoluted story, but the short version is that our partner for this specialty line was Copco/Wilton and in the 1 ½ years that the line was available, the company was sold several times.  During the last sale, the decision was made to no longer market our product line.  We’re in the process of looking for a new partner, so that products like the avocado scoop and the chile roaster will be available again.   

Deb

Hi Dana,

At this point, we haven't posted any of our shows on line, but we're looking into it.  However, I'm sending you this link to the CREATETV web site which also carries our show.  On their website you can check to see if our show is carried on one of their local TV channels. The station locator drop down menu is on the left side, middle of the page.  You can also contacting your local PBS station to let them know that you'd like them to start airing the show. Local PBS stations make decisions on which programs to buy based on what their viewers have expressed an interest in.  Thanks for taking the time to write us.

Deb

http://createtv.com/CreateProgram.nsf/ScheduleLookup?ReadForm

Deb

Hi Silvia,

This is a question that we get a lot because the grill looks so amazing.  It's made by Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, but there's more to this grill than just good looks. The one that's installed in Rick's backyard (Model 900HB) is their hybrid grill, which can use either charcoal, wood or gas. There's many options available, so check out their web site for more information. 

http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/

Deb

It sounds to me like a "reposado" is the type of tequila you should be drinking.  Reposados are tequilas that are slightly aged and tend to be soft and smooth while retaining some agave characteristics.  Oro Azul and Tres Mugeres reposados offer slightly different characteristics.  They're both very good sipping tequilas and not very expensive.

Carlos Alferez    Managing Partner Frontera Grill/Topolobampo and Tequila Expert

Dear Kavita,

For something really special, consider our Frontera Wine Dinner series. I start the evening off with a demo in our upstairs test kitchen - margarita included. Then our sommelier Jill Gubesch takes over and pairs wine with a one-of-a-kind four course dinner.

Hope you can join us!

RB

Since this is actually two recipes and the cook's notes would be helpful if you've never made cajeta before, I'm going to refer you to the Authenic Mexican cookbook.   You'll find the recipe for cajeta on page 293 .  You can substitute tequila for the grain alcohol.  The recipe for Crepas con Cajeta starts on page 294.  This is a great recipe for a dinner party since most of the steps can be made ahead of time.  Enjoy. 

Hi Kristin,

Thanks for your question.  The iron that Rick used in the Ice Cream Social Episode from Season 6 is called a Krumkake Iron.  You'll find the link to buying this iron on our web site under the Television tab.  Click on Resources and Playlists and scroll down to Episode 6.  There you'll find the link to Amazon.  We try and list most of the unusual kitchen items by show. 

Dear Seth:

... Stayed tuned. We just wrapped up the Chicago shoot of Season 7 of our show - and it may have included some delicious homeade flour tortillas.