so i made escargot in mushroom caps tonight. removed the mushroom stem and made a hole with a chef's knife for the escargot. there's got to be an easier way to hollow out that mushroom cap. does anyone know of a tool available to do this? i'm picturing a metal ice-cream type scoop, but in miniature. i looked around at a store tonight, but no luck --matt

In the South, particularly in south Louisiana and extending into Mississippi, the quality of a cook's red beans in a BIG DEAL. Trust me. There are contests and festivals. Family feuds have begun over disagreements about the ingredients. It's a TRADITION, and despite the inevitable emulsion that results as our world grows smaller and smaller, the South is an area whose inhabitants still embrace their precious traditions. Now that I think of it, perhaps traditions are more important now than ever, because of our shrinking, intermingled world. There is at least the illusion of security in tradition... But why red beans? Here's what Chef Emeril Lagasse has to say about that: "Monday wouldn't be Monday in Louisiana without red beans and rice. Legend has it that since Monday was traditionally wash day, an all-day affair before electric washers and dryers, a pot of red beans spent the morning simmering on the back of the stove. If there was a ham bone left over from Sunday's dinner, it was thrown into the pot of beans. The marrow from the cracked bone and a good amount of herbs and spices made the beans tasty; long cooking made them tender and creamy. When the laundry was done, so were the beans. Red beans ladled over fresh steamed rice with a pile of French bread for sopping up every last drop, this is the dish and the day of the week that transplanted Louisianians miss most..." 1 pound dried red beans 10 cups water (or more) 1 ham bone or ham hock 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup chopped scallions 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon Worcestershire 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon Creole/Cajun seasoning, such as Tony Chachere’s Crushed red pepper to taste Lemon juice, just a splash Tabasco sauce to taste 4 cups hot cooked rice Rinse beans well and drain them in a colander. If you remember to cover them with water and let them soak overnight, great. Otherwise, place beans in a large pot, cover them with water and "fast soak" by bringing to a boil and letting them stand off of the heat, covered, for 1 hour. Return the beans to the stove, add ham bone, garlic, onions, bell pepper and seasonings. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook very slowly, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Stir the entire mixture just once about every half hour. Add the smoked sausage and cook another hour, partially covered. Beans are ready to serve when a rich natural "gravy" is formed. (In case you’re tempted to omit the ham bone or ham hock, don’t. According to my friend, Sweet, that’s what gives the liquid it’s creamy consistency.) Serve over rice with garlic bread and a huge salad. How many hungry people will this recipe feed? Well, that depends…at least 4, maybe up to 8. How hungry are they? Lots of folks like to dress up their red beans by topping them with sliced scallions, and maybe even grated cheese. If that sounds good to you, do it! But please, don't serve this dish without good, crusty hot French bread, or maybe even garlic bread. Man, dat's good, yeah!