Last night I tried a roast lemon chicken recipe from a back issue of Cook's Illustrated. The pan sauce turned out to be lots of burnt drippings and a total nightmare for poor Jeff, the dishwasher. I didn't even try to make a sauce out of it- it would've tasted of char.

The chicken, however, which was brined, rubbed with melted butter, and cooked at 375 for 40 minutes breast down, then at 425 for 35 minutes breast up, was beautifully delicious. I've added roasting a chicken to the list of things I can do incredibly well.

Speaking of Cook's Illustrated, I have found myself with a spare copy of the current issue. (The one that features the world's Greatest Spinach Lasagne.) Email hmeehan(AT)h0tmail.com if you have never seen an issue of Cook's Illustrated, and want to know what it's all about. I warn you, you may get hooked.

Speaking of hooked on Cook's Illustrated, I was commenting this morning on how, if I had $200 to spare, I'd get the 11 year set of bound issues.

Then Jeff sang, "If I had two hundred dollars/
and you were my lady/
I'd buy you 11 years/
worth of Cook's Illustrated."

I don't think anything funnier can happen today.