A quick reminder: if you're asking about a recipe you saw on-air, please don't forget to include the station and/or Web site in your e-mail. If you're asking about a Mr. Food recipe, it can most likely be found at www.mrfood.com.

Q: I have noticed many chicken dishes prepared with "curry". I am afraid to try new spices. What is curry and can you compare a taste before I start to try something I may not like? -- Teresa

A: Curry powder is not actually a "pure" spice. It's actually a blend of up to 20 different spices, primarily coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon and red or black pepper. There are dozens of different types of curry powders and pastes. Penzey's, one of the larger online spice retailers, lists nine different ones for sale.

That said, there is a certain aroma and basic flavor common to all curries. However, trying to compare it to any other flavor is a recipe for disaster. Curry is ... curry. I love the stuff, especially scorching-hot curries like Vindaloo. Curries cover the entire spice spectrum from mild to oh-my-god-I'm-gonna-die-but-I-can't-stop-eating.

My advice to you is to find your nearest Indian or Thai restaurant, preferably a buffet. Sample a few dishes and see what you think. If nothing else, it will give you a great excuse for dinner out!

Q: I would like to know (in weight if possible) the difference in small, medium, and large potatoes and onions. Many recipes leave that judgment to the cook's expertise and I have none. --Ray Ellen

A: This is an excellent question! If you've ever been in the produce department when the gigantic yellow sweet onions, such as Texas 1015s, are ripe, you know full well how dramatically onions can differ in size. That's why I generally prefer recipes that call for a specific amount of onion, rather than relying on an eyeball judgment of size.

According to Onions USA, onions less than 1 inch in size are called creamers or boilers, small are 1 to 2 inches, medium are 2 to 3 ¼ inches, large are 3 ¼ to 4 inches, and above that the definitions get a little bombastic, up to "super colossal."

Potatoes are graded by lot, meaning the sizes are approximate and applied to each bag, rather than individual potatoes. Large potatoes are over 6 ounces, or at least 2 ½ inches in diameter. Mediums are 1 ½ to 2 ¼ inches, and smalls (or "baby") are anything less than 1 ½ inches.

Q: Hi! I was wondering if you would know of a recipe called Corn O'Brien, I know there's such a thing but I have looked in many cookbooks and even on the Internet and can't find it. I sure hope you can help me. --Chris

A: The exact origins are a little murky, but "O'Brien" is a name attached to several dishes based on corn, potatoes, scrambled eggs and other fairly bland bases. The "O'Brien" mix is equal parts of diced onions and bell pepper, usually with chopped bacon and pimentos added for taste and color. Potatoes O'Brien is a favorite breakfast food in my house, especially when I get bored with the usual hash browns.

Q: I had gastric bypass surgery in March. I'm on a very low-carb diet. Today a lady was on television and said she makes a low-carb french fry. She said they are called light fries. Can you find out the recipe? Thank you, Rosemarie

A: I've gotten a LOT of mail on this one, and I'm afraid the recipe is not available ... but the fries might soon be! Randy Blaun has applied for a patent for her dough made from cauliflower, egg whites and calcium caseinate. Supposedly, these cook up and taste remarkably like traditional spud-based fries.

Q: My mother used to make homemade pickled pigs' feet, but I've lost the recipe. Do you have one? --A.C. Tharp

A: Ah, HERE it is! I knew, what with the summer picnic season beginning, and all the odd picnic foods out there, something would come up.

Now, I've actually eaten pickled pigs' feet, and they're delicious. I will admit that they're a bit of an acquired taste, but if you don't want yours, I'll eat 'em. Here's a recipe courtesy of Chitterlings.com!

Ingredients

4 pigs' feet (split in half)
3 cups cider vinegar
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf

Wash the pigs feet thoroughly. Place in a pot with cold water along with the vinegar. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Add other ingredients and cook over medium heat until thoroughly done (approximately 2 ¼ hours).

Store in a container along with the liquid. If you have too much liquid, remove the cooked pigs feet and boil it down a little. Refrigerate. Serve cold.

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