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Gifted Gourmet

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    Toast of the Town: the test to find the best

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Slate article

    I have taken it upon myself to seek out the best toaster. For the past several weeks, I have pushed eight toasters to the very limits of bread-browning. I have crammed oversized bagels into too-narrow slots. I have poured crumbs into the toasters and then tried to clean them. I have gingerly fished out English muffins .. I threw a toaster party as well, inviting over friends and family who, as it turns out, have strong opinions about toasters. People argued. Lines were drawn. Punches were thrown.

    The toasters which were tested:

    T-Fal Avanté Deluxe 4-Slice

    Michael Graves 2-Slice

    Dualit 4-Slice

    Cuisinart 4-Slice

    Proctor Silex 2-Slice

    Krups 2-Slice Digital

    KitchenAid Pro Line 2-Slice

    DeLonghi Aluminum 2-Slice

    Which was the winner and why?

    Did price equal quality?

    Do you own any of those listed here?

    Surreal! Serial Cereal Ingesters Run Amok!

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    Miami Herald article on the cereal restaurant business

    In the 55 days that The Cereal Bowl has been open, the three entrepreneurs behind the venture have learned more about their market than they ever did during months of industry research and poring over plans. It's not that they didn't do their homework, but their entrepreneurial crystal ball couldn't account for things like Little Leaguers, health freaks and catering opportunities'

    'We're trying to find ways to make money off this that were never budgeted for on our business plan,'' said Kenneth.The trio are also trying to figure out how to build on what appears to be their natural strengths -- youngsters and health aficionados

    The original plan expected more teenagers but it didn't turn out that way, it appears ... :hmmm:

    Magnetic Knife Strips

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    article here on issues with these

    The issue of knife storage came up in a recent post, specifically whether or not magnetic strips were a good way to keep one's knives.

    My mom says the strips pull the edge out of whack. Being a professional, she keeps her finest in a knife roll, and her "everyday" (which are pretty darn nice) in a wooden rack fashioned by my grandfather and screwed to the side of the wooden butcher block. I don't have that kind of space. We have a strip.

    So, does the knife strip pull the edge out of whack? :huh: I often wondered since they are so popular with chefs .. your experience on this? :rolleyes:

    Julia Child remains vibrantly interesting today

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    more reviews and insights from Barnes & Noble

    Filled with the beautiful black-and-white photographs that Paul loved to take when he was not battling bureaucrats, as well as family snapshots, this memoir is laced with wonderful stories about the French character, particularly in the world of food, and the way of life that Julia embraced so wholeheartedly. Above all, she reveals the kind of spirit and determination, the sheer love of cooking, andthe drive to share that with her fellow Americans that made her the extraordinary success she became.

    Le voici. Et bon appétit!

    Of course there is life after death ... why else do we watch reruns of old classics? :rolleyes:

    Julia Child remains vibrantly interesting today

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    ecookbooks

    My Life in France by Child, Julia with Prud'homme, Alex

    Hardcover - 336 page Published: March 2006

    This delightful memoir of Julia's years in Paris, Marseilles, and Provence opens with Paul and Julia--a tall, wide-eyed girl from Pasadena who can't cook and doesn't speak a word of French--disembarking in Le Havre, and ends with the launching of the two Mastering cookbooks and Julia wining the heart of American as "The French Chef."

    Begun several months before she died, My Life in France was completed by Paul's grandnephew Alex Prud'homme, based on hours of talks with Julia and on family letters. Funny, earthy, forthright--Julia is with us on every page as she relishes the French way of life that transformed her, and us.

    She is still with us in the best ways possible: her thoughts and retelling of her adventures that made her the Queen of Cooking ... Vive Julia! :wink:

    'Good To Go' new show coming: Paula's boys

    in Food Media & Arts

    Posted

    Paula Deen's website

    This is part of an interview with Jamie and Bobby Deen, the sons of Paula Deen, who will be hosts of their new show this fall. Called Good to Go, the show will focus on travel with a food focus. Say, wasn't it Ming Tsai who first coined the expression "Good to Go"? :hmmm: I could have sworn it was ...

    BD- It's titled 'Good To Go'. It will be a prime time show. It's a travel show, and not a traditional cooking show like Paula's.

    JD- It's the old 'Food Finds' premise with a different slant. We'll actually be in the businesses interacting with the owners.

    What are y'all looking forward to doing with the show?

    BD- Traveling, man. Seeing the country.

    JD- We'll have the opportunity to travel around and highlight small businesses. And we're excited to get to travel the country and meet small business owners who have great passion for their business like we do. Television is a powerful tool to use to grow through exposure.

    Sound like something worth your time?

    Read the interview if for no other reason than to see pictures of Paula Deen as she looked with dark hair ... :wink:

    Skorppio Vodka: Feel the Sting

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    from LiquorSnob

    It's produced and bottled in England, not a place we usually associate with the stingy creepy-crawlers, but we were intrigued by more than the arachnid in the bottle. This stuff is five times distilled from 100% single grain (wheat), and if you're curious about the scorpion:  These scorpions are farm raised, not wild. Their diet and environment is controlled to assure their good quality. The scorpions are processed for human consumption, according to high quality food preparation standards. The toxins that make the mild venom of these particular scorpions when alive, are broken down with a special process.

    If you are a regular vodka enthusiast, does this have some appeal to you?

    Does an insect in a bottle of alcohol bother you? Or are you fine with the tequila-worm issue already? :rolleyes:

    Easter/Passover in NJ

    in New Jersey: Dining

    Posted

    Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes (beans) as if they were chametz. All of these items are commonly used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. Such additional items are referred to as "kitniyot." We may not eat chametz during Pesach; we may not even own it or derive benefit from it
    Source of this information

    Jews who are observant do not consume any chametz during the days of Passover ... but there are two groups of Jews: Ashkenazic and Sephardic. The latter group is allowed to eat corn and rice and peas.

    When I say this is quite complicated, I am not kidding ... it still mystifies me after some 35+ years of koshering my kitchen for Passover ... :wink:

    Celebrity Chef Interview

    in Restaurant Life

    Posted

    Who was your inspiration and muse in becoming a chef?

    How do you deal with days in which you can find nothing inspiring you to make some new dish?

    What is your particular favorite ingredient among those you use that you like to work with best? and your least favorite?

    Who, for you, is your best audience or the people for whom you most like to cook?

    Do you think some people have un-tested tastebuds that just need to be awakened or if some people just are frightened by "new" foods?

    Which cooking technique is the best for you? Are you most into braising, roasting, smoking, etc?

    Passover 2006–

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    I have located the recipe -- chicken with apricots and currants -- and will post it tomorrow.

    Apparently it is from the Silver Palate Cookbook.

    Because of copyright issues, please do not post it from the book unless you have made significant changes in your preparation of the recipe. We do not have the option of posting recipes verbatim ... but, if you made changes, and if it became even better, then please do tell us about it! :wink:

    What We're Cooking for Shabbos: 2004 - 2006

    in Cooking

    Posted

    We had our pre-Passover Shabbos meal which means that we are in the process of cleaning out items and combining them in interesting ways:

    Soup made from a package of Manischewitz dry pea soup mix and from the freezer, leftover flanken and chicken which I had never bothered to defrost :hmmm:

    A green salad which used up my homemade dressing

    Gravlax from the freezer

    Chicken breasts with tomatoes, garlic, basil

    Couscous

    A Trader Joe's fruit compote ... to use up the dried apricots, orange-flavored cranberries, golden raisins and combined it with some lemon peel and Port

    Actually, given the circumstances, this was a very good meal .. and served its purpose of preparing for Passover ... :wink:

    Passover 2006–

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    This is all good advice.  But it seems in my experience that this particular charoset turns into more of a side dish that most people would assume, so make a little extra so it should go further.  :smile:

    My mother always assumes that charoses is an applesauce and that it should be served in bowls to everyone ... go figure! :laugh:

    Passover 2006–

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    -- How much does this recipe make?  I'm having 12 people at my seder and I'm assuming that I should just make the recipe as is and that will be enough.  Is that right?

    -- How far in advance can I prepare it?  I'm guessing that if I make it on Tuesday, it will be okay for Wednesday, right?

    First question, Cleo: I would say, because the Charoset is something which will be consumed on a matzah in the course of the seder story retelling, each person will only be using a tablespoon each (or maybe a bit more) so it is enough for 12 as you indicate. If it is really good charoset, and this is, then figure that some will be anxiously awaiting the meal itself ... should be more than enough for 12 ... 3 apples, 3 pears, and the other fruits will make a lot!

    Second question, Cleo: these fruits will turn brownish from the wine and being cut and the cinnamon ... I would make it during the day of the seder itself. In that way, the flavors will be more distinctive and less mushy as it sits in the wine .. which will facilitate disintegration if left too long. :huh:

    With a food processor, this doesn't take very long to make ... good luck with your second seder!

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