Priscilla

Robert, I too most emphatically am NOT a technical baker, although I have, as an amateur baker seeking information, certainly benefited from their research. I didn’t even want to BE a baker at all! But once one begins it is apparently impossible to stop, and there is pleasure to be derived under the burden, I guess. I have read about Italian 00 flour, never used it. The King Arthur Flour people used to carry something in their catalogue that was supposed to be comparable. Any interest I have had in trying such a flour was for making fresh pasta, for which I have always used all-purpose. I have read about cutting the gluten content with pastry flour, as you describe. Recently I’ve noticed Mario Batali on his from-Italy show working with a bag of Barilla flour, and wondered if that was the elusive 00, and if it was available here in the U.S., as is other Barilla product. As for baking, when you say add a second layer of tiles, do you mean a second layer right on top of the first, or on another shelf? I use inexpensive unglazed tiles, too, on the floor of my oven, and the thought of a double layer, which has never occurred to me before this, seems as if it might both hold heat even better AND protect against scorching. Hmmmm possibly worth the few dollars’ investment to see! At least until I get my custom-built wood-fired oven in the back yard, that is. Priscilla

Robert, what kind of flour do you use for pizza dough? Do you think there is advantage in using a high-gluten flour and letting it rest and relax over using a lower-gluten flour in the first place? Priscilla

The bowls you describe, John, sound like the classic Revere Ware stainless with the hanging ring, or similar. Have a few myself I've picked up along the way--I like the shape of them for many jobs. The Rosti bowls referred to are Melamine or another hard plastic, groovy colorways, instantly recognizable as Scandinavian. Integral handles, no rings. Pursued by collectors, nowdays. At least one update came with a circular rubberized ring that sat on the counter, holding the bowl at an angle of the cook's choosing. Priscilla

Interesting article, Miss J. Turgid prose has got its place. The Rosti mixing bowl the writer cites is a design classic, but the tilty-ring to which he refers, and notes with some anger consumer rejection of, really was an unnecessary conceit. One of the beautiful things about a mixing bowl, conceptually, is that it is all of a piece, complete unto itself, nothing extraneous, separate, loseable. Not that there can’t or won’t be design improvements on the mixing bowl. As in cuisine, though, and I am sort of a Pollyanna on this account, innovation must justify its own existence. It must make sense, it must propel us even a little further along the historical continuum, it must represent improvement. The inescapable intrinsic subjectivity in defining all these ideas is assumed, fodder for continued debate. And what I was thinking of reading the essay was how Ikea is like a chain restaurant, knocking off and diluting and serving up lukewarm effigies of not-always-good design. World-wide! Priscilla

I like sauerkraut, too. However, last evening roasted a lamb loin, nice textural contrast between the loin and the tenderloin sides. Deglazement enriched with compound butter. Green-corn (differentiated from dry corn; mine was fresh white corn) pudding as Fritz makes it for Nero Wolfe, with the addition of diced roasted red bell pepper which if I have I put in this dish, glazed roasted beets. Bread. Priscilla

Is Tom Valenti's the recipe that David Rosengarten showcased on Taste?

I have asked to be moved to a different table when saddled with boring eavesdroppage. Tommy I didn't think you meant me. I think you are correct in pointing out mushy terminology hindering productive discussion. Isn't that what you were pointing out? Priscilla

no silly. i'm just saying that the incident wasn't an "eavesdropping" incident as much as an "over-hearing" incident. the distinction is probably important to the discussion. Hmmm. Eavesdropping connoting purposeful, possibly criminal but at least impolite listening in, overhearing connoting what-can-I-do-these-tables-are-so-effing-close-together-I-can-taste-their-food utter and complete blamelessness? Or, opposite? You are correct, Tommy. We need to define our terms. Priscilla

Can one really cook without getting some cuts and burns and whatnot? And once I stupidly neglected to remove my lovingly cheesecloth-wrapped bouquet garni before bunging a vegetable soup into the food processor for pureement. Just wasn't happening, at all. Priscilla

Um, you mean people are going off-topic? What should we do about this?

I consider eavesdropping one of life's little pleasures. (Do not tell my Mother this.) And it is so interesting, I think, how it varies among restaurants--how conversational culture varies from place to place. A restaurant we have frequented for years, an outwardly unprepossessing Japanese place with impeccable fish and everything else, has historically provided the most memorable eavesdroppage. And not just at the sushi bar, where the magical bonhomie often encourages eavesdropping to morph into actual conversation between strangers, which is nice, yes, but shoots one's eavesdropping straight to hell. Where have you found the best eavesdroppage? Priscilla

Suvir, I prepared this rice last evening. Due to your wonderfully detailed instructions, I believe, it was so good! I used green cardamom pods. Everyone at table loved it. Interesting how the cinnamon, just the one stick, ended up as the highest aromatic in the flavor profile, sweet and delicious. I wouldn't have guessed that in advance, and I am persnickety about the harshness cinnamon can impart to dishes, but this gave me new appreciation for its use. Thank you again for the recipe! Priscilla

Liza, wow hardcore, starting with dried hominy, no pun intended as I despise and decry wordplay. The recipe for posole the soup I was taught by a Mexican lady, such an excellent cook, calls for tinned, one (big old) can each of the whole non-degerminated and the degerminated, or whatever. Yep, Juanita's Brand, you know what I mean? If you are cooking a dried pulse or grain that seemingly will never tenderize, worldwithoutendamen, I attribute it to age of the ingredient, and I don't know if it's mitigatable. I mean, any overnight soaking question has gotta be just about moot, doesn't it, after 5 hours' cookage, for God's sake. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!!! Priscilla

Tommy your plate looks great not too watery at all the best marinara sauces are light light light, JUST LIKE YOURS. Of course heavier, heartier sauces have their place and time and dish, but often they elbow out the lighter more subtle ones, I think. I do love my food mill, this week used it for fava puree AND marinara, ON THE SAME EVENING!!! That's how much I love my food mill. Priscilla

Last night Niman Ranch rib-eyes cooked according to Alain Ducasse's method outlined in the NYT several weeks back, to good result. (Ref. 3-Star Chef topic over in General.) The basting with accumulated renderment and butter created such a good-tasting crust. While the steaks were taking their prescribed rest, fresh crispy finely-chopped scallions softened and browned in what remained in the cooking pan, later served over the sliced beef. Beet greens, a favorite veg, but in a new-to-me variety called Tall Top Wonder, I think the guy said, braised in cream. Mashed Yukon Gold potatoes from the organic guy at the farmer's market with a coupla garlic cloves cooked in. Nice little salad from the garden. Bread. Priscilla

Bruce Cole, coincidentally, if one believes in coincidence, haven't decided whether I do, or not, just this very evening I employed the Alain Ducasse method detailed in the recent NYT on a coupla very nice Niman Ranch thick-cut rib-eyes and it was, if I can speak for those at my table and I think I can, very good. Too-high heat is just plain old too-high heat, for so many things. You know how Emeril WILL remove the control knob from his appliance and brandish it about. But, is it the Niman Ranch thick-cut rib-eye or is it the method? Priscilla

Interesting you should point this out, Lullyloo. Seems to be a problem for a lotta restaurant reviewers, the repetitive use of a small list of descriptors. Some of 'em, reviewers, you can identify just by a word's occurrence, without having seen a byline. Signature style, would be a charitable explanation. Priscilla

Yeah, I buy a portion too, but what has been available to me is definitely sliceable, even interiorally. I would like to try the soft fresh. And pairs? Is it actually sold in pairs, and I have been shielded from this by interfering cheesemongers, not unlike Victorians hoping floor-length tableclothes protected us from impure thoughts? Priscilla

When I first saw this cheese I thought the resemblance to a big old straw-colored Hershey's Kiss was striking, and now it turns out there's a kiss reference in its story. Funny old world. A very nice cheese. Would like to know, Adam maybe you will tell me, how does one properly slice it for service. The shape makes it a little unwieldly, although folks seem to manage somehow, don't they? Priscilla

Yes. It's like what Bill Broonzy said, the Chicago blues guy, when somebody condescendingly asked him about so-called "folk" music, (and I paraphrase, on account of I can't remember exactly), "I guess all songs are folk songs, I never heard no horse sing 'em." I think it's the same with cuisine, without too belabored an extrapolation. The proof's always in the pud, whether it's a song or a dish on a plate. (Redundant?) The cheap eats guys, (and they always seem to be guys although I would welcome hearing of exceptions), do grate. The universal and eternal gratage of the holier-than-thou. Priscilla

Thank you so much Suvir! I lack only the green cardamom at the moment and then I am so there with this dish. I can just taste it reading the recipe. Priscilla

Wilfrid that sounds straight outta Elizabeth David. Very nice. With any tomato sauce, evaporation is the key to both consistency and flavor. Raw tomato sauce is a whole different, wonderful, trip. The way I was taught the One True Way to Marinara by an Italian chef who originated from Calabria, I think, but cooked in Sanremo, is: plum tomatoes, fresh or canned as season dictates, couple cloves of garlic whole, good hit of extra virgin olive oil, whole leaves of basil or another herb I like sage, salt and pepper, stir cook stir cook until reduced, remove garlic if desired, pass through a food mill, correct seasoning, done. It has never ever failed me. Marcella Hazan's way of looking for the oil to separate from the sauce as an indication of doneness sometimes works for me; I'd be interested to know if others use it. Her tomato sauce with bacon or pancetta and rosemary is very good, too. Priscilla

Sure, the article could have said something new. The dishes could have been more interesting. But Bittman said the magic word and said it loud: Butter. Teehee wanted to see what happened if I quoted Jinmyo's latest art installation. A. Bourdain in his inimitable way discussed the incredibly copious amounts of butter used in restaurant cooking way back in Kitchen Confidential, in a section dealing explicitly with differences between professional and home cookery, or how to make home cookery taste more like restaurant. Implied, I think, was the idea that Steve Klc addresses, that some diners do not consider the amount of butter used to prepare their meals. (And not just butter, I would submit; people who don't cook, and I further submit that our own extraordinary Cabrales is very much the exception that proves the rule, often don't know what's in their food, sometimes through sheer disinterest, sometimes through assumption. Not a crime, necessarily, but creates a problematically underinformed populace, I think. A topic all its own.) And I too sorta say what's the big deal. (Course I am down in solidarity with the not missing a chance to talk about butter.) One doesn't need helpers to peel and slice potatoes, and store them refrigerated in cream, and then later re-refrigerate the gratin itself. If these are more than pre-prep steps that any home cook could take I am missing something and would like to have the more part pointed out to me. I do not like to refrigerate potato dishes because of the sweet taste that develops, one of our scientists can probably explain why this happens, but I'm thinking if it's good enough for Liza and good enough for Montrachet I shall reexamine. Cream in critical mass can cover a thousand sins. Priscilla

Wow do I envy you all your ramps. Very good Bulgarian springtime lamb stew with fresh garlic greens, bet they were Bulgarian ramps, historically, don't you? Wonder if regular fresh garlic shoots at the farmer's market are comparable. Ain't wild, for one thing. Hmmm. Last night, quick and dirty, we had spaghetti carbonara from Mario Batali's recipe, which, over years of working on this dish, quizzing Italian cooks and researching and so forth, was almost instantly recognized as the archetype when we first made it--everything one wants in one's carbonara, with a lovely lightness on the palate. I think once again Mario's done all the work for us, like the good teacher he is. Unctuous heavyness is a problem among inferior carbonaras, in my experience, a real flavor-killer. Salad of cucumber and (peeled) tomatoes, thinly-sliced onion soaked in several changes of water to mildenate it as Marcella instructs, and red-wine vinegar briefly infused with garlic in the dressing. Frenchy-french baguette from the Vietnamese bakery which supplies the Persian market. Priscilla

Khare Masale Ke Chaawal, that's what he said. Over in Cooking's Peppercorn topic, I described a delicious Pakistani dish of rice and meat with whole spices, and Suvir recognized it, and well, now I'm wondering if you could, Suvir, outline a method of preparation. Could you also briefly, if possible, tell what sort of menu this dish would be a part of, or what it is classically served with? I imagine it's sometimes made without meat? And different kinds of meat? Priscilla