itch22

Kikkoman or Pearl Bridge? One example of several questions that arise when trying to choose which brands are best in Asian grocery stores. Trial and error seems to be the only methode. Anyone have any favourite brands or recommends any paticular products?

When I prepare dinner for large groups of people, or people other than my immediate family I get nervous. Especially if I have little or no experience with a certain recipe.

You find the rice/starch helps eleminate the bitterness? I always just used salted water.

Egg rolls, fried wontons (or wonton soup), duck (exactly what recipe I have yet to decide), drunken chicken, and a few vegitable dishes (still undecided buy will most likely include almond guy ding).

Taking everyone's great advice, I made the bolognese with very little tomato and milk (among many other changes) but it was not as well liked as my original recipe. I liked the new one, but I can't say which was better because they were so different. I think I will try to find a middle ground between the traditional meat ragu and the American tomato version. *EDITED for spelling.

I heard that the Chablis region is a good source of lightly oaked Chardonnay. Would you agree, and if so are there any estates that stand out in your mind?

Julia Child has a GREAT recipe for glazed turnips! Blanch them in boiling salted water. Brown them in pork fat. Then braise them for about an hour in beef broth with butter and sugar, boiling down the liquid at the end to creat a syrupy glaze. They are fork tender and taste delicious! I know turnip haters who've been converted by this recipe.

Taste very good with pasta Elie I agree! However, with all of these variations I wonder what acctually defines a bolognese sauce. Definitions aside, all of these variations are great tasting!

I prefer to use tagliatelle, but at times I use fuscilli, rigatoni*, or rotini*. Sometimes I even use ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinich. *In the wide array of pasta types I think I got those two right.

My recipe, which is really a combination of a few, adds the wine just after browning the meat to burn off the alcohal. The cream is added last, shortly before serving. EDITED for spelling.

I have never read this, what seasoning does she use? Red or white wine? Does she add cream?

The basics are ground beef, ground pork, carrot, celery, onion, bacon or pancetta, beef stock, and ground tomatos. However, variations include bay leaves, tomato paste, white wine, red wine, cream, etc... What are your recipes, thoughts, techniques... ?

Yes, I too would like to see a tutorial posted. I have a basic recipe, but a thorough tutorial could be really interesting!

As I get more into wine, I am trying to learn more about the estates and vintages. I tried a variety of searches on the internet but came up short. Here is an example: The label gives the following information... Merlot 2000 Bordeaux Christian Moueix Product of France "Merlot" is the style and "2000" is the vintage, this I know. I ASSUME that "bordeaux" is the region, and "Christian Moueix" is the estate. I did dozens of searchs on the internet but returned only a few reviews, lots of wine buying websites, and a home page for one of Christian's estates (Dominus). Dominus, of course, is not the estate that specifically makes their Merlot. Or, if it is, they do not mention their merlot among their wines. Where can I go to learn more about the stories behind the wine I buy and drink? Tips for web searches, frequented websites or magazines, books, critics' websites, any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

Acctually I do salt the eggplant and let it set to drain before frying, however I will try tilting it. I may also try grilling it and compare the results.

I have a recipe for a gratin that calls for the ingredients to be lightly sauted in EVOO prior to being layered. One of these items being eggplant. The recipe, by Julia Child, calls for only two tablespoons of oil. I get about halfway through the recommended amount of eggplant, and all the oil is gone (having been absorbed by the eggplant). How can I avoid this? Adding more oil only makes the dish greasy.

I use whole cranberries, and add orange zest and ruby port.

I was in the local Vintages/LCBO store looking for a bottle of port for cooking. On the left was a $20.00 bottle, which most run-of-the-mill port goes for. Then, on the right, are bottles ranging from $60.00 to $100.00. Though I persoanlly would not use a $100 bottle or even a $60 bottle of port or anything else in cooking, what about you? The old adage is, if you wouldn't drink it then don't cook with it. What is the most expenisve you've used?

I was thinking nothing less. If Kitchen AId or Cusinart made it, it'd be far too expensive. I learned along time ago as a photographer/film maker, anything made for a specific industry that is "trendy" is outragously priced. A horrific example would be a camera saddle used to steady a camera. In Canada they go for over $500 a piece and yet all they are is large bean bag. Anyone who can use a sowing machine can make one.

Marlene, I tried the lower temp and it provided a great jus which I blended into the apple cider/mustard gravy I made. It went over very well. I added the potatos too late so they could have cooked longer. I purchased an oven thermometer, and then found out the oven I was using was an additional 50F higher than the dial. (So all this time I was acctually roasting at 450F.) Over the course of the next week I am shopping around for a blow torch.

Perhaps the parchment limits the open space between the top of the food and the lid? Most lids are domed shape. (This is a guess, by the way.) (Edited for grammer.)

jackal10, I want to try that method some time, simply because it will give me an excuse to buy and use a blow torch!

I'll try the lower temperature this Sunday. Thanks for the advice. I'd be lost without eGullet's forums.

I use a stainless steel roasting pan and the oven is set anywhere from 350F to 400F depending on the cut or type of meat. EDIT: And I use a conventional electric oven. I want a gas stove but I am waiting till we buy our house in a couple of years.

On Sundays I cook for a large family composed of my inlaws and friends. To make things simple, I usually roast a large piece of meat (lamb, beek, pork, a bird, etc...). The meat 90% of the time turns out great, brown and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. My problem is, most of the time the jus burns or solids in the jus burn. No matter how I try and salvage it, I (and only I, it seems) can taste the burnt taste in the background of the gravy made from teh jus. I don't use a rack, instead I set the meat on a couple of uncut carrots or its removed bones, something that will insulate the bottom of the pan and add flavour. I regulate the tempature so it is just hot enough to brown the outside. I do not add any liquid, however, to the pan for fear of steaming the meat instead of raosting it. Any adivce?