mamster

Torakris, I agree with Pan--rock hard. You want the flesh to have crunch, not like the buttery texture of a ripe papaya. Getting a ripe papaya or mango when you were hoping for a green one is very disappointing. The key is to find a shop where they really care about sorting out the good (i.e., green) from the mushy ones. Even then, sometimes it's a gamble. A benriner is a fine way to shred a papaya. I can think of a couple of other ways, too. There's a tool made in Thailand specifically for doing this--it has a scalloped blade attached to a handle, and you pull it against the papaya repeatedly. Mine tends to clog, though. Another way is to make dozens of parallel cuts of the papaya with a knife (this is very relaxing, somehow) and then slice carefully across them to make thin spears.

They juice pretty well.

Parmigiano-Reggiano. Tillamook cheddar. Fish sauce.

Nancy Leson loves the place.

The other predictable characteristic is that it's unbelievably cheap. Once we took a big group out for Ethiopian and it came to $6 per person including tax and tip (only a couple of people had drinks). tighe, I've only tried a couple of the First Hill/CD Ethiopian spots, and I've heard some are better than Blue Nile, but Blue Nile is pretty good; I especially like their doro wot and lentil dishes. I agree that the place off Broadway (Queen Sheba) is quite bad.

I can answer this in three words: tod mun pla, Thai fish cakes. Grind whitefish and mix with shallot, chiles, garlic, cilantro, galangal, fish sauce, and perhaps a few long beans or other sort of greenery. Fry. Fall in love all over again.

It's definitely a rising star. At the supermarket I saw them for as much as $2.50 a pound, but at the Tonnemaker stand at the University Farmer's Market, they were less than a buck. I think my favorites are the Jonagolds, maybe Braeburn. And sometimes it's got to be a Granny.

Chinese food came up briefly in the interview, and she said basically that she loves it but doesn't think it translates as well into the American kitchen as French does. I suppose I agree with that. She did start asking me questions at one point.

My recollection is that JC did not think highly of the Fitch bio, and may even have claimed not to have read it, but I'm not positive about that.

I'm still going through a stack of grub shack business cards that I got free from staples.com in exchange for a lifetime of spam. They just say "mamster's grubshack, Matthew Amster-Burton," and my email address and URL. Plus there are some lemons, because it was food related.

As far as I know, Julia Child hasn't written a memoir. Simone Beck wrote a cookbook/memoir called Food and Friends. Is there a Julia Child memoir that somehow dropped completely off the radar? I think Jason has it right: the JJP is like one of those teen movies where the guy pretends to fall in love with the girl and by the end has actually fallen in love with the girl, but the girl thinks he's still pretending and spurns him, only to later forgive him as a Kenny Loggins song swells in the background. I guess we haven't gotten to the Kenny Loggins part yet, and maybe that is just as well, because I'm a little scared of Kenny Loggins. This is how it's going to go with me and Sara Moulton, also. -Dr. Shitty

I wish I had not been kidding about the McChoux de Bruxelles, because that would be funny. "Hey, these aren't McNuggets." The funny thing is, I think Jamie Oliver represents the "new basics" as well as anyone. He's eclectic and unabashedly internationalist, and JC thinks he's great. I have a feeling JC may still come around on JP; we'll see.

Bok choy (aka pac choi) is for making potstickers. Shred the leaves and stems separately, boil the leaves for one minutes and the stems for two, squeeze out the water, and mix with ground pork and a variety of seasonings and stuff into dumpling skins.

I noticed to my delight and horror that they sell Top Pot doughnuts now at the cafeteria at the west end of the UW medical school, which is mere feet from my office. I'm doomed. In fact, they're all over campus, at all the espresso carts. When US News and World Report does a story on students at UW gaining 27 pounds, you'll know why.

Seth, we didn't discuss that; I wish I'd brought it up. When I asked her about updating <i>Mastering</i>, I figured she'd say that <i>The Way to Cook</i> and <i>J&J: Cooking at Home</i> constituted updates, but she denied this and said that <i>Mastering</i> represents the basics and the basics don't change. docsconz, given the intro to <i>Mastering</i>, I was actually expecting her to dis Alice Waters more; I think she was more dissing a straw-man Alice Waters who believes that all ingredients should be organic, hand-foraged, and served lightly sauteed. I mean, <i>Mastering</i> does tell you a bit about how to select vegetables, and its recommendations are still pretty sound. The idea that Italian food isn't very interesting because they don't do much to the food is rather boggling, though, especially since I spent a day making lasagna bolognese about the time I did this interview.

Chocolat Chaud Serves 4 as Main Dish. This recipe comes from Pierre Herme. It's important to use a high quality cocoa such as Valrhona or Pernigotti. For the solid chocolate, I've had good luck with shavings from a big bar of Guittard, which runs about 60% cocoa solids; the original recipe calls for 70% bittersweet chocolate. In keeping with recipeGullet tradition, this recipe is given entirely by weight, which is by far the easiest way to measure it. 510 g whole milk 57 g water 60 g superfine sugar 100 g dark chocolate 28 g cocoa powder 1. Combine the milk, water, and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 2. Add the chocolate and cocoa powder and whisk together. Bring back to a simmer and whisk until slightly thick, bubbly, and the solids well dissolved. 3. If you are using an immersion blender (recommended), turn heat to low and blend in the saucepan for five minutes. 4. If you are using a regular blender, pour the mixture into the blender and blend on the highest setting for one minute. Hold the lid on tightly when starting the blender if you don't want to wear the drink. 5. Serve in four heated teacups. Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Dessert, Easy, French, Blender, Immersion Blender, Chocolate ( RG771 )

Chocolat Chaud Serves 4 as Main Dish. This recipe comes from Pierre Herme. It's important to use a high quality cocoa such as Valrhona or Pernigotti. For the solid chocolate, I've had good luck with shavings from a big bar of Guittard, which runs about 60% cocoa solids; the original recipe calls for 70% bittersweet chocolate. In keeping with recipeGullet tradition, this recipe is given entirely by weight, which is by far the easiest way to measure it. 510 g whole milk 57 g water 60 g superfine sugar 100 g dark chocolate 28 g cocoa powder 1. Combine the milk, water, and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 2. Add the chocolate and cocoa powder and whisk together. Bring back to a simmer and whisk until slightly thick, bubbly, and the solids well dissolved. 3. If you are using an immersion blender (recommended), turn heat to low and blend in the saucepan for five minutes. 4. If you are using a regular blender, pour the mixture into the blender and blend on the highest setting for one minute. Hold the lid on tightly when starting the blender if you don't want to wear the drink. 5. Serve in four heated teacups. Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Dessert, Easy, French, Blender, Immersion Blender, Chocolate ( RG771 )

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Pad Thai Interesting discussion on Pad Thai here Also, click here for a discussion and pictoral of Thai cooking, including Pad Thai. 2 T tamarind paste 3/4 c boiling water 3 T fish sauce 1 T rice vinegar 3 T sugar 3/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 c peanut oil 8 oz thin rice stick noodles 2 eggs 1/8 tsp kosher salt 12 oz shrimp, peeled 2 c water 1/4 c kosher salt 1 T minced garlic 3 T minced shallots 2 T minced preserved radish 6 T chopped roasted unsalted peanuts 3 c bean sprouts 5 scallions, sliced 1/4 c cilantro leaf lime wedges Make tamarind water by pouring boiling water over tamarind paste. Let sit for a few minutes, stir well, and strain. Discard the solids. To the tamarind water, add fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons oil. Soak noodles in hot tap water 20 minutes. Drain. Beat eggs with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Dissolve the 1/4 cup salt in 2 cups water, and brine the shrimp in this solution for up to 30 minutes. Drain the shrimp and dry well on paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12" skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add shrimp. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until nearly cooked through. Remove shrimp to plate. Add the last 1 tablespoon oil. Place over medium heat and add garlic and shallots. Stir constantly for 1.5 minutes. Add eggs and scramble 20 seconds. Add noodles and salted radish. Toss with two wooden spoons to combine with eggs. Add sauce and raise heat to high. Toss constantly until coated. Add 1/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts, most of the scallions, and shrimp. Toss 2-1/2 minutes or until noodles are tender. Add up to 2 tablespoons of water if it begins to look too dry. Transfer to platter. Top with remaining peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Optional: If you can get good dried shrimp, a couple of tablespoons added to the pan along with the noodles is a nice touch. Keywords: Thai, eGCI ( RG758 )

Pad Thai Interesting discussion on Pad Thai here Also, click here for a discussion and pictoral of Thai cooking, including Pad Thai. 2 T tamarind paste 3/4 c boiling water 3 T fish sauce 1 T rice vinegar 3 T sugar 3/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 c peanut oil 8 oz thin rice stick noodles 2 eggs 1/8 tsp kosher salt 12 oz shrimp, peeled 2 c water 1/4 c kosher salt 1 T minced garlic 3 T minced shallots 2 T minced preserved radish 6 T chopped roasted unsalted peanuts 3 c bean sprouts 5 scallions, sliced 1/4 c cilantro leaf lime wedges Make tamarind water by pouring boiling water over tamarind paste. Let sit for a few minutes, stir well, and strain. Discard the solids. To the tamarind water, add fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons oil. Soak noodles in hot tap water 20 minutes. Drain. Beat eggs with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Dissolve the 1/4 cup salt in 2 cups water, and brine the shrimp in this solution for up to 30 minutes. Drain the shrimp and dry well on paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12" skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add shrimp. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until nearly cooked through. Remove shrimp to plate. Add the last 1 tablespoon oil. Place over medium heat and add garlic and shallots. Stir constantly for 1.5 minutes. Add eggs and scramble 20 seconds. Add noodles and salted radish. Toss with two wooden spoons to combine with eggs. Add sauce and raise heat to high. Toss constantly until coated. Add 1/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts, most of the scallions, and shrimp. Toss 2-1/2 minutes or until noodles are tender. Add up to 2 tablespoons of water if it begins to look too dry. Transfer to platter. Top with remaining peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Optional: If you can get good dried shrimp, a couple of tablespoons added to the pan along with the noodles is a nice touch. Keywords: Thai, eGCI ( RG758 )

And tamarind is also used in the pim's massaman curry recipe, from the same course. I second the motion for agua fresca. You can drink it straight, or it's frankly delicious mixed with Sprite.

You can freeze it into ice cubes. You can also simmer it with some mirepoix and maybe some stock until reduced and freeze that into ice cubes; it might not be quite as versatile, but it's a very handy product to have on hand. In fact, I need to make some.

You spelled her name right...but the book is Cocolat.

If col klink is your sushi chef, that's a warning sign right there.

Three things jump to mind: 1. A wide selection of interesting and inexpensive wines by the glass (by the small or large pitcher, as at Seattle's Le Pichet, is even better). 2. High standards for charcuterie, whether made in house or not. 3. Great braised dishes. A talented hand with salad also helps.