canadiancook

My first restaurant job, actually my first job period, was at Umbertino's at 49th and Oak. This was a chain of casual/fast food restaurants started by Umberto Menghi. I started at 14 years old (I think around 1987) and was there for about two years. I worked with a lot of fun people there too. I have fond memories of the guys from cyclone Taylor sports across the street who used to come in for lunch all the time and were always had a good story to tell. I also remember trading lasagna for ice cream with the people at Baskin Robins next door. I smoked my first joint there as well - after a shift out in the alley. I'll also never forget being the first one in one particular morning. I opened the front door and the alarm went off. The night manager had closed up without locking the door. Within 30 seconds the cops were frisking me and sat me in their car. I had no ID and had to wait for the day manager, who happened to be late this morning, to come in and vouch for me before the cops let me go. I also remember the times when Umberto himself would come in to check up on things. Everyone would panic because he supposedly had a very hot temper. I had never actually seen it happen but thats what others told me. The first time seeing him pull up to the place in his Ferrari was a little surreal. It was such a big deal around the restaurant, with everyone running around like it was some rock star or movie star coming in. Eventually Umberto franchised all the restaurants and the quality and management started to suffer.

Well I finally got a digital camera so here are my first couple of posted pictures. From a couple nights ago - Mushroom Risotto with White Truffle Oil This was my fist attempt at a Souffle. This one is chocolate which I did as a trial run this morning using a small batch of the recipe. The texture was good but it could have used more chocolate. I'll be making more for dessert tonight.

Just to add more confusion here is another variation. this is my grandmother's method that she learned from her mother. She makes risotto specifcally for the arancine because she usually makes large batches and then freezes them. She doesn't use saffron to colour the rice but uses a bit of the tomato sauce from the ragu : a substitute borne from poverty - I prefer the saffron. The rice is arborio and the risotto is finished off with lots of butter and parmigiano - no egg. The filling is veal ragu, along with the peas and mozzarella. The rice is left to cool until it is just above room temperature and then are formed into cone shape using wetted hands. She doesn't dip the arancine in flour/egg/crumbs combination. The moisture from forming the balls with wetted hands makes the rice sufficiently sticky enough to make the fine breadcrumbs adhere without dipping in egg. They can be put in the fridge for a little while to set or put in the freezer to use within 3 months. She fries them in lard: again this came from the poverty thing, lard was cheaper than olive oil but she still continues to use lard even though poverty has ceased to be an issue for my grandparents since coming to Canada over 40 years ago - of course frying in olive oil would probably provide a better result. If she started with frozen ones she just places in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes after frying to make sure the filling is thoroughly heated and the cheese is totally melted inside. So to sum up 1) no egg in the rice, 2) no egg dip for breadcrumbs and 3) no leftover/day old rice. I have tried my grandmother's recipe a few times and never get as good a result as she does. I always have problems with the rice: sometimes to wet, sometimes to dry and then I end up trying to adjust the consistency of the rice after it cools. This seems to be one of those things like baking bread. You have to devlop a feel for it where you just know the right consistency. Most of my grandmother's recipes dont have measurements. They are more like descriptions: add enough flour..., add enough cheese..., add enough water... One day I hope to have a revelation and understand what "enough" means. edited for grammar and spelling

I love the stuff. Also like Brio Chinotto too. I find that the bitterness and the fact that it is not so sweet as coke makes it actually thirst quenching. Most of my friends wouldn't touch this stuff though.

The last time I bought sausage at Cioffi's they were underseasoned. Otherwise it is fairly consistent. Good butchers as well. I find their butchers to be more knowledgable and helpful than many of the other places I usually go. Unfortunately its a long drive for me from Richmond, but I go out there when its time to re-stock the pantry with imported pasta, tomatos, olive oil, etc. They also have a good selection of frozen pastas.

My grandpaerents go back to their home in Sicily every year and always bring back flavourings and extracts for baking that are hard to find in Canada or are of poor quality when they can be found. These include orange blossom water, mille fiori, cinnamon (which seems to be of higher quality or fresher), almond paste, etc. They also bring back some sweets like Paste di Mandorla (almond cookies). In addition to sweets and baking stuff, the tuna they bring back is also very good.

The GOOD The biggest savings I found for me, being a pet owner, is the dog food. The savings on two large bags of dog food alone cover the cost of membership. Since I have two dogs we go through a bag a month. So for me it is worthwile. The organic greens at $5, papery products, dairy and some of the cheese are good deals. The meat can be pretty reasonable as well. I got a good price on my eyeglasses and contact lenses, but shitty service. The BAD The sheer number of people in the store and at the check out lines is pretty brutal. For me, shooping at Costco is not really enjoyable the way shopping at Cioffi's or my local produce market is. It is a necessary evil (well, not really necessary) that I have to prepare my self for and get into the Costco state of mind. That means being prepared to plow my way through the idiots who stop right in the middle of the aisle with their buggy on an angle so that no one can pass on either side of them. Or the families of five who walk side by side at a snail's pace, blocking the entire aisle. Also, not everything is a bargain. Do your homework. The UGLY Being rudely pushed aside by the slobbering masses so that they can shove another free sample of cheese filled wieners down their blow hole is not exactly my idea of a relaxing Saturday, so avoid the afternoons because that is when the army of processed food peddlers seems to be out in full force.

Seinfeld: George's Pudding Skin Singles

I am also a big fan of the anchovy fillets. I also like encrusting lamb with some grainy mustard and a mix of crushed pistachios and breadcrumbs.

I don't know much about chinese cooking, but this sounds to me like a blanching process to remove impurities,blood proteins, etc. thus resulting in a clean tasting and clear broth. The water should only just be brought back to the boil in order to avoid extracting too much flavour.

Well than I have seen it several times, just not the begining of it I guess. I love how a lot of the time the first 2-3 minutes of the show has almost nothing to do with the main story line of the rest of the show.

And I thought there wasn't a single Simpson's episode I haven't seen. I got to keep my eye open for this one. Best show ever.

Is the Ikea cafetria seriously good?...or at least good for a cafetria? Everytime I am there I always consider going in but something in the back of my head keeps saying there has got to be something wrong when they charge less than $5 for a salmon dinner. You're right about White Spot burgers though. They are burger shaped, but they don't technically taste like a burger should. I have to admit I actually like these things almost to the point where I could become addicted if I didn't limit myself to maybe 4 or 5 of them a year. Must have something to do with the "Triple O" sauce - what the hell does "Triple O" even mean. Isn't it just mayo and red relish. By the way, I have seen a wine list at White Spot. I was up in Fort St John on business and went in for dinner. Wine list had about 12 choices, mostly Australian (banrock station, lindemans. etc) but the only thing they actually had behind the bar was Conchy'a Toro Merlot.

Were doing a potluck type of party this year but I'm supplying the main part of the half-time meal. I'm making BBQ ribs and improvising some southern style beans. I made the BBQ sauce tonight: onion, garlic, chipotle, pureed tomato, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, molasses and cayenne. I prepped the ribs today. Put them in a brine/marinade to sit overnight. (shallots, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar). I also smoked a couple of ham hocks today that I will use for my beans tomorrow. I will also be using some smoked bacon and chorizo for the beans. Tomorrow I'll slow cook the ribs on the BBQ for about 2-3 hours at 225 F. The beans should take about 1 1/2 hours. I've never done true southern BBQ before. I hope it all works out. My usual method for ribs is to steam them first and then finish on the grill with commercial sauce. I know...very wrong. Somebody taught me that method a long time ago but I promise to never do it again.

Hungarian Goulash