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woodburner

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Posts posted by woodburner

  1. Magnets won't stick to stainless steel...

    from the All Clad website:

    Features and Benefits:

    Beautifully polished, magnetic stainless exterior layer.

    Pure aluminum core that not only covers the bottom of the pan but also extends up the sides. This allows for great heat conductivity as well as an even heat distribution so you won’t have “hot spots” when cooking.

    Stainless steel interior layer/cooking surface.

    Long, polished stainless, stay cool handles.

    The handles on your All-Clad are secured with sturdy, non-corrosive rivets.

    Polished stainless steel lids that fit even with the pan’s edges to seal in the flavor of your foods.

    The All-Clad Stainless collection is compatible with an Induction stove top (with the exception of a few pieces) in addition to gas and electric stovetops.

    The Stainless collection is dishwasher safe excluding those pieces with a non-stick cooking surface.

    woodburner

  2. bump

    Arpege Eggs with Maple Syrup

    Lacking an egg topper, I was able to use a very sharp knife and carefully making a slit in the egg shell and then by using cuticle scissors, the top one third shell was easily removed.

    Now as for simmering the open top shells, sans the egg white, how to keep the shells upright in the water bath without tipping.

    My solution is to hot glue a small piece of Velcro to the bottom of the shell and then glue another piece of Velcro to a magnet. Using a stainless saucepan, put the magnet with the Velcro attached on the bottom of the pan, and mount the eggshell so the Velcro pieces are secure. Fill pan with simmering water and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes.

    Sound about right?

    woodburner

    When reality and ideology meet, reality will always win out.

  3. Rub a dub dub. I've got two butts, a pair of brisket flats, and 6 racks of baby backs bathing in hickory smoke right now, on this warm and sunny Sunday morning.

    Plust... Yesterday I placed my order for a butchered half hog. Delivery next Friday.

    whoa!!!

    woodburner

  4. It's not how you roast it, it's what chicken you roast.

    3 1/2 lb optimum, never over 4 lbs.

    And I agree with Jack,

    Low temp, though I go a bit higher like 200ºf

    Flash the skin at the very end

    woodburner

  5. Anybody up for cold smoking a cured boneless Turkey Breast? I've had a few from Harry and David (mail order source) that were cured, and smoked. Both had a wonderful hint of smoke flavor with a slightly salty taste, just short of a smoke ham flavor.

    I would like to do something similar.

    woodburner

  6. From an old newsgroup posting, I have no idea of the contributors names

    You will find Horchatas made from Chufa in most areas of Spain . It

    remains a very popular and refreshing summer drink. This is the real deal,

    the authentic and ancient recipe for Horchata from Chufa. Trust me on this

    one, Horchata made from Chufa nut tastes nothing like Mexican Horchata made

    from rice. Don't confuse the two because they are VERY different. And I have

    to add this little bit of funny: In Spain this drink is accompanied by a

    'farton', a foot long donut-like pastry to dunk in. Oh yeah, I'll have a

    farton.

    1 lb. Chufas

    1 Cup Sugar (or to taste)

    2.3 Quarts of Water

    1 Cinnamon Stick

    a.. Bathe your naked Chufas very well, rubbing and rinsing them in

    clean water. If you find them having little hairy fibers, get them off.

    b.. When they are completely clean, drown them for 14 hours in cold

    water. (make good and sure they stay under.)

    c.. Rinse the naughty little Chufas in clean water, until it is

    completely clear, then drain.

    d.. Mash the Chufa or put them in a blender - to make them into a

    soft paste. Add a little water if needed. (Some have told me that it MUST

    be done with a mortar and pestle. I say Yeah, right.)

    e.. Add the 2.5 qt of water to the paste that you have made and put

    in the cinnamon stick. Stir and let it sit in a cool place (I have heard

    fridges are cold) for 2 hours.

    f.. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.

    g.. Strain the mix through a metal mesh filter, and then through a

    wet, damp cheesy fine-cloth. Repeat until the strained liquid does not have

    any particles left. Particle man, particle man.

    h.. You now have a fine, cloudy-milky liquid that keeps in the

    fridge for about four days.

    Try: Serve the Horchata in slushy form as you would ice-cream. Simply

    put it in the freezer, scraping the sides off and stirring occasionally or

    it will freeze ice solid. Those freezing liquid cup thingies work well

    History

    As a drink process, removing grain and nut oils and tasty nutrients

    and mixing them with water is nothing new. All cultures have done it like,

    well, forever. But the Horchata - Chufa style - has its origin in ancient

    Egypt. Chufa is one of the earliest domesticated crops and in fact, was

    found in vases and used in the embalming methods in the tombs of the

    Egyptian pharaohs. The Chufa nut was widely used in Egypt and Sudan. The

    Arabs dragged the plant by excessive force to Spain during the time of the

    Moorish kings (700 B.C. a 1200 A.D.). The eastern Spanish province of

    Valencia was the best environment for growing Chufa. (remember Valencia:

    oranges, and Chufa nuts. Oh, and sausages, and paellas, and..)

    This nut is like psycho good for your health, with high levels of iron

    and potassium. It does not contain sodium, is very low in fat content, and

    is valued for its minerals and vitamins.

    Wild and unfounded conclusions: The Egyptians knew something of the

    awesome life preserving qualities of this little tuber. The Spaniards

    picked up this information second hand. (Think fountain of life...) The

    honorary title "drink of the gods" pops up. Plus I feel really good when I

    plant my extra long straw in and vacuum my tanker dry. You be the judge.

    Technical details

    Chufa - Tiger nut (cyperaceae cyperus esculentus) are the tiny,

    tuberous roots of a Middle-Eastern plant of the sedge family. In other

    words, the Chufa (pronounced CHOO-fah) "nuts" are basically the little pea

    sized roots of a middle eastern / African plant, that looks kind of basic

    brown. It has a basic off-white flesh that you would suspect. In other

    words if you hit an almond with a hammer you get similar pasty goo.

    Technical enough?

    Horchata

    Horchata De Melon (Melon-Seed Drink)

    Iced Almond Drink ( Almond Horchata )

    Rice Water (Horchata)

    * Exported from MasterCook Mac *

    Horchata

    Recipe By :

    Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

    Categories :

    Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

    -------- ------------ --------------------------------

    1 cup Rice, washed

    2 quart Water

    1 Cinnamon stick

    Sugar to taste

    Mix together all ingredients; let stand 3 hours. Simmer for 1/2 hour.

    Puree in a blender and strain through a cloth. Taste for sweetness

    and add sugar if necessary. Chill and serve over ice.

    * Exported from MasterCook Mac *

    Horchata De Melon (Melon-Seed Drink)

    Recipe By : Recipes from the Regional Cooks of Mexico- Diana Kennedy

    Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

    Categories :

    Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

    -------- ------------ --------------------------------

    1 Cantaloupe

    -----FOR EACH 1 CUP FRUIT-----

    1 cup Cold water

    1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar -- or to taste

    1 1/2 tsp Lime juice -- or to taste

    Scrape the center fleshy part from 1 cantaloupe, seeds and juice

    included, into a measuring cup, and for every cup add 1 cup cold water,

    1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice.

    Put all the ingredients together into a blender jar and blend until very

    smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator for a minimum of 5 hours, then

    strain through a fine strainer and serve over ice cubes.

    * Exported from MasterCook Mac *

    Iced Almond Drink ( Almond Horchata )

    Recipe By : Gourmet Mag. 4/97

    Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

    Categories : Cheese

    Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

    -------- ------------ --------------------------------

    1 cup Blanched whole almonds

    2 cup Boiling water

    1 Inch piece cinnamon stick

    1/3 cup Sugar or to taste

    1 Lime zest, freshly grated

    2 cup Ice PLUS additional for

    Glasses

    In a blender combine all ingredients except ice and let stand in blender

    5 minutes. Blend mixture on low speed and gradually work up to high

    speed (use caution when blending hot liquids). Blend mixture on high

    speed 3 minutes. Add 2 cups ice and blend until melted. Pour mixture

    through a large sieve lined with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth

    into a bowl, stirring and discard solids. Fill 4 tall glasses with

    additional ice and horchata. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and lime

    zest. Note* The flavor of horchata improves if made 1 day in ahead and

    chilled, covered.

    * Exported from MasterCook Mac *

    Rice Water (Horchata)

    Recipe By : "Frida's Fiestas" by Guadalupe Rivera

    Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

    Categories : * ERMC Interesting

    Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

    -------- ------------ --------------------------------

    3 cup rice

    3 cup milk

    3 cinnamon sticks -- broken in pieces

    and lightly toasted in a skillet

    1 1/4 cup sugar

    6 cup water

    Place rice in a bowl, add water to cover by at least an inch and soak

    for 3 hours. Drain the rice. Working in batches if necessary, puree the

    rice with the milk and cinnamon. Strain the mixture, discard the rice

    pulp and reserve the liquid. Dissolve the sugar in water. Combine the

    rice liquid with the sugar water. Serve cold or over ice.

    Makes 10 servings.

    woodburner

  7. I'd love to join in this Sunday, but to no avail... due to circumstances beyond my control etc..

    I'm no proclaimed expert but I do like to apply rubs at different stages of the cooking cycle as well as prior to the smoke.

    Another tip I like is when using brown sugars in my rubs, because of moisture content in the sugar it tends to clump when applying to any meats in general, ribs in particuliar. This problem is easily eliminated by placing brown sugar in the top half of a double boiler pan with slowly simmering water in the bottom pan on top of the stove. Stir periodically so the sugar does not burn and the moisture is released. Allowing in the end the brown sugar to become granular and very easy to apply in rubs without clumping and mixing with other dry spices.

    woodburner

  8. Drying or "seasoning" the wood is NOT necessary. HKDave is correct. To smoke properly one soaks the dry wood first in water anyway, so that it doesn't burn right away and smokes instead. Ray

    nope.

    Soaking wood in water??

    By doing that provides nothing to the end product.

    Your smokin rope.

    woodburner

  9. I've brined beef chuck roasts on a few occasions and would agree with the synopsis, of flavor enhancer. I've read other peeps say that beef turns mushy when brined, that has not been my experience.

    While I must say, that about 4 hours has been my uppermost limit regarding brine time with beef.

    woodburner

  10. The Restaurant at the Italian American Community Center provides reasonable priced dinners with pretty good Italian fare often overlooked by visitors but supported by many locals. Located somewhat between Schenectady and Albany but just inside the Albany limits.

    Lombardo's is also an Albany Landmark Valet parking is a nice touch in the city on the weekend with very attentive service with very good food and wine. 20 may be pushing the limits but worth a call.

    Albany Times Union has an online review site if you need some more help.

    edit to add: Mark has some great suggestions, which I am just trying to offer a few others that might interest you

    woodburner

  11. BSCB (boneless skinless chicken breasts) are prefered by retail shoppers by about 2 to 1 over whole chickens even though the latter is most often cheaper and very easy to debone and de-skin. So the producers raise, what the retailers want.

    Blame the soccer mom's and dad's for that.

    In the 1930's the average retail deboning-broiler chicken size, was 3.5 pounds, jumping to 4.5lbs. in the mid 1980's and then hurdling to 5.5lbs in 2004.

    It's more profitable for producers to grow less larger birds, than more smaller birds.

    Sooo, what's the problem with big breast's?

    woodburner

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