bague25

Jan, Where are you based? I find the ingredients you mention in Brussels (not in bulk though).

Panaderia Canadiense, Not on but in. Patrel is a dish made in the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat. I have a recipe but in French here. It's a paste of spiced chickpea flour that's rolled, steamed, sliced (and sometimes fried) and then served.

I can think of two leaves that I have used that have not yet been mentioned: - Dried lotus leaves - Taro leaves

I do too! I try to recognize odours, those that are familiar and those that are not. When I was a kid my mother and I had a game, whenever she added ingredients to what she was cooking (and I was too small to see what she was putting in), she asked me to detect the spices, etc.. That was great way to train my nose to analyse odours and flavours. I must say that now, I can identify ingredients better that some of my foddie friends. Sometimes there is an amazing difference between smell and taste…

I have recently brought this grinder. It's more powerful compared to a Sumeet (750W instead of a 550W). I live in Belgium, so it's a 220V but it's also available in 110V. I have used this to make spice pastes, chutneys (including nut chutneys) and for grinding grains. I find it really impressive. I have not used the juicer attachment and I've read that it's not too efficient.

A few cedar balls in the can closed?

Pam, You could you the dried petals to provide "bulk" for the stuffing and add some essential oil or rose water if you are worried about the flavour.

Meilleur du Chef has them. They ship to Belgium so I guess they do to the UK too: http://www.meilleurduchef.com/cgi/mdc/l/fr/boutique/produits/moule_cannele/

I've never tried it , but did you heat it up in an oven?

I agree totally with what you say about indicative information, so I think that nutritional facts in weight or volume are fine. Maybe potato crisps are a bad example Maybe heavier crisps like nachos and wasabi peas are a better example. It's just the "serving size" calculation that seems so irrational...

In Europe, in general, you have nutritional facts by weight or volume (100g or 100ml), as well as in serving sizes. But I agree the serving sizes are ridiculously small, like 20g of potato crisps !!! Sometimes though, for example for cookies, you have a per piece break-up.

Besides Jaloa and Bon Bon, I would also recommend Brasserie La Paix.

In my opinion, the best way to switch is NOT to try and convert. A weighing scale and a graduated bowl will get you started. Then when you're comfortable with the metric system, you can try to find or make equivalents. It can be easier. This has been my experience when I arrived in France from India 16 years ago.

I've made it with rhubarb and it's super!

That's correct, Chris. Depending on the region in which you are it could be vagar, tadka, chouwnk or poppu.

Thierry Marx does a Bar à l'âge de pierre au cacao: Recipe here in French: http://www.adelyhs.com/detail_recette.htm?RECETTE=2691 Fish dusted in cacao powder and cooked in clay, the casing is broken in front of the client - nice effect and fish cooked to perfection. ETA: link to the picture: http://www.chazallet.com/blog/restaurant/c...epas-071019.asp

hansjoakim This post of the famous blogger from Bordeaux, Anne Lataillade gives some pointers

For those in Brussels, Belgium. Slow Food has a foraging + cooking class on Sunday 24. http://www.karikol.be/spip.php?article10

I agree with this last suggestion. Go ahead and infuse your cream with it, but adding it on top might give it a stronger presence if that's what the customer wants. I wonder, though, how it would survive the torching. I suppose with enough sugar it would be enough of a barrier to prevent or lessen any burning of the spice. Or perhaps caramelize the sugar first and then do a light dusting with the spice? ← Has anyone added spices to the sugar that's caramelized on top of the custard? Would it taste burnt or boost the flavor? ← No, but I've made Indian nut brittles (chikki) and added cardamom powder at the end of the cooking before the caramel sets - I guess you could do this for crème brûlée too - but you've got to work quickly before the caramel sets. Maybe a small spray of cardamom oil would help intensify flavour - I just wonder if your customer may just go from not enough to too much flavour Good luck!

OK - I've gotten the subtle cardamom flavor with the fresh spice from Penzey's last night. Customer wants a bold flavor. Thoughts? ← How about sprinkling some powdered cardamom on the ice cream before serving or on the crème brûlée before adding the sugar and caramelizing it?

Suvir Saran's mint chutney is here in Recipe Gullet

Docsconz Thank you for sharing your journey! You've made very nice pictures and your posts are descriptive

Milagai I buy pur asafoetida powder (brown in color) from my local herborist (health) store. You should probably try health stores. I threw my vandevi hing brand in the garbage when I got this... Irishcream Unfortunately there is no substitute - I sure you'd get at least the compounded hing in Indian ethnic stores around you.

If it's a solid lump, just scape bits you need with a knife or use a microplane type grater... I've also heard of a paste - does anyone have details?

"a bird without the 'party' or "celebration'"? This might be the phrase in French for a plucked bird or else it may collogquially imply a plucked bird. Anyway, it was funny to see you mention this since I was just reading a bit about "meat birds" the other week! (The Slavink looks delcious; than you for sharing it with us.) ← Ludja It's called oiseaux sans "tête" (not fête)... birds without a "head"...Cruel but that's what's it supposed to ressemble