ludja

Has anyone ever tasted a gentian-flavored schapps or eau de vie? This would be from Austria, Switzerland, N. Italy, Germany or France... I've only heard of it but wonder what it tastes like? (I believe it's made from the root of the gentian flower...)

Pray describe a little more. Belly or strips? ← Ludja, Do you mean at Fanueil Hall? If so, I will have to check it out. :) Pam ← Wattacetti pointed out this idea--the clam guy for fresh cherrystones at a good price. He (she?) mentions that the stall is located at boston haymarket. This is an open air market right near Quincy Market/Fanueil Hall. If you haven't been it is well worth checking out for lots of good buys on fruits, vegs, flowers, etc and lots of atmosphere.

a goodly wedge cut off the Italian coffe torrone I got for Christmas (Torrone artigianale al caffe). I'm trying to eat just a portion each day...

Fresh shucked cherrystones, but only available on the week-ends (something about a day job). Toppings were available (variety of hot sauces and some lemon wedges) but I just sucked them back plain. Last time I was there, they were 12/$5 USD; I think I handed over a couple of Andrew Jacksons before I was dragged away. ← Thanks wattacetti, sounds great. I was also thinking it might be a good place to get fried clam bellies. Amazingly, until pretty recently, I'd only had clam strips and am on the look out for places (besides the places on the North shore) for the bellies. I love cherrystones also though, so it's good to know.

The city will pick up three types of garbage from us--recycleable plastic, tin and glass, newspapers, everything else.

Also, if you use fresh pumpkin, there are varieties out there that are better and worse for eating. i.e. the regular jack o lantern pumpkins are not the best for eating. I think one of the more easily available "eating pumpkin" varieties is called sugar pumpkin. (I've sidestepped this "dilemma" by switching to sweet potato pies...)

Pray describe a little more. Belly or strips?

please report, I have to admit this combo is straining my imagination... (not that I don't believe nullomodo, but it would be interesting to have a second opinion on this... )

I am confused.. When you say crust you are refferring to the entire top of the pizza.. Or actually just around the edges. ← As mentioned above, you want the entire pizza (bottom and edge crust) to cook in 3-4 minutes so that the seafood does not overcook... (i.e. if the pizza took 10 minutes to cook the seafood would be rubbery!) I like shrimp pizzas and also traditional New England It-American white pizzas-- garlic, olive oil, chopped up fresh clams with their juice, oregano, parmesean, black and red pepper...

During my last visit to New Mexico I ate some very good New Mexican food at two new places (for me) in Abq--one surprising, one not. The surprising spot was at the top of Sandia Peak (via the Gondola) in the restaurant up there called "High Finance". We took the ride up for the snowy landscape and views but I was hungary and got a bowl of green chile stew. It was very good! (I had green chile on a couple of other occasions on the trip and it was one of the best). A word of warning though--it's not a New Mexican restaurant--they just happen to have green chile stew on there--also; I haven't eaten anything else there besided Manhattans... high finance link The other place is not as surprising a place to find good New Mexican food, although it was my first time there-- "Barelas Coffee House 1502 Fourth SW, 843-7577 · $ · (new mexican) Meals Served: Breakfast · Lunch The Best New Mexican Restaurant in Albuquerque, according to our readers, and the place to get the Best Posole, too. You'd better get to Barelas early on Saturday morning if you don't want to have to wait in line for a table. This homey New Mexican joint is popular and though it's much bigger inside than you can tell from the street, regulars pack the place tighter than a tamale. Barelas is known for huevos rancheros and they are tasty here, slathered in particularly good red chile. If the weather's nice, you can ask for a seat on the shady patio." Barelas Coffeshop link I got a great bowl of green here; my friend got a great carne adovada enchilada. He's lived in Abq for over 10 years, loves N. Mexican food and proclaimed this the best red he's had...

A great lemonade variation is as follows: for 1 glass juice of half a large lemon 2 Tbs sugar ( or to taste) pinch of salt add some water to dissolve add ice cubes and fill to top with club soda The pinch of salt is key; this makes a wonderfully addictive 'lemon soda' It's similar to Vietnamese drinks that use preserved salty lemons.

I always add a knob of butter and perhaps a little more stock into the risotto right after I take it off the heat... (per reading Marcella Hazan). When I was looking up the link to different risotto rices I came across this link--there's actually an Italian phrase for adding butter in at the end! link

Here's a little article on arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano and a rice I haven't heard of, baldo: Italian short grained rice .

That's my basic method as well. ie. toast the rice, first liquid added is wine (white or red)-- finish with parm and butter at the end. I almost always include finely diced onions as well. Tomato risottos are one my favorites. They are great to have on their own; also great as a side dish and also good for coating leftovers w/breadcrumbs the next day and frying up in patties. Great flavors to add to tomato risottos: fennel (also good on its own) basil shrimp pancetta hot pepper green olives I've always used arborio rice so far. It would be fun to compare side by side with other Italian short grained rices also used in Italy for risotto as Ms. Melkor mentions-- carnaroli and vialone.

From Austria we bring back... different flavored mustards in tubes pumpkinseed oil Julius Meinl coffee wines -- including a very regional wine from Styria-- Schilcher which is a very dry refreshing rose. also--good schnapps (or 'eau de vie)-- pear, gentian, walnut

I had the fortune of being in Philly near New Year's and got to fulfill a year long yen for tasting the famed Philly pork sandwich!!! (after hearing it described here) We stopped in to the RTM and had one at Dinic's--with the aged provolone and broccoli rabe... It was heaven!!! Another thing that makes the sandwich is the bit of spiciness from red pepper flakes... I will try to replicate this back home now and will look forward to another Philly trip to compare sandwiches at the other places!

Sorry for being a little vague--this recipe just has the creme fraiche and cheese. The recipe says that you could also sub regular cream for the creme fraiche but I've always used the latter.... it's good! edited to add: Thanks for the photos fifi--they should inspire anyone to make a gratin if they haven't yet...

Yum... great thread. I need to try a pure recipe like yours--just cream, milk and garlic. My first gratins were from Patricia Well's Bistro Cooking and they've been so good I haven't strayed much... The first one is more similar to the classic you describe above. Differences--rub halved garlic clove over inside of dish. Layer with half of potatoes; then a layer of creme fraiche dollops and grated gruyere cheese, s&p. Then repeat with a second layer. Cook at ~ 350 for ~ 50-60 min until golden brown. (Use about 1 cup of creme fraiche and 1 cup of gruyere cheese for ~ 2-3 lbs of thinly sliced potatoes). The other from her book that I've used alot when I want a less rich gratin to go with a creamy sauced dish: layers thinly sliced potatoes, thin rings of red peppers and zucchini. Flavor pan wtih garlic and olive oil and tuck in fresh bits of thyme between the layers. (This is called "Gratin Grand Mere" in her book). There are a bunch of other great gratin recipes in this book by the way!

Acme--- Walnut Wheat Rye Olive Bread

Yup, just noticed this at Thanksgiving--ever since I can remember it has been 2 quarts of ice cream; I was very angry when I saw this. Also at T-day I was shopping for Jimmy Dean sausage for stuffing--and they decreased the pkg from 16 oz to 12 oz. It was very easy to notice just by looking at the packaging. I bought the supermarket brand which was still 16 oz.

two new ones for me... Jasper White's, New England Cooking & David Bouley's, East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube. both fulfillments of wishes on my Christmas list...

Mmmm.. I love caramel cake; sounds like a nice one for the holidays... Lane Cake is a 3 layer white cake. The filling for the layers is a custardy type mix (egg yolks, sugar and butter) further enriched w/chopped pecans, raisins, coconut, bourbon. The cake is iced with an Italian meringue.

There's a very good recipe in Lindsey Shere's "Chez Panisse Desserts". She and Alice Waters were one of the first to serve dishes w/Meyer lemons in at Chez Panisse. 3 Meyer Lemons (~ 3/4 lb) (juice and zest from) 1 cup sugar 1 cup half and half 6 egg yolks 3 cups whipping cream vanilla extract to taste. Steep strips of peel (with no pith) of one lemon in a pan w/the sugar and half and half. Heat to just under boiling, stir to dissolve sugar, then remove from heat and let sit for ~ 15 min. Make a custard w/the egg yolks and half and half mix. (Temper eggs; then add back into cream mix and cook on stove until you have a thin custard). Strain mixture and add in finely grated zest of the other two lemons. Let steep for 15 min. Add in cream. Add ~ 9 Tbs of lemon juice; taste and adjust w/more if you like. Add a few drops of vanilla. Chill for several hours before making ice cream.

Thank you for your time on our forum Chef Adria. As a chemist, I was curious as to the extent that chemical principles vs pure experimentation have a hand in achieving, if not guiding, your creations. If chemical principles are used in part, how have you (or others that work with you) learned them? I would think that some chemical principles are learned in good cooking schools but wonder how much farther you and others go in this training and how you achieve the training. Does El Bulli ever employ or work with chemistry consultants? Regards, ludja

Thanks for sharing your careful experimentation with us Heikki. Grapefruit is variable here as well--it's sometimes difficult to find yellow grapefruits; lots of Texas red grapefruits which are sweeter...