ludja

Beautiful photos, MamaC. Thanks for sharing. I love the eggs decorated with little pieces of plants or flowers. Coincidentally, I was just reading about making these in one of my cookbooks. Here is their approach: Taka a small piece of fern, etc. Wet the plant and stick it to the egg. Carefully, without disturbing any plants stuck on the egg, place the egg within the toe of an old nylon stocking. After the egg is situated in the stocking, carefully tie off the stocking so that the egg is wrapped snuggly within the stocking. Dye the eggs, remove stocking and decorations. Does this work? Is this your trick for decorating the eggs in this fashion as well? For a centerpiece this year I was thinking of dying some eggs with natural dyes and I thnk the plant decorations would be really beautiful. Thank you!

They might also make nice adornments, applied judiciously, to crepes or french toast. Maybe the crepes would be nice stuffed with plain or slightly sweetend ricotta.

Interesting question, malcomjolley. Along the same lines, I wonder if anyone can comment on cookbooks published in German (from Germany, Switzerland or Austria). Are there serious, newer books that might include regional cooking and/or baking from the German-speaking countries for instance? Do celebrity chef's or well-known restaurant chefs have cookbooks? I have done some browsing on German Amazon but a perspective from someone living in one of these countries would be great. edited to add: Thanks for the links and information, Stephen W.

Thanks for sharing this soup, Live it Up! It really sounds great; I can picture how your family eats this often, and I look forward to trying it myself. I really like Mexican-style soups garnished with lime, cilantro, etc but this is an interesting twist from the versions I've seen that tend to be more in a clear broth style. What a great way to get your recommended weekly dose of lycopene and vitamin C! I like the combination of habeneros with tomatoes as well. It might also be interesting to try them (carefully!) as substitution for the chipotles. Edited to add my "welcome" as well.

Sounds like a wonderful combination. I know at least raspberries and strawberries are related to roses. White peaches too can have a wonderful rose scent. Your dessert idea reminded me of Herme's Ispahan Macaron: a rose macaron with a rose petal cream, fresh lychees and raspberries. Here's a photo: click

I've had nice ones, but I think many commercial versions can be less than great. I think they are historically associated most with England. article The article mentions that modern Australian versions have the same spices, chocolate in the dough and chocolate chips substituted for the currants. Also, here's an earlier thread on regional Easter cakes and breads: click

There are also some stunning examples (3 pages) on the CakeChef site: http://www.galette.info/recette/index.html ← What an interesting link, sanrensho! A "Club de la Galette de Rois"!?! The photos are spectacular. Thanks for sharing, bleu d'auvergne. The gugelhupf is a masterpiece that I want to put in my mouth right now. The photo of the Gateaux Breton is also amazing.

Wow, interesting about the fresh green peppercorns. I've never heard of their use before. With your mention of SE Asian groceries, Adam, I guess they are used in Thai cuisine among others? (Thanks for the photo.) In one of my Thai cookbooks that has some fusion recipes, there is a dessert recipe that uses tropical fruits (rambutan, logan and mango), brine-cured green peppercorns and fresh cilantro. Sounds like an interesting combination.

Hungarians like their tejszinhabb (whipped cream). Austrians too; as ludja's old sig said, "Immer mit Schlag." (Always with whipped cream.) ← jgarner53 shared this beautiful photo of a galette de rois here. The pastry is traditionally served on The Epiphany or Three King’s Day in France As far as I can tell it is very similar if not the same as a Pithivier. It is comprised of puff pastry dough and is filled with a frangipane or almond cream. (I have also seen variants with a hazelnut frangipane). For Three King's Day there is a small charm or feve baked in the cake which bestows "king status" for the day to the eater who finds it. After seeing her photo and description, I found this site that has blow by blow instructions for assembling the pastry. click

I've seen similar articles that rate the relative amounts of pesticides on different types of fruit and vegetable produce. Some produce is easier to clean as well or is eaten without the skin. I thought I had saved an article with a good list but can't seem to find it now.

Good luck with the new restaurant. It would be interesting to hear more of menu and concept later on.

Can you give us an idea of the types of ice cream flavors you are serving?

If you know what kitchenware he already has, some possibiliites are: a microplane grater, a japanese plastic mandoline-type slicer or a great pair of professional tongs (many uses, including turning meat in a pan).

I ususally don't order beef appetizers--and as you said, they seem to be less common. But I did have an interesting one that I recall that used an oxtail ragout and some type of seafood. I can't remember much more than that other than it the beef may have been flavored with star anise. (It was an Asian fusion preparation but variations could be thought of.) Bundnerfleish or Bresaola (dried beef from Germany and Italy, respectively) sliced very thinly may provide another base ingredient to use. It is probably too simple for a restaurant app but I often make a simple crostini layered with an arugula butter and then topped with slices of Bundnerfleish. (original idea from Kleinman and La Place's Cucina Rustica). Oh, that reminds me of a wonderful salad idea from Zuni Cookbook that could provide a starting point: Butter Lettuce with Bundnerfleisch or Bresaola in a coriander (dried and toasted) vinagrette. This is very delicious and makes me think that there might be a bunch of good salad ideas along these lines. Another salad idea is to take inspriration from German/Austrian meat salads. Served in a small portion these or a variation could be a great starter as they typically have some sour components from pickles, capers, anchovies, etc. These salads can be mayonnasie based or not. In the latter case, oil and vinegar are used. Austrian pumpkinseed oil could be interesting. Here are components of a typical German "fleischsalat": dill pickles, sliced onions, capers, parsley, mustard, cubed, boiled potatoes. The dressing or marinade might be: olive oil, vinegar and beef stock. Sliced, boiled egg could be added on top. The meat could be beef, veal or tongue and the opportunities for other flavorings or vegetables is long. edited to add: olives or hard cheeses could be other nice flavors to add to a beef salad as well as other pickeled vegetables

Thanks for the additional comments on the Cotton Country Collection. I've been lucky finding used books lately and found one that has been on my "list" for a long time: Mimi Sheraton's "The German Cookbook". I also picked up a copy of Viana La Place and Evan Kleiman's, "Cucina Fresca". I have really enjoyed and cooked a lot out of another book of theirs, "Cucina Rustica". Also found a remainder paper copy of "Saveur Cooks Authentic French". The photos are incredibly inspiring and there are also many good recipes that complement my the other French cookbooks in my collection.

You don't happen to have any recipe on the IMPERIAL TORTE, do you? ← No, and unfortunately I've not tasted one yet either! For other's, it is a signature cake from a venerable old hotel in Vienna. Do you know, Filipe, if the cake is only served at the hotel or have you seen it in other places as well? Here is a description from the hotel's website from which you can also purchase the cake: click

Your previious menus do indeed sound wonderful. Do you have the first Bayless book? There is a great sounding recipe for a salpicon in there--a cold chicken salad with vinegar and chiles and lots of other good things. We were just talking a bit about these in an intersesting thread on Yucatan food. Looking throught the Yucatan thread may give you some great ideas as well although it may require a bit of hunting to track down the recipes. Have you ever had or made a Mexican chicken soup? These are wonderful and could be fun to serve with all the additional condiments for people to add--freshly squeezed lime, avocado, radishes chiles, cilantro, etc.

If you would like to do something with sweet potato flavors I might ry something like this: roast butternut squash cut into medium-small dice. Season with salt and pepper. After roasting, toss with some butter in which some fresh sage leaves have briefly sauteed. Use a short pasta like fusilli or penne. Maybe add some sauteed onion and/or garlic. Or, omit the sage butter sauce and use olive oil and garlic and add some parmesean or some dry crumblled cheese like a ricotta salata. Another options would be caramelized onions or some roasted peppers. Season with red crushed pepper. Another flavor that goes well with roasted squash is bacon or pancetta. I like savory, salty, peppery flavors in combination with sweet potato/butternut squash. They provide a nice contrast to the inherently sweet flavors of the squash.

Adolph's used to be a reliable butcher for many years in the Hartford area. My aunt and uncle always bought our Christmas Day rib roast there. Are they still in business? I had heard there was an owner change at least 5-7 years ago and had also heard, indirectly, that some people felt the quality went downhill after that. Does anyone have more up to date information? edited to add: You probably saw or particpated in the thread on "Good Butchers in New England" but if not, maybe there is some info there. I don't remember if there was much input from CT folk though. Just to add another possibility to explore with a phone call at least. My family now uses a German butcher in Meriden called Noack's. It's one of the few left from the many that used to be open in Central and Southern CT even twenty years ago. My parent's buy German sausages and cold cuts there, not raw meat for cooking, but they do have a pretty big counter. You could give them a call and feel them out. They may have a good beef selection and/or may be able to order for you.

Pita breads filled with either a good vegetarian taboulleh with feta cheese or another taboulleh mix option that has cooked shrimp or chicken in it. Perhaps a hot harissa-type sauce as an optional condiment for adding on top. You could stuff these to order if you have two people working. I have a nice (non-authentic) version that has lots of basil and some mint in it besides. (I also add, in addition to the feta, carrots, tomatoes, and radishes.) If you want the particular recipe, let me know. Another Vietnamese option--spicy Banh Mi sandwiches, vegetarian tofu version and sliced pork version.

Or looked at another way, the prices for these three examples are 40-50% higher in Manhattan than in Raleigh.

← Not just foolish, but if it is a direct case of copying and no attribution, it is also immoral and independently wrong whether or not one is caught. I think I learned this distinction as a child when my parents taught me that it was wrong to cheat or lie independent of being caught or even if I felt the ends justified the means. I think it is important to note that all awards and accolades were received or decided well before his trip to the US. This is not a statement of defence, but a statement of fact. Speculate from it what you will. ← I'm glad that the chef received awards before this incident and that you also pointed it out here. Perhaps it will aid, in some measure, in rebuilding his reputation and more concretely, it may indicate that he has the means to independently and creatively make his own way in this field.

Here is a less well known but very typical dessert from Vienna that is on my list to make: "Wiener Weinschnitten" Literally "Viennese Wine Slices" these are puffy crepes folded over a generous and thick filling of an Austrian white wine chilled zabaglione-type concoction (Weinchadeau) that is folded with a generous amount of "Schlag" or whipped cream. Drink this with a "Kleiner Brauner" (demitass of espresso w/a dash of milk) at your next Kaffeklatsch... Check out this gorgeous photo at Saveur online: click And here's a recipe: Wiener Weinschnitten (Hmmm.... maybe these would be nice for Easter...) edited to add: Here is a thread on "Favorite Austrian and Hungarian Tortes and Pastries": click

I haven't compared the results side by side, but another option for addiing rose flavoring is to use rose geranium leaves. I've successfully used these to scent a vanilla custard sauce which I served with pound cake. (I've also heard suggested uses where you lay and store leaves on or around a finished warm cake to flavor it with rose.)

Yum, that sounds like a great combination. Thanks for sharing it. I could also picture lime, maybe kirsch, as a flavor variant in the pineapple filling.