jayt90

Curious--Is the Johnson to whom you refer--Hugh? also--where did you see a "100 point rating" by Mr Johnson? thanks! ← Hugh Johnson has railed against the 100 point scale for years. He scoffs at a system that fails any score below 80, and has pointed out the inflationary and overly commercial need for higher numbers. A bit like many college grades.

I agree completely with Jason and Steve, but I was too conservative to reccommend riesling, traminer or even un-oaked chardonnay as I perceived a large "community" event, with many untrained or uncritical palates. What choice was made, Tammy?

I expect most of the people asking the question would be interested in something in the $15 and under category. ← Good Alsatians will start at $15, but there is excellent Chardonnay for less, including Chile, and some indiginous whites from Calabria and Sicily are another possibility.

Some old burgundies need an hour or two in the decanter to come around. And then they blossom for a half hour or so.

Chardonnay (Ca. or Aus.) or Pinot Blanc (Alscace) should work well. Do you have a price range in mind?

For a fast meal (weekday, not Sunday) I often use a bottled Teriyaki-Wasabi sauce from the huge box store. It makes a nice glaze on pork, or chicken, and the flavour is good.

I'll be disappointed if the labels of classed growth wines, first growth down to cru bourgeois, depart from the classic designs. Most buyers have had to learn what grapes and areas go into an AOC designation, and we have had tolearn the vintage charts, too. A back label with specific details, as in California or Australian wines, might be a good addition. But a popularized front label will defy tradition and re-iterate what has been mandated since 1855.

Let's face it, most clerks, whether in large chains or small indie shops, are bored with their jobs, and besides, just passing through. Some even do their homework, or read, or take calls from friends, or diss the customers. If the boss is around, they perform better, and many of the big firms actually train them to be nice. But if I find a shop with true service, and genuine interest from the clerk, they will get my business.

Rarely go to diners but I do remember the waitresses at Fran's on St Clair. They were wonderful, and I know why Glenn Gould ate there every night. The diner I remember best was the Knotty Pine, on the outskirts of London, Ont., by the Labatt estate. I watched a counter cook work with speed and precision; I was awed (a mere student) and I vowed to get there somehow. Never quite made it, but the experience was worth it....

Lining with crackling is a good idea. I don't see beans in the photo, or a crust of breadcrumbs, punched down and brownes several times. Can you decribe the ingredients?

I grew up eating codfish cakes, more or less a brandade to which mom would add an egg or two, then shape into patties and fry up. I'm sure she served these out of economy, but I loved them because they were delicious. ← James Beard was a fan, and had recipes in several books.

Aside from the worms, which could be avoided on purchase, I can see little merit in matching a rich seafood entree with pasta and asparagus. That would put me off fish, too!

There is a fascinating story in today's Globe about beefconnections.ca a group of farmers in central SW Ont. seliing their finished beef direct to the public, at 50 lb for $225. or $393 for a quarter. It comes wrapped and delivered, but there are specific details, available on the web site. They will deliver to the Toronto area, and other points, at specified times. The beef is range fed and near organic, almost like an AOC.

I only disagree with two points: (1) Ontario farmers have always referred to Peking ducks, although Pekin may well be correct; (2) I have never seen a duck breast from any of the breeds mentioned, or any other breed, that does not have a layer of fat under the skin, thicker than almost any chicken's.

It's not so much the source as it is the grade. A lot of people prefer medium-amber even though the lighter grades are more expensive. The sap gets progressively darker over the course of the season's run. Syrup from places that use wood-fired evaporators may have a slightly different taste, but that is most likely only available locally. Jim ← Gas fired is the norm now. If there are still some small operations using wood, the smoke could drift into the pan or kettle but they would try to avoid this, as there would be a slight smell, and a few sparks or debris in the syrup.

There is a glut of maple syrup in Quebec, because of poor marketing and an imposed control board. This has meant a constant price of $10/litre in Costco, over the last 8 years that I have been a member. It is grade B, and recently (two weeks ago) topped the list in a Toronto Star taste test. All the other brands were inferior and two or three times as costly.

I want to freshen this thread, because I have seen a more expensive type of salt cod in my local fish market: Gaspe salt cod, flattened, white, $11/lb. A Google check explains how this type of light salting, air drying, storing stacked, and finally sun bleached has a distinct flavour. I'll have to try it. But, has anybody looked into this; whether various origins or types of salt cod taste different?

When these knives were introduced, the caveat was "send to manufacturer or distributor. Cannot be sharpened by user". This may have changed, but I have not heard of a method of home sharpening. How long has it been before they got dull?

Where are there good shucking knives at low or reasonable cost? I have an ancient rusty knife, quite blunt, from Canal Street, and I think it is time for an upgrade.

A few pieces is better than a lot! I'm glad you have the CO detector. I would be more worried about restaurants with table grilling or cooking. We would have to depend on local codes, and whether they were being bent on a busy night.

Just to keep tabs on where some of the Pacific halibut goes, I purchased steaks from Sobeys, in Ontario, for $8. a pound, and they were quite good. It was a weekly special, and the fish counter expected to sell 120-150lb of 30lb fish delivered twice a week.

Charcoal burned indoors can produce an alarming amount of carbon monoxide. I wonder if there is a history of this with its increasing use in restaurants and homes. For my house, I would only use a charcoal burner with a CO detector. When I tried grilling steaks on a hibachi, under the range hood, the CO detector went off within 5 minutes.

I haven't bought the Waring Pro (w/rotisserie) yet, but am leaning toward it. The full fledged oven door is the clincher.

Xie, what type of wild dried Chinese mushrooms are available? I expect most of what we see in western Oriental or Chinese markets is cultivated and dried. Am I right?

Costco usually has a large container of dried porcini available. My local warehouse has it for $7.50, end of season, half the usual price, about 14 oz. if I recall. They are of Chinese origin, and fairly pungent. I find them to be very good if the stems are discarded.