jayt90

[chuckle] Well, if you'd rather stain your own personal copy, for which you paid the big bucks, then go ahead! More trees will be cut down if you all buy your own, but at least for library types like myself this also means less competition for the copies available for lending. ← I'll wait for the library, too, after all the fuss has died down. When I read the Star article, I knew right away I wouldn't have the patience to follow many of Susar's excellent but painstaking recipes. I was a little put off by the fact that a boneless pork loin roast could be substituted for rolled and tied pork belly! Bargain hunters can get the book at Costco, which has popular items about 40% below list. I saw it there, but didn't actually remember the price.

I have broken a Bodum carafe, and a no name, and I always was able to find a cheap replacement at the big box store. But both of these carafes looked like 1 litre beakers, and I thought I would try a chem supply, or a teacher (!) if it happened again.

The $30 PC grinder is essentially the same as the $40 Kenmore, which is sometimes discounted. (In my previous post I referred to it as the Kenwood, my bad!) I have to use it near the coarse setting to get even , small grounds. Maybe it will break in after awhile. The grounds are cool, and the noise level is OK, a lot less than the Cuis. Grind'n Brew, which grinds too coarsely. So far I'm finding that it is a good replacement for the Braun burr I had a few years ago, and at this price I won't worry about repairing it when it gives up.

Jay, if you do end up trying the PC burr grinder, could you let us know your impressions? We just received a flyer this week with the PC burr grinder prominently featured, so my interest is piqued as well. I would like to use the press pot on occasion, but I don't have the grinder to do the job well, nor do I use the press pot often enough to justify even having 1/4 lb ground for French press. ← Sounds like we're in the same league, and not in need of an expensive mill. I surveyed all the grinders I could find in my town, and bought the PC. It is very similar to the Kenwood, at 40, which has a stronger shelf to support the grounds receptacle. All the models from 30-80 dollars were similar in design and quality (Delonghii, Braun, Cuisinart, Kenmore)> The Kitchenaid at 170, was well made (steel instead of plastic) but I wasn't convinced that the burr was any better. I would be paying extra for U.S. design and manufacture. (I'm getting into a political area, but from my address I have no particular allegiance to any foreign product.) My first two batches from the PC were very good, evenly ground, not hot, and saved on the amount of JBM beans used, compared to the coarse grind on the Cuisinart Grind 'n Brew . I am quite sure I'll switch to the press method, since it now seems to work better.

This is so pompous. I can't put 370 into a grinder for breakfast coffee, American-style. In fact I do just fine with the Cuisinart blade grind and brew, which grinds coarsely, and produces no dust or burnt grounds because the coffee is forced through a wind tunnel as soon as it is ground. This works well for me in the morning, when I'm generally inept. But I am looking for a cheap burr grinder for the occaisional French Press, later in the day. It won't be for Expresso, and I can tolerate a little cloudiness at the bottom. For these moderate needs, what differences in burr and motor construction could make a difference?

I use the knock offs and LC's, and I can't tell any difference in the cooking process or the end product. The enamel finish is not quite perfect on the Chinese product (bought at the Bay), but give them a few years experience, and it will be indistinguishable. But by that time, we'll have to get a cheaper product from India!

In my domain, Loblaws has introduced a $30. ceramic burr coffee bean mill. It is part of the Presidents Choice Home label products, and may be available where PC is sold in the U.S. Unfortunately, the product went out of stock in the two stores I visited, so I'll have to wait to see it, At the low price being asked, I defintely want to try it out. I haven't used a burr grinder since my Braun gave up a few years ago. Come to think of it, the Braun didn't last too long, but the blade grinders go on forever! I know we're re-hashing, but what are the advantages of the pricey mills? I haven't seen one in my small town... ...jay

No, not whiny, just curious, as I waswhen I heard about healthy, long-lived Okinawans two years ago, and soon found out that Japanese on the main island had many health advantages over the rest of us. I borrowed an excellent book from the library, The Japanese Kitchen by Hiroko Shimbo The Harvard Common Press, 2000 If you can borrow a copy, or find one locally, it will be a great help. ...jay

Anna, I have bought this product in a Korean mart in Toronto, and I have found it to be fairly strong. For a litre of water, I'll add a tablespoon of granules, 2T miso, and a handful (maybe 8oz., loose, of seaweed. Stir, and bring to a simmer, then strain. None of the three flavours should be dominant. That's why no one here can give you absolutely specific directions, but the broth is tolerant of some error! It will keep for several days in the fridge if not all of it is used. I have had better luck with bonito shavings, but they are more costly.

I could never do the fast swashbuckling steeling show, either. But the suggestion from Leonard Lee, to press the tip of the steel onto a cutting board or non slip surface, vertically, and applying firm strokes, has worked well for me.

I use a 1000x whetstone on the laminated knife, at least once a week. I use a Sabatier sharpening steel on the Sabatier carbon knives, before use, and they get sharpened on a DMT stone once every two months. I'm looking at the Lee Valley powered belt sharpener, but I don't think I need it, it's just very convenient.

Whenever a cheese topic like this comes up, thereis a lot of interest. Isn't it time for a Cheese section on the board?

Sorry to say that Elizabeth's is now closed. You could try the Portuguese butchers around Dundas W and Dovercourt for Portuguese-style chourizo, but I don't know if I can say they are world class. ← Welcome to egullet, Kev. Keep posting... ...jay

Well, that's an unexpected source! Does Yorkdale have a decent farmers' market?

It looks as if you'll be happy with two, or even three Cuisinarts. You could try using two, giving one a cooldown as you take up the other, and keeping a third on reserve.

Queen's Quay is as old as it gets. But are you on the Classics mailing list? They have lots of older vintages at higher prices. (Usually too rich for me). Even if your address is in New York State, there is probably a way to order by fax and pick up in Ontario.

If you are on Vintages mailing list, especially the list with special wines, such as Bordeaux Futures, or Vintages Classics, you'll see lots of notices for tastings, auctions, and food and wine events. Just contact Vintages at Vintages.com, or call them to get on the various mailing lists.

Sometimes I can find large muscat raisins from Turkey in a bulk food store. Haven't seen them recently, but they were nicely scented like any muscat grape, and full of tiny seeds. Flattened, they were as large as a quarter. Has anyone else found these?

The wineries have survived with political lobbying and government help long before the 30%-or-less rule was allowed, or before there was no Ontario markup in their own stores, which have multiplied dramatically over the years. (Not long ago the wineries could have one wine store per winery, but now they can go into many new locations.) If Ontario wines have to improve to compete on the global market, they won't gain much repute with 99% foreign content. I am simply pointing out that the adulteration of regular shelf Ont. Wines puts VQA standards in jeopardy, in the future, because the wineries with both interests at hand will lobby the government for whatever handouts they need at that time.

Tomatoes do not have enough sugar inside to dehydrate safely. The chance of mould, fungus, and bacterial attack is too great. I imagine the bitterness is the result of something using up all the sugar, and most of the moisture; there is not much left. Sun dried tomatoes are a safe product because of the short, intense heat of the sun, more like the convection technique mentioned above.

Protecting what? In normal years, the amount of Ontario grapes need only be 30%. If I buy non-VQA Ontario wines I am never sure of the bulk wine or grapes used. If the Ontario government allows the standard to be degraded this year, can we sure that in some future vintage they will not allow foreign grapes into the VQA premium wines? Since VQA is not well understood by many consumers, there may be a tendency not to buy this vintage, rather than take a chance.

Yes, maybe. I have never seen a grade of salt cod here, labelled "Labrador". What I do find, is (1) large skateboard cod, requiring a lot of soaking, in many ethnic stores, such as Caribbean or Portuguese, or Spanish; (2) A softer, boneless cod, packed in poly wrap, usually from Nova Scotia, but still "Grand Banks" though the fishery is banned within our 200 mile limit. Labrador is within the limit, as well, but there is a lot of rule breaking, by Canadian and foreign trawlers. I buy the softer version because it freshens easily. I have been served bacala and cod with ackee in Portuguese and Caribbean restaurants in Toronto that was too salty for me. And too bony, but this is a matter of taste, and culture. For those on a budget, salt cured pollack is available, but doesn't have the same taste. We can also get salted and smoked haddock from Eastern Canada. Great for chowder. When visiting the area, you can find a lot of home curing and smoking for sale, by the roadside, in the Atlantic provinces, as well as Quebec.

Adam, Labrador is on the mainland of Canada, and is part of our 10th province, Newfoundland and Labrador. So, I think the sign is referring to the Grand Banks, off the shore of Nfld. It is still a source of cod (morue) though the fishery is closed from overfishing. I can always find cod, fresh or salted, in Canadian stores, but this may come from nets that were meant to catch something else.

matte black le creuset must have been around for many many years, as i own two - slightly different in the way of design - vintage matte black french ovens which are both from the pre plastic lid handle era. one with a square handle, the other with a round handle. ← I have a couple dating back to the 70's. The matte finish is interior only, and began to chip after a few years, so I gave up on Creuset for quite awhile. I'm sure they have corrected the problem, and recent smooth interior casseroles have been good for me. But I get good results from the Chinese copies, less well finished, at a much lower price.