hathor

This is a two pronged discussion: 1) are trans-fats bad? 2) should a local city agency have the power to ban a food substance? While I'm interested in the studies and data regarding trans fats, I think we may be missing the point; which is can a local agency have the power to ban a food substance? What city agency trumps the FDA or Agricultural Dept.? Is this appropriate at a city level? Is it appropriate at any level? While the lead paint analogy is thought provoking, why ban trans fats and allow cigarettes? Surely cigarettes cause more diseases, more different types of diseases than trans fats? Is this because trans fats don't have lobbyists?

Looks like I'll be making spinach ravioli...those photos just look way tooooo good. Beautifully done, ladies! Kevin, that chicken dish looks good, simple and satisfying. What's the difference between 'ragu' and 'sugo'? It's always confused me.

Bolognese ragu on top of polenta is delicious! If its thick enough, you can use it to fill a hollowed eggplant or zucchini and roast it. You could go the Chufi/Hathor method and just eat it with a spoon.

Doc, you've now invaded my dream world. I had a long complicated dream about eating roast Iberico pork. It was an absolutely massive slice, and I had to share it. Apparently, your descriptions are very, very evocative! Thanks for the info on the olives. I wish olive oil producers would list the varieties, in the same manner as wine labels. There is a huge flavor difference and it would be nice to know the names of what you like, or don't like. It's such a crap shoot now, unless the shop has a bottle open for tasting. Your photos are beautiful, thanks.

Without knowing protein/gluten etc. Basic rule of thumb: Tipo 0 or 00 refers to 'soft wheat' or grano tenero. You need to use eggs to bind the pasta. Grano duro or hard wheat only needs water. Pontormo, does that sort of answer your question above? Where you were asking about red hard wheat and the soft wheat of E-R? The south of Italy grows the hard wheat because it is hardier (heh, I made a pun) and because they have less courtyard animals, i.e. chickens. Central Italy and N.Italy have lots of chickens and tender wheat. The more chickens, the more eggs show up in the recipes.

Would you mind posting that chart? I think it would be a valuable aid in this conversation. Maybe after the holidays we can do a sort of controlled experiment. We all use the same recipe, and made pastas from the different flours at the same time and compare. Anyone game?

How on earth are they going to enforce it? Sieze your pastry crust and test it? The practical logistics are sort of mind boggling. "Pssst...hey, kid, we keep the trans fats hidden in the container marked lard?"

Thank you again for writing and sharing with us. I'm not sure if you have made me more aware, or if I'm spotting an actual 'trend', but there seems to be a bloom of Spanish restaurants in lower Manhattan. You have certainly intrigued me as well as done some apetite whetting. Do you happen to know the name of the most prominent Spanish olive variety?

What exactly is "cake flour"? I'm following along on all of these flour experiments...I keep schlepping over to an Italian Market to get Tipo 0/00 'cause I'm too lazy and too chicken to figure out the US flours. Who asked about cooking the ragu in the oven? Chufi? I always cook my ragus in the oven...I can control the heat better. Oh, but I also use earthenware. And Chufi, I'm worse than you. Tasting while cooking, ok, that's a given. But I've been known to go to the refrigerator and scoop out a cold spoonful or two, you know, just to be sure its still ok.

Good lord, a weekend away from the computer...and look what has gone on! Elie, you are just amazing! That tortellini looks divine. Chive and potato...what could be better? Shaya is the Official Gnocchi Queen...or "OGC". Pontormo, your nice, long post about ragu was just delicious.!!! But Kevin...that onion 'soup'....oh, my, my, my. I think the cooking in stages bit does amazing things in terms of 'maturing' the flavors. Here's one of my mortadella pictures. Its cut off, but this was a cinghiale mortadella. What is it about mortadellas that just stop you in your tracks?? All about size...I suppose...! Elie, what could they possibly be using that would be a natural mortadella casing? Elephant intestines? No, seriously, what are they using for those giant mortadellas? Well, the brasato was good. But Kevin, you may be right, it does sort of wind up tasting like mystery meat. I used a lot of juniper, allspice, cinnamon, cardamon so it tasted very rich , but when all is said and done, it's a pot roast. Here it is on a bed of creamy polenta. Desert was another variation on the roast pear...this one has a vanilla ricotta stuffing, and candied ginger ice cream. Meanwhile, I'm making some osso bucco...which I thought was from E-R, but its from Lombardia. Oh well.

While we are at it....anybody ever make pasta with it?

Take heart. All is not lost. This is Black Angus steak from Ottomanelli's. Haven't cooked it yet, but it sure looks pretty! I also got some very good pork sausage from them.

Once you start banning food substances, 'tis a slippery slope.....

Wonderful blog, Sazji! My husband's family came from Turkey, and I have a bunch of these type of pots. Sadly the interior finish is so deteriorated that I can't cook with them. But, its lovely to see them in use. Your list of things you craved when you went back to the States was interesting, mine also included Pho, and dim sum, but I also craved toasted rye bread and limes! And your observation about 'convienence foods' in Turkey is far too similar to what is going on in Italy. Every time the Kraft single slice cheese commercial comes on I start to wail. All of this culinary legacy is just slipping away....so sad. Turkey is high on our "ToGo" list, and your blog is a lovely intro for me. Sitting on the floor is under rated, if you ask me! What about wine? Are there local wines to speak of?

Geez, Daniel, that sounds like a really horrible event at the Union Sq. Market. I've been in a funk since I came back from Italy....I can't find meat or fish that has flavor. The fish really bugs me...all there is fillets. Even the Lobster Place has gradually shifted to all nice, neat, clean fillets. (Although scaling red mullet always sucks, Daniel!) I've had bad luck in Chinatown with fish...looked good, smelled fresh, until I got it home and when it hit the heat it reeked of some sort of chemical. I can only assume they are treating the fish somehow to prolong the freshness. I've always had good luck at Ottomanelli's meat market....so I guess that's where I'll head this afternoon. Butchers should be treated and protected like a rare species. Dean & DeLuca's hasn't had real butchers or fishmongers for many, many years. Thanks for the recommendation to try the Essex St. Market...I'll give that a look-see later this week. It's good to read everyone's strategies for finding products. Thanks.

Yeah, I meant beef. I'm serving my mother and her 'man friend' tonight. The recipe I have calls for somewhat funky cuts like jowls, but my mother would have a heart attack if I served her cow jowls. I've combined a recipe from our E-R instructor at ital.cook, with a recipe from a friend. If it comes out good, I'll post it. I'm using a london broil cut, whatever that really means. I had it the freezer, and it needed to be eaten! Nikkib....the english translation of Silver Spoon is a very handsome book, but they "Americanized" the recipes, sometimes in strange ways. It's a good reference book, however.

Those shrimp are just plain gorgeous. I can ...almost....taste them.

Argghhh!!! I've gotten slammed since I'm back in NY. Way too many things to clean up...literally and figuratively! Yes! We continue!! I'm working on an E-R intro...honest! Although Kevin's intro is a fine, fine way to start. Agnoletti Tortellini Lasagne Balsamic Parmigiana....oh, honey, it's alllll good. I've got a brasato started for tomorrow. I know. I know. Kevin hates brasato, but I like it over polenta. I also use a recipe that calls for lots of spices: allspice, cloves, cinnamon. Gives it a rich flavor. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Absolutely beautiful Kerry! I love the concept of the poached sous vide pear and the crock pot. That is intriguing and leads to all other sorts of idea. Thanks! Regarding the pear cream, what about doing the freeze it/thaw it/use the juice method? Puree the raw pear, freeze it, thaw it over a strainer and use the resulting pear juice? It concentrates the flavors very nicely. I'm wondering if the heat, albeit low heat, used on the pear, mellowed the flavor too much? Just a thought. I'm absolutely certain that you desert tasted as beautiful as it looked!

Kevin, that pear looks perfect! I love poached or baked pears...I've got a pear roasting with gorgonzola as I'm type this. Beautiful plating...perfect dish! As far as the "French" style arugula...this is a technique I picked up while we were doing Sicily and I was playing around with granitas. French? Boh?! Boar chops....I'll be honest here, I've only ever had cinghiale is in some sort of braise or ragout. I think those suckers are just too tough...they are certainly mean looking! Was the grizzly part tasty? Like grilled, charred, gnaw on it tasty? Where did you get the boar chops? Are they bred? Feel free to answer just what every questions you feel like! ciao!

I don't think there is an equivalent, though I've seen some recipes call for cake flour. Some specialty markets sell tipo 00, but I've been using a mix of all purpose flour and semolina - more AP if I want softer pasta, more semolina for firmer ones (like lasagna or pasta that will end up in soups). ← Thanks...I'll give it a whirl.

That is certainly an inspiring list. Or something to aspire to.

I have a question about the flour that you use for your pasta. I was going to post this on the Italian forum, but it seems like you know your way around pasta. What is the U.S. equivalent of Italian Tipo 0 and Tipo 00? They produce very different results and the flour here seems to just be labelled "flour". Thanks!

What if.... you took the arugla, blanched it, froze it, thawed it over a strainer and then used the juice? It works with fruit, concentrates the flavors...but arugula, non lo so. The stuff here in the US just doesn't have much flavor.... and that's the long and short of it. What do you do? Grow it? Boh?

That is a gorgeous coffee shot ...I mean coffee photo. Looks like the real deal! Happy blogging. Judith