eatrustic

I would have lunch on the terracce at Cioppino's on a nice sunny day with a Linguine Vongole done just right with a nice glass of something white and crisp. Pino is a great chef but the wine prices have always made me feel ripped off and I can't bring myself to commit to the full dinner thing. I had a wonderful meal a couple of years ago at Piccolo Mondo. I invited some friends and asked George (owner/wine geek) to build a dinner around a great Barbera, Barbarsco and Barolo. They did not disappoint and it was worth every penny. The only problem I have with P.M. is the room, which I find a bit chilly design wise. The garden at Il Giardino (Umberto's) is always a great place on a nice summer evening and although you have to pick your way through the menu (and the high rollers) to get good food it is possible to eat and drink well and people watch. Bis Moreno is just across the street. I would be really interested to hear what is going on with Cocco Pazzo as it has had no press whatsoever in the last while, which is unusual for Mr. Bogas. I ate there about a year and a half ago when Colleen, his Chef de Cuisine was running things and it was great (although more West Coast Italian then anything else). She has since left to take over as chef at Cafe De Paris where she's done a great job of updating their bistro concept.

Why I became a chef? It started as a kid with a love for the taste and texture of food. I didn't eat because I was hungry but because of the "mouth rush" certain dishes gave me. When I left home I wasn't satisfied with TV dinners and Beefaroni so I taught myself basic cooking and baking and it was a thrill to "create" something from scratch. This actually satisfied me for quite a while until years later a room mate (who worked at a steakhouse chain as a broiler cook) would regale us with stories of after hours parties in the bar. This was it, I had to become a cook (for all the wrong reasons). He wouldn't even consider me as an applicant so I applied to the government run cooking school in my home town (which at the time was considered the best in North America) and was accepted. In the months before I started classes I got a part time job as Entremetier in a large hotel (a story in itself) where despite my total lack of professional ability I was accepted by the multinational cooking brigade and the rest is history. It really was an addictive thrill to make what I considered great food and have customers respond. As most cooks will tell you there is nothing quite like the endorphin high of an on the edge, physically and emotionally draining, over the top, 60/40 (you choose which) almost out of control Saturday night rush. At the end of the day though you have to ask if it is all worth while unless you either own your own place or become an Executive chef with some semblance of a life. Interestingly I was not particularly athletic before I went to cooking school but I took up running and excelled at it as part of the program. I did come from a military family and another factor which I have heard is prevelant is I have a touch of A.D.D. which kept me constantly fidgeting in school but which was perfectly absorbed in a busy restaurant atmosphere.

I know that they are open for sure on Saturdays but don't know if they are open 7 days. Here is their number 250 381- 3473. As for restaurant suggestions, I'm afraid I haven't been to Victoria to do the dining thing for a few years now. Check out some of the threads in this section because there are a couple on the topic.

I find it really difficult to even post about this melodramatic soap opera as the whole show thing feels like brain surgery with a meat cleaver on a beautiful woman. In other words the production values are great but the hammy dramatic inserts make this so painful to watch. Who believes that the anguished chef must go and chop the hell out of some poor Roma's to make a throw away sauce or the infamous weepy window scene other than as a production idea. Damn it! if you're going to manipulate us at least be way more subtle than that. Rocco has achieved full weasal status with the firing of his chef. Maybe it needed to happen at some point, who can tell the way this mess has been cut together but he appears to at least have been the rock of the place and to have unceremoniously terminated him for basically being torn between two masters appeared childish and vindicative. Yeah and between the hair pizza and "are they real?, no.. are they real?" Can you spell buffoon? It's obvious why Mama is behind her boy to the death, she spoiled him rotten all his life and now ain't no time to quit. I wonder what she would say to that nice Mr. Burnett now?

TrishCT - I made your Rhubarb Cream Pie last night and I followed the directions to the letter (well almost). The inside was moist and pleasantly soft. I think the problem with JanKK's version was a combination of bumping up the quantities and baking it at 425 F for the full baking time. I turned mine down after about 15 minutes to 375 as I would do for a normal pie. With the addition of the eggs I would think that they would curdle at the higher temperature and make everything soggy. Also the eggs shouldn't go into the sugar mixture until the last minute otherwise the large amount of sugar could "cook" the eggs. I didn't really get a "pleasantly creamy" look, rather you could see the creamy bits in amongst the rhubarb (but not curdled). I must confess though that when I reset my timer for the second time it did not start and although the pie looked fine it may have been in longer than the planned 20 minutes. The last adjustment I would make is the sugar, the sweetness level reminds me of my mother's Rhubarb Pie. I love her pies when she makes them at home because of the childhood memories but it is too sweet for me. I would take out a 1/4c. - 1/3c of the sugar and see how that goes. I'm working my way through adding photos to my posts and hope to do so soon as there is nothing like a picture to put everyone on the same playing field description wise.

I agree with Artisan Baker's points, the main reasons that home bakers have problems with "spring" are : overproofing of the shaped loaf and dough that has developed a skin which acts like a girdle causing the bread to pop out in the wrong places. I've tried the double stone technique but my oven's a bit too small and I find a good thick bottom stone that takes up most of the lower surface works fine for me. For humidity I bought one of those pump action garden sprayers with the wand attatchment and then bought a brass wand to replace the plastic one (with a big label on saying kitchen use only!!). This way I can open the oven just a crack, insert the wand tip and spray the sides of the oven quickly and close up before too much heat is lost. That's the problem with hand spraying, by the time you have opened the door and sprayed you've lost most of the steam and a lot of heat. I always found the container of water trick never evaporated fast enough to do the job properly and it takes up space when you're trying to do a couple of loaves. I also block the vent on the top of the stove if there is one for the first ten minutes. (Make sure when you spray to steer clear of the light bulb in the back if it is not covered or even remove it to be on the safe side - trust me I know)

Yeah, thats the place. Even worth the drive when that humungous Saturday farmers market is going in Ganges.

That's his next project. I'd hope that coming from Eastern Europe he would have some kick ass rye breads in him. By the way the most interesting bakery in B.C. (in my opinion) is Wildfire Bakery in Victoria. All their stuff is organic, from a wood fired oven. It may not be to everyones taste as some of the items are a bit heavy but the selection is always interesting (even focaccia with seaweed) with a nice repetoire of breads and pastry items. They also have a little store on Saltspring -where the ferry from Victoria comes in- with a full selection of their breads and pastries. I believe they have built an outdoor wood burning pizza oven also at that location. This is a company with a very strong organic and local supply philosophy that I find very admirable.

There's a new bakery on W. Broadway near Waterloo (close to Alma) called the Transilvania Bakery. It's as rustic as they get with a small barnwood type of facade (half wine barrels etc.) and inside there is a tiny wood burning oven in the middle of a handyman special decor. The owner and baker is called Nicolai and he has just started to make one or two kinds of bread- a yeast based, nicely crusted whole wheat with a rye to follow. He's a character and he will tell you about dealing with city hall and his roots in Romania while he stokes his little oven. All he has to sell at this point is some mineral water and his loaves of bread which he makes throughout the day. Worth checking out.

...sorry, but the cooked strawberries just add that (for lack of a better descriptor) jammy taste that cuts the brighter sour flavor of plain, high quality (dare I say heirloom) rhubarb. As far as I'm concerned there are two kinds of people in the world; those that need the strawberries in their rhubarb and those that don't. Both are very passionate and, it seems, there is no convincing either side. It's probably a question of how tart I like my foods. I love a good French style lemon tart that has just enough sugar to take the full pucker out and I can't stand lemon meringue pie. Between strawberry jam and raspberry jam it's rasberries hands down because of the "tang". And so it goes..

I'm sure the test is the same for instant yeast as it is for the old fashioned kind. Just put a bit of yeast say 1/2 teaspoon in 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water add a pinch of sugar and the yeast should go to town in short order munching away and foaming up. This should happen in a few minutes. If no noticable foaming then pitch it, otherwise you're good to go with a regular amount of yeast.

After seeing the photo of the Cheddar Turkety Burger in Gourmet recently I have developed a craving for one. Does anyone have a good recipe? Gourmet's looks a bit too simple. I love a good hamburger but any well prepared lump of ground, fried meat tastes good and variety is always fun. It seems to me that a bit of filler might be needed for the texture as the meat might tend to be a bit dry, then again maybe T.B.'s are strictly for the cholesterol cursed and not to be eaten by the rest of us. Any thoughts?

Has anyone had experience growing Heirloom tomatoes in containers? I'm on the second floor of an old house with a small balcony that gets good sun exposure. The local farmer's markets have got a whole bunch of 8 - 10" plants with about a dozen varieties of Heirlooms. I'm looking for varieties that are good raw and with Buffalo Mozzarella and that produce over a period of time as opposed to bumper crop city. Since these babys can at a minimum grow 5 -8' high I'm wondering how feasible even a couple of plants would be. I'm up on staking and cages etc. so I just need to know if this is going to be a worthwhile project.

Does anyone have experience growing heirloom tomatoes in containers? (here in the PNW?) If so what varieties work best (for eating raw with salads and Buffalo Mozzarella) and what is the minimum container size? There is a great selection of heirlooms available at the local farmer's markets and I'd love to try a couple, I live on the second floor of a house with a small balcony that could hold 1 or 2 plants and receives good sunlight.

I like the idea of the Verjus as its flavor profile would support rather than dumb down the bright, sour rhubarb flavor. I bet rhubarb and Verjus would be great together in sorbet. I can imagine a warm piece of rhubarb pie with a pink scoop of the sorbet on top. Something worth getting kidney stones for! TrishCT - I'm intrigued by the Rhubarb Cream Pie with the flour, I'd like to see the recipe if possible.

Rhubarb season is in full swing. What is your preferred thickener? I go between tapioca starch and plain old flour. By the way when I say Rhubarb pie I mean just Rhubarb (and sugar). I've never understood ruining good Rhubarb with strawberries. (They're only good fresh in shortcakes and fresh fuit tarts.)

What kind of whole wheat flour do you use? I find huge variance in texture and gluten strength depending on the brand/source of flour. Locally the organic whole wheat flours available range in texture from powder to just under cornmeal (slight exaggeration). These have no added conditioners and will tend to be a bit denser in the final product. The nonorganic whole wheat flours are usually lighter (mainly because they are not really whole wheat) and have conditioners added to help the rise, creating a lighter texture. I blend a couple of varieties to achieve the texture I want.

Good point on the later garlic addition. ...the simplest solutions....it may not have time to marry the flavors but should be interesting. I'm going to try that as well as a roasted garlic version so that I've got some trials for the files! Thanks.

I'm catering a small party and want to make as much the day before as possible without sacrificing quality. I've never used the technique of blanching garlic to smooth out the raw taste but it seems appropriate in the case of day before Hummus as I can't stand that "old" garlic taste. Has anyone tried this with Hummus? and I'd like any comments on blanching garlic in general. Otherwise I'll make it the same day. Thanks!

Do you mean that they lost about nine yards ?????

I served Escolar in the restaurant I worked in a few years back. This was just before the N.Y. Times article came out. I ran it as a weekend special and found it to be utterly delicious. Out of perhaps a 100 portions served over a month or so I had two calls from customers the next day wanting to know if the fish was fresh because they had diarrhea! Shortly after that I saw the N.Y. Times article. I believe it mentioned that Escolar was the hot fish in many restaurants but that there had been a few incidences of nervous stomach and that it was used as a laxative in the South Pacific. This is probably why you don't see it in many places and other than the occasional surge of interest you probably won't. Who wants to warn customers of the possible side effects of their nightly special and who needs customers thinking that they have had food poisoning? Imagine admitting after the fact that " oh no you don't have food poisoning it's just a natural laxative". Lucky Escolar, because it is so tasy it would probably be an endangered species by now like the Patagonian Toothfish if it wasn't for it's "downside".

Lee's are definitely the best, remember to ask for the warm ones from the back when they're available. If you see Alvin in the back turning them out (M - Fr.) you know you are in good hands Honey's is a rather heavy honourable mention with two varietys: the eponymous honey glaze and the plain with chocolate glaze which unfortunately is chocolate in name only, a horrible fake chocolate taste. KK is bearable in the signature glaze, only when warm, after that they are too sweet. The rest of their lineup is average at best .

Of all the schools you have named the one with the best track record for turning out "name" chefs is Dubrulle (correct me if i'm wrong) but they have been recently bought out by the Art Institute of Seattle who has moved the campus downtown, so they do not as yet have a track record. Pacific Culinary seems competent with a nice setup but I have not heard a lot about them. VCC is the plain jane of the bunch with some excellent instructors and lower tuition but it seems that the level of motivation on the part of the student is going to be the telling factor as a place like VCC gets a higher ratio of students who are destined to be more institutional (hospitals, care homes etc.) level. Thus one would need to focus more on getting help from the instructors and not getting caught up with a lower level of motivation (don't get me wrong VCC has turned out some good culinary people and is always striving to raise the quality bar). Now as for what to expect in a culinary career....think long and hard about the perks of your present job such as regular hours, weekends off, benefits etc. Because although your present career is artistically lacking you will find that a culinary career is very demanding physically as well as relationship wise. When I instructed for a brief period at Dubrulle there was a high number of students who were accountants, pharmicists etc. who saw the glory of the food business but when it came to working nights, weekends and holidays for wages far below what they were making before, the glow quickly wore off and the great majority scampered back to their secure jobs. The thing is though, that if food is a passion, then why not take a sabbatical, take the course, and see how you feel at the end of it and if you can get a job, who knows, maybe you are one of the very few who can make the transition. Nothing worse than living life with regrets over what might have been and at least for your 8 or 9 thousand dollars you'll know your way around a chef's knife and an emulsion. Good luck

FYI :The May e newsletter from Cook's Illustrated mentions making bread with strains of beer yeast.

All of the above plus if you do any serious baking unsalted butter is $3.35 Lb, way cheaper that most places. Eggs are a good price and 3 Hanes Beefy T white t shirts are $18!