Java-Joe

It's so true. My only trip to a coffee producing country had the same results. We were staying at the finest hotel in Guatemala City. The coffee was wretched! (Is that a word?) They ship out all the quality stuff. The rest stays behind for the locals and the tourists, etc... Yech! Joe

I know Barry, and you could do a lot worse. I tasted one of his espressos at this years Roaster's Guild Retreat in Colorado. Good $hit, man! There are lots of good roasters out there. My espresso is very good, as well. Look into Intellegensia (sp?) in Chicago. There's a big following on their Black Cat Blend. Check out CounterCulture's espresso. They're in North Carolina. Go to www.roastersguild.org. You don't need to register. You can check out the websites of RG members. Maybe you'll find something you'd like to try. We'd appreciate it! Joe

What about Juan's Flying Buritto on Carrollton near Canal or on Magazine Street in the Irish Channel? The one in the Channel always reminds me of a Sandanista guerilla hide-out. I don't know why....maybe cuz it looks so...so anti-estastablishmentarianism-ish. Can we have a New Orleans Board here on eGullet? There are issues with the TF/FT board. Don't tell TF I said that!

Boy, I feel silly asking this question, but is the cookie produced with these recipes the same as the stroopwafel? I enjoyed reading the stroopwafel thread recently on this board. I checked out all the pizelle makers on eBay. Wow! Anyway........just curious Joe

Couldn't read the article unless I sign on with the NYTimes. No time for that! Was in Lafayette this weekend. With all the talk about the good restaurants in Abbeville, I thought I'd check it out. The wife and I went to Shucks. Shucks was good overall, but not great. Generic building and design (yawn...) Got a dozen oysters for $4.50! Wow, that's cheap! My wife got onion rings and seafood gumbos. The gumbo was ok. It had enough seafood, but there was nothing in the soup part. Pure broth, no chopped up garlic, bell pepper, nuthin. Seasoning was fine. I got a half order of fried catfish and half order of pan-broiled shrimp. Both were excellent. Fried catfish couldn't really be done any better. The shrimp were very good, and seasoned well. It came with a generous portion of fries (I think they were Sysco brand like the onion rings, if ya know what I mean!) and a salad with some shrimp in it. Service was very good. They said it was kinda slow that night. The 2 of us ate for under $40.00 before tip, including 2 glasses of wine. Good value, I'd say. Family friendly, but for crying out loud, do they have to let people smoke in the restaurant? There's plenty of seating outside for that! Joe

I saw that Saturday morning. Was desperate for something cold and frosty, so I went to starbuks on my way to the mall. What a crock of poo! Yes, I work for wholesale/retail coffee roaster. I AM the roaster. Been in the biz 16 years. Kona is Kona is Kona, (except when it's Kona Kai, but that's another lawsuit....er...story.) We sell Kona @ $20 bucks retail. We buy from one of the best farms. The ratings on Kona are as such: Extra Fancy= top grade, all large beans. Fancy = next grade, mostly large beans. Prime = more mixed and more defects per bag. You'd never see that retail anyway. There are other coffees from Hawaii, like Kona Kauai. It's half the price of Kona XF, but I can't stand it. Grown off of Brazilian coffee root stock. The green coffee (before it's roasted, for the uninitiated) looks very similar to Brazil coffees. Taste like it, too. Ick! Good Kona has a nutty aroma, good full body, medium acidity, smooth aftertaste. Want a poor....er...frugal man's Kona? Colombian Supremo, believe it or not! Joe

Hi, Two things....real quick. First, I want to thank those of you that responded to my questions. I appreciate it. Secondly, what if I want to make just caramel SAUCE? Ya know, like they offer in coffeehouses to go in your latte or some froo froo drink. Can I use my same great recipe and cook it for a shorter period of time (or to a lower temperature)? You can see I'm trying to look at this logically, but I'll probably miss something. I made another batch of caramel last night. Ya'll should all give me your addresses and I'll send you all some. Oh sure...if you're reading this, you can likely make your own, eh? Don't forget my question.....how do I properly make sauce? Thanks! Bob

Two things....... One....JanKK, where can I buy the pre cut wax paper. That's cool. Two.....what do you called twice boiled, a little burned, a little chewy, a little hard, a little brittle caramel? TOFFEE?? Whatever you call it.......that's what I've got. The wife said she could run it through the food processor and put it over ice cream. Anyway, I'm working on it right now. It's still good, just not carame. If it were thin as paper, it would really be good. So what have I got? Joe

Tarek, That's the hardest part of making caramel. Leave it alone. Once I turn the fire off, I let it sit for 3 minutes or so. That's what the recipe said to do. I see it as letting some of the bubbles pop and let the whole mess settle down. Once its in the pan, I put the pan in the oven, but leave the door ajar. That way it's on a flat surface and out of the way. I moved my first batch while it was cooling and it got wrinkles on the surface. Not pretty. Joe

Jan, Sorry I missed your comments the first time around. I took forever to respond to Kevin. Yes, I'm just using a $2.50 candy thermometer. My wife was helping me with the first 2 batches and did some cold water test. Is there a "proper" way of conducting that test. I'm the type that has to do everything just right, proper and correct. Just trying to learn to do it right, ya know! By the looks of the caramel left in the pot from re-heating it, it ain't gonna be good! We'll see. Fortunately, it's a cheap candy to make. Joe

Bode.......... I want to know how that experiment works out. Be sure to let us know how much coffee you use in this test. Don't fergit to wear yer goggles and gloves! Just kidding! No, cold-dripped coffee does not a good HOT beverage make! That's why man discovered fire. Or was it electricity? Joe

Hi Kevin, Thanks for your quick, and insightful response. I took a minute to check out your linked website. It's very good! You did a great job with your son's Communion cake! Your response may very well be correct. You surely have the experience to come to the conclusion that you did. Unless Santa get's me a copper Caramel Pot, I'll continue to use the wife's pressure cooker pot. It's a Fagor brand pot with vitro-induction, (and super-hydro warp drive with semi-conductors). Just kidding about that part! It's a very sturdy and heavy pot. Oh, and I have a gas stove. I made all 5 batches in that pot. After I added the butter and cream, when I have to get the caramel back up to 248 degrees; perhaps I need to boil it a little slower and longer as well as look for a thicker consistency. I can't see going to a wider pot. What do you think? Just let it reduce more?

Hi, I know that my topic isn't baking or pastry, so if you redirect me elswhere, I won't be offended. I've made caramel at home 5 times in the last 3 weeks. I'm having fun. I found some recipes from the Food Network archives. I've tried 3 different recipes, and one has worked perfectly 2 times. Last night, I made a double batch using the good recipe. The cooking process went perfectly. I let it sit overnight as directed. Upon removing it from the pan this evening, I could see that it was too soft. I tried to cut it once it was out of the pan, but it quickly lost it's structure. Upon someone's recommendation, I plopped it all back in a pot on medium-low heat until it melted again, and boiled it for a while. I did manage to get it back to 248 degrees. I figured all I can hope for is to cook some moisture out of the caramel. Well, it IS darker now that it was originally. Go figure. My questions are: Do you have any ideas at to what caused it not to be firm? Any predictions on how my caramel will set up and taste like when I start cutting it tomorrow? Too bad you couldn't taste my last batch! Killer stuff! Joe

Drago's flagship item IS their char-broiled oysters. It is considered (by some, like me) as THE BEST one bite of food in New Orleans. My wife and I have made them at home. What a sight. I'm shucking the oysters, putting them on the grill. She puts the butter-garlic-parma. cheese, etc..mixture on the oysers. They cook, they bubble, they sizzle. I take them off and let them cool a bit and eat them on the spot. We get a little assembly line going and the fun never stops. We can't take them in the house for dinner, cuz they all get eaten at the grill! I love living here! Joe

Alacarte, your iced coffee will not lose it's caffeine content. Joe

If you wanted to make your own C&C blend at home, use @ 20%-30% chicory. I don't care for the product, but it is part of our culture that we'll never shake. I accept that. Now that Community New Orleans Blend is 50% chicory, I'm told. Sorry, that's just pathetic. I don't wan't to "dis" anybody's taste, but that stuff is just nasty. Just don't know why anyone would want to drink that stuff, unless you grew up on it, or grew up in "da parish," or "down the bayou." Some people say that it makes the coffee bitter, some say it makes the coffee less bitter. I think they're both right. I brewed a pot of straight chicory once. Jeez Louise! It's both bitter and sweet. Not sugary sweet, but it's a smooth mouthfeel. Anyway.......Joe

A nice member of the board, referred me to a link on that site with all kinds of N'Awlins recipes. He's the one. Barbecue Shrimp From the Files of Tom Fitzmorris Barbecued shrimp are misnamed, but they're still one of the most exciting--and messiest--dishes in the local cuisine. The dish is simple: huge whole shrimp in a tremendous amount of butter and black pepper. The original recipe (it's Manale's secret, but I suspect I've guessed it) involves a pot of melted but not especially hot margarine with a ton of black pepper and a little garlic. The shrimp are dunked in it and sit there until cooked. After many shrimp are cooked this way, the sauce becomes wonderfully flavored with shrimp, and is topped off with fresh margarine but otherwise maintained. That's obviously impossible at home, but this technique works. The essential ingredient is heads-on shrimp. Ingredients 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 bay leaves 3 lbs. fresh Gulf shrimp with heads on, 20-25 count to the pound 1 Tbs. lemon juice 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 sticks salted butter 1 stick margarine 2 tsp. paprika 1 newly-purchased 4-oz. can black pepper Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 1. Rinse the shrimp and shake the excess water from them. Make one layer, overlapping, in a glass or metal baking dish. Sprinkle the garlic over all. Break the bay leaf in half and place it among the shrimp. Add the lemon juice amd Worcestershire. 2. Cut the butter and margarine into pats and distribute them atop the shrimp. Sprinkle on the paprika. Then shake enough black pepper over the shrimp to cover them completely. Don't miss any spots! Err on the side of too much pepper. (And you don't have to use the whole can, either.) 3. Bake the shrimp in a preheated 375-degree oven for fifteen minutes. Open the oven and, with a spoon, redistribute the shrimp and check them for doneness. When the meat pulls away from the shells, they're ready. But they will probably need five to 15 minutes more baking. This depends on the size and quality of the shrimp. To be avoided: soft, wrinkled shells. 4. Serve the shrimp in soup plates with lots of the sauce and toasted French bread. Also plenty of napkins and perhaps bibs. Serves four to six.

Jason, I'm going to ask for the recipe over on the message board on NewOrleans.com. It's a local food/dining messageboard. Extremely active. It's headed up by Tom Fitzmorris. If you don't know who he is, he's the local restaurant critic, etc... He's got a daily talk show on the radio. Surely he, or someone will have the recipe for me. I know that there is no bbq sauce in it. The story of how it got its name is interesting, but too long to get into. Be back here when I get an answer for ya. Joe

Never been there, but is it true that Mosca's is "cash only?" Do the Perlow's live in Looziana or just visit here often and dine in all the good restaurants? Whatever they do fer a livin', I want some of it! They seem to get around. Joe

Hey, How do you make those links to a website? I see a few words in red, and it's a link. FistFullaRoux just had a few in his last post. Someone tell me how to do that. FWIW.......I know that stuff is sold in small bottles at Dorignac's, and I think Sav-a-Center. Look around athe ice cream paraphenalia like cones, dips, sauces. If someone finds it in another section, you may correct me!

I was about to answer you, but got distracted and Phaelon56 beat me to the punch. I agree with everything he says. I will only add two comments. One, look for those new "snack" size zip-loc bags. They're 6.5 x 3.75 and are perfect for small pots of coffee. Frankly, I've never thought of storing it individual servings. That's a good point, Owen. That way you're not dipping into the entire package every time you need some jeaux! Two, and I may get some arguement from some, but I believe it's ok to store your coffee in the fridge. Unless someone knows of a study to compare coffee quality from being stored in the fridge vs the freezer, I say put it where you have more room. Joe

Hey, I hope I'm not steering this thread in the wrong direction. I love to read what folks say about iced coffee. I have a slight difference of opinion. It is my belief that if you make a cold (i.e. iced) coffee drink with coffee that was previously hot, then you're drinking "cold coffee." I also believe that if the drink is made with freshly brewed hot coffee or fresly brewed, immediately chilled coffee, then you can make a virtual cornicopia of drinks. Have a ball! Now the gizmo that "snowangel" was speaking if is a Toddy Iced coffee maker. They've been very popular here in New Orleans for over 25 years. They've been popularized by a local coffeehouse, PJ's coffee. (I was the roastmaster there for 6 years. I prefered to just be called Production Manager). Yet, I digress. The website is http://www.toddycafe.com/. They're based in Houston. Personal to Jason Perlow. Sorry pal, that Community coffee, (that I grew up on) is just friggin' nasty, esp. that New Orleans Blend which is coffee & chicory. Iced coffee with coffee&chicory is plain nasty. And they're based in Baton Rouge, fwiw. Please use a good quality coffee. The Toddy will set you back @ 24 bucks. Spend 6 or 7 bucks on a decent coffee. Grind it between.slightly coarse to percolate. As "snowangel" said, pour the coffee in the gizmo, pour in @ 9 - 10 cups cold water, let sit overnight, drain into carafe. You've got 32 oz. of fresh hi quality coffee concentrate. Double volume with 32 oz. water. Here's a tip. Add a TBSP of Vanilla. A concentrated vanilla, or a Mexican style vanilla works best. Helps to take the edge off of the coffee. She's right, this is the best. But pleeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeee....use good coffee! Java-Joe

Malachi, What a gem you are to this BB. Are you the same Malachi on the Barista Board? Your knowledge and advice given here is tops. jgould........if you're into mail order coffee, Malachi's recommendations are very good and worthy of trying. I read about Zabar's many years ago. I think it was in Timothy Castle's book "The Perfect Cup." I understand that they roast their coffee VERY light, but Mr. Zabar considers anything over one day old as stale. (Give me a friggin' break!) If you like a "cinnamon roast" he's your man, but I absolutely do not believe you're really gonna enjoy all of the great qualities of a good/great coffee. I don't want to go on a rant about Kona or Jamaican Blue Mountain. Are they good? Sure. But not worth the money unless you can afford it. I don't even think it's worth it for a special occasion. A really really good Guat. Antigua or Sulawesi Toraja (Celebes Kalossi some places) are a much greater value anyday! Java-Joe PS: French Press is THE way to go for regular coffee.

Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Twist and Shout" has a line in it. Man, is this a great song! http://www.yimpan.com/Songsite/Lyric/index.asp?sid=1754 Joe

Call Doug Zell at Intellegensia (sp?). I don't know if his place is convenient for you to get to. Tell him that a fellow Roaster's Guild member offered his name. Perhaps he would be willing to help. I don't know if it's againt their policy to sell a few lbs. of beans, but it's worth the phone call. I know he's not in Chicago this week, so wait until Feb. 9th to call. Joe