Sentiamo

I haven't read all the pages of this thread Im afraid ( will get to it tho', Thai food is a passion!) so maybe someone has already mentioned these...but here I go! Mieng Kham, the most utterly delectable wee bites of explosive taste sensations you could imagine. Have been to Thailand many times and until a few months ago had never tried these. Trust me, I sure have made up for it!! Basically, you are presented with a tray of many tiny dishes containing the following: dried shrimp, fine dice red onion, fine sliced ginger, toasted coconut, chopped peanuts, fresh lime..very finely chopped with skin on, and some birds eye chilli. Around the dishes are arranged some beautiful, very green leaves, almost heart shaped. There is also a bowl of sauce with this arrangement, consisting of galangal, roasted belacan paste, coconut, dried shrimp, fresh ginger, palm sugar, shallots, salt and some white sugar. Ooooooookay. Now what. The waiter was a beautiful boy, he very tenderly showed us what to do with the above ingredients. He took a leaf and twisted it slightly to form a bowl. Into this he placed a little of each ingredient from the bowls then topped it with a spoonful of sauce. I was presented with the package to taste and I wasted no time. Never have I had such an oral experience as I did at that moment. A truly exquisite, never to be forgotten moment actually. This totally defined what Thai food is about. The bursts of flavour each ingredient gave came separately then melded together to create the quintessential Thai ' flavour'. But, so simply and so eloquently. I had a problem with what the leaves were. The waiter had no idea of the English word ( if there is one!) but I considered that they were betel leaves. Since found out that yes, betel leaves are used as well as another variety I am yet to research. At home, I use small spinach leaves with great success! If you get a chance, make this appetiser, you will not be sorry.

Rachel....I discovered the joy of mushrooms and strawbs together a couple of years ago! They go so well insieme Im only sorry it took me so long to discover that fact. I just slice equal amounts of strawberries and white cultivated mushrooms, toss in a lemon based vinaigrette with some chopped scallion, finely chopped mint and some white pepper. Place onto some salad leaves ( including spinach!!) and top with some whipped double cream seasoned with S&P and finely chopped Italian parsley. Heaven.... I promise.

Oh my...another great blog!! And Turkey is a place I dream of visiting. Bugger not having an interesting enough day with food, the pics and video from the wedding are so evocative that food could wait!! My hips swayed at the PC with that video and Im now left wondering if I was from that part of the world in a past life. But then, you just HAD to pass the sweet store. I want some of everything please, especially those walnut strings! I toffee walnuts to accompany blue cheese on occasion and those strings looked more than enticing. This is all good and I cant wait for futher installments!

Donbert I dont know if you care for baking or not, but Ive just posted a recipe for a VERY simple boiled fruit cake on the Fruit Cake thread. The recipe calls for a can of SCM!! I bet no one has ever made one of those cakes with D d L before. There is always a first time huh? This has been a wonderful blog, I am so loving the ethnic foods you are eating/photographing. I really need to go to Brazil!

Anyone wanting to make a lovely, moist fruit cake without eggs here is my Grandma's old recipe. This is an old fashioned boiled cake and I never ice it. Easy to make and great to have in your cake tin! 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 Can Cold Water ( CM can full) 1 lb 2 oz Mixed Fruit ( I use currants, raisins and sultanas but other fruits can be used) 8 oz Butter 10 oz Flour 1 Tsp Baking Soda Boil first 4 ingredients for 3 minutes. Cool. Add sifted flour and soda. Mix gently but well. Spoon into a prepared tin the size of a lunch plate ( Grandma's words!) and bake at 160 deg for 1 1/2 hours. If top browning too quickly, cover with a sheet of foil. Pulling from sides or toothpick test to determine doneness. Lyn

Wow! FWIW the commericial dulce de leche I picked up (manufactured in chile) is closest in color to number 16. I'll post a photo in the cocktails forum later this week. George T. Stagg eggnog, what an idea! ← The commercial D d L in New Zealand is pretty much the same colour as No 16 also. Wow Donbert!! You actually DID boil up 24 cans...I am in awe. Does it freeze well one wonders? I am assuming line 1 was 2 hrs, line 2 was 4 hrs etc, and also that the same brands are in vertical lines? Just interested in the colour changes, most intriguing and very very different. Cant wait for your tasting notes. Edited to add: On another look at your photo is is patently obvious that the same brands cannot be in vertical lines. Im colour blind. OK?? lolol

Pomegranate seeds banged over the top of a Lamb, Mint and Fetta Salad is something I dont tire of! Nice with venison also. If you have a surfeit of the fruit, freeze the seeds. I have kept them for over 6 months in an airtight bag without much loss of quality.

OMG!!! I cant imagine the mess with 28 cans exploding!! Pray loudly. The can that exploded was partially submerged so it is imperative that you keep the boiling water topped up. There should not be a problem if you are vigilant. Someone upthread asked about poking a hole in the can and the answer is a resounding NO. The last thing you want are any puncture wounds at all. I remember years ago when I was on night duty nursing, we would boil cans of SCM in the ward sterilizers. Im surprised I still have my own teeth.

If you really are wanting to go with the raspberry jam, sans seeds, just push it through a sieve. My Mum always made a fresh uncooked raspberry jam for her trifle. Always! But then, we only ever ate trifle in raspberry season. She used to make a genoise, spread with the fresh jam, rollup and slice. Some of the rolls were decoratively placed in bottom and around sides of her best crystal bowl, liberally sprinkled with canned fruit syrup ( mostly peaches) mixed with sherry, sliced canned peaches placed on top, a good amount of sherry laced hot custard onto that, more slices of cake, juice and sherry, peaches, custard. Cooled, plastic wrapped and then refrigerated until next day. Then came the crowning glory. Unsweetened whipped cream piped in huge rosettes, drizzles of fresh passionfruit pulp and whole strawberries. Usually had some angelica in the garden for some greenery otherwise she had been known to use strawberry leaves!! In later years she actually sprinkled the top with praline as well. I thought she was so adventurous...lol

I am loving your blog so far and the SCM experiment is sure is going to be interesting! Can I say though, anyone wanting to boil cans of SCM must ensure that they are ALWAYS covered with water. I have seen firsthand the results of not doing this. Not a pretty sight, trust me. And hours of cleaning walls and ceiling were involved. No fun at all. Once again....trust me. ( was a friend who buggered up, but I mucked in with the cleaning!) We are fortunate in New Zealand to be able to buy caramelised SCM in cans nowadays and I most often use it for Banoffi Pies, Cheesecakes, Millionaires Shortbread and Icecream topping. Sometimes I do a MS and can be found hiding away with a can and a teaspoon. Lyn

In New Zealand, trifle is a must at Christmas but we mostly seem to have kissed adieu to the trad English sherry version these days. Right now, I am already nearly trifled out with the demand at seasonal parties that started a few weeks ago. Our most popular are my own Passionfruit/Mango/Pineapple Trifle and the following, one of many Nigella does that can be recommended. ( I love links....saves the inumerable typo's I make ) http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_34700,00.html I have also done this with fresh raspberries and raspberry preserves with Framboise drizzled over the cake. As little or as much as you dare! ( or can afford of course). I also do a tiramisu with chocolate and raspberries, and it is a great success. Almost a trifle!

I buy catapults, cannons, and giant nets from that Acme. The other Acme sadly only sells bread. ← Then I am sufficiently comforted.

Melkor, Im pleased to make your aquaintance and your blog sure started off well for me with a good caffeine hit. Gotta love it. Then came embarrassment. Reading about your glorious looking and sounding ravioli I learnt that you procured the accompanying ciabatta from acme. But something made me wonder if it was just some 'costa poco' ciabatta from an unknown 'not worth mentioning store'. Further consideration, based on my reading other posts from you over the past months, led me to believe that no, you would never knowingly eat anything unworthy. So, I came to the conclusion that it must have been a personal joke. I mean to say, Acme supplies the Roadrunner with all manner of things, but you did not capitalise the word. Oh my!! I truly thought it was a joke. And I then scrolled down further and read a little more. I was promptly enlightened. Sigh....I really must give the Roadrunner on the cartoon channel a miss for a bit. Hence my embarrassment. And my non Americaness is showing. ( if you dont comprehend my mad ravings I completely understand, but I know precisely where Im coming from and it can be scary...lol) I am just loving reading past blogs, have so enjoyed Rachels wonderful 7 pages this last week and I so look forward to more from you. Avanti con passione! Lyn

What cute wee doggies Scottish Terriers are, and you have both the black and the white. My Dad used to drink Black and White whiskey with milk, such a Scottish thing to do apparently! Now, your gorgeous little Jack Russell will sure keep you on your toes, such vibrant, energetic little dogs. My BIL had one and what that animal could do to a possum... I have two Maremma's one of whom is such a wuss he throws his 60kg frame on mama's lap when he is afraid, and a lap dog he aint meant to be! I truly regret having gotten rid of many childhood memento's, it has been such a pleasure having you share some of yours. Oh, but I do have Patricia, a very sorry looking doll now, and I often smell her skin for just a whiff of Christmas's past. And, I am very thankful for having an intact memory for the time being, with only a few 'senior moments' creeping in. Once again, thanks for the memories you inadvertently gave back to me, and I look forward to reading much more of you in the future. Lyn

Veal Piccata al Limone is wonderful, Chinese Lemon Chicken, Lemon Rice Salad, Risotto with Lemon and Lettuce, Tagliatelli with Lemon and Parsley ( use butter,cream/pancetta/parmesan/lemon zest for sauce, sprinkle with Italian Parsley) try marinating large rinsed anchovies in lemon juice then drain and use as normal. For some more sweet ideas; Make a bread pudding ( I use croissants or brioche on occasion) and use 1/2 double cream and 1/2 milk. Add lemon zest to egg/milk/cream/sugar mix and soak bread for an hour. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and more zest. Top with a meringue and bake in a bain marie until done. Make a Tiramisu with lemons. Add zest to the egg/marscapone mix and dip the savoiardi briefly into lemon juice. Do not dust with cocoa! Use confectioners sugar and I serve with raspberries. Coffee does not figure here. Meyer Lemon IceCream: 1 Cup Double Cream 3/8 Cup Caster Sugar Very finely grated zest of 1 large Meyer Lemon Juice of 1 large Meyer Lemon Place all into a bowl. Mix well and taste. Add more sugar or lemon if needed. Whisk until softly whipped then place into 4 small bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. This is an old recipe, well before we had even hand icecream churns in New Zealand. Easy and delicious! For a touch of modern, drizzle with limoncello and ganish with some crystallised lemon slices. I make poppyseed muffins and dip in sugar and lemon juice whilst hot. Make lemon syrup cakes/lemon sponge rolls and fill with lemon curd and blueberries. An aside: I much prefer limoncello with a lemon such as Lisbon or Villa Franca. Meyers are too sweet for me in alcohol. But, I do love just eating them straight off my tree. So does one of my pooch's.

Ahhh Rachel, you have forced me out of my blog lurking habit! What a wonderful journey for this Antipodean. I concur with every other eGulleter who has swooned at your exquisite word magic and accompanying pics...I believe I have actually lost weight this week as I swear the only food I have eaten is what you photographed!! I was sated. It is unfortunate that here in New Zealand we have no traditional themed food day other than Christmas and that olde English traditional meal is dying a quick death also. Mostly, this is due to our love of the BBQ so a turkey/hot ham/plum pudding dinner is fast being replaced with chargrilled food that can be served with lots of wonderful salads and enjoyed under our December summer sun. So, I envy you all who get to eat your turkey when it is ( mostly!) cold where you are! Heck, we now have midwinter Christmas dinners just so we CAN justify eating all of your kinda Thanksgiving food when it is brass monkey weather. Thank you so much for this trip, it has been a joy to go on and I am much enlightened. Your faerie story has been duly copied and will make its way into my precious granddaughter Alexandra's cache of most beloved wee stories/prose for sure! You are an eGullet treasure.

For me, the best blue is Kapiti Kikorangi made right here in Godzone aka New Zealand. With a 1/2 bottle of a late harvest sticky wine, some toffeed walnuts and even a hunk of gingerbread, I am one contented chickie! I know a store in NYC carries it, and darned if I can remember the name. Ummm.... Murrays, Freddies, Larry's....something like that!

That old Italian classic Tortellini in Brodo maybe? Just wonderful if you have spent the time on making a great broth. Broccoli and Blue Cheese, Oyster and Saffron, Celeriac and Walnut are soups I have enjoyed this winter, but think of some other old favourites like Potage St Germaine or Vichyssoise. None of these are over-the-top rich or filling.

Lemonade and Cream scones made in muffin tins, split through top, filled with strawberry jam, then whipped cream then a fresh strawb ( greenery included) on top. Dust with powdered sugar. Now lets get talking Pikelets!

OK Ockers.......take note!!! This is the Australia AND New Zealand forum and I am dismayed to see hardly any mention of great Kiwi chefs/books. Oh..except for Peter Gordon who I see seems to be claimed as yours! Just like Russell Crowe, Keith Urban, Crowded House etc have been ' borrowed' by you lot. ( Oh, and we are forgetting the Pav debate but so as not to bore everyone, lets not get too far into that ! ) Geez. So, Im away to create a thread for Kiwi chefs/foodies/blogs/books/restaurants etc. First tho', thank you Ludja for mentioning that a link you supplied included NZ cookbooks. I realise you posted ages ago! And Dim Sim...you are/were worried about including Kiwi cookbooks in the thread?? Sacre bleu! NZ Cuisine magazine has been voted BEST food magazine in the world on many occasions. And with very good reason. I realise you too posted this ages ago. To anyone wondering just what kind of mad woman has been let loose, please relax. The Aussies and Kiwis are always knocking each other and that damned ditch seems to close in by the year! You can blame a long ago cricket match for this. And let we Antipodeans get this NZ/Aus part of eGullet happening! There are some people needing enlightenment as to food trends WE set. And what everyone else is missing out on... I dont like emoticons much, but on this occasion...

I know of someone who DID have a can of condensed milk explode whilst she was out of the house. Silly girl...she allowed it to boil practically dry! Do not leave the can/s unattended, ensure they are always covered with simmering water and all should be well. We are fortunate here in New Zealand as we can buy the stuff in cans already caramelised these days. Still, we had fun as nurses putting our cans into the sterilisers when on night duty years ago.

Avocado mayo goes with nearly everything IMO, and add a little wasabi to it and serve with crabcakes for a sublime meal. Avocado and bacon muffins for brunch. 1/4 avocado slices smeared with wasabi, dipped in tempura and deepfried until golden brown ( just recommended but everyone who has tried them is raving about them). My favourite breakfast is corn fritters with roasted tomatos, avocado and sweet chilli sauce. I use them in place of butter on most of my sandwiches. We kinda drown in avocado's here in New Zealand!

It will be sold al'etto, by the ounce. The way beef prices are fluctuating here in NZ I will be doing the same soon!

Dai Hathor!! This is wonderful. I lived in Italy for 10 years and already you have me almost wishing it were 20. Api's ( damned noisy things)..gelato..formaggi buoni..Cooperativi (not usually Communist run unless my ex has changed political parties , una casa nel centro storica, una vista unica ecc.... sigh..... Blog on cara Judith...blog on. Im loving it.

I agree that pastina is one of the first foods but just wait until a couple of years down the track. I was amazed ( read horrified) to see my niece and nephew breakfast on 1/2 packet of sweet biscuits softened in milk every morning!! Then comes brioche/cornetto with cappuccino or a bowl of leftover polenta with sugar and milk. Rarely did I see muesli/cornflakes etc in any home. At least where I lived! Still, there once was variety. I watched Genny devour a glass of Mirtilli in Grappa for breakfast once. It had been left on the table since night before. She was 4 years old.