Smithy

Here's the topic JeanneCake mentioned: Chocolate Plastic.

This article on Mike.com made me laugh: How to make a pumpkin keg - you know you want to. I like the cheekiness of both the title and the idea. I wish I'd thought of it! I think the beer would have to be carefully chosen to benefit from the pumpkin. What say you, beer connoisseurs? Has anyone tried this? Would this treatment augment some special autumnal brew?

"Chocolate persimmon", @FrogPrincesse? Please tell more.

'MBP" = "Magic Browning Powder", a Modernist innovation that's caught on among some folks here because it gets the maillard reactions (browning) going more readily on meats. Here's the formulation that ElsieD uses. I haven't tracked down the original reference in the sous vide topics. Edit: it's usually a mix of baking soda and dextrose.

What a fun concept! I can quite understand the idea that it's wretched to get up early enough to do guests' breakfasts. As someone with little cocktail experience, I think I'd enjoy the chance to try a few (on different nights) under such circumstances. Thanks for the report; it sounds like a nice place to stay.

Welcome!

It's in our library's online catalog, but when I checked it wasn't listed as being anywhere in the system. I put in a request, ironically just before my copy arrived at home. Lest you think that being listed but not acquired is the bottom of the rung, consider this: Vivian Howard's Deep Run Roots wasn't even listed in the catalog; it is quite unknown in our library system.

I'd like to address the gas vs. electric oven issue. If I had a choice I'd go with a gas oven. Since I began paying attention to my oven's temperature control, I've learned that its electric elements lead to wild temperature swings: 25F above and below the temperature it claims to be holding. I can dampen those swings somewhat with multiple baking stones for additional thermal mass and using both circulation ("convection") fans, but my digital baker's thermometer says it still swings +/- 10 to 15F. This is supposed to be a fairly sophisticated (mid-range, not high-end) unit, and it's only 5 years old. My trailer kitchens have had gas ovens, and the same thermometer says they hold much more steady temperatures. It's possible that my oven model is poorer than most at temperature control, but since the heating elements cycle on and off for temperature control I'm skeptical. I'd need to research a specific model thoroughly before choosing electric when gas was an option.

@shain, how thoroughly dried are those chilis? I've had chilis dried until just slightly rubbery, and others so crisp that they shattered when I rolled them between my fingers. Do they have to be brittle in order to process them as you're doing?

When you roast that delicata, do you roast it with anything? Roast it after cleaning? I have 2 or 3. I often have sliced them into rings, cleaned the rings and then roasted them for a pasta toss, but I'm looking for something better. Tossed with roasted peppers and tomatoes?

@ninagluck: strattu? It looks like sheets of beef, but I'm guessing it's sheets of dried tomato paste. Is that true? Do tell more, please: seasonings, how you dried it, and so on.

One is a discussion about the book's photographs. It begins by telling cover image and how it was shot: equipment, settings and software. From there it broadens out to discuss the equipment and lighting used throughout the book, and how the images were processed. This handout is 1 sheet of 81/2 x 11 paper, both sides. The second 'extra' is additional recipes that evidently didn't make it into the book: Gluten-free Flatbread, Green Chile Corn Chowder, Fish Tacos, Gyro, Southwest Burgers, Key Lime Pies and Brownie. They take up 2 more sheets of 81/2 x 11 paper, both sides. Edit: I had to go back to Page 1 of this topic to find the description of the extras. Maybe it's redundant, given what I wrote above, but here's the reference.

Thanks for the encouragement, folks. Maybe I'll try again.

Oh, I think it's great if you have a good store with good deals - and I'm glad you seem to. While scrolling back up to see if you'd commented on that mayo brand before (have you? I didn't review the entire topic) I spotted the wine discussion. I didn't notice wine or beer at that store. It's in Wisconsin, so they might carry it. Maybe I'll stroll back in and check it again.

As noted earlier in this topic, there seems to be a huge spread in quality from store to store, and I guess we got one on the low end. I finally got around to checking out the Aldi that opened in our area earlier this year. The cheapo dehydrators were long gone, somewhat to my relief. Nothing looked inviting to me. There were no bargains on familiar products or brands, and no quirky interesting novelties to pursue. With numerous lovely mid-quality grocery stores, two excellent whole-foods coops (member owned, not the chain) and a high-end grocery store in our area, I don't plan to go back to this Aldi.

Welcome, Saturable! I must say you sound far more advanced in your cookery than I was at your age. During that time of my life I once made a quick bread with baking soda instead of baking powder (disaster), made mac-and-cheese soup from the Kraft box because I didn't know to drain the pasta before adding the 'cheese' powder, and thought my best friend was very sophisticated because she actually knew how to make lasagna. I am curious about your expensive grocery store leading you to eat mostly chicken, pork and beef. Aren't the vegetables and grains less expensive than those proteins? It's good that you've found the pastry and baking forum, and the confections topics. You'll continue to get a lot of help here. If you have any questions about how the forums work, feel free to ask a host (I am one) or ask in the Moderation and Policy Discussion forum.

My copy is here! It's here! It's hereit'shereit'shere! and with a lovely inscription (thank you, Rob) that makes the wait worthwhile. I already have it festooned with markers for recipes I want to try out. I'd already been messing with mesquite and the book has enticing recipes for using it, but now I have Pork Belly Poppers, Papas Rellenos, Rolled Roasted Roots, Curried Kumquat Chutney (which looks like a great Christmas gift) and numerous desserts marked. The instructions for bonbons (Lemon Poppy Seed, Cassis Poppy Seed) look clear and non-intimidating. In a few weeks I expect to be in a position to try the Crawfish Samosas and Curry Rice Balls using local ingredients. This book is even more beautiful in print than in the electronic copies I'd seen. Well done, Rob.

What a fine tag line that would make!

Ah, no wonder rotuts was confused about the salt thing. Thanks for setting me straight about that being a different book, blue_dolphin. Y'all are making an excellent case for why I should get this (Kindle version) book!

I already have a surfeit of new, basically unexplored cookbooks thanks to you enablers who routinely point out Kindle bargains. Had no intention of looking into this book, but I confess that I'm weakening. The cheese ball looks wonderfully enticing to me (even as I wonder to whom I'd feed it) and the advocacy for acid, as well as the testament to her writing, makes me think I may need to look into this book. I may be able to get past the ultra-specificity for things like sourced sea salt. Maybe our library has it.

This may well explain why I was so surprised, given some of my experiences. Thank you for this additional insight.

I don't know whether wild-caught catfish can be purchased; I haven't paid attention since I had no intention of buying it, so I'm not sure of the sources. The big grocery stores state their fish sources, and the little backwoods shops in Florida seem to carry stuff they, their families or contractors caught wild. (There's nothing like opening a freezer and being greeted by an alligator head that takes up an entire shelf.) I'll pay more attention to catfish this year. If I find it, I'll ask here how to cook it!

So, if I were to find a fishmonger that sells catfish, what should I ask for? Small filets? What about wild-caught vs, farmed? If you give me enough guidance I'll give it a whirl during our winter travels.

@Shelby, I've never been impressed with catfish when I've eaten it at restaurants; it's always just tasted muddy, as I'd expect a bottom-feeder to taste. Your photos make me wish I could it try it your way, fresh out of the stream. I might like it after all.

This sounds to me like a major selling point. I like my smooth-top electric stove well enough, given the cost of plumbing our kitchen for propane, but keeping it clean is a pain. What about power requirements for an induction stove vs. regular electric stove? Is there a significant difference?