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Everything posted by Smithy
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Turkish Spices – Istanbul Spice Market
Smithy replied to a topic in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking
...or marigold petals, which also look different and which have no discernible flavor. Is Iranian saffron better than Spanish saffron? I always thought that Spain set the gold (heh) standard. -
Thanks very much for posting about this book. It sounds like a lot of fun, for someone who could read it. I'm enjoying going through your list of dish names. Some of them are interesting and amusing. What on earth could "Buddha Leaps the Wall" be? Or "General Crosses the Bridge"? "Train of Thought Tofu?" What would be the "Best Concubine's Chicken" or "Dragon's Well Shrimp"? I look forward to reading more about this book. Any descriptions you might care to post of those interestingly-named dishes would be welcome. "Cook until done", indeed. :-D
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Turkish Spices – Istanbul Spice Market
Smithy replied to a topic in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking
What about zaatar? Can you find that easily where you are? If not, that's another to consider. -
Copper vs Stainless Steel Clad Cookware: Is it worth the $$$?
Smithy replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
Sam, please elaborate on this. Are you saying it isn't possible to burn or scorch something in a copper pan, or are you saying that it's much more forgiving given your level of knowledge (for instance, approximate heat level needed for the task) and your stove? Are you using a gas stove? Sorry if I've missed this information uptopic. -
Welcome to the forums, ChefNaim. What type of foods do you particularly enjoy cooking, and/or eating? You'll probably find people here who feel the same way that you do, and who are eager to exchange tips, encouragement, recipes or stories..
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Welcome to eGullet, Leilani! C'mon in, look around, and join in the conversations! You've touched on two of my favorite topics already. You may enjoy these related topics: "Larb Laab Larp" (so old, some of the photos won't show up, but the topic could stand a revival ) A brief search turned up several topics involving Sriracha sauce, a perennial favorite here: Sriracha in "Ready to Eat" forum and, to include current events: SRIRACHA plant in Irwindale, CA in trouble Whether you join in on existing topics or start your own, we're glad to see you here!
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...and with photos for the rest of us, please!
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Those cookies are beautiful. Sometimes, the basics are best.
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I'll bet that's going to be good, although perhaps still a bit startling depending on the answers to these questions:Do the eyes remain intact, a la the second Indiana Jones movie? and Is the brain in there also? If so, what would be its texture by now?
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Welcome to the forums! Feel free to ask questions, participate in the discussions, and post about food topics that you find interesting. Do you have any particular food or cooking interests?
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I have a couple of pieces that I allowed to stain past the point of no return. The only damage I've noticed is to my pride. Do use their cleaner and work to stay ahead of the stains - in other words, don't let them get bad if you want to maintain the pristine look.
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I hadn't read about substituting peanut butter and sesame oil for sesame paste before. That's a good trick to keep in mind.
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Welcome to eGullet! It sounds like you'll fit right in here. This crowd includes scientists, accomplished bakers, enthusiasts of almost any cuisine, and cooks of every skill level, and we all love to teach and learn about food and cooking. Come on in and join the discussions!
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Ramps for basil. That's quite a switch in flavor profiles, isn't it? I'll try it sometime if I ever lay my hands on ramps at the right time. This topic is great fun! I look forward to reading more, and savoring the recipes from afar. Afar, I said. I. Do. Not. Need. To Buy. Another. Cookbook. Yet.
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Wow, that's a great price if the setup works as advertised. $50 for the induction unit and the pot? I don't need it, but this is very tempting.
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keychris, those Easter animals are darling! Are the shells themselves also edible, or just the contents? The egg is also awesome - and I understand that one's edible all the way. Very creative!
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You make an excellent point about the oil. My oven has a measurable drop in temperature, as measured by my Sur la Table digital oven thermometer placed on a middle rack, whenever I open the door. I was surprised at how pronounced it was: 10 - 15 degrees F. I should add that I was also surprised by the swings in temperature of this particular (electric) oven, even with the door closed. I don't know if I still have the data, but I discovered last fall that it overshot the initial target temperature by at least 20 degrees (F) when I was setting for 350F, and once it was supposedly at the target temperature it oscillated something like +/- 10F. The best way to stabilize temperature in my oven was to add thermal mass, in the form of pizza stones on top and bottom racks, and use the convection feature. In other words, my oven may not be typical.
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The test sounds like an excellent idea, and I've tried something similar myself. One problem I noted with my (electric, with convection option) oven was that the oven temperature dropped crazily every time I opened the door to measure temperature. I realize that the oil in the containers won't lose heat as rapidly as the air in the oven, and therefore the oil containers will reflect more accurately the temperature profiles in the oven. Still, it's an invasive procedure. I'll float an alternative idea that I've read elsewhere (sorry, I don't remember who should get the credit): baking sheets with uniformly measured pancake batter spread around on them. As you watch the batter cook (without opening the door) you can get a feel for where the hot and cold spots are. It isn't as qualitative as your idea, but it also reduces the need to open the door and upset the heat balance. What do you think?
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I opened it, sniffed, tasted, and cooked my first dish with it. This must be a mild example, based on some of the posts above. I'd say it doesn't smell fruity or grassy like olive oil, and it doesn't smell like walnut oil or almond oil, but it also isn't neutral like, say, grape seed oil. It feels more heavily oily than most cooking oils I use. I used it as the base oil for a roux in a Cajun-style bean dish: started with a roux, threw in the chopped onions, celery and peppers, added chicken broth, the last of some Rancho Gordo beans (borlotti and marrow) that I had lying around, some heavily spiced smoked sausage and no doubt some additional seasonings. Many hours later, the stew was done and it was good. Based on this recipe I certainly didn't see anything wrong with the red palm oil. I couldn't tell whether it added anything, either, although I liked its red color. More experimentation is in order.
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That's a nice-looking setup, Chris. Are you planning to put anything down to catch meat juices so they don't drip onto the floor?
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Lovely, simply lovely. Keep it coming!
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Oh, Jason, I do love conch! Thanks for that link!
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What is the white soy sauce like, liuzhou? I've never heard of it.
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You do put together some beautiful salads, Plantes Vertes. I may have missed it uptopic - if so, I apologize - what dressing do you typically use?