godito

Where would I be without lard! Sure it has a bad rep, but it's a lot better than any hydrogenized fat (yes, I'm talking about margarine and "I can't believe it's not butter") There's no better fat to cook your regional latin american eats, like mote (also called pozole or homminy in the US) boiled and then sauteed with lard. We also use it to fry arepas or llapingachos, or to make flour tortillas and pastries. I remember once, a couple of mexican chefs were asked if they ever considered any other type of fat for cooking in the traditional mexican cuisine, and they said that they had not. They liked using lard. Of course, some americans insisted in asking them that "surely, there has to be a good substitute that's not animal in origin and has less cholesterol" The chefs looked at each other and one of them finally said; Yeah. No. We pretty much only use lard" Me too, my brother. Me too.

I can't remember which Art Culinaire it was, but one of the chefs prepared some chicken sashimi... I remember thinking it was weird. The problem with chicken is that, yes, you have to assume it has salmonella, which can be deadly and there's no other way to get rid of it than cooking the meat all the way through. I'm not sure how the inmune system of the afghans reacts to these bacterias or how salmonella-free are their chickens, but I can say that I still make mayo with my regular egg yolks without fear. Still, I have a pretty strong stomach, being from south america and all. I think that if they're eating it without getting ill, I would too.

Two rules about TV's in my household: 1. No TV in the dining room. We like our after-meal talks. 2. No TV in the bedrooms. That's where we read. Now, I do watch a lot of TV. I keep it on sometimes while I'm working on something else, but there has to be a limit. I guess there is a market for people who need a TV when they go out to eat... sadly the target seems to be children. They're so used to it nowadays... I'm just glad I have the choice not to go there. Sad, indeed

If you really want to take the time, making ice cream requires no ice cream machine, just some time. What the ice cream machine does for you is, while cooling down the mixture, stirs it, thus breaking the ice cristals that start to form. You can do the exact same thing, only you have to take the mixture out of the freezer and stir it often. I've done raspberry ice cream this way before... nothing chuncky, just pureed raspberries. Didn't turn as creamy as machine made, but that's because I neglected the mixture for too long at times. It was still very good.

Sopa de Maní!!! Peanut soup, bolivian style.... this is the first recipe I found in English I don't use the chicken meat in mine, but I use chicken stock. My garnish is with cilantro, not parsley, but it's still good. It's my favorite soup! I hope you like it!

I will have to research every school to find out the exact level of education thay provide. My own experience, I graduated from cooking school and then went to the CIA, and the education at the CIA was a lot better. Three times better? Probably not, but it did have a better library, more labs, restaurants, etc. And the rest is paid by the reputation and credibility. Like I said in an earlier post, coming from the CIA opens more eyes when they check my resume... that can lead to more doors opening. Now, is it worth it? It was for me, but I think only you can answer that question.

School is what you make of it, but you can make it without it. It's your choice, really. Some of the chefs I admire never had any schooling. It's all about working hard and making good use of your time and money. I had already graduated from a cooking school in Chile when I decided to go to the CIA. I wanted to get better and learn more, and I had to decide if I wanted to work those years or go to school. Why did I chose to go to school? Because I have goals in my life. Some day I would like to teach, and also I wanted the name prestige to better sell myself as a cook. Also, I lacked confidence in my habilities and knowledge (not anymore). There are some other reasons... I had the money, for instance. I don't regret my decission, either. Now, as for name == quality, I think so. Going to school is mor about your efforts and how much you learn and practice than what they actually teach. I had a pretty good group in school, however, I still wondered how some of my classmates were graduating with me. You have good students and bad students. So, since it mostly depends on yourself, then go to the institute that offers you the best possibilities: libraries, classrooms, kitchens, restaurants open to the public, events, teachers and chefs instructors, etc. In my research I found that the good schools are far better than the rest. After all, the good name that a school has isn't coincidental.

Yes, the huancaina sauce in bolivia is made with peanuts. I'm not exactly sure if that's the same recipe as the ocopa in peru, but they taste very similar to me. The difference is that in Peru, for the original Ocopa, they use Huacatay, which is a very aromatic herb. I'm not sure if they use it in bolivia, although I was told it grows there.

You're right, unfortunately most of the sites seem sponsored by one school or another. And I'm about to give you a link that's not gonna make it better, because it's part of the CIA website. However, this is what the page says: This is the link Now, as for answering your question, I can tell you, as a CIA grad, that coming from a big school does help open some eyes (and eventually some doors). But mostly the advantage of good schools is the hours of practice you get. How many kitchen labs do they have? How long is their externship (do they even have one required in the program?) What kinds of connections will you be able to make after you graduate? What kind of instructors they have? I remember my first day at the CIA, during orientation, some of the chefs that talked to us openly compared the experience of attending that school to going to Harvard to study laws or business administration. I can tell you that the CIA is not for everybody. First of all, it's very expensive, but it also allows no flexibility of schedules and although it's somewhat "lost in the woods". Sure, it's about an hour and change away from NYC, but it's still in between Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie. If you've never heard of those towns, don't be too surprised, there isn't much to do there. Still, be careful with your research. I found that tgoing to the CIA was the best decision I'vemade about my career, but I'm trying not to sell you that school. Do your research, you will find what you need.

Elfin, if you've had the original and that's what you're trying to recreate, then you're probably missing the aji amarillo (yellow chile). I don't know if you can find them dried wherever you are, but you can also find it in powder or as a paste. Other than that you need some oil, onions (red), garlic, soda crackers, evaporated milk (that's wat they use in Peru for a lot of their cooking), you can add a bit of cumin and the cheese: queso fresco. The mexican viriety or something like that works great. Like marlena said, though, use good cheese. And, if to that very good preparation you add some roasted peanuts, you have ocopa sauce (well, it's nopt exactly the same exact recipe, but it works great also -- I've tried it). You can have both sauces with some hard boiled eggs, potatoes, olives, corn, yuca or just toast. You can also thin it out a bit with oil and make a dressing out of them!

Personally, I've always believed that pooling tips (or making them a salary, like Trotter does) is better for the customers. If they only care about their daily tips, it's likely that they might serve larga tables better. I remember when I was working as a server we all wanted the big tables. Sometimes we got a couple of big tables and a couple of deuces, and it was hard not to neglect the small ones. Ok, neglect is not the right word. But we served the big ones better. Quite simply, there was more money there. Servers might not want to pool because there's always someone who doesn't work as hard but for some reason never gets fired. As for the 20% service charge added, it's ok if the servers make no mistakes. But it's a little arrogant to assume this. What will they do if they obviously screw up? I think if wine gets spilled over my jacket and the servers offer only a lukewarm appology, just trying to avoid a scene (true story) and I still see a 20% charged for "service" I would not be too happy. I wonder how would they deal with mistakes?

YES! and I live in Chile... but yes with gumbo and yes fried. Can't get enough of that stuff

I would have some bite size empanadas (meat and potatoes) or even some really small samosas Also, vegetable spring rolls. You don't have to fry them, they're great "raw". Just cook your veggies beforehand and cut the rolls by half (or in three parts) Soups served in shot glasses are great. Cold soups are nice for the summer days. I would have a nice gazpacho or a cold ginger and carrot soup. Also, small skewers. Anything works, like tomato and watermellon. Marinate the first in olive oil, salt and basil, and add a drop of aged balsamic to the watermelon. Just some ideas. Hope it helps.

I no longer live around Hyde PArk, NY, but when I did I favored Holy Cow Ice Cream. Local and delicious!

People around me all think I'm nuts I was laughing so hard.... For me, it happened a couple of years ago. I was alreadyu eating at this restaurant, finishing my apps. I overhead the table next to ours wondering what cous cous was (featured with a grilled salmon). The waited promplty came to the rescue. "Do you have any questions about our menu?" "Yes. What's this cous-cous?" "Oh... eehhh..., it's like a rice.... like a mexican rice (I'm sure he really wanted to say moroccan)" "So, it's spicy, huh?" "Yup, somewhat spicy" No, I didn't walk out, but I should've.

Some friends used to make "dashboard hot dogs" during road trips (yup, it's exactly what you're thinking: the top of your dashboard is hot enough to cook a hot dug AND it's bun) but I don't think that's what you're talking about. I've seen grilled cheese sandwiches made with an iron. Other than that we ate a lot of ramen noodles and campbell soup...

Escabeche! Pork escabeche, chicken escabeche or just any vegetable (couliflower and carrots come to mind, but red onions are great also) Ooh, beef tongue escabeche also! I also use vinegar to marinate quite a bit

I can talk about plenty at several restaurants, but I remember a friend telling me the story of inviting a couple to a BBQ (as in, hey, I'm having a BBQ this saturday, we'll be outside grilling in the afternnon. You guys should come over) When they show up, and the meal is getting ready to be served, my friend asks them what cut of meat they want, and they say. Sorry, we're vegetarians. Do you have anything else?

Daniel. I agree with most of what you said. Points a and f hit it home for me... peaope in India are starving (and I don't just mean they're very hungry) yet they won't touch the cows that roam freely in the streets as for yes. But let's not confuse enjoyable with religion (I know this was not your intention, but I can see how people migh confuse the two... you know, "how was your meal at Per Se" "Soo good, it was a religious experience". Eating only the vegetables you get as charity (like sonme buddhist or a couple of extreme catholic sects) is closer to a religious experience. And it's only enjoyable if you understand how thankful they are for the meal earth has given them and the pain it causes them to eat. They don't enjoy food, they enjoy the act of eating (because it's life) Ok, this is hard to read. I'm not making any sense. But it all sounded so pretty in my head! I guess I'm trying to say that food is not religion, it's only a part of it. And as good as food is, religions doesn`t see it as an enjoyable experience. Am I wrong? Is there somebody here with a deeper knowledge? I'm getting curious.

I like remoulade better, but Aioli is a close second. I like to serve my crab-cakes with an avocado salsa... it goes a little something like this: diced avocado sauteed corn kernels (fresh, not frozen preferably) roasted bell peppers, peeled and diced red onion, diced some chiles, minced olive oil lime juice a couple of drops of good balsamic Serve while the corn is still hot

I think food has been a part of religion forever, and it mostly tells you how to eat and what to eat (from Kosher to no meat on fridays or Buddhist vegetarianism) In many places of the world, religios is still a huge way of life, and food plays a big role in that way of life. Most of Asia, for example. However, in our "western world", we don't participate in religion as much. We have other "cults". The cult of the body is one of them, and the real reason for diets (low carb and in some cases vegetarians) And then there is also the cult for food and its foodies. But don't think that this kind of obsession over food is something new. It mught be new in the US (wait, let me say the Americas, because we are all the "newer" continent... although I'm sure that the Aztecs, Mayas and Incas had a high religious respect for food), but it has been around ever since there has been civilization. Just look at Apicius, the Roman Gourmand. He wrote extensively about food during his time and his banquets were legendary. I mean, c'mon, he killed himself when he was running "short" of money because he realized that with the money he had left he couldn't live the life he was leading... And maybe some people do view food as a sort of religion, but like Adam said, it would be a very diluted view of religion. As organoleptic a meal can be for you, it is not as inspiring as, say, the sistine chapel's ceiling. What inspired Michelangelo and other religious artists (many of them known today only for their work) cannot compare to the inspiration of any foodie. Not even Apicius.

Sorry, I think it's pretty much up to her. If she doesn't want to try new things, it's best no to force her. My brother is not really a picky eater, but he won't eat any seafood or fish. Now, what do I like to cook? Fish..., so, when I cook for my family, I never make seafood or fish. I've explained to him how good scallops are and stuff. But nothing. Let her be. Like arbara said, it's hard to deal with a 4 yr old mentality. Not everybody appreciates post-modernist paitings, and not everybody enjoys great food.

It does! You want the prosciutto outside to briwn nicely and render some of the fat when you cook it. We used to make them at least once a month for a couple of years.

oh... I've got a good one. layer prosciutto slices, add some thinly sliced chicken breast, chicken liver patè and roll. Bake and eat... soooo good. I also like a dish that one of my chefs made. It was thinly sliced eggplant, softened in the fryer and rolled over a crab meat salad. Eggplant Canneloni with Crab I think he called it.

For dessert you can always make raspberry-banana cobbler Soften the fruit with butter and sugar (add some spices if you've got any -- like cinnamon and clove) and make a dough with butter, flour and sugar. You can add some milk, water or and egg yolk if you can't manage it. Put fruit on a cesorole, add topping and bake. If you feel like it, make some chocolate sauce to go with that. And don't worry, dessert always sweetens my days