andiesenji

I get crisp waffles by substituting 1/4 cup of CORN STARCH for a "scant" 1/4 cup of the flour. Maybe half a tablespoon less because corn starch absorbs more liquid.

The Chinese long pepper is fairly new to China. The plant is native to India and was more popular in Europe during the middle ages than what we consider "regular" peppercorns. It was more pungent and better to cover up meat that had "gone off" than the less pungent peppercorns. The only long pepper I have used is from Sri Lanka. It's strictly my personal preference, I avoid food sourced from China. Use the pink peppercorns sparingly. Too much can cause stomach upset. It's not easy to grind because not all of it is hard. You need an extra fine ceramic grinder as the thin layers seem to slide right through metal teeth and look like tiny shells. I use a spice grinder, shaking and inverting it while my thumb is on the switch. I then WAIT till the dust has settled and then sift through a superfine sieve onto food. Google it - there are warnings for pregnant women and children. I am very interested in your evaluations.

This appears to be a brand new product. I will be interested in how you find the peppercorns that remain unsullied. While I have some mixed peppercorns (came in one or two of the grinders I tested before ordering the Wonder Sky sets) I dumped them into a jar and use them for pickling, in marinades, etc., whole - rather than as seasoning. They have a pretty appearance but the ones I have gotten haven't been distinctive, but yours might be of better quality or at least fresher. I have a friend who loves the "medley" but she can't tell the difference between different peppers anyway. Sometimes being a supertaster is a curse. (I received a bottle of EVOO from a friend on Saturday. I opened it yesterday and it has a faint rancid flavor, which would probably not be detected by most people. It's okay, for now, for salad dressings with herbs and spices, but I won't use it as a bread dip. It's from Il Fustino in Santa Barbara. The new "premier" California olive oil producer. My friend said she and her sister went there in February and "bought far too much" and decided to share with me the oil and some olives.

Lime pulp I would zest the limes, cook the zest in simple syrup, remove all the white pith, slice the center portions for "decoration" and blend the rest in a blender or food processor, depending on how much I had. Then strain the zest out of the simple syrup and mix the pulp in and then blend the ginger syrup and lime syrup together TO TASTE. usually about 2/3 ginger syrup to 1/3 lime syrup, cook that and during the last 10 minutes or so carefully slid in the lime slices so they wouldn't break up - if they are thin, 10 minutes is enough when the stuff is simmering. Ladle into jars so there are a few slices in each jar. The zest has to be strained out because it turns an ugly gray if left in.

I used to candy a LOT of ginger - usually 10 to 15 pound batches - with left me with lots of ginger syrup. I would combine that with lime juice and pulp to make Ginger-Lime marmalade and to make sure it gelled, I used Pomona's Universal Pectin because it doesn't need additional sugar to JEL firmly - and I mean FIRM! I used it decades ago to make jellies from wines - so firm you could turn the jar upside down and nothing came out. Back then there was a fad for "Sangria Jelly" - what can I say, it was the '60s... P.S. I bought it in bulk - I think it was originally a pound. Maybe 20 years ago. I still have some in a quart jar and it still works! I made jelly from some orange syrup from my last batch of candied orange peel. There is no expiration date on it.

I like the grinders - manual ones - that dispense from the TOP. I had some of the larger bottom dispensing ones but "dispensed" with them when I picked one up to grind some pepper into a dish and a spider fell out. I looked at the others and another had a juvenile black widow living in the hollow on the bottom. I bought 3 sets of these, after trying out individual ones. One broke but they are so inexpensive that doesn't worry me. Wonder Sky Salt and Pepper Grinder Set of 3 - Tall Salt and Pepper Shakers with Adjustable Coarseness by Ceramic Rotor I can't see paying a lot of money for a pepper mill when these do a perfectly fine job - the salt grinders work fine on peppercorns. I wrote a review on these grinders, it's somewhere in the 200+ reviews.

I feel your pain... I counted and I have 11 pepper mills - I need small ones for Grains of Paradise, for Allspice, an extra-fine ceramic mill for pink peppercorns. Also 4 salt grinders.

The BEST way to get a consistent result is to follow the specific directions. Heat the milk or cream to at least 180° which is the temperature where the CASEIN converts. I heat in the microwave in a 2 quart Pyrex measure to 190°F I then cool it to 115° F. And I have a high/low alarm probe thermometer so I know the precise temperature. Any temperature HIGHER THAN 120° F will KILL THE CULTURE AND YOU WILL JUST HAVE SOUR MILK. I have been making yogurt since the 1970s and when I lived in my motorhome for 3 years when I was actively showing dogs, I used a laboratory transport cooler which had thick insulation and with the use of a small heating pad, would maintain the yogurt at 95°F for the 12 hours incubation period. I use what works for me and have a Yogotherm (non-electric) that I mostly use for other dairy procedures and I have A Tribest YoLife electric yogurt maker that came with a half-gallon jar and some smaller jars that I never used. I got it years ago when I was still working - early 2000s. It works great for me. Last year I evaluated a Proctor Silex yogurt maker - I think it made a quart - worked very well. It had not yet been launched so I had no idea what the price would be. I gave it to the young woman who helps me in the house and yard from time to time. I just checked, it is 40.99 on Amazon. The milk STILL HAS TO BE HEATED TO OVER 180°F. and then cooled to below 120 to add the culture but then the appliance will hold it at the pre-set temp 110°F. until done. Editing to add photos of thermometers. One is an inexpensive probe using a clip-on probe holder, also sold by Thermoworks. The other is the high-low alarm thermometer from Thermoworks. These photos are from 2011.

The higher the fat content, the thicker and milder the product. The first two photos are yogurt made with half & half. The last is yogurt made with heavy cream. I used the cultures from NewEngland Cheesemaking and have used those cultures for years. They keep in the freezer for a very long time.

There is a lot of information in the thread of which the following is one page: I made several posts - I often made yogurt with half & half to get a much firmer result without having to drain it. I also used the yogurt culture with heavy cream to get a result that, with minimal draining, is a great substitute for clotted cream. The higher the fat content, the milder the yogurt "tang" - I have over the many years I have made yogurt, experimented with goat milk, ewe milk as well as different grades of cow milk and cream and sometimes a mixture. There are a few important criteria that one must observe to get the greatest yield and a stable product. The dairy MUST be heated to at least 180F. and then cooled to 115° before adding the culture. I know some people scoff at that but there is a SCIENTIFIC REASON! In my numerous experiments I have tried other methods and my YIELD is much higher with following these rules Following is a quote from the California Milk Board: "Yogurt is formed by the growth of two bacterial organisms in milk; Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus which turn the milk sugars into lactic acid. These are two separate bacteria that are active at different times during processing. Some times you will also find yogurt that contains other ""Probiotic"" cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium infantis which are bacterium normally found in your intestines. Together these bacteria aid in digestion and the synthesis of vitamins. Here are the required steps. Heat milk to between 180 and 200 °F. Heating the milk is done for a few reasons. First, to sterilize/pasteurize the milk so that the yogurt bacteria/culture has a hospitable place to grow in. It is not desirable to incubate contaminating bacteria that might be present in the unsterilized milk. Heating should be done even with pasteurized milk to help make a smooth thick yogurt. Heating the milk also helps stop the whey from separating out quite as much. You must then cool milk to 115 °F and add yogurt culture. (If the milk is too hot it will kill the yogurt bacteria.) Stir in yogurt culture gently until dissolved. Hold temperature at 105 to 110 °F for approximately 8-10 hours. This allows your ""good"" bacteria to grow. The methods listed in the post are suitable for this. Finally, you must refrigerate the processed yogurt for at least two hours. Refrigeration help slow the continued bacterial growth. If yogurt is not refrigerated it will become sour."

I have an extra small fridge that I originally got when I was making cheese. It is set at 50°F. and I use it for produce, hard cheeses, butter and things that should be kept cool and dry but not necessarily chilled. Recently I saw one of the "new" undercounter fridge "twin drawer" units, priced at $2785. specifically for "cool but not chilled" foods. My little fridge was $259. when I bought it in 1999. Still works fine. Pro-rate that out for 20 years.

Exactly! Chef used clarified butter and carbon steel skillets that were reserved for steaks and chops and appeared to have a seasoning coat that looked like black glass. He would place the steak, just as the butter began to shimmer and turned it every minute. Of course the thicker steaks took many more turns but each was perfection with the color even from edge to edge and plated on a WARM plate, he showed us how the interior temperature would continue to rise so that when delivered to table, it was at the perfect temperature. There were no really accurate probe thermometers in the '60s so we had to guess until I found a photographic thermometer that I used at home when "practicing." Chef could tell just by touching but it took me a while to learn the "feel" of meat that has reached the optimal degree of cooking.

But I have watched a real French chef - I took a cooking class from Chef Gregoire - turn a chateaubriand several times until each side had reached the perfect color and had the perfect "give" that he wanted. Different steaks were treated differently, depending on the amount of marbling in the meat because some surfaces shrink at different rates and achieving an even heat transfer requires turning more often so the the steak won't bow and then not be in even contact with the surface of the skillet or grill. He instructed us to turn as soon as the steak or chop "released" and after the first two turns repeat so the heat penetrates evenly.

I break a lot of food "rules" because who cares! It's MY kitchen, MY food and MY rules - which are No rules. I break spaghetti, linguini, etc., into lengths that I like and I use a "Pasta Boat" to cook pasta in the microwave. I've been cooking and baking for 70 years because I started when I was ten and many, many years ago I learned that some of the classic "rules" are simply BS.

This is my post about cornbread some years ago. I did a treatise with photos that I had on my blog but I shut the blog down as of June 1. My Cornbread Posted in 2006.

For me it is a spice that has to be ON something that it compliments. Try sprinkling a tiny bit on a strawberry or on melon - especially honeydew or cantaloupe or similar. I used it last summer on a panzanella with watermelon, tomato and red onion. I baked focaccia to have a high ratio of crust. I'm on a low salt regimen so used very little. I mixed the freshly ground grains of Paradise with a pinch of salt and some finely chopped basil, tossed that with the melon, tomatoes and onions, put the bowl in the fridge to chill for half an hour. Then I added some Argan oil - you should use EVOO - and the bread and tossed again. I love the flavor of Argan oil, not everyone does. Anyway the Grains of Paradise taste entirely different when paired with certain foods. I like it on fresh pineapple, on very ripe pears, peaches. I've even added it to applesauce to go with pork chops.

This is a photo I had on my Blog. It doesn't show the Wynad Pepper, Kampot, Lampong, or Malabar - which I added after the photo.

I have closed down my blog but I copied all the articles I wrote for it and finally found the folder in which I filed them. (I misspelled the title) here it is. —Peppercorns from all over the World PEPPER I love pepper! And in this note, I refer to “black” pepper or peppercorns that vary in type and are sourced from tropical places around the world. Many people think (or say) that “pepper is pepper” and really don’t notice the subtle or not so subtle differences between the different types. I notice the difference and know many other people who have the save sensitivity to the varying flavors. Pepper can be sweet, sour, bitter and of course, aromatic, in addition to the normal “heat” that one senses with the first taste. Pepper enhances many foods that may not at first seem to be a candidate for peppering. Try pepper on ripe strawberries. The flavor combination is incredible. I recently got some of the Australian Mountain Black Pepper and sprinkled it on a strawberry/peach tart. Exceptional flavor and worth the premium price. I’ve always put pepper on melons because that’s the way I learned as a child. A melon tastes flat without the “bite” of a sprinkle of pepper but with just a dash of pepper, the melon flavor itself is more pronounced and sweeter. Pineapple is another fruit that marries well with pepper. Same with peaches, nectarines and apricots, and do try it on a mango or papaya. I occasionally find white sapote at the Mexican supermarkets and it is simply incredible when enhanced with freshly ground pepper. Not so much cherries, plums or apples – although a pinch of pepper in apples being prepared for baking in a pie can add an interesting kick to the apples and the other spices. In medieval times pepper was used in many desserts, far more than in modern recipes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with it, I don’t think you will be disappointed. My favorite online vendor is SIR SPICE, FORMERLY PEPPER-PASSION where you can find most of the usual and not-so-usual varieties available; see the link at the end of this section. In the photo you can see one wooden pepper mill and four battery operated mills. Three are the “Trudeau Elite Graviti Pepper Mills and the smaller one is a MIU Battery Powered Pepper Grinder, which has a slightly smaller holding chamber but operates the same way. I like these because there is no pepper falling out of the bottom, you tip the mill and it automatically begins grinding when the mill is partially inverted. Very clean and the size of the grind is easily adjusted. The folks at Pepper-Passion are very nice to deal with and the custom wood pepper mills he makes are truly works of art. I’ve purchased the “Samplers” and the “OmniPacks” both for myself and for gifts and they are great bargains. Following is a List of Peppercorns I currently have on hand: Black peppercorns Piper nigrum These are usually named after the location where they are grown: These are berries that are picked while still green and they turn black with the process of drying. Kampot – Cambodia Organic. Large and shiny peppercorns. Not very hot but these also have what is described as “fruity” flavor and are great in vegetable dishes. Lampong (AKA Lampung) – Sumatra, Indonesia Not very hot, does have a “fruity” flavor, especially good with fruits and mild flavored vegetables – exceptional with plantains. Also a smoky fragrance in these small, brown peppercorns. Madagascar Pepper is one of the largest peppercorns with a faint smoky aroma and flavor that works nicely with hearty meats. Great for grilling steaks on cracked pepper – as soon as the freshly cracked pepper hits the hot skillet, it releases a pungent aroma that causes immediate salivation. Malabar – India (Southern India) very aromatic, woody, spicy heat. Pohnpet Organic – Product of Pohnpet, Micronesia This is an interesting peppercorn, very black, excellent flavor, slightly sweet and with a surprising complexity that makes it perfect for baked goods – Ginger, cardamom and black pepper cookies from Pithy and Cleaver, turned out exceptionally well using this pepper – I used a bit more than listed in the recipe. Sarawak – Malaysia, Borneo. Considered to be milder than other peppercorns with less heat. Supposed to have a “fruity” flavor but I really haven’t noticed it. Talamanka – Ecuador – Rare and going to be rarer as the place it was grown has been turned into a pineapple plantation, according to a bulletin from Pepper-Passion. Too bad, this is a lovely pepper. This has become one of my favorite all-round peppers. It’s hot, aromatic, spicy with hints of other warm, sweet spices. I use it sparingly because a little goes a long way. Today my lunch consisted of sliced tomatoes from my garden, cottage cheese, chopped fresh basil from the garden and a generous sprinkle of this pepper with sea salt from Bali. Tellicherry – India, Mount Tellicherry. a high grade pepper with a “complex, robust flavor” Vietnamese Pepper – Medium heat with a hint of citrus flavor. These large brown peppercorns are excellent for salads and wonderful in fruit salads or just dusted on fruits and melon. I prepared a salad with mango and pineapple, generously seasoned with this pepper and the flavor was exceptional. No dressing required. Wynad Pepper – I recently purchased some Wynad Special Black Pepper from Kerala. The estate is an organic family enterprise and the annual crop is fairly small making this pepper somewhat more expensive than most. The result is worth the price. The flavor is quite pungent with a lot of spicy heat and with a long finish. This is not a pepper to be used generously. A small application to finish a dish and then tasting before adding more is certainly in order. Judicious use will give one an excellent result. White peppercorns – Muntok These are the same as Piper nigrum but they are the berries that have been allowed to ripen fully on the vine and then harvested. They are packed into containers and soaked in water to loosen the skin then washed and dried. They are naturally white. I have both Muntok and Sarawak white peppercorns. These seem to have more heat than regular black pepper and there is none of the other flavors associated with the various types – many of these aromatics are in the skin which has been discarded in the processing. I was given a small tin of white peppercorns from Africa that was much hotter than the others. I have used it sparingly as I doubt I will ever get more. It has an unusual “piney” aroma, although I don’t taste it in the food. Green peppercorns – Madagascar These are the immature berries of Piper nigrum and I have them dried and preserved in brine. I use the whole “wet” ones a lot more than I use the dried, although I have used the dried in soups and stock, and also in pickling fruits where I want a milder flavor than with black peppercorns. The last batch of honeydew melon pickles was made with green peppercorns and I really noticed the difference inflator. I have some air-dried green peppercorns from India but have yet to open the container. Need to use up the others. Pink peppercorns (AKA Rose peppercorns) Reunion Island. These aren’t related to Piper nigrum They aren’t very hot but are rather spicy and sweet. They made a pretty presentation on pale-colored foods and I have been using them in fruit salads and especially salads made with poached chicken breasts. I recently prepared a Waldorf salad with chicken and seasoned it with the pink peppercorns and it was delicious. Sichuan or Szechuan peppercorns. These are not a true peppercorn, unrelated to Piper nigrum. The importation was banned for many years, until 2005, because of a possible citrus plant disease problem. Still, a lot of the pepper came into the country during the banned years but nothing serious ever happened. Now the peppercorns are treated with dry heat to kill off any canker bacteria. The peppercorns taste best if they are toasted lightly prior to grinding. They have a flavor similar to citrus zest, lemon or grapefruit and are usually not as hot as black pepper. However, there are some strains that are hotter so do taste before you go overboard with this spice. Comet’s-Tail peppercorns Java Piper Cubeba This is closely related to the true pepper plant and according to many writers, has been used since the Middle Ages and was more precious than ordinary black pepper. When freshly ground there are several aromas and spicy, citrusy flavors that are quite noticeable and complementary to many foods. It is very good with cooked fruits, compotes, puddings, fresh chutneys, etc. I’ve used it in curry. I also found it to be excellent with a stir-fry in which I used fresh pineapple with sweet peppers and pork. Some writings and recipes from medieval times mention that the “whole cubeb spice” should be soaked, candied and eaten to “increase warmth in the loins and in the heart.” Possibly this was the origin of the “red hot” candy… Long Pepper Piper Longum, which is related to but quite different from Piper nigrum. It is hot and a little goes a long way. It’s grown in Assam, India and the Long pepper I have came from Sri Lanka and I have seen it offered by one vendor whose source was Singapore. Long Pepper is an interesting spice and works well with other strong spices, especially in spice mixtures for curry, in cookies and other baked goods, with fruits and melons. I recently added a small amount to a very rich gingerbread, after reading about how it was used in a similar cake in Medieval and Elizabethan times. The result was much better than I expected. It doesn’t fit as is in pepper mills so I use a pet toenail clipper (used only for this and other food-related tasks) to cut it into small bits that will grind nicely in my pepper mills. I prefer the Trudeau Graviti Battery-Operated Pepper Mill as I have arthritis in my hands and have several of these for different peppers. I’ve also used it in a spice rub for wild game (venison and mountain goat) and it did an excellent job of mitigating the gamey flavor associated with these meats. Australian Mountain Black Pepper. (AKA Tasmanian Pepper, Dorrigo Pepper) This is a berry, Tasmannia Ianceolata, wildcrafted in Tasmania, dried and processed. It is available in the U.S. from Salt Traders. The first I tried was sent to me from Australia and when it became available I purchased some from them. It has a very unique flavor, sweet, fruity and spicy at first and then fairly hot. Hotter than most black peppers, in heat, it is similar to Long Pepper. I use it sparingly for direct seasoning because of the heat but it is excellent in stews, a little goes a very long way. An excellent place to learn more about pepper is on various online sites. I also recommend going to Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages to get more information on peppercorns and other spices

It has been a few years since I wrote about my favorite vendor for peppercorns and I had a page on my blog about them. It was at the time named Pepper Passion and I was just one of the customers who was "passionate" about it. It is now SIR SPICE and they have the FRESHEST peppercorns of any vendor and I have tried almost all because I have been a long time fanatic about peppers. I do get Long pepper and Comet tail (cubeb) from another vendor because Pepper Passion did not carry them.

Corning Pyroceram was made to use in the broiler, rangetop, oven and fridge to oven. Freezer to oven is okay to a cold oven. Pyrex - even the "Flameware" is NOT FOR USE UNDER A BROILER! Cold Pyrex from the fridge is problematic into a hot oven. Room temp Pyrex marked BAKEWARE is okay room temp to hot oven UNLESS THERE ARE SCRATCHES ON THE GLASS. Which is one reason not to use a sharp knife when cutting a pie or anything in a Pyrex loaf or cake pan.

Those look gorgeous to me. Have you ever tried Argan oil as a dresseing/finishing oil? It has a distinctive flavor that complements so many foods. I add it to pilaf, plain rice, couscous, mushrooms, roasted eggplant/tomatoes/fingerling potatoes.

I wear aprons, heavy cotton I bought at Smart & Final a couple of decades ago. Can be bleached to remove stains, oil patches painted with Dawn, blood stains treated with peroxide. They are practically indestructible and the material is heavy enough that if folded the bottom corners can be used to take hot pans out of the oven or to grasp the handle of a hot skillet or pot. I have a couple of colored ones that I used to wear when I still entertained. One is black with chile peppers all over it. One is yellow with chile peppers. Sort of a theme from when I was a "Chile-Head" subscriber and one came from another member and I won one for my goat meat chili at one of the "hot-lucks" I attended back in the days when I could still consume hot stuff with impunity.

My daughter has the "neuro fuzzy" one I bought when they were first introduced. She uses it two or three times a week no problems. Still has the original pot. I use my IH Zo at least once a week since I got it. Still has the original pot. I also have the first Zo I bought 30 years ago, original pot stainless steel. I never use metal utensils. They all came with rice paddles and I use those or non metal spoons, ladles, etc.

Have you ever tried the Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce? The first time I tried it I bought a small bottle - lasted 3 days. I went back and got a larger bottle and went through that rapidly so I began buying 6 bottles at a time so I always had a supply. I have mixed it with my homemade mustard to smear on pork roasts and slabs of ribs, mixed it with mayo (homemade) for a spicy salad dressing - amazing on fruit salads, mixed it with creamy horseradish sauce for dipping vegetable tempura, various fries, fish ( I am limited to freshwater because of an iodine allergy) and I apply it straight to rice, grains, beans, mixtures of same and kedgeree. Anywhere you want some spiciness. I even put it on vanilla ice cream and it was good.

I review stuff for Amazon, including appliances and I recently received one of these Vestaware toasters and was very impressed with it. Very reasonable price. I have loads of toasters, having collected vintage ones for 40 years as well as a few unusual more recent models. I currently use a Magimix see-through which only has one long slot and was very expensive but I had a gift card. The Vestaware toasts more evenly than the one that cost 5 times as much. It has the BEST Defrost that I have ever found. The slots are extra wide and a fat bagel sliced in half will fit, as will double wide bread slices. I even stuck a smallish frozen croissant in it and it fit - one of the Costco 3/4 size. It's easy to clean. They have a 1 year refund or replace warranty. P.S. I also used one of the toaster bags with a grilled cheese sandwich and it worked perfectly.