andiesenji

According to some dietary gurus, one of the healthiest breads anywhere, is the Ethiopian bread Injera made with a significant portion of teff flour. Injera recipe and another recipe here.

I don't know if it is a South American, Central American or Caribbean tradition, but I have known a few people over the years who would add alcohol to anything! Many years ago my then husband and I used to frequent a place in West L.A. called Kelbo's, long gone, but it was one of the many "Island-themed" restaurants, complete with Tiki bar, that were then popular. (Everyone has heard of Trader Vic's, but there was Latitude 20, the Warehouse on the Pier, etc.) The bartenders at Kelbo's often had contests to see who could produce the most exotic drink, often taking advice from the bar regulars. My husband tried a drink made with tequila, avocado and chile peppers and thought it would be a good substitute for a Bloody Mary - for those who didn't like tomato. Then there is THIS so apparently there are still drink masters who want to expand their horizons.

I considered the Bunn at one time, before I was given my first Senseo. I have owned several regular commercial Bunn units of various sizes and never had any problems with them. I know three different people who opted for the Bunn pod machine and all have had severe problems. One is on their third machine in 2 1/2 years and it has begun leaking and not producing a full cup. The price, considering the problems in the basic design that apparently have yet to be fixed, is excessive. And there are complaints that reasonable customer service is sadly deficient. I have several Senseo machines, have never had a problem with any of them (except one damaged when I broke the hinge of the top but that was entirely my fault). I have given several as gifts to various friends and family and everyone has been very happy with them. The spout height is adjustable on the later machines and my only (very mild) complaint is that they don't offer the extra-large water tank for the Supreme model. I have one in my bedroom as it is a long trek to the kitchen. I took one with me on a recent two-week trip. One of the older ones is resident on the deck during the seasons when it is comfortable outside. One of my friends has a Simple Human pod machine and likes it very much. I know people who have the Keurig and are happy with it so there are several options out there that are reasonably priced and produce a good cup. I wrote earlier in this topic that I got a Perfect Pod maker and found it works beautifully. Now I have extras because I don't want to take a chance on them discontinuing manufacture of it and me not be able to replace it. This has given me a vast range of coffees to use in my Senseo so I'm not limited to the few types readily available and don't have to pay the ridiculous prices charged by the specialty vendors.

I have seen three "flavors" of soup in a single bowl that were initially constrained with rice paper cups. The rice paper dissolves but keeps the soups from mingling. The three colors were white, red and green and it was quite effective. The white was a corn chowder, the red was a roasted red pepper and I think the green was broccoli. Although it has been several years and my memory may be off a bit. I was curious as to how the effect was produced. It was at the old Bicycle Shop Cafe in L.A.

I am definitely going to give this a try with an "extra" loaf of bread. Being able to pull off a sorta fake out for guests would be awesome. I have trouble sometimes coordnating a hot loaf with all the other elements of a guest meal/entertaining vs. being locked in the kitchen and this trick would be great! Thanks! ← This also works great for non-frozen loaves that have been stored in plastic bags so that the crust has become soft. I learned this "trick" years ago from a very cagey baker who had a little café attached to his bakery and he didn't want to spend Saturday night baking for his Sunday brunch crowd. I helped him a few times when his wife/assistant was late in pregnancy. No one could tell the loaves were not baked fresh that morning.

I have tried many sourdough cultures over the 29 years I lived in the San Fernando valley and in the last twenty years I have lived here in the high desert of the Antelope valley in southern California. I have purchased several of Ed Wood's sourdough cultures from different parts of the world as well as culturing my own and sourdoughs from other people's starters. It is true that they will morph over a period of a few months into something quite different from what they were in the beginning. Not to say that this is terrible, just that you can't expect to produce a truly San Francisco type sourdough if you live in other areas. The climate, the atmosphere and possibly the latitude and longitude or the imaginary "ley lines" the witchy types write and speak of, might have an effect on the creatures that produce the chemicals that flavor and leaven the dough. I kept one starter going for many years and it was given to me by a friend's dad who lived in Placerville, CA in the Mother Lode country and swore that he had kept the starter going since it had been given to him some thirty years before. It was quite active and fairly sour when I first began using it but after about four or five months it was much milder but remained quite vigorous. After I moved up here to the desert it changed again and had more of the sour taste it had originally. Following the '94 earthquake we lost power for a few days and I tossed it and most of the other stuff in my fridge. Of the sourdough starters from Ed Wood, the one that maintained its integrity the longest was the Bahrain culture. It started out very sour and remained so for almost a year. So, my solution has been to keep a culture going until I notice that I am no longer getting the result I desire, dump it and order another starter and start all over again. In fact I am ready to place an order any day now, when I can decide which one I want to try next. I am leaning toward giving the South African a trial because it is said to leaven whole wheat flour better than regular flour and ideal for people like me who like to grind their own grain.

I freeze whole loaves of artisan type breads, French bread, baguettes, etc. I take them from the freezer and allow them to thaw at room temp for two to three hours, depending on the size. Half an hour before I plan to serve the bread, I preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., hold the loaf over the sink and run water over the entire surface, place in the oven directly on the rack and bake it for about 18 - 22 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf - use less time for thinner baguettes. Denser type breads, ryes, etc. will take about 5 minutes longer. The crust will be crisp, crunchy and the inside about the same as when it is freshly baked.

I bought one of those, then a second one and now I have four, two unused, for "just in case" they stop making them. I also use the perforated pans for some things to get a really nice crust on the bottom. Not just for pizza!

I have a "collection" of various salts. I posted photos of several of them in a thread about salt some time ago. I began collecting back in the days when it was difficult to find anything except Morton's. I have an allergy or sensitivity to iodine so had to seek pure salts with no additives, in particular iodine. A recent addition to my collection was purchased at gfron's shop, The Curious Kumquat, in Silver City, New Mexico. Balinese Sea Salt, a product of Big Tree Farms. In a cute little spherical box that I think is made from a polished coconut shell. Scroll down about half-way on This Page to see some photos I posted in 2005 I have added to my "collection" since then.

Unless it is contaminated with something, grease, chemicals, dirt, etc., it will last forever. I have salt that I purchased at least twenty years ago and it is still just fine. If you live in a damp or humid area, and the salt clumps or lumps, dry it in the oven and smash it until it is granular.

Stunning photos and evocative descriptions of the foods you enjoyed. I got home from southwestern NM night before last, and am still recovering. Unfortunately my plans to have lunch at The Curious Kumquat were short circuited by time constraints on the day I departed, however I did get to do some shopping in the store twice. Next time for sure. None of my meals around the area were exceptionally memorable, other than lunch in Silver City with Rob and Tyler. While traveling alone there is less incentive to seek out unique places.

I like mine so well that I brought one with me on my trip to New Mexico. While I like tea for most of the day, I really like coffee just after arising and I simply will not drink the stuff that is served in restaurants. I would rather do without. I have my own water purifier along also (posted a photo of it and my teas and hot water pot in another thread). As I like cream in my coffee, I put it in the mug first, microwave it to bring it up to temp, then dispense the Senseo Dark Roast into the mug. Perhaps I am a bit obsessive but I intend to get help soon! The very large mug shown will hold a triple serving from the Senseo - this is the "Supreme" model which allows the digital control to select one, two or three servings.

I have several of the old Brown Bettys - mine all have the perforations in the body of the pot where the spout is attached - acts as an internal strainer of the tea leaves. I don't care much for the modern ones that have the spout opening directly into the body of the pot. Most of the older teapots in my collection are of this type, with the small holes and the applied spout, and I stopped buying newer teapots because they lacked this feature. I have lost count of how many teapots I now have but in the Brown Betty line I have every size from a diminutive 2-cup to the largest, a 12-cup. And mine are all the traditional brown. I don't know if it is the shape, the clay from which they are formed, or what magic they possess, but when I am feeling a bit low, nothing is quite as comforting as a cup poured from one of these homely old pots.

I like to slash mine in a square. Similar to that shown on the boule Here - scroll down a bit. I like to run the slash along the spot where the "crowning" begins and sometimes that produces a "hat" effect that I think is quite attractive. For the heavier breads, such as Struan, ryes, black breads, etc., I prefer the traditional three parallel slashes which date back to the monastery bakeries in the middle ages and refer to the Trinity.

Don't heat the Everclear, you will drive out some of the alcohol. Strain the beans out of the liquid and put them in a mortar, if you have one, and mash them or mash them any way you can, then return the smashed beans to the Everclear cover tightly and leave it alone for at least three or four weeks. It is possible the beans have dried out too much but they will eventually give up some flavor. I would suggest you order some new, fresh and plump beans and add them to the batch you have started. If you have dried beans that have not yet been soaked, do NOT boil them. Put them in a steamer and steam them until they soften. This method will retain more of the essential oils.

I am enjoying this topic so much, Chufi. I had lunch with Rob and Tyler yesterday after spending the morning doing a significant amount of shopping in Silver City Old Town. I had one less than optimal experience at the Coyote Cafe. I usually stay at La Fonda in Santa Fe and take most of my meals there but one place I did enjoy was Tecolote Cafe. I've also had meals at The Pink Adobe, which I thought was okay but overpriced. Brunch at Clafoutis French Bakery & Restaurant was excellent and I try to get there at least once each visit.

My all-time favorite flavored black tea is Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage and I use only the loose tea, not the tea bags, although I do buy some of their varieties in tea bags. I know a lot of people seem to think that RoT is a gimmicky outfit, but in my opinion they are serious about producing a quality product and I have found many of their teas to be excellent. The Blackberry Sage is particularly nice in that it has so much natural sweetness that there is no need to add any sweetener at all. It also (unlike a few others that include fruits) will not curdle milk and a small amount of milk is sometimes a very pleasant addition. There is never a bitter aftertaste and one can do at least one subsequent steeping with a perfectly acceptable cup. I brew this tea with water just short of boiling and steep for 3 1/2 minutes for a normal cup. If I want it a bit stronger, particularly if I am adding milk, I will steep it for 5 minutes. A subsequent steeping will be for 8 to 10 minutes - I pour a tiny bit into my cup and taste until it is "right." I also like the Mango Ceylon and just used the last I had with me yesterday. I am presently traveling in New Mexico and have several teas with me. When traveling for more than a couple of days, I bring my own water purifier (a Travel Berkey), my hot-water boiler and my tea-brewing equipment. I'm not a fanatic, but I do like things my way...

For many years I have relied on the recommendations of members of the TEAMAIL Discussion Group I have been a member for ten years+. And the world-wide listings and reviews of tea shops and etc., at The Cat-Tea Corner I like Chado Tea Room in Pasadena, although before this one opened, I used to make periodic treks down to Los Angeles to the original. Devan Shah, who founded Chado, teamed with James Norwood to found the Nilgiri Tea Society, devoted to importing "bespoke" teas. He has since gone on to become an importer. Chado has always been attractive to me because they never try to "push" a particular tea but will spend as much time as one needs, answering questions and explaining how to get the most out of a particular tea. The ambiance in the tea room is comfortable and friendly and the tea and foods are served properly.

What color are the seeds?

It worked just fine with a wild turkey that dressed out at 28 pounds and which I thought was going to be tough and gamy but turned out quite nice. Much less breast meat but huge thighs and strappy back muscles and mighty wings.

I have cooked very large turkeys in a similar fashion. I have one of the super-size Magnalite roasters, which will hold a 38-pound turkey (the largest I have tried) on a rack. The roaster will set over two burners and I start out with about two cups of turkey stock in the bottom over medium high heat just long enough to get the stock actively simmering, then place the cover on the roaster (this one fits tightly) and reduce the heat to medium. Now I use a remote temp probe inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, set to signal at 160 degrees F. The biggest turkey was done in 5:15 hours, much quicker than doing the entire thing in the oven. I didn't hold it overnight but stuck it in a 400 F. oven to brown it - less than 30 minutes - and it turned out perfectly, as have several smaller ones I have done this way. When I stuff the bird, I insert an aluminum baster (sans the bulb) into the center of the stuffing and this conducts the heat into the center of the mass to cook it all the way through. It should work as well with a smaller bird, but the smallest I have done in this manner was well over 20 pounds. With my method, the bird produces enough liquid so that only the lower 1/4 is actually in the liquid when finished. I did this originally with the giant bird because I did not want it roasting in the oven for 12+ hours, which is the time it would have taken using the normal roasting procedure. The flesh is moist and tender and the skin crisps nicely with the finish in the oven.

Agave syrup Tupelo honey Blue corn meal Pralines Hush puppy mix a selection of California rices - the Wehani, mahogany, black and etc. that are grown only in the Sacramento delta. Some of Rancho Gordo's beans and things.

Today I am drinking a new to me tea from Harney & Sons, Assam Golden Tips. Like other black teas from this region, I brew it in 195 degrees F. filtered water for 2 minutes on the first infusion, 3-5 minutes on the second infusion. Have not tried a third infusion. It has a bright and winey flavor, slightly sweet and I get a bit of a chestnut residual flavor on the finish. I am a fan of the Assam and Nilgiri region teas and this is one of the best yet. Not cheap but certainly worth it to me.

I do very little of that type of cake nowadays, however, when I was doing it I used stretcher bars (they are what artist canvas is stapled to) which I had in many lengths and in several thicknesses - they fit together with a "key" and come apart as quick as they go together. And to cut the layers, from very small to 14-inch rounds, I used a cheese wire that has wood or plastic handles on each end for grasping and come in different lengths, I have 12, 15, 18 and 24-inch wires. (Also use them for cutting large wheels of cheese, their primary function.) I just put three of the stretcher bars together, fit them around three sides of the cake and drag the wire along the top edge, sawing through the chilled cake. I used an "rimless" cookie tin to lift the large layers off after cutting them free.

If you want to try making your own ketchup or catsup, click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page to find Mary's sun-dried tomato ketchup, which is fantastic. You can also make your own Banana Ketchup from a recipe I got from a Fillipina I met in my local ethnic market. and there is also an interesting variation on the subject homemade Mushroom Ketchup which is somewhat similar to steak sauces. And this thread has some ketchup (and other condiment) recipes here There was a topic titled Ketchup Conundrum but it has disappeared, apparently merged into another thread. There were several interesting ketchup recipes in that thread, one was very, very spicy and as I recall, contained bourbon.