andiesenji

Prices of oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, broccoli, lettuce and spinach are already up since last week.

Growers are estimating that 75% of the California citrus crop and a significant percentage of the avocado crop will not come to market this year. Prices are already being jacked up in response to the 4 nights of freezing temps in the central and coastal valleys. Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in 10 counties after touring growers in the Fresno area. They do not yet know if the effects will be as bad as the 1998 event, but some retailers increased avocado prices 100% and citrus prices 75%. Some growers did not make it through because of the destruction of the trees themselves and the expense of replacing the major portion of groves. There is no way to tell if the trees are damaged to the point that they have to be replaced, that will take some time. However, in spite of efforts to warm the groves, the oranges, in the late stages of ripening, are frozen on the trees. Some can be juiced, but many are still too immature. Sometimes Mother Nature is just plain mean. Where I live in Lancaster, we have had 4 record-breaking lows. Saturday, January 13, - 10 degrees Sunday, January 14, - 3 degrees!!! Monday, January 15, - 7 degrees Tuesday, January 16, - 11 degrees Tomorrow morning will be a "warm-up" estimated low 15 degrees!!

I have recommended La Varenne Pratique by Anne Willan. The sub title is The Complete Illustrated Cooking Course techniques, ingredients and tools of classic modern cuisine with more than 2500 full-color photographs. There are detailed photographs of techniques from boning and trussing fowl to cleaning and dealing with all types of seafood and cutting, boning, shaping all types of meat, including game. It goes all the way through vegetables, fruits, pastries, cakes and right up to candies and chocolate. It demystifies many processes that are taken for granted by experienced cooks and bakers so that novice, intermediate or advanced cooks are encouraged to try things that are, to them, exotic ingredients.

refer them to this site. and this one.

I use the Kerrygold Irish butter. It has the most flavor in my opinion and it browns beautifully without giving off the watery stuff one gets with domestic butter. It thickens sauces and adds a particular gloss that is my test of a good butter. Cabot's has an "heirloom" butter but outside of a batch I ordered when Fat Guy posted about a special offer in late 2005, I haven't been able to order it shipped to California. It was terrific.

For those that want to try making their own butter, there is a very good method with practical instructions that were originally enclosed with the Dazey, hand-cranked churn You can also use an electric churn that agitates the cream much slower than you can do with a regular mixer and the shape of the paddles is also important. They have a significant collection of churns so click on one of the links to see some of the odd critters that were invented to turn cream into butter. Incidentally, there are a lot of butter churns on ebay! When ebay first started up, some of these old things brought astronomical prices but now people know they are far more durable and common than anyone guessed.

Just stopping in to report that I have purchased two more KitchenAid mixers for my collection. These are a couple of old ones, one is the often seen on ebay, 4-C but this one is in pink, a less common color back in the day. However the other is the much harder to find K4B which has a motor head very similar to the ones we have now. It is known as the KA with a nose ring and tail fin. You can see it in the second photo down on this page. Incidentaly, did anyone here know there is a group of people who collect old and not-so-old mixers? Yep, we are WACEM - We Actually Collect Electric Mixers - and there are some very odd machines out there that have survived from the early days. If you have an old mixer and want to know its history, visit the site and look at some of the photos. Here is a recent acquisition: Looks sort of like an insect, doesn't it? It is a 1931 Hamilton Beach. In amazing condition for its age! It is also an interesting anomaly - the handle mounts are reversed in a few of these models.

Note: I have used my new KA several times and am very pleased with it. It has handled everything I threw at it, including the cocoa cookie dough that is quite stiff and my older KA (not a Hobart) would not, it would stall even at the lowest speed. I did ask the vendor this one that has the KA pro 600 for $319.00 to double-box the mixer and they packaged it nicely. They also have the Bosch for $289.99 Bosch kitchen machine. which is 30.00 less than on other sites, that is the machine without the blender. P.S. I have since purchased a couple of other things from this vendor and I am very pleased with both their prices and their service. They are very nice people with whom to deal and very pleasant on the phone.

I have used these and other, larger burners with a hose to a propane tank with no problems indoors. However, with these burners I do place them on a sheet pan so there is free space around them and nothing gets shoved up against the burner. We also always weighted the tables, by hanging gallon jugs of water from the support legs (so they are about an inch off the floor) and also taping the legs together with duct tape, which also helped to secure them. Often we were in similar rooms with herds of kids and also used barrier stands to keep them at least a foot away from the table. A great deal depends on your guests. I learned from experience that any guys up to age 30 can start horsing around and bump into tables, same with kids and sometimes the very elderly who tend to lean on things without looking or set things down without looking.

I have two pans, that I have had for many years, one a 12 qt stockpot, the other a wide casserole, that have silvered. I simply avoid cooking high-acid foods in them. The casserole is great for browning chunks of meat and odd-shaped birds, etc. I recently cooked veal stock in the 12 qt and had no problems. I have also sent one in and received a prompt return of a new pan which I don't notice is much different from the original.

I saw giant tins of "Danish" butter cookies at Sam's Club, Costco, Staples and Wal-Mart prior to the holidays. Call Staples, one of the stores I was in between Christmas and New Years had a big stack of them next to a huge display of those big popcorn tins.

I will strongly second the vote on the older Hobart machines. I collect "vintage" mixers and have several that were made way back in the 30s and a few newer ones and with what is essentially minor maintenance, they just keep on keeping on. I bought one of the "newer" 5 quart bowl-lift machines in 1969 used it for 9 years and gave it to my step-daughter and she is still using it. On the other hand, I did manage to burn out two newer ones in the mid to late 1990s, also bowl lift type and bought a different type of mixer that could handle really stiff dough. I now have one of the newer "Pro 600-6quart" models and it has worked just fine with all I have thrown at it. I just recently added another "vintage" K4B to my collection. This one is fairly rare and sports the unusual "nose ring and tail fin" unlike other KAs of the era.

You could also prepare the loin with a jacket like this, which makes it self-basting. and you do not end up with a dry chunk of pork.

This site has one that is apparently all ceramic but essentially the same size - it is 1.5 quarts tagines, Staub, etc.

Cornbread recipe, southern style and the demo with photos. Ignore the grinding part. Cornbread from scratch, really.

A vendor on ebay has some current auctions for several scientific/laboratory water bath units. If anyone is interested, click here then click on the "visit seller's store" link. I am not sure if these are the types of units desired but I purchased a mixer from this vendor and noticed the lab equipment on the auction list.

Simple to attach, you pinch it and it just clips on. The first box of parchment paper that I bought, the fellows at the store tried to convince me to buy 50 sheets, cause they said no one needs 1000 for use at home. They don't bother to argue anymore. I think I'm on at least my 5th box in as many years. Also excellent for beating hard candy and candycane into submission for making chocolate bark. ← I never thought of using it for that. I use a huge rawhide mallet that someone gave me as a joke many years ago. Frankly, I don't even remember the point of the joke - but the mallet sure comes in handy. I put the candy in one of those super-tightly woven bags which are intended to hold greens and keep them fresh in the fridge because this bag doesn't develop holes the way plastic bags do. Also the rawhide mallet won't damage my granite counter ( I don't break the candy on the butcher block counter because the candy is hard enough to dimple it.

I have one of those but have never used it. Since you are recommending it, I will give it a try. Mine is red and it came packaged with a stand-up/fold down silicone colander, which is also a handy thing.

I have never come across a missing cork but several years ago I did find something extra when I pulled the foil off a bottle of Taittinger and found the tip of a leather glove under the wire cap. I don't drink alcohol but the others there who had been drinking, found this rather hilarious. There was considerable speculation about how it got there and what happend to the remainder of the glove.

I have a stainless steel batticarne or veal pounder that I have been using for this same purpose for years.veal pounder It's a couple of dollars cheaper and a bit more versatile because you can use it for pounding meat, poultry and, using the edge for pounding, is great for rendering abalone tender.

Wow, does this topic bring back memories. Waaaaaay back in 1960/61 my then husband and several of his friends were frequent visitors to the Bonneville salt flats and had been for a number of years. Some were involved in the developement and building of the Shadoff Special, trying for the land speed record with a "conventional" engine. One of their "start the day", or "end the day" drinks was what they called the "Larry Finley special" and I have no idea where the name originated. A mug of beer, drawn from a keg, was doctored with an egg broken into the beer and then a can of Snap-e-Tom was added and the entire contents consumed at one go. In fact, one guy could actually pour the entire mug down his throat without swallowing. To this day, I have never figured out how he did it but he won a lot of bets with this trick. I went along on these trips a couple of times but unlike the other women and girls who actually enjoyed baking in the sun, I preferred to stay in the shade and keep my skin from taking on the appearance of old leather. They could never talk me into tasting one of these concoctions so I have no idea what it tasted like. This type of thing has a long history. An egg in a mug of stout was touted as a hangover cure in the 1890s. I have read about a "stirrup cup" of a fresh egg broken in a measure of brandy prior to a hunt and that surely goes back a long way. I will have to pull out my copy of Dickens' book about spiritous drinks to see if it is mentioned in it.

I have tried it with bitter oranges - the ones that grow on trees that have grown back after the grafted stock has been killed by frost and with Seville oranges and some little sour oranges I found at the middle eastern market a few years ago - I don't remember what they were called. They were okay, quite different from preserved lemons, but nicely aromatic. I suggest you ask Paula Wolfert, send her a PM, if anyone would know, she would.

I love the Ethnic Grocer catalog and the periodic email specials they send with notices of special sales, new items added to their inventory, etc. PastryWiz.com does not send a paper catalog but anyone can register for their free email recipes, and very nice recipes they are. They also offer periodic step-by-step photo instructions for making cake decorations and other fun things like the Thanksgiving Turkey modeled from sugarpaste or marzipan. NapaStyle does not have the distribution of W-S but offers similar items, plus some that have not appeared in etierh W-S or Sur La Table. I have ordered several items and always received my orders promptly and they were carefully packed.

You can also make your own. I have had a couple of requests for this recipe so am posting it on this thread. It was earlier posted on the "Ketchup Conundrum" thread. Mushroom Ketchup About 1 1/4 cup very hot water - close to boiling. 3 ounces dried porcini or dried shiitaki mushrooms. (buy the big container at Costco or Sam's Club, they are wonderful.) 1 1/2 pounds Italian or brown mushrooms 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or sherry vinegar if you can find it) 1/4 cup dry sherry 1/2 teaspoon allspice, freshly ground 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 1/4 teaspoon Angostura bitters (If you don't have this on hand, use 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce) 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, Tabasco or Crystal or ?? 1/4 cup of carmelized onions, the browner the better..... Use filtered water if possible. I find that I get the best results with it. Put the filtered water in a one quart Pyrex measure and microwave until nearly boiling. Break the dried shiitaki mushrooms into the hot water and weight them down with a saucer so they will be covered by the water. Allow to stand for about 30 minute. They should be soft. Remove mushrooms from the liquid with a slotted spoon. Filter the liquid using a paper coffee filter and save in the refrigerator tightly covered. Chop the soaked mushrooms into small dice. If the stems are too tough, discard them. Quickly wash and drain the fresh mushrooms. Place both types of mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the mushrooms are finely chopped. Turn the mixture out into a quart jar, add the salt and mix well. Cover the container tightly and place in the refrigerator. Keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 days, stirring once or twice a day or shake the jar vigorously. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and line with a cotton dish towel (or a piece of washed, unbleached muslin). Pour the mixture into the strainer and allow to drain, pressing on the mixture with the back of a spoon to express as much liquid as you can. Gather the corners of the cloth and lift out of the strainer and twist to express even more liquid from the mushrooms. When you have wrung out as much liquid as possible, don't discard the mushrooms, set them aside. Now strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter in a strainer into a saucepan, or saucier, about 1 1/2 to 2 quart. Now add the liquid from soaking the porcini or shiitaki mushrooms Place over low heat and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 40 minutes, uncovered. Add the mushrooms and continue simmering at a gentle simmer for an additional 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool somewhat. Pour into food processor and process for about a minute, stopping a couple of times to scrape the sides down so that everything is emulsified. (you can also use a blender but do it in small batches) Return to the saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Immediately pour into hot, sterlized 1/2 pint jars, cover, and cool. Store in refrigerator or in the freezer if you won't be using it up within a month. Yield, about 2 1/2 cups. Andie Paysinger

Post # 29 in this thread on condiments has the recipe for banana ketchup, a recipe given to me by another shopper I met in a local Philipine market. Post # 34 in the same topic has my recipe for sugar-free ketchup. (I am diabetic.) Post # 43 is my recipe for mushroom ketchup which is excellent for people who have problems with the higher acid content of tomato ketchup.