andiesenji

It is okay to add lard to the oil. However butter contains some water and solids that can cause some problems with grease popping unless you melt the butter first and use just the liquid (drawn butter). Do NOT add solid butter to hot oil. You have to make sure to have the oil hot enough to cook the pastry without it absorbing oil. Test on a cube of fresh bread before you begin frying the pastries. When I lived in Wisconsin my stepdad's sister fried Oliebollen in a mixture of Crisco and lard, half and half. The Crisco can take higher temperatures than pure lard and the outisde of the pastry was crisp and the inside was puffy and light.

Most of them will work well on soups and drinks, smoothies, etc. The combination ones do more and for small batches of stuff the mini processor bowl works quite well and saves having to have another appliance. The hanging bracket is very handy and means you do not have to find drawer space for it and it even stores the cord nicely. I have the Braun turbo 400 watt with this little processor attachment. Which works quite well and can be found for quite reasonable prices. Braun turbo I have a larger one for use in deep stock pots - made by Mitey - with a long shaft. It is on loan right now but usually hangs from the vent hood over my stovetop - I had plugs installed up there so I could use these appliances without having cords draped over the stovetop.

By the way, I have added my method for candied or crystallized ginger to RecipeGullet Candied Ginger Too late for this years holiday gifting, however I make it at any time.

Check at Cost Plus World Market. They had three different sizes with the "swing top" at excellent prices. I bought some of the large ones for vinegars and the medium for hot sauces.

I'll be, another use for SSO! I had some in my fly fishing gear --- for keeping the mosquitos and other critters at bay. That really works. I just tried it on a label that I would have had to at least rest overnight smeared in dish soap. It wiped off easily after 10 - 15 minutes. ← It also works beautifully on chromed things that are so easy to scratch. I use it on my antique chromed appliances where some idiot has stuck tape or a gummed label. It is the only thing that will remove it safely. Never, ever use Goo-Gone on anything old that has bakelite handles or trim, it will dissolve it.

I also got a Trader Joe's gift card for 100.00 and an assortment of English cheeses from IGourmet.

Not all savory gelatin molds are based on a sweet Jello-type mixture. Many are made with plain gelatin and served as a palate clenser between courses. There were many molded dishes, some quite elaborate, long before Jello was developed, in fact some go back to the medieval period. Many of today's "lunch-meats" are based on these old jellied and molded meats, etc. And for those who really love Jello-based foods and the extensive list of alcoholic varieties, there is always Jellophile, or the Jellomaniac's source for unusual recipes. And this link includes several, including one similar to the one I posted. more gelatin salads Many cookbooks from the late 19th and early 20th centuries have large sections of molded dishes for every course from appetiser to dessert. Afternoon teas were often the place to serve a variety of molded dishes either large and elaborate or small individual molds. The variety is just about endless.... Jellied consumé used to be a staple on the luncheon menu of many restaurants and tearooms. I used to serve a spicy tomato aspic made with Snap-E-Tom because my husband loved it.

Candied or crystallized ginger, my method Following is my recipe for candied ginger. I know it seems long and complicated, but the end result makes up for the time expended. It is the steaming that makes all the difference. I have a large couscouserie that allows me to steam big batches at a time, but anything, even small bamboo steamers work just fine. I make this in 10-pound batches because I have a lot of friends who rely on it while traveling. Ginger is an old, old remedy for motion-sickness. It seems that everyone I know travels a lot. I use it in cooking a great deal. Apricot/Ginger scones are a favorite. I also make ginger ice cream - 1/2 cup of finely chopped ginger added to a regular batch of vanilla - I actually simmer it in the milk/cream mixture for a few minutes. (Simac machine) You can also use the syrup in which the ginger is cooked in or over ice cream, in fruit salads. I beat it into sour cream (Daisy or Alta-Dena because they are thicker) to make a dipping sauce for strawberries. Sweetened sour cream is so much more flavorful than whipped cream in my estimation. The contrasting flavors are superb. I grow 90% of the ginger I use. Ginger is super easy to grow - I grow it in big "window-box" type planters (plastic) using a mix of 1/2 perlite and 1/2 sterile potting soil. You can just buy the ginger at a grocery store, break it up, each section will sprout a new plant, bury it in the soil about 5 inches deep. Keep moist until you see the shoots appear then water every few days, use diluted fish emulsion fertilizer about every 3 weeks or so. If you start it in April or May it will be mature in October or November. I am not going to give exact amounts for the ginger because you may wish to begin with a small amount and work up to larger quantities once you learn how easy it is to produce a delicacy that is far superior to any commercially produced product. Ingredients: Fresh Ginger root, sugar, water. (7-Up or similar citrus soda) General preparation: You will need a way to slice the ginger. A sharp knife is o.k. for small batches. For larger batches use a V-slicer or mandoline or other method, see below. Also you will need a steamer, and you should have a crock pot (preferred method) or an enamel, glass or stainless steel cook pot. You will need a wire rack on which to drain the candied ginger and allow it to dry - this may take up to 3 days depending on humidity. Choose roots that are fairly large as they are easier to peel. Break off all the smaller "buds" and store in a plastic bag in the fridge - these can be used for pastes, grated, etc. Peel the ginger with a vegetable peeler or you can use the rounded end of a spoon and scrape the skin off. Blanching will make this even easier. Drop the sections into a solution of 1/2 water and 1/2 7-Up or similar citrus beverage until you have all the pieces peeled. If you have a mandoline or other adjustable slicer, set it to 1/8 inch and slice all the pieces, CROSSWISE or on a diagonal to obtain the largest slices possible (You can also use a rotary slicer, powered or hand-held, use the medium attachment or use a slicing blade on a food processor). However you want to be sure that you cut across the fibers that run lengthwise in the corms. Return the slices to the liquid until you are finished slicing all the ginger and are ready to proceed to the next step. Drain the ginger and make stacks of the slices and place the slices on edge in the bottom of a steamer or flat colander so the bottom is solidly covered - then do the same with a second layer and a third if necessary. If there are a few loose slices on top they may lay flat. Place the steamer over simmering water, cover and allow to steam for 30 to 40 minutes - or until the ginger is quite tender. Older, larger, more fibrous roots may require an additional 10 to 20 minutes. (This is the "secret" of tender, moist candied ginger which is ideal for eating, cooking, baking) In a crockpot prepare a "light" simple syrup. For each cup of sliced ginger you will need 1 cup water and 1 1/2 cups sugar. (Regular simple syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, i.e., 2 cups sugar dissolved in 1 cup water) If you do not have a crockpot or slow-cooker, be prepared to keep an eye on the ginger to make sure the liquid does not boil away and there is enough liquid to cover the ginger. Bring the sugar/water mixture to a boil. Add the ginger, when the liquid again comes to a boil, reduce heat to "Low" then cover and allow to simmer gently for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally and adding additional "syrup" if needed to keep ginger covered. Note: If you are cooking on a stovetop, you may turn it off, leave at room temperature (covered) and resume cooking later. It is the total time of cooking that counts. After 6 hours, remove a couple of slices, allow to drain and cool completely – the ginger will be very sticky at this point. Taste and test the tenderness. The ginger should be very tender, if it is still a bit too "al dente" continue simmering - test again after an additional 2 hours. Allow to cool for 30 to 40 minutes, it should still be warm but not hot enough to burn. Using a skimmer or tongs, remove the slices from syrup and place on a wire rack over a tray or sheet pan so the slices do not overlap. Strain the remaining syrup into a jar and save. This is now ginger flavored and may be used in cooking, in drinks, fruit salads, etc. Allow the ginger slices to dry on the rack until just "tacky" - it should feel just slightly tacky but should not stick to a finger pressed onto a slice then lifted. Place 1/2 cup of regular granulated sugar (or the coarser sanding sugar if you can find it) into a shallow 1 quart covered plastic container. (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, etc.) Drop several ginger slices into the container, cover and shake to be sure the slices are well sugared. Place on a clean rack. Continue until all the slices have been sugared, adding more sugar as needed. Leave the slices on the rack overnight, depending on humidity. If you are in an area of high humidity, you may want to use a fan to speed up the final drying time. Test by squeezing 2 slices together. If they do not stick together you may now place them in airtight containers (screw or snap-top glass jars, food storage containers - do not use re-closable plastic bags). Ginger prepared in this manner will keep indefinitely. If it does dry out after a time, do not discard, simply chop finely and use in cooking or baking. Or you can dry it in a very low oven and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. I prepare candied ginger in very large amounts and cook it in a 40-year-old Nesco electric roaster. For smaller batches I use a 6 quart crockpot. One of my neighbors uses a 2-quart crockpot to cook 1 or 2 cups of ginger. A friend who has a 1950s electric stove uses the "deep-well" cooker built into that stove. You may find something else that works for you. The trick is the long, slow simmering and of course the initial steaming which tenderizes the ginger without extracting too much of the flavor which happens with parboiling, which is the usual process. You can use the ginger syrup in many ways, including candying fruit or citrus peel and if cooked long enough, to the hard crack stage, make hard candies which can be tinted with food coloring, dropped by teaspoon onto a Silpat sheet to make candy “drops.” ( RG1548 )

Take your skillet to a metal shop and ask them to grind and polish the inside bottom (the sides do not matter so much). They can make it as smooth as you want and it doesn't cost all that much.

They are definitely tin-lined pans. Several stores in the town of Solvang used to carry the HK line of kitchen ware including sets of copper pans and beautiful chafing dishes. Be sure to use only wood or silicone utensils in the pans to avoid scratching the tin lining. Also, do not place empty pans over a burner on high heat. If properly cared for, the tin lining should last for years and re-tinning is very expensive.

I can't stand the smell of Goo-Gone and its relatives. For really tough sticky label residue I use Avon SkinSoSoft oil. This was in a "Helpful Hints" book I read many years ago and it still works, and it even works on soft plastic stuff that Goo-Gone will dissolve (before the label glue). It was recommended for use on baby items on which you should not use Goo-Gone. I soak a scrap of cloth with the oil, place it over the label and leave it for an hour or so. If a label has a plastic cover layer, I do peel that off first, leaving the paper part.

I also got a camera with which to develop my food photography skills: an HP r507 with a memory card that holds 947 shots; a color laser printer, a camera dock, and a ream of glossy photo paper. Look out, eGullet. ← A great gift! I am also a big Terry Pratchett fan. Love the cookbook. He is a master of satire, not just fantasy!

One of these rolling pet food containers will hold 2 25 pound bags of flour or 1 50 pound bag. I have a 25 pound bag of pastry flour and a 25 pound bag of bread flour (high gluten/high protein).

You have some mold spores in the microscopic pores of the glaze. It happens. wash both pieces with soap and water, rinse well and place in a container with warm, not hot water completely covering them. Add 1/4 cup of bleach and let it sit for 24 hours. You may see some tiny bubbles streaming up from several points on the pieces which is okay. After the treatment, rinse well with plain water then immerse it again in plain warm water, allow it to sit for an hour or so, then repeat this process. Now wash and rinse with very hot water, or put through the dishwasher. Use distilled water or water you have boiled and cooled in the butter bell and change the water daily. When you have used all the butter, wash and scald, then cool before adding fresh butter. That should solve your problem.

I am having serious problems deciding on what to choose from the Home Bistro place. Choices such as this are always a problem for me. Frustrating, because I usually feel that whatever I didn't pick would be better than what I did pick. This is just going to have to wait for at least a couple of weeks. Now is not the time to be considering food.

I received a jar of "Jurassic" salt, very coarse and pink, a "heavy-duty" Kuhn-Rikon peeler with a longer than normal handle which is for peeling really tough things (which will join my collection of about 40 peelers). A kitchen clock with a basenji painted on the face. The Jane Austen Cookbook. Early California Hospitality - The Cookery Custons Of Spanish California, With Authentic Recipes And Menus Of The Period by Ana Buegue Packman, 1938 first edition, 4 meals from HomeBistro.comHome Bistro.com an apron covered with pictures of different chile peppers, oven mitt to match A cut glass cruet set ca. 1915. A tea shop teapot. (a figural teapot that is supposed to represent a tea shop). A "kitchen" candle that is supposed to kill "unpleasant" kitchen odors. A bundle of "glass" towels for "fine crystal and glassware."

Early in this thread I posted this link to Alcohol and Gluten-free Vanilla, Cooks which is an excellent product. I can use regular vanilla in baked goods, or in anything that is going to be cooked for enough time for the alcohol esthers to vaporize. My problem is not religious. I have a severe allergy to alcohol or ethanol, no matter the medium in which it exists. It causes laryngeal edema which, if it proceeds, shuts off my airway, along with circulatory collapse and etc. It is life-threatening. I can't use alcohol-based flavorings in whipped cream, ice cream (unless it is cooked custard based) or any similar type of preparation. Over the years I have learned that there are many flavorings that have a glycerine base, which I can tolerate, some have an oil base, some may be produced by steam distillation to concentrate them and stabilized by non-ethanol compounds. In any event, there are commercial products that are very good and some are made to a standard that insures they will not offend religious strictures. The package will have a clear indication of this. Wine, or any other kind of alcohol cannot be used in cooking, even minute amounts are forbidden. This means that foods processed with alcohol, even if all the alcohol has been removed, is not halal. I have known and cooked with and for many Muslim friends and have always been very careful to observe their dietary preferences. Halal.

There are several online vendors who are extremely careful about their wares and their service. I have been a long-time customer of The Knife Merchant and recommend them without reservation. They will also be more than happy to speak to you by phone Knife merchant phone number and answer any questions you may have, even if the question may be a little quirky. Before it was in their catalog, they found a 14 inch mezzaluna for me and it was very reasonably priced, compared to other vendors.

I have two of the large Igloo Koolmate 56 Dual power AC/DC fridge/ice chests, which hold a lot, depending on how it is packed - you can set it on its back and the door opens up, or on the bottom and the door opens on the side, like a regular refrigerator. It works in the car, off a battery or inverter, as well as on regular house current. After it has been running for about 8 hours, it will even keep frozen food frozen when placed next to the cold air vents (and will freeze stuff that is left there too long). They live in the garage when not needed but are lightweight and easy to carry around when you need them. I put it in my van when I travel, fill it with perishables, plug it in to the service plug in the back and away I go, no need for ice. I bought mine at Wal-Mart for 89.95, the Igloo site shows a much higher price but you can find them at sale prices at Target and other stores, usually at the beginning of summer. Igloo electric coolers.

Don't just dangle a congealed salad recipe in front of a Southern cook and then go away!! Come on!!! I've bared all---recipe, please. ← Andie's LIME GELATIN SALAD 1 (6-oz) pkg lime gelatin powder 1 cup boiling water 1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese -- softened 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 cans mandarin orange segments, 11oz -- well drained 8 ounces pineapple, -- crushed & drained (drain in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.) 1 cup lemon-lime soda 1/2 cup pecans -- chopped 1/2 pint sour cream -- whipped Dissolve gelatin in water. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in gelatin mixture and beat until smooth and color is evenly blended. Stir in vanilla, oranges, pineapple, soda and pecans. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Fold in the sour cream. This is for a dinner salad. Some people like to substitute Mascarpone for the sour cream but it is not to my taste. Pour into a 13" x 9" x 2" dish. Refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours or till firm. Cut into squares. Can be garnished by a dollop of sour cream and a mandarin orange segment if desired. Sometimes I use a fine zester to get long, very fine strings of lime zest and make curls of this on top of each square. Approximately 85 calories per 3" x 3" square. 16 servings

I enjoy some molded salads, although I do not eat seafood of any kind. I grew up with tomato aspic, molded salads with shredded vegetables and fruit, cabbage, carrots, and apples, sometimes pineapple (canned), not all that sweet. In the summer there were always gelatin based salads or semi-desserts, either strawberry, orange, raspberry, peach, and so on, depending on the season and availability of the fruit. Our cook made one that I have never been able to duplicate, molded in a tall copper mold, with walnut-sized balls of sweet cheese suspended in the clear gelatin (not always the same flavor) with "layers" of fruit and clotted cream. It was a spectacular presentation and there was never any left. (I've never been able to duplicate that sweet cheese either - it was delicious.) I make one that most people like and often ask for. Every time we have a potluck at the office, the docs and several of the staff ask if I will bring it, in addition to whatever else I bring. I use lime Jello or sometimes plain gelatine with a syrup made from lime zest, but it is easier with the Jello.

I posted the recipe in RecipeGullet.

This is a family recipe, it is a little different than the ordinary Red Velvet cake. There is no food coloring used in it and certainly no beets. MEEMAW’S RED VELVET CAKE It is very important to follow the directions exactly. Note there is no baking powder in this cake. The action of the acids and alkaline ingredients mixed in the proper order and the extended beating to incorporate air into the batter is what leavens this cake. You must start with all ingredients at room temperature so set the eggs out and measure out the buttermilk at least an hour before you plan to start mixing. 2-2/3 cups all purpose flour (you can also use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 cake flour for a more tender cake and a finer texture) 1/2 cup Crisco (This is important for the texture, butter doesn’t work as well.) 2 large eggs - room temp. 1 level teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 rounded Tablespoons cocoa (regular, not Dutch process) 1 cup buttermilk - room temp (or 3/4 cup sour creamed thinned with a little milk to make 1 cup). 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup pitted canned cherries(sweetened), drained and pureed (do not use cherry pie filling) 1/4 cup grenadine syrup 2 teaspoons vinegar First grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans - or line with bakers parchment. You can also use a large rectangular pan. In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla, beat until very fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until completely incorporated into the batter, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, cherry puree, grenadine syrup and vinegar and set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Turn oven on, set at 350 degrees F. Add the cocoa/cherry mix to shortening/sugar/vanilla, blend well. Add the buttermilk/ flour/baking soda/ salt mixture to the batter and blend until batter is completely smooth and looks silky. Continue beating on medium speed for 3 minutes. This is important! Pour batter into the cake pans. With a rubber (or silicone) spatula, start at the center and turning the pans, spread the batter out toward the edges so the level is slightly lower in the center. Bake for 50 minutes, test with a cake tester, if it still appears moist, bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Meemaw's Red Velvet Cake This is not the ordinary Red Velvet Cake. It uses no food coloring. It contains cherry puree and grenadine syrup. The cherry/cocoa/vanilla/grenadine combination is very flavorful. MEEMAW’S RED VELVET CAKE It is very important to follow the directions exactly. Note there is no baking powder in this cake. The action of the acids and alkaline ingredients mixed in the proper order and the extended beating to incorporate air into the batter is what leavens this cake. You must start with all ingredients at room temperature so set the eggs out and measure out the buttermilk at least an hour before you plan to start mixing. 2-2/3 cups all purpose flour (you can also use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 cake flour for a more tender cake and a finer texture) 1/2 cup Crisco (This is important for the texture, butter doesn’t work as well.) 2 large eggs - room temp. 1 level teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 rounded Tablespoons cocoa (regular, not Dutch process) 1 cup buttermilk - room temp (or 3/4 cup sour creamed thinned with a little milk to make 1 cup). 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup pitted canned cherries(sweetened), drained and pureed 1/4 cup grenadine syrup 2 teaspoons vinegar First grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans - or line with bakers parchment. You can also use a large rectangular pan. In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla, beat until very fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until completely incorporated into the batter, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, cherry puree, grenadine syrup and vinegar and set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Turn oven on, set at 350 degrees F. Add the cocoa/cherry mix to shortening/sugar/vanilla, blend well. Add the buttermilk/ flour/baking soda/ salt mixture to the batter and blend until batter is completely smooth and looks silky. Continue beating on medium speed for 3 minutes. This is important! Pour batter into the cake pans. With a rubber (or silicone) spatula, start at the center and turning the pans, spread the batter out toward the edges so the level is slightly lower in the center. Bake for 50 minutes, test with a cake tester, if it still appears moist, bake an additional 5-10 minutes. ( RG1542 )

For future reference, Michael's craft supplies usually has a pretty good stock and when there is none on display, I ask and they have always managed to find some in the back. It is the paste type and needs to mixed with a liquid. I mix it with egg yolk because it emulsifies nicely and mixes easier.