andiesenji

I have several crockpot or slow cookers from the very cheap to the fairly expensive and use them often. There are several excellent cookbooks on the subject but there is also a vast resource of recipes on the internet. Crockpot recipes! and more crockpot recipes I actually do some advance work on some things, just to develop the flavor tha Paula notes is often lacking. Also with very fatty meats, doing some rapid pre-cooking and fat removal makes for a better end result. In my freezer I have several "pre-cooked" small roasts - seasoned, wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes to develop flavor and carmelization. These are cooled rapidly, sealed in a ziploc bag or a vacuum bag and frozen -identified by meat type, seasoning and date. When I am going to use them in the crockpot I take them out of the freezer the night before and leave them in the refrigerator. In the morning the foil-wrapped package goes onto a sheet pan and into the oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size. In the meantime I have already added the prepped vegetables (usually done the prior evening) and other ingredients to the crockpot and turned it on high. I then remove the foil and add the meat, either whole or in pieces to the crockpot, cover, making sure there is some room between the top of the food and the lid and that the lid fits fairly tightly. If I have some time, I leave it on high until I am ready to leave for work, then reduce to low (I leave my keys next to the cooker so I will remember) and go off to work. Chicken or turkey can be browned in a skilled the evening prior and held in the fridge overnight to give additional flavor to the dish. It is also ideal for preparing braciola which can be prepared and browned the evening before then placed into the crockpot to cook all day. This recipe works beautifully. in the crockpot.

I have several plants that have overwintered here outside and come back in the spring. The leaves left on the plant drop with the first freeze and the woody stems look like they are dead. However as soon as it warms up in the spring leaves pop out at each joint except sometimes on the twig at the very tip. I harvest leaves several times during our very long growing season and have found the dried leaves retain much of their flavor. I use it in dishes which call for lemon when I am serving someone who is allergic to citrus. (I have a friend who loves grilled salmon but is allergic to citrus. I place a few l.verbena leaves under, inside and over the salmon and cook as usual, often combined with dill.) I also use it in recipes containing milk or cream as lemon verbena will not cause curdling as does lemon. I make a strong infusion to which I add a little Everclear alcohol to preserve it. I also make an infused syrup, cooking the syrup at low heat in a crockpot for a long time until it reaches the strength I desire. You can also place some of the dried leaves in a jar of sugar with a tight lid, shaking it ever few days for a month or so - the sugar will take on a lemony flavor and fragrance.

If you check on the site I posted earlier Here there are a lot of unusual recipes. This is just the celebrity chefs section. Look how many there are here, under the "entrees" section entrees

Check these Calif avocado commission, The Monterrey cheesecake, under the Southern Living section is fantastic.

Actually the initial movement for wearing gloves in food handling was not because of sanitation but because of cross contamination of foodstuffs causing severe allergic reactions. It began here in California (the most litigious state) when a woman had a severe allergic reaction to residue from peanuts that had been transferred to her foods by the person who had handled peanuts and then handled her food. Following that successful litigation. Certain members of the state legislature picked up on it and expanded it to cover all food handling. The rule is that gloves must be changed between handling different foods. Washing with soap and water as usually done and with antibacterial aids will not always remove all of the particles that can cause allergic reactions. "Normal" hand washing does not guarantee germ-free hands. Many tests have been done on surgeons after lengthy scrubbing with a brush - samples taken from under nails and from crevices in the skin, then cultured still show bacteria growth. Employees are supposed to change gloves between handling each customer's order or after handling any meat or poultry products. The SubWay restaurant across the street from my office was cited when one of the doctors noticed an employee made up sandwiches for several customers without changing gloves (the cheapie plastic baggie type) and filed a complaint. The health department sent out an agent who observed the same thing and the place was cited. I wear gloves at home for handling certain things because of convenience as well as food safety. If I am handling something sticky and the phone rings I can rip off the glove and answer the phone. I still wash my hands constantly but I am not transferring things that should not be. I go through a lot of gloves but I feel it is worth it.

You can get rice paper rounds in 9 inch size, with printed patterns here Or you can buy rice paper in rolls or sheets and with an inexpensive circle cutter make your own. rice paper circle cutter

Another thing you might consider is one of the turkey fryers. They have their own stands plus a stockpot but will easily hold a large cast iron skillet or similar vessel and work off a regular propane tank which is far cheaper than the small cannisters of gas. Following the '94 earthquake when we had no power as well as no gas (gas lines ruptured) for several days, my neighbors and I pooled our equipment as I have a large commercial portable propane stove and two of the turkey fryers plus another burner on a tall stand for a wok. I have seen the turkey fryers for as little as $49. US, without the propane tank but those can even be rented. Being able to cook up gallons of soup or chili makes it easy to feed a bunch of people when supplies are limited and is also a way to use up frozen stuff that is not going to last. Of course we use them, even when there is no emergency, for our neighborhood parties. A lot of hot dogs can be boiled in the pot - also a lot of corn. My neighbors also use one for making large batches of tamale. One great advantage is that the stand is low enough that one can reach into the pot without standing on tiptoe and the wide base means it is not easy to tip over. Now almost all of my neighbors have them, since Home Depot had a sale last fall, so we are set for anything that comes along.

Because goat meat is ordinarily very lean, you really should use a larding needle like this to insert fat into the major muscle masses. I happen to like suet, if you can get it but leaf lard (unrendered) also works well. This type of needle works nicely because it comes with the inner rod to make it easier to place the fat deep inside the meat. I used to use a trocar (medical instrument) because it was easier than the old ones that needed something like a dowel or a long chopstick to force the fat out of the needle. If you already know this, I apologize but thought it might be helpful. When my Mexican neighbors roast a whole goat, they do this but season the fat before inserting it into the meat. They also brine the carcass in a huge ice chest lined with a 55 gallon plastic can liner that is food grade. (I have a large box of these so if you need any let me know and I will send you a few.)

The only practical joke I ever remember pulling on someone was while I was taking a class many years ago. One of my fellow students was always carrying around a large mug of coffee and wasted a lot of time fixing it and slurping loudly while the chef was talking and often would set it down in my prep area and just leave it there in my way. One day I was so fed up I cut some pieces off a sheet of gelatine and dropped them in on top of the coffee letting a couple of the other students and the chef, see what I was doing. A little later he picked up the mug and tried to drink it but apparently the surface was stuck to the side of the cup. He tipped it up further and it broke loose, pouring down his chin and his front. He had what looked like a gelatin beard hanging from his lower lip. It broke the chef up, he laughed so hard and got so red in the face I thought he was going to have a seizure. The rest of the class also got a good laugh. He never figured out who had done it. But he was careful to keep his mug close by at all times and out of the way of others.

You can check out this site which has just about all of the "classic" diners listed. I remember a diner, not in a converted train car but in one of the diners manufactured to look like one on Santa Monica blvd close to Havenhurst, but I think it has been gone for several years.

I got an error message with your link to KA catalog. This one works.

I posted a couple of photos of my large batch - long slow roasting at low temp vegetable combo. I do it this way and package and freeze the finished product in 1 quart freezer bags, some of which I also vacuum seal in a secondary bag if they are going to be stored for more than a couple of weeks. (Freezing up to 4 months works fine) This way I can have roasted vegetables when I am short of time. Or if I have some leftover meat and want to make an "instant" stew or soup. This also makes an excellent thickener for soups or stews when pureed after heating in a little liquid. Or tossed into the blender with a little stock - the Vita-Mix blender will puree and heat it for an instant soup and if you use vegetarian stock, it is totally vegetarian. I have vegan friends who drop in unexpectedly and this makes a terrific lunch.

You also might consider "Calrose" medium grain rice. It is not expensive and makes an excellent rice pudding. It is more glutinous than many rices. This site tells about the different types of rice, "Calrose" is sold under different brand names but is known as California medium grain rice. I believe that 80% of the world production is grown in the Sacramento valley, according to CalAg News. I often use a combination of Calrose and sweet rice. This is an unusual recipe I have made it a few times and everyone to whom I have served it has said that it is exceptional, both in flavor and presentation. OT: This site (Australia) has some interesting pictures of rice sculptures.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for a list of links to recipes that use lots of yolks, they are listed by the amount of yolks they use. and here is a cookie recipe that uses 12 egg yolks!

Perfumes and other things of this type also bother me because of my allergies. Sometimes patient's come into the office marinated in some kind of cologne and I have to stay away from them or risk an attack. Mine is not just sneezing, but also edema in my larynx. My voice gets hoarse immediately and sometimes I lose it completely. I use an inhaler for rapid relief and to keep the reaction from progressing but sometimes I simply have to leave a restaurant or wherever. I rarely use any kind of fragrance and then only spicy scents, very mild. Otherwise I buy unscented things. I have problems shopping in some stores where scented things are too strong. I avoid the cosmetic section in the higher-end department stores because so often they have women standing around with spray scents. It is like running the guantlet to get through the place.

In my opinion any place where things are grown for whatever reason, and whatever crop, that is a farm. Flower farms, herb farms, wheat farms are essentialy the same as a vineyard because people take care to plant seeds or rootstock in a particular place and in a particular way to give it the best chance of prospering. Fruit farmers grow apples, peaches, apricots and so on in orchards but the property itself is called a farm. Often other things are grown also, just as in many vineyards other plants are grown. I remember touring one place near Napa that grew fields of lavendar and other herbs as well as having a lot of acreage with vines and a large grove of walnut trees. I have a friend in upstate New York that owns a farm and part of it is leased for growing grapes and another part is leased for growing apples. She uses the rest for growing her own vegetables, keeps goats and chickens. She considers it a farm and is proud to call it so.

For those that are interested, this site The Vinegar Institute has a member list that gives the address, contact information and products of a great many producers of specialty vinegars. I note that one in Louisiana is in Abbeville, which I think is not a great distance from Mayhaw Man, at least as the crow flies....... Regarding the above post that included a mention of soy sauce. I do have several types - I use a lot of sweet soy sauce in marinades and dips. I have a mushroom soy sauce that I use in meat balls and meat loaf. Someone else may have posted this site by The vinegar Man which has some interesting information. I make my own vinegar and have for many years. I have friends who are wine fanatics - they won't drink some wines after the bottle has been opened for a couple of days - and they save the "leftover" wine, still in the bottle, for me for my vinegar making. I also get any that are opened, tasted and found to be not to their preference. This group gets together once a month for tasting of new finds or old bottles that have reached their peak. (I don't drink so I couldn't tell one from the other, but I am often invited because I don't mind "helping" with the food - actually they know it would take an act of congress to keep me out of the kitchen.) After these events, I usually go home with at least a half-case of partially filled bottles, sometimes more. I will take some photos when I am home.

Terrific blog. I've never really thought about visiting that part of Canada but your photos and descriptions make it seem very inviting. (I lived in Wisconsin for a few years in the 50s and prefer to live where the winters are a "bit" milder!)

One more thing. Regarding the "old" balsamic vinegars that are used for flavoring. One of my friends told me to try a couple of drops on the yolk of a (cut in half) hard-boiled egg. I did and it was delicious. The little bottle came with a dropper so one can dole it out drop-by-drop.

I was digging around in a cupboard and found another. Jackfruit vinegar - I don't remember buying it but I often come across things that I have picked up while shopping because they look interesting and they get pushed back on a shelf and I forget about them. One of the bottles of palm vinegar says it is made from "toddy" palm, whatever that is. Apparently there is more to the subject of vinegar than I realized. Now I have to see if I can find the Chinese blacks and others that sound interesting.

I use the coconut vinegar just as I would any vinegar, in sauces, salsas, mustard, marinades, dips, dressings and cooking. I find it and the palm and cane vinegars are particularly good in fresh vegetable pickles. It doesn't have a distinctive taste - just is made from coconut juice. I combine shredded daikon, jicama, cabbage and carrot and pickle them in a fairly sweet mixture using one of the above or the pineapple vinegar, which does have a flavor. I also use it when I make gado-gado, the Indonesian salad with peanut sauce.

I notice the tomato vinegar shown in helenas' post above. I had some "tomato water" vinegar (loose translation) that was sent to me by a friend in Roumania several years ago. It had a very interesting flavor and was great in salad dressings. I have looked for a similar product several times but have never come across it. Where is this one made?

Andie, I'm impressed at your Asian vinegar selection... I so rarely see this in North American pantries. The best part about them is that they're relatively cheap, at least they are here in Canada. Vinegars. Good God, I'm Filipino and worship at the altar of vinegar. We regularly use it as a condiment. Apple cider, malt, sugar cane, coconut, palm, palm with garlic and chili peppers, white wine, red wine, three kinds of balsamic, rice, mango. And good old fashioned white... admittedly, I only use this for non-food related purposes. Yoiks. That makes fourteen. And then there's soy sauces. Dark Chinese, two kinds of light Japanese, soy sauce with calamansi, kecap manis. Five. Six if you count Maggi. ← We have several excellent Asian markets here in Lancaster, including a Filipino market "Manila Seafood" whose owner is a friend. John does the whole deep fried fish thing in the store and some of his customers buy one and stand around in the parking lot breaking off bits of the fish and dipping it into bowls of vinegar. Right next door is a Filipino bakery which has the best cheese-filled buns I have every tasted. I try to avoid going past the door because it always pulls me in. John also has a keg of a dark-brown murky "agkug"(???) vinegar that I have yet to try. He fills bottles that customers bring in. The stuff is extremely pungent and I think it is meant to be diluted. When he draws off some into a bottle, the fumes make my nose sting. We also have a Korean market, a Thai/Tonkin market (their words), a Japanese market, an Indian market and the middle eastern market that carries a lot of Asian products in addition to the middle eastern ones. Palmdale, right next door to Lancaster, also has quite a few markets catering to the Asian population here in the Antelope valley.

There are so many varieties of cakes that are made with and without fillings. This one Spanish cake is also very moist and retains its moisture for a good long time. I have split and filled this cake with cream cheese whipped with orange zest and orange flower water but never thought of making a filling with almond paste. I do make a light and fluffly almond paste filling that is flavored with rose water or orange flower water and with a little flavored and partially set flavored gelatin which is what I use for Turkish delight. It does not set up like gelatin, but has the texture and mass similar to lemon curd. I really don't have a specific recipe for it as I prepare it to taste and texture.

You can also use paper doilies for their patterns. I used to use them as stencils for airbrushing a lacy pattern on the top of cakes covered with rolled fondant. I also would airbrush the fondant when flat on the bench and manipulate it to make the patterns look out of focus, pulled and stretched into odd configurations. We also used lace borders we bought at a yardage store and some netting I found at a millinary supply place that used to be in Burbank. The lace could be washed, starched and stretched to dry so it was re-usable. The number of patterns is staggering. We did one wedding cake using the same lace as on the bride's dress and veil on the sides of each tier, spraying silver on white. It turned out very nice and we also used the same lace to spray a design on the tops of 500 petit fours that were then finished with candied violets.