andiesenji

I know of two very popular restaurants in the west San Fernando Valley that have recently switched to cash only for a particular reason. They had a problem with patrons having their credit cards charged for more than the original bill as the cards had been swiped twice or swiped through a card reader and cloned. Several patrons disputed all of the charges as fraudulent and both restaurants lost quite a bit because the servers had falsified the charges, collected the cash or merchandise and skipped. My boss was one who had this happen to him and he had only been at one of the restaurants on one occasion during the period this occurred but there were 4 charges. I questioned the three additional ones because he was in the hospital at the time these were dated. The fraudulent charges were refunded but he will not return to the restaurant in spite of receiving a written apology and explanation as well as a notice that they will now accept cash only.

I had considered adding a built-in induction cooktop but decided that I would rather have the portability of the individual countertop units so I could use them wherever I pleased. The Diva 12 inch was the one I liked.Diva induction

I agree that lots of outlets are important. I had two placed on either end of the vent hood over the cooktop especially for the stick blenders I use at the cooktop. This is so handy and much safer than having the cord draped over other pots or hot burners.

Carrot/sorrel/ginger soup would also be appropriate and the lemony tang of the sorrel and the slight spiciness of the ginger is great for palate "sparking" between the fattier courses. Carrot/Sorrel/Ginger Soup Serves: 6 to 8 2 tablespoons canola or light olive oil 3/4 cup chopped onion or half onion/half shallots 1 1/2 tablespoons grated or minced fresh ginger 4 cups shredded carrots, firmly packed 2 cups chopped sorrel, loosely packed 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water kosher salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup half and half chiffonade basil leaves In a large saucepan or evasee heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger, sauté until the onion is transparent but not browned. Remove the onion/ginger and set aside. Add the carrots and sauté, stirring often, for about 8 minutes, until the carrots begin to soften. Add the sorrel and toss with the carrots. Return the shallot/ginger to the pan, mix well. Add the stock or water. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for minutes, until the carrots are soft and mash easily with a fork. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool until just warm. Transfer the soup to a blender (blend 2 cups at a time) and strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. When all has been blended and strained, place over medium heat, stirring constantly until the soup just begins to simmer. If the soup is quite thick, add a little hot water and blend in. Stir in the half and half and blend well. Serve with basil chiffonade scattered on top. May also be served in mugs with cinnamon toast points on the side as a starter. Orginal Recipe by Andie

I'm curious about yours. Do you have 240V or 120V models? ← Both of mine are 120 volt. One is the very inexpensive Supentown, now 139.00 (179. when I purchased mine). Supentown The other (older) one is a Volrath Which is larger and will hold a fairly large stockpot steady. It also has some additional bells and whistles, empty pot sensor, etc. It too has come down in price - it was 700. plus when I purchased it, now is available for 550.00 The great thing is that they are easy to carry around, I regularly take one or both to the office when we have one of our potluck lunches. In fact I am considering buying another of the Supentown to keep at the office. There are, of course, electric hotplates that are much less expensive and do not require cookware with a magnetic bottom, however they are not as safe to use as these.

I have countertop induction "burners" and they work great, as well as being very portable. You do have to use cookware that is absolutely flat on the bottom and is a magnetic metal. I have Sitram induction cookware that was relatively inexpensive, with a very thick base plate. The heat/cool response is rapid and precise.

I just added my original recipe: "Marzipan filled brioche bread pudding" to RecipeGullet. The brioche recipe is one that I have used and tweaked for many years, it is light and yeasty but also quite rich. This recipe includes a marzipan filling but for plain brioche you need only omit the instructions for adding the filling. This recipe works well for individual brioche buns, a standard brioche or even a "monkey-bread" type which is even richer having dipped the small pieces into melted butter before packing into the mold or pan.

Translating any language is an extremely complex undertaking, and when one deals with regional variations of spelling it has to be even more difficult and it is amazing to me that some people can do it with flair and make the subject interesting.

Mrs. Obregon's Chicken Enchiladas This recipe came from my neighbor who is from Durango, Mexico. Lived on a ranch with her husband and children until 1987 when they turned the ranch over to their two eldest sons and emigrated (legally) to California and settled here, close to their oldest daughter. They have a lot of family celebrations which require massive amounts of food and I have helped prepare 200 tamales beef, chicken, etc., numerous enchiladas, burritos, tortas, chemichangas, etc., and my oven has been host to huge amounts of beef, chicken, goat, pork and various baked goods. I love Mexican foods of any type, especially enchiladas, and have eaten them in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and of course in several parts of Mexico. These are the best enchiladas I have ever tasted and I had to work to get the recipe. This recipe would be for a 4-pound chicken. 18 to 24 corn tortillas, the extra-thick are more like the home-made ones we use. The chicken is roasted, not poached, either in the oven or on the barbecue(barbacoa) and always has a lemon and half of a large onion stuffed into the cavity along with cumin seeds, Mexican tarragon, and a whole Anaheim chile pepper. The latter is for flavor, not heat. Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken - when the leg wiggles freely it is done. The skin is set aside along with the carcass after all the meat has been removed. (The bones, skin and wings go into a pot to make a broth.) The meat is pulled into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with the following mixture: 1 fresh chile poblano seeded and deveined then finely chopped. If more heat is desired use 3-4 jalapeños or 4-5 serranos. 2 medium tomatoes, cut in half, broiled for 3 minutes then chopped 3 tomatillos, cut in half, broiled for 5 minutes then chopped. 2 cloves of garlic minced. 1 medium onion, finely chopped. 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin Combine all ingredients and cook in a little oil in a large skillet just until it begins to stew. Remove from heat, cool and toss with chicken. Set aside. Cut Jack cheese into strips 1 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick, 4-5 inches long. If you have access to Mexican cheese, use Queso Fresca or Queso Seco, Cotija. Into 12 oz of tomato sauce mix 3 tablespoons of tomato paste Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground chile guajillo or chile arbol or other freshly ground whole chile. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet Add 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt Stir constantly until garlic is just beginning to show color Add the tomato sauce and heat until it bubbles. Remove from heat allow to cool slightly. Fry tortillas in a little oil until just softened and pliable. Stack on a plate and cover to keep warm. Lay a tortilla on top of sauce then pick up with tongs and lay in baking dish sauce side up. Place a strip of the cheese on the tortilla. Add a portion of the chicken mixture on top of the cheese, fold the sides of the tortilla over the chicken and turn it over so the seam side is on the bottom. Continue adding them side by side until the baking dish is full. Pour a line of the sauce down the center of the enchiladas then add a few strips of the Jack cheese diagonally across the sauce, or you can use shredded mild cheddar. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 -20 minutes, or just until cheese is melted. Top each portion with a spoonful of salsa fresca and a dollop of sour cream on top. For a breakfast dish serve two enchiladas topped with a fried egg. ( RG1221 )

Mrs. Obregon's Chicken Enchiladas This recipe came from my neighbor who is from Durango, Mexico. Lived on a ranch with her husband and children until 1987 when they turned the ranch over to their two eldest sons and emigrated (legally) to California and settled here, close to their oldest daughter. They have a lot of family celebrations which require massive amounts of food and I have helped prepare 200 tamales beef, chicken, etc., numerous enchiladas, burritos, tortas, chemichangas, etc., and my oven has been host to huge amounts of beef, chicken, goat, pork and various baked goods. I love Mexican foods of any type, especially enchiladas, and have eaten them in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and of course in several parts of Mexico. These are the best enchiladas I have ever tasted and I had to work to get the recipe. This recipe would be for a 4-pound chicken. 18 to 24 corn tortillas, the extra-thick are more like the home-made ones we use. The chicken is roasted, not poached, either in the oven or on the barbecue(barbacoa) and always has a lemon and half of a large onion stuffed into the cavity along with cumin seeds, Mexican tarragon, and a whole Anaheim chile pepper. The latter is for flavor, not heat. Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken - when the leg wiggles freely it is done. The skin is set aside along with the carcass after all the meat has been removed. (The bones, skin and wings go into a pot to make a broth.) The meat is pulled into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with the following mixture: 1 fresh chile poblano seeded and deveined then finely chopped. If more heat is desired use 3-4 jalapeños or 4-5 serranos. 2 medium tomatoes, cut in half, broiled for 3 minutes then chopped 3 tomatillos, cut in half, broiled for 5 minutes then chopped. 2 cloves of garlic minced. 1 medium onion, finely chopped. 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin Combine all ingredients and cook in a little oil in a large skillet just until it begins to stew. Remove from heat, cool and toss with chicken. Set aside. Cut Jack cheese into strips 1 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick, 4-5 inches long. If you have access to Mexican cheese, use Queso Fresca or Queso Seco, Cotija. Into 12 oz of tomato sauce mix 3 tablespoons of tomato paste Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground chile guajillo or chile arbol or other freshly ground whole chile. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet Add 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt Stir constantly until garlic is just beginning to show color Add the tomato sauce and heat until it bubbles. Remove from heat allow to cool slightly. Fry tortillas in a little oil until just softened and pliable. Stack on a plate and cover to keep warm. Lay a tortilla on top of sauce then pick up with tongs and lay in baking dish sauce side up. Place a strip of the cheese on the tortilla. Add a portion of the chicken mixture on top of the cheese, fold the sides of the tortilla over the chicken and turn it over so the seam side is on the bottom. Continue adding them side by side until the baking dish is full. Pour a line of the sauce down the center of the enchiladas then add a few strips of the Jack cheese diagonally across the sauce, or you can use shredded mild cheddar. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 -20 minutes, or just until cheese is melted. Top each portion with a spoonful of salsa fresca and a dollop of sour cream on top. For a breakfast dish serve two enchiladas topped with a fried egg. ( RG1221 )

Marzipan filled brioche bread pudding Read all directions first. This recipe takes 2 days to do it correctly This is a recipe recreated from a note in one of my great grandmother's journals made while she was travelling in France in the 1860s. There was no recipe, just a description of the dessert and her suppositions as to how it may have been made and what the ingredients might have been. Easy Brioche Rolls Must start preparation the day before serving this dessert. 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 pkg. dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 egg, separated 3 whole eggs, beaten 3 1/4 cup flour *10 ounces marzipan* (Will be used later) Scald milk and while hot add butter (margarine), sugar, and salt. COOL TO LUKEWARM. Soften yeast in the water. Add to LUKEWARM milk mixture. Add egg yolk and beaten eggs and stir. Add flour and beat with wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) until more than double in bulk, about 2 hours or less. Stir down and beat (stir) thoroughly. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temp. Take plain brioche dough and form into small buns (golf ball size works nicely), cover and let them rest for 10 minutes. Filling You can use store bought marzipan or make your own. Make a rope of marzipan about the size of a tootsie roll and cut into pieces about the same width. (You don't have to shape them.) Put one of the marzipan pieces on each bun, draw the dough up around it and pinch and twist to seal. Place in a buttered pan with seam side down. Cover and allow to rise about 30 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter. Place pan in center of oven. Bake till nicely browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire grid. When cool cover loosely with a cloth and let them set out several hours. We want them to be just a little stale. The next step which takes this into an entire new category Egg custard 4 eggs + 2 egg yolks, beaten till creamy 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup sweet sherry (optional) Mix all these ingredients and beat until completely blended Preheat oven to 325 degrees Place the marzipan filled buns in a buttered baking dish sides touching. Pour the custard in and around the buns but do not cover the tops of the buns. Let this stand for a few minutes then add more of the custard mix as the rolls will have soaked up some. Add a little to begin with and allow the base of the buns to soak up some of the custard mixture so they will not float as the rest is added. Place the pan in a bain marie and bake until the custard is set. (Time varies with the size of the baking dish and the amount of custard) For a 9 x 11 pan it should be done in about 25 minutes. Test with a thin knife blade BETWEEN THE ROLLS at about 20 minutes, then at 25 minutes. Test every 2 minutes after that until blade comes out clean. ( RG1220 )

Marzipan filled brioche bread pudding Read all directions first. This recipe takes 2 days to do it correctly This is a recipe recreated from a note in one of my great grandmother's journals made while she was travelling in France in the 1860s. There was no recipe, just a description of the dessert and her suppositions as to how it may have been made and what the ingredients might have been. Easy Brioche Rolls Must start preparation the day before serving this dessert. 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 pkg. dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 egg, separated 3 whole eggs, beaten 3 1/4 cup flour *10 ounces marzipan* (Will be used later) Scald milk and while hot add butter (margarine), sugar, and salt. COOL TO LUKEWARM. Soften yeast in the water. Add to LUKEWARM milk mixture. Add egg yolk and beaten eggs and stir. Add flour and beat with wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) until more than double in bulk, about 2 hours or less. Stir down and beat (stir) thoroughly. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temp. Take plain brioche dough and form into small buns (golf ball size works nicely), cover and let them rest for 10 minutes. Filling You can use store bought marzipan or make your own. Make a rope of marzipan about the size of a tootsie roll and cut into pieces about the same width. (You don't have to shape them.) Put one of the marzipan pieces on each bun, draw the dough up around it and pinch and twist to seal. Place in a buttered pan with seam side down. Cover and allow to rise about 30 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter. Place pan in center of oven. Bake till nicely browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire grid. When cool cover loosely with a cloth and let them set out several hours. We want them to be just a little stale. The next step which takes this into an entire new category Egg custard 4 eggs + 2 egg yolks, beaten till creamy 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup sweet sherry (optional) Mix all these ingredients and beat until completely blended Preheat oven to 325 degrees Place the marzipan filled buns in a buttered baking dish sides touching. Pour the custard in and around the buns but do not cover the tops of the buns. Let this stand for a few minutes then add more of the custard mix as the rolls will have soaked up some. Add a little to begin with and allow the base of the buns to soak up some of the custard mixture so they will not float as the rest is added. Place the pan in a bain marie and bake until the custard is set. (Time varies with the size of the baking dish and the amount of custard) For a 9 x 11 pan it should be done in about 25 minutes. Test with a thin knife blade BETWEEN THE ROLLS at about 20 minutes, then at 25 minutes. Test every 2 minutes after that until blade comes out clean. ( RG1220 )

You are so lucky. It is a wonderful book. I agree that one needs to keep searching, sometimes using obscure or unusual words to narrow the search and thus find lesser known sites. I have found some interesting books using bibliofind, which is a part of Amazon but often I find books via that site that do not come up on an Amazon search. Abe books .com is another of my favorites. Then there is Acanthus books which has reprints of rare and very old books, facsimiles, etc. They also sometimes have copies of out of print books but you have to contact them and ask. They are exceptionally nice people and very helpful.

I stand corrected. Gina had mentioned that in the 80s and 90s there had been a couple of archeological digs on her family's farm that found construction and artifacts that were Greek, Cretan and Phoenician built on more ancient Nuragic sites. She jokes that "everybody came for the fish"......

I am simply in awe of anyone who has the tenacity to write a cookbook (or any kind of book). I love the ones that tell stories, poignant, funny, illustrative, etc., of the life and experiences of the author. I love telling stories too, but simply do not have the discipline to write them in any coherent fashion so I admire anyone who does as I know how much work it is. I had a friend who worked on a family cookbook (3 generations in Pasadena) for several years but passed away before she could finish her research and recipe testing. Her daughters thought it had been a waste of time and tossed the manuscript and all her notes in the trash before I had a chance to ask for it. I would have liked to have it as a memento of our friendship. One of the reasons I collect cookbooks is because some of them seem to be "orphans" and I feel they should have shelf space somewhere, even if it is only in my little library. When I see some of these books on the remaindered list or reduced to a fraction of the original price on the bargan books table, I think of all the work that went into them and feel sad that they have not received their due. So often it is because some "name" personage has a cookbook that is being promoted simply because they are on TV and not because the cookbook itself is interesting or truly useful. I am not a fan of Rachel Ray or her cookbooks. I do have two of Ina Garten's cookbooks and recently was given one of "The Lady & Sons" cookbooks. I have purchased a great many cookbooks since joining eG, many recommended by other members and written by members. Keep on writing them and I will keep on buying them.

I thought I had this book and did a somewhat cursory search but couldn't find it so have ordered a copy. The discussion about the evolution of pasta/couscous and how it migrated from country to country is fascinating. One of my friends visited last night (on her way down from June Lake to San Diego). She is from Sardinia and we were discussing some of the traditional foods she grew up with. She says her grandmother still makes a semolina pasta by moistening flour with water and a little oil and mixing and rolling it in a flat basket (similar to my winnowing baskets) until it forms little balls which are then dried or baked. I showed her some packages of maftol and moughrabiya, labeled "Middle Eastern" and "Toasted" couscous and she said it looks exactly like the "fragula" (not sure of spelling), made my her grandmother. The family farm is in the southern part of Sardinia near Tolada (?Sp) and is visited by tourists because of the archeological sites located on the farm. Because of its location, Sardinia, like Sicily, was constantly being conquered and the society/culture changed with the times, a true crossroads of the Mediterranean . I don't think I have ever seen a cookbook devoted exclusively to cuisine of Sardinia. I have a few Italian cookbooks that may include a recipe or two but that is all.

I bought another cookbook today. It is the just for fun cookbook, "Nanny Ogg's Cookbook" 'A useful and improving Almanack of Information including Astonishing Recipes from Terry Pratchett's Discworld.' I am a big fan of Terry Pratchett's stories and this little book is worth buying just for the chuckles produced when reading the titles of some of the recipes.

I have been reminded to add one thing about the loose plastic "baggie-type" gloves by my housekeeper. My friend Hans, a baker, was wearing these gloves while working at a small mixer, pushing down the dough that was crawling up the dough hook. The loose glove caught and pulled his hand into the orbital head. Fortunately he wasn't hurt badly, but his hand was bruised and wrenched. He visited me the following day and his hand was black and blue and he couldn't make a fist so had to take a few days off work. That was the last time he wore the baggie type gloves. If you are going to use the loose gloves, don't operate any machinery while wearing them. You also should not wear them near an open flame, they are useful for food prep. The powder in the gloves I have is corn starch - you can also get the non-powdered ones and use a bit of cornstarch (I keep some in a shaker - it has a plastic top to seal the shaker holes so moisture will not affect it). And rajsuman, For years I had a manicure every week and always wore gloves while doing anything that involved handling meat or poultry, etc., prepping vegetables, working with dough. I have mentioned many times on other threads that all it takes to have my phone ring is for me to be up to my wrists in sticky dough. It used to take me several rings before I could pick it up. Now all I do is strip off a glove and pick up the handset. No sticky handset, no missed calls. I find the gloves are handy for so many things I generally buy several boxes at a time. I wear them under my gardening gloves for extra protection, when I give the dogs a bath, etc.

Smart & Final has the baggy gloves too, I just don't care for them. The powder in these is cornstarch so there is no problem with foods being contiminated with talc. The baggy ones are available at any beauty supply store in packages of 10, 100 and 500. They are much cheaper than the NON latex ones I get. Many people are allergic to latex, thus the non-latex. For instance, my housekeeper can't wear the latex ones. This type is also available at beauty supply places but not all are food-grade.

Are these the non-latex ones, Andie? They're basically thin plastic baggies that are glove-shaped? If so, I'd love to know a source for a non-professional to buy them! I had a pkg of 20 that I bought a long time ago and haven't been able to find them anywhere since... Any/all ideas are greatly welcome! Curlz ← These are the ones I use. I get them at Smart & Final. Any restaurant/bakery supply place will have them. There are plenty of places open to the public.

This might answer some of your questions.

I simply use the food service gloves that are like surgeon's gloves, have for years. My hands look pretty good for my age.

Griswold is the more famous name in cast iron and some of their pieces were only made for a brief time or the design changed after a year or so and these pieces that were only on the market for a brief time are quite pricy. I have a lot of Griswold because several of the older members of my family wanted more "modern" cookware back in the 60s and gave me their old cast iron. The most unusual Griswold piece I have is a rendering pot with a screw plug down near the bottom for drawing off the liquid fat. It is so big I don't have room for it in the house so it is in my storage building in an oiled canvas bag to protect it from rust. It comes with a folding iron tripod to hold it over the fire and that too is an odd sort of thing and I have never seen another. When "Cast Iron Jack" was still exhibiting at the Rose Bowl swap meet, back in the early 80s, I took the pot up for him to see (I had a pickup truck at the time and a strong helper) and he said he had never seen one but would be happy to take it off my hands if I ever decided to sell it. I think it was already on the farm when my grandfather purchased it in 1919. It is possible that many of these were left outside to rust when people stopped rendering their own lard or suet or tallow and they gradually fell apart. What makes it so unique is the removable plug near the bottom. It looks just like the oil plug that were seen on oil pans back in the 1930s, with an "eye" through which a steel rod could be threaded so the plug could be turned. I remember when this was done, I was instructed to stand well back while two men removed the plug so the liquid fat could run into a big pan set on the ground. Another man would hold a screen over the hole in the inside of the pot so the solids wouldn't run out with the hot liquid. On one occasion I rememver some fat splashing onto the pantsleg of one of the men, who immediately began cursing. My grandfather clapped his hands over my ears so I missed most of it but I learned more than I should have that day......... Compared to what one hears all the time nowadays, it was pretty tame.

If you think you might have beans that have been stored too long, you might try this. It doesn't always work but I have used it with the "meaty" type large limas, scarlet runners and fava beans. Soak the beans in cold water for at least 12 hours. Drain them and put them in a steamer (not a rice cooker but a steamer over simmering water) and steam them for 45 minutes. Then put them in a pot, add your cooking liquid, water or anything low acid, and cook as usual.

You can also get seeds of the French dandelions which are longer, more tender and less bitter. They grow in window boxes, pots or will even sprout on a mat of damp paper towels on a tray. This way you get very clean baby greens that are not at all bitter.