andiesenji

Thanks, I will see how it performs as vinegar but am not going to waste much time on it.

I can make fire without matches. Growing up on a farm has lots of advantages, especially when you have a bunch of boys, near in age with which to play and uncles and great uncles who love showing kids all kinds of woodslore. I learned to make a firebow before I was 10. We used to go fishing a pretty long hike from home, start a fire early on and the first few fish we caught were plastered in clay (lots of clay in western Kentucky), put into the coals and by the time we had caught enough for dinner, our lunch was done. Crack open the clay and the skin comes off with it leaving the beautifully cooked flaky flesh ready to eat. While few islands would have all the resources of the one found by "The Swiss Family Robinson" there is usually something edible.

I have been gifted with 6 bottles of Zarafa 2003 pinotage from South Africa. I don't drink, or rather I can't drink alcohol because of a severe allergy that causes edema in my larynx, shutting off my airway so I can't even taste this stuff. What I would like to know, if anyone is familiar with this wine, is it any good. If it is good I will pass it along to my friend who likes red wines as long as they aren't too sweet or too astringent. If it is just so-so, I will use it for cooking. If it is less than so-so, I will use it to make vinegar or, if it is dreck, toss it. So, is it worth holding on to or what? I have never heard of pinotage. They have a neat label with a giraff on it. The back label says it is "a soft, easy drinking red wine for all occasions." Doesn't tell me much.

If you substitute oatmeal for 1/4 of the dry ingredients you will have a moister muffin. also add some crushed pineapple as noted by CompassRose or some applesauce as noted by chromedome. Also adding sugar will help because sugar slowly releases moisture back into the baked item over time. Oatmeal has the effect of holding moisture in baked goods. Any time you have a recipe that calls for high fiber ingredients that tend to cause dryness, adding oatmeal in place of some of the dry ingredients will give you a product that lasts longer, does not stale as rapidly and retains moisture. Think of oatmeal cookies that remain moist in the center weeks after they are baked.

If you think back to the reason some of these things were developed, it only makes sense. Some were created to cover up the taste of spoiled or nearly spoiled food, only later were they used to enhance flavors. I myself would prefer fowl rather than foul but to each his own. someone else used the same word earlier - Actually if we are talking about a "desert" island - there wouldn't be much, would there? I am picturing the island in the movie "The Black Stallion" --- After the horse trampled the cobra, I was thinking, hmmm, snake isn't all that bad if one is hungry enough. Chewy.

I think it is Hellman's in the east and Best Foods in the west. I have only seen Hellman's "flavored" mayo at Big Lots and their stuff comes from God knows where..... You have only three types of mustards? Geez, I must be weird because I have half a dozen types that are homemade - I have no idea how many I have that are store bought but there is a tray full in the pantry and a bunch in the fridge. Of course I have to admit I am a bit of a nut about mustard in all its many forms. My housekeeper is now laughing her head off. She says I need a separate fridge just for the condiments. She laughs at me because I section off a bratwurst and put a different mustard on each section before covering it with the top of the bun. I just like to get a different taste sensation with each bite, is that so awful??????

Here where I live, the electrical panels have to be a "minimum of 6 feet from ANY heat source or water source and that includes any appliances such as range, oven, cooktop, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer and dryer, water heater, furnace and similar installations. Failure to comply will result in citation and requirement that the violation be rectified within 10 days. If the violation is not remedied and emergency equipment is required for any reason the homeowner will be billed for costs and cited." In addition any insurance coverage will be voided. Mine was relocated from the near end of the pantry (external wall) to the far end when the oven was located 4 feet from the wall and the panel was on the other side within the 6-foot range. When the inspector showed up he did indeed check the distances to make sure the new (tankless) water heater was more than 6 feet away from the panel. The thing I was wondering, is, if the stove is hot, how are you going to move it in an emergency to get at the panel. This is generally when emergencies happen and I would be concerned about it.

Old Town Pasadena is definitely a walking and eating destination. The change in the area in the past 20 years is nothing short of amazing. This is one area where revitalization has taken a dingy and dirty area and transformed it to the point that people who lived in the area in the 60s can't find many landmarks with which they were familiar. There has been that much change. There was a time when one did not walk down Colorado Blvd. at night. The only time of year when it was safe was the night before the Rose Parade when there were thousands of people camped out and also Sheriff's deputies patrolling up and down the street. I used to frequent a used book store in the area and always took someone with me even during the day. Other changes in the area include a residential/commercial center that is very popular with young people. One friend says that in a way it reminds her of Greenwich Village in that there are apartments (or condos) above shops. One can live, work and shop without needing a car to get around. Further afield, there is Santa Barbara which is a great place for people who like to walk, shop and eat, visit museums, etc. The city itself is like a picture postcard and the weather is generally great, cooler than inland, it is part of the "banana belt".

What about the Marina district? Or does it still exist? When I was stationend at the Presidio, back in the late 50s, we used to walk out the Mason street gate and walk through the area. There were a lot of restaurants within a few blocks. Of course we walked all over the city. Sunday mornings a group of us had a routine, we would walk out the Lombard gate and onto the bridge approach, walk across the bridge and back and then have breakfast at the Roundhouse Restaurant (great waffles), then walk on down Lombard, up and over the "crookedest street in the world" to Van Ness, Van Ness to Broadway, then Broadway to Grant Avenue and Chinatown for sightseeing and shopping. By that time breakfast had been burned up by the walk and we were ready for lunch. We would either have lunch in Chinatown or walk a few blocks further to the Embarcadero (it was not as touristy-fancy back then) and buy steamed crabs and a couple of loaves of "that bread" and eat them and feed the seagulls and an occasional pelican.

Shaping dough, particularly small rolls, buns. I too go into a sort of fugue state where I am operating on automatic pilot and I don't have to think about the task because I have done it so many times that my hands know what to do without consciously directing them. Bow ties, pretzels, baby braids or twists, things I learned in baking school nearly a half century ago, all take shape under my hands as I zonk off into some other level of consciousness to the point that I don't hear the phone or even my housekeeper or guests when they speak to me. Many times I have solved problems that have been bugging me, during these periods of introspection. I have at times startled people around me by yelling, "Hey! I just realized something, etc., etc., etc.," and begin talking about my idea. Sometimes I look around and realize no one has any idea about my subject because the entire event has taken place inside my head. At times like that I think that I really should have a video camera recording what is going on in the kitchen. Some of these would be a natural for "The Funniest Video" shows.

I have so enjoyed all your photos and your blogging notes. Wish it could go on and on.......

I have been digging in my bookcases looking for the Irish Heritage Cookbook by Margaret Johnson. I do have several of Darina Allen's cookbooks but this one is my favorite. I also have a very small, very old cookbook titled A Feast of Ireland, by Diarmuid. Only one name, no date, apparently self-published. I got it as part of a library collection I purchased several years ago. I have never been able to find any references to the book. It has recipes for wild game, rabbit, grouse, etc., as well as trout, salmon, cod and another fish that I can't recall, that was supposed to come from Dingle, as well as shellfish and seaweed. I made several of the baked items. I will have to dig out my old notes and see what I thought of them.

home made mustard sweet chile sauce, preferably Mae Ploy home made mayo Actually these in combination, any two or all three can make just about anything palatable.

The five spice is one example where the end result is greater than the sum of the parts. Each spice enhances the other so that the combination steps over the line and becomes something far more than one would expect. Until you try it, it won't mean much to you. As a test, bake a sweet potato half way, split it in half, made a few cross cuts in the cut face, sprinkle a little five spice and put a dab of butter on one half, just butter on the other half. Return to the oven and bake until done. Then taste. This will give you a definitive answer to how it affects the flavor of something as mundane as a sweet potato.

Bread pudding with a hot lemonade chaser.

Here, at the bottom of this page is a traditional chef's hat made of cloth. The material of the top is indeed pleated to fit the head band. I have been through several books, looking at photos and drawings and none of the pre-1960 books show the tall narrow toque with the open top as seen in the CIA and Great Chef's programs. Henri Charpentier wore the bonnet type. It is an interesting study of historical head gear. And here is a school named Gross Bonnet culinary school and this site from Chef Harvey toque

Even though meat fibers tend to "tangle" when worked a lot, it really doesn't take all that much time to blend meats and other additives. The trick is to put everything except the bread crumbs/soaked bread or cracker crumbs, etc., into the bowl with the paddle. Turn it on low and let it run for a few revolutions. Stop, drop the bowl and with a wide rubber spatula (or your gloved hand) scrape the mixture into a ball, start the mixer again and immediately add the bread portion of the recipe and let it go a few revolutions until the top is blended. Then turn the mass out onto a sheet pan and give it a few folds to evenly distribute the bread component. This is how I make large batches of meatballs, meatloaf for a crowd and my sausage mixtures. I have never noticed that there is any "toughness" and in fact I want them to hold together. In fact, for some meatballs, particularly when they are going onto skewers, I take some of the meat mixture and process it into very fine mince in a food processor. It does become like glue and that is what I need to hold the remainder of the meat together. An Armenian lady taught me to make kofta (AKA stuffed kibbe) using this method of doing the fine mince in a food processor. She said that her grandmother and mother always insisted on using a hand-cranked meat grinder and putting it through multiple times using smaller and smaller dies, but she found that the processor did the job better and faster. (She just hides the food processor when they are visiting and makes the kofta ahead of time. Heh, heh, heh!) I have been in a lot of commercial kitchens where large batches of ground meats were worked in the mixers and I doubt that anyone would have been able to tell that the finished product had not been worked by hand.

If you want to kill odors like this rapidly this is an easy and inexpensive way that knocks down any stench without covering it up with perfume. You will need an old, fairly heavy saucepan with a handle and a couple of bricks or a concrete block you can place in the center of the room and on which the pan will set steady. In the pan place 1 + cups of Epsom salts - it should be close to an inch deep. Add 6 ounces of denatured alcohol, rubbing alcohol will do if you can't get the other. Hold it away from you and light the alcohol. If the room is large, walk around the room with the pan, if the room is small simply set it on the bricks or block in the center of the room and let the alcohol burn off completely. Needless to say, keep the flame clear of curtains, drapes, clothing, etc.

I have butcher block counter tops, a large section with a marble top for pastry and one section with stainless steel with a raised edge all around it and shallow drawers under it for holding hot packs or cold packs which is for sugar work (which I no longer do so it is usually holding a couple of large extra cutting boards.) In the past I have had ceramic tile, Corian, granite, Formica and polished concrete countertops. I much prefer the butcher block but it does take some work to keep it looking good. I don't mind the cut marks from using my knives on it, in fact I like the patina it develops with use. That is my personal preference and I know it is not for everyone. I can set hot pans on it and if it gets a scorch mark it is easy to lightly sand it out. Dents from having a cast iron lid dropped on edge onto it can be "lifted" with a bit of steaming (done by a professional) so it looks like new again. (A granite, tile, Corian or other rigid top would chip and that secton would need to be replaced.) Some of the new composite quartz materials are nice and I think they are attractive and would work in certain areas of a kitchen but I would still want butcher block in my prep area. I don't want a stylish kitchen, or a pretty kitchen. I want something that works for me and that is what I have. I have a tile floor and do not like it. Some of the tiles are wearing at the corners which makes the floor uneven in spots. It is presently mostly covered with resiliant and conformable linoleum "rugs" which make it easier for me to roll my carts and my powered chair when I am having difficulty standing for long periods. This material is not for permanent installation but there is a similar product which I am considering. It is much thicker than the old linoleum or vinyl and has a spongy middle layer with a semi-rigid top layer that is skid-proof, even when wet, something very important for me. My contractor is trying to talk me into a wood floor as he has a bunch of teak he salvaged from a boatyard in Long Beach a few years ago. I have had wood floors in other kitchens and was not thrilled with them. He assures me the teak will stand up to anything I can throw at it.

Chef Milani, The first TV chef in Los Angeles (KTLA Channel 5), and one of the founders of the Hollywood Canteen USO, in addition to acting in a few movies, had a TV show from 1948 to the mid 50s, demonstrating things like fish poached in milk, lamb's kidneys, etc. (Those are all I remember after more than half a century.) When I was out here visiting my dad in 1952 I watched his show every afternoon. He was a great showman. He wore the large cloth bonnet, with the pouffy top usually pulled over to one side. I remember that when he would bend forward there was a black and white button or something similar in the center of the top.

I believe that the taffy wrap is a good idea. I buy a box of the pre-cut wax paper squares at Smart & Final (used for separating slices of cheese, meats and etc.) I dust mine lightly with rice flour before wrapping as that will prevent sticking for a time but if they are left for any extended period they will still stick. If you want to make sure they don't stick you can cut the Reynolds Release foil into squares and use that. It works great for sticky candy.

The Musso is heavier (10 pounds heavier than the Nemox) - The Nemox tends to "walk" a bit and so has to be placed on a non-slip pad or on a cart with a raised edge. The Lello works fine, no problems, it just has a smaller capacity than the Nemox or Musso. It is simply personal preference, I like the looks of the Musso and think it may be made for heavier use. My old Simac was the 2-quart model and I would prefer a 2-quart model but at the time I was in a hurry and was able to get the Lello shipped in two days, the others would all have taken much longer.

I still like mine, I like the coffee, use only the dark roast and all the people to whom I gave them as gifts are enjoying them. Compared to regular coffee makers they make a very decent cup of coffee but are not a substitute for an espresso maker. They are, as I have mentioned earlier, ideal for college dorms where appliances with exposed heat elements are strictly forbidden. Frankly I wouldn't want to drink anything stronger than the dark roast, it is strong enough for me. If you are a true coffee geek then you need to get a machine that is capable of doing a lot more and of course costs a lot more. After many months of using the Senseo, I find it does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it well. It brews one cup of decent coffee at a time and the coffee is always fresh. I can't stand coffee that is stale and to me brewed coffee tastes stale within 20 minutes of brewing.

The toque is one type of chef's hat. But where did the "gross bonnet blanc" come from. The one with the snug wide headband and the poofy top. I see these in many illustratons from the late 19th and first half of the 20th century more than the pleated toques. My first teacher in French cooking used the above term and I have often wondered where it originated.

I saw a Czech beer at Trader Joe's when I was in the store last week. Apparently there are enough people around who find it interesting that TJ's stocks it.