andiesenji

I bring the cream up to 110 degrees before stirring in the buttermilk and I try to get the cream that is NOT ultra pasteurized. If you can find manufacturer's cream, use that as it is natural cream, plain, not ultra pasteurized. It works extremely well. I also would use more buttermilk and do use a cultured product if possible.

I have been using two of these thick copper plates on my gas cooktop for several weeks and I love them. If you have the stove grates with wide openings, you have probably found that small pans will sit steady and level only if carefully positioned. However if you have one of these copper plates this problem is solved. I am so happy with the two that I have been using that today I ordered a custom sized one that will fit over two burners, 11 inch by 18 inch. This will essentially give me more cooking room as I can put more than two pans (depending on size) on that plate. The original ones I bought were a 6-inch square and a 9-inch square. The 6-inch is for use on the 5th burner (a center, low-output simmer burner) so I can use a narrow tall pan for melting butter that will not sit stead on the burner because of the way the grates are shaped (with large gaps). I have used the 9-inch one on the high output burner to better control the heat when I wanted to avoid a hot spot. The company that makes these is in Ventura, California and they have a phone number listed on their site if you have questions. Bella Copper. I have nothing to do with this company, other than being an extremely satisfied customer. I have had the aluminum "Flame-Tamers" and these copper plates work much, much better. You can see the two I have now in the background of this photo:

I wonder if it could have been flavored with Kewra Water. Fleur de Kewra. It has long been used in some Indian sweets but according to the wife of the owner of the middle eastern market here in town, it has been creeping westward for years and shows up in some sweets and baked items. They carry it in the market and it sells to more than Indian customers. I was given a recipe for a pastry that when finished looks like an empanada, shaped like a half-moon, and filled with a mixture of nuts, sugar, spice and uses either rose water, orange flower water or kewra water.

You can post photos of interesting things you discover on an individual basis without blogging. I know I would be fascinated to see unusual things you discover as you continue to live in this most interesting and cosmopolitan place.

Well at home we only did it with croissants already baked (that is, slice them open etc... as you said), but i'm pretty sure it works as well if added during the making. Sometimes i like to add zaatar to unbaked puffed pastry dough and bake it in the oven until it...well...puffs, so if this works, it should work with unbaked croissants too. Just a note though: instead of sprinkling it dry, i moisten the zaatar with olive oil and use it as a spread rather... and YES I looooove zaatar ← I add zaatar to aioli - heaven! It is great to spread on bread of any kind, for dipping things, such as oven roasted potato wedges, skins and all, deep fried eggplant or zucchini or similar squash sticks, and etc. I take the large soft and thin flatbread I get at the local middle eastern market, spread it with this aioli/zaatar mixture then with very thin sliced cheese I also buy at the market (I don't know the name, I point, get a taste and buy.) Then roll it up into a cylinder and cut it into rounds that are just about 2-bite size. Great for nibbling. A bit more of the aioli/zaatar can be schmered on the top cut side if desired - I often do!

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I have Cuisinarts and am very happy with them. I have never had to replace a bowl because of normal use and I subject them to all kinds of processing, including grating very hard cheeses, chopping nuts, and etc. I have replaced bowls which were flung across the room and bounced off the tile floor and the handle broke off and a piece broke out of the side (I grabbed a towel off the counter, not realizing that part of the bowl was sitting on it.) Another was replaced when it was sitting in the sink and a large earthenware casserole slipped out of my hands and dropped onto it taking several large chips out of the top edge. I actually was able to use it to finish the job I was doing that day. I just used duct tape to close the gaps so stuff wouldn't fly out of the openings. I have used other brands in the homes of my friends and I can't really say that I would trade my Cuisinarts for any of them. The KA I used last Christmas at my friend's home did not perform well when slicing celery and carrots. And it did not chop walnuts evenly. Some were turned into nut butter in the bottom of the bowl and the rest were left practically whole at the top. I ended up using a hand-cranked nut chopper from the 50s. I don't have any of the newly styled Cuisinarts, they do look more streamlined but mine are working just fine so I see no need to replace them just for the looks. This review was done a while ago. Note the findings on the Cuisinart 14 cup which is a larger capacity and the 7 cup that is smaller than the one seen most often (11 cup) and the point about the 3-year warranty. If something is going to go wrong with these machines, it will usually be in the second or third year, in my experience.

It can vary, depending on how fresh or how young the garlic is. Young garlic takes longer than "aged" garlic, soft neck takes longer than hard neck. I begin checking it at an hour then check at 30 minute intervals after that. I occasionally fish out a fat clove and smash in on some crusty bread to taste. The tasting and testing is fun as well as useful. For gifts, I ladle some of the cloves into a pint canning jar, then fill with the hot oil, using a funnel so no oil gets onto the rim of the jar. I then apply the lid while the oil is still hot. After it cools, you can hear the "ping" of the lid sealing and see the dimple in the center of the lid. This can be stored safely at room temperature for long periods, although it usually doesn't last long. People who recieve it generally return the jars for a "refill" within a few months. The oil by itself, with a few herbs and salt, is great for dipping bread.

I would rather be safe than sorry. I was one of a number of people who had food poisoning from a stew that was served at a church benefit. It was cooked, left at room temperature for a bit more than three hours, then heated and served. I was hospitalized for 36 hours and it was not fun. Several people in the group were in the hospital longer than me, with more severe symptoms. I never want to be the cause of someone going through what I went through.

This batch included carrots, parsnips, potatoes (Yukon gold), celery, onions and red, yellow and gold peppers in addition to the roasted garlic and oil. I sometimes include any or all of the following: celeriac, kohlrabi, white sweet (actually unsweet) potatoes, rutabaga, golden beets and squash. My favorite seasonings are a pepper medley I buy at Smart & Final that has no salt in it, chipotle pepper seasoning with herbs and kosher or sea salt, not too much as it can always be added at the end. I take a small tasting sample at the end of two hours and again at 2 1/2 hours just to make sure things are progressing well. And, of course, at the end of the roasting time I taste again, after stirring well. I can always put it back in the oven for a little additional time, if necessary, however I can't recall when there was need to do this. At this point they are just the way I like them.

I do the rapid cool down method. I have some of the very large cold packs, (Blue Ice) on which I place a piece of terry toweling to keep the pot from slipping and set the pot on the towel. I have a stainless steel asparagus steamer, tall, skinny pot, which goes into my freezer full of water when the stock (or soup) goes on the stove so it is a solid block of ice when stock is done. I happen to have a piece of metal wire covered with plastic, with a leash snap on each end, which snaps onto one handle of the stock pot, threads through the two handles of the asparagus pot and snaps onto the other handle of the stockpot, therefore holding upright and suspening the pot full of ice in the stock. This is the most rapid method of cooling soup or stock or anything else in a large pot that I have used over the years. (And I have tried just about everything.) When I still had my old "extra" freezer, that stored only ice, I used to set the pot in there till it was cool (with a timer near me so I would remember to take it out before it froze solid), but I no longer have that option. I have considered puttin in a separate freezer drawer dedicated to stuff like this but so far have not gotten around to it. I never, never, never put anything hot into the fridge. It can raise the temp in the fridge to levels that means anything else in there is compromised. I have a separate thermometer hanging on the center shelf inside the door (which is always the warmest point in a refrigerator) and I make sure that stays at 40 degrees or lower. If you have a thermometer in any other part of the fridge, the door compartments will be considerably higher which is why some people complain of milk spoiling if it is in the door compartments. Not cold enough!

I used to use the high temp roasting method starting with the firmer vegetables and would add the vegetables that needed less cooking as the time progressed but sometimes some would get overdone and some would not be cooked enough and, as you note, you really need to keep them pretty much in a single layer. I wanted to do larger batches so I consulted with a relative who did supurb roasted vegetables in advance of huge family holiday dinners and either presented them on their own or on a platter with meats or poultry. Since then, with a couple of modifications, I have used her method and people rave about the flavor and they get better with being held in the fridge for a couple of days. As you can see, I use a large pan, it is half-sheet size and deep. I fill it almost to the top, leaving room for some stirring. I chop everything about the same size, spread a layer across the bottom, ladle on some of the oil-roasted garlic cloves and oil, sprinkle on some seasonings. Add another layer, more garlic and oil, more seasoning and so on until everything is in the pan. It goes into the oven at 275 and at the end of an hour I stir it well bringing the stuff from the bottom to the top and etc. I then stir it every 30 minutes for the remaining 2 hours. Everything is at just the right degree of doneness. The already roasted garlic has mostly broken down and become part of the seasoning/dressing. For the garlic roasted in oil, I use a 6 quart Visions pot, 1 pound of peeled garlic cloves, 1 gallong of good olive oil - I get the stuff in the gold can with filigree design on it that can be found at any Italian grocery. It doesn't have to be "extra virgin" in fact it is better if it is not, but it does have to be very fresh. Again, this is a long, slow roasting proposition, the entire house (and neighborhood) will have the aroma of roasting garlic but no one around my home minds it at all. I keep the oven at 275 degrees F. until the garlic cloves are uniformly dark, reddish brown. I allow it to cool in the cookpot then transfer to a sterilized 1 1/2 gallon jar with a wire bail, glass top with rubber gasket. It will keep at room temperature for at least a year. The oil does not go rancid because the enzymes that can cause that have been destroyed by the long, slow heating. I use a stainless steel ladle that has been dipped into boiling water and allowed to air dry when I remove the garlic from the oil, however the oil can be poured out if all I need is some oil. There is no danger of botulisim that one has with cold-infused garlic oil and the flavor is far superior to any commercial garlic oil I have tried. These things are easy to do, they just take time. The roasted garlic is always available for immediate use and it has a myriad of uses, including just mashing and spreading on toast.

That reminds me of something else. Tiki lounges and their food. L.A. and environs was the Mecca for tiki lounge aficinados. From Trader Vic's in Hollywood to Kelbo's on Pico at Sepulveda to Latitude 20 in Manhattan Beach and The Lava Isle in Burbank, and etc. Kelbo's had the greatest ribs, almost like candy. The Lava Isle in Burbank (on Magnolia) was the first place I had Indonesian food - my first meal was nasi goering and I was hooked! There was also one in the shopping center that used to front on Sepulveda Blvd. right where the airport expanded in 1961, where the east/west runway now crosses the road . I can't remember the name but it was very popular with the PSA stewardesses. (Pacific Southwest Airways - they were voted the most beautiful stewardesses in the U.S. in 1960.) It had a huge tiki with a flame coming out of the top of its head that could be seen from planes when one flew in at night. Several friends and I used to "collect" tiki lounges and try the foods. There are still a couple of tiki bars in Hollywood and L.A. but nothing like back in the late 50s and through the 60s. The foods served at tiki lounges were different from any other restaurant and the drinks were elaborate, colorful and strong. The bartenders took pride in being able to construct any "tropical" drink from memory.

The trick is to roast them for a long time at low temp. They become sweet, tender and the dark crusty bits are like candy. They do need to be dressed with oil before they go in the oven. Oil in which you have roasted garlic cloves also for a long time at low temp. The batch pictured above was roasted at 275 degrees F for 3 hours.

No question that seeks enlightenment is ever dumb! I actually use a double boiler (better control of the temp) and bring the water in the upper container up to 142 degrees and keep it steady at that temp for a few minutes, then lower the eggs into the water (I have a small wire colander with a handle which holds 6 eggs easily) making sure the water temp does not drop and will hold. Set the timer and as soon as the timer chimes, I lift them out of the water and briefly put into cold tap water. No need to chill in ice water, just cool enough to arrest the heating. I dry the eggs, mark them with a pencil and either place in a container with a tight fitting lid or return to the egg carton. (I use a lot of eggs so usually buy 2 - 4 dozen at a time.

I have had no problems. The only reason I sealed it was to keep the fibers from sticking out. I use a nail scissors with very sharp point to clip the fibers back inside the the silicone.

Eggs are also one of my great favorites. I like them in any type of setting and pasteurize my own so I can use them raw. (I mentioned this proces in the Out of Style foods thread) One of the first things I learned to cook in my first class on French cooking was a puffy omelette, with the eggs still a bit runny. Love them that way.

I know two Peruvian families. (They raise horses.) None of them cares much about seeking out restaurants that serve Peruvian food. Mostly they like Red Lobster, Appleby's and pizza. I have tried to pry some recipes out of the women and they keep promising to translate some for me but they are enamored with American frozen foods and "instant" stuff. I keep running into them at Trader Joe's - they can't be bothered with doing traditional Peruvian foods. Their kids seem to exist on a diet of pizza, Thai food, Fatburger, KFC and Sonic. I mentioned the possibility of visiting a Peruvian restaurant in Canoga Park but was told they all grew up on that stuff and are widening their horizons now. Frankly they are amazed that I am interested in learning how to cook foods from their homeland because America has such diversity and, according to them, Peruvian food isn't all that interesting.

By the way, I happened to think of something else that has seemingly gone by the wayside. Anyone remember "Swiss" steak. This used to be a "blue-plate" dinner special in many family restaurants and diners. Round steak was the meat of choice, beaten until some of the fibers had been tenderized, dredged in seasoned flour and browned, then add onions and chopped tomatoes (or a can of stewed tomatoes) and served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Also a popular home-cooked meal. When young, I always wondered where the gravy came from since there were tomatoes with the meat. Later I learned about the generic gravy mixes that were made up in batches, chicken, beef or turkey and held in warming pans in restaurants. The other thing was "cube" steak. This also was something that puzzled me because it wasn't shaped like a cube. (My very early education, mostly from my grandpa, gave me a literal outlook on things, he believed in precise language and we never had cube steak on the farm!)

And the sad thing is that this doesn't make sense. It is so easy to pasteurize eggs. I have been doing it at home for a long time. For a while we had pasteurized eggs in some markets and I believe some markets down in the LA/OC areas still carry them but I can't buy them up here. I just pasteurize all my eggs immediatley after I bring them home from the market, then refrigerate them. The recommended time to hold them at 142 degrees is 3 1/2 minutes - I make it 5 minutes, just to be sure and because I use mostly jumbo eggs. This is not hot enough to cook them but is hot enough to kill the salmonella bacteria. I love eggnog, syllabub and the above-mentioned zabaglione as well as very soft "French" style omelettes and very soft scrambled eggs, coddled and soft-boiled eggs, eggs sunny-side-up and so on. I can't even remember how many years ago I got the information from either U.C. Davis or Cal Poly Pomona about pasteurizing eggs but it has been close to 30 as I have been using them since the 70s.

Sex???? Not even on my radar. However when it comes to food.............!

I wear gloves for certain tasks. For one instance, when kneading dough. Invariably the phone rings and either I have to grap the phone with a doughy hand or take the time to clean my hands and by that time the phone stops ringing. However, when wearing gloves, I just strip one off, toss it in the trash and pick up the phone. Same with tossing stuff in oil, much neater. I wash my hands often too and I am certainly not squeamish, but after getting a really bad infection in a finger several years ago, from a little hangnail which came in contact with a piece of pork from which I was stripping skin and fat, I learned to be prudent in what I handle with my bare hands. Particularly if I have even a minimal "wound". That finger was so painful it awakened me at night if I bumped it against something. Wearing gloves is a small price to pay for safety, MINE!

These photos were in a post I put in the "You know you are a foodie when........" thread. I make them in big batches as they make a great base for "instant" stew, all alone as a hot or cold side dish and pureed a little or a lot to make a soup. Even though this has no meat in it, it has a "meaty" flavor. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes, celery, onions, sweet peppers, garlic and seasonings.

Here is all you need to know about making ricotta. These recipes are easy and turn out perfect every time.

Now that's REALLY impressive! Who delivered the brats, the supplier or friends of yours? How did they get through airport security? (My mind working... who do I know in which cities?) ← This was in 1999, security was not quite as tight then. I have basenji friends in Chicago who gave me the name of a butcher near the airport. I called them gave them my credit card and told them to charge the cost of the brats and the cost of delivery, airport parking and etc. to it and gave them my schedule and departure gate number and that I would be in a wheelchair in the first class lounge. The guy did not have any trouble finding the gate and checked with the attendent with whom I had left the information about the delivery. All they did was open the styro container and look at the clear package containing the brats. There was some discussion about how difficult it was to get "real" fresh brats anywhere outside the region but that was it. I had it on my lap as my porter wheeled me into the plane and at that point the flight attendant took the box away to put it in the fridge. No bribes were passed.

I have several food mills (I collect) there are two I use most, for tomato sauce, removing the skins and seeds, I have one of these. It works great. I have an ancient Foley mill made in the 30s that still works and a much newer one that I use. I gave one of these to my neighbor last year when she had a new baby and wanted to learn to make her own baby food. She had never used one before and has become a champ with this one. She makes garlic smashed potatoes using this and they come out perfect with no mashing, just going through the mill. Last fall she made her first batch of grape preserves using this to remove the skins and seeds.