andiesenji

Try the onion confit made with duck fat. Duck fat is good fat and has properties that are rare in other fats. (Goose fat has almost the same properities.)

Sometimes doing a job a different way results in a better end product. For many years I sliced cucumbers for my bread and butter pickles on the mandoline (Bron). Then one year I had a problem with my right elbow and right shoulder after doing something stupid. There was no way I could even hold my arm out away from my body, much less grasp and push a cucumber across the mandoline. So I put the thin slicing blade in the big Cuisinart and, wow! was that fast. I had 12 quarts of slices in hardly any time at all. The only chore was dumping the full processor bowl into the bucket with the salt and the ice. The slices were much thinner. Everyone loved the pickles made this way, still do, wondered why I hadn't done this years before. The pickles are easier to add to sandwiches, they stick to the filling instead of sliding out. It was serendipity.

Remember the basic idea is that you are doing a reduction. Just as you do not add salt to stock early on as it will concentrate more as it reduces and will end up so salty it is inedible at the end of the process. Anything with flavor that you add early on will concentrate as the mixture reduces so you allow most of the reduction to occur which is in the first half of the cooking, then add part of the seasoning liquid, continute cooking and then taste. If it needs more you can always add more, but once you add it you can't take it away. Herbs like rosemary and sage can become overwhelming when concentrated. Fennel, on the other hand, seems to dissipate with longer cooking. I like to use loveage for the celery flavor as it has a much stronger flavor that stands up well to long cooking whereas celery will become rather insipid the longer it cooks. A very tiny bit of nutmeg, added to the onions about 2/3 of the way through the cooking, will add just a hint of flavor but only a hint and you really won't be able to tell what it actually is, it just makes it better. (I always add just a tiny bit of nutmeg to milk gravy too. You can't taste it but it add "something")

The advantage of using an infusion, instead of the leafy herbs, makes a nicer finished product. There are no little bits of mysterious stuff that might make people wonder if it is edible. I crush the leaves and spices and pour boiling water, just enough to cover by about an inch or so, over the crushed material and use something to weight it down so it all remains covered with water. You can use something like a teaball or one of the large mesh holders, made specifically for this, but don't tie them in cloth. Unless you have something like nylon mesh, there is some flavor carryover that I don't like. You can also put them in a coffee filter and staple the top closed and put it in the bottom of the pot and put a spoon on it to weight it down. Let it steep for at least an hour and if you can, keep it warm. If you have a warming burner that works or if you put it in a pyrex measure (no metal except for the staples) you can nuke it for 30 seconds every 15 minutes or so to keep it at the correct temperature. Strain and taste, mixing 1/2 teaspoon into a tablespoon of warm water to get an idea of how the final result will be. Straight it will taste far too strong for you to get the true taste.

I do a onion and shallot confit with sage, sumac and hot peppers. I use this as a base for marmalade which is fantastic with wild game. I actually make an infusion with the sage, sumac and hot pepper (usually chile pequin) and add it about half-way through the carmelizing process. The sumac, found in any middle eastern market, has a lemony flavor but not as much acid as lemon itself, to interfere with the carmelizing.

I suggest you subscribe to the email newsletter (free) of The Food Service Professional. Check their site. They have some great training videos, including pastry, pies, etc. Kitchen Krafts also has training DVD, etc. as does Sugar Craft. and also: Winbeckler's videos. In many ways these can be more helpful than courses because you can refer back to them again and again and go through a project step-by-step along with the video. The food service prof. website also has a great deal of information about management, portion control, dealing with staff, etc. A great resource.

I have one of the Stir-Chef things. I bought it specifically for making lemon curd. I am often involved in numerous things in the kitchen at the same time and since I can no longer stand and walk about constantly I can't jump back and forth the way I used to. This contraption fits in my large double boiler and it stirs the lemon curd just enough to keep it from lumping up as it slowly thickens. I like the kind that stays fairly creamy, instead of the stuff that sets like a lemon meringue pie. I think it is nicer to spoon onto scones, etc. It requires slow heating and much stirring. Of course I am a major gadgeteer - I love gadgets just for the sake of the thoughtful and sometimes weird ideas that conceived them and I buy interesting or unusual ones even if I never use them. I don't spend my money on cigarettes and not a lot on booze because I don't drink and I am not a big candy eater and I loathe most perfume so I spend my money on gadgets (and a few other interests). I too believe that the more things that are available that make cooking and housekeeping easier for people with disabilities, the better the world will be. My locksmith used to be a lineman with the power service but lost part of his arm in an accident on the job. He has several attachments for his prothsesis, including a power tool that looks like it is out of Star Wars. He has joked about inventing an automatic flapjack flipper that he can fit into the shaft because gripping some of the "ergonomic" handles on utensils doesn't work so well with the gripper he has. (I gave him one of my "vintage" spatulas, with a heavy wrapped wire handle, made in the 30s and it works perfectly and he can grip it firmly without it cracking as the plastic handles do.) I told him that if he will build it, there will probably be people who will buy it. There just needs to be more universally available information about specialized utensils. It is better with the internet, but it could be better.

Are these what you are looking for? I have several of these and they work great for half sheet pans.

This wouldn't fit in a stocking. However isn't it a neat knife block? Much smaller footprint than the slanted ones and it even holds two steels (or a steel and a diamond hone)... Not a bad price for someone special............. And it even goes into the dishwasher!!!!!

Most vendors sell the Dexter-Russell 12 inch scalloped slicer for more than Smart & Final. Possibly because Smart & Final puts their name on the blade they get is for less and can offer it for less. The same knife is listed for a minimum of $5.00 more on these sites. Discount Dexter-Russell knives. I can remember back in the day when Dexter was THE knife in almost every restaurant kitchen, at least out here. The restaurant supply places (such as Star in Van Nuys, that opened in the early 60s,) carried the full line of Dexter products and I bought quite a few from the place. I still have my Dexter dough knife which is not quite as wide as it once was, because of being sharpened over the past 40 years. The new one is almost 1/4 inch wider and it still has one curved corner. The curve on the old one is long gone. The knife I showed, will cut very crusty bread and also will cut very tender breads, such as brioche, without tearing it. It can also be sharpened, I simply have not needed to do so.

My grandmother and great-grandmother did not believe in "spoiling" children with treats. Fortunately for me, my grandfather thought that I was born to be spoiled and did his best to see that I got quite a few "forbidden" treats. Since the cook thought the sun rose and set on him, she followed his orders even when countermanded by the ladies. I loved to hang out in the kitchen and "help" and if something was being fried, I often got "fried bread" as there was usually bread dough in one form or another waiting to be baked or rising, or whatever. Cook would pinch off a golf-ball sized piece of the dough pull it into a pillow shape and drop it into the hot fat where it would immediately puff up to many times the original size, it was turned to cook golden on the other side and then was lifted out onto a towel and sprinkled with sugar. It would be difficult to wait until it had cooled enough to eat safely and often I burned my tongue or lips, trying to eat it a bit too soon. Just thinking about it brings that flavor back. Nothing tasted as good.

Sorry, your original post said you wanted a nutcracker that was better than the cheapo V-shape crackers, that are hand held. Any hand-held nutcracker has the same inherent problems, only as good as your grip. I have arthritis in my hands and so do many of my friends. The rocket works on the arm of a recliner because I have used it while sitting in mine. I have also used it on a tray held on my lap and my friend's husband uses it at the dining table when we are sitting around it playing Rummycube. It does a good job on one nut or a bunch. It also cracks them so you get less broken meats. However, you have to settle on something that satisfies you. Maybe this one will be more in your line.

This is another which is very popular with friends and family. When done correctly, with the ingredients as listed - i.e., Dutch process cocoa, these cookies are both crispy and chewy at the same time. I have modernized the recipe and made it in a more reasonable size for today. The original made hundreds of cookies. Cocoa Cookies The original of this recipe is over 200 years old. It has been made in my family for at least that long. These cookies are the most intensely flavored chocolate wafer cookies of any I have tasted - We always had them for Christmas and on special occasions when grandma made ice cream. These cookies are excellent keepers if stored in a tightly closed tin. (however the tin has to be in a locked vault or secret hidey-hole, otherwise they disappear like magic) *Please use only "Dutch-process" cocoa the other kind doesn’t work in this recipe. I recommend the Double Dutch cocoa from King Arthur Flour and often use this mixed half and half with the Black cocoa from the same source. Unsalted (sweet) butter 1 stick Sugar 2 cups cocoa (*Dutch process) 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon salt 1/4 teaspoon egg 1 vanilla 1 teaspoon flour (all purpose) 2 cups baking soda 1 teaspoon cream butter and sugar, add cocoa, water and salt. beat the egg and add with vanilla to the mixture. sift the flour and soda together twice then gradually sift it into the batter, continue beating until flour is completely blended. Turn out onto plastic wrap, flatten to about 1 inch thick, wrap dough tightly and refrigerate at least overnight. I find that the flavor deepens as the dough is stored longer in the fridge. to bake, preheat oven to 350° Allow dough to come to room temperature. Dough can be rolled out between 2 sheets of wax paper to less than 1/4 " thickness. Cut into 2 " rounds, dust with powdered sugar (or vanilla sugar) and bake on baking parchment, or on greased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes but watch carefully, some ovens bake quicker than others - in my convection oven, they bake in 7 minutes-maximum, but often are ready at 5 minutes. Using baking parchment is much easier - just slide the paper off the sheet and allow to cool then ease the cookies off the paper - they should be crisp as soon as they cool Otherwise you have to be very careful removing them from the cookie sheets and the sheets have to be washed and re-greased before the next batch. Option #1 This is the easiest for novice bakers.... Form dough into a rope 3/4 to 1" (Tootsie-roll size) in diameter. cut into 1" sections, roll into a ball, roll in powdered sugar (or vanilla sugar), place on baking parchment, flatten with bottom of a hobnail glass dipped in powdered sugar or the vanilla sugar, bake as above. Option # 2 roll out very thin right on baking parchment. Using a pizza cutter, pie-crust cutter, crimping roller, etc. cut into strips, straight or wavy, or into squares, triangles or diamonds. Slide baking parchment onto a cookie sheed and bake as above. Slide parchment onto a cooling rack. when cookies have cooled enough to touch, roll into cylinders and dust with powdered sugar or let cool and dip one end into melted white chocolate. These wafers can also be broken up and sprinkled over vanilla ice cream. Also can be rolled between sheets of baking parchment to make crumbs that can be used to coat cakes that have been smoothly frosted with buttercream or sour cream or even the old faithful "7-minute" frosting.

This has long been a favorite with family and friends. It is an old family recipe, brought up to date by me. These cookies keep very well. CHRISTMAS COOKIES, Old English style. 2 cups dark brown sugar (Or you can use 1 cup caster sugar and 1/2 cup black treacle (Lyle's) for a more traditional flavor-mix the caster sugar and molasses together and allow to set for a couple of hours before adding to shortening.) 2/3 cup shortening or unsalted butter shortening for crisper cookies, butter if you like them softer. 3 eggs, extra large 2 cups flour (pastry flour is best or see below in instructions) plus 1/2 cup flour. see below! 1 tsp. salt (if using Diamond Crystal kosher salt use 1 1/4 teaspoon) 3 tsp. double-acting baking powder 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, freshly ground 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly ground 1/2 tsp. cloves, freshly ground 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons rum 1 cup seedless raisins or Sultanas 1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped into 1/4 inch and smaller pieces. Method: Cream the shortening, adding 1 cup sugar (or half the sugar/molasses mixture), gradually, then beat until fluffy. Beat the eggs just till blended then beat in the remaining sugar or sugar/molasses mixture. Gradually beat the egg mixture into the shortening/sugar mixture, continue beating until smooth and creamy. Sift 2 cups of the pastry* flour with baking powder, salt and spices. (*Or you can substitute half and half all purpose flour and cake flour) set aside the 1/2 cup of the flour prior to adding salt and spices. Mix the rum with the milk and add alternately with the flour to the mixture. Add the fruit and nuts dredged with 2 tablespoons of the remaining flour and blend into the dough. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Drop by teaspoons on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in 375 degree oven until golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes, faster in convection oven). Cookies made with butter will spread more than cookies made with shortening.

I too have been waiting breathlessly (well, almost ) for a report on how the new range performed on T-Day. Bliss or Blast? Come on, Dave, it should only take a minute to post a brief note and we are really interested.

I'm so pleased MeeMaw's recipe stood up to the family tryout. I have made up a double batch for the cake and also for a savory pie and for empanadas.

This one works much better than the more expensive SS one. And it isn't so expensive.

This site has the cheaper than Vermont country store. This site has it also for 19.99 and also has a different nut cracker that looks like it would shell anything. here.

I have used mine on hickory nuts which are almost as difficult to crack as a mac nut and there is less meat inside for the effort. I have given them as gifts and they are always very popular, especially with the guys. I think the mechanical look of the thing is what attracts them. either that, or the name!!

Sources for edible gold: Gold more gold here is a product gilded almonds and another source for edible gold leaf. and my favorite: The one I buy from. Gilded Planet.

Gold and Silver dragees are back on the market in California. I have been buying them for the past two years with no problems. Pure(near) 23 K gold leaf is edible. It has been used for hundreds of years on certain pastries, on candies and candied fruits. You can even find it in a liquor (Goldwasser) an extremely sweet liqueur. It isn't cheap and is tricky to work with but the results can be spectacular. I have used it many times to cover half of a glacé fruit or place onto a cake coated with a poured chocolate that has set smooth and firmly. It has been especially propular with my Asian clients. It is also used in some medical treatments for severe rheumatoid arthritis. There is also an edible silver foil that is used on some Asian candies. I have also used it in some of my paintings, in particular, a series of paintings with an Egyptian theme I did in the late 70s and early 80s. I took a course in gold leaf application before doing the artwork, mainly because the course used artificial gold leaf and I could practice with the inexpensive substitute before springing for the real stuff. That being said, I think the advice about having a printed top made up by people who know how to do this is the way to go. I saw one of the "Great Chefs" shows a few weeks back where the pastry chef had a couple of sheets of printed edible images and he assembled all the little stamp-sized bits to make what was essentially a mosaic picture on top of the cake. It was spectacular.

I should have mentioned that when you check the Trudeau nutcracker, notice it does not list Brazil nuts as one of the nuts it will handle. The only nut that the rocket has a little trouble with is the Macadamia nut. However all nutcrackers, except a specialty product, made just for the mac, have trouble with the super hard shells.

Get one of these Rocket nutcrackers and you will never look for another. I have tried them all, and this one works.

Extra Rich Bread Pudding for Christmas Eve 8 extra large eggs 4 extra large egg yolks 3 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream 2/3 cup sugar (or use all or part Splenda to cut sugar, it works just fine) 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground 6 cups pannetone cut into 2 - inch cubes or torn roughly into the same size. spread on sheet pan and allow to dry slightly for about 3 hours. Spray a large 10 - 12 cup Bundt pan with oil, dust lightly with flour or use the new "Baker's" oil spray that contains flour. Combine eggs, egg yolks, milk and cream, sugar or Splenda, vanilla, salt and spices in a large bowl. Beat until eggs are completely blended and the mixture is slightly frothy. Add the pannetone cubes and press down into the egg mixture with a spatula. Cover and set aside for about 20 to 30 minutes until the bread has soaked up most of the egg mixture. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour the mixture into the pan to within 1/2 inch of the top. Set the pan into another baking pan and place in the oven. Pour boiling water into the outer pan till it is within an inch of the top of the Bundt pan. Bake for 75 minutes. However start testing, as below, at one hour. Your oven may bake more rapidly. Test by inserting a thin knife blade into the pudding near the center. If it comes out wet continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Test again until knife blade comes out clean. (It will take longer to bake in humid weather.) Remove from oven and immediately brush top with melted butter. Serve with warmed sweetened cream in which you have infused a cinnamon stick and stirred in some brandy or a sweet cream sherry, such as Savory & James.

The cheese curds we got at the factory were white - it was much like what is known as "hoop" or "farmers" cheese, dry cottage cheese. The "squeeky" cheese curds sold in many places in Wisconsin are not used for making regular cheeses but are sold as-is for immediate consumption. I have a friend who used to live in this area and raised sheep for milk and I would buy milk from her and a local source for cow and goat milk and make fresh cheeses like chevre, ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and also some aged cheeses similar to, jack, fontina, cheddar, colby as well as cheeses like camembert, brie. I get my cultures and molds from Dairy Connection Now I mostly make fresh cheeses as I don't have quite enough time to devote to the cheese making as I need to prepare a truly good product. I have a wine cooler in the garage that I used for aging the cheeses as it maintains the higher temperature that is needed for the cheese during the aging. I have a neat cheese press that forms a wheel a little over 6 inches in diameter which is perfect for my needs. For the draining trays, I found some neat silicone surfaced draining trays (for crystal) at a restaurant supply place. Much better than the wooden grids I used to use and which had to be bleached and steamed after every use. I use butter muslin - I found a bolt-end of the stuff about 10 years ago when I was poking around in the garment district in L.A. and got it for practically nothing because the jobber didn't know what it was for and hadn't been able to sell it. I put it folded on the top shelf of my dishwasher (a Hobart) with a rack to hold it in place, and run the sterilizing cycle. If I am going to use it for a wrap - I stretch it on a stretcher made for silk, rub it with beeswax and iron the wax into the cloth. It works better than any of the new wrapping materials - the natural resistance of the beeswax to molds and spores and bacteria keeps the cheese nicely. I have a home pasturizing appliance because I am using raw milk and need to process it all prior to use. I have it calibrated at least once a year to make sure it is maintaining the correct temperature and time. I would love to get a cheese to taste like my all time favorite, Caerphilly, but so far I have not been able to get that perfect taste that goes so well with fresh fruit. Your photos are awesome.