andiesenji

The one in Summerland, north of Carpenteria is still open. You can see it from 101 travelling north. We often go there after one of the dog shows in the area.

I want to add a note about shortening. Although it is not traditional, because lard is the only ingredient used in 95% of Mexican households, you can get a better result with a product found in Indian and middle eastern markets. It is called Vegetable ghee. It has the same consistancy as lard which is not as dense as a shortening such as crisco. It beats up lighter and fluffier. You can also make tamales using baking parchment. Cut it to size, soak the paper in hot water then wrap in a hot, damp towel to hold while you work. I help my neighbors make up huge batches of tamales and we work on an assembly line basis. One will put the steamed corn husks down and trim them and form the wrapping. The next person spreads the masa, the next person applies the filling and pushes it along to the next who rolls and ties the tamale and places it on a rack in a pot. To begin the pot is tipped a bit so the tamales can be placed so they will remain in a vertical position. Once the layer is almost full the pot can be set flat. The first layer is covered with flattened corn husks and a second layer is placed in the pot, sometiems a third layer is added if there is a shortage of pots or of burners on which to place it.

Smothered pork chops and also the hot artichoke dip at Mara's on 6th. Maybe it's east 6th, been a while since I was there..... If I go to Westminster next February that is where I will be at least one evening.

My sister takes the last of her tomatoes (in West Virginia, early fall) and wraps each one in newspaper and puts them in boxes in the basement. She said they last until Thanksgiving, slowly ripening. I tried it once and they all rotted on me before they ripened. If you can keep them cool enough down there it might be worth a shot, though. Do NOT pull the tomatoes off the vine. Cut the stems. This will maintain the "callus" at the stem end and the tomatoes will keep longer. I do wrap tomatoes in newspaper, snugly in two layers of paper, and place then on narrow shelves in my pantry, not touching. They will keep for several weeks and will not ripen until they are opened or in close contact with another tomato. Keep them away from apples and bananas. When my pepper plants have reached a certain stage I apply mulch, often white river rocks which reflects light up under the foliage. They also keep moisture from evaporating from the surface of the soil.

Temps are cooler here in the high desert this week. High 70s and low 80s instead of near 100. I haven't had much in the way of slug problems since I bought some nocturnal slug-eating toads. They patrol the garden at night (scare hell out of the dogs) and occasionally we find one when my gardener moves a large pot as they seem to prefer to burrow under the pots instead of live in the "toad huts" we placed here and there in the garden. The biggest one, observed Saturday night when the dogs went nuts, is the size of a saucer. At first I thought it was a rock but it moved and I could see it was one of the toads. They also get some of the grasshoppers who move when the lights in the garden go on from the dogs moving around. I find the discarded hind legs (we have some huge grasshoppers) here and there before the ants get them. The dogs know better than to bite the toads, it seems to be instinctive. You can check with a local gardening club as they usually know what benefical critters will work in your area. I use no pesticides in my garden, only natural controls such as predatory insects, etc.

My friends and I usually go to the Wool Growers because it is easy to find from the fairgrounds. I can't recall the other restaurant we frequented, all I can think of is Makita, but that isn't it.

I haven't been for two or three years, but as far as I know, Basque Norte in Chico is still in business. (Another town I visited just for dog shows, Chico, Yuba City and so on for the "Walnut circuit".) Imagine trying to sleep in a motor home under a walnut tree when the nuts were falling. As bad as a hailstorm but not as damaging...... I just called my friend who was there last year. It is somewhere on Esplanade...

I believe it is possible my preciious culture has become contaminated. I learned yesterday that a brewery that is just 1/2 mile west of my home began pressure washing and venting their big lagering chambers on May 25. We have prevailing winds from the west and I can often smell the brewery. It is possible that when they vented the effluvia from the tanks some of the yeast cells took to the air and invaded my culture despite the care I take in keeping it isolated. The time line is right, I started the first batch that acted differently on May 26 and a second batch on May 28. Also I take all of the culture from the fridge, dump it into a sterilized bowl, feed it and allow it to "work," and then remove part to a sterilized container that goes back into the fridge, thus exposing the entire batch to whatever may have been in the air during the time it was uncovered, while mixing. Whatever it is, it is very potent. I used it to make English muffins last night and they rose well over the tops of the rings and spread out rather like a squat mushroom shape. For the second batch I used half the batter and they stayed within the rings. I think this weeked I will see what kind of effect I get with baking in a "coffee can" - (actually it is an old asparagus steamer with the handle removed.) And I am also going to try using it in some whole grain and fruited breads which usually do not rise well with the sourdough starters. More later.

I go to the market with my cane and my long reach grabber, (plus the scooter), because I usually try to shop during off hours when there are fewer people in the store for me to run over with my scooter. However, during those times there are usually no people in the aisle in which I find myself, needing help to get something from a top shelf. The scooter has given me more range, I can go to farmer's markets again, and mainly I can get around Costco and Sam's Club on my own. I love it.

Place the bottle in a plastic or a paper bag, the paper is better because it stands up on its own. Open the bottle the way you usually do and if any wax bits cling to the bottle just use a paper towel to wipe it down into the bag. There is less likelihood of banging the bottle around in a sink (slippery) and you can work on at table height which is a little less awkward. I use this for opening the large bottles of olive oil from Spain and from Greece that are usually capped with a very hard wax. Also some of the more expensive Balsamic vinegars come this way. When it is very brittle it cracks and sends little shards everywhere.....

I like grits with syrup, who cares if it ain't traditional. I do a lot of untraditional things. I cook grits, then cook sausage, either bulk, formed into small, thin patties, or the small links cut in half. In a muffin pan (nonstick) I put in just a small dollop of soft butter, add a tablespoon of granulated maple sugar (do you see where I am going with this?) I add a layer of grits, apply the cooked sausage, Break an egg on top of the sausage then another layer of grits. I bake this in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes then carefully turn out onto a large platter or tray. Not exactly flan, but an all-in-one breakfast dish. I have been known to used crumbled bacon instead of the sausage.

My grandfather's cook was a Gullah woman from the lowcountry. She had a huge selection of recipes committed to memory (she was illiterate). I didn't think about it back then, but now it amazes me that she could recall so many receipts accurately time after time. I have made several of her recipes, especially sweets and condiments. Pickled peaches, Sweet pickled figs. Then there are the rice dishes, besides hoppin John, Rice croquettes, especially served with smothered chicken. Squirrel pie or rabbit pie. (I haven't prepared the squirrel pie - the gray "tree rats" out here are not the same as the fat red squirrels we had back home. Fresh corn fritters..... Geez, now I am starving..

Or, you can order it here: http://www.internetwines.com/mh461484.html

Right, there is a Basque restaurant nine miles from me in Rosamond (next door to Edwards AFB) where they still serve this way. Prior to moving here 16 years ago, I managed to get to one of the Basque restaurants in Bakersfield, also family style, at least once a year when I was in town for a dog show. I enjoy the experience of meeting new people over a meal. So often in restaurants, there is almost an adversarial atmosphere, each table competing with the others for a server's attention, often with an annoying lack of manners.

You have a classic case of burnt grease ooze. The grease vaporizes condenses along with water on the sides of the oven and runs down the sizes and onto the bottom where it may find a place to exit the oven and drip out onto the counter. I have had this happen with two convection ovens, one a Cadco half sheet, the other I don't recall the make. I had a tech take a look at the Cadco, he pulled the stone from the bottom and it was litterly cemented to the floor of the oven with burnt grease, he had to heat it to get it out. Since then I learned to clean the oven every two weeks, removing the stone (a new one) and removing the high temp barrier pad the tech left for me to use, washing it (Dawn heavy duty grease cutter), allowing it to dry then replacing under the stone. Whatever the material is, it is rated to 800 degrees and so far has worked just fine. No more puddles of black grease on the counter.

I appreciate your suggestions, this has been rather annoying to me. Having a culture that had behaved as expected for so long, to suddenly have a growth spurt, so to speak, is frustrating. I have two freezer drawers in my baking area where I keep all flours, grains, seeds, nuts, etc., to keep them fresh as well as pest free. Because of arthritis, I can no longer work most dough by hand, except for exceptionally slack dough which I work in a dough trough, so I have two AEG mixers that do not work like planetary mixers, they have a roller and scraper that works the dough as the bowl turns. I also have a very old Hobart 12 quart but only use it for very dense or stiff doughs. I have two refrigrator drawers that have independent controls so I keep one at a higher temp than usual (50 degrees) as it is the one I use for retarding dough. I made an epi yesterday from dough using this culture and the tips "bloomed" . I should have taken a photo, but the neighbor for whom I made it was waiting to pick it up as soon as it came out of the oven. I set the steamer for just 2 minutes, thinking it would perhaps lessen the oven spring. The neighbor loved the way the epi appeared, thought it was very attractive, but it just didn't have the classic look so it was unsatisfactory to me. When this first began I had my oven calibrated and the tech found it was right on. It is a Blodgett, a workhorse, and I have had no problems with other items.

yes, on numerous occasions--but the sharing there is for the people at one table. it has not been the kind of general communal experience you're describing, which seems closer to a buffet. At one time there was a Moroccan restaurant in L.A. that seated either 2, 4 or 8 people at table. Actually the tables were huge brass trays set on low bases and there were cushions on which to sit. Another room had regular tables. I always had dinner in the first room. I often went alone and was asked if I would like to join the people at one of the large tables (if they had indicated they would welcome additional diners at their table. Many of the patrons were UCLA students and were happy to have anyone join them and share the table charge. This was a flat charge for the table which included several courses. Each diner would have a stack of plates, in front of them. As I recall there were two small plates, two medium plates and a large plate. The courses were brought in on one large platter or shallow bowl placed in the center of the table and everyone would select what they wanted. Each course was followed by hot damp towels to clean the hands. It was a popular restaurant and did a great business, however the property owner would not renew their lease when it expired. There is now a high-rise office building on the lot.

Mongo-Jones, Have you ever eaten at a Moroccan resturant??

You did not order anything the price was fixed per person. One day a week they served up almost all of their regular menu items in large platters or bowls. This was times three as they had lined up their regular tables into three long tables with 10 chairs down each side, 20 people per table. It was set up so you paid when you entered at 4, 7 or 10. The only additional charge was for wine and often people would order a bottle and share with others, who would in turn order a bottle and share, etc. Or you could have coffee or a soft drink, included in the cost of the meal. When all the tables had been filled with the foods you would be admitted and would select your seat. A server would ask what beverage you wanted, water was always on the table in carafes, and bring whatever you wanted. The platters and bowls were passed up and down the table and you could take as much or as little as you wished of each item or just a few items, or whatever you wanted. As I said, it was a lot of fun. I tried things I would never have ordered, I met people I would never have met and I wish there were still some restaurants that did this. As I recall, the cost was something like $15.99 a head, 60 patrons per seating and 3 seatings. I don't know how it compared to their regular days but there were never any vacancies and you had to make reservations weeks in advance.

I just love MFK Fisher. I love Mary Frances also! I am always happy to share my recipes with anyone who wants to try them and I never omit an ingredient. If it is something that I prepare sans recipe, I try to record everything the next time I prepare it, hanging a microrecorder around my neck. I have never been able to understand people who pull stunts such as omitting an ingredient or a particular step in a recipe. I bet they wouldn't share their toys when they were children.....

These are shared with others at the tables. At the Greek place each long table would seat as many as 20 people and there were rarely any empty chairs. They had three seatings on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m., a second at 7 and the third at 10. They had entertainment that started at 6 and continued to midnight. It was fun, meeting strangers who liked the same foods, getting recommendations, "take a bit of this, it tastes heavenly," etc. Passing platters and bowls up and down the table and talk, talk, talk. I met several people who became very good friends and still are, after all these years. The only rule they had was no children under 10 years. It became so popular that they had reservations weeks in advance for the later seatings.

I have a great recipe for raised (yeast) doughnuts in one of my Amish/Mennonite cookbooks, the best ever, according to people who try them. (I do not eat them myself.) It is a versatile recipe that can be made in various shapes, plain or for fillings and even for the apple fritter type doughnuts so popular with the Amish. I have to dig the book out, I have never put the recipe into the computer. More later, Andie

I can sympathize with your husband. I am a tea fanatic, so much so that I make my own teabags from the generous-sized herb bags available at most health food stores. They are filled and a flap at the top is ironed closed. (I bought a curling iron just for this purpose, never has been used on hair.) I explain that I will be happy to pay for the service, i.e., hot water but they can keep their teabag. I insist the water be freshly drawn and boiled, not out of a tap and I tip my server when I make the request. I get excellent results most of the time. One restaurant, which I visit at least every other week, has a small vacuum 3-cup carafe that that keep for me, into which I can place a larger tea bag and have my own pot of tea. Many times the servers are very interested in the varieties of teas that I have with me, all kept separately sealed in their own ziploc bag. At least two have become tea aficionados in their own right and every time I go in we have a discussion about the new teas we have tried. They are trying to convince the restaurant owner to begin offering better teas. So far he is very hesitant, although the espresso bar they added four years ago has been a great success. Tea is just too exotic, according to him.

Have you come across this site: http://www.pastrychef.com/htmlpages/recipe.html I have purchased several of the books listed on the site under "Events & Books" books by Bo Friberg, Frederic Bau, Paula Figoni, of course Peter Reinhart and Calvel & Wirtz, Taste of Bread. Bruce Healy & Paul Bugat's Art of the Cake. The links take you to Amazon... Some of the books are bundled with other books for a better price.

After reading through many posts on the tasting menu thread, I recalled that we used to have several "ethnic" restaurants around the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area that served "family-style" in that almost every type of food they served was set out on long tables and one could try as many or as few as they wished. One Greek restaurant in the Valley served this way one night a week. The individual tables were pushed into three long rows and down the center of the table were bowls or platters of all of their specialty dishes on each table. We would sit down, pass things back and forth, selecting perhaps only a bite from each and if we liked it, taking more later. This introduced me to several dishes that I would never have ordered from reading the menu because there was not enough description of the flavors, etc. An African restaurant in West L.A. had a similar routine as did a Morrocan restaurant, I can't recall where it was located. There was also a Mexican restaurant in Brea, Orange County. I liked these places because I could sit down and not have to trundle along a line as one had to do at a buffet type service, but had almost the same variety of foods. (I do not care for buffet service at any time, when I happen to be in a restaurant that has a buffet brunch, or whatever, I always order off the menu. I do not want to carry my food around a room, I want to be served. I also tip generously.....) Even the desserts were intersperced with the main dishes so if one had a sweet tooth, that could be satisfied early in the meal or at the end. The wait staff served drinks, wine or coffee at the Greek place, refilled platters and bowls and removed plates when one was finished. As far as I can determine, all of these places are no longer in business. A sad passing