andiesenji

Yes indeed, Peter has produced yet another masterpiece. Many of my fellow members on the Bread-Baker's digest participated in testing the recipes in this book, as they did in the prior book The Bread-Baker's Apprentice. I didn't have time to take part, but I did get it as soon as it was available. He has been so nice about signing and sending his books directly. I must confess that I cooked a lot of pizza as I was reading the book.

Hi David, Since it carries your recommendation I will have to get it. AndieP

I used to forage for pine nuts before arthritis in my knees made hiking in the hills impossible. We carried "snake sticks" also because our native nasty, the Mojave green (rattlesnake) just loves to rest under the pinoñ pines. We used rakes to drag the pine cones out from under the "trees", which are usually just big bushes with branches near the ground. Several years ago I attended a "nature walk" with foraging led by a Native American in the San Gabriel hills, very close to the city. Most people think of the L.A. area as being mostly a metropolitan area but there are some wild lands close in. Just last weekend a California brown bear was tranquilized in a back yard in a suburban area. I can't recall offhand all the plants he gathered but it was enough to feed the seven of us a very satisfying lunch. The ones I do remember were mallow "cheeses", squaw root, wild onions. I have snacked on a particular type of kelp, recommended by someone who was familiar with the stuff.

First of all, do you have a good cheesemonger? If so ask them for advice, most are more than happy to spend time with you, offering tastes and making suggestions as to what to serve with the various cheeses and in what order to serve them. I order a lot of cheese and highly recommend The Ideal Cheese Shop. If you live in New York City is will be local for you. http://www.idealcheese.com/ Forbes named it #1 for 2003 and Zagat rates it as tops. They have a staggering variety of Italian cheeses. I just received (this past Wednesday) an order which included a wonderful Molitrno and an exceptional Caciotta Al Tartufo, an Umbrian chees that contains bits of black truffle. Also a Fontina Val D'Osta and two pounds of Ricotta Salata which I prefer to use in baking instead of Farmer's cheese. It is quite dry and slightly salty. It is nothing like regular ricotta. It is a wonderful addition to salads - I also use it on fruit pizza. jimgeralds mentioned fresh Pecorino and they have both a young cheese Pecorino Al Pepe, not available at present, and PECORINO TOSCANO STAGIONATO which is a fairly new product for them. Also temporarily unavailable, unfortunately, is the supurb Buratta Mozzarella imported from Italy which can spoil one for any other type of mozz. If I order it for a party I always have to order extra just for me, otherwise I will not have enough to serve my guests. I have also ordered cheese from Bacchus Cellars, http://www.bacchuscellars.com/eabout.htm, however I had a bit of a problem getting my last order delivered on time and had to pick it up at the depot. Their cheeses are fine, my problem was with the shipping department.

The heirloom apricots from my huge old tree. The fruit is also much larger than any I have seen in the produce makets. They are incredibly sweet and when dried have none of the sourness one finds in commercial dried apricots. The treat bears heavily ever other year and already some of the branches have had to be propped up, otherwise they break. I also have an Elephant Heart plum which also produces wonderful fruit. The fresh tomatoes from the garden are also worth waiting for and I begin carrying a tiny salt shaker in my pocket when working in the garden. This year I only have 9 varieties because I decided to grow some different veg. I picked a lot of fresh sorrel this morning - it is already setting seed. Time to make a carrot/sorrel soup - good hot or cold.

I prefer the Schokinag extreme bittersweet chips 75% choc liquor http://www.schokinag.com/eng/default.htm if you are going to buy in small amounts Try the King Arthur Flour site. They list them as Chocolate chips, extreme dark http://ww2.kingarthurflour.com/cgibin/html...647618121140064 I also like the Guittard's bittersweet onyx wafers (buttons) 72% choc liquor This is what I usually use for dipping candied peel and candied ginger, glacé fruits.

Usingers is pretty good and I have ordered brats from them. However I like Nolacheks better since they came online. http://www.nolechekmeats.com/products.html When I lived in Wisconsin back in the mid 1950s we used to drive to Thorpe to buy their fresh brats and the hams that were dry cured. They have extended their line. They now have a frest brat made with dried cranberries and wild rice that is out of this world. Another favorite of mine is the fresh apricot/Dijon brat.

Thinking back, I realize that I have ordered quite a few items online after watching the show "Food Finds" on the TV Food Network. I haven't kept a separate list but realize I should do so. I will search them out and put them in a folder of Food Favorites. I am glad you started this discussion. Andie

I am a cheese fanatic. I buy from Ideal Cheese Shop http://www.idealcheese.com/ In fact I just got an order on Wednesday. (FexEx overnight) Ricotta Salata a very dry ricotta similar to farmer's cheese but with more flavor. Lancashire from England Farmhouse cheddar also from England - 3-year old. Moliterno, an aged sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia Kasserie (young soft style) from Cyprus Caciotta al Tartufo an Umbrian cheese with truffles. Also a pound of peppadews. I am in heaven. I also shop at Ethnic Grocer http://www.ethnicgrocer.com/eg/default.asp if I need something I can't find locally. I buy specialty flour on line. Some things just are not available locally. Turducken from Cajun Grocer on line. Other specialty items. Teas, jams, also rices and beans from Indian Harvest http://www.indianharvest.com/ - warning this site can be dangerous to your finances! I have ordered breads, sent overnight express from http://www.breadalone.com/

Another way I use leftover rice is mixed into a cornmeal batter like you would make for corn pancakes. For each cup of batter grate in 1/4 cup of parmesan. Cook on a griddle until they are brown and a bit crispy around the edges. Our cook called this Philpy when I was a child.

Regarding the rice custard: I forgot the important part about the baking. If you are using a metal baking pan or a springform pan you have to set it in a water bath. Set baking dish in a larger pan, place in oven and pour boiling water in the outer pan to within an inch of the top of the baking dish. Sorry about that! Andie

As I write I have a rice custard baking in the oven. In one of the new leak-proof springform pans which has a silicone seal to keep the water out and the custard in. I had about 1 1/2 cups of rice so I made a custard (I never use a recipe but this is what I used this time) 8 eggs 1 cup milk 3/4 cup cream 1/2 cup Splenda (I am diabetic-you can use sugar.) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Beat well and stir in: 1 cup crumbled ricotta salata (you can use farmer's cheese or regular ricotta but you have to drain it well) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice. Stir the rice to separate the grains and add to the mixture. Pour into buttered baking dish or a non-stick pan. Bake in a 325 degree F. oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a thin blade knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If you want to make a savory dish, omit the sugar and sweet spices, add 1/2 cup of crisp crumbled bacon, toasted onion and freshly ground pepper, or 1/2 a chopped chile pepper.

When I was in baking school nearly 50 years ago, I was taught the method your colleague suggested. The reasoning was that the friction of the sugar crystals acting on the protein before the sugar dissolved would speed the formation of stronger walled "bubbles", then adding the sugar slowly as whipping continued would further strengthen the sturcture. We also were taught to add a bit of Cream of Tarter to egg whites we were whipping without sugar to maintain volume and strengthen the structure - UNLESS - we were whipping in copper. I have a copper liner for my 20 qt Hobart just for whipping egg whites and it does add volume and strengthens the structure. I bake large meringues for schaum torte and there is really a difference in how the structure holds up in the oven.

Try the cut-proof knit gloves. I bought them for handling glass but use them in the kitchen for handling sharp blades, stringing the wire on my noodle cutter, opening clams and oysters, and of course they are great for stripping the silk from ears of corn. The texture of the knit catches the silk and removes it with one stroke. They go into the washer and last for years. I always wear one on my left hand when I am boning out a leg of lamb or a rib roast or similar activity where there is a chance the knife will slip on a bone and strike my hand. Having had multiple stitches in the past prior to buying these gloves, I decided safety first was a prudent option - and cheaper.......

And stink. I can't stand the odor from an ashtray.

Yup! I know what you mean. We have ravens here, some of which are as big as chickens and one of them could bathe in this thing. Back in the day, we had a huge coffee table, before the really big tables were fasionable, it was actually a Stickley dining table that had been cut down after one of the legs was damaged. That ash tray wouldn't fit anywhere but on that table. It was too big for the end tables....... My ex took the table.

I have a large one 2 1/2 x 4 in. Red silicone with a sturdy handle. I got it at Linens 'N Things. I use it for working carmelized sugar in a skillet. I no longer have the label but I think it is safe to 500 degrees F.

I have one like that in the hall closet. It is orange with black crazing all through it. I always thought it looked like it had a spiderweb on it. My ex smoked and I don't know why he didn't take it with him. It is an enlongated triangle with the tip cut off square. It is like a solid slab that had the center hollowed out in a long oval then the depressions for the cigarettes to rest were carved. I don't allow smoking in my home so there is no reason for me to keep the thing but for some reason I never tossed it.

For some reason many people in the south consider white grits the "only" real grits. Where I grew up in Kentucky many referred to the yellow grits or cornmeal as "horse corn" or "Indian corn" or even "mash corn" as it was favored by the rural folk who cooked their own "spirited beverages". I like the flavor of the yellow corn meal (the good stuff, not the one from the supermarket) much better than white, unless I can get dried "shoepeg" white corn and grind it myself. It is very sweet. I think it all depends on your personal preference. Polenta is always yellow, never white.

I agree. I collect cast iron and have several pieces that are well over 100 years old. If the cast iron is seasoned properly it is virtually non stick. I do not use soapy water, ever. If something sticks I put the pan on the range, pour boiling water into it, turn the heat on and let it simmer until the stuff loosens and can be brushed away. (I use one of the bamboo brushes used for cleaning woks). The boiling water is poured off along with whatever came loose and the pan is wiped with paper towels and put back on the heat. When it is dry I brush it with oil. Years ago I used to use lard, then crisco but after a visit with a cast iron old timer a couple of years ago began using mineral oil. Do not use olive oil or other vegetable oils, if it sits unused for awhile the surface will become sticky. Cast Iron Jack had an ever larger collection than mine and he had been using the mineral oil for a decade. This is the stuff you buy in the drug store next to the Milk of Magnesia..... I use this same method on my steel crepe pans and they have not been touched with soapy water for many years. Nothing sticks on them. I have a graduated set from 4 inches to 12 inches. They are so slick I can put a dollop of batter in a pan, swirl it and flip the crepe without using an implement. Tell your wife that the cast iron can be passed on to future generations. I am the fourth generation that is using some of mine.

When I was still able to do engraving on glass (before arthritic right hand stopped me) I used to cut colored bottles down and make tumblers and engrave designs into the glass. (One of my engravings is my avatar.) I also engraved a lot of holloware for clients over the years, mostly dogs and horses, occasionally other things. I have made several sets of windchimes out of odd flatware, old spoons, forks, (knives do not work). I had a lot of kitchy kitchen pottery received as gifts over the years that I cleaned out of storage. I drilled holes in the bottoms and use them as planters. One huge round "pasta" bowl with 50s "modern" designs - is now a bird bath in my yard. Would you want a bowl with orange, brown and turquoise boomerangs on your kitchen counter?

Just once. It was enough to put me off them forever. Actually I think they were old and rancid, but the taste and odor really was offensive. I do like some soy products. I make a pressed and barbecued tofu marinated in teriyaki which is pretty good. I like stir fried tofu in some dishes.

On his show yesterday (Food TV Network) Jacques Torres coated nuts with a glaze. He used corn syrup heated to a simmer until it was very thin. He then added the nuts, stirred them in the syrup then spread them on a rack over a tray. After the excess syrup had drained away he turned them onto a sheet pan lined with bakers parchment to harden. When cool he just rubbed them in his hands to break the nuts apart. Very easy process. You do need one of the grid type cooling racks with small openings. I bought some at Linen's 'N Things which are non-stick (black) and very reasonable priced.

I buy the Bob's Red Mill brand Coarse, Medium and Fine grits or cornmeal and mix the three together. Most health food stores carry the full line of Bob's Red Mill products and they are excellent. I use this mixture for cornbread, grits (or polenta) as is or molded in a loaf pan, chilled and fried. This is the next best thing to grinding my own. I do a lot of baking and have a Whisper Mill which I regularly use for grinding wheat, oats, etc. The problem is finding the dried corn for grinding. I have a cousin in Kentucky that can sometimes be coerced into sending me a 10-pound bag but not often. I did find a Native American store in New Mexico that shipped corn and other products. However their site went down several months back and I have not been able to make contact.

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