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No worries about that - this not the California board where you can get shot at dawn for disrespecting Manresa or the NY board where just about any topic can be a call to arms! I think it is normal for people to have different tastes and opinions about food - eating is such an intensely personal experience (even though we enjoy dining communally) and we all come to the table with our various tastes formed by different backgrounds, preferences and thoughts. Sharing our thoughts and opinions is what makes eGullet such fun and I'm the first to admit that I enjoy reading those boards where they do battle defending their favorite chef, restaurant or other food-related topic. My personal opinion is that Hiroshi is quite possibly the most innovative and interesting of the well-known chefs cooking here in Honolulu. And, I second oneidaone's question about what dishes you really enjoyed. BTW, were you served rice crackers?

<b>Elie</b>, Thanks for your kind comments about the bread - it was one of those rewarding bread experiences! Regarding the color, Peter recommended liquid caramel coloring which I didn't have and suggested cacao powder or instant coffee as substitutes though he said they might give a bitter taste. I used instant coffee but with less water to dilute it than the recipe called for to get a bit more color. I couldn't detect any coffee flavor or bitterness to the bread at all.

Aloha everyone. I decided to make the Marbled Rye Bread (pg. 183) and it was really easy. I prepped the bowls for the light and dark rye doughs at the same time and then mixed and kneaded one right after the other. The kneading only took a few minutes and this dough is super easy to work with which is kind of a relief after the struggles with the wetter doughs. (I will keep working on those of course but thought this bread would be good with a corned beef dinner.) The doughs proofed in under an hour. I did a spiral batard. The final proof was 40 minutes and the bake time was 30 minutes- the dough was at 200F when I pulled it out. I heeded Peter's advice and let it cool for 2 hours before slicing. Highly recommended bread for the taste and especially a good one to try for those just starting out baking. <b>Snowangel</b>, I would never discourage anyone from buying something for the kitchen especially if it has to do with baking!

That's Champorado! One of my favorite Filipino breakfast dishes. Eating this is guaranteed to give my Japanese mother-in-law palpatations. Natto is good but champorado is yummy!

My pain ancienne didn't turn out so well. On a positive note the crust was very crisp and nice. Thanks, I'm sure, to using Vengroff's boiling water method. Everything was going well until the actually shaping of the dough. I had a hard time getting clean cuts with the dough scraper even though I was dipping in cold water, then it stretched out too much as I tried to place it on the parchment so there wasn't any oven spring. Though the bread had quite a few holes, it wasn't particularly light. Any thoughts on what would have happened if I had recombined the pieces and tried to shape again? Probably not a good idea but just wondering. Oh well, back to the kitchen and try again. After all, it's not like it was inedible unlike some of my earlier attempts!

The good news is that there are several very good restaurants in Honolulu where you can spend your money (or your parent's $$$!) The question is really more about what type of food you want to eat. Pakeporkchop provided a fairly comprehensive list of excellent places. Another place which is newer that you might consider would be Hiroshi's (see oneidaone's excellent rundown in this forum), especially if you enjoy trying new things. My personal favorite is Chef Mavro, while his technique is French, the ingredients are as local as Alan Wong's and his execution is virtually flawless. He is also one of the few 'name' chefs here who is actually in his restaurant day in and day out (Hiroshi is as well) cooking. SuzySushi is absolutely right about the sunset view at Roy's and the noise level but if you want to dine well and have fun, you'll have a great time. Be sure to report back on your dining adventures and enjoy your visit!

<b>Vengroff</b>, your timing is perfect. I just now finished making the dough for the pain ancienne (this is my second time making it) and put it in the frig. Your photos and complete description of how you handled the dough will definitely be helpful when I make the bread tomorrow. The first batch I made (a few weeks ago) didn't have a really crisp crust and while the crumb was pretty good it wasn't as nice as yours. Thanks for posting such detailed information. I really appreciate it!

Thanks for the report. Please let us know when and where they reopen!

Try this one - it is really delicious and you can modify the flavors as you like but it comes out nice and creamy. Enjoy! Exceptional Rice Pudding

The best food blog (because I find it fascinating and I love the topic) is, Noodle Pie, which uncovers the nooks and crannies of Saigon.

<b>Vengroff</b>, thanks for answering the question about the camera. I am in the process of deciding on a new one and the info was most helpful. Mahalo! So, I did make the Anadama bread for the dinner and it came out just fine but due to several variables, the amount of flour I needed to get the dough to the point where it wasn't really sticky was almost a third more than the recipe called for. I used Bob's Red Mill Unbleached Bread Flour instead of the King Arthur which I normally use and it was a very, very wet and rainy day. I used the full flavor molasses so the color came out quite dark compared to Peter's (he suggested using a lighter molasses but we don't mind the stronger flavor.) The bake time was just under 40 minutes. 1st proof - the smell of the molasses and cornmeal is quite intoxicating! Cooling on the rack - we were running late so the bread on the rack went into a low cardboard box and I carried it on my lap to our destination. Ready to serve - it went great with the pork chops in maple/bourbon/pepper pan sauce. Most of the group ate it without butter, using it to mop up sauce. Anxious to see what everyone else has been baking! Can't wait for my Oregon Trail Starter to arrive. Hopefully, it will be this coming week. A Happy Valentine's to all!

<b>Vengroff</b>, your brioche is just spectacular. I followed the link to the complete process and it was so informative. I had no idea how brioche was shaped. They are beautiful. May I ask what camera you are using for your food shots? The photos show such great detail and are nice and sharp.

No worries, <b>Marcia</b>, sometimes I forget that when it's 5pm here it's much, much later in the UK and even on the east coast of the US. The Anadama bread is going through the first proof right now and I will post pictures of the finished product. It certainly smells good and was quite different in several ways which I will expound on later. <b>Aloha, Behemoth!</b> Nice to have another participant in this fun and informative thread. Your bread looks great but I see what you mean about the crumb. I don't have any specific suggestions other than to keep baking. There are at least a couple of very experienced bakers here including <b>lovebenton0</b> and <b>FoodMan</b> who can probably give you some useful advice.

Judith, your salad looked so delicious...I made the mistake of looking at this thread just now when I'm starving! I agree, lots of gread bread here plus the feedback and information has helped me so much. Thanks to everyone. A quick question if anyone has an idea. I'm going to dinner at a fellow egulleter's house tomorrow and I'm supposed to bring bread. She is preparing pork chops with a maple/bourbon/pepper pan sauce to be served with mashed potatoes. What would be a good bread? Remember, I don't have any barm so whatever it is it needs to be made with a soaker or sponge that I can do overnight. I thought about the Anadama bread but not sure. She likes hearty breads with a dense crumb. Thanks in advance! BTW, Elie - love the new avatar!

What beautiful bread! A perfect shape - congratulations on a stunning loaf! I can practically taste it...ummm, yummy! Yes, I did indeed notice the slash, very nicely done. How did you get the perfect slash I know you were struggling with it as I have been. Did you take Elie's tip and use a flat razor or something else??

Oneidaone said it was brisk on Friday night but that's to be expected. I haven't heard any thing about having to reserve far in advance so I think a week to a few days is more than sufficient. No chef's table and whether he'll come out of the kitchen or not is pretty dicey. You'll eat well regardless!

Hi Marcia! I don't have a mixer so I knead all my breads by hand. I have found that I have to knead the lean breads (except for the super wet ones) for what seems a really long time to get the proper sheen and elasticity. I set a timer at 10 minutes and do my first check at that point. I usually have to knead for at least another 5 minutes. I remember when I was growing up watching my mother knead bread and how she wouldn't consider it "done" until she could windowpane a 3"x3" or thereabouts square without any tearing. When I first started baking bread I didn't heed this and had some less than pleasing results. Peter is right when he says it's virtually impossible to overknead bread by hand. It's a great upper body workout! Hope this helps. Forgot to add that I also check the temp as well but never follow that alone as an indication of readiness.

Middle Eastern food is not easily found in Hawaii though the reviewer at the Advertiser did a review of Casablanca in Kailua last week. I didn't read the entire review so I'm not sure what the precise cuisine (or if there is one) of the restaurant. I would recommend a visit to Down to Earth for the groceries you are seeking. They have many of these and will gladly order for you if there is something you want. They have 3 locations on the island, one on King Street, one in the Pearlridge SC and one in Kailua. IMO, the King Street has the most diverse selection of groceries. Good luck!

Oneidaone was there over the weekend and raved about the food. Perhaps she'll write more when she drops by the forum next.

Elie - Your Tuscan bread is spectacular! May I ask what tool you use to slash the tops of your loaves with? I've tried different sharp edges and followed Peter's instruction to slash at a horizontal angle but I always get some tearing - not clean cuts like you have. The cornbread is excellent, isn't it? Your chili looks yummy too!

Lovebenton0 - Your bread looks wonderful. I agree with Elie that the combination of grains makes a great idea for a delicious loaf. The meal looks excellent too! Yum, yum. Elie - Please post pics for your Tuscan bread if you can. I'm very keen to see what this looks like. I made the odd recipe out from the BBA yesterday - the cornbread. It turned out quite well and was a perfect addition to our meal of chicken corn chowder. I made a half recipe and used a small cast iron skillet for baking. It took forever (almost 20 minutes) for the skillet to get hot enough to add the batter. Peter estimated 5 to 7 minutes using a regular cake pan. Ready for the oven Baked Interior shot. You can just make out the corn kernels in the crumb. Great to see what everyone is doing! I'm waiting now for my Oregon Trail starter to arrive having given up (for the time being) on getting one started here. You all inspire me!

I haven't used that recipe but I always cool my pie to room temperature before adding the meringue topping and have never had a problem with weeping. It's possible that there are other factors involved as you mention. I'm sure you will get more expert answers from the talented and friendly people here in the P&B forum!

Marcia - The crust looks much crisper and crunchier. And, in the scheme of life, a nice relaxing lunch at a new cafe is as good a reason as any to neglect the dough!

Lovebenton0 - I'm envious that your starter is ready. No success yet with the seed formula from Crust & Crumb which was supposed to be better...I look forward to seeing your creations with the sourdough. As far as the variations on the white bread, I'm hard pressed to see much difference between them other than 3 is much faster to make. Your rolls were beautiful and shiny did you use just an egg wash? Vengroff - Really nice bread. You must have a great oven to be able to fit such nice large loaves

So, I ended up making the white bread, variation 3 due to a request from the dearly beloved. I asked him what he thought I should try and he mentioned that he would like cloverleaf rolls to go with his rosemary chicken with spicy boonie pepper (think Thai peppers but smaller and hotter) cream sauce. Since time was short and I've made variations 1 & 2 before, I decided to try variation 3. I know white bread is not nearly as exotic or even as tasty as the others but there you are...when loved ones ask...we must respond! Rolls just before baking Finished and cooling - I'm still not happy with my oven even after the addition of clay tiles - it still bakes unevenly. You can see I had extra dough which I made into a small group of pull-aparts. Anyway, the bread was very tasty and fast. The sponge was ready in 1 hour and the first rise took only 45 minutes and second was 35 minutes. So what did everyone else bake this weekend?? Inquiring minds want to know!