coffeeroaster
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Posts posted by coffeeroaster
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We've got tons here, too -- wild and seedy with great flavour but not much sweetness. My suggestion:
500 ml berries
250 ml sugar
750 ml vodka
Put everything into a big glass jug with a lid, stir once a week and drink at Christmas.
LOL Peter -- I clicked on this topic specifically to post the same recipe. I make it with red raspberries and have friends vying for it as their Christmas gifts. One woman brought her empty bottle back after New Year's asking for a refil
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Hi all,
I wasn't sure where to start with this question, but I'm in SE Michigan so maybe my fellow midwesterners can help me. My husband is turning 40 in December; he's a chef wanna-be with some solid skills, and I want to give him a great birthday gift/celebration. My first choice is CIA advanced bootcamp, but with travel, lodging and missing a week of his real job teaching calculus, it's not really affordable or practical. So, I'm looking for a creative way to give him some hands-on instructional time (beyond the local "meals in minutes" kind of thing) plus a couple of great meals and maybe a wine tasting... Is this ringing any bells for anyone? I'm assuming there's some kind of established 2 or 3 day program I could sign him up for, but I'm not above trying to cobble this together myself. This guy really deserves a great birthday. Any ideas? I'd pretty much consider any location in the eastern or central time zones, but obviously Great Lakes states are ideal. Thanks in advance!!
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Does anyone else see that thought bubble above Lisa's head in judging -- the one that says, "I will cut you"? Eyelids at half-mast, chin out, arms folded; I expect her to pull a switchblade out of her sock any minute.
And for those of you who actually cook (I just eat, but I'm a very appreciative audience), where do you fall on the "cooking Puerto Rican in Puerto Rico" issue? I thought it was a mistake going in, but then they kept her, so..?
The thing that really bugs me is the implication, in her mind if no one elses, that Lisa has done better overall, or is a better chef overall than Antonia because she ended up staying one round longer. Everyone can see that Antonia had a solid record throughout. Lisa should have been gone by round 4.
Just had to get my two cents in. And, Go Stephanie!!
I'm going to miss this show!
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Wow -- thanks for the responses!
Annie, I know what you mean. Before I'd ever tried it I just assumed you cooked the rice until it had completely broken down so it wasn't lumpy. I'm still on the line with the texture, but warm v. cold seems to help me on that score, for some reason.
I'd originally conceived this as a mommy-daughter project, but my guess is now that I'm completely intriqued and can't wait to try it, my daughter will be indifferent
Thanks again!
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Chocolite Bars!
They were aerated chocolate and so good I can't figure out why you can't get them anymore. I was in Quebec last fall and discovered the "Aero Bar"... I ate a lot of chocolate in Quebec.
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About 15 years ago I eagerly tried rice pudding then immediately swore off -- the rice was not as soft as I expected, and it was cold (chilled), which for me was a bad combo. So a couple of weeks ago my husband got rice pudding gratis as part of his meal and I decided to try again. The rice was evident but soft, and the pudding was warm. Delish!
My 7-y-o loved it, too, and though I'm not the cook in the family, I told her maybe we could try making it. I've been looking at recipes today and many of them have "chill before serving" as the final step. I realize I can eat it any way I want, but is it generally considered a cold dish?
And, since I'm not the cook in the family, would it still work if I substituted some of the sugar with brown sugar, maybe half white half brown? Seems like it would add a nice flavor.
Thanks in advance!
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there are some I do not care for and avoid them if possible but try to be discrete about it if they are served to me.
God bless you! This, I think, is the worst food faux pas if not neurosis -- having to freeking tell everyone at the table what you don't like and why and blah blah blah. Boring, rude and immature (can you tell this really fires me up?) My husband is a great, creative cook, but both his mom and sister have so many won't-eats, and are so willing to tell you all about them, it's truly embarassing. It's one thing to decide after a few experiences that you're not fond of something. It's another to not even try it (sister-in-law and her husband), or turn down an otherwise delightful dish because you don't like one ingredient. My MIL once exclaimed about the delicious looking, wonderful smelling dessert we were serving, then announced, "Well, I won't like it -- it has raisins." Please.
I prefer meat without bones, but wouldn't miss a meal over it
I think it's because it's often hard to get off the bone, and sometimes has not gotten hot enough to get sufficiently cooked near the bone. Especially chicken. -
Just wondered if anyone else has had this experience... I was turned on to "Chez" by a friend who is a boater; this is a great Lake Erie town and the restaurant is amazing. We sat on the deck overlooking the Vermillion River, with a really knowledgeable staff catering to our every whim. I love it when you can completely trust the staff for wine recommendations, etc. Can't wait to go back, and, since we're only a couple of hours away, I may not have to!
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15 on an off night? I'd be impressed. We recently tried the latest incarnation of a very successful upscale restaurant that has "reinvented" itself recently; THAT was depressing. We got there before 8, and were probably the youngest table in the place by 20 years, and our average age was 36. No offense to anyone; it just seems a mix is what you'd be going for. And, by the time our entrees came we were pretty much alone in the place. We all agreed our food was unremarkable, and though we used to love the place and the chef is the same, we all agreed we wouldn't bother going back. No doubt your word of mouth is spreading. Keep it up. How do I get on the mailing list?
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This is a great feature. Burgoo was the first week, I believe, and my favorite so far was the George Forman Grill installment. I know it sounds weird (it did to me, too, especially as I was just waking up) but it's wonderful so you might want to check it out in the archives.
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Well, money is always an object, but:
Port and chocolate
Great cheese from the Zingerman's counter
Cultured butter
A big Zin or Cab
And, at a restaurant, foie gras.
Oh, and great coffee, always
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Fries up nice for breakfast the next morning, too.
OMG -- fried up with a poached egg (or two) is one of my favorite meals.
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My husband is the cook in our family, and he makes great polenta. I admit I haven't paid attention to every step, but the polenta got a lot better (and more consistant) when he stopped cooking it in a pot on the fire and started using a double boiler, with the polenta cooking in a stainless bowl on top of the pot. He got the process from Lynne Rossetto Kasper, at http://www.splendidtable.org (not sure it's still posted as he printed this out in '02, but it is from her cookbook, "The Italian Country Table: Home Cooking from Italy's Farmhouse Kitchens"). She gives the ratio as 3 parts liquid to 1 part cornmeal, and says for creamier polenta increase the liquid by about a third. My husband varries the liquids a lot -- milk, water, chicken stock, etc. He just made some using part apple cider the other night, and with his pork ragu it was to die for!
HTH! -
What I find disturbing is how they get the chicken into the ring shape
Easy: they just use the part of the chicken where the egg comes out...
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Thank you all for the migrane info; I'm sure wine could be a legitimate trigger. But what I really need is confirmation that there is no caffeine in wine so I can sigh and correct him with authority the next time it comes up. (In my defense, I really am a decent, tolerant person, but this is a fool I've suffered too long.)
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LOL! This reminds me of when I was roasting this wonderful organic Mexican from Nayarit; my customers who'd actually had coffee in Mexico wouldn't buy it because "the coffee in Mexico is awful!" I assured them that the coffee exported from Mexico was a different story and because they trust me many became converts.
My husband is going to Guatemala this fall and I'd like to send some beans with him, but I'm hesitant. Since it's sometimes used to throw off the drug dogs, it makes airport security rather suspicious when they find coffee in your bag (especially when you dump it from the original packaging into a ziplock like my friend Lynnette did on a recent trip to -- where else? -- Florida).
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Spectacular!
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Or find a local independent roaster. As always, you're likely to find the best value, best flavoured, most interesting experience at the micro-production level.
Thank you, bainesy.
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This is the most delicious thread I've ever read.
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Great topic -- thanks! -- that leads me to a question. I have a brother-in-law, generally considered to be a buffoon, who suffers from migranes and refuses wine because "it has caffeine" (not the real reason he refuses, but that's another, long, story.) ARGGGG! It is the sulfites, is it not, that might trigger a migrane? There is not, am I correct, caffeine in wine????? One of the most glaring characteristics of his buffoonery is that he's an absolute expert on every subject, so while I felt certain he was mistaken I didn't want to assume too much and become the buffoon myself.
TIA for setting him -- uh, I mean me -- straight.
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BUT-what is the proper grind for a French Press?
The general rule of thumb is that the "proper" grind depends on how long the grounds will be in contact with the water -- the longer the time, the coarser the grind. (Gee, I'm a poet and didn't know it.) Since they're steeped in the French press, the grind should be more coarse. Beans for espresso are ground fine because the water is forced through quickly. And, as Owen said, the coarser grind for the press helps keep the sludge from coming through the screen... I cannot stand the feeling of grounds in my mouth -- which makes cupping a real adventure!
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I see enormous benefit for smaller shps in having the ability to roast smaller quantities. The short shelf life of roasted coffee and the minimum weight of beans required by many commercial roasters presents a problem for the smaller specialty shop. It's desirable to sell a good selection of varietal coffees but not if some goes to waste due to spoilage being able to roast a few pounds at a time of one coffee would enable a retailer to develope a trade of loyal cusotmers who come for their specific varietal or blend, which could be roasted in small quantities.
I certainly agree, but super-small batch is not an impossibility now. I have built a small business roasting coffee 1 lb. at a time for very loyal customers who appreciate the freshness of coffee that isn't roasted until they order it. It does seem that "alternative" roasting technologies are more responsive to the needs/desires of those who want to roast in small quantities -- my machine is a commercial grade fluid bed (hot air) roaster, and while the method is often dismissed by drum "purists," it meets my needs better than the smallest commercial quality drum would, and my customers keep coming back for more.
My first reaction is that roasting with steam seems a contradiction, but far be it from me to poo-poo a new way of doing things. I will keep my eyes open for more info on this.
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"SUN DRIED" EVERYTHING; I mean who really gives a crap?
Also in this category: "Hand-gathered." So what! It's just too precious.
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I always feel like a poser when "veg" slips out of my mouth; I've never worked in restaurant kitchen but my husband did and I picked it up from him...
Amen to "gourmet." There's a whole legion of gift shop/gift basket people out there for whom "gourmet" is synonymous with "food" -- drives me crazy. Then there's the way it's been co-opted in the coffee world. I don't call mine "gourmet coffee" because people think it means I've oiled up my single-origin Arabica beans with some God awful chemical "flavoring." Ugh!
"Artisan/Artisanal is a little dicey even when well applied; it seems to imply "too precious to be eaten." I'm in it for the eating my friends.
Cooking "fantasy camp"?
in The Heartland: Cooking & Baking
Posted · Edited by coffeeroaster (log)
Do you think so? He would love that but I didn't want to be out of line or put anyone on the spot. My husband really could help, though; it would not have to be a mini class or anything. I'd pay for this, or I could donate to charity in the chef's name or something...
Thanks Elfin! Oh, and I love Megan's sandwich recipe, too.