zenpup

I'm not sure if I'm in on this or not. I have more square footage of freezer space than most NYC apartments have of living space. An upright freezer and a side-by-side fridge-freezer in the basement, and a bottom freezer in the kitchen. Also a pantry in the basement. We could eat for a couple months; there's produce from our garden jarred and frozen, home smoked bacon, and a home-smoked brisket. Not to mention the usual suspects like pork chops, chicken, ground beef, frozen fruit. frozen buttermilk. It's an embarassment of riches. A week wouldn't make a dent. I have no "living in the country" excuse. I live in a Philadelphia suburb. It would be an excuse to eat bacon every day, the Ben & Jerry's, and the two tubs of D'Artagnan truffle butter hiding in there. I know it's not normal; can I blame my Italian, depression era parents for my food saving habits? Maybe I should just give up food shopping for Lent? I took pictures, but am not sure how to post them here; maybe it's safer that I not. Yikes!

Have just made the pourable ganache for a Buche de Noel from François Payard's Book "Simply Sensational Desserts" using El Rey Gran Saman Bittersweet 71% chocolate and pasteurized (not ultra) organic heavy cream from Whole Foods. Brought the cream to a boil, removed from the heat and stirred in the finely chopped chocolate. Looked fine for a minute and then separated into floating oil and slightly granular chocolate. Proportions: 312g chocolate, 290g heavy cream The saucepan was dry to begin (no water), and the silicone spatula was dry too. I have made this many times, but with Callebaut...never with the El Rey. Never had a problem before...always smooth and beautiful. Any thoughts? Rescuable? Was the cream still too hot? Thanks for any help! Am heading out to buy more chocolate... Oh, and I wanted to add...the chocolate was in a metal bowl and I poured the boiling cream over it...and I do have a stick blender and will try that.

I still teach on occasion, and these are great suggestions. I've also found that a bit of "kitchen science"...but just a bit, added to the teaching of techniques helps a fledgling cook know WHY they are doing things a certain way. While you don't have to entertain like Alton Brown, if you have a good look at Harold McGee before you start teaching Vinaigrette (emulsification) will help give her some stepping stones to use for herself.

Does anyone have a good recipe for French Macaroons that uses weight measure, not volume? Plain almond or chocolate would be great. Although any good recipe would be appreciated... Have been using Martha Stewart's recipe from MS Baking, and they're good, but ... Thanks!...and no calories, right????

Triple Coconut Macaroons are in the CI February 2000 issue. Issue #42

Have had some fun reading this thread. Personally, I've found many of the recipes are quite good from CI, especially the Parmesan Chicken and their Coconut Macaroons with added coconut cream...BUT... I am offended by their smarmy pronouncements of something being "The Best_____". Often it's quite good, but certainly not the best. Their recipes are needlessly long and involved, dirties every pan and bowl in the kitchen, and more often than not, a similar result can be achieved by a seaoned cook in a mattter of minutes in a single pan. It's the time spent practicing, not a single go at something that makes you a fine anything. CI has truly built themselves a brand consciousness; in some circles a CI recipe carries the same weight as a having a Coach logo on a handbag. I sell kitchenware for a living, and truly am annoyed that if CI puts their seal of approval on an item, customers become blind to the merits of other exceptional quality products. Lemmings.

Have been smoking my home cured bacon mostly with applewood, as I had to take down an apple tree, but am curious about trying cob smoking. If you've ever tried it I'd be interested in your input. Since the corn season here in eastern PA is coming soon... I use a side-firebox Char-Broil smoker to hot smoke my bacon. TIA!

Y'all are the best! I used sort of a mishmash of techniques, and it was perfect! It actually weight 8 pounds, trimmed and tied, and just fit into a tri-ply roasting pan cater-cornered. So I put a nice big, thick schmear of unsalted butter mixed with salt, pepper, roasted garlic paste and fresh thyme all over it and boosted it into a 450 deg. (turned off the convection) oven. It reached 118 in 50 minutes. Let it set while I finished up the "sides" and a pan sauce with shallots and Madeira. Nice rare-medium rare from end to end and a great crust... Now they all wanna come back next year for a reprise. I'll need another mortgage.

Well, I've now got a large, tied, not larded 7-1/2 pound beef tenderloin roast in my fridge. Prime, darn thing cost nearly a car payment. But DH and I are bickering over the best way to cook it...I'm voting for a straight 450 - 500 degree cooking time to rare, he's voting for longer and slower perhaps in the 375 degree range...also to rare. I plant to pull it from the oven between 120 -125 degrees... I tend to be more of a pot-roast kinda girl, so big fancy roasts aren't my forte... Don't want to overcook a small fortune in beef. Any good advice? TIA...

Oddly enough, here in eastern Pennsylvania, in a Philly suburb I can find it in most supermarkets ( Carnation brand) especially Genuardi's Markets. Also in Philly, in several Chinese Markets on Race St., you can get Horlick's Malt powder. Just purchased some at each place late in November for holiday baking. Hope that helps. In SF, check out the big Chinese markets...

About 30 years ago while in college I worked for a caterer who used to brine cooked shrimp after cooking in a salt and ice -water bath for about 2 days ahead of service. The shrimp were boiled, then quick chilled and packed in containers of ice -water and salt. They were perfect even after 4 days of storage. Just the right amount of salt, firm, almost crisp, and "shrimpy" I had written the recipe down, but made it so frequently, I thought I'd never forget the proportions. Well, now that I am well into middle aged, I've forgotten the proportions of salt to water and have since lost the paper. Does anyone still do this? I'd appreciate any input. TIA!

Frozen green peppers are generally mushy, and are really only good for cooking and not raw use...before freezing, blanching most vegetables then shocking in ice water also helps the texture a bit...

Ah, vous etes a Paris, maintenon? Would you like me to send you a copy if you can't buy one there so you can see for yourself?

Picked up a copy at my local Borders (King of Prussia, PA)...won't have a chance to actually READ until Fri...Looks like fun, though...

Am planning to pop into Georges over the weekend...will report back

New American I guess you can call it. Roux 3 is in the Edgemont Square shopping center, which I think is actually in Newtown Square. On Route 3 ( The name is a play on the location), but it certainly doesn't look like a shopping center restaurant...If you go, see if they have the wild mushroom soup with roasted chestnuts and lemon peel...it just popped up on the fall menu and I'm going to try to recreate a version at home...Judy

Just had probably my 20th meal there, and am constantly amazed at how wonderful and consistent the food is. If anyone has been there, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience. Also, what's the deal with Le Mas now being called Georges?

Hmmm, Lobster Truffle sauce over fresh pasta....any truffles ( including chocolate!) and dead-ripe, sun warmed tomatoes eaten sitting in the dirt next to the vine...yikes, I wish I hadn't seen this thread today...it's not even breakfast time yet...and I was planning a protein drink for breakfast and a skimpy salad for lunch...trying to keep my (ahem!) girlish figure... good thing I'm broke...

I really was going to stick to my diet today, but after reading this I have to go bake something gooey and cinnamony... My favorite smells are good Lancaster County PA cinnamon buns fresh from the oven, Bolognese sauce simmering, bacon , coffee, basil, the scent in my yard when I'm using my smokers, and the smell of a really good cheese shop... I don't like the smell of green peppers frying, and while they're not quite food, I don't like it when you open the door of a restaurant and smell disinfectant, and also potpourri or scented candles on a dining table. I think some people who "don't cook" think the scent of good food is something to get rid of...

AND...besides the lids fitting...the different size and shape plastic containers being easy to stack. Open one of my kitchen cabinet doors and it's an avalanche....

Boy, I think smarmy is just the right word for a lot of what is in Cooks Illustrated. I manage a kitchenware store and it amazes me that folks just zoom in to buy whatever Cooks says is "best." They do base most techniques and recipes on good science, though. Scares me how much drag the magazines have on the "weekend gourmets"...If a certain souffle dish is on the cover of a big cooking magazine, my store is out of stock in minutes. But I digress...my favorite magazines are Saveur, Gourmet and grudgingly Cook's Illustrated. ( the food scientist part of me wins) Incidentally, I love this site...I found you all by "Googling" for help with canneles...Here this is my first post and I sound like a grump.