Chef Metcalf

A friend of mine gave me the tip for chopping the leaves super fine which has opened the door to putting them in a whole host of things. Don't know why I never thought of it on my own, maybe just too lazy as it does take some time to cut them that fine. I freeze them too in small bags and pull out as needed. Fifi, I would just add the super fine cut leaves right into the custard for the key lime pie and call it kaffir lime pie......now I'm craving one! Key lime pie is one of our favourites after a trip where we sampled as many as possible! docsconz, some other fusion suggestions (all using the superfine cut) for Kaffir Lime leaves..... -sorbet or ice cream -sabayon (lime sabayon is great anyway but using kaffir leaves and regular lime juice together make it a whole lot better and you can strain them out at the end...nice on baked peaches, nectarines or apricots) -marinated bbq chicken or prawns (this is a Balinese method and it's sooo good) -rubbed onto fish prior to grilling or baking -kaffir prawn cakes (great appetizer) -rice (throw in a few partially cut leaves into the water when making jasmine rice, remove after it's cooked) -mixed with yoghurt -margarita's -compound butter -buerre blanc -tossed with fruit salad -and our favourite for special occasions...butter poached seafood with kaffir added to the poaching liquid Happy experimenting. Keep us posted on what you come up with. cm

docsconz Here's some suggestions for you... Using your sharpest knife, slice them into a 1/16th of an inch dice (yes, really that damn small) and then marinate meats or seafood with them and stir fry. Or throw them into your favourite Thai curries with the leaves cut like this so that you get the maximum amount of oil coming out It's so much worth the effort, they add divine flavour!

I need this sort of comic relief. Wish it were airing in Canada. cm

Here is a great website you may want to check out Susan. They have a recipe section for Thai dishes that are all very authentic and Steve and Trish give you a lot of cooking tips for using ingredients from SE Asia. cm

Try freezing individual portions and then nuking, which is also handy if everyone eats at different times. The trick is to nuke for a minute or two (don't know the heat of your microwave) and then stir, repeat and stir. That way you will get a more even reheating. Some microwaves have an automatic setting for frozen foods and this method seems to work very well without over heating the outside edges. If you do have it frozen in large blocks, try putting it in a pot with a few ounces of water on very low heat for twenty minutes or so. Takes a while but it won't overcook your meat as much that way. Beautiful baby...congrats!

My sister, who was never much into cooking, once made us grilled sandwiches with mushroom soup filling inside...guess we were out of cheese that day. We loved them and it became one of our favourites...couse the other kids thought we were nuts. Guess it's one of those bizzare childhood food memories and I still crave them from time to time. CM

I found the Yalumba Viognier, but not the Bush Vine Grenache or the La Planeta at Park Royal. Andrew, are they normally available there or was I just in too much of a hurry? I will post our findings after we open the Viognier, maybe sometime this weekend. cm

No, it was funny Arnie! Means you're in the company of a group of truly obsessed people who do feel the need to talk about ice cream even when it's this bloody cold outside. To the point where I opened the freezer and consumed freely

Both, sushicat. Arnie.....After posting about Brazza I got the box out of the freezer and had a bowl.

I think this is a great idea Foodie. I think it would be helpful if whoever suggests the wines could also post the SKU or CSPS codes, that way we can phone in advance to see if they are available at our local LDB's (saves lots of time so they don't have to look up the code). Alternately, you can phone the Cambie and 39th store and they can tell you what stores have them in stock. I would follow up on that though as sometimes the numbers can be out slightly, so double check with the actual store after getting the info from 39th. Country of origin, price and whether it's available at LDB's, LDB Specialty Stores or private wine stores should be posted too. Off to the LDB. CM

Oh yes....Brazza has wonderful freshly made gelato in lots of flavours, although I don't remember seeing cinnamon but will take a look next time I'm there. The lemon sorbet is excellent too and they sell Intelligensia if you need a fix. cm

Sobaicecream Depends on how many you have in your group really. I would go with the earlier the better, even thought it will be in February, phone ahead and book your party into the room and then discuss the menu as it's not an easy call to fit in a party of 20 last minute. Should be able to do it all by email. See what they would like to offer for the price that you want to pay. Slow season, you may get a slightly better deal en masse. Moosh's suggestions are all good ones. Start from there. Once again, gambatte. One small request......if there is any extra room in your luggage please bring back some wasabi osembe I have a ten year craving I must fill. CM

There are many places that would set you up for this price. Parkside has a set menu for $39.00 or so and many others. What dates are you looking at? Mon dai nai. Gambatte nei.

Whole foods at Park Royal carries them on a regular basis. A little pricier than the regular but not as acidic. Chef M

This may work for you Ling. Caramba Beside the Delta Suites Hotel on Main Street. Certainly fits the low cost aspect and there are lots of vegetarian options too. Have fun!

We had a fantastic gourmet pizza a while back, but can't remember the name of the restaurant. Will post when my buddy gets back to me and find out the name. It's casual, low priced for Whistler standards and the pizza was top notch. For now, I will just shill this link brazenly to the Tsunami Relief Fund that are hosting a benefit on Friday, January, 7th, 2005 in Whistler. http://www.mediaroom.tourismwhistler.com/w...ase.asp?pid=515

After many years living in SE Asia I am deeply saddened by the recent events that have devastated this area. I have made a personal donation and will be donating a % of sales for January to a non-profit organization(Red Cross Canada/Tsunami Relief Fund). As the egullet community includes many owners of restaurants and food related businesses, perhaps others could follow suit (with the non-profit of their choice) and help towards the recovery of this region. I would appreciate any feedback that you may want to offer and hope that other egullet business owners will think about designing their own donation programs. Frances Metcalf

Don Genova from CBC interviewing Anthony Bourdain I think it might have been taped at Opus just before the book signing. Great interview and picture Don. Frances

Dearest Arnie and J My heart bleeds for you, truly! A great party to attend, excellent hotel accomadations and then the dilemma of trying to decide on a restaurant for breakfast! Just another one of lifes many hurdles and I'm sure that you'll come through this stressful time with flying colours. Meant of course, in the kindest possible jesting of ways! ....so, where did you end up going? CM

Butter I've wondered the same thing a hundred times after also living in Japan for a few years. The other day I came across some clementines from Morocco in Safeway and bought a few to see if they came anywhere close to the sweetness of the ones in Japan. While they weren't as good as what I remembered from Japan they were 100% sweeter than the Mandarins from China that we ususally see in boxes here. They made great orange juice and pretty good eating too. If do ever find any, please post for the benefit of your fellow gaijins.

When I lived in Japan I picked up a pottery ginger grater. It was round and flat and the center had rough/serated cut lines through it. You would rub the ginger back and forth and it would release the juice and grate it at the same time. Sadley, I dropped and broke it, but it was by far the best one I have ever used to prepare ginger. I guess, really, it was just a flat version of a mortar and pestle. Thanks for reminding me andiesenji, of something that I need to keep a look out for.

Some have because the black thing on top didn't close properly. Now when I buy them I check to see that it has a good grip/seal. About six out of ten seem to be okay....the company is a tad inconsistent.

Recipes to go with your new gadgets. Cherry pitter... After you have pitted your cherries, stick the part back in that comes out the back after pitting (you will see what I mean after you have done a few), dry them off a bit and then dip into high quality melted chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment/tinfoil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 25 minutes. Remember to only buy cherries with the stem attached. Now sit down, open up a nice 30 year old port, brew some top quality coffee and say "ahhhh". You can use the pitter on olives too. Microplane Zester... Stir fry all the veggies in your fridge with some olive oil, add lemon zest (or ginger/lime/orange) at the end with a tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. Great, now all I can think about is chocolate dipped cherries. And a glass of port would be nice too! Okay, here's one more gadget. You may think it's pretty generic, but I have more people come to my house and ask me where I got this thing then any of my other over priced kitchen equipment. You can instantly wash a plate or utensil with soap and scrub, then rinse in running water with no need to fill the sink up. About $8.00 at Linen and Things. Don't get the ones with the long handle, too awkward. Chef Metcalf

Good topic fifi. I need to buy a bunch of stocking stuffers like this and would love to hear others ideas. I found this silicone pastry brush a few months ago and it has since become a new favourite. It's great for deglazing non-stick pans or baking sheets after you have roasted chicken or beef and need to get up all the good bits off the bottom of the pan. Versus the old paint brush type pastry brushes, they are a snap to clean. It's fine in the dishwasher and is heat resistant to 500 degrees F If you need to egg wash pastry that's fairly delicate, it glides right over and it's light enough that it causes no damage to the pastry. I think I paid about $14.00 Canadian. The microplane zesters are great too....and cheap! cm

I have to agree with vandan on this one. Artigiano serves the only coffee comparable with what we've sampled in European cities. Best part is you can buy it on site (Intelligentsia brand) and it tastes just as good brewed at home as what they serve up in the store. Even the decaf. cm