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fatmat

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Posts posted by fatmat

    Disinfecting the Kitchen: [How] Do You Do This?

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    Not exactly correct. What that study said was that soap scrubs removed bacteria from hands as effectively as chlorhexidine scrubs. That's not the same as saying that they are equally effective antibacterials which is a different thing.

    But yeah, washing with soap is a good way to remove stuff from counters etc. It will leave behind a soap film though.

    Studies have also shown soap to be more effective at preventing infection in wounds than chlorhexidine.

    As to the soap film... I've never sat back and thought that my steak tastes of soap, so that problem hasn't been a deal breaker for me.

    Anyway, all I'm trying to say I'd that we can go a bit mental about the unseen bogeyman, when simple hygiene is all that is required to protect our families. Complex systems and expensive products aren't necessary. We mostly use them to soothe our hygiene insecurities.

    Disinfecting the Kitchen: [How] Do You Do This?

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    We each make our own choices. I get that. Have you ever had a serious case of food poisoning? I don't care to ever repeat that experience.

    Do you have a prefered brand of soap?

    I've had food poisoning. Fortunately I've never given it to myself!

    I don't use any particular brand of soap, just whatever is available.

    As a matter of interest, my sister was a haematology nurse, working in the early 80's with HIV patients. She took part in a study comparing the effectiveness of hand washing with soap or chlorhexidine. It was concluded that soap was an equally effective antibacterial.

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    ... add the acid component at the end to fix the heat level.

     

     

    Radtek... are you saying that the acid stops the heat level altering, once you've reached your desired strength? does this effect last over time?

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    My "mustard patch" was 4' x 10' and produced plenty of seeds for me to use and for reseeding the following spring (early) and I could harvest one crop in June/July and other in October. (Lancaster, CA - high desert, long growing season).

    Hi Andi, can you make use of the mustard plant as a vegetable at all?

    • Like 1

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    It has been a long time since I have made mustard and I had to look this one up in my old handwritten cookbook, but this one was pretty good, if I recall correctly. 

     

    1/4 C. dry mustard

    1/4 C. white wine vinegar

    1/3 C. dry white wine

    1 Tbsp. Honey. 

     

    Stir together and allow to stand 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the top of a double boiler.

     

    Beat in 1/2 tsp. salt and 3 egg yolks.  Cook over hot water, stirring constantly until slightly thick (5 minutes)  Pour into 8oz jar, cool, refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Hi Norm, many thanks for your recipe. With the cooking and the eggs, does this recoipe produce a mild, creamy mustard?

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I never boiled mustard, I check 5 cookbooks and no boiling, and yes I done mustard  with rolling a cannon ball in a bowl  until the mustard seeds are crushed and we added smoky whisky and malt vinegar .

     

    I think that heating softens the punch - it is used to make things like ball park mustard and other hot dog mustards amongst other things

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I have found the info in this other topic very helpful in making my own http://forums.egullet.org/topic/45451-making-your-own-condiments-mustard-others/?hl=%2Bcondiments

    Hi Heidi, thanks for posting the link to this thread. I've just read through ît. The main thing that I gathered was that heat is used to lessen the fieryness of the mustard. The method suggested that you heat the mustard carefully and keep tasting until until the strength of the mustard meets your liking.

    Making Your Own Condiments

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Hi Folks, I'm working on some homemade mustard recipes. It seems that it isn't as simple as it would appear. I've had some successes, but my results are a little hit and miss. I've had everything from bitter to flavourless to blow your head off.

     

    From what I can work out, getting the right flavour out of the final mustard depends on a few things

    • the type of mustard seed - black, brown or yellow
    • time cooking 
    • acidity
    • ageing

    What I can't work out is how all these things interplay to produce the final result. 

     

    Can anyone offer any help or advice?

     

    Many thanks in advance.

    Kedgeree - Breakfast, lunch or dinner

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Kedgeree is one of the best meals ever!! 

     

    My contributions to the recipe would be to fry the onions until crisp and stir them through just before serving... with a little lightly browned garlic. A handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves to serve is lovely too... adds a fresh lightness. Also a small handful of slivered almonds, lightly fried in ghee/butter. I also like to add a few sultanas to the rice when it is boiling to add a fruity element and finally... a squeeze of lemon juice to finish.  

    • Like 1

    What to do with trout?

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by fatmat (log)

    Try frying the fish in plenty of butter. Add a small handful of almond slivers to the pan towards the end of the frying time. Squeeze some lemon juice over the almonds during the last minute or so of cooking. Serve the fish and pour the almonds, butter and lemon juice all over. You want the almonds looking golden and toasty - the lemon juice will help this.

    This is dead simple and really tasty.

    Celebrating Saint George

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    I intend to eat significant amounts of curry... washed down with even more significant qauntities of cider. I will wear a red rose and wil go to my local pub and then drink more cider and listen to the brass band that they have rustled up from God knows where.

    At some point during the evening I hope to get the opportunity to sing Jerusalem (drunkenly).

    UK Ingredient/Equipment Source

    in United Kingdom & Ireland: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Can anyone help me source authentic merguez? I recently had some in France and had forgotten how most of the stuff sold here is a pale imitation of the real thing. I've tried them from Ginger Pig, Simply Sausages and Lidgates, and somewhat disappointed in all of them. The nearest I have found so far is from Biggles in Marylebone Lane, but the texture and size aren't quite right. Anyone know a Moroccan butcher or merguez importer?

    hmmmm...i seem to remember there being a deli on Church St that sells them (not too far away from Alfie's Antique emporium - same side of the road but further west). There's one somewhere along the row of food shops that has a butchers counter in the front. I'm pretty sure they sell merguez. Haven't ever bought any myself though, so I can't vouch for their quality - but they looked good! let us know how you get on if you try them.

    Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try - will be good to have an excuse to have a potter around Alfie's.

    These guys make them... and a whole host of other sausages http://www.gornos.co.uk/index.htm

    Tipping Bartenders in the UK

    in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining

    Posted

    Speaking as an ex barman...

    the barman remembers who tips and who does not

    If you are in the bar for the night, buy the barman a pint at some point. It's a friendly gesture that improves your service a little.

    If you are a regular, buy the barman a pint every now and again. It keeps the barman sweet and helps to make sure that you get looked after. (Who do you look after? the regular that looks after you or the one that does not bother?)

    If you are buying a huge round, buy the barman a drink. It's a nice gesture - If you are spending £50 on a round, what's an extra £2-3?

    As a barman, I was told never to refuse the offer of a drink - If a customer offers, it's because they want to.

    I've not worked behind a bar for a long time, but as a customer, I stick to the above rules. I always insist on buying a full pint or equivalent, or I offer the same value in cash.

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