halloweencat

fwiw, the "cow pus" expression refers to research that found a certain percentage of pus/mucous in milk. that's all. also, fwiw, although chocolate doesn't need milk to be "chocolate," many things that use chocolate don't prominently label them as "milk chocolate" ('tho it might be in the ingredients). for example, my SO's mother bought me a dark chocolate easter bunny this year (because she knows i don't like milk chocolate, and love dark). i tasted it, and it tasted a bit "milky" to me, and sure enough...milk was listed in the ingredients, but it wasn't on the "big label." agreed that there is no need to have dairy in chocolate for it to be chocolate. cheers :) hc

i'm in total agreement with miz ducky. i think many ingredients are unfairly maligned because we expect them to taste (or they are marketed as tasting) just like the thing they're replacing. soy milk gets a bad rap, i think, on this account. it doesn't taste like milk, but it does taste good (to many, including me). the "unsweetened" aspect sounds like it would be not terribly pleasant if it were chocolate either. i like my chocolate (i only eat dark chocolate on the less-sweet side, i don't like the taste of milk and i am also in the "cow pus" camp, more or less, 'tho i will occasionally consume a bit of a slice of cake or something with milk in it -- 'tho i don't eat much). i like it at around 64% cacao to 72% cacao. i've had 99% cacao and that was too bitter/nonsweet for me for eating as a treat. but it was real chocolate. i've tasted a +lot+ of +bad+ carob, but those sunspire (sweetened) carob chips are quite tasty. and it's important to remember they are their own thing, not a chocolate clone. cheers :) hc

yes, gelatin is non-veg. :) wow! all these great responses -- thank you all so very much. my digital scale arrived in the mail today -- beautiful timing. i wonder if the weight ratios would be the same for agar-agar? we'll see. many thanks and cheers :) hc

well, i'm glad to know one can substitute. thanks for the swift reply, andrew. :) cheers :) hc

i recently bought a compressor ice cream maker -- the musso lussino. my SO and i were able to swing it by combining our various birthday and christmas amazon gift certificates, and splitting the cost between us. it gets +really+ cold. ice cream and sorbet seem to take between 30-40 minutes (we haven't prechilled ingredients). pretty effortless, except for various prepping depending on the recipie (for example, if you have to peel and cook butternut squash). it's as sturdy as all heck. cleaning is slightly difficult, as the bowl does not remove from the unit, and because the thing "keeps its cold," it's harder to swipe out the ice cream residue (i found cleaning up after sorbets easier). my SO was a little dismayed by this, and wanted to return it and get a different machine that had a removeable bowl. he brought home the cuisinart from williams sonoma, but we never even got to try it, as something was amiss with the unit, and the bottom was literally falling off and something (i assume coolant) was leaking out of it. i'm pretty happy with it, 'tho if the bowl were removeble for cleaning, that would improve it. best thing made so far -- chocolate sorbet made with scharffenberger cocoa. unbelievable chocolate taste. cheers :) hc

hey there all and anyone i'd like to make some of the foams in the amuse bouche cookbook...but the recipies as he lists them call for gelatin sheets. between today and tomorrow, i don't think i'm going to acquire sheets. can i substitute gelatin powder? also, if anyone knows of any vegetarian gelatin powder, that would be great. thanks in advance. cheers hc

wow. i haven't realized this until now, but for years i've been avoiding eating box mix cakes. in the back of my mind i would be wondering why i didn't like the fanciful creations made by local bakeries, why the birthday cakes catered at the office had no appeal, why someone bringing in cake or cupcakes or whatever didn't tempt me at all. someone upthread mentioned the cloying taste of box mixes, and frequently the too-sweet taste. +never+ in my mind had i even thought about whether any of these cakes were from mixes or from scratch...i just know that they gave me no gustatory pleasure -- and that's saying a lot, since i really like baked goods. when i was very young i baked from mixes all the time. then at some point, i discovered a chocolate cake recipie from "the joy of cooking" and without even realizing it, i was at a fork in the road (no pun intended). i haven't made a mix cake for years and years, but i don't even think about it. i have no from-scratch-snobbery. i just stopped making mix cakes because on a basic (and unconcious level) i thought they didn't taste good anymore (or, to flip this ironically...i didn't think +mixes+ were worth the effort anymore). and i'm not going to say that i can tell a cake mix just by tasting it. i don't know if i can. just looking back at what i've been avoiding all these years...i think they've been mixes. (btw, mark me as one of those folks who does not care for buttercream icing; in general, i find most icings far too sweet.) this thread has been un petite revelation. cheers :) hc

made the brownies over the weekend, two versions -- one with butter, and one no-butter version (earth balance vegan "margerine" used instead). the chocolate used for both was scharffenberger 70% bittersweet. the pan used was a 9x9 glass pan (the recipie calls for 9x12, i think) the butter/book version was made first. at 19-21 minutes, the brownies were clearly not done, as quite a big part of the middle would shake (a "jello" center). i'm not sure what the exact final minute count was, but i kept on putting the timer on for 3-4 more minutes, another minute, etc. i'm positive the time did not exceed 30 minutes. (note: the toothpick test was applied numerous times -- knew enough to not wait until the toothpick pulled out dry, that it still needed moisture). pulled them out of the oven at the first sign that the pan had lost its jello center. the brownies did not "rise" nor were they like cake, but they did not have much of that dense, gooey center either. they did have a touch of "cakeyness." they were good, according to the general populace who ate them (but not terribly brownie-like). i'd try the recipie again, and be more meticulous about the time in the oven, in addition to trying it with the proper pan dimensions (i did not have the size pan the recipie required). the earth balance "margerine" version actually came out better, perhaps because i took them out of the oven sooner (having noted how the first batch was a little overdone, for a brownie). these too were not done (jello center) at 19-21 minutes, and had to stay in a few minutes longer. however, the size of the pan might have presented some problems. i took the pan out at a certain point because i was concerned that the edges would get to cakey (or at worst, overdone/dry). but that meant that the very center of the pan was too gooey (the couple of pieces largely cut from the center hold their shape on the plate, but come too close to being viscous -- much too gooey). regardless, they were delicious. better, i think, than the butter version. :) also, i think i'm going to have the temperature of my oven checked, just for good measure. cheers :) hc

torakris, hello :) i'm enjoying your blog so very much. it's a treat to be able to see what living in another country might be like, doing quotidian things, rather than the sixteen historical monuments in nine historial towns in three days-kind of thing. when i lived (for a month) with my german relatives in a small town, it was a much better way to get a sense of how folks lived. when i worked at rockefeller center in nyc, i used to go to this japanese....i'm not sure it would be called a "bakery," but it was a sweets/desserts-type of shop (on 49th). i loved seeing the desserts change seasonally, as well as always seeing my favorites. red bean paste wrapped in cake, lychee (sp?) suspended in some sort of gelatin (i think i'm remembering that one correctly). some of them had little intaglio symbols baked into them. is this type of thing popular in japan, or is this something extracted and amplified for a big, trendy american city? thank you for sharing, and thank you for all of your hard work. :) cheers :) hc

i just purchased my first "good knife" (a shun classic chef's 10", it hasn't arrived yet), but also bought these (which arrived today): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...g=UTF8&v=glance http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...lance&s=kitchen we had no, +no+ good knives in the house...the best one was my grandmother's ginsu, and the other was a less-good farberware. (i will admit to just finding last week the thin, long henckel's that was a long-buried-just-rediscovered present behind some really bad knives in my cabinet...that one is also nice. frankly, the cuts i get off of anything after my ginsu and farberware pair are miraculous.) i wanted to get these other knives for the times when someone might be wanting to borrow a knife (a guest in the kitchen). plus, i'm in the process of upgrading a few things in the kitchen, and could only afford one good knife purchase at this point. i tried out the vegetable santoku. i was really surprised at how nicely it cut, for a $20 knife. admittedly, i'm no chef or practiced amateur, but still, i thought it worked well for the price. i'm curious to see how the edges hold up. the reviews say they hold up well. you won't hurt my feelings any if you think these knives aren't worth the time of day. i welcome your opinions, either way. :) cheers :) hc

sam, thank you so much for the swift feedback. :) will head for the aluminum/stainless (with the helper handles, where possible) and explore cooking techniques with her. many thanks and cheers :) hc

'tho i do not have the butter version to sample in the day-after-test (as they were left with the neighbors), i sampled the vegan version today. in less than 24 hours, the strong (too strong) lemon flavor has receded dramatically. there is now a pleasant, lemony flavor. i still do not detect much cocoa flavor, but (i think) a smidgen more than yesterday. cheers :) hc

i made the chocolate madelienes yesterday...two versions. one with a vegan "butter" (same brand i usually use with acceptable results, but different product). added twice as much lemon zest (thinking of patrick's comment that he couldn't taste the lemon first time around). one with regular butter. neither with the valrhona, just a supermarket-brand dutch-process cocoa. the instructions said to bake for 13-15 minutes (or until the madelienes sprung back at a light touch). this did not happen for me until around 16-18 minutes (i've forgotten the exact minutes, i just kept setting the timer for a minute, and redoing the "spring test." both batters rested/chilled in the fridge for an hour. the vegan madelienes were moist, but the lemon flavor was too strong. no cocoa flavor detectable at all really (that was a surprise). before baking, the batter was moist, a little stiff, but "workable." the batter settled into the molds nicely, without really any airpockets. the butter madelienes had no lemon flavor at all, and were a little dry. the batter was not as moist as the vegan batch, i had to push it off the spoon when i was placing it in the molds. much stiffer. also, during baking, it did not settle into the molds well, and there were many airpockets, and the bottoms (the non-shell part) did not smooth out well, and were misshappen. also, the bottoms sort of "cracked" in many places, instead of just "ballooning." it may be useful to know that my butter was not at room temperature. i submerged it for a small bit in a bowl of warm water, but it did not mix thoroughly into the batter. it wasn't "lumpy," but there was a little bit of very small, dairy flotsam and jetsam-sized pieces. (i had a limited amount of time to make them, as we were bringing them over to a neighbor's for dinner). i used nonstick pans that i got from william sonoma. i mention this because, although i suspect the molds are +fairly+ uniform in terms of size, they seemed slightly too small to accomodate the amount of batter. there was a bit of overspill. cheers :) hc

hullo :) i was wondering if a mod (if it was thought to be a good idea) might merge the "cooking confusion abounds" thread with this one.... i hadn't realized that it was acceptable to continue this thread. btw, before i had started the "cookware confusion abounds" thread, i had read both the egullet course and the follow-up thread. i'm now in the process of rereading it for the second time (which makes for three times in all). on another note...aside from my own cookware needs and potential purchases, i have a question about cookware for someone who is of slight stature and build and has weak/painful wrists (she wears braces). her anondized cookware is in pretty bad shape, and she's looking to replace it (probably not all at once). she +loves+ to cook, and loves to try recipies, everything from gourmet magazine to cook's illustrated, etc. she does stews, roasts, frys (doesn't really saute, i think). i'm not certain, but i'm fairly sure she does braises. she does quite a lot of things, but nothing especially fancy (e.g., she doesn't do sauce reductions, 'tho she might make sauces). good cookware that is on the lighter-rather-than-heaver side would be great...another thought i had were the pots that had helper handles. i've seen them on a few pieces from lines like cuisinart and all-clad. she is very dear to us (my SO's mom) and treats us wonderfully well. mother's day and her birthday are approaching. cost isn't really a factor, as long as a single pan doesn't cost $300. if a helper handle adds $80 to the cost of a $120 pan, for example, we'll probably suck it up. does anyone have any thoughts on this? we'd be most appreciative. thanks and cheers :) hc

chefworks, the manaical laugh is optional. ;) cheers :) hc

have you ever seen someone say something with force and intent +and+ humor that would have been harsh without humor? sometimes giving it a slight, humorous edge (no pun intended), allows one to say things in a crystal-clear fashion. i'm not talking about obsequious humor, or playing the buffon. but if you're worried that your colleages are not listening to you because you have not been firm enough, and your reluctance in taking it up a notch has been not wanting "to be that guy"...perhaps you can take it up a notch with a little comic edge. e.g. (perhaps...) "george, do you see mary here? she just used one of my precious knives without my permission. i want you as a witness for my defense, because if she does it again i'm going to slice her fingers off at the knuckles and wrap them up in puff pastry and force feed her. mary, i love you, but i'm not kidding." cheers :) hc

i have been vegan at various points in my life...i've never quite been satisfied as to the issue of whether sugar is vegan or not. i have heard conflicting things, which may not mean either side of the issue is incorrect, it may have to do with individual production practices of sugar. i think turbinado sugar is considered acceptable by all vegans (not that i want to vouch for all vegans). btw...if you need a vegan "butter," i would highly recommend the brand earth balance. i actually prefer it to butter for taste, as i find butter heavy and interfering with other (especially subtle) flavors. cheers :) hc

okay-doke. :) it seemed to me that you were ascribing to me things that i did not say (since your post closely followed my post, in which i stated i was confused by yours). plus the use of the second person ("you"). cheers :) hc

hmmmm....i don't quite know what point you are arguing against/with whom you're argueing...i made none of those statements with which you are disagreeing. i was just asking you (indirectly) to clarify yours, as i didn't understand them. i made a statement (of fact) of my own, to illustrate my impression of what you were saying, while at the same time acknowledging that i was probably (as it turned out, rightly) not understanding what you were trying to say. cheers :) hc

The flaw with your sales argument is that customers aren't the ones deciding if your commission should be 3%, 6% or 15%. ← true, but it's also worth noting that there are plenty of jobs that are purely commission-based in which people are entirely clueless about the system, leading to much anguish for the salesfolks. as an anecdote, i worked for a short time at a purely/only commission sales job. i +only+ got paid when people bought from me, and then i only received my money when the items were delivered (sometimes months and months later...it was furniture). and sometimes the items were returned -- which meant the company would take that money/comission out of my paycheck +that they had already paid me+ (and which i might have spent -- and customers could return items for up to three months). there were many occasions for many of the sales folk who worked patiently with customers to set up a sale...only to discover that they wound up disregarding the fact that you helped them (which prevented you from earning money with other customers) and placed the order with someone else or another store. that was really heartbreaking. they didn't think. or it wasn't convenient for them. or they didn't know. and it's +very+ tough to try to communicate what "we work on commission here" really means to someone who doesn't know. i can appreciate why those who have been in (or are) in the food service industry take care with tipping or are extra-considerate of the servers. when i go into a store, i'm careful to ask if the staff works on commission, for similar reasons. while i learned important things from my short experience, i know i never want to be in that position again. and i have much sympathy for those who are. some of these jobs can have advantages compared to others, and in another situation, that advantage may be reversed. commission work, be it sales or service, is a tough gig. cheers :) hc edited to add: my commission was 6%, which was considered generous.

just quickly to say...i don't understand the above comment, as the vast majority of animals that are not specifically raised for some human purpose (i.e., they exist and reproduce on their own steam) already exist outside of zoos. cheers :) hc

with respect, i brought up the question of contracts. i asked/hypothesized whether this could be a factor. i believe his comment was in response to one or more of my posts. cheers :) hc

thank you for passing along your insight, as i was hoping for some feedback. with your expertise it may indeed be ludicrous to have considered the possibility, but to those who are not in the industry, these are areas for legitimate questions. i'm happy to be informed by someone knowledgeable, yet i do not think it was illogical to ask. cheers :) hc

i would agree, but take note (as stated) that (if it were so) being forced to use certain substances because of contractual obligations might ameliorate this for some. that being said, it is not a path that i would choose, given a choice. i think (if this is what happened) it sends a mixed message. cheers :) hc

more information, which does shed a bit more light. i am dismayed that he would integrate a substance to which he has such strong objections into an event like this. just a personal opinion. i do acknowledge that some would find room to bend their beliefs for a charity (was this what this was), if foodstuffs were donated (e.g., some fg producer was sponsoring the event, and as such would provide x amount of fg, which had to be used). if trotter had entire control over the menu, with no need to accomodate potential sponsors, donors, etc., then i would find this choice inconsistent with his previously stated views. cheers :) hc