azlee
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Posts posted by azlee
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strainers work best, fastest and are easier to keep clean and don't attract bugs when stored. if you need a fancy geegaw for a gift then go for an electric sifter. noisy and nearly impossible to clean thoroughly and hard to store, but impressive.
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However, like many entries, [the entry on fat is] missing a crucial (one might say elemental) point: the importance of fat in producing the Maillard reaction when browning food on the stove. That's a lost opportunity, and particularly essential for those starting to cook who are prone to "save calories" by using insufficient amounts of fat in a thin, non-stick pan and likely to scorch their proteins instead of brown them.
I'm not sure how you mean this. Fat, of course, is not a required component of the Maillard reaction. On the other hand, fat is very useful in providing good thermal conduction from the pan to the protein, and may also facilitate Maillard reactions by, in effect, serving as a medium through though which the various components necessary for the Maillard reaction are introduced to one another (e.g., one often finds that the second piece of meat browned in the pan browns more rapidly than the first -- this is because the pan contains Maillard precursors from the previous piece).
I suppose your post reinforces somewhat the point that you and Janet are making: that books, or posts, that presuppose certain knowledge may also be perceived to contain certain "holes" (cookbooks from 150 years ago clearly presupposed a lot more basic cooking knowledge than they do today, with instructions such as "prepare in the usual way," etc.). All of which is to say the section of text I quote above demonstrates that it's harder to write something "without holes" than one might suppose, considering that most readers would take the above to mean that fat is a necessary chemical component of the Maillard reaction.
slkinsey,
Your point is well made and exactly what I was driving at when I provided a definition of the Maillard reaction. While the addition of fat can affect the timing of the reaction it is certainly not a required component for the reaction. More critical would probably be some clarification of the differences between the Maillard reaction and carmelization. I haven't read Ruhlman's book yet, and so I do not know if he addresses that topic in the book.
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I think that's an excellent question, Anne, and one that none of us can probably answer effectively, given that we're hardly first-years around here. I'd like to know what the rest of the folks think. My two cents:
It's hard to tell if the tone and scope would be a problem for your charges, and the lack of illustrations would hamper a lot of the information for some. Its level of detail regarding the French tradition might strike your fam as a bit off base when, say, they find seven (or nine, depending on how you countt) entries that start with "Beurre" but can't find "Beets."
The book is nothing like McGee, as Ruhlman makes clear. I think it's far more approachable than McGee: the categories are fewer, the research less detailed, and the overall feel more useable for a newer cook. But I think that the book doesn't give a new-ish cook all of the tools needed even for the topics covered.
Here's a good example: the one-page entry on "fat." Unlike McGee, Ruhlman doesn't require that you go through the index and several different pages throughout the book to get the information you're seeking (and you don't get a lot that a newer cook wouldn't want). Ruhlman covers many of the basics connected to flavor, cooking, the unsatur/satur/hydrogenated categories. However, like many entries, it's missing a crucial (one might say "elemental") point: the importance of fat in producing the Maillard reaction when browning food on the stove. That's a lost opportunity, and particularly essential for those starting to cook who are prone to "save calories" by using insufficient amounts of fat in a thin, non-stick the pan and scorch instead of brown.
The Maillard reaction is a type of non-enzymatic browning which involves the reaction of carbohydrates (simple sugars) and proteins (amino acids). More specifically, is actually a complex series of reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars, usually (but not always) at increased temperatures. The reaction is responsible for changes in color and flavor in foods.
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John, another virtue you mention is reliability. I'd also suggest that the other side of that coin is repair service. No matter what dishwasher you get, eventually something is likely to happen to it.
If you live in a place like New York City, where high-end Euro-appliances are as common as pigeons, you're not going to have any trouble getting an Asko dishwasher repaired. I wouldn't be as confident about that if I lived in Burlington, Vermont, no less a smaller town.
I have no idea about service in Burlington Vt but I know that it's easy to get service for high end appliances in places like Norwich Vermont, Hanover NH and Portland Maine. Lots of fancy people building fancy kitchens in those places. I think level of service available really depends on the popularity of such products in a particular area.
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Bosch, Miele and Asko are all brands marketed for their quietness. Bosch makes much of the fact that the sound level of their machines is the equivalent of a human whisper. Friends who own Bosch machines tell me that they cannot tell if the the machine is running unless they see the indicator light is on.
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As I prepare to renovate a kitchen, I have been asking friends and the names that keep coming up are Miele, Asko and Bosch. I haven't had a change to compare features or reviews but I feel pretty strongly that I will end up with one of those brands. Probably one of those for washer and dryer, as well.
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I concur that veal stock is a great force multiplier. In my experience, however, for the home cook, beef stock is about as useful as veal stock -- and it's usually easier to gather the ingredients. Veal is almost a specialty item, whereas beef is plentiful and cheap at every level of supermarket. Home cooks are also more likely to have leftover beef bones and trimmings than they are to have veal bones and trimmings. A combination stock is also quite workable for the home cook: a combination of beef and poultry bones and trimmings, kind of like an Italian brodo.
Here in NYC, Fresh Direct sells veal bones for $1.99 a pound. I almost always have some in the freezer.
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Aw, shucks! Thanks.
I love the Marmoleum floor. Even if you don't get an inlay, the floor itself is fantastic. The inlay definitely increased the price of the floor quite a bit (but worth every penny in my opinion. I love my floor!). It wasn't hard to design (just matched how far in the inlay was from the outer edge of the cabinets, same as the inlay strips in the hardwood in the living room and dining room - original). As for execution, the floor was professionally installed. Something like this has to be done professionally, because it's sheet flooring, and not the Marmoleum Click that's self-install. They do have pre-designed inlay patterns that would (I imagine) be somewhat less expensive for installation. I just didn't like any of them (too busy/thematic for what I wanted).
As for cleaning the Marmoleum, it's a total breeze. I just sweep it and occasionally mop with Method's floor cleaner. Mopping takes maybe 5 minutes total (another good thing about a small kitchen!
If you do go with Big Box cabinets, you can always take them more period with more traditional pulls (bin pulls, glass knobs, etc). It is definitely possible to pull off a period-mix look with stainless appliances. There are pictures all over the place of them.
Remember, even if I have period fixtures, I still have a kick-ass stove and hood, dishwasher and garbage disposal!
Good luck, and post pics!
Thanks so much! I have very similar hardwood floors in my diningroom and livingroom (oak with a dark stained inlay). I know what you mean about the pre-designed Marmoleum inlays, I find them too busy, as well. I'm also thinking about a white painted tin ceiling. The plaster in this old house is on its last legs.
I'm still up in the air about whether to go total period or mix it up. I love your layout. What size cabinets did you use? It's amazing how similar these old houses are even with 3,000 miles between them. Your hood and range are totally kick-ass! It would be my pleasure to post pics of my progress, once I start my planning. First thing I need to find a kitchen planning software that actually works. I'm finding little for Mac and many others for windows don't yet work smoothly in Vista. I prefer to visit a KD with at least a rough draft to get some price quotes. Thanks -
Jennifer,
Somehow I missed your finished kitchen when you first posted. Clearly my loss, it's wonderfully and artfully executed and has given me some great inspiration for my new kitchen. I finished a very modern kitchen renovation just a year ago, sold the apartment this summer and am about to go into contract for my first real home.
The new place is a small 1925 A frame with a kitchen very similar in layout to yours. It'll be a total gut job and an opportunity to restore the place to it's original glory, right now it's a mess of 40's, 50's and 60's dreck. I'm considering Marmoleum and wonder how it's been working out for you so far and how difficult was it to design and execute the inlay. I'm torn between custom cabinets in a similar style to yours or just going with a simple big box store white slab type and using stainless and soapstone for the counters, so that it's a mix of contemporary and period appropriate materials. But seeing your kitchen makes me want to go with period fixtures and fittings. The appliances will be modern stainless, Dacor range and OTR convection microwave, Miele dishwasher and Liebherr refrigerator.
Honestly, yours is one of the most beautifully designed kitchens I've ever seen.
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so was this a friends and family kind of intro dinner? will the menu stay the same or is it based on what's good at the market that day?
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I am looking to secure a last minute reservation for 6 people this Sat. evening Nov. 10th. I am already too late for Grammercy Tavern, 11 Madison or Hearth. I am looking for a restaurant that will provide an amazing dining experience with an amazing atmosphere.....that isn't already booked solid on Saturday night. I am new to NY and so only know the bigger more obvious names in dining in NYC.....anyone who can suggest a great restaurant where we may be able to reserve for a larger party in short notice would be greatly appreciated! Money is not a limitation, and location just needs to be in Manhattan.
I feel like this is "Mission Impossible" --- we do have a 6:30 backup at both Tribeca Grill and Fiamma (only places I called who could accommodate us), but Tribeca seems to have the reputation of a "tourist" place and Fiamma has received mixed reviews since Trabocchi took over. So I'd love some other options, just don't know where to look!!
Thanks for your ideas!
Michelle
try devi or any of the patina group resturants
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L'Astrance without question. I can't stress that enough.
May I ask, could you describe your favorite meal at L'Astrance? Thanks
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I'm in the first stages of doing a total kitchen remodel and have come across two high-end ($35,000+) display kitchens for sale at about 90% off. Has anyone with a beer budget and champange tastes ever bought and installed a display kitchen?
Aside from the obvious caveats such as making sure the cabinets actually fit, is there anything else I should be aware of? Also, my guess is that if I need to buy additional cabinets of the same type I might have problems with color matching.
you'll want to check to see that the display pieces have not been cut or had their backs or sides removed or altered to fit the display. sometimes they shave off the back or remove a side panel. you may need to order replacement pieces or employ a good carpenter to repair some of the pieces. I've done this twice before and even the added expense of the repairs and replacement pieces were worthwhile because the cabinets were of the type and quality i already wanted but could not necessarily afford at full price but with all the work were still less than what would have been more easily affordable. 90% is an especially good deal, usually it's more like 50%. best of luck witht he project. where are you located? are you taking both sets i have another kitchen to renovate in the very near future :-)
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I'm resurrecting this thread to ask whether other members have had problems with FreshDirect, specifically incorrect items shipped and broken cryovac/vacuum pack seals. I use them only two or three times a year, but such problems seem to arise too often and I wonder whether frequent shoppers experience these things regularly. I should say that they are very responsive to complaints and clear them up quickly, but sometimes this throws cooking plans off track.
have received incorrect items, opened items and items with too short expiration dates. they are very responsive but if one has planned a menu around a particular item, it means the extra effort of running out to the local market to replace the missing or damaged item in a timely fashion.
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I remember reading that Ed Brown had somehow become involved with the Grand Tier operation, maybe last year. Am I imagining that?
We dined there a few years ago and thought the food was above average for catering, though not as good as a real restaurant. I think the reason a lot of folks choose it is that you can pre-order and eat during intermissions. My memory is fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure we had appetizers before the opera, entrees during the first intermission and desserts during the second intermission. A lot of folks just don't like to do a whole pre- or post-opera dinner, with the very long evening that creates. And especially the older folks and others with limited mobility -- it's great for them.
here's more info on ed brown's involvement:
http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/5747.html
my understanding is that he consults very often for other restaurants in the patina group.
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I had Carnation Instant Breakfast as a child and liked it (my grandmother was trying to fatten me up), so I had mom find some for me at the store last night as a starting point. I am drinking a glass of it right now, chocolate flavor, mixed with whole milk, and it's staying down ok as long as I sip it rather than swallowing. So that's a good start.
Additional info as to why I am seeking this sort of thing: I have breast cancer, and the chemo drugs are making me super-nauseous--I'm yarking quite a lot too. I can get down liquids far more easily than solids. I am eating ice cream and milkshakes too, but I wanted something with more nutritional profile if possible. Protein is especially good. I was told not to take a pill-type multivitamin so something with a spectrum of vitamins and minerals is also good.
Jell-o may also work for you. You may be able to add protein powder to the Jell-o mix for added nutritional value. I've been on a clear liquid diet for the last few weeks myself and Jell-o is one of the few things that I've been able to keep down. I hope that you can find more things that work for you.
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Well I did look on their website and they sell them in tins for restaurant supply, but I've no idea how I would go about getting one of those.
there are several listings on ebay, here's one for the size that i've seen before.
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Does anyone know if there's a way to buy Fabbri amarena cherries for a reasonable price but also in a quantity that a home cook would be likely to use up in her lifetime? It seems to me that a large portion of my $16-$20 is going to pay for the fancy jar. I thought I saw these in bulk somewhere recently but can't for the life of me remember where, and now I am kicking myself.
I've seen it in 7lb tins in food halls in Rome and Paris. Have you looked on the Fabbri Website to see if they sell product online? Good Luck!
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Yesterday I found out that I've been accepted into the United State Peace Corps. I'll be teaching computer science to middle and highschool aged kids for the next 2 years in Namibia, on the west coast of southern Africa.
Along with piles of paperwork the Peace Corps also included a brief description of Namibian food. From the sound of it, it is the land that taste forgot. Food is a means of survival, lots of rice, very little in the way of fresh fruits and vegetable. Meat only on special occasions. Lot of what they'll call sauce, aka ketchup. A typical meal consists of rice, topped with ketchup.
Things I will supposedly have access to (but I wouldn't count on):
- A gas powered fridge
- A stove with pots and pans
- Some simple canned vegetables, maybe.
With all that in mind, if you had to fill a small shoe box with some essentials, what would they be? Anything I bring needs to last at least a year, if not 2. What things would you bring to jazz up rice and similarly bland food? Spices? Dried anything? Preserved/canned anything? Small bottled sauces?
Looking forward to some great ideas,
Rashid
congrats, sounds like an exciting assignment. in trying to think of small things that add taste and keep well. i think i might take along some packages of knorr buillion cubes in different flavors, dried onions, cumin, chili powder, soy sauce powder, seasoned salt, even butter flavored salt. maybe a bag of popcorn. dried meats and poultry and dried fruits like cranberries, cherries strawberries and blueberries would also be good. if there's enough room i might take some baking mix like bisquik along. not sure about bugs or the heat being a factor but would try to take things that are well sealed and not prone to melt or have packaging that bugs could easily burrow through. quart and gallon sized ziplock freezer bags will add an extra layer of protection. is it possible that once you get there family or friends can send small pakages to supplement what you carry over there yourself?
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The perfume thing is a real problem. I've had to leave the opera at intermission because of people who don't know when to stop with the perfume. I get very ill. I feel rude when I leave, but I don't make a big deal out of it.
I haven't told the whole story about last night--I'm still upset about it. I did say something very nicely (I thought) and the other couple was so offended that they stormed out of the restaurant. Well, the woman was okay, but the man decided to leave and they did.
I went over to apologize to them and the man just wouldn't listen. The waitress assumed I said something terrible (I really didn't!). I was so mortified that I would have left the restaurant too, but I'd just cost them two patrons, so I stayed and ordered a lot and left a huge tip. I really didn't know what else to do. I had to go have a cry in the ladies' room before I came back to the table.
I couldn't really taste my food and I just wanted to leave. It was a horrible night. I'm a nice person and I felt responsible for ruining someone else's evening.
Now, if it had been me and someone unintentionally insulted me, I would accept the apology--everyone's human, I was tired, and whatever I said must not have come out the right way. But I didn't get a second chance with the couple who left.
So...besides never going out to dinner ever again, which I'm considering, what could I have done differently? (I mean after screwing up, that is.)
it's a very difficult situation and i have great sympathy for your dilemna. unless it's a packed house, i would imagine it should be enough to let the house manager or waitstaff know that you'd like a private space or not to be crowded, uness it's going to be a busy night and therefore unavoidable and if at some point they need to seat other patrons nearby that you'd appreciate a heads up. if they can give that notice, that's your opportunity to decide if you can cope or if you'd like to take what's left of your meal to go. within reason it's for the dining establishment to accomodate your reasonable request. probably best not to approach another diner or party as many people are not sympathetic and some people have their own issues or they may just be unreasonable. unless you are very comfortable explaining your personal issues you are not really obligated to give the restaurant a detailed explanation for your request. if you ask nicely and they agree to accomodate great. if they don't spend your dollars elsewhere. if you can become a regular somewhere, you can be accomodated without asking each time or they can let you know in advance that they have a busy night and may not be able to accomodate and you can make your choice at that time.
i wish you all the best.
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http://gothamist.com/2007/07/24/picnic_at_batte.php
maybe he's concentrating on this venture instead?
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I purchased the over the range hood dacor model and loved it. used the microwave more than the convection functions but fell in love with the quality. the dacor and sharp versions work identically but the dacor is made with more and more expensive metal than the sharp model, making it more expensive.
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Are there any other Jewish people (or even not) who grew up on the Polynesian-American egg roll, spare rib, fried rice, and shrimp in lobster sauce meal who remember eating chow fun back then with their families?
I'm a fond follower of the New York Jewish fan of Chinese(/American) food trend, but I hadn't even thought about this chow fun business. Now that you mention it, though, the only time I remember eating chow fun growing up in the New York Metro area was the few times I'd travel in to Manhattan to meet my dad for lunch, and he would take me to Wo Hop (his office was right near Chinatown). I don't recall ever having chow fun at any of the suburban (Rockland and Bergen County) Chinese restaurants my family frequented when we dined all together. Though for all I know, that might be because my parents simply didn't order it at those places ... isn't memory a funny thing?
I have very fond memories of Wo Hop as a High School student who commuted into Manhattan from Queens. We felt it was something special that we couldn't get at the Chinese restaurants near home, probably not until the very late 80's did Chow Fun make it to neighborhood restaurants on the outer boroughs. I asked at my neighborhood restaurant and the chef would sometimes make it special for me. Sometimes, when I came in to order he would make a special point to tell me that he had Chow Fun today! That was the start of alot of special orders that were not on the menu.
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i love my 24" liebherr. at first i thought the price was outrageous but when it came to a choice between the liebherr and a subzero in a small kitchen, the liebherr won on both price and size. now after almost 9 months of use, i find that my food keeps longer, nothing in the freezer gets damaged by freezer burn and i never loose anything at the back of the fridge. i'll be moving to a larger home soon and will purchase a liebherr once again. i have seen the conserv and its construction struck me as less substantial than that of the liebherr.
non-plastic electric teakettle
in Coffee & Tea
Posted
russell hobbs do a metal electric kettle. there may be a plastic pourer inside the metal spout