Suzanne F

What do you think of these two books? I've got them both. (Must say that I bought Curries and Bugles because Laurie Colwin recommended it in two of her essays.) They're both fascinating as histories; I'm not sure I'd ever cook from them. Maybe someday, since the recipes in both look quite accessible. I suppose there's enough subject there for a couple of threads: the adaptations made to native foods by colonizers; and the adaptations of colonial imports made by natives. (I hope I've said that in an inoffensive way; I certainly mean nothing negative.) And what about the volume on India in the Time-Life Foods of the World series? The text is by Santha Rama Rau. That's the book that started my love affair with Indian food back in 1969.

That's one reason I have Linda Bladholm's three books: The Asian/Indian/Latin & Caribbean Grocery Store Demystified. And Elizabeth Schneider's books, and many, many other picture books on ingredients. But I go about this question from the exact opposite direction: I go into an "ethnic" store, buy something that looks interesting (whether or not I know what it is ), then bring it home and try to figure out what to do with it. Sometimes I will find a recipe to follow; sometimes I will only find information about what it is and make up something based on similar ingredients I'm used to; sometimes I'm still clueless and just try anything. Haven't killed us yet with that approach. I'm all for the thrill of discovery! And trillium, when you come down to it, most of the foods we eat are exotic (= "introduced from another country; not native to the place where found" -- Webster 10).

Nerissa, oh, I haven't made it yet. Still need to go get more cardoons first! But you led me to the right place anyway. Pixelchef, how do you deal with those vicious barbs on the inside leaves? Just wear gloves to handle them? Man, I had no idea they were there, and almost lost my fingers. awbrig, will you behave yourself?

I haven't the foggiest, but I hope whoever wins this round knows lots of places on this side of the pond, too. Oh, Simon . . .

I remember some of that from when it first appeared in the Times, the whole Equal bit. Before the series slipped into trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator of hip young things. For which I still blame her editors, not her. Can't say that I'll buy it, but I might want to read it. And thanks for reminding me of SauteWednesday -- that's a great site, and vastly expanded since the last time I had a look. Bruce, if you're looking in here, thumbs up!

We have always been taught that it is not genteel to express our opinions in such a way as to suggest that we know any more than anyone else. Guess I never learned that lesson, huh? If I can't say "I think. . . " or "I want to know . . ." or "I DO know about this . . ." then why should anybody listen to me? No wait, don't answer that. BTW, David, where the hell were you tonight???

Mille grazie! I just looked in The Babbo Cookbook and found several, all very tempting (including a gratin with 1 cup of cream, what the hell ).

Bought some cardoons a couple of weeks ago. Followed a suggestion in Vegetables from Aramanth to Zucchini to a beef and cardoon stew in New Food of Life. Also braised the remainder with onions, stock, and wine. Both were delicious. (Cardoons look like a head of gray-green celery, and taste rather like artichokes.) HWOE wants more cardoons! Anyone have any recipes that do not involve cream ? Or leads to "ethnic" cookbooks that include some? Much obliged.

One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres: braised leeks, chilled, and served with a vinaigrette. Trim off the roots and the tough dark green part; split the leek lengthwise and rinse really, really thoroughly. Single layer in a pan with a lot of butter, salt & pepper, white stock or wine. Bring to a boil, turn down heat, cover, simmer until soft but not falling apart. Drain (save the liquid), chill. Arrange a few pieces on top of some nice lettuce on a plate, drizzle with vinagrette. I make one that has 1 tsp of egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (more if necessary), 1 tsp vinegar -- white wine or herb -- 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 1/2 cup oil. You mix it just like mayonnaise -- it will be much thinner, though -- and at the end beat in 1 tsp of heavy cream. This dressing does not break! (I'm not sure I can enter the dressing recipe in eGRA, since I make it exactly as it was printed in the NY Times in 1978 )

And they use Gale Gand's own root beer, right? Must be GREAT.

Uhhh . . . Anyway, I DO cringe when HWOE orders a cappucino after dinner. I guess if you repress anarchism one way (in eating), it pops out somewhere else. How many governments has Italy had since the end of WW II? But then again, isn't Italy the source of that most wonderful bit of anarchic eating: a breakfast of ice cream on brioche?

For fresh, raw sauces, I'd definitely seed. Peel? Maybe, if the skins seemed tough. For long-cooked sauces, wouldn't bother with either. Non-sauce use: when I make (oven-dried) tomatoes, I always seed. Otherwise it takes FOREVER for the tomatoes to dry enough. But I don't toss out the seeds and goo: I strain it and save the "water" for later use. In fact, when I used to make a tomato water gelee at work, I would take ALL the innards and skins from the tomatoes that had been concassed to add to the puree for dripping. (I too hate throwing away anything usable. But in a restaurant you have to balance product cost against labor cost.)

Looks very interesting. Whom do you expect to use this recipe? Home cooks? Line cooks? Whichever -- but especially for home cooks -- the ingredient list and directions need to be clearer. - Is the fish filleted or skin-on? And wow, that's a big portion! - How are the apples sliced -- cored rounds or sliced wedges? How thick? And can you suggest varieties that work best? - Can you suggest some wines that would work? - What do you mean by "presentation side?" (a line cook will know, home maybe not) - Which now is the top of the fish, where the apple slices go? - You mean proscuitto should be almost paper-thin, not "narrow," right? - Is the glaze cooked down at all first, or used raw? - How long to bake, and at what temperature? A lot of people have no idea how to tell when fish is done (including some line cooks I used to work with ) Betcha didn't know how hard it would be to write a recipe! And this is only the first cut.

This place has one hell of a good publicist! There's a mention of it in the May/June 2003 Australia Vogue Entertaining + Travel. Well, granted, the writer of the piece is based in NYC. But still, the editors thought it worth including.

My favorite ice cream to use is coffee. What's yours?

Uh oh, this is almost as loaded a question for me as hot sauces. To get the original Q out of the way: soppresata on thin slices of baguette; cheddar alone, on a piece of apple, or on (current stock): Akmak Wasa sourdough Finn Crisp dark with caraway Carr's Table Waters Carr's Cheddar Carr's Wholemeal Carr's Sesame and Poppy Seed (although I hate poppy seeds; but HWOE likes them) Nabisco Saltines, Unsalted tops (full fat, though!) Master Choice Garlic and Herb Grissini (from Food Emporium) Manischewitz Onion Tam Tams Manischewitz not kosher-for-Passover Whole Wheat Matzohs I love Triscuits, but rarely buy them. Also Sunshine White Cheddar, but I think of them more as a snack food than as a cracker. Ritz are okay. ALL MUST BE REGULAR, NOT LOW FAT!!!!! Clearly, I am NOT a follower of Dr. Atkins.

Jane, a very genuine welcome, regardless of whether you agree with what I said earlier or not. What's your take on the article that forms the basis for this thread -- personally or editorially? And one other thing: your expected audience is younger than what? whom?

Oh, that used to happen to me at the knife counter of Broadway Panhandler. Maybe I looked like Harvey Firestein in a baseball cap and glasses? (I'd kill to have a voice like his, though. ) (For those who don't know, HF is a the actor playing Edna Turnblad on Broadway in "Hairspray." He is kind of, um, hefty and, in that role, zaftig.)

Also a brief writeup in this week's New York Magazine. Oh, I see Robert Brown mentioned it. NYM also liked -- nay, loved -- the cannoli.

Marlene, interesting you say that. I assume that A&P there is the same as A&P here, which means the same as Food Emporium. And much as I dislike my local FE, their meats are quite good. So that's one characteristic that seems to hold across the board for them (Compass Foods).

Sounds a lot like all those people who say, "Hey, my friends tell me I'm a pretty good cook; think I'll open a restaurant." Or, "I just love giving my friends a good time; I know, I'll open a bar -- and I'll serve really good food, too!" I can hardly contain myself waiting.

Jeez -- I had classmates it restaurant school just like that. Even at the end of the course! But is putting in a head of garlic instead of a few cloves really a problem? Not always.

Kokoretsi -- innards wrapped in other innards and roasted over a spit. I look forward to my yearly fix at the Ninth Avenue International Food Festival in NYC (ah, in only about 4 and a half weeks!) Also quail stuffed with herbs and cheese and spit-roasted.

Double Fudge Brownies 1 c granulated sugar 1 c brown sugar (light or dark) 2/3 c butter 1/4 c water 12 oz (by weight) chopped bittersweet chocolate 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 eggs 1-1/2 c AP flour 2 T cocoa powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 c chopped nuts or flaked coconut Preheat oven to 325º F. Combine sugars, butter, and water in a saucepan. Bring just to boil Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate is melted.* Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Add gradually to chocolate mixture. Blend in nuts or coconut. Spread in a greased 13" X 9" X 2" pan. Bake 50 minutes, until done (clean pick in middle). Cool in pan; cut into squares or rectangles. (Makes about 48, or some other number depending on how you cut them.) * Alternate method: melt half of the chocolate, and mix the other half into the batter with the nuts. (This is what the original recipe called for, but I've never done it.) Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG411 )

Tissue, that sounds like a way I'd be willing to try natto again. I LOVE shiso! Guess I'll have to ask the store clerks for help, though, since Japanese is one language I can't figure out.