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Kerry Beal

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Posts posted by Kerry Beal

    Help for a Couple of Cocktail Novices (Part 1)

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    Not sure of the name on this one - it's Pimms with gin, angostura bitters and fizzy lemon. Enjoyed a first sip then set it down next to the child.

    Heard it hit the ground. My mouse was under the mess - don't think it's ever going to work the same again. Kinda sticky this one.

    Anyway hubby seemed to enjoy his!

    Never had Pimm's #1 but my understanding is that it is a 50 proof gin based drink to begin with so if you add more gin that would be a lot of gin! I see from looking up a couple of recipes that gin is a common companion to Pimm's. Is it pretty typical to add more gin to drinks containing Pimm's? I suppose if it works then that's OK!

    Does this drink have a preponderance of the fizzy lemon part of the equation?

    This particular version did have a preponderance of fizzy lemon - I don't think it necessarily needs to. Was just the size of the glass I chose. More sticky stuff for the floor, the papers, the check books, the computer mouse, the TV remote...

    Freezing Grated Zucchini

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I figured that you might like an update on this: the frozen bags of zucchini weep more than a bit when thawed - so I've taken to draining off about half of the liquid before I use them. However, on the upside, the result is actually better in the death-by-chocolate cake with frozen zucch than it is with fresh.

    Interesting - more 'meat', less stray liquid I guess.

    Confections! (2006-2012)

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    Hello Everyone! As many before me have said - This is my very first post after much lurking.

    I'm not a pro. I don't even consider myself a terribly skilled amateur. But I am ambitious. I have a stumper that I'm hoping people here can help me solve. I'm not sure this is exactly the topic to pose it in, (perhaps the flavors topic is more appropriate) but I've been so impressed with what people are working on I'm hoping someone will have an idea.

    I'm trying to make a truffle based on the Scottish dessert Cranachan (KRA neh ken). It's a surprisingly tasty dessert of whipped cream flavored with honey and whisky, toasted oats and raspberries. My friend served it at her wedding. I'd love to make this for her as a surprise for her upcoming baby shower.

    I've got pieces of it figured out, I think. Reduced raspberry puree, toasted oat praline, but I'm at a loss when it comes to the whipped cream, honey, whisky analogue. It's supposed to be light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. I think the sweetness level, and body make a white chocolate ganache (butter or cream) unsuitable. Fondant would be out for the same reason. I was thinking perhaps of italian meringue buttercream, or maybe even just italian meringue?

    I've looked over a couple of the books I have (Shotts, Greweling) and nothing really popped out at me as the right direction.

    Might anyone have any thoughts?

    Thanks in advance

    Viktoria

    Welcome Viktoria,

    I love the idea of that flavour combination - the oat praline will help keep the crunch if you either make them at the very last minute or roll them in it.

    I'd still probably start with a white chocolate truffle - Greweling's Dark and Stormy in particular. Use a not very sweet white chocolate, replace some or all of the cream with the raspberry puree.

    Sous Vide: Recipes, Techniques & Equipment, 2011

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Thanks for the bubble wrap tip PedroG. Just wondering if bubble wrap copes with > 85C sous vide temperatures?

    Is the FMM container a standard size? I have a DIY sous vide setup on a 1/1 Gastronorm polycarbonate container and I'm considering buying an insulated box for it. There are some called Thermoboxes (think it's from a company called Thermo Future). They an't cheap (about $50) but promise a drop of only 2C per hour and handle temperatures up to 120C. Plus I can use them to actually transport food or keep stuff cold too.

    May be an option for the FMM if it's close to the GN sizes.

    SVM container is a Cambro - the size he provides would still set you back a few bucks.

    Sous Vide: Recipes, Techniques & Equipment, 2011

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Has anyone tried using the STC-1000? I know it isn't PID but they say it is good enough for practical purposes. I was thinking of building one myself since it comes out to be so cheap.

    My friend is really pushing me into the SousVideMagic kit with the heater. He is seemingly afraid of the DIY options and even resistent to rice cookers. Has anyone actually used the heater? What do you think about the container they give you? Seems like it not being insulated could be a problem.

    Me on the other hand an fine with getting my hands dirty and it even makes it more interesting. We are building this thing initially for Thanksgiving, to cook turkey, so I was going to buy this roaster to use since it holds 22 quarts and throw a fountain pump in there to get the water moving around. I might go to a rice cooker after that just for regular day to day usage.

    The real problem kind of is price where as at $300 for the kit I'm going to have to share this with someone else but for $100 that the STC-1000 combo with the roaster would probably cost me I would be able to own this myself outright. Probably even for $200.

    So what do you guys think? Should I just go for the kit or do you think I should try to build this thing? Or even a combination like getting the SousVideMagic with the Roaster. I'm also open to other suggestions that i'm not considering. Like i've seen some people use large coffee pots. I've also seen some other kits out there where you solder things together for $70 to $80 but you end up with a real PID.

    I have the SVM with the heater - I love it! It heats the water amazingly quickly. I've used it with the container that Frank provided to go with it and with a big pail while up north. I was a beta tester for Frank's original SVM that I attached to my slow cooker - love the one with the heater much more. Water is ready in a fraction of the time.

    Guitar cutter: Sourcing, Using, Maintaining

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    Hi everyone. I've long considered buying a guitar cutter, but the cost has been way too much for me. My hobbyist scale doesn't justify $2500, a fact I curse under my breath every time I'm faced with cutting 10 slabs of ganache by hand.

    Just recently, though, I ran across this new product at Kerekes: a "mini guitar" with a 24cmx24cm surface for $650: http://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=23508&catid=371. Anyone have experience with this, or other insights? I think it's made by Martellato, mentioned in a previous post. I only cut ganache, no caramels, so I wonder if I could dispense with an all-metal cutter as bomb-proof as the Dedy. Heck, I can't afford the Dedy anyways....

    Thanks in advance!

    Dedy makes a mini too - but not that inexpensive. When I was looking at that mini at Kerekes site I couldn't see anymore than one set of wires for it.

    The Ladies Who Lunch (Part 1)

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    Lunch today at Sokratis greek restaurant.

    As has become our habit we went with a variety of appetizers. Pita with tzatziki, melitzanosalata (an eggplant dip), and tirokafteri (spicy feta with sundried tomato dip).

    6196240435_400966998a.jpg

    Calamari of course.

    6196240467_f13a842eab.jpg

    Shrimp and mushroom saganaki.

    6196751218_e4a4d630d5.jpg

    There was a service dog at the next table. A rather cute little whippet - not quite sure what service he performed. He may have been a highly trained professional, but when the food came out - he was like every other dog.

    Cooking with "Modernist Cuisine" (Part 3)

    in Cooking

    Posted

    The Egg really does not do cold smoking, which is what the recipe calls for. Some folks have gone to great lengths to adapt an Egg for cold smoking. The easiest approach is to get a charcoal starter chimney, and just put that in the bottom of the Egg with a half load of lump. Other folks have been very industrious, and hooked a mini-Egg to a large via a drier vent hose, and just pumped smoke thru the hose.

    I've tried a couple of variations on MC techniques w. the Egg. My best results have been to cook as usual, dome around 250, for 45 - 90 minutes. That gives a good smoke flavor, and melts the rub into the meat. Then into the SV.

    The wood used for smoking makes a large difference. A local market has been selling some oak from Texas, and those chips make the most extraordinary smoke flavor. Strong, but subtle, much richer even than hickory.

    I think getting a fork tender piece of brisket is a success. I find brisket to be the hardest cut to cook and get something both moist and tender. So if the taste was not so great, well, that is why there is sauce, as you found with a few days later.

    I use a little ProQ smoke generator to cold smoke in my egg.

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