susiew

Hi there, Well today I'm making pao de queijo which is Brazilian cheese bread. Incredibly chewy and delicious, it's like the "national food" of Brazil. I am thinking of making some locum (turkish delight) type of candy with tapioca flour. It would have a similar effect to glutinous rice flour only I'm guessing maybe more chewy. The iced teas with balls in them are tapioca balls.

I recently discovered the "fun" of working with tapioca flour. I have not made anything quite edible yet and am curious to hear if anyone has made candies using the flour or syrup vs. traditional alternatives such as to create gummies, jellies, caramels etc.

Hi all, I made peppermint patties using confectioner's sugar, peppermint oil, agave nectar, olive oil, and fresh lime juice. Then coated them with dark chocolate. (Very delicious.) Is it necessary to refrigerate these? And if I used zest instead, would it be necessary to refrigerate? Thanks very much!

Hi, I am going to try making a large amount of compote, made only with unsulphured dried fruit and nuts from California. Do you know of a good single source to purchase this wholesale? And do you know of the best way to chop up dried fruit? Food processors seem to make it into a paste too quickly and by hand is, well, too painful to even think about! Thanks for any and all advice. Susie

I've made Gourmet magazine Dec 1998 marshmallow recipe multiple times and have been very happy with the results. It's very hardy and you can mix things into the marshmallow. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/15797

If you are going to the trouble to make it, I agree ALL BUTTER. That's the traditional way and if you do a side by side comparison there is no contest to baklava that uses margarine. If you're concerned about calories there are definitely ways to achieve a "baklava" effect like rolling the nuts in a small filo sheet instead of all the layers (the "fingers"). The raw cashew filled fingers are my favorites. Pure fatty sugary goodness!

Good point - If you stacked them at angles it could look kind of tree like. Hmm maybe I should actually try using them this year! Thanks for the thought.

Specifically I am wondering what one does with a set of bundt-pan like pans that are sexagonol and have about 6 sizes - it appears to be for a hollow sexagonal tiered cake. Does anyone know about this? My mom gave me this set oh 22 years ago. I have yet to unpack it from the box and am thinking of finding a new home for it. Thanks for any info! Susie

You might try grinding up the hazelnuts in the honey. I got some paste like that in Italy that has a nutella like flavor only much more sublime. Drizzling the nuts and honey over various kinds of hard Italian cheeses could be incredible.

I'm friend's with a California citron grower (the only one in the US I believe). If you decide to go commercial with your Esrog-cello and want a connection let me know.

Alas there is a tourist on this board! I am from California and spent 2 weeks in London in June, during which I went twice to Borough. In California I tend to visit at least 2 farmer's markets on any weekend and am very aware of prices and who is reselling vs. selling goods they produce. At Borough I saw several resellers of cheese whose prices were really marked high (vs the same cheeses I'd seen in delis and supermarkets). I was mostly excited about Neal's Yard mostly as I assumed many of the cheeses would not be available elsewhere. My friends in Islington had their produce delivered through a community supported agriculture program. I don't have the contact info but perhaps that's of interest to others who want fresh organic produce at a more affordable price.

Chocolate all the way. I ate a large part of a box of Enstrom's toffee and later found out why it was that I had such a craving. I'm never ordering it again! Too dangerous

Hershey is on a rampage! From August 15: "The Hershey Company Acquires Joseph Schmidt Confections and Completes Scharffen Berger Acquisition, Extending Reach Into Premium Chocolate Segment" http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050815/phm039.html?.v=15 An optimistic thought: Perhaps John Scharffenberger can go on to being more influential in Hershey's cacao sourcing practices.

Hear hear. To further endorse, all over So Cal are imitators with names that look/sound like "Tommy's" like "Tomy's Original". Tommy's is a stand in a parking lot. The burgers overflow with cheap chili and thick slabs of beef steak tomato. They have bathroom paper towel dispensers for you to manage your deliciously sloppy mess. You stand up while eating or sit in your car. There is nothing like them and if you grew up on them, the craving never goes away (as witnessed by my passionate recommendation). In case you are on Highway 5 near Valencia, there is a Tommy's there that is as good as the original but without the character. I once saw it and thought it was an oasis after my long drive...

When I'm in Portland my sister and I often go to Walter's, which is a good reliable lunch spot. (She comes down from downeast Maine specifically with going to Walter's in mind, but that may be more a reflection on the cuisine selection up there! )