Lisa Shock

I am able to get cumin and other seeds to a powder, what I tend to use is a bit coarser, but that also depends on how long I work on it. For curries, I usually just break things down a little and move on. Herbs have not been an issue, even rosemary breaks down pretty quickly. With dry chiles, I have been able to get an extremely fine powder. I recall once that I made a confection where the chile was so fine that in the final sugary product, people didn't call the dessert spicy, they exclaimed that had an effervescent sensation on their tongues. My mortar is fairly heavy, making grinding easier. And, I have noticed a difference between it and its smaller predecessor (which still grinds green tea for the husband) which is made of soapstone. The larger marble one is faster and makes finer powder. My guess is that harder rock yields a finer powder. I use a grater, the cool new mini-microplane nutmeg grater, for nutmeg. For cinnamon I use the fine microplane and the mortar and pestle. This is all at home. The health department here hates mortar & pestles and stone ones are not allowed in a commercial kitchen. I have seen stainless ones and been meaning to try one for a while, but, keep forgetting.

That would seem to work, however, most health department guidelines for professionally producing such a product (where it's allowed at all) also require acidulation of the garlic as the first step. One quick note is that even under pressure canning conditions, the product would have to fully reach temperature and stay there for more than 5 minutes. You may have noticed that there isn't much garlic oil for sale in supermarkets.

I just use a small mortar & pestle. (well, not the smallest out there, it's 5" tall, the bowl is 3" deep and 3.5" wide) I got it 16 years ago for under $10, at World Market, it's made of black marble and cleans up fast. It sits right next to the stove, and is always ready to go.

You may wish to check out THIS thread on infused oils and food safety. In general, it is best to make and consume them on the same day.

There was (at least when I lived there) a bar in Santa Fe that served martinis as a plain glass and a 6-inch bowl of ice with things in/on it. There was a flask of the martini down in the ice, it actually resembled a mini wine carafe. On top of the ice were 3 large olives, 3 pearl onions and three twists. There was enough martini to consume all of the garnishes if you poured 1/3 of it in the glass at a time. Most people consumed this from least to most flavorful: onion, olive, twist. I know the concept is similar to the glass that is so hated, but the larger open shape is easier to manage. The biggest drawback to this setup is that one must stay seated to enjoy it.

Well, I tend to wash them in a freshly set up 3-compartment sink with the usual 'wash, rinse, sanitize' setup. You want to avoid having any oils in the sink, like might be present in used dishwater. I haven't seen any real difference in soaps. At home, with a 2-compartment sink, I wash with soap in one side, rinse with the tap, and sanitize in the other side -using bleach in the water at a concentration of a tablespoon per quart of water. (I measured the capacity once, now, I just know to add ¼ cup of bleach to the filled sink.) I also pick them up with fresh clean towels right after washing. My biggest problem with silicon mats is ripping them while doing sugar work. Nougatine really rips them up.

At home I tend to dry mine on the handle of my oven door, if the oven is cooling down it speeds things up. Don't forget to shake it as you pull it from the sink, a lot of water will roll right off it. In a commercial kitchen, I tend to put them on the side slats of an empty speed rack and then into a cooling oven.

That's great! Just make sure to get a good relationship going with the servers, so they talk up your desserts from the start of the meal so people look forward to your special desserts.

I like to mention whether the spiciness hits immediately, or if you get flavor first. I also prefer to describe where you feel it on the palate. For example, jalepenos get you right away and right up front on the tip of the tongue and keep burning. Whereas, cayenne sneaks up on you (allowing a taste of the food first)and warms the back of the throat.

You could try Duchess potatoes, those are always well received.

Very little sticks to the bamboo. I generally just rinse mine off with water and allow to dry. The steam kills most everything anyway. I use mine for veggies and, occasionally, steamed buns made with a lean yeast dough. But, the buns go onto parchment squares before being placed inside. Anything sticky or saucy is in a separate bowl inside the steamer, and that bowl gets washed as usual in the dishwasher. I like the steamer because it's easy to handle and cool to the touch, except for the metal stitches on the side.

Try checking out your local health department, and their regulations. Here, for example, you need to turn in plans before having a vehicle made or re-fitted for food service. You also, at least here, stock it and clean it at a health-department licensed facility. There are specific guidelines for hand-washing facilities, water storage, ice storage, etc. Your regulations will probably be different, but, it's better to know in advance rather than be fined or shut down later.

I've never been able to make anything very good at home. But, the 'Gimme Lean' stuff is available at most of the big chain supermarkets, and is similar to breakfast sausage patties. As stated above, it's very low in fat. I am able to get it to crisp-up by frying in a little oil. It holds up well in casseroles and on pizza. White Wave, a Colorado tofu company, used to sell 'SoySage' (a small brick with a patè-lie texture) to Wild Oats, prior to the WF buyout of WO. It was tasty, but had to be fried til crusty to stand up in most dishes. It had visible sunflower seeds in it, which was comforting as an indicator that there wasn't any meat in it.

There's always the gin & tonic, just twist lemon or lime zest over the glass before filling it. I have seen ice cube trays that make big diamond shapes. I think it was at Sur La Table, but I am not 100% certain, they are not available in their online store. Two clear alcohols not mentioned here are aquavit and corn whiskey (there are legal versions for sale), but, I'd go and look at the variety of clear liqueurs and eau de vies available to you. Maybe some good Poire Williams?

Purple cauliflower keeps its color very well. I have gotten it at Sprouts and 99 Cents Only stores.

Deep frying in plain cast iron can cause oxidation of some fats, which results in carcinogenic substances associated with rancidity. (remember, oil can be rancid and have no odor) This isn't a problem with some saturated fats, but, most people don't deep fry in pure lard anymore, either. Alton Brown covers this in an episode of Good Eats. The enamel-ware is the way to go. Remember, always use a pan with high sides and a thermometer.

I really liked this episode, but, I was wondering if two of the groups didn't pair up correctly? Shouldn't the sauce Munier have been with trout, and the Bernaise been with the frog's legs? I mean, I understand that nowadays we mess around with the classics all the time, but wasn't the point here to start with classical pairings?

Dry ginger is what was usually used in western kitchens as a flavoring. When a recipe calls for a teaspoon of 'ginger' that's what they mean. Candied was also used, but recipes will specify it. You can use fresh, but, you'll have to experiment, as stated above.

Yes. Here is a link to Volume I. Here is a link to Volume II. Volume 2 has more in-depth coverage of pastry, charcuterie and desserts. But, it covers many topics in more depth and has valuable resources. IIRC it was first published in 1970. I recommend purchasing both. If one is thinking of purchasing Mastering the Art, the second volume has some really wonderful recipes and lots of illustrations.

What about online shopping? At the very least, I'm sure that a bunch of eBay sellers would love to ship you exactly what you are looking for.

Honestly, this was my first thought on the subject. If there's one thing I learned from the Cooking to Honor Julia Child thread & my own experiences with MAFC is that the recipes really work. It is a big book, but part of the reason for that is the extreme attention to detail in the instructions. The reader is not expected to be an expert, yet is not treated like an imbecile.

I can't give any recommendations, but, as a vegetarian I'd like to offer a reminder to ask about how places prepare their beans, rice, and flour tortillas, as lard and other pork products are often involved.

-Entertainment options were limited as well... Green Goddess dressing was also very popular. It was the #1 salad dressing in restaurants from the late 20's through the 50's. (before ranch conquered the world) Cesar salad was for two and made by a waiter, tableside, with large flourishes, in a garlic rubbed wooden bowl larger than a sink basin. -All on a cart which was wheeled to your table with great fanfare.

My cookbooks from the period don't even have canape/Hors d'Oeuvres category. -Except the Gun Club Cookbook, 1930. (written by men) It suggests that canapes are larger and softer than Hors d'Oeuvres, and are served on a plate to seated guests who eat them with a knife and fork like an appetizer -a sort of pre-appetizer. Hors d'Oeuvres are described as being made/served in fancy hotels. They can be: savory spreads on crackers, raw oysters, sausages, smoked fish, various pickles/olives, or caviar and blinis. The savory spreads include chopped ham with butter, anchovy paste, and scrambled eggs. They do suggest serving a wide variety of pickles and olives -plain or mixed in butter. One of my cookbooks from the 1920's does suggest mixing mayo with curry powder and sugar for an exotic sandwich seasoning, served with standard sliced meats. So, a curry spread might be a possibility. Two cookbooks have spaghetti recipes, but they are very pedestrian and call for very long cooking times. No other Italian dishes are mentioned. I cannot discern and Chinese influence at all. (my recollection is that the early 1970's was when home cooks started attempting Chinese food in earnest, following the 1940's tiki craze with ersatz Chinese, Japanese & Polynesian creations) My guess is that people went out or got carry-out for exotic Chinese or Italian food. Remember that at the time, chicken was not being mass-produced. So, it was costly like steak or lobster. The trendy dessert at the time, although I cannot recall the name, was canned pineapple ring supporting a half-banana (standing up like a slightly bent finger pointing upwards), with a maraschino cherry on top. Yes, it's bizarre and vaguely obscene. It would have been an expensive dish at the time.

I don't like the modern tall 'Belgian' style waffles, so, I use a couple of vintage waffle irons that I re-wired. I have a large round Edison that belonged to my grandmother, but I prefer to use my Sunbeam duo brunch model that makes two six inch waffles at once. Both irons have built in thermometers. There are some really great old commercial models as well. -Made back during a time when these things were expected to last through several lifetimes.