gfron1

Andiesenji, I couldn't help but notice that while your knife should be hung on the wall, the ruler you used to show perspective, should be tossed...hand-written numbers Maybe we can takea collection for you to get a new ruler. BTW, now I feel like this should be a competition in itself...so far the frozen food knife is #1!

I don't know what's more funny here...that it could have been a bean slicer?! How is that supposed to work?) or that is is a food liposuctioner HAH! What will the melbanese come up with next?

I'm embarrased to say that I sell these in my store. When we got them we tried them out for making salsa thinking, "how perfect - just the right size." Then the juice leaked out. Then the food pieces weren't chopped very well. Then our forearms started tiring. We never got to the point of the blade dulling and not knowing what to do with it, so we just gave it to a friend. When they finally sell out at, they won't be in our store anymore.

I knew this thread could be fun, but I had no idea how fun until I saw that scary frozen food cutter! That thing should be in a horror movie.

As I sat cursing my cheap strainer tonight, and moreso, cursed myself for not throwing the strainer away, I thought maybe egulleters might enjoy sharing their favorite kitchen gadget that they just can't bring themselves to put in the trash. Here are my two... Notice the lovely stain in addition to the damaged plastic Why do I have this again....?

Wow, I got a mention! Silver City is no food mecca (yet) but its coming. So, when you do have time to check us out I'd love to tell you all the great food spots. We have, what I think, is the best carneceria (butcher) anywhere that I've seen in a decade or more. We also have one of the best organic restaurants I've ever been to about an hour north of us in a town called Reserve. But, here in town, we have some great eats (Southwest/French/American fusion, Meditteranean, Hunter Haven) and more coming (Carribbean inspired, French Pastry, Panini Grill). May not seem impressive to big city folk, but for a town of 10K, 2 hours from anything, we're doing pretty good! Have a great trip. Rob

Wow...I can sleep soundly tonight. Thanks! ...but then again, what about turbinado

Sugar debate... I had heard that in its melted/dissolved form beet sugar was more granular/gritty. When I compare them side by side, the only difference I see is the fineness (beat sugar seems more powdering v. granular), making me wonder if the difference isn't the machining of the sugar. But then, I also think the way the plant processes and the soil differences between where sugar grows and beats, all might make a flavor difference. I wonder if in their liquid or melted form there might be a taste difference. I'll have to play more...

I guess I missed it for the past 25 years of my cooking life...beat sugar...I thought I was buying cane sugar. My refined sense of snobbery has me paying for the more expensive cane, but does it matter?

I've been eating way too many of Steve's Mom Bakery hamentaschen...especially the apricot dipped in chocolate. Their macaroons are fantastic too.

I double checked and ours is Zarrin brand. My favorite use for this is a meatloaf or roast glaze. We also tried it in martinis...big mistake, but pomegranate JUICE martinis are fantastic! I've been wanting to try it as a layer in a dark chocolate brownie...maybe I'll do that this weekend

I know this forum isn't a marketplace, but I carry it in my store. Our website (www.curiouskumquat.com) doesn't allow purchase yet, but you can email me directly if you get desperate. The other thing to consider is that it is often called pomegranate paste, and our brand is Tazah which should be readily available in the Chicago region. All in all, ours is inexpensive and I'd be happy to help you out. Rob

As they say...now we're cooking. These are great ideas! Thanks and keep 'em coming.

This feedback is very helpful - thank you guys. Hearing it, I guess my quest is to find the perfect meal based on a stereotype. In other words, if you thought Olive Garden was a gourmet meal, but, you watched the Food Network until your eyes glazed over, what would you think the perfect meal would be. I've been thinking about the 25 year balsamic, foie gras, kobe beef, etc...

Affordable in our small town is very different from the NYC or SF crowds, but we're hoping to have the meal cost around $75 per person. If we can develop the perfect meal, then we can work on finding ingredients to get a decent price.

My apologies in advance if this topic is in the archives already - I did search but didn't find it... I am planning an event called The Night of 1001 Delights. The idea is to bring together 10-15 guests and serve what the average person would consider the perfect meal. I want the opportunity to open up the 25-year balsamic, etc with people who otherwise would not have the opportunity. The question is what would that meal consist of. I want this to be affordable for them but be the ultimate, special moment. Ideas, suggestions... Thanks

This was as necessary improvement to a good thing as the individually wrapped potato and single serve banana...marketing drives the kitchen...and sometimes you crash

El Rey for me as well for meltability reasons - BTW the Icoa is the same as the Carenero Superior. For eating, baking, etc, I haven't found any I like better than Domori..but I haven't been able to get it to melt smoothly. But I think it has the most complex flavor of all the whites.

We have Fusion brand crisps from Tayto in Roast Beef Peppercorn and Roast Cheese Peppercorn...yum! But a bit scary at how much they taste like the names.

WasabiPeanuts This is a product that I've been wanting to try for the past year - a bit pricey, but sounds good.

I recently enjoyed a bag of BBQ Yucca Chips. They weren't too bad, but it made me start to wonder about all of the varieties of chips/crisps. My favorite is still plaintain (when done well), or homemade potato chips with sea salt. What other great ones are out there?

At our store we lovingly call Black Sheep Brewery's Black Sheep Chutney "Vomit Chutney." I have customers who swear by the stuff, but apparently it doesn't mix well with my mouth chemicals.

Its been mentioned twice but Twinkies. I used to be on the Indianapolis Star's food advisory panel, and every year they would invite us to the state fair to try out the latest fair food (its a tough job but someone's got to do it). I thought the previous year's Snicker was too much (although I ate every last morsel and grease stain), but the Twinkie...ahhh...just enough grease soaked into the golden sponge to squirt as i bit. Funny...now that I think of it, that was my last gig with that panel and I moved to New Mexico to open a gourmet food store...I wonder what the connection might be?!

I am rested after the chocolate madness. You can go to this url to see the results: ChocolateSushi I did seven different chocolates: Chocolate Dillusion Maki: Double layered 70% chocolate nori filled with chocolate marquis and cacao nibs, rolled in gold leaf Grande Isle Maki: 70% chocolate nori filled with white chocolate rice, candied ginger twigs, and rolled in toasted coconut Milanese Maki: 70% chocolate nori filled with white chocolate rice (boosted with chocolate extract), marzipan (colored pink), and crushed amaretti cookies, rolled in amaretti powder Rising Sun Maki: 70% chocolate nori filled with green tea infused white chocolate rice, paper-thin sliced kumquat, and white chocolate coconut cream, rolled in toasted macadamia nuts The Glutten Nigiri: White chocolate rice (boosted by chocolate extract), topped with 85% chocolate ganache and gold leaf The Goddess Nigiri: White chocolate coconut rice topped in 70% ganache, dipped in ganache and rolled in pistachios The Gift Nigiri: Green tea white chocolate rice topped in ganache and tied with a spun sugar ribbon Key details: I used transfer paper for the nori to apply an design and sheen. The nori was made with 70% El Rey chocolate, inverted sugar, butter and sunflower oil (to make them non-tacky) for a great flexible yet cutable material. Marzipan was used to make ginger and wasabi. I also had a coffee syrup dipping sauce that I sent to the judges. The rice was the biggest challenge. In the end I used sweet rice and made sure it was well cooked. To add the rice, coconut, etc I layered the rice with the additive in the steamer. ~Fin~

I've thought about that so I'm going to pulverize the candied ginger and then reform, so it should cut cleanly. Thanks.