nakji

The other week, my CSA decided to give me three heads of broccoli. Broccoli is the sort of vegetable I'll tolerate, but I really only like it if I've drenched it in butter, covered it in breadcrumbs, and run it under the broiler until it's crisped beyond recognition. I posted on my Facebook feed to see if anyone had any suggestions for what to do with it, and my father laughingly suggested I try his version of broccoli beef - which I had completely blocked out of my memory. Because it was awful. I really, really hated my father's broccoli beef when I was growing up. It wasn't his fault, though. All he had access to in my small Canadian hometown was "minute" steak; frozen broccoli; a cast iron pan (no wok); indifferent rice - not minute, at least; and V-1 soy sauce. And he was cooking from "Wok with Yan", a book he purchased after watching the PBS series - the only place to see cooking shows when I was growing up. Now, of course, in my home town there are at least three Asian markets; five kinds of rice available at the supermarket; authentic recipes all over the internet; even more cookbooks it seems than ever - available on-line if you can't get them at a shop; blogs; specialty cookware retailers in the malls if you need a certain piece of equipment; a couple of cooking networks on TV...obviously, there are a lot more outlets if you want to pursue cooking. People talk a lot about how it was better in their grandmother's day - more people knew how to cook; food was fresher, etc. etc., but I'm wondering if there couldn't be some argument made for the times we live in now being better if you want to develop your skill as a home cook? Leaving aside all the people who seem more interested in watching programs about food than learn to cook, is NOW better than before to be a home cook?

I put them into rice pudding.

This is how I learned to cook. I was my father's "sous-chef" in the kitchen for years, learning all the scut-work. My mother went back to work when I was in grade four, and my father worked flex-time and got home early enough so that we would start dinner together. I didn't really like it when I was younger - all the best afternoon cartoons were on from 4pm to 5pm, when I had to be in the kitchen. Looking back now I know that experience was invaluable, however.

I'm doing a lot of quick-pickled cucumbers with fresh ginger and chingkiang vinegar recently. I also did a bottle of the pickled cauliflower I mentioned earlier for my Christmas dinner, and I was surprised to see it fly off the table. People really enjoy non-sweet pickles.

Which goes to show you the last time I read that recipe carefully! Since I now dump everything into the pot, sans faff. Although it probably explains why that page is covered with brown splotches and sticky patches.

(Warning: horrible, fish-related pun) That's scads of fish! Do you think they go through that much product daily? I'm so used to seeing fish held live in tanks, that I can't help but think some of those whole fish must lose a bit of their freshness - but maybe turnover makes that unlikely? On another note: the Moreton Bay Bugs look positively primordial. Do you treat them like lobster?

Ah, I've only made the one from Revolutionary Cooking. Do you find they differ much with the caramel step? I usually make a caramel if I'm making Vietnamese Caramel Pork, but never thought about it for red-braised.

I use a stainless steel cup with lid. I think you can get ones with a mesh strainer, but I didn't bother; I just set one over the top when I'm emptying my wok. It's convenient, because I can tip in hot oil. Since my kitchen is cool, I keep it on the counter, so I dip oil from it into the wok as needed.

Truffle salt. My husband asked for some for Christmas, and I indulged. I'm putting it on scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes. It's the closest we're getting to real truffles for a while.

Looks good! Did you use the white button mushrooms? I'm thinking it might be really savoury with a mix of shiitake and buttons.

I'm waiting for my copy in the mail. I finally broke down and subscribed to Saveur, but I'm not sure if that will be my first issue or not. I have a back-up ordered through a local distributor. What's #81?

Did you blanch those sprouts first, or did they bake fully in the cream sauce?

I have toast every day for breakfast, but I use a toaster oven. Since I'm no good for anything else at that point in the morning, I stand around watching it, until it achieves adequate crisp on one side. Then I flip. Not a solution for large families, but it works for me. I'm not sure I've even seen a toaster for sale in China - although Best Buy probably has insanely expensive DeLonghi ones.

I have a lot of broccoli sitting in the fridge right now, thanks to the same CSA that's over-running me with pumpkin. Gratin-able?

A drop lid is used in Japanese cooking for braising vegetables in dashi, according to what I've read in "Washoku", to keep the vegetables from rattling around too much and becoming ragged and broken up. I'd like to know how meat benefits.

I remember my first stop in a Western country after solid three years in Asia was Sydney. The first thing I did was walk over to the nearest Woolworth's and stand in front of the cheese section. I may have taken a picture just like the one above! Your kitchen looks like a tight ship - and somewhat bigger than mine, so don't feel too bad. What do you like to use your pressure cooker for? I had one in Korea and used it for rice all the time - it really turned out a nice product; especially all the multi-grain rice blends available there.

I re-infuse over and over throughout the day, then toss my leaves at the end. I start each morning fresh with a new measure of leaves. Yesterday, I actually re-filled so often in the morning, due to the cold, that I had to start a second batch at lunch. But I basically go around with a tea flask attached permanently to one hand. Using Tie Guan Yin or Dong Ding, refilling 3-4 times supplies a decent cup of tea each time. For Houjicha, no more than twice. Long Jing I find can stand up to 3-4 re-infusions well, too.

In the last picture of your bookshelf, I see a white book with "India" on the side. Is that the one by Pushpesh Pant? I've been eying that in Shanghai. Have you cooked much out of it? The fish in Sydney is gorgeous; I'm so jealous. I remember all the seafood I ate when I was there several years ago, and I thought the quality of the everyday product available was the nicest I've eaten anywhere in the world - and I'm from Nova Scotia and have lived in Japan. Where's that olive oil from?

Hell yes for the French's love. A hot dog is not a hot dog without it, although it may have other applications.

Thank you, Shelby. When I get my hands on hem, I'm going to re-read the whole set of "Little House" books, with recipes in mind. Maybe we should start a topic?

Where'd you get your black pudding? It looks luscious.

Aha! I've only been there the once, but they've stuck in my head. They're so distinctive. And that tree - I love the Eucalyptus. What sort of native foods will we be seeing this week? Any sous-vide barramundi?

I was taught DNS in Home Economics; not that that's a ringing endorsement from experts. I never do it, though, since I don't like dirtying another kitchen implement. When working with cup measures, I shake the cup until it's level.

Excellent book. Try the "pasta e ceci" soup. You won't be sorry.

DOP means it's from a region whose name is protected for use by products, isn't it? Kind of like "Champagne" must come from Champagne? I agree with Longevity Brand, too. If it doesn't have the old guy on the can, it's just not right.