C. sapidus

ChefCrash: heat, sun, drought, and time to ripen make chilies hotter. Chilies also tolerate dry soil better than plants such as tomatoes. A lot of rain make tomatoes watery and dilute their favor; perhaps this also happens with chilies (we usually grow ours in pots, so I don’t know). Are your plants in full sun? Were the mild chilies fully ripe? Did the lack of heat correspond with a cool spell? Also, when you said the “same plant”, did you over-winter the plant indoors or was the plant grown from seed? Seed-grown plants can vary considerably because pollen from a mild chile (even a bell pepper) may have fertilized the hotter chilies and produced milder offspring. Interesting problem. I would love to hear more. Bruce

Austin: Thanks for the follow-up. I found dried phrik chii faa at Temple of Thai. I also ordered Hot, Sour Salty Sweet and David Thompson’s Thai food in hopes that the recipes will identify the appropriate chilies more clearly. Thanks again for freely providing a wealth of information. We are having friends over for dinner on Saturday. The menu is evolving, but they expressed interest in Thai food so we will probably make green curry with beef (gang khiaw-wan nuea), hot and sour prawn soup (tom yum goong), and coconut rice (khaw man). With burgers or grilled chicken for the kids. Bruce

Austin: That is an awesome primer; it has everything except a tasting feature (I often wish that eGullet had a tasting feature). At a minimum, it sounds like I need phrik khii noo and phrik chii faa to make Thai curry pastes (my current obsession). Phrik khii noo: These are easy. I can get fresh or frozen phrik khii noo at the Asian grocery, save and grow the seeds, or grow Thai Hot Dragon Hybrid. Phrik chii faa: This one is tricky because I have never seen it locally. How long are phrik chii faa? Are they thin-skinned (like a drying chile) or are they meatier? Are any Mexican chilies reasonable substitutes - perhaps something like Mirasol? Phrik yuak: These look like cubanelle or banana peppers (long wax chilies). I wonder if the taste is similar. I would probably default to Poblano chilies, which are readily available, have a wonderful (if non-traditional) flavor with mild heat, and can be stuffed or used as a garnish. Phrik karieng: How long are these? Are they thick- or thin-skinned? Except for the color, very hot Cayenne or de Arbol chilies might be the closest approximation. Is the flavor of phrik karieng significantly different from that of phrik khii noo? Sorry for all of the questions, and thanks in advance for any help -- Bruce

So, is Jaymes’ recipe more of a table salsa, or is it suitable for huevos rancheros? My go-to recipe for salsa ranchera is from Diane Kennedy’s Art of Mexican Cooking. This thread and docsconz’s culinary trip to Mexico inspired this morning’s breakfast: huevos rancheros topped with flame-roasted chile Poblano rajas and crumbled feta cheese. Salsa ranchera is better with fresh tomatoes, but canned San Marzano tomatoes substitute nicely. Gratuitous huevos picture:

I cook what I like, with allowances for family preferences. Chiles and garlic are cheap, and few of my favorite foods require expensive ingredients. I’ll take a flavorful sauce over a big hunk of steak any day of the week. I usually avoid foods that require expensive ingredients because so many wonderful dishes don’t. This is a preference rather than a sacrifice. We occasionally go to “nice” restaurants, but I’m usually much happier eating inexpensive Thai, Mexican, Ethiopian, or Indian food. Life is good when the things you love don’t require a lot of jack. I’m a cheap date unless I get a hankering for crabs. I aspire to cooking the foods that I love, and then dining with similarly-afflicted companions. Fortunately a reasonable proportion of friends and family have compatible tastes. Unfortunately, our boys have not yet developed an appreciation for the finer things in life (chilies, fish sauce, ginger, lemon grass, etc.). I’d join Abra’s tribe, but I hate clutter. Bruce

Austin: There is no urgency on the chilies, so don’t make yourself crazy. When you have time, I would love to see your pictures from the market and accompanying descriptions. As you probably know, many western-style herbs prefer well-draining soil and a Mediterranean climate (sunny, fairly dry, and moderate temperatures). Thailand’s hot and rainy seasons would be tough on such plants, so information from local growers would be most valuable. Richter's carries a wide variety of herbs, and searching their question and answer page for “tropic” yields some potentially helpful information. Growing herbs in the tropics and protecting basil from torrential rainfall may be particularly relevant for your situation. Richter’s also has some promising information about growing oregano. I am happy to provide whatever I know about growing herbs as a small repayment for your generous advice about Thai cooking. Bruce Edited to fix links

Austin: Thanks, you are very helpful! I will order a Thai Hot Dragon plant, and keep an eye out for a smaller, hotter version. David Thompson’s cookbook is on my list, but I’ll have to make do with what I have for now. Can you describe some of the other Thai chilies (size, color, shape, heat, flavor), or reasonable substitutes that may be available in the U.S.? Besides prik khii noo, are any particular kinds of Thai chilies used most frequently? The Asian grocery in town carries prik khii noo, but I would like to grow my own chilies because better-stocked groceries are nearly an hour away. Background: we are saving for an addition to our house. When the addition is done, we will have enough sunny windows to over-winter potted chile plants indoors. Chile production shuts down for the winter, but the plants start cranking out chilies as soon as the weather warms and we can set the pots outside. If I can find a few good chile plants, we will be able to keep them going indefinitely despite freezing winters. This is why I’m trying to identify worthwhile varieties to grow. Thanks again -- Bruce

Doc, you are absolutely killing me. Salsa negra. Tamal Ranchero with banana leaf wrapper. Mounds of moles and Mulatos. Piles of Pasillas. Rice with rajas of Poblanos (never mind, I can make that). Lamb a la Pasilla. I’m torturing myself looking at the pictures. Not to mention learning from Mr. Bayless. IT'S. JUST. NOT. FAIR. But please don’t stop.

We grow chile plants in pots and want to choose the most useful types for Thai cooking. Some Thai recipes specify the type of chili, but others call for “red” or “green”, which is not terribly useful. Different Thai cookbooks specify different substitutes, so I am more confused than usual and would greatly appreciate some advice. Should I just grow the hottest chili available in the appropriate color? I have grown Thai Hot Dragon chilies; they have been productive and very hot. Do they look like prik khii nuu? How about Thai Giant chilies? In Thai cooking, is there any use for Piquin chilies? How about Cayenne chilies? A few recipes call for a medium-heat yellow chile. Would a Yellow Wax Chili come in handy? We also grow several chile plants for Mexican cooking, usually Serrano, Poblano, and Anaheim chilies. Some recipes call for Serrano chilies when Thai chilies are unavailable. Traditional or not, I like using mild Poblano chilies rather than red bell peppers as a vegetable in Thai curries. Thanks for your help! Bruce

Russian Imperial Stout has high alcohol and is awesome. There are some excellent commercial varieties available. We brewed it a couple of times following Charlie Parpazian's recipe, and it was sublime. We gave away cases as presents for the holidays (with "Ivan the Terribly Stout" labels).

tejon: I trust your self-knowledge. Of course, you did mention power tools in your blog title. This could indicate some confusion Bruce

It looks like male and female food preferences differ statistically rather than absolutely. No surprise there. Excluding the ability to bear children, most male-female dichotomies resemble overlapping bell curves. So far, dark beer seems to be the only guy bastion. Any porter- and stout-swilling women around? Has anyone suggested competitive chili tolerance as a guy thing? This probably varies more by culture than gender, though. Mark me down for quiche, dark beer, and chilies. Bruce

My wife gave me a pi plate for the holidays. She made shepherd's pie in it tonight, although I'm not sure if she was aware of the significance. maggiethecat: Pi is irregular, not infinite. Sorry, trying to qualify as a SSB Bruce

Wendy: We are asymptotically approaching the finish of a remodel after gutting our kitchen to the studs and subfloor, so I speak from some experience when wishing you the best of luck. We used the Ikea planning software, read a bunch of books, and we are quite happy with the outcome. By great good fortune our stepson, a former high-end cabinet maker and mechanical engineering student, was available to install the cabinets and add a number of semi-custom details. We did the demolition, drywall, and painting ourselves, and hired out for electrical, plumbing, and flooring. If you are interested, we have some pictures at this link. There are some excellent kitchen designers out there, but finding a good one is difficult without a recommendation. With your cooking experience and knowledge of kitchens, many kitchen designers may not be able to offer you any more than your landscape designer did. The GardenWeb Kitchen Forum has some incredibly helpful folks who live and breathe kitchen design. One of the books highly recommended there (unfortunately out of print): Robin Murrell: Small Kitchens: Making Every Inch Count We read several kitchen design books, and found helpful information in all. Some books addressed design philosophy and practice, some provided ideas, and others helped identify things that we did not want. Here are a few books that might be useful even if you hire a kitchen designer: Donald Silvers: Kitchen Design with Cooking in Mind Johnny Grey: Kitchen Culture Jan Weimer: Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels, and Replacements Without Murder, Suicide, or Divorce. Martin and Richard Edic: Kitchens That Work: The Practical Guide to Creating a Great Kitchen. Susan Maney: The Smart Approach to Kitchen Design. Dream Kitchens: Recipes and Ideas for Modern Kitchens. Good luck!

LindaK: Thanks! If you are making a big pot of pasta, you can use the rear 22K burner without blocking your other burners. For our high-heat cooking, I want the 22K burner in front so I can keep a close eye on the food. The best configuration depends on how you will use the range. Bruce

I have no basis for comparing residential and commercial equipment, but we have been incredibly happy with our 6-burner Blue Star cook top. The simmer on every burner can be adjusted so low that we rarely need the dedicated simmer burner. My favorite feature is the removable center of each grate, leaving a secure wok holder. No more wok rings - yay! Here is a halfway decent picture of our setup: If you get a Blue Star, you may want to look at your cooking habits and consider a custom burner configuration. With the benefit of hindsight, we would have been better off with both 22K-BTU burners on the front corners and the simmer in the middle back. You probably already know this, but you need a good hood if you get a high-BTU range. Our 42-inch hood pulls 600 cfm, and we still occasionally set off the smoke detector (usually operator error). If you want to complicate your decision even more, check out the GardenWeb threads on induction burners.

echocolate: Thanks for the kind words. There are a number of mail-order places that sell canned and fresh Thai goods. Thai Table.com Thai Grocer.com Temple of Thai Grocery Thai You can also grow a dwarf kaffir lime tree if you have a sunny window. Four Winds Growers has a good reputation: Good luck! Bruce

For those keeping score at home, this my follow-up attempt to make green curry paste from scratch. After some especially helpful advice from Austin, I pounded about 10 hot bird peppers to smithereens in the mortar, and then mixed them with the previously-made (but bland) green curry paste. Result: success! Using the upgraded paste, I made green curry with beef and Anaheim chili strips. Coconut jasmine rice accompanied the dish nicely. This was by far the best green curry that I have ever eaten. Here is what it looked like (please ignore my lack of food photography skills). Unfortunately, pixels don't transmit taste, which was abundant. Of course, I have no idea what green curry tastes like in Thailand, and our travel budget will probably prevent me from knowing for some time. I can say that the green curry was better than any I have ever had in the U.S., and the results definitely justified the effort. Now we need to invite some folks over that will appreciate the unique and potent combination of flavors. Thanks again for the helpful advice. So, who's next? Bruce

lesfen: welcome to the happy world of gyro-lovers. Gyros, carrot cake, and baklava from a Greek deli served as primary sustenance for a few summers when I was balancing summer classes and work. Wonderful stuff, but unfortunately no good local purveyors where I live now. Yesterday, I had a rare lunch at home and experimented with a new version of Alfredo sauce. I usually follow Marcella Hazen’s approach, letting the heat of the pasta melt the butter, and then adding parmesan with nutmeg and just enough cream for the sauce to stick to the pasta. After reading the food smells thread, I was looking for an excuse to sauté garlic in butter. Accordingly, I used the garlic-infused butter in the Alfredo sauce. Yummy! Angel hair pasta works well when you are in a hurry. Bruce

Perhaps I missed it, but no one has mentioned my very favorite saliva-inducing aroma: steamed blue crabs with a hint of Old Bay (see handle). Of course, this leads to one of my least-favorite smells: crab-filled dumpster in July. Besides the perennial favorites mentioned previously, other delicious aromas include: The deep, rich, mysterious scent of dried ancho and pasilla chiles. Open a bag, inhale deeply -- ahhh, heaven. Roasted fresh Poblano chilies (a theme emerging, perhaps?) Lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilies, shallots, fish sauce, and coconut milk. A salty ocean breeze plus just about any other scent, including dead fish. Even better, a salty ocean breeze, plus tonic, plus gin. Penzeys spice stores, with the myriad gallon-sized glass jars of spices to shake and sniff. Mexican oregano -- wonderful stuff. There are very few food scents that I actively dislike, but Marmite is one of them. When we were kids, anyone who lost in P-I-G (a shorter variant of H-O-R-S-E) had a choice of two tortures: a rap on the knuckles with a block of wood; or eating Marmite. No one ever chose Marmite. DW, unfortunately, is afflicted with an affinity for the yeast-flavored industrial waste. Bruce

Austin: Thanks for the advice on the curry paste. Based on your recipe for kaeng som, I probably used the right kind of chilies, just not enough of them. I may pound some more chilies into the existing pastes, or maybe just start over with a different recipe. This summer, I will be able to use homegrown Thai Hot Dragon chilies. They are prolific and very hot. Awesome web site, by the way. Bruce

Chad - Thanks for the recommendation on the Hattori HD and the steeling advice. Does a rolled edge feel like a burr? One side of the chef's knife felt like it had a burr, so I ran it over the steel a few times and it felt much smoother. I'll be chopping up some veggies tomorrow, so we will see how the edge holds up.

OK, I made the green curry paste from scratch. It was OK. One of the problems is that Ms. Ang was not terribly clear on the type of chilies to be used. I made the first half of the batch with green Thai chilies, but they lacked heat. Have you ever heard of mild bird chilies? For the second batch, I used some red bird chilies, about double the amount. The color was wrong, but at least the chilies contained some capsaicin. What kind of chili is typically used for Thai curries? I have started testing the chilies beforehand, but this is a no-win proposition. If the chilies are mild, then the curry paste will be lacking. If the chilies contain the proper amount of heat, then I will be running for some yogurt. My other question is about use of the mortar and pestle. Ours has a 6" inside diameter (8" outside diameter). After pounding for a fairly short time, the paste liquefied but "chunks" of chilies remained. Is this proper? Should I chop up the chilies into smaller pieces before adding them to the morter, or should I just keep pounding away until all recognizable bits have been obliterated? Anyway, I used the homemade paste to make shrimp with green curry. It was quite mild, but very pleasantly flavored. I added strips of poblano chilies when stir-frying the shallots. I love poblanos, and their rich flavor goes wonderfully with coconut milk. Sort of a Thai-Mexican fusion thing. The small amount of leftovers will make a nice breakfast. Bruce

I’ll second (third, fourth, twentieth) praise for the Edge Pro and for Chad’s sharpening tutorial. Reading the tutorial provided the impetus to sharpen our 20-year old Chicago Cutlery assortment, and the difference is amazing. Unfortunately, the knives aren’t holding their edge terribly well. After a week of fairly intensive home cooking, the chef's knife feels like it needs to be sharpened again. I use a chef’s knife 90% of the time, so if we have any money left over after tax season this may be a good time to upgrade. I’ve been doing a little research, and a 240 mm gyuto seems like just the thing. Hattori HD, Ryusen Blazen, or Tojiro Powdered Steel look pretty sweet, but I need to find a place that I can try them out in person. Anyone know of any good knife stores in the Washington DC area? Bruce