Bill/SFNM

The one I use in my home kitchen is probably a bit more than you are seeking in terms of size, weight, power, and cost,. Like you, I do a lot of breads and pizzas and have found nothing that works as well as a fork mixer. Mine is the Santos 18N. The cost has gone way up since I bought mine for $860 including shipping (weak dollar). THe KitchenAid C-hook and spiral attachments just don't compare to a fork. I use my KA for beating batters, egg whites, etc., but never again for breads. FWIW. Bill/SFNM

I am looking for ideas beyond basic forcemeat stuffings for de-boned birds. Suggestions greatly appreciated.

glennbech, Thank you. 1) I roll the dough out into a 1/2"-thick sheet and use a metal donut cutter to punch out individual donuts. The methods you mention work well for bagels, but I prefer the cutter for donuts. 2) While they were still warm, I brushed them with a mixture of glazing sugar, water, and a few drop of fiori di sicilia . Bill/SFNM

Do you think yeasted, glazed donuts are bread? Yes!

glennbech, I use regular my regular dough. I always make extra dough balls when I bake pizzas; they are great for dessert pies, strombolis, pita breads, naans, rolls, etc. Unused dough balls keep for several days in the refrigerator. The dough is savory with a subtle tang from the natural starter and it makes a great foil for sweets. Pizzabrasil who frequents these parts gave me the original inspiration for a dessert pizza with strawberries and chocolate. The resulting pie was unexpectedly awesome. The Robiola Bosina I used is a mildly ripened cheese of cow and sheep milk. It stood up well to the 1000F of the oven. The herb you see is a sprig of fresh thyme for garnish. The fig sauce contains some minced thyme, lemon zest, and Armagnac. Bill/SFNM

Small dessert pizza: fig sauce with Robiola cheese

Perhaps a minor pet-peeve, but how about dry ingredients listed before wet ingredients if they will use the same measuring cup or spoon in the same step? This avoids having to rinse off and dry between measurements. For example, I have a recipe that calls for a tablespoon of honey and then a tablespoon of flour. I try to catch these lapses in logic ahead of time, but in the heat of battle, it is easy to discover this after it is too late. Bill/SFNM

Dom, I tried your approach with truly impressive results. The moment I pulled the loaves from the oven I knew something was different; they felt light as a feather. The softer flour along with the folding really helped. I used Caputo 00 Pizzeria and King Arthur All-Purpose flours. The loaves still aren't as nice as yours. I need to play around with the fermenting/proofing times. Also perhaps with the ratio of the flours. Stay tuned and thanks so much for your help. Bill/SFNM

Dom. Thank you for the information - beautiful looking loaves. What are the specs for what you call "white flour" and "00 white flour"? Thanks! Bill/SFNM

Abra: Wood-burning oven. Here it is moments before baking the above pizza:

Pizza: Cepes, white truffle oil, fresh mozzarella, parm, baked at 1025F for 55 seconds:

Simon, I'm at 7000 feet above sea level - Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Bill/SFNM

Bryan, I've had success with the Blue Cheese foam from Tramonto's Amuse-Bouche. The cream is boiled, removed from heat, and crumbled blue cheese is added and the mixture is pureed with an immersion blender or in a food processor. It is then strained through a chinois and seasoned. Allow to cool and pour into a the chilled ThermoWhip. Chill for 2 hours. Before dispensing, I shake vigorously, but this may be an altitude thing. Outstanding with his port wine reduction sauce. You've probably tried this method, but I've never had a problem with this foam holding air. Bill/SFNM

David, One of my favorite savory foams is with roasted red peppers. I make big batches of garlicky "Roasted Red Bell Peppers with Sherry Vinegar" from Jose Andres' book "Tapas - A Taste of Spain in America" which I keep in the fridge for use on sandwiches, pizzas, etc. I make a puree of the peppers along with some of the garlic and olive oil in which they are cooked and combine it with hot cream which I pour into my Thermo Whip. This stuff tastes good on anything - maybe even corn flakes! Bill/SFNM

Be careful if you are at high altitude above sea level. Typically, my concoctions are are thinner than Simon's. It is easy at 7000' to get a cold foam that is too thick to be dispensed. Bill/SFNM

I have a thin, 3-ring binder from iSi titled "Creations with the Gourmet Whip" . Written by Rick Tramonto of Tru, it some recipes for foams, soups, sauces, etc. that helped get me started. His book, "Amuse Bouche", also helped me with some ideas, but once you get the basics, your imagination will be your guide. Bill/SFNM

I'm at 7000' and now use my pressure cooker for all braises involving tougher cuts of meat. You may get good results if you continue to cook the short ribs, but it is also possible that meat will be overcooked (perhaps stringy) by the time the collagen breaks down. Disadvantage of pressure cooker is that it isn't easy to check the progress of the braise. I usually open the cooker after about an hour to judge how much more cooking is necessary. Bill/SFNM

When I make potstickers, I put a small cube of confit jelly in each dumpling. Adds a nice flavor and when you bite into the dumpling, the melted jelly gives an unexpected squirt of juice. I ran out of homemade chicken stock so I added some confit jelly to some store-bought broth. It was great!. Bill/SFNM

Hi, Luis, Muito Obrigado This seems like a wonderful place to learn more about baking bread - kind of like getting a drink of water from a fire hose. Here is the formula I am using for 1400g loaf (with 17g of bowl residue). I use a rye bread pan.The activated starter is 54% flour by weight. The rice is a blend of wild and basmati: Grams Bread Flour 719.72 100.00% Water 205.46 28.55% Starter 233.81 32.49% Brown Sugar 72.75 10.11% Cooked rice 88.83 12.34% Honey 80.37 11.17% Salt 16.07 2.23% Buttermilk 230.95 32.09% mush: Polenta 53.30 7.41% Rye Flakes 35.53 4.94% Wheat Bran 12.69 1.76% mush water 131.97 18.34% 1,417.00 Mix mush ingredients and allow to sit while starter is activating. Combine all ingredients and knead until gluten is fully developed. Bulk rise at room temp until doubled. Retard in refrigerator for about 3 days. Proof in rye bread pan until doubled. Brush top with water and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake @ 375. Hope this helps. Bill/SFNM

According to M.F.K. Fisher in the forward to Peter Reinhart's Brother Juniper's Bread Book: Perhaps not as photogenic as other breads, it stands right up there as one of my favorites to make and eat. The sweet aroma of this bread when baking is intoxicating. My method is based loosely in Reinhart's recipe. I use a multi-day rise with a natural starter culture and no commercial yeast. The crumb is ideal for sandwiches. Toasted and slathered with butter, it is awesome. Bill/SFNM

Side view of Neapolitan-style pizza crust, all natural starter, 64% hydration, 3-day ferment/retard/proof, baked for 60 seconds at 950F in a wood-fired oven: Bill/SFNM

I was on a quest a few years ago for a similar dish, but it had a hint of lemon rather than orange liqueur and is based on the fairly popular restaurant dish, Honey Walnut Prawns. But the idea of using orange liqueur sounds great - I'll try it next time instead of lemon. Anyway, if it helps here is my method which is the result of merging a few recipes and some tinkering: First I marinate the shrimp by combining: 1 lb large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup egg whites 1/2 teaspoon salt The sauce is a mixture of: 1/3 Cup honey 1/3 Cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste 1 tablespoon heavy cream (I use Crema Mexicana) 1 teaspoon Chinese mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste pinch of MSG (optional) Then I deep fry the shrimp in peanut oil with a splash of sesame oil, drain, and toss with the sauce. I also use candied pecans or walnuts , but you didn't mention that. Let me know if you would like that recipe. Bill/SFNM

Whole pieces of beef marrow - used for tacos de tuétano, bordelaise sauce, ravioli, etc. Bill/SFNM

Another book you may want to check out is The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook, Traditional Cooking of New Mexico by Cheryl and Bill Jamison (1991). The restaurant is a shadow of its former glory, but you can bank on any recipe from any of the Jamison's books. With respect to Native American foods, Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank is my favorite. Bill/SFNM

I've been using white emergo beans which I get from the local Spanish Table - brand name Cassoulets U*S*A*. These are $5 per pound (still expensive) vs. over $17 per pound for the Tarbais. I should note that at 7000 feet above sea level, it takes forever for beans to cook. I end up precooking the beans in the pressure cooker. The larger beans like the Tarbais and the Emergos do better under these conditions. Bill/SFNM