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AAQuesada

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Posts posted by AAQuesada

  1. You'd be surprised how few people can make a standard rice pilaf!

    Cooking whole grains.. Issues: to soak or not.

    You could do puffed rice

    Pate a chou is pretty amazing and very versatile.

  2. I have been filling in my home bar to be more well rounded (Just got back from K&L in Hollywood). The last couple are still open. I admit to mostly sipping straight, although I do love classic cocktails. Maybe not the cheapest list, but I think a value list anyway.

    1 Herradura blanco

    2 Wild Turkey 101 Rye

    3 Ron Zacapa 23

    4 Flor de Cana

    5 Prunier Liqueur d'Orange

    6 Calvados LeCompte

    7 Lillet (instead of white vermouth)

    8 Dolin Vermouth Rouge

    9 Gin * most likly Hendricks, although I'd like to try Junipero

    10 Scotch *likly something from bowmore. Legend is a good blended

    11 ? I see Maracino liqueur on a lot of list should I pick some up?

    Mixers: Citrus, soda, tonic, frozen fruit purees

    Am I missing anything major?

  3. I am sure you'll get some great answers. For me California cuisine is greatly influenced by the early influence of the Spanish, Italian immigrants you can see the with Mediterranean ingredients here (oranges, olives, sage). As well as the influence of early immigration of Chinese and Japanese. Of course the food of mexico, chile, tortillas, Avocado ect..

    California cuisine is a continuing mix of ethnic influences, the use of fresh veggies and fruits, a culture of high heat grilling.

    Encarnacion's Kitchen is an interesting book on early california cuisine...

    http://www.ucpress.edu/ebook.php?isbn=9780520939332

  4. Wow, I guess this thread falls under to each there own. I love the china moon cookbook, one of my all time favorites. It has some great techniques, her voice really comes through and the recipes work. It's one of the rare times where fusion cuisine works (California-Chinese or as she says the Chinese Provence of San Francisco)

    I really like all of Kellers books as well. If you are a chef or cook you can learn a lot from one of the best in the business. The books are easy to read and very well organized.The food really works as well.. BUT All of his stuff is restaurant food, not for anyone else but the most ambitious home cook.

  5. Got the book last week. I thought the creme anglaise recipe was off but the creme patissiere recipe is even worse. Too many egg yolks, cream, too much butter.

    There are recipes here that are just wrong. If it was just a book about recipes, well fine then. But his ratio here is just so off. It makes me weary of the whole premise of the book.

    If you don't like the premise of the book how can you be objective reviewing it? You haven't tried any of the recipes and yet you insist on repeatedly panning the book.

    I could care less either way about this book, but there appears to be a lot of negative energy here and not a lot of people saying they tried recipes and they didn't work. If it's too sweet for you but the recipe works is the ratio really wrong? I don't think so. Can he do all the things he claims he can with that recipe?

    This thread makes me weary.

    Arturo

  6. Not necessarily.

    I wasn't going to post anything but that last statement of Anko's had me worried as do the southern biscuits that I just made from the book that are salty, greasy and heavy. Perhaps, I'm thinking, self-rising flour in the U.S. is different than here in Canada? Or maybe I don't have that "touch of grace."

    I don't have bakewise and won't comment on in. The 'Touch of Grace' recipe though appears in Cookwise and IMHO are great, I think they are worth working to get right. Maybe this note from Cookwise will assist you...

    "Notes: If low-protein Southern self-rising flour is not available, use 1 cup national-brand self-rising all-purpose and ½ cup instant flour (such as Shake and Bake or Wondra) or cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder."

    "If self-rising flour is not available, use a total of 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder.

    Do not use self-rising flour for shaping since the leavener will give a bitter taste to the outside of the

    biscuits. "

    Arturo

  7. I'm interested in blundstones (i've wanted a pair before I even knew they were popular in kitchens). Do cooks use the regular ones, or do they have a special kitchen model? are they at all hot? Do they favor a particular foot shape?

    I love my blundstones. Been wearing them (same pair) since November of 07. Fourteen hours plus a day 5, 6 days a week and still going strong. Comfortable, Very good non slip and I don't have to change out of dorky kitchen shoes after work. I wear the regular 550. Bottom line is that I feel safe in these shoes and it's one less thing I have to worry about.

    BTW.. The Aussie website has much better info regarding saftey.. some of the model numbers are different but at least they give you that info.

    http://www.blundstone.com/product_info.cgi...tegoryID=130278

    Arturo

  8. I know down in the US, drugs such as marijuana and cocaine are highly illegal.  If you don't allow people to use those products, why should it be a problem that unaged unpasteurized cheese is outlawed?  Both are dangerous, so it only makes sense that both are illegal, no?

    This could spin into a terrifying discussion, but I'll happily refrain from sparking it today ;)

    -->Recent relevant reading on the subject from the Triangle Independent.

    Don't worry this one's on me :shock:

  9. Strait up, theres a reason they're illegal. 

    Are you drunk? are you seriously comparing raw milk to narcotics??? First of all lets get this straight.

    RAW MILK IS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE USofA.

    It IS illegal to sell accross state lines. Other than that it is a states rights issue.

    Where it is legal to sell raw milk it has a very good safey track record. Though like ANY agricultural product there can and have been proplems.

    No one is planning on banning the sale of raw spinach, even though it would be more safe. IMO raw milk safety is something that can be delt with through proper regulation and inspections of dairies

  10. Hi All,

    Help me buy a 2nd Mexican cookbook?  I was thinking about something from Diane Kennedy but she has so many I can't decide what is the "one" to get.

    We have Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen which we love and use a lot.

    Thanks,

    -Mike

    You could do worse than: From My Kitchen, Techniques and Ingredients . It's not loaded with recipies, but what there is are great. The pictures and ancillary info really make the book.

    Arturo

  11. Paso Robles/Templeton has a Trader Joe's now.  Yay!  You have no idea how happy this makes me unless you too live in a tiny backwater town with two chain groceries with expansive floor space and dismal produce. 

    I'm not in a backwater but I'm glad they opened up a bit of Cali here in GA. Remindes me of home!

    This blog has some good reviews of TJ wine. Might have to rummage a bit... but should get you started until everyone here comes with their favorites!

    http://quaffability.com/

  12. My favorite, by far is the Seascape strawberry. Wow, to smell it from across the farmers market... love at first smell :)

    Too bad I'm at the other end of the country from the SM farmers market now!

    Arturo

  13. Wow, Thank you for the great posts! It really brought back memories of my externship in spain.

    I wanted to ask a follow up question about Maria Jose's talk on infusing saffron... What is the new thinking as regards to time/temp of infusion? And did she touch on infusing into oil v. liquids?

    Thanks again,

    Arturo

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