Jinmyo

/me hums "Tell me that you want the kind of thing, that money just can't buy. I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love."

Do we mean egg rolls as distinct from spring rolls? Or spring rolls also? Dstone's post made me think of the first he cited as egg rolls and the others as spring rolls. I'm so confused.

Dstone, that's great. I like tarragon but I know what you mean.

Anna, I never said that you think in terms of recipes. Or that recipes have no place. Of course they do. For all of the reasons you've stated and more. But when people think in terms of recipes, there is the tendency to regard a dish as one unit accumulated by working through a certain number of steps. This leaves little room to dance or run with the act of cooking. I also think that recipes should be as descriptive as is possible. And that it is much more useful to say, "after twenty minutes or so you should begin to catch the aroma. This means that..." instead of "3 1/8s of a teaspoon". We can agree and disagree in many ways without it being merely a matter of taking sides. This is a good thread and, should it lead to an article, I'm sure that much more interesting discussion will take place.

I agree with mamster and SpecialK. I'll read a recipe to get a sense of proportions. But I would never try to follow more than the outlines indicated. The ingredients, the equipment, the occasion will show me what else needs to happen. Fortunately I don't have to reproduce a dish with the kind of consistency most restaurant situations require day after day after day. But I can if need be. When instructing others I have found long ago that people who think in terms of recipes tend to narrow their skills.

Thermometers are for candymakers.

Extraordinary account, Robert. Thank you.

Piece of apple.

What if they also sliced their own bread? Or if you toasted or grilled it first?

Thanks, Jinmyo - a little authenticity (made possible by the good-nature of the vast majority of egulleteers) is good for my soul. Anna to get name and date for the quotes, hit the quote button instead of the add reply button.

Anna, not only are you "no longer lurking" you are no longer "no longer lurking" but "Anna". Nice to meet you.

Oh, that's very interesting.

Ed, yes, the soaking liquor from huagu is extraordinary. Reduced and with just a few other touches (dashi, sake, salt and whiite pepper), it makes a wonderful mushroom consomme.

Hua gu (flower mushrooms) are superb. I can't get them fresh in Ottawa unfortunately. But a comrade brings back pounds of dried from frequent trips to mainland China. Some of these fellas grow the size of my hand and reconstitute to about the size of my head. They are tremendous sliced on the bias and grilled with a few lashes of chile oil.

I agree about adding the salmon later. Start the panchetta on medium with a bit of water to help it render. When it has, turn up the heat, add the ghee, spices, etc.

Chickpea soup (mire poix, chicken stock, puree, strain) with garlic croutons. Buttered egg nodles with chives. Roasted mushrooms with smoked lardons and pulled pork. Frisee salad with poached quail eggs. Range of hard and soft goat cheeses.

Food Network Canada had a special on the Bocuse d'Or. Egad. Soul crushing competition.

Ed, "waterchestnut powder". What is this used for? As a thickener?

Tony, is there an idea to try to do something in print out of season two?

Fermented tofu.

I think that Adria's influence would be best felt in the area of thinking about and exploring culinary possibilities rather than in techniques. His techniques arose from that exploration. One cannot approach that exploration through the techniques.

Welcome, Matt. This is your first post on eGullet and I just wanted to mark it out as such for coming generations.

Essentials of Cooking is not bad at all. I mean, it's good. Not worthy to subtitute for the Gospel of St. Jacques, mind you. But I often lend my copy around.

Petcha can't eat just one. Oh, fis! Petcha I can.

So, wha' aboot the dyp frrryin' then?