djyee100

They sprawl. Makes a lovely tea hot or cold.Thanks for telling me about the sprawling. I thought I was a bad mother. I xeroxed a recipe for Lemon Verbena Poached Nectarines from Kate Zuckerman's cookbook, The Sweet Life. You poach 8 nectarines (2 1/4 lbs) in a simmering mixture of 1 cup dry white wine, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 10 fresh lemon verbena leaves, and 2 cups H2O. I wanted to try out this recipe, but didn't have the chance. It was that kind of summer. Lemon verbena can make a real good ice cream, too.

A photo of my post-summer garden, part of it anyway on my front deck. Most of my culinary plants have been scrunched together for the pic. From about 12 o'clock, going clockwise: sorrel in a clay pot; silver thyme; Duchesse de Parma violets in the blue pot (not edible, I like the fragrance); za'atar; Moroccan mint that's just had a haircut; Italian oregano; "blue spires" rosemary; holy basil with the purplish leaves; marjoram; chives that needs a haircut; genovese basil. Not shown, a pot of sage, a kaffir lime tree that needs to be pruned, a Mediterranean bay shrub that needs to pruned, some lavenders, a sprawling lemon verbena plant that needs something from me, I'm not sure what--so gardening goes. The large clay pots in the center-ish of the pic are own-root roses from cuttings. I've gotten involved with the local heritage rose society lately and acquired these plants from them.

I suggest holy basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum, if you're doing Thai cooking. This year I added a pot of Moroccan mint, a very aromatic spearmint, to my patio garden. I love the scent. (Here: http://www.morningsunherbfarm.com/product_info.php?products_id=508&osCsid=ckv8pkkfba7krsg0rsficd49e5 ) I also added a pot of za'atar, Origanum syriacum, a kind of oregano for Eastern Mediterranean cooking. I had only seen it before as a dried herb. An unfussy plant & it smells good, too. A month ago I visited a friend on the East Coast who has a black thumb. She was happily growing cherry tomatoes in a self-watering grow box on her deck. Lots of cherry tomatoes. I realize everybody here is a good gardener. I mention this solution for people with soil or space problems in their gardens. You can grow other kinds of tomatoes in grow boxes, also. My friend was using a brand called EarthBox.

I have the 6-inch Wursthof with a slightly different handle. It's not big enough to chop an onion comfortably (you need a 8-inch knife for that), and it's a little too big for a utility knife. Nonetheless, I use it as a utility knife if I use it at all, to slice small fruits and vegs. Instead of focusing on one do-it-all knife, how about a (reasonably priced) set of knives to cover all your needs better? My first set of knives, bought so long ago, were Victorinox Forschner knives. They're light, maneuverable knives of good quality. My first set was: one 8-inch chef's knife, one 4+ inch utility knife, and a 3-inch paring knife. That's all I needed for years. I realize a knife set is more than you were planning to buy. But if you're the one doing the cooking, you may as well have the knives that will do what you want them to do, most easily. ETA: To answer your question, Wursthof blades are better than Victorinox.

I went on the Majestic website to check out California wines. For your price point, forget it. You'll get better value with European or other wines. I also played around with some of the sorting options the website gives you under Main menu>Browse wines. I checked out "Top-Rated" (customer reviews) and "Staff Reviewed." I sorted for Price (High-Low), found your price point of 15 pounds and started looking for maximum stars ratings. Not bad. I haven't tried these wines but they sounded intriguing. I noticed at least a couple South African wines with 5 stars and many reviews. South Africa must be the emerging "value wine" region in the world, and I should make more effort to try these wines myself. I also noticed many sauvignon blancs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand at this price point. Watch out for those. The wines can have a musky cat pee smell that offends some people. Others seem to like it.

If I remember correctly, Andiesenji once said her family's bakery made salt rising bread. Quick! Somebody send her a SOS.

Recently I ate a restaurant meal of deep-fried rabbit over a melange of braised shell beans (black, white, and lima green beans) and fresh cherry tomatoes. The rabbit was boned, dipped in flour or a tempura batter, and deep-fried. It was served piping hot. The beans may have been each cooked separately, to hold their color and shape, then tossed together with some braising liquid, then some halved cherry tomatoes. Sorta like a warm bean salad with the savory braising liquid as a "dressing." Very good!

As Smithy said, sorry you had to wait so long for a response. You've asked a big question, and it takes time to mull it over a bit. How about going to the store and talking to a sales person? A good vendor can point you to wines that will pair well with the food you want to serve, and also match your tastes. A good sales person has tasted many of the wines, and will come up with the best bottle for your needs within your price range. I've known my wine vendor for almost two decades, and my brilliant method for selecting wines means walking into his store and asking for his help. Does the Majestic store offer a free tasting before you buy a bottle? That will help you avoid some wines you can't stand. Remember, when you taste many wines at once, you're not expected to swallow them all and get drunk. Ask for a spit glass and use it. If for some reason you want to look outside the vendor for advice, are there any winetasting groups, societies, or even classes in your area? Someone from those groups might be willing to help you choose your wines. French wines can be fantastic, but don't automatically assume those wines are the "best," to the exclusion of others. (I realize French people will give me an argument about this.) The world of wine is huge. There are some great Italian and Spanish wines out there that I wouldn't want to do without (sangiovese, pinot grigio, rioja). And don't forget the Australian and Californian fruit bombs that go so well with grilled food. People tell me the South African wines are beginning to make their mark, but I haven't tasted enough of them to form an opinion. I eyeballed the list on your link. First of all, I noticed some famous names on the list, like Chateauneuf-du-Pape and St. Emilion Grand Cru. When wines from these great vineyards go on sale, that means the wine is from an off-year vintage. There's a flaw or two or three in the wine that's not keeping with its usual standard. The bottle may still be very nice and drinkable, but don't expect it to be an example of the best these vineyards have to offer. I noticed Cotes de Rhone wines on the list, among my faves for a value wine. The wines are consistently good in my experience, and reasonably priced (and maybe that's why they're on the list also.) Loire white wines are another great value wine, IMO--the sauvignon blanc/sancerre wines, and also Italian pinot grigio white wines from the Alto Adige region. I know you said you didn't like white wine. However, at your stage of winetasting, I recommend that you give white wines another chance. A good white burgundy/chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio may change your mind about white wines. They are essential if you ever plan to pair wines with certain foods, like seafood. If some years down the road you become addicted to the pricier kinds of white burgundy, as I am, you'll know who to blame for giving you this advice. Wine-cheese pairings are very flexible. It all depends on the wine and the cheese. Again, I suggest you consult your wine vendor and name the cheese or the types of cheese you want to pair. Your vendor may suggest various wines to go with various cheeses, and before you know it, you'll have a wine and cheese tasting party ready to go. IMO, wine goes best with food, and should be paired with food. It's not like the madeira and cognac you're more used to, that you can drink by itself. Wine is usually tart to enliven the palate while you're eating some fatty appetizers or a rich dinner. So keep that in mind. I wonder if this is the reason you haven't liked wine before. Also, it sounds like you are not going to cellar these wines, but drink them within a year or so. Let your vendor know that--you want wines that are drinkable now. Over the years I've learned about wine from my vendor's free email newsletter and the regular tastings he holds at his store for a reasonable fee. If you want to learn more about wine, I suggest you look for these opportunities in your area. good luck with that case of wine!

This makes sense to me. Others have made similar comments about the Cowgirl Creamery cheeses. Once in a while, I still like a bit of Red Hawk. Mt Tam is rich but too bland for me, and Wagon Wheel simply doesn't impress. I haven't tried the Devil's Gulch. The Cowgirl Creamery shop in the SF Ferry Bldg is great for its selection of other cheeses, though. Food writer Janet Fletcher has a list of cheeses on her website, some of her faves. The list is worth looking at. The Pt Reyes Toma was featured in that cheese class I mentioned upthread, and one of the cheeses I liked the most. The list is here: http://www.janetfletcher.com/cheeselibrary.html

FrogPrincesse, thanks for the report on the Andante cheeses. I haven't been to the Saturday farmers market at the SF ferry bldg in months. Unless I really want something, I avoid it because of the crowds. When I am there I hit my favorite spots, like Acme and Cowgirl Creamery, and then I escape. Will have to search out the Andante stand the next time I am there. I have to admit the elitist style of Andante has put me off in the past. The production is so small, and the cheeses are hard to find. That means most people cannot buy the cheeses regularly and judge them over time, as you can do with other cheeses. Are the cheeses more available than they used to be? You wondered if the cheeses are "hyped." I've wondered the same thing.

Are you confident that your oven is working properly & holding the correct temp? This recipe is so simple, it's hard to figure out what is wrong. I suggest you do a chart of each ingredient, Then and Now, and note any changes of brands or measuring methods/implements for each ingredient. That's the only thing I can suggest.

Today I met a friend at an event in Berkeley, and afterwards I offered to drive her home. (She can't drive these days due to a disability.) She lives two streets away from the Gourmet Ghetto. As I was driving her home, I got the bright idea of shopping for cheese at the Cheese Board. True to form, it turned out to be a pricey if delightful experience, especially since I impulsively dropped in for lunch at Chez Panisse on the way to the Cheese Board. (Note to self: If you care about your monthly budget, keep driving through the Gourmet Ghetto. Do not get out of your car. ) I tasted a bunch of cheeses at the Cheese Board, and came home with these: An exceptional Camembert-type cheese named Harbison, from Jasper Hill in Vermont. I tasted a couple Brie's and another Camembert while I was at the store, and this one beat 'em all. A cheddar that is new to the Cheese Board, named Barber's cheddar, from Somerset, England. It has an unusual acidic zing from the starter in the cheese. No rind, but plenty of mold on the sides. A new local blue cheese that has got me excited, called Bay Blue. It's made by the same people who do Pt Reyes Blue cheese. Bay Blue is creamier with rounder flavor compared to Pt Reyes Blue. Also on the platter, a slice of Beaufort, a French Gruyere-type cheese that is one of my all-time faves. I almost swooned when I tasted it at the store. Had to bring some of that home. Also in the pic, a seeded sourdough baguette from the Cheese Board, and some late season tomatoes from the farmer's market. When I feel hungry again (it hasn't happened yet), bread, cheese and tomato salad are on the menu. FrogPrincesse, I noticed that you had a question about Andante cheeses upthread. Historically, those cheeses have been made in very small quantities and sold to the elite restaurants in the Bay Area. These cheeses are not widely available at most cheese retailers, and they are expensive. Andante is known for its young goat and cow's milk cheeses. Some months ago, I tasted one Andante cheese, Tomme Dolce, at a class given by Janet Fletcher at the Cheese School of SF. This cheese was a goat's milk cheese that had been ripened for 3+ months--not typical for this cheesemaker, since most of her cheeses are younger. The cheese didn't do much for me, and if you believe how the class voted at the end of the tasting, not much for many others, either. Although every cheese got at least a few votes, the class fave was Cameo, a goat's milk cheese from Redwood Hill Farm in Sebastopol, California. This is a bloom-y rind, Camembert-like cheese with lemon verbena and peppercorns on top. Lots of enthusiasm for that one. The Cheese School bought Tomme Dolce at Rainbow Grocery in SF, and Cameo from Cowgirl Creamery in the SF Ferry Bldg.

Sorry if I misunderstood. The microplane will deliver a fine, fluffy grate, and I thought you preferred a larger grate. Microplane zester/graters are available at a reasonable price on Amazon or in hardware stores. Again, I don't know what's possible where you live.

That's my method--wrap in wax paper, then foil. The small piece of parmigiano now in my fridge was a much larger chunk many months ago. If I change the wax paper and foil more often, I notice less mold. For what it's worth, parmigiano-reggiano is one of those few cheeses that will take well to freezing. From a very good book I'm reading now, Cheese by Juliet Harbutt: It may be that you will have to use a microplane for frozen parmigiano, rather than the box grater that you prefer. Also, I would not grate frozen cheese on hot food--it would cool down the food too much for my taste. Instead, let the grated cheese defrost for a few minutes in a dish at room temp. I bet the defrosting won't take long. good luck!

Are the cherries sweet-sour like cherry jam? Use as a topping on breakfast pancakes or waffles. If the cherries are too sour on their own, sprinkle on some confectioners' sugar or other sweetener. Or use as a topping on ice cream. Maybe vanilla or chocolate ice cream sundaes with the cherries, chocolate chips or shaved chocolate, chopped toasted almonds and whipped cream.

Make a salad of leaf lettuces, frisee, and/or Belgian endives, with some sliced fresh pears thrown in. Drizzle with a shallot vinaigrette, and serve with a piece of blue cheese on the side. Or make hot dinner sandwiches of roast beef or roast pork, and top the meat with some blue cheese. Or make a pizza of fresh sliced tomatoes or tomato sauce, a grind of fresh black pepper, some minced fresh thyme, topped with blue cheese. Drizzle with a little high-quality olive oil when the pizza comes out of the oven. I've tried all of the above with other kinds of blue cheese, like roquefort, gorgonzola, or Pt Reyes blue cheese. I can't say how these combos would taste with Cambozola. Just some ideas you can play with.

If you don't like green beans, I wonder if you've mostly eaten the undercooked crunchy kind, which is very popular. I like the crunchiness of undercooked green beans, but I'm far less enthusiastic about the astringent taste. Green beans taste very different depending how long you cook them. These days I pull pieces of green bean out of the pot as I cook, and when the green bean tastes good to me, they're done. As with any kind of bean, salting them adequately makes them taste good. If I'm boiling green beans, I generously salt the water. Today I ate out for lunch and my sandwich came with this delicious salad: steamed green beans, steamed wax beans, cherry tomatoes (orange and red), toasted walnuts, and vinaigrette. Simple yet good & very pretty to look at, too. When I stew green beans I like the recipe in Paula Wolfert's Slow Mediterranean Kitchen cookbook. This recipe is very similar. Instead of herbs, you can sub a pinch of red pepper flakes. Here: http://newtonfarm.pbworks.com/w/page/14264125/Slow-Cooked%20Beans

No fool's errand, though herbal ice creams and sorbets are not that common and they can be tricky. I once made a rose geranium ice cream with so-so results. I used too many leaves and steeped them too long, and the bitterness of the leaves leached into the ice cream base. I was overeager to get a big herbal flavor into the dessert. As always, taste as you go, and once the herbal flavor is just right, strain out the herbs from the base. This is an adapted version of herbal sorbet recipe from Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead's "Herbs" cookbook. I've never made it. But if you want to try the recipe, here it is. The secret seems to be to start with an herbal syrup. For a Basic Herbal Sorbet: Combine 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup chopped fresh herb, 5 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temp and refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain the syrup and discard the herb. Blend 3 cups of the cold syrup with 1 cup chilled sparkling water (preferably no-salt seltzer). Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. You can add some fresh lemon juice and/or lemon zest to the sorbet base if you think it needs some brightening up. The recipe doesn't say this, but the rest of the syrup can be combined with chilled tonic water for a refreshing drink. As for a tea, try this method for a tisane. Again, the theory looks sound to me, though I've never tried this recipe. Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-herbal-tisane-f-87353 Still have some lemon balm left? Kim Shook once made a roast chicken with lemon balm leaves stuffed under the skin. On the Dinner thread, here, post #550: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/143505-dinner-2010/page-19 good luck! If you have a chance, let us know how it goes. Lemon balm surfaces on this forum now and then, with questions about what to do with it. ETA: Actually, Kim made a smoked chicken. On another thread I suggested that she cook a roast chicken with lemon balm. Kim never listens to me. Just kidding.

From Kasma Loha-unchit, charcoal-roasted fish in banana leaf. I've tried this one, it's yummy. http://www.oaklandmagazine.com/Oakland-Magazine/November-2007/Cooking/KasmaRecipe.pdf Also very popular, Kasma's recipe for Garlic Noodles. I have substituted old-fashioned sauerkraut for the preserved Tianjin vegetable in the Garlic Noodles. Rinse the sauerkraut, and dry well on paper towels, then use it in the recipe. The sauerkraut tastes similar to the Tianjin vegetable. Tianjin vegetable tastes more sour and more funky (which some people don't like). I buy the BBQ pork or roast duck ready-made at an Asian market, slice it, and top the noodles with it. The recipe is here: http://www.sfgate.com/food/recipes/detail/?rid=9890&sorig=qs

When I was reading the recipe, my tongue said it wanted fresh corn kernels. The corn is sweet and starchy to balance the green flavors (green beans & zucchini) and the acidity of the tomatoes. The yellow color would look good on the plate, too. good luck!

No, I don't, but down here in the Berkeley area there are lots of choices for vinegar (and olive oil). Thanks for your suggestions. I'd like to try the L'Estornell Red Wine Garnacha Vinegar. I saw the L'Estornell Garnacha Vinegar at Whole Foods in Berkeley a couple days ago. I didn't see it at Berkeley Bowl, though. Awhile ago I was talking to the buyer at Berkeley Bowl, and he told me he had trouble keeping it in stock--maybe that's why. I didn't mean to send you up to Sonoma for vinegar! For some reason I thought you were living in the North Bay, and that it might be easier for you to shop there. Of course, if you are ever in the town of Sonoma, that's a great market to browse--for wine, vinegar, oils, meat...

My favorite red wine vinegar for years has been L'Estornell Grenache Vinegar. It's mentioned in the Zuni Cafe Cookbook. This vinegar is available at Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl. In fact, I saw it at my local Whole Foods when I was shopping there today. More info here: http://www.zabars.com/l-estornell-red-wine-garnacha-vinegar-8-8-fl-oz/A268003,default,pd.html Another good brand of vinegars (and olive oil too) is the "O" brand. It's a local California brand, if that's important to you. They have cabernet, pinot noir, and zinfandel vinegars as well as variety of white wine vinegars. Also available at Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl. http://www.ooliveoil.com/product_winevin.php?n=O%20cabernet%20vinegar Another artisanal California vinegar is the Kimberley brand. I liked and used their sherry vinegar for a long time (now I use the "O" brand). I don't remember trying their cabernet vinegar, though. Anyway, here's their website: http://www.kimberleywinevinegars.com/products/ Do you live anywhere near the Sonoma Market in the town of Sonoma? They have an exceptional selection of vinegars and olive oils, if you care to check them out.

Sounds like you're practically doing a camping trip. A couple years ago another EGulleter had to cater a camping trip & asked for suggestions. He came up with delicious, practical menus for meals. See his Post #8 here: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/133316-cooking-ideas-for-a-large-camping-trip/

Here's one possibility (+9 answer). http://snippets.com/what-can-be-used-as-an-alternative-to-the-thai-pandan-with-the-s.htm Cookbook author Andrea Nguyen advises against using the extract. http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/10/pandan-leaves-la-dua.html Have you checked the frozen food section of Asian markets? The leaves are available frozen. As a last resort, if you have access to a Asian restaurant that uses pandan leaves, ask them to sell you some. The leaves are common in Southeast Asian cookery, e.g, Thai, Malaysian.

Ok, my inquiring mind wants to know. How did you end up with 20 lbs of onions? You can caramelize the onions until they are very soft and golden, and freeze in batches. They will be so good later as pizza topping, or add-ins for grilled cheese sandwiches or meat loaf. Also fine as a side, of course. Alice Waters' recipe for Baked Sliced Onions is a variation on caramelization. Since it's done in the oven, it's easier. The onions hold their shape more, and come out chewy and sweet. I thought these onions tasted real good. Most of the recipe (the important part) is available on Googlebooks. Here: http://books.google.com/books?id=qQpyDNOD84sC&pg=PT767&dq=alice+waters+art+of+simple+food+baked+sliced+onions&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HEDPUfSXJKXgiwKk74DQCQ&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA The cooked onions can be marinated in a vinaigrette for a side dish.