Jamie Lee
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Posts posted by Jamie Lee
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Larrylee:
Thanks for the link to the other thread... I searched - really I did! - but I didn't think to search the NY thread!
Again, good info there.
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I admit, I thought these products were cheap take-offs from the real Slow Cooking movement.
To me, Slow Cooking means selecting products grown/raised locally, cook them at home with love and patience, eat them with friends and family, and celebrate the liberation from fast food and restaurant substandard fare.
To the extent that processed foods further that goal - I'm all for it. If such processed goods are just "more of the same with a different stripe' - COUNT ME OUT.
J.
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I should add, imagine that scenario in english..
"Excuse me, you've got my cart"
"Yes, yes"
"No really, you've got my cart"
"Yes, yes!"
"Seriously, you stupid cow, give me my purse, wallet and cart back NOW"
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Everyone (I'll bet) who has traveled or lived in a "country not of their origin" has made a mistake while shopping for food.... share them here!
I'll go first.
I was a college student, picked out of a number of applicants to particpate in an exchange program for new language-speakers.
It only required a semester of foreign language and then.. off to university in Deutschland! (I could ask "Wo ist der bahnhof?") (Where is the train station?) but I couldn't understand the answer!!!
Anyway, embolded by mini liquor bottles and jet-lag, I set out early my first morning to the stores. (The fact that 10 dorm rooms shared a fridge the size of a dorm fridge should have clued me off.)
There was a butcher, a dairy, a bakery.. and then.. just what I knew... a "grocery store"!
I got a cart and ventured in... first mistake was trying to pick my own produce (at that time, you were just supposed to ask... "Zwei tomaten, bitte") Oops. Now I can't make anymore mistakes, right?
I ventured down a few aisles, picking cans of one thing or another, recognized only by the pictures on their labels... and then, a pleasent-looking German woman pulled up to my cart and said...
Something.
Not wanting to appear to be a stupid American, I simply smiled, chuckled and said "Ya, ya".
I moved on.
The pleasent-looking German woman followed and said..
Something more.
Again, a little uncomfortable, but not wanting to appear to be a stupid American, I laughed a little louder, smiled a little bigger and said... "Ya, ya".
I moved on.
The pleasent-looking German woman then aggressively moved her cart to block mine, while saying even more.
I then looked into my cart, and...
It was HER cart...her stuff.. her PURSE, her WALLET.
Oh yah, there's no myth to the "Ugly American"!
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I bought lemongrass at the Asian market today, and it's probably 3 feet long, and includes lots of greens/leaves at the top. Every recipe I've seen only uses the bottom part - what do I do with the tops and greens?
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I'm positive that Pryde's in"Old Westport" is in KC, MO, just north of the Plaza. Westport is a small shopping area consisting of great bars, pubs and mom-and-pop food joints. None of it fine dining, but a great place to party on Friday and Saturday nights!
I'm betting on Moosnsgrl
J <-- hasn't lived in KC for 10 years, so if I'm wrong, forgive me!
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Dianne,
You bring up a very good point... the majority of canned/packaged goods that I was attracted to were from Thailand or other Asian countries... since it's already imported, what can be the harm (to "carbon footprint" or bottom-line $$ to the producers) in buying from a local Asian market?
The added benefit, of course, is that my local supermarkets carry only one variety (albeit a good one) of coconut milk, but since my trip to my local Asian market, I now have three brands to try!
Shop on!
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I am on a massive thai kick right now.... anyone know of thai-inspired cold noodle dishes that they could share? Right now, of course, any hot noodle dish is a fine, albeit unintentional cold noodle dish for breakfast!
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FG:
I was hoping you'd chime in, since I respect your knowledge and opinion.
It's still hard to understand why a western grocery chain could/would sell a substandard lime at $0.50 each, while I can buy one (with better zest and way more juice) at an asian market for +/- $0.17 each.
I'd still like to hear other opinions, impressions, ideas.
Thanks all!
J. <-- Still probably heading to local asian market today for veggies and fish!
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I haven't tackled the sator "beans" yet, but have done larb for my first and second times - YUM.
I posted a link on the Kitchen Consumers thread and hopefully did not come across offensive, but if you thai gurus could respond, I'd be interested.. see it here:
How can asian markets do it? The thread
I'm really curious to understand how asian markets can sell EVERYTHING for so much less - a truly joyous finding - and how that may impact on othe "green" initiatives...
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Yikes! Given the number of views and the lack of reponses, I think I have offended.
I should have kept to the question... how can regional/asian/hispanic markets sell items so much more inexpensively than chain markets?
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Well, despite being waylaid by a trip to Urgent Care for what appears to be a wicked sinus infection, I did my second attempt at larb, and what a success!
Although I never felt well enough for a shopping trip to the asian market or even the local chain grocery store, I found a lone chicken breast in the freezer, and after defrosting, diced it as small as possible with a sharp knife, and commenced "round two".
I used the same add-ins as before, although I was scraping the barrel!
Last of the lemongrass, last of the thai basil, last of the cilantro... but day-um, it rocked.I used less fish sauce, added the pinch of sugar for balance, supplemented the thai chilis with a diced jalapeno.
I really like the texture of the chopped versus ground meat, think I'll continue to pursue that methodology in the future. First choice for chicken would have been thighs instead of breast, and I look forward to trying other meats.
Convert, I am!
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I went to my first asian supermarket last week... and it was a great experience. Not only did I get to re-live that sense of adventure I loved while living in Europe years ago, it was only 15 miles from my living quarters! (Cheap Travel!) (There's something to be said for wandering a market with limited foreign language skills - its a eye-opening, fun, mind-blowing guess-fest!)
Of course, for you in the know, I was also blown away by the prices, ingredients and selection. Examples:
Limes at supermarket = $0.50 each - limes at asian market (AM) 7 for $0.98
Shallots at supermarket, 1 for $2.50(!!!!), at AM, 1lb. for $0.55
Basil at supermarket - small container for $2.29, true thai basil (big bunch) at AM, $0.68
I don't have specifics, but all sauces - soya, fish, oyster, chili paste, etc. were all incrediblely less expensive, while being higher quality.
I didn't buy fish or shellfish, but I know the 1-1/2 # of manilla clams I bought at the supermarket would have been cheaper, tastier, and I would have gotten to select them myself. And where in Safeway could I have found such a beautiful selection of whole fish? (When was the last time you saw a whole snapper in Safeway or Albertson's?) What run-of-the-mill supermarkets have live lobster you pick straight from the tank?
Now I know Whole Foods can potentially compete in quality, what can they compete in price?
And then it struck me.... how can the asian markets compete in this way? I'm now worried that one must sacrifice all "locally grown, sustainable" goals for cheaper prices. How else can the AMs do it? Are they importing all their goods from asian countries, increasing the dreaded "carbon footprint" by shipping goods from thousand miles away, relying on workers making only pennies on the dollar to our local growers?
Are we committing "eco-sin" by patronizing asian/hispanic markets?
ETA: Spelling errors
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I did it! Became a first time "larber" this week...
I used this recipe from Epicurious: Recipe
I used ground pork instead of ground chicken.
It was an interesting experiment. I made my first trip to a gigantic asian market earlier in the day (now THAT was a FUN trip!), so I had most if not all needed ingredients. I used Kasma's favorite Thai brands guidelines.
Scored some of most beautifully and intensely flavored/perfumed thai basil, authentic thai chilis, good fish sauce, lemongrass, etc. etc.
First of all, I was surprised by how much chicken broth was used to poach the pork (3/4 cup). Looking at other recipes in Recipe Gullet and other online sources, that seemed to be a lot. I also didn't "work" the meat diligently enough, so it wasn't as finely broken up as other poster's images appear. I think I may try sauteeing it next time.
The recipe also called for 1/3 c. of fish sauce. Being very new to thai cuisine, I have not yet developed my palate for this pungent ingredient.. I think it will only be a matter of time until I overcome my (somewhat) adversion to the smell!
Followed the recipe pretty closely, dicing lemongrass, shallots, green onions, thai chilis (I did up these, they weren't as hot as I expected - I might switch to bird chilis or serranos.) and cooking with the pork. Dressed the cooked mixture with a sauce of lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce. I missed getting palm sugar at the asian market, and don't care for white or brown sugar in other dishes I have made so I left it out. I know all the websites expond on how important it is to add sugar - just to taste - so I won't leave it out next time, although I'll be very careful about the quantity I use..
I used boston lettuce, jasmine rice and added leaves of the basil, fresh mint and cilantro leaves.
I had a sort of mixed reaction at first - I really like the lime, mint, basil and cilantro flavors, and the heat was good. The fish sauce smell put me off a bit. I ate one lettuce packet and packed up leftovers.
But a funny thing happened later that night - I got the craving! Reheated the meat mixture, made TWO more packets and I think I'm hooked. It's all gone now, having eaten more for breakfast and dinner the next day!
Well, it's back on the menu for today (Saturday) with a few tweaks and something closer to Snowangels recipe.
I can't wait! I think I'll give ground chicken a whirl, and need to make another trip to the asian market.
J. <--- Larb convert thanks to all of you!
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Sator are called "stink beans" here in Thailand for the way they make your breath smell. I've never tried them though...I don't know why? They are a regional food of Southern Thailand.
Great! All those kool things I could have picked, and I found the one that will make my breathe stink???
They may live forever in freeezer-land! Shopping may become the next FNTV Reality show! -
Heidih... I'm so new to this type of cooking/eating ... thanks for your feedback. Its now after 10 pm my time, and my biggest frustration is that, while I now have a pantry and fridge filled with cool Thai ingredients, I'M NOT HUNGRY!
Once upon a time, that wouldn't have stopped me, but due to some medical treatments I am surviving, life has changed. Day-yamm!
I'm waiting for my appetite to return. I'll post my experience at the first Asian market in my life soon.
Keep it spicy! J.
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Okay, I think I've sobered up from my non-alcoholic rush from my local Asian market
... BUT...I could have picked a thousand unknown items, but I tried to stay in control!
I did, however end up with:
1. Sator (frozen) They look like green olives, but there's a picture of lime-looking fruits on the package... any ideas, suggestions on use?
2. Goi bang la chuoi - or "Pork Meat Loaf" It says its "wrapped in banana leaves, Flavored with anchovy flavored fish sauce" ?? Don't ask me why I picked this one...
But what do I do with it? (It's frozen.)3. The most adorable bottle of Grazioso Pomegranate Beverage (Seokryu Sarang) - it may not be Thai, but does anyone know what to do with it?
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Whoo - ee!
Virgin to Asian markets has finally DONE it!
Details to follow if anyone is interested.... It was awesome.
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Please forgive my ignorant questions amongst you experts but...
Susan: A photo of the equipment you use for sticky rice and a brief synopsis of your method would be greatly appreciated!
Also, what do you use cilantro roots for? How much of the root do you use - i.e. how much up the stem do you use? How does it taste different from the leaves/stems?
TIA, J.
ETA: stupid typos.
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Bruce and Natho - Many thanks for the quick response(s)!
Bruce: I'll try the split coco cream technique soon, altho I'll miss the "shake the can" technique!
<--- lazy at heart!Also: I guess the web sites I've searched are true - you can't know the heat of a chile until you've tasted, and commited. It's just so bizarre that one chile you buy can be boringly "plain" and the next one, bought from the same vendor, at the same time can kick your butt! (Just survived this phenonomen with my last two curries - the first serrano was so mellow I had to add additional heat elements, the second just about knocked me over).
Natho: I'll look for Volcam on my trip to a large Asian market today, altho from the US, people are recommending Mae Ploy, from what I can see. I totally am pleased to know that someone else enjoys green more than red... Thought I was the only one! I know many will "scream" - but I'm so intimidated by the curry paste from scratch process that I adore ready-made curry pastes! Maybe one day I'll give it a try.
Anyone else want to chime in, please do!
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You are all so inspiring!
I am a Thai food newbie. I started with the safest (I thought) - so-called "wet" curries. I'm now a curry junkie!
I've done pork, chicken, shrimp, scallops. Red, green - commercial, but not yet homemade. Veggies of every color and flavor, add-ins that seem appropriate. All have been - more or less - a success!
I have all but a few needed ingredients for larb, but I've found a good Asian market to visit tomorrow.
But I have a few questions:
1. Is there any way to tell the heat of a chile? I know all about varieties, but I can buy two of the same chiles and one is bland and the other blows your socks off! How can you tell - at the point of sale, and/or at the point of cooking?
2. Why do some recipes separate coconut cream from coconut milk, then recombine them? Others "let" you shake the can and skip that step. Why does it matter?
3. Is there a way to make sticky rice without specialized equipment, in a poorly outfitted rental kitchen? If I make larb and serve it with Thai jasmine rice (instead of sticky rice) is the outcome so different?
TIA. Jamie
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my favorite bit from tonight's show was when rock was recommending a mac & cheese with something fancy in it. and then brad was all, yeah we could call it cassoulet!
Don't you think he was just an idiot who meant "gratin" and just didn't know what cassoulet was? I mean nothing could be further from mac 'n cheese than a french "stew" made with pork, chicken, duck confit, beans, etc.
I have to say that was one moment I was yelling loudly at the screen ...
I can't believe it took the girls so long to plan their challenge meal... it made me miss the older FNTV shows that used a "mystery ingredient" box format ala CIA and other culinary schools... I used to love to quickly think what I'd do with unexpected ingredients.
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I was just worried, hope today is saner for your sake!
Thanks for all the hard work you've put in this week - with your schedule, it couldn't be easy, but its been one of the great blogs. I've enjoyed this glimpse into your life, and I'll miss it when it's over!
J.
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Melissa,
Where did you go? I hope all is well.
Jamie
eGfoodblog: dividend
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Can you hit D'Bronx sometime? I loved living in KC (I was on the Plaza), and D'Bronx was the ONLY good deli sandwich in town.
I also miss the reasonable alcohol laws in MO - you could buy liquor in grocery stores! After growing up and doing undergrad in CA, I took that convenience for granted... Live for a while in silly states with insane "blue laws", and you'll know what I mean.
Arthur Bryant's rocks, but please show the order line... you better know what you want before you get to the front of the line!
Do you get to the Saturday Farmer's Market downtown.. I used to love it.