heidih

@Darienne The orange olive oil cake freezes well Unless guests/friends coming I will keep some out for myself and freeze the rest. Dead easy. Cuz can not follow strict direction I sometimes add just a sprinkle of ground ginger or cinnamon. Tiny grate of nutmeg or other spice would be good too. Just a hint. On selecting oranges - that is tough as there is no sniff or feel test. It is not your lack of expertise it is the nature of the beast. I do not care for navels. Always (almost) a sure flavor with tangerines or tangelos. Basic orange to me is a Valencia type (juice oranges - no greenies allowed). Bordering me is a city called Orange -

I simply use them with abandon since they are just outside the doors. They are often the acid in my dishes. I like to cut a tangelo or small orange Valencia type) in half and toss in a savory dish like a stew or broth. I make my nuoc mam cham with whatever is juicy. I do a simple kumquat marmalade. I do not care for ham but others do so I make a paste with ground kumquat, garlic, and brown sugar to rub before baking. I do enjoy an orange olive cake like this one. I don't have navels so I use whatever orange is just getting in need of picking - like when the tree is saying "momma please get the weight off my limbs".. https://leitesculinaria.com/20321/recipes-portuguese-orange-olive-oil-cake.html

The odd thing is if you speak with NZ folks so much is exported they can't afford their own! This US meat I have gotten is pretty "lamby" I can not cook it when step mom is around - she freaks. i'll take lamb or goat over beef any day.

Wow those sound like an experience many of us have not had but would relish. Re-creating taste memories is an interesting aspect of food life. My ex would wax poetic about some dish he adored from the hospital where his mom worked, I tried but eventually we found one of the cooks and sat down with her for a day. It was extraordinary.

Lets not put them side by side. Different beasts. No convergent genetic markers

@Dejah I also see those "country pork ribs" on sale here in Los Angeles. I think people are not familiar. Our gain Oh and the lamb I have been pleasantly surprised to see the shanks in main stream chains and reasonably priced. I can always get upscale butcher to order but nice to have them at hand. I posted about the somewhat funny labeling here https://forums.egullet.org/topic/160212-harvested-meat/

Steamed bread is underappreciated here in the US. I really enjoy the scallion version that pulls apart in layers with Filipino longanisa alongside.

@blue_dolphin where did you source the chesnut pasta and any cooking tips? I am chesnut nutty! esp after reading David Lebovitz's post on chesnut paste a bit ago. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/chestnut-puree-creme-de-marrons-clement-faugier/

From freezer lamb shank soupy stew, rice from cooker - best Calrose I've ever done (and I do alot) without measuring - just instinct) and a mustardy/mayo coleslaw.

Love it - always cook. Farmer Market folks often have it.

For so many years (hello Potato Council) US default was the Idaho russet. I think the recipes you are looking to cook require a more waxy one. Like Yukon Gold or its family.

The whole wheat tortilla is much talked about https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/in-praise-of-flour-tortillas-an-unsung-jewel-of-the-us-mexico-borderlands Carnitas are more a central Mexico item I think - as usual I could be wrong. But for eye candy https://www.lataco.com/the-top-five-carnitas-in-los-angeles/ if you are near the coast "skip the pork". What we have seen from Bon Vivant re seafood is so much more enticing to me.

Well she is using just a bit of the paste diluted with a cup of water. I think she did it as a paste so one could prep ahead and use for a number of times.

@Bhukhhad Yes I like ginger, hibiscus (we call it jamaica), and citrus blossom which I pick fresh from trees. I do a light simmer and then strain. The first time I gave a friend fresh citrus flowers she texted me when she got home and said it was an amazing experience. There was a trend here with infused waters. They sold special drink bottles with an insert. I prefer what a bit of heat releases in terms of aroma and flavor. Turmeric drinks trended here a while back. I think the most marketed name was Golden Milk tea. Heidi Swanson's recipe https://www.101cookbooks.com/turmeric-tea/ I like it but have not had it with the fresh root which is all around me but I am not good with laundry - I got up one morning to an explosion of color in the kitchen as it had been grated by an ambitious health nut the night before.

OK I was in corn tortilla mode. Yes flour can have a sog factor. Honestly I have a 4 burner and lay them directly on grids and stand there for the few seconds it takes - flipping with tongs in hand. Then into the serving dish with towel. I imagine restos do them on the flat top. Again just warming. They don't stick.

I like that they have buckwheat flour in part. I think you could treat them like blini and do as you like.

Here most homes and restaurants use a plastic tortilla dish - a bowl bout tortilla size with a lid. For warming I wrap a short stack in a lightly damp towel and nuke. Easy to pop up from table for round 2 - you are not cooking them.

Re a rack for the poppers - I avoid extra dishes. For a similar effect I roughly crumple foil so the item is elevated. Works surprisingly well.

Sounds good but I think satay needs the turning the skewers all around smoky heat as I am sure you have seen in SEA. I also prefer the lighter sauce. Just like i do not care for peanut sauce with Viet fresh spring rolls - seems to hide the flavor. Not to say I wont add some to my rice... I love roasted crushed peanuts as an add in Oh and yes the shrimp paste needs that "fire" transforms

All looks wonderful but that very dark salsa on the right entices me. I see the dark toasted chiles but it looks like some oil and maybe a streak of dairy. Can you elaborate? Thanks for all your sharing.

I think she means I made more than enough for another different meal. Planned leftovers. That is what I always thought when term used.

@Dejah Welcome back - your food is always inspiring. Looking forward to more Hospital food must have been a maddening experience!

Remember where you are https://forums.egullet.org/topic/49685-liverwurst/

t Those pre peeled cloves are quite mild. I think the acid ideas above make sense as well as the "de-germing". People taste differently. I enjoy bitter and strong so the acrid in garlic at times plays into that. We all have our personal taste space. Oh and when a garlic press was left here it created. longer and stronger sharp taste - so the crushed small bits more pungent. (love that auto correct leaves in stoner as not a typo).

I think you are in an NYC apartment but the smoke is done in a wok.. If looking for a change of pace. Maybe tea smoke and then do a pounded dipping sauce with the rest. https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2015/03/tea-smoked-chicken-recipe.html