JTravel

Several years ago I discovered "cubes" in Italy at an Elderhostel. The leader told everyone to go to the supermarket and buy the Italian mushroom flavored cubes to take home. Most did, I bought several boxes and used them for what was probably long past their "date". They were wonderful but I have not found them locally,,,,,I must look harder.....they really boosted risotto.

I agree, what a treasure Chufi is, and this thread is. I have read the whole thing, most of it in anticipation of some time in Amsterdam in July. We did the barge trip from Brugge to Amsterdam. Good food from a German cook, cooking "local". First meal we had started with a mustard soup....which is where you've ended. It was very good though I would have enjoyed it more as lunch than as first course, it didn't go with wine. Thanks for all the insights into Dutch cooking, it made my trip so much more enjoyable.

As a truly amatuer cook I have found this most interesting. I know I am a much more inventive cook than my friends (mostly as a result of interest, travel, tasting) but never thought about the actual skills. Never could figure out why people can't follow recipes. Almost everything I've learned how to do I learned from books. Making a roux or dealing with shellfish, or even whole fish is not in my area of focus. The question of memory....and being able to do things without a recipe....is a problem. I rarely need a recipe for main dishes, (unless new and/or unfamiliar ethnic) and I could make good simple yeast breads without one. But even for Mother's famous blueberry muffins I check the quantities. Then I might tweak it. Is that lack of skill , practice, or lack of little gray cells? Also, much as I enjoy many kinds of foods I am at a complete loss to duplicate what I enjoyed beyond the most obvious ingredients. Memory is that I liked it, but memory of the actual taste disappears. Maybe more concentration is what's lacking. Is this a skill all high level cooks develop? Plus, do "real" cooks know how things will taste from the combination of ingredients?

This was a favorite years ago for family breakfasts.....though with much less sugar I am sure. I always used a "deep dish" pyrex pie plate, pre-heated in oven with butter melting in it. Wouldn't do that now, but never had a problem .....though it was sometimes a tough cleanup. Thanks for all the topping ideas.....we just used syrup.

I would like to second the suggestion of Kasma Loha-unchit's recommendations. I especially like the the Mae Ploy coconut milk and curry paste, and the 2 kinds of fish sauce with fat baby or weighing scale. I took the North and South Thailand food tour with Kasma a few years ago. The food.....from street food (places we would never have eaten on our earlier trip) to nice restaurants was great, nobody got sick, we learned a lot, and we got a bit off the beaten track. She has published two cookbooks and really knows Thai food. There are some very good recipes (and info on her food tours of Thailand) on her website: http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipe.html