Shel_B

It's the start of potato salad season along with BBQs and potlucks. I've read somewhere that steaming the potatoes is a "better" alternative to boiling and simmering the spuds, that they don't get as waterlogged. So, here are a few questions for you potato salad mavens: Does steaming really make that much difference compared to boiling and simmering the potatoes? Are some potatoes better suited to one method or the other? I usually use Yukon Gold and Toots likes red potatoes. When boiling the spuds, some flavor from the liquid seems to infuse into the potatoes. Does that happen when potatoes are steamed? Will steaming result in a potato thats better able to absorb the flavors of the dressing? Are any dressings better suited to one cooking method or the other? Thanks! And happy potato salad days to ya ...

I don't think I want another kitchen gadget or tool. Making the milk the "old fashioned" way is just fine for me, and the process is very satisfying. I would like to try your and Franci's technique of resoaking the pulp with added, fresh almonds. I wouldn't mind a richer milk. BTW, I grabbed some organic, unpasteurized almonds yesterday at the Berkeley farmers market. I'm excited about trying them in my next batch. Usually the almonds we buy are pasteurized, regardless of where they are purchased. I made a strawberry banana smoothie for Toots yesterday, using the vanilla almond milk I made, and she loved it. Her smile when she tasted it was worth whatever effort I put out making the milk

This morning I made my first batch of almond milk. The result was far superior to any commercial product I tried. Thanks to all for your suggestions.

Do you find warm water to give a better or different result than cold or room temp water? Does it dissolve the almonds better and extract more milk? Yours is the first suggestion I've come across to blend the pulp. Certainly worth a try ... and it's a nice, thrifty suggestion.

I want to make some almond milk strawberry smoothies, and I bought some almond milk to use in the recipe. I was aghast at the list of ingredients the milk contained, and not at all satisfied with the taste. Looking at other brands, the ingredients were just as plentiful and annoying. So, I'd like to make my own. I went on line, grabbed a few recipes and ideas, and will attempt a batch or two in the next couple of days. However, I thought I'd ask here if anyone's made almond milk, and what sugestions or caveats they may have. Thanks!

Today I bought some organic dried chickpeas at the local natural grocery. Compared to other dried chickpeas I've purchased, these were small, maybe about half the size. Might these be a different variety? Might they taste different or have a different texture when cooked? What characteristics should I look for when purchasing dried chickpeas? I want flavor and a nice, firm texture ... I hate mushy chickpeas. Thanks!

I saw that, and other, similar molds, after posting my comment earlier this morning. I wonder if a 2-quart capacity might be a little big for my needs. I also saw some smaller sizes with more interesting designs embossed on them, and also a few made of material other than plated steel.

I read a number of reviews on sites other than W-S, and many were not at all complimentary ... you might want to read some and make up your own mind. It ain't worth the $$$, IMO.

Watch out what kinds of cans you use, most are now lined with plastic -which will melt into the bread, taste terrible and be bad for your health. Coffee cans are one of the few types that currently don't have linings. Anything even slightly acidic (most juices, fruits, tomatoes) will definitely have a plastic liner in the can. Good point ...and numerous cans contain BPA, although that may only be in those cans that have plastic linings. Perhaps, to make things easier and safer, I should look for some sort of shaped baking cups, like andiesenji mentioned.

Thanks for the suggestions and the effort to get 'em! It looks like it might be fun experimenting around trying to get a "just right" result.

True, but there are still plenty of cans around that have been used for vegetables, beans, fruit, and juices.

andiesenji, I didn't think of Bob's, and there are a number of stores in my area that carry the brand, so it's quite possible that one of them will have the graham flour. I'm going to try the Rhode Island flint cornmeal that Janeer mentioned, just to see what it's like. I can always get another corn meal if the result is unsatisfactory. I found a couple of places on line that will send it mail order. Thanks for your help. ETA: Yikes! I just checked the prices for shipping the Rhode Island cornmeal. I'll get something locally for a lot less money, and be just a little less authentic.

When I started looking for brown bread ideas, I went to your site and grabbed the referenced reciped. I've not yet started looking for graham flour and johnnycake cornmeal ... not sure where I'd find it around here. What might good substitutes be? If I decide to use them, can they be ordered on line somewhere? Thanks!

I've been playing around with baked beans, and now I want to make some Boston Brown Bread. Recipes are all over the place wrt flour, adding molasses, alcohol, fruit. I'd like to find something that's reasonably close to an early recipe, realizing, of course, that even back then there were local and individual variations. So, what flours were typical? Was brandy or rum used as a flavoring agent? What type of molasses is most typical? What other ingredients, recipes, or techniques might I want to consider? What should be avoided if looking for "authenticity?" I saw a couple of recipes that included vanilla - somehow that doesn't seem like it would have been in early recipes, but, of course, I don't really know. Thanks!

Ah, I see now - saw some pics on line. The inside of the bowl is SS ... I didn't see that when I quickly looked at the food mill at BB&B. That makes me feel a little better.

Thanks. I was somewhat concerned about the foot design, but after thinking about it some, it doesn't seem to be an issue for me. My quick look at the unit at BB&B showed that the bowl is plastic. Has that been an issue in any way?

That's a good endorsement for the Rösle, however, I'm not sure I want to spend that much ... then again, I do like quality gear and have found that, in the long run, quality pays off. There's an adage that says "The thriftiest man pays the most." I'll have to think about the cost-quality relationship. I like that the Rösle seems to have all stainless construction, including the bowl. It looked like the OXO had a plastic bowl. How important is that difference? There are some mills with stainless bowls that are crap. So I guess it comes down to quality of construction, not only materials used.

I've decided to get a food mill (after some discussion about peeling chickpeas). Searcing the forums yielded oldish info, so I thought I'd see what's new and recommended these days. I looked at an OXO at BB&B this morning - the price is certainly right, especially with the 20% off coupon, and OXO seems to have a reasonably good reputation for a number of kitchen tools and gadgets. Any comments on this unit from users? What other food mills are recommended? Any that I should avoid? What problems or issues should I look out for? I've never used a food mill before, so I'm pretty much ignorant about these things. Thanks!

I agree with other that it might be difficult to answer your question, but I can answer it in a somewhat different way. The best tasting fish I ever had was some fresh caught Copper River salmon up in Alaska which we grilled wrapped in cedar paper over a nice, hot fire - my fish was cooked rare-ish and was OUTSTANDING! It's been a while since I've been to the Tokyo Fish Market. Thanks for your post and the reminder. Tokyo Fish and Monterey Fish are the two best places in the area to get fish ...<ahhh>

I don't have an angel food cake pan ... never heard of such a thing. I have a loaf pan, an 8x8x2 Corningware pan, and can borrow a regular round cake pan (in various sizes) from my GF Oh, Toots has a circular pan that she uses for her flan. Don't know what size it is ...

There's a recipe for an orange cake that I'd like to try. It calls for using a 10-cup Bundt pan which I don't have. Can I use a regular cake pan, or even a bread pan, or something else ... ? I don't want to buy a Bundt pan until I see if I like this recipe and am capable of making it. Thanks!

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/01/ethereally-smooth-hummus/ Just one source. I contacted a friend in Tel Aviv, and she said that the best hummus she's had was made with peeled chickpeas. She, and her mother, always peel the peas when making hummus.

A couple of nights ago I spent fifteen minutes peeling a can of chickpeas for a soup I was making - one pea at a time <whew>. OK, a lot of time for a small, but noticeable, benefit. The peeling may be more evident when making hummus, so I will be doing this again. Is there a better way to peal chickpeas, a method that won't damage them (I may want to use them in a salad)? Would cooked, dry beans require peeling? Thanks!

Upon reading about Vichy water, I learned that it has a somewhat high mineral content which can impart a taste to some cooking, which suggests that mineral water, rather than tap water or plain, chemical-free, bottled water may provide a somewhat - maybe subtle or even imperceptable - authenticity to the dish. In any case, my tap water, even though it's filtered, does have a slight "off" taste, and lately I've been using bottled spring water for some of my cooking. Since I'm paying for bottled water, I might as well try some Perrier, which I bought today along with the carrots. Now, about that glaze: some time ago someone suggested a little orange juice to glaze and enhance the flavor of carrots. While I intend to make a more traditional version of the dish, I may also try a version without sugar, using orange juice instead. Might make an interesting variation ... <shrug> Any thoughts on how orange juice might work in this dish?

Thanks for that tip! I looked up Vichy Carrots and was surprised at how many variations there are for what seems to so simple a recipe. People were using lemon-lime soda, adding molasses, par cooking the vegetables then sauteing in butter ... my, oh my. I think what I'll try is cooking sliced carrots in sparkling water (Vichy, if I can find it, otherwise Perrier or San Pellegrino), adding a knob of good butter, maybe a teaspoon of sugar, and just simmer until the liquid evaporates and the carrots are nicely glazed, maybe let 'em brown a scosh, and then sprinkle over some fresh chopped parsely. I should be able to get some nice, fresh, sweet carrots, so the sugar may not even be neccessary. Does that sound like a way to go?