Shel_B

Thanks for all the great and interesting ideas. Shel

Yes, I'm in the east bay. Haven't been to Arizmendi in ages ... thanks for the reminder Shel

Fresh ground peanut butter on my favorite whole wheat bread http://www.vitalvittles.com is a favorite sandwich. I'll sometimes add banana, or possibly shredded carrot, maybe even some thin fruit slices or orange zest, some nuts like sunflower seed. I may try some chile peppers later today. What other combinations can you think of? I'm looking for some new ideas to kick up a peanut butter on whole wheat sandwich. Shel

There are at least several brands of Sriracha sauce available, and they all taste different. So, to just say "Sriracha" isn't all that helpful in some instances. Has anyone tried Shark brand? It's from Thailand, no preservatives, and from what I can tell from reading descriptions, not quite as sweet as the more ubiquitous "rooster" brand. I like the idea that it comes in glass bottles rather than a plastic bottle. Shel

Thus far I've not found any commercial hot dog relish that I like. They all tend to be too sweet. To be honest, there areen't too many brands around here that I've seen. So, two things: first, are there any brands of hot dog relish that you like. Second, and and of greater interest, does anyone have a recipe or some suggestions for making a good hot dog relish? I'm not interested in anything that contains mustard, although mustard seeds might be just fine. I prefer a "pickle" type relish rather than cucumber, but I'm open to suggestions. I was thinking that something with cornichons might work, maybe with some red pepper as well, but beyond that I haven't a clue. Thanks, Shel

No - I find it decidely lacking in flavor and character. Shel

Yesterday I bought some Boar's Head hot dogs that have an expiration (sell by) date of Sept 01. Does the flavor or texture of the dogs change much from a fresh pkg to one that is closer to the sell by date? Shel

I've been getting some great "heirlooms" and other tomatoes at the local farmers markets in Berkeley and Oakland. However, there have been some that were mediocre. I'm learning which growers consistently produce the better tomatoes, and of which varieties. Fortunately, all the growers offer a taste of their product, unlike many supermarkets, so it's fairly easy to get tomatoes that satisfy one's preferences. Shel

I don't want to use it for anything specific. I make my own chile sauce, and what I make depends on what I'm using it for - barbeque, grilled meat (beef, por, chicken), fish, veggie or egg dishes, etc. What I am looking for are suggestions based on what you like, and the foods you like to use the sauce with. In other words, ideas that I can use to check out various sauces. Today I tried the Sriacha sauce for the first time - nice, and I can see numerous uses for it, so that will be one that I'll ultimatel buy. I understand that there are several commercial versions of the sauce, so that may lead to more experimentation. Have you the recipe or a URL for the sauce you make? I'll Google for the David Thompson recipe. Thanks! Shel

Thanks John .... very helpful. Shel

I'd like to use it in many applications, so one particular sauce my not be best for my needs. I was hoping to get some recommendations and then look 'em up somewhere fore ingredients, etc. I don't have a set recipe for chile sauce. I just put ingredients together depending on mood and application. Shel

Nope .... Shel

I've never used a prepared chile sauce. Have always made my own. I'm getting lazy in my dotage. What brands do you recommend or use? I'd like something hot and flavorful, regular and chipotle. Other styles are fine as well - I just don't know what's out there. Shel

Some time ago I saw an Alton Brown episode in which he posted a recipe/technique for making a baked russet potato. He suggested coating the skin with oil and salt before baking, AB claimed, IIRC, that it would result in a nice, crispy skin. This morning I saw an episode of Sarah's Secrets, and she said that coating the skin with oil would prevent getting a nice crispy skin, and suggested baking the 'tater dry. Now, truth be told, I've not baked a russet potato in the oven since 1991, and at that I didn't actually bake the potatoes, but a house guest did, so, in essense, I have no experience in this regard. Anyone care to comment on these techniques and which gives the crispiest skin? Shel

Last night I watched Dinner: Impossible and the chef gave instructions for cleaning Portobellos. Apart from ridding the 'shrooms of the gills, he wanted the crowns peeled to show the white of the 'shroom under the skin, saying that he wanted a "cleaner" taste (iirc). I'd never seen that done before. Is this a usual practice? Does it result in a cleaner, or different, taste than an unoeeled Portobello? Any suggestions on how to do implement this technique efficiently? Are there specific situations where this is a preferred treatment of the 'shrooms? When might it not be appropriate? Thanks for any comments ... Shel

Thanks - following up, that link ultimately led me to some other books with which I was unfamiliar. Kind regards, Shel

Thanks - that's a lot closer to what I'd have thought a NYC type spice mixture would be. IAC, I agree wholeheartedly about ginger and allspice, just as I felt that juniper berries and a few other ingredients were "too much." Bueno, Bueno .. Shel

LOL - they've been on the list for a couple of days. Thanks! Shel

No kidding! I'll have to look for it. I can't believe that my love Melinda has been cheating on me. ← http://www.belizemagazine.com/edition04/en...05questions.htm This'll give you a pretty accurate overview of the story, leaving out some of the gory details. Marie's sauce can be found on line if you can't find it in your local markets. Marie Sharp's sauces are some of my favorites ... Shel

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions ... Shel

I've been enjoying Melinda's since around 1990. However, the current Melinda's is actually a copy of the original, now sold under the name of Marie Sharp's. It was Marie who made the original Melaindas, and than, as I understand it, got ripped off by her US distributor. Based on that, I no longer buy Melainda's and stick to Marie Sharp's. They are quite similar but Sharp's has, imo, a fuller, richer, fresher taste. Shel

Recently I tried buffalo wings for the first time. Pretty good stuff. However, I want to eat a lot of them, and I'd like to find a recipe or technique that will provide something close to the original in taste but with lower fat, calories, and salt. Playing around with chicken breast meat and tenders seems like a good place to start, and developing a nice, thick sauce shouldn't be too hard. There are numerous recipes available, including the original. So, anyone got some ideas for healthier wings? I though that the tenders could be breaded, baked, and then given a nice soak in the sauce and heated to caramelize the sauce a bit. The original sauce recipe supposedly contains cayenne pepper, vinegar, salt, garlic and margarine, although for wings I may want something with a little sweetness in the background. I think the margerine helps the sauce to stick to the breaded meat, but if one is baking the sauce on to the wings, I wonder if the margerine is really needed. Shel

Bison Brewing, Berkeley, CA Goose Island Brewing , Chicago Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee Fish Brewing Company, Olympia, WA Butte Creek Brewing Company, Chico, CA Shel

Ton Kiang on Geary Blvd in San Francisco.

Recently I heard the term used in reference to sausage making and for salumi in general. It was said that it's the best fat to use in sausages, salami, and similar meat. So, what is jowl fat and what makes it so good. BTW, the salami I've had that's been made with jowl fat was really very, very good. Shel