Shel_B

The Atlas Obscura books (https://www.atlasobscura.com/unique-gifts/atlas-obscura-book) and media are a treasure trove of fascinating and informational articles covering a wide range of subjects. This article appeared in todays issue of Gastro Obscura. I hope you enjoy it and Atlas Obscura, if you're not already familiar with them. I subscribe to their newsletter. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sandwiches-of-history-cookbook?

A lot of my oils are stored in the refrigerator and rancidity is not a problem. Also, the temp in my apartment stays around 70-deg F all the time and humidity here is generally quite low. Those things may help me and perhaps the fridge can help you. I remember Costa Rica has being warm and humid, very much like Panama, and we kept a lot of things in the refrigerator in Panama. Well, the filling is easy, and if the wrappers will bake well and get crispy-crunchy, I may give it a try. I can buy wrappers readily enough. Might even consider playing around with other types of wrapping, like puff pastry. They won't be conventional spring rolls, but they might be nice ... gotta think about that. I guess that's not such a new idea ... just found this: https://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/mediterranean-spring-rolls/

Yeah, that too.

Well, yeah, but they've already been cooked and fried, so I'm just reheating them. I was thinking it might be a different situation. Sounds like you're telling me no, at least in the concept.

I was thinking about the splattering, and I wonder if that can be eliminated by shallow frying in a deep-sided vessel, such as a Dutch oven. Can't oil be reused? I remember mom and grandma reusing their cooking oil.

Deep frying definitely, an inch is already pretty deep for me, but I will examine that more closely. But I can't say that it'll make much difference, but .... No air fryer here, no plans or interest in getting one any time soon. However, do you think they can be baked or "fried" in the Breville oven with decent results. Thanks for implanting the idea.

I've thought about it, and that's as far as I've gone. I have a block about frying ... I like the linked page. I'll return to it and go through it more thoroughly, see what manifests ...

Then I stand corrected. Thanks!

BINGO! There are some recipes that I've been working on for years. One in particular has been modified almost every time I make it because each time I make it I get another idea.

Non of that is of great importance for me. I'm an experientially oriented person, i.e., I like to do things to learn and to enjoy the experience of learning. You and I walk different paths. And there's the convenience factor. If I learn to make or do something myself, I can have it most any time I want it without a trip to the store or market, which sometimes is a PITA.

I tried these yesterday, not very good, or at least not what I was hoping for:

It was suggested that a raspberry buttercream might be nice. Perhaps an orange or lemon glaze.

I made the mustard today. It has to rest for a couple-three days, but the first taste was excellent. My nutmeg, even though from fresh grated, may have been a bit old as it has been wrapped well and in the freezer for perhaps too long. Still, the results were very satisfactory. The other spices were fresh and very flavorful, especially the allspice. @TropicalseniorSo, thanks for your help and suggestions. I will definitely try more mustard recipes as it's easy, convenient, and economical, and looks like excellent results are possible. Of course, some adjustments to the ingredient amounts for this recipe may be in order, but I'll see in a few days. It might end up being a skosh thick, too.

This looks like my kind of cake. I found a couple of recipes and videos for it online and am planning to make it sometime. Thanks for posting. https://www.realbakingwithrose.com/blog/2019/9/4/rose-on-video-presents-downy-yellow-butter-cake-c4afe Video part 1: https://youtu.be/3rwG-sg0QZk Video part 2: https://youtu.be/wphL-16j2_s I don't know anything about your health difficulties, but I do hope you're doing and feeling better now.

Coincidentally, it happened today. I made a batch of Chinese mustard and too late discovered that my egg roll stash was depleted. Fortunately, the pole from the kitchen to the garage had recently been polished, and I quickly slid down to an already running and warmed car (gotta love today's car tech), pushed the garage door button (more tech), and headed to the nearby Chinese takeaway joint. Unfortunately, there was a long line waiting for their mediocre food, and it was moving slowly. I was getting anxious as the longer I waited the more the mustard flavor would be compromised. I became more anxious and agitated as the moments passed. Fortunately, I had my Xanax locket with me, opened it, and downed a few of the precious pills. In short order, I was mellow again, and it didn't take long (Xanax time has a way of warping, could have been hours) before I was on the road home. Unfortunately, road construction slowed my travel, and to my and the mustards detriment, I didn't care. By the time I got home, the effects of the Xanax were wearing off. A few years ago I installed a liquor kiosk by the entrance door (replacing the unneeded umbrella stand which outlived its usefulness in drought-ridden California), reached in, grabbed a bottle of cheap cooking sherry, downed it with a long pull, and almost immediately felt a wave of calmness engulf me like a warm woolen comforter. Cheap cooking sherry has its benefits. I checked on the mustard, and it looked good and tasted just fine. I reached for the egg rolls and $#!&, discovered that I left them at the Chinese joint. That was my most recent egg roll emergency.

I'm not expecting greatness, just some crunch from the wrapper and an acceptable quantity and quality of filling. Thanks for jumping in.

Any recommendations for good decent quality frozen egg rolls? I'd like to keep a pkg or 2 in the freezer for those unexpected egg roll emergencies.

I was a day late, but I got hold of some brown mustard seeds and yesterday started the initial soak. The local Indian market had several choices and, happy bonus, they were quite a bit less expensive than those of the spice shop I often frequent. They also had some beautiful fresh curry leaves that'll be used for the Palak Dal I'm planning to make. I also found another recipe for the Chinese mustard that looks more promising than what I've been experimenting with. I need more dry mustard in order to play with the recipe.

Just came across this thread as I was about to post what may be considered a somewhat naive and ignorant question elsewhere. This thread title reminded me of a question I asked many years ago, and which may have been the very first cooking question I ever asked outside of a question or two asked of my mom or grandma. It was 1965 and I was living in Missouri at the time. I wasn't particularly interested in cooking, yet for some reason I was reading a food/cooking article in a now unremembered publication and came across a reference to a Waldorf salad. There was no recipe for the salad in the article, so I wrote a letter to "The Chef" at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC asking for the recipe. This was my very first inquiry in what later became a long-term, off-and-on again, interest and curiosity about food and cooking. I was so ignorant then that I was unaware of cooking magazines, recipe books, and the like. Cooking shows on television, of which there were a fair number, the first having been produced and aired almost three decades prior, were still obscure and often confined to local markets. In any case, I was unaware of them. So, a letter to the hotel seemed like a good idea. I never received a response, which with hindsight is not surprising. "Marcel, regarde ça. Quel idiot!"

Enjoying a small bowl of Bob's steel cut oatmeal enhanced with a bit of Greek yogurt, Korintje cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla along with a cup of fresh-ground Ethiopian coffee (from TJ's)

I have, and downloaded the recipe some time ago. Went to buy mustard seeds earlier today, and the Indian grocery was out of the ones I wanted. I'll visit another shop tomorrow ... I know they are in stock there. My nutmeg isn't real fresh, so I'll grab some tomorrow along with the mustard seeds.

Thanks! I saw reference to this earlier, and now you've shown it to me. I'll review it later today ...

@Tropicalsenior Yesterday I played around with the Coleman's and started by following the directions on the container which is one part water to one part mustard powder, and used three Tbs of each. The result was far too watery for my preference, but the heat was OK. I added additional powder to make the sauce thicker and the heat became far to intense for my liking. I added vinegar (brown rice vinegar) to calm down the intensity and it just made things more watery although the heat was tempered somewhat. Overall, I'm not yet satisfied with the results from this combination, although I've not yet tried it with food, which is the true test. I thought I had some S&B powder but I was mistaken. I have their curry powder, so later on today I'll get some S&B and give it a try. Their powder contains turmeric and they recommend starting with a different proportion of water to powder, 2 parts water to 3 parts powder. Should be interesting to compare. After trying S&B, I'll try adding some turmeric to the Coleman's mix and see what happens. Thanks for your help and for the link. I'll also pick up some mustard seeds today as well

So much is eft to my imagination. Great post!

@Tropicalsenior, could you provide a proportion of Coleman's powder and water? I'm going to get some Chinese takeaway tomorrow and and like to give the mustard another try.