Katie Meadow

Thanks to all on this inspiring thread who recommended Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. I did in fact receive it for a holiday gift and last night made my first recipe: chicken, lemongrass and potato curry. Instructions were clear and it was very easy. I admit to tweaking a bit by adding some Kale for the last 15 minutes of cooking, since I had some in the fridge and wanted something green. I used the lesser quantity of coconut milk, added some white breast meat cooked for a shorter amount of time to please my finicky daughter. It was delicious. I am already planning my next meal. Since I have to make a major shopping expedition to Chinatown I'm curious to know what people on this thread prefer in the way of fish sauce. There is a fish sauce thread that is not Vietnamese specific in which there is some bashing of "Three Crabs" for it's additives, although Andrea Nguyen seems to like it. Which one do you like for Vietnamese food? Nguyen implies that imports direct from Vietnam--which would be the best--are hard to come by. Is that your experience?

Yum I agree, these peppers have an affinity for tuna. You may not use up a whole jar this way, but I like ttry a simple rice salad with either leftover cooked fresh tuna (or good quality canned) and a generous amount of slivered peppers. I add minced red onion, capers, celery, radish, parsley, toasted pine nuts, whatever. For a dressing I use Spanish sherry wine vinegar, a little of the tuna oil, maybe a little of the pepper oil and some good olive oil. To finish dust with smoked paprka if you like that flavor. This makes a great emergency dinner--if I can remember to keep a jar of roasted peppers around.

BTW, there is another thread called "Pancakes, how do I love thee?" which has some nice recipes on it and perhaps could be merged with this one. I do have a semi-chemical question. Pancake recipes seem to be almost evenly divided between the use of baking soda and baking powder, and some even call for both. What are the differences in how these two behave in pancake batter? What would be the advantage of using both? Also, what is the interaction between buttermilk and either baking soda or powder? Does the use of buttermilk in a recipe rather than regular milk mean that less of those two things will be necessary?

Sounds like it matters what type of cooking you are doing. I received "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen" for xmas, a book highly recommended by eGers on the Vietnamese cooking thread. The author says that it is uncommon to find fish sauce imported directly from Vietnam; most comes from Thailand. She says that some brands, such as 3 Crabs and Flying Lion, which she likes, are in the "style" of Vietnamese fish sauce: less heavy or salty than traditional Thai fish sauce and they often will use the Phu Quoc designation despite the fact that they are not made there. She suggests looking for labels that include the words "cot, nhi or thuong hang", which indicates a premium product made with the first extraction of liquids; that would be lighter in color and more delicate. She also says that if you see the words "ca com" you are getting sauce made from anchovies local to Phu Quoc, which is desirable; I assume the bottle should specify imported from Vietnam if this is the case. I am sure the regulars on the Vietnamese thread could weigh in with more info.

The primary reason not to put a giant vat of steaming-hot stuff in the fridge is because it will seriously affect the temperature in the fridge. It will warm stuff you don't want warmed and it may throw off the thermostat, no? I have never had any problems with chile or anything else if I decant into storage containers and cool on the counter, tops off, til the food is merely warm, or close to room temp. The ice-bath technique is great if you are in a hurry. A snowbank works too, unless there are bears or monkeys about. Or put the pot out on the deck of your highrise if you should be so lucky as to have one. Keep the cover on though if you have Redtails nesting on the ledge above.

Okay, you can all jump on me for blasphemy, but a friend got hold of a bottle of St. George that first night it became available and we had a little party. Hemingway must have been deranged or unconscious BEFORE Afternoon: Absinthe and champagne was the first thing we tried and there was unanimous agreement that it was an awful drink; you might wish you were dead for wasting the champagne like that. The most popular taste of the evening was the simplest: absinthe on the rocks. If I had read this thread first I might have suggested the Seafoam or Seafizz or whatever it's called; that looks ethereal. The color of the St. George Absinthe in the bottle and straight up in the glass is very beautiful. I didn't love it, but then I am not a pernod or even a licorice fan, but my husband was in heaven; he's been wanting real absinthe for the nearly thirty years we've known eachother. I would use my portion (if I had any) to make an enormous batch of mussels as suggested upthread.

When I cook a ham shank I like to shred or cube some of the meat for a very simple ham salad. I just add celery, a little minced red onion and a small amount of mayo and maybe a dab of dijon to taste and a crank of fresh pepper. Very satisfying all by itself or as an alternative to chicken or tuna salad. I also throw leftover shank meat into a black bean soup or chile. It's good with a hot mostarda, too, as it would be with chutney.

I'm in the minority camp: for the most part I find glasses are too large. The style for wine glasses seem to be enormous now; until I found the basic small size red wine glasses at Ikea (which are halfway to being white wine glasses in shape) I despaired. Now I usually use those for red and white--no need to worry if they get broken during a raucous dinner party, since the cost of replacement is less than $1 per glass. I also take comfort in knowing the wine I am drinking costs more that the stemware. As for large drinking glasses for beer, soda, quenchers with ice, etc., try Crate & Barrel. Every time I go there I get annoyed at how big most of them are. They have a variety of 16 and 24 oz glasses--and possibly bigger.

Now that this thread has turned into "How can I make Mostarda in the most dangerous and difficult way possible," I just want to thank someone upthread who suggested strong cheese as a good accompaniment. I made my usual over-the-counter Batali version that uses good old fashioned Colman's mustard powder and took it to a party with my usual coppa. Someone had brought a Cambazola so I tried it with that and it was wonderful. I have a Stilton and some kind of young pecorino here, so I'm going to indulge in my newfound combo NOW--while you all are waiting for your illegal pharmaceutical shipments packed in a Maltese falcon or something! eGers, you are a scream!

Here it is, Octaveman, enough for 2 quarts: Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (not meyer) 2 T finely grated lemon zest 4 cups buttermilk (we use 1.5 percent buttermilk and it's just right) Stir sugar, lemon juice and zest in a med-large bowl. Add the buttermilk and stir until the sugar dissolves. Chill well, at least 4 hours.* Process mixture in your ice-cream maker according to the direx. Transfer to a container with a lid and freeze. *My husband thinks the cuisinart we have works best if the mixture is as cold as possible, but not starting to freeze or get ice crystals in it. He often put the mix in the freezer for half an hour after it's been in the fridge. Remember that your mix will expand as it freezes, so don't worry when you see that the freezer containers in your machine start out only 2/3 full. I also want to second the reminder that you may find the mix too sweet if you taste it before it is frozen. This recipe finishes up nice and tart.

We have a modest 2-qt Cuisinart model (dunno the model #), so I don't know how yours works. It definitely helps to have the mixture as cold as possible before you start to churn. When it is done we decant into plastic qt containers and set then inside the insulated containers in the freezer to set up for several hours. We haven't made ice cream for many years but we do make palate cleansers and sorbets during the summer. I have a great (and simple) recipe for a lemon buttermilk sorbet; I'm seriously hooked on that and we often make two qts. Fabulous by itself or next to a moist slice of gingerbread!

This thread has convinced me it's time to make another batch. My brother-in-law makes wine (it's good) and gives us a case for xmas every year so it would be nice to give them something home-made. They aren't exactly vegetarians, but they don't eat much meat and probably no pork. They do like very hot spicy foods, though. What might I suggest they eat the mostarda with, assuming salumi is not their cup of tea? Shrimp? Vegetables, cooked how?

Excellent thread! I look forward to trying the above recipes. These pancakes are a little different: very wholesome, with good bite. Apple Oatmeal Pancakes 2/3 cup regular cooking flaked oats 1.25 c buttermilk 1 large egg 2 T brown sugar 1 medium tart green apple (like Granny Smith) Squeeze of lemon juice, bit of zest 8 T white flour 4 T ww flour (you can adjust the ratio of white to ww as you like) 1 tsp baking soda 1/3 tsp salt or less pinch cinnamon 2 T veg oil (Mazzola corn is good) xtra buttermilk as needed Overnight: soak the oats in the buttermilk in the fridge, covered. In the morning: in a large bowl whisk the egg with the sugar. Peel and grate the apple, measure to about 2/3 c firmly packed. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice, add a little zest and mix into the egg mixture. Combine the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl, mix well, then add, along with the buttermilk-oatmeal mixture and the oil to the apple-egg mix. It should be thick. Heat a griddle over medium heat, grease with a little butter or oil. Drop batter in approx 1/4 cupfuls. The pancakes should spread very slowly. You will probably want to turn down the flame to med-low. These should cook a bit slower than most pancakes, since they are denser. If they don't spread you may want to add just a touch more buttermilk to the batter.

Mario Batali's recipe for Mostarda di Cremona from Molto Italiano is fairly runny and quite hot. It may not meet all your criteria, since it does use mustard seeds along with dry mustard and (being Batali) hot red pepper flakes. I have made it several times and always to rave reviews. He calls for fresh pear along with a variety of dried fruits, so I would think you could sub your apples. I have juggled the proportions using more pear and dried figs and cherries and less raisins and it's always fantastic. I serve it as he suggests with coppa (mild) for a starter.

This topic has emboldened me. Has anyone used the Comark DT15? I just bought one on eBay (impulse buy!) and I don't have any idea how exactly it works; the picture shows a cord from the probe to a stand-up monitor that clearly isn't long enough to go into the oven, so I assume it is an instant read-out type. It supposedly comes with interchangeable probes. On the Comark website it has a list price of $89. This one is new and the price was really great so I went for it. It will be my first meat thermometer ever. I think I've saved a lot of money not doing large rib roasts for so many years, but I seem to be having a mid-life meat crisis.

Okay, so I looked at the thread suggested by paulraphael and I checked out some pix of the above Comark. Now I am getting more confused. The PDT 300 is cute; it looks simple, like a pen-type. But then I looked at other more expensive Comark models that have interchangeable probes (what, different lengths for different meats?), a bigger readout contraption and timer with a cord connected to the probe. How do those work?

Are the best meat thermometers ones you use as needed with a needle and a quick readout that do not stay in the roast? I take it both versions of the Thermapen described upthread work that way--you just do it quick as the end is near....Are there any that stay in during the entire cooking process? I've got a handle on steaks; I have finally learned to trust the palm pressing method, which did take some practice. For roast chicken I have my own method: when my husband says "take it out" I know it needs another 15 minutes! If you don't have my husband, the shake-a-leg method works in a pinch. But when it comes to a big hunk of meat like a rib roast I'm just clueless. I don't make them because I'm too scared of spending the big bucks only to have overdone meat. Maybe I could work up the nerve if I was slinging a Thermapen?

It being early summer, do you have good tomatoes yet? If so a tabouli salad with bulgur and tomatoes and cukes and lots parsley and mint might be good "filler" without being too wintry. And it's colorful. Or if you like the potato idea, how about a warm/room temp potato salad with radish, celery etc and a bright mustard olive oil dressing? Or a rice salad with roasted red and green peppers and pine nuts? That a nice complement to lamb.

I second the few souls who have suggested something GREEN. Sounds to me like you have the carbs and starches covered and then some. It isn't unthinkable to have a crispy coleslaw AND a pile of beautiful greens! Don't real men eat vegetables? Here's what I made last night: Buy two or three bunches of big curly-leaf kale. (I bought one bunch and my husband and I ate it all, but it would have easily fed three--or four if there was as much food as it sounds like you are making.) Wash it, trim off the biggest stems, and roughly chiffonade the leaves. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a heavy pot with high sides. Sautee the kale over med-low flame a few minutes til wilted (You will have to add it in bunches.) Add salt and pepper and maybe a shake of hot red pepper flakes. Throw in an ample amount of minced garlic, continue to cook another few minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Add a few T of water, cover, and cook over a low flame 10 or 15 minutes, checking to make sure the water isn't absorbed too quickly (add more if it is), and stirring every so often. Voila! At the end you can add just a little splash of balsamic or other vinegar, or not, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or room temp or reheated. Yummy however. Wish I had some leftovers for lunch today.

The more Ting Ting Jahe I eat the more I want. Very addictive. I haven't had any ginger beer for a while, but I used to like Stewarts. My memory is that it was pretty spicy. I don't remember thinking the heat was peppery (as opposed to gingery), but it never occured to me. Need a quick fix and can't find ginger ice cream? One summer I became obsessed with ginger floats. Favorite vanilla ice cream in a tall glass of ginger beer. Nice with a little paper umbrella!

When you say "in season" what exactly do you mean? Do you mean grown locally during any given time period or any month? Or do you mean that certain veggies and fruits are available seasonally in the stores? In northern CA the farmers markets are a relatively good indicator of what's grown within a certain radius of my home (altho some stuff is trucked from as far as southern CA) but large stores also get produce from all over the globe when it is in season--somewhere. Soft shell crab is in season here the same time as it is in season on the east coast; it just travels farther to get to my fish market. Fresh bergamot season here in the Bay Area is in late December, early January (blink and you'll miss it!) It isn't local but it's definitely seasonal. To complicate matters, if the concern is one of footprint size, it isn't always the case that locally grown produce costs less in energy from field to table. I love knowing who grows may favorite onions, but it was sobering to read that recent article (I think in the NYT) showing how an organic strawberry on a small pick-up truck from 200 miles away can have a bigger footprint than one that rides a honkin' semi from the Central Valley to Chicago. Lot's of decisions (and maybe so little time left to make them.)

Good thread, this. And very useful: my husband loves licorice in just about all its forms and I am putting together a selection of different types that will fill the bread pan he's getting as one of his gifts. Two questions: 1) I adore the Lakrits in the little boxes, but I can't find them any more. So last year I went online and found a few candy outlets where I could order them in bulk. I ordered 5 lbs, which seemed absurd, but I couldn't find any smaller quantities. All the Lakrits on line --sometimes called Lentils--appear to come from the same candymaker, Koppers Chocolates. Long story short, they weren't as good as the ones in the little boxes. The chocolate seemed poorer quality. Am I nuts? Needless to say we ate all of them eventually but they were missing some quality or other. Are the ones in the little box made by some other company? Is it just because nothing takes like it used to taste? 2) The easiest way I know to irritate my husband is to pronounce licorice like this: licoriss. He says licorish. What do you say? How would a Brit say it? For some dopey reason it sounds more delicious to me the first way.

Perhaps "chili" as made in Texas or most of California is defined as red, but in the beautiful state of New Mexico they would disagree. You can order a bowl of verde or rojo and they are both "chile." A bowl of green uses fresh (or, if out of season, frozen) roasted and peeled green chiles chopped (with salt and garlic) and added with no tomato products. A bowl of red uses dried red chile pods that are rehydrated and strained and blended to become a sauce that is the basis for a bowl of chile or enchiladas or a variety of other dishes. New Mexico bowls of chile, both red and green, are often made with pork rather than beef, cubed or shredded rather than ground, and commonly with potatoes rather than beans. And speaking of eggs upthread, the most typical way to eat eggs with red chile is to have them fried. For breakfast there's huevos rancheros: pinto beans with a coupla fried eggs sitting in a pool of chile served with hot flour tortillas. Also it's not uncommon to ask for enchiladas with an egg, and that would be fried as well. When the runny yolk blends into that red sauce it's transcendent. Fresh roasted green chiles however are a no-brainer in scrambled eggs.

When I first started buying veal knuckle bones about 25 years ago I had never even heard of veal stock. I had just gotten my first dog (my parents allowed fish and parakeets only) and the dog books said no bones for pups except for raw veal knuckles. Note to Joan: totally irrelevant to anyone else, but she was a German Shepherd and loyal like nobody's business. Veal knuckles were cheap and didn't seem hard to find. I didn't know osso buco from a hole in the wall and hadn't a clue that the knuckle bones were the scraps from some haute shank. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't even know then that veal was baby cow. Then I started cooking. The German Shepherd died and I discovered that all kinds of bones--including veal knuckles--could be added to various stocks. My next dog was an optimist and didn't know what she was missing. I learned to make veal shanks and they were delicious. Once upon a time bones were used for stock because they were inedible, cheap and available. Veal stock may indeed be a great addition to traditional french sauces or perhaps even provide the basis for a plate of foam on the coast of Spain, but this thread has pretty much lead me to the realization that I will not be seeking out veal knuckle bones for veal stock, and if one does cross my path I might just throw it to the dog. She's a cheerful Aussie and just about the best dog on the planet. She deserves it.

My understanding is that fish stock is very different from meat or poultry stocks. Most of the classic recipes I've seen simmer the fish trimmings for only about 30 minutes. Sometimes the onions, celery, etc are sweated in the pan, but not browned, then the washed fish heads, bones etc are put in. I've seen recipes that add a little white wine halfway through as well. There are strong fish stocks and delicate ones, depending on what kind of soup or dish is being made. My first instinct would be to consult Julia if you plan on making any classic kind of fish soup. And then I would see what Jasper White has to say. His recipes for chowders and soups aren't simple but they have a common sense factor that I like.