nickrey

Very interesting question. We do what we normally do without thinking about it. Asking the question led me to look at what I actually do. While I may look like I'm chopping at times, there is sufficient lateral movement for me to state that I slice. This has intensified somewhat since buying a nice Kasumi Japanese knife and changing my hold/technique. How many of the self-professed choppers are really surreptitious slicers? Even small movements will lead to more effective use of the microserrations than using it as a blunt instrument (forgive the pun).

Hi I am writing from Australia and am a fourth generation not of Chinese extraction. Our "Chinese" food took a decidedly similar turn to yours with sweet and sour pork (with pineapple pieces) taking a fairly central place early and mid last century. An interesting thing happened in the latter part of last century. For political reasons that are not relevant here, our Chinese and other Asian populations expanded rapidly and our Government embraced the concept of multiculturalism (all cultures living together) rather than a melting pot approach. As a consequence, our culinary horizons broadened markedly. All manner of Asian ingredients are available not only in Asian grocery stores but also in mainstream supermarkets. A number of our more prominent chefs, for example Neil Perry, have embraced Asian cooking and not really done them up as fusion food but rather taken the time to understand them from their original perspective and then play with them while retaining the essence of the original. It would not be going too far to suggest that most Australian homes have a wok and most would endeavor to make some sort of stir fry on a regular basis. That having been said, traditional ingredients and preparations are typically available in many restaurants but will often not be offered to the mainstream diners unless they specifically ask for them. I remember well in the late '80s asking for chicken's feet and having all the restaurant staff watch the Gweilo devour them. There is a wonderful history of Chinese food and culture in Australia called Banquet (ten courses to harmony). Written by Annette Shun Wah and Greg Aitken, it details the evolution from sweet and sour pork restaurants to where we are presently. Chinese have contributed greatly to all aspects of Australian life: their food has gone from exotic and unknown through being modified for local palates to the mainstream position it holds today.

You could try it cooked Asian style. First make a master stock (see this link for a discussion of this topic and how it can be kept as a master stock in perpetuity) The ingredients are: 500 ml soy sauce (I use a mix of dark and light) 500 ml chinese cooking wine (shao xing) 125g rock sugar (I substitute palm sugar) 10 - 12 scallions (cut into three inch lengths) 1 large knob of ginger, peeled and sliced 10 cloves of garlic, crushed 5 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 3 pieces dried tangerine peel (substitute orange peel if this is not available) (some of these ingredients may not be readily available to you, try this link for an Americanized version of this recipe) Place ingredients in large pan with 4 litres of water. Bring to boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes to create the basic stock. In the meantime prepare the duck by removing as much fat and loose fatty skin as you can (I render the fat down and use it for other cooking). Rinse the duck under cold water and pat dry. Place duck breast side down in the master stock and bring to the boil; turn down to a very gentle simmer and cook for twenty minutes. Turn the duck over and simmer for another twenty minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the duck sit in the stock until it is cold (this continues cooking the bird very gently). Once fully cooled, remove the duck, allowing stock inside the bird to drain back into the pot. Cut the duck into serving pieces. You could serve the duck with some reduced master stock or refrigerate it for later use and a second cooking through deep frying (my recommendation). Deep Frying (heat oil in deep fryer or wok to around 350 degrees F (180 C). Carefully dry the duck pieces, dredge in flour and then deep fry until the skin is crispy. Serving suggestions: 1. Crispy skinned duck with plum sauce, stir-fried bok choy and rice 2. With a small container of Chinese salt and pepper mix, sliced lime or lemon and a small side salad. 3. Slice the crispy skinned duck, make small crepes and serve (as for Peking Duck) as rolled pancakes each containing sliced duck, a scallion, and hoisin sauce.

Around 3mm which is just below 1/8 inch. This is for the normal sized one. With that sort of equipment if you decide to do a bigger one, you might need a thicker tortilla (I'd love to see the frying pan you'd cook a really big one in and how you'd turn it )

I've been using plastic cut out from zip-loc bags, which is a bit thicker than freezer bags.

hmm, in Australia, we have a lot of authentic Thai places (and we also had David Thompson before he went to London). I've never seen ketchup used in Pad Thai and cannot imagine it: the recipe that I recommended is in the tradition of what we see. Perhaps it's worth a try ...

Tamarind is sweet-sour so palm sugar and lemon (or lime) juice should give an approximation to the components, which is why I recommended the recipe above. Ketchup had as much flavor in its own right as tamarind but in a way different direction and probably with too little acid/sourness. I'd assume that it could take it too far from the traditional flavor profile. I've seen reference on the net to a substitute of equal parts dried apricots, prunes, dates, and lemon juice as a substitute as well. If the reason you can't use it is availability rather than taste/allergy you could also try substituting equal parts lime/sugar/worcestershire sauce (the latter using tamarind liberally in the flavor profile). Although if I criticize ketchup for taking the dish in new flavor directions, worcestershire sauce should probably fit into the same category.

Try this one: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/9096/pad+thai ps. coriander leaves = cilantro

I've been meaning to do this for a while. Hello my name is Nicholas and I'm a cookbook-aholic. I have 293 cookbooks and counting and it's been three days since I bought a cookbook... Most recently I acquired: The Flavor Bible (flying over to Oz from Amazon as I write) The Big Fat Duck Cookbook (xmas present) Balance and Harmony (Asian Food) (xmas present) Bouchon Under Pressure Mexican Cooking (Bayless, thanks for all the recommendations on here) All I can say is thank God for the Internet: we can mask our addiction to some extent in downloadings

If you are interested in Balsamic vinegar as a gastronomic experience, have a lot of money and don't mind using it by the drop rather than the splash, you should try traditionally made Balsamic. A reduction of the juice from Trebbiano grapes is aged in casks along with already aged vinegar for a minimum of twelve years. It is transferred from year to year to smaller and smaller casks made of different woods. The reason it goes into smaller casks is because the juice evaporates over time (the evaporated liquid is called the "angel's share" which is a term commonly used in distilling whisky and brandy). Woods used are cherry, chestnut, acacia, oak, mulberry, ash and juniper. This form of balsamic vinegar will have the words "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale" on its label and will come from either Modena or Reggio Emilia. These labels are strictly controlled by the production consortium and are equivalent to the DOCG label on Italian wines. You can expect to pay $50 or more for 250ml of this product. As it ages, it becomes more concentrated and more complex as well as less in volume. Expect to pay $80 or more for 100ml of 50 year old and $150 or more for 100 year old. Younger vinegars are available that are made in the traditional manner but without certification and approval from the consortium (i.e. they are not "tradizionale"). The so-called "condimento" grade balsamic is a cheaper alternative but may not have the complexity of the original. Look to see that it is barrel aged in barrels of various woods. Check the acidity, which will be on the label as a percentage. The better ones are around 6% acidity. In 2002, the AIB (Italian Association of Tasters for Balsamic Vinegar of Modena) classification system was instituted. This certification consists of a four-leaf ranking. 1 leaf has young fragrance and consistency with a "lively perception of acidity." 2 leaves has a rounded distinct flavor that is strong yet well balanced. 3 leaves has a full-bodied harmonious flavor with persistent aftertaste and intense and vibrant fragrance. 4 leaves is exquisitely rich and intense flavor, marked density characterised by a great complexity of fragrances and captivating aromas. For more details on the classification system and when to use the respective balsamics, check out this web site: http://www.finiexport.it/aib.htm (this is a producer site as the original site has a dead link to the English version; you can read it in Italian here http://www.assaggiatoribalsamico.it/index2.htm ) The cheapest variant of balsamic is called "commercial." This usually consists of concentrated grape juice mixed with strong vinegar and caramel coloring. Much of what you see labelled as "balsamic vinegar" in supermarkets will tend to fit into this category. If you are just setting out on a journey with balsamic, you would do well to buy vinegars that use the AIB system. These can be very good value for money as they go on taste rather than on time in cask and methods used. Let us know about your progress.

I'd like to endorse this, I shopped for mine from Australia and did not want to pay air express, which would have in essence doubled the price. Frank was very helpful and sent it to me via normal post, communicating all the way and sending me useful emails about using the unit.

Thanks Jmahl, they are wonderful. On technique, I've worked out a number of things. First my tortilla press has its contact point on the edge rather than the middle, which can lead to uneven thickness. I read on one other post that someone who has this type presses with his hands in the middle. I couldn't get enough pressure doing this to get the tortilla to the correct thickness. Instead, I pressed once, flipped the tortilla over so the end that was under where the pressure was applied was now on the opposite side and pressed again: this led to a much more uniform thickness. The second thing is to have plastic that fits exactly under the press; any bigger and it can wrinkle which leads to it digging in and making a spot where the tortilla breaks while puffing up. Third, if the puffiness seems to be coming up a bit uneven, take a tortilla that you have already made and press it gently on the one that is cooking; this seems to release the bits that are sticking and allows it to puff up evenly (thanks to Rick Bayless for this one). I'm never going back to store bought ones again

from the webpage: "The steam temperature is controlled by the same controller that controls the brew water temperature." My reading is that it would be PID rather than a bang-bang.

Looking at the websites you noted, Auberins also has a controller for both: Both

I put this on a different forum. Thanks for Chris Hennes for moving it across here and thanks for all the people above who had already more than answered my query

Thanks for the very informative post. What a knife collection! When looking for a Japanese knife, I was very attracted to the Shun but being a left hander in a right hander's world quickly found that the knife was not set up for left handed use (I know you can order left handed versions of some Japanese knives but did not choose to take this option). As a consequence, I went with a Kasumi Chef's knife that can be used either left or right-handed and have been very happy with it. Further to your point on grip preference when I started using the Kasumi, it felt awkward after using Western grips for many years. After adapting my grip slightly through trial and error it seems to feel much more natural that the Western grips ever did.

I received the book for Christmas and can't put it down. One thing that stands out is that Heston is a very good writer: his love of books shines through as much as his passion (obsession) with food.

Given the season and my memories of Turkey as a very dry meat, I thought I'd try cooking it sous-vide. For a twist, I tried a galantine for the first time. After boning the turkey breast, I made a seasoned minced meat stuffing of two parts pork belly (the fattiest I could find) to one part veal. This was put through the mincer twice, the second time with some ice cubes to ensure that the mix didn't split when cooked. The mince was seasoned with salt and pepper. On top of the turkey breast, which the meat was distributed evenly across, a layer of mince was followed by a layer of hazelnut puree, some dried cranberries that had been soaked in Sherry and drained, some pine nuts, chopped home made bacon and strips of belly pork (without the fat) and turkey breast meat. I then rolled the galantine, tied it off with some cooking twine and then sealed it in a vacuum bag. It was quite thick (more than 20 cm at its thickest point) so it required extended cooking to ensure that it was cooked through. It was cooked sous-vide at 65 degrees celsius (149 fahrenheit) for twelve hours and then cooled in an ice bath to take the heat off before being placed in the refrigerator overnight. For eating, it was sliced and served cold with the gelled cooking juices from the bag. Quite the opposite of my previous experiences with Turkey, this was very moist with an interesting flavor contrast with the stuffing. Here is a picture of the finished product (must practice my boning and rolling).

Have you tried starting off with water at a higher temperature so when you add the cold ingredients it comes back to your desired cooking temperature? If there was a 20 degree drop on adding the legs, a logical starting point would be around 200 degrees. If it is still too hot after adding the ingredients, you can add some cold water or leave the lid off the cooker for a while to bring it back to your cooking temperature.

White, Red or Bubbles? For red, try a Zinfandel or even a McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon (the berry flavour should complement the sweetness of the apricots). For white, you'd probably be hard pressed to go past a Riesling (apricot is one of the taste descriptors for this wine). Given that it's lamb, go for a slightly sweet version rather than a very sweet one. For bubbles, try a sparkling Shiraz or Pinot Noir (adult Ribena)

I'd second Tom Kime's "Exploring Taste and Flavour" that looks at balancing hot, sour, salty, and sweet in Eastern (predominately Thai) cooking. However, the flavor balancing principles are not restricted to Asian food: when tasting during cooking I always ask myself if these flavors are balanced and adjust seasonings accordingly if they are not. Kime was previously a protege of David Thompson (author of Thai Food and chef at one-Michelin starred Nahm in London). His approach to food shows a strong influence of Thompson's approach. "In late 2005 Exploring Taste and Flavour was awarded the prize of “Best first cook book in Britain 2005” by the World Gourmand Awards. In March 2006 Exploring Taste and Flavour was nominated as a finalist in the Chef and Restaurant category in the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) awards in the United States." (this information from http://www.tomkimechef.com) Amazon link is: http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Taste-Flav.../dp/1856267288/ When you are doing your research, don't forget that research shows that flavor is also strongly mediated by mouth feel (texture) as well as visual and auditory cues.

Mark Prince was one of the strongest advocate of the Miss Silvia and wrote an article about temperature surfing on it called "cheating Miss Silvia." He was recently asked by Rancilio North America to write a first look at the new machine. This should answer any questions you may have about the new machine. The review is here: http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/firstlook/ranciliosilvia Check out his video on pulling a shot and temperature surfing in the article, it will help you get the most out of your machine. By the way, mine is around four years old and I'd totally recommend getting one (new or used)

As said above, Schlag (without the e) refers to the whipped (beat) part of whipped cream. mit (with) schlag is "with whipped cream" Of course, you could add sugar and vanilla but if it is used with Sachertorte, for example, it is whipped cream without sugar. This is used because many Viennese consider this particular cake too dry to eat without cream. The ISI whippers that we use for foams and espumas, which are Austrian in origin, were designed originally with schlag in mind. In answer to the original question I'd support SLKinsey's original post: mit schlag is "with whipped cream." How you make the cream depends on what you are having it with: sugar is fine, vanilla is fine but pure and simple heavy cream without either of these, when whipped is also used when you serve "mit schlag."

For many years Kangaroo was only available for human consumption in South Australia ... perhaps it was something about eating the national emblem... This has changed in recent years with it becoming more available elsewhere, including overseas it would appear. Kangaroo is an extremely lean meat. I personally would never cook it beyond medium rare. It also has a gamey taste (think wild venison rather than farmed venison) which means it really needs to be paired with strong and/or sweet sauces. Redcurrant as described above, or other berry jus, or you could try a reduction with red wine jus or with a Port wine reduction. You could also try beetroot as an accompaniment. If you want recipes, try the following google link which looks at recipes for kangaroo from Australia: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe...=cr%3DcountryAU Some sites for recipes include: http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/recipes/recipe_frame.htm http://www.macromeats-gourmetgame.com.au/Recipes.aspx Hope you enjoy your experiments

Being a single shrimp and launching your meal, it probably needs a bit of a wow factor. Christine Manfield gave a recipe in "The Cook's Book" for noodle-wrapped deep-fried shrimp. Prepare the shrimp by peeling but leaving on tail section (as a handle). Basically you take fresh thin egg noodles, boil them for two minutes and then wrap them around the pre-seasoned shrimp. This is then deep fried for 3 minutes at 350 degrees. The outcome is visually appealing, has a bit of crunch outside and the firm shrimp texture inside. Serve it with some sweet chili sauce for an Asian touch or, probably more appropriate to your menu and guests, with a sauce Andelouse (ie. cocktail sauce) for a more conventional touch.