trillium

It really bugs me how most places don't even bring you a glass of water with your cocktail. Water really is your best friend when you're drinking (and a stomach that isn't empty). And really, I totally agree that it's the ethanol and not much else that gives you hangovers (I can put initials behind my name too, if it would help). regards, trillium

Granita is pretty darn easy to make at home if you have a seriuos jones...I remember when you could find them everywhere you turned in Italy, and the last visit I didn't seem any anywhere...it could be that I was there in March and it's just too bruto tempo for that sort of thing, but it seems like it's dropped off the culinary radar, doesn't it? I love granita made with espresso and a little sugar, then dolloped with unsweetened whipped cream. regards, trillium

I just had to share this because it's been cracking me up. There is a bit in this month's Saveur on Marcella's 80th birthday party her son threw for her. It mentiones all the food luminaries and the great wines everyone was drinking, but then it says that Marcella wasn't drinking any wine, she just stuck to Gentleman Jack throughout the evening. A woman after my own heart (although I wouldn't have passed up the wines).... regards, trillium

I hope you're drinking at least 8 oz of water for every cocktail you try? regards, trillium

Well, I guess I don't think it's all about the food if editors are changing titles of books or rejecting sections of books because they don't fit in with their idea of what food writing regarding "Mexican" food should be. Then I think it's more about writing and the writers doing the writing, the food is peripheral. I'm not sure that this is Ms. Kennedy's "fault" per se, but rather that people took her work as some sort of rigid dogma that needs to be followed when doing any food writing about Mexico or Mexican immigrant cooking. The food writing world seems to be a really strange place from a writing perspective. In other writing areas, a diversity of opinion and style is appreciated if not celebrated. In food writing, especially non- "American" (and by that I mean US) genres, it seems like there can be only one literary voice. I find that puzzling. Maybe it is because food is such a profane thing, and can provoke emotional responses faster and stronger then other things. On to the food... you can find shitty food everywhere you go, just because food is cooked by a Mexican living in Mexico, doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be good. The same goes for Chinese food, Italian, whatever. Does one get the impression that anything cooked in Mexico by a Mexican is going to be great from Ms. Kennedy's books? And Robb, the summer I spent in San Cristóbal, Chiapas, eggs frequently showed up for desayuno. regards, trillium

Well, I don't know. I cut the salmon into pieces somewhere around 1/3 of an inch thick in the opposite direction of the flakes and do the flipping kind of stir-fry with two spatulas. It cooks so quickly you don't need to do much handling. Some of it does break, but I use those wide tail pieces (no bones!) so some broken doesn't hurt. I also leave the skin on. It tastes so good I've never worried much about the broken pieces. Also, I never use farmed salmon, which seems softer. regards, trillium

I'm really not trying to pick a fight, I promise, I'm not sure either, which is why I was asking. I came to that conclusion because of the mentions about the New York editors. When I think editor, I think writer. Should I be thinking food? regards, trillium

Personally, I think the strong flavors of salmon stand up better to a more SE Asian treatment then a traditional southern Chinese treatment. I like to slice up the salmon filets and then stir-fry them with shallots, roasted chilli paste, lemon, holy or "Thai" basil, green peppercorns and a sprinkle of fish sauce. regards, trillium

This month's Saveur has a cool tidbit on Greek Nescafe frappes... they think they're the precursor to the frappacino type drinks. They even provide a recipe for you to replicate it at home (using instant espresso powder since the Nescafe here is extra-wimpy for us Americans). regards, trillium

Well, how did the Strawberry, Black Peppercorn and Mint jam go? The strawberries I used early this year had so little natural pectin that what I ended up with were very nicely preserved/candied strawberries in strawberry syrup using her method. And Sandra, there are no sacred cows in this thread (that I noticed), you can disrespect away if you wish, I was more interested in knowing if there was another preserving book I "had" to have! Last night I started the third batch of fig preserves, this time I used about 3 small leaves of rose geranium and 2 teaspoons of anise to flavor the figs. I also substituted some of the sugar for honey. I'm worried that I put in too much anise and not enough rose, but we'll see how it does after the second cooking this evening (or not... I'm not sure I can face boiling jam in an un-airconditioned kitchen with temps 100+). I plan on adding some blanched almonds to one jar, and pine nuts to another, just for variety. regards, trillium

So I've gone back and read the intro in the link that Robb provided. Let me see if I can deduce the answers to my questions correctly from it. 1. You do feel that the food writing Diane Kennedy does causes what your writing to be diminished or not get respect it deserves. 2. There was nothing about a sword fight at midnight that I could find, but I gather the remarks you are making about her and her fans are in direct response to the tone of dismissal in her writing when it comes to "Mexican" food north of the border. I'm not really interested in discussions of authenticity or what makes authentic Mexican, Italian, Chinese, whatever food. What I was trying to get at is how you feel about both styles of food writing existing side by side here in the US. I'm wondering if you feel that a fan of Diane Kennedy's work cannot be a fan of yours or that appreciation of one genre precludes appreciation of another. I was hoping you'd elaborate on this point. thanks, trillium

Here's a bunch of fig recipes from Deborah Madison, including fig and anise ice cream. regards, trillium

I'm going to be very direct here, but hopefully not offensive.... What's up with the Diane Kennedy remarks (ie, "East Coast food snobs and Diana Kennedy fans") that are popping up in this Q&A? Do you feel like the food writing you do is somehow diminished or doesn't get respect in the US due to the food writing she does? Has there been some brawl in the Mexican food writing world that we don't know about, some meeting at midnight between the two of you and your seconds to duel? Or are you just keeping up the "outlaw" image of Tex-Mex you love so much? It seems like "authenticity" raises your hackles, do you think there is enough room in the food writing world for people who like to write about and document things done the old way in the old country and people who like to write about and document what is happening on the food frontiers, usually with a diaspora? I would think so, since some people even do both (Madhur Jaffrey springs to mind) but I'm very curious to hear your take on it when it comes to "Mexican" food. thanks for your time, trillium

I have the fancy foodsaver where you can seal it before it reaches full vacuum, so it doesn't get smaller at all. I just stop it when the plastic has sort of wrapped itself around the bread but before it's sucked all the air out of the bread. regards, trillium

When summer's bounty is over, you can always make the banana jam from this book. It's better than [heresy] Christine Ferber's. The book or the recipe? Or both? regards, trillium

I like to eat it with shaved ice, palm sugar and red kidney beans. regards, trillium

Thanks for the pointer to that thread, there are lots of good looking recipes! I didn't think to search under sesame leaves. I'm not positive that there needs to be bean paste in it, but a Korean friend of my partner's (who doesn't cook) seemed to think there was, which is what put the idea in my head. regards, trillium

I bumped into Matthew while he was buying that loaf, and I was too spaced out from the market madness to mention that it also freezes really, really well as long as it is well wrapped and thawed with the wrapping still on (I use a Tilia foodsaver). Next time you all could come over to my house and vacuum-pack some if you want. The other thing I didn't mention (I know, but I'm alway shell-shocked at the market) is the while the normal loaves are fantastic, the big-ass boules ARE EVEN BETTER! They ferment differently then the smaller loaves and have an even more flavorful crumb. regards, trillium

Well, I went out and tasted the apricots, and was very disappointed. They're the bland, large variety with hardly any apricot taste. I don't think I'm going to bother making jam out of them, I'd rather find some that taste better at the farmer's market. When even the birds shun the fruit you know it's a problem! They'd much rather eat the figs. The fig preserves on the other hand, were a smashing success. I ate the leftover bit on toast this morning and it's very nice. I made a full batch of plain preserves, and a half batch of vanilla and fig preserves. For the next round of ripe fruit I'm going to do something more influenced by some Lebanese fig preserves I've had, and add anise and orange flower water. regards, trillium

From wrapping fish in fig leaves and putting them on the grill, I can say they impart an herbal, spicey flavor. regards, trillium

I made some "44" last year. Quite good and I still have a bit left. How do you drink it/use it? I've tried it chilled and, on the recommendation of a French friend whose family used to make it, with white wine, ice, and an orange slice. I've also used it in desserts. Have I covered all the bases? Thanks, Rien Pretty much! For desserts you mean brushing dried cakes with it and that sort of thing, right? It keeps forever in a cool dark place, and you might find you like the flavor even better after a year or two. I like to include a leaf or two of whatever citrus I'm using in my infusion as well, it makes a rounder more herbal flavor. regards, trillium

Nocino recipes vary from house to house, you can make it with or without spices, I don't think there are any two "recipes" that are alike. To my taste, a vanilla pod is always a nice addition and doesn't seem to distract from the nutty and herbal taste of the green walnuts. I've found the problem with the spices is that they start out balanced by the nut taste, but with aging (+2 years) tend to predominate the flavor. I like young ones better with a little spice, old ones without. Jim is of the "in the sun" approach, whereas, I like to do my alcohol extractions in a cool dark place. When you do it in a dark spot it takes longer, but I like the taste better. I also use my walnuts much earlier then Jim does, I them to still have a shell that you can cut easily (or the classice test to check is to put a needle through them) because I like the taste better when they're younger. Just do what you think sounds the best and you can always experiment with something new next year! regards, trillium

uh-oh... a misspelling of pomarola... sorry... I am the world's worst typer, I'm sure. Pomarola is tomato sauce, the kind where you simmer fresh tomatoes with carrot, onion, celery, garlic and herbs according to your region. It goes through the food mill, gets simmered down further, a few basil leaves stirred in and then canned or jarred with olive oil on top to prevent mold. regards, trillium

Thanks for the links. I know about the Japanese uses of these leaves, but I'm trying to figure out how to make this certain Korean type of preserved perilla leaves. I'm almost sure there is bean paste, sesame, sugar and salt, but I'm not sure of the ratios or even the name of the stuff. regards, trillium

We have a perilla/shiso plant that is growing out of control. I'd like to make some of those preserved leaves like I buy at the Korean grocery store in tins. I think there is salt, sesame and bean paste, but I'm not sure of the name of the stuff so I can't look up any recipes to get an idea of proportions. I know you can make kimchee out it, but I think this is something different. I'm hoping someone around here has actually made the preserved leaves, or if not, can point me to a good reference. thanks, trillium