Darienne

Here it is half way through 2010 and no new tips???? Here's mine. It's probably so already done that it's a yawner, but it's new to me. The other day I thought to myself: I hate measuring butter in a spoon or cup and I am not going to do it anymore. So I made myself a tiny cheat sheet...until I learn it confidently...of how much a certain volume of butter weighs and now I am set for life. Would that all problems had such simple solutions.

I meant to pick one to eat just as we were out for the evening walk tonight...and then forgot. They aren't very big. Fiddly? I'm a little reluctant to do certain kinds of fiddly.

Thanks Kerry. Another piece of the puzzle in place.

What exactly is the 'Bob' in Greweling's Bob Syrup, Maple Candies, p.240? This is the closest I could come and don't have any idea of how it relates. Viscosity One of the properties often dealt with in rheology is viscosity which measures how thick a fluid is. For example is the viscosity of syrup (molasses in American) higher than the viscosity of water. It can be measured in several ways and I will here show how the viscosity of syrup is measured using a rotational viscometer. The syrup (yellow in the picture) is first poured into a cup. A tapered cylinder, which is called a "bob" is then inserted concentrically into the cup so that it is completely immersed in the syrup. When the cup is rotated, the syrup transmits the force to the bob which will also start rotating if nothing prevents it. The torque bar is fixed to both the bob and to the measuring instrument, and prevents the bob from rotating. It is not completely stiff but allows a small deflection of the bob which is proportional to the force transmitted by the syrup."

Looked up 'nieves' every which way and came up with nothing edible. It sounds like a 'snow' word. More explanation, please.

Good point, Blether. We have a Stove Guard on our electric stove and oven. The maximum you can set it for is 99 minutes and then the whole shebang goes off. A pretty good fail-safe. Stove Guard website and no, I don't have any monetary interest in the company.

Those are little beauties, Heidi. A great success. I wonder if I can use the multitudes of wild grapes leaves we have on the property?

They look mouthwatering-ly gorgeous!

My blender is simply a Hamilton-Beach. However, I makes lots of smoothies in it and my own special Orange Julep which we have for supper along with popcorn once a week. Also Road's End Coffees which my DH invented when we first moved to the farm...hot in the winter or at night and cold in the summer. Plus I make basil pesto in the blender. And then it purees this and that. I guess I'm not really a big blender user so this topic will be of interest to me. Inexpensive blenders have their limitations for sure and I find myself using a food processor for other procedures.

I can't remember which is a stabilizer and which is an anything else. I didn't think that cornstarch or eggs were stabilizers ...but then what do I know? The cornstarch and milk makes basically a cornstarch pudding and then you churn it into a frozen air-filled ice cream. I use the cornstarch base to cut down on the calories and the cost. Less heavy cream and no eggs. And the same mouthfeel almost. I find the egg custard ice cream a bit too rich. Especially for every day... For me it's the corn syrup which keeps any ice crystals at bay and the mixture from getting too hard. I really must get the proper wording into my mind. I just know what works...not why. Paulraphael and jon were my two main mentors who helped me learn how to make proper ice cream two years ago.

From Kerry: Short answer - it's just better! Give it a try - I think you'll agree. Short question for Kerry: did we use Horlick's or this CTL when making Malt Meltaways? I found the Malt Meltaways a delicious problem in that I could not keep from nibbling on them...but I found my Malted Ice Cream (DL's recipe) no problem. Too sweet for me, although Ed and our company gobbled it up like crazy. My sweet tooth is not that great usually.

Speaking of Mexican inspired ice cream, today with our basically Tex/Mex meal, we had David Lebovitz's Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream with Dulce de Leche on top. Oh my! Talk about death row ice cream. My tongue was frozen and my throat was scalded. So good. ________________________________

Oops. We are not wine drinkers either, and Ed cannot commit to any meals ahead of time. Not the best, but the best we can do. Sorry.

Ended up making one of DL's ice creams yesterday instead of my Raspberry-Pepper one. Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream using one dried Chipotle pepper which I buzzed in my little grinder with some sugar. The ice cream is truly 'hot'. Then I topped it with commercial Dulce de Leche which I had on hand instead of making Cajeta from DL's book. The official learning experience: This is the first ice cream I have made with liquor. Oh, I used rum, having no brandy. Yep. It's good. However, because I also subbed (per usual) about 2 T of corn syrup for 2 T of sugar, the resultant ice cream is not as frozen as it is normally. Normally, the big chest freezer makes things quite hard and the fridge freezer is better for serving from. This time the fridge freezer is just bordering on a tad too soft. And I could safely leave it in the chest freezer. Thus alcohol plus corn syrup is more than needed. Which is what I should have thought about ahead of time. No problem. Just another learning experience.

Thanks for the encouragement. All in the name of science. In other words, just make the regular ice cream and add the pepper bit by bit. That's rather than infusing the pepper into the cream and later straining. OK. I can do that.

Definitely a #1. Unsure about the afternoon. Sorry.

This ice cream thread is ALIVE! * Sadly no one has tackled my question about combining a fruit and pepper in an ice cream. I'll just muddle along. * Such interesting flavors are available now. jmahl: never even tasted a mamey. Never even seen one in a local store although Longo's a couple of weeks ago had 3 fruits I had never tasted. *Dcarch: what are the asterisks on some flavors in your post? * paulraphael: you are a master for sure. * ChefJohnny: I am overwhelmed. Need to try just regular Horchata before making ice cream with it. *LizD: so was the ice cream hard enough or too hard or what? And why if you know or suspect? Sorry for the endless questions.

A few answers: * Any bread is fine with me. I just need to learn how to make a brioche type bread and can do it on my own. Whatever I learn will be applicable to the entire subject. And I am a rank beginner. * Szechuan would be tops with us. Ed loves Chinese food and Szechuan above all and would be ecstatic at the prospect of good restaurant food. * No sense of top prices to be paid. * If the loaves are missing, we WILL know who took them. Oh right. Please a formal reiteration of what day the bread workshop is to be and what time slot, if possible. Also what day for the thermomix workshop and a hint of what we will be making/? watching being made?, if possible. Besides meeting you all, I am really looking forward to possibly meeting Ilana. ps. Will be bringing something VERY Canadian with me.

If we are putting in requests...I opt for a brioche. But will be happy with anything.

Now that is an interesting point I had never thought of... Must keep that in mind this summer when we do our own modest Mexican feast. So often the vegetarians go almost hungry. And we do have a couple of vegetarians in the crowd.

No help here, but I am fascinated reading this topic. I am just learning to cook Mexican...mostly Tex/Mex I fear...but I'll get there. Next things I am going to try is a pipian from Rick Bayless' book and also Horchata. Good luck with your dinner!

Sorry. No answer here to this problem but I am interested to know what your end result will be. I know that some add a dollop of liquor/liqueur to an ice cream base to help retard the crystallization process, and I always add a pinch of salt and replace a large dollop of the sugar with corn syrup...and am STILL going to try invert sugar. Too late for you to do the corn syrup trick and it would alter your ice cream substantially to add booze. You don't say how large your can of coconut milk is.

It's cherry season here (I'm going picking on Thursday!), and I would love to have this recipe, if possible. Thank you, pastrygirl! Ditto for me, please...except for the cherry picking part.

Hi judiu, Thanks for the information. Day lilies we have...like nobody's business. Not planted by anyone, just grow in profusion...weeds. I'll do it. I will. Although I am not quite ready in my mind, I'll do it anyway. Two flowers are out today outside my studio window and soon there will be hundreds. And then thousands.

Could you please tell me a bit about what's in pineapple sambal. I know pineapple and I know sambal oelek in a jar. Do you make the sambal or buy it ready-made? Did you make up the recipe basically? I would love to see the recipe if you are into sharing it. Probably won't make it in my household but it does stir the curiosity. Thanks.