DanM

I'd be impressed if they went on to say they were reducing the salt content in some or most of their spice blends.

While it was far from bad service (the exact opposite), my wife and I had a truffle experience at Bouchon for brunch. The waiter was telling us about the days specials, including a truffle risotto with 5 grams of Italian white truffles shaven on the dish tableside. The way he described it sounded like he was selling me 5 grams of heroin. Dan

I think I would rather lick a dead bear's tush or be subjugated to Vogon poerty than watch this "show". Don't they have quality standards anymore? Dan

We live in an era where we have a wider variety of foods available to us at all times of the year. But have you tasted a tomato in the middle of January? It tastes like cardboard. We are also disconnected from the creation of our food. Fewer and fewer have seen a chicken farm or pulled carrots out of the ground for dinner. We also have access to "professional style" appliances and cooking utensils. "Cook like a chef!" seems to be the marketing mantra of the day. Its hard not to walk through a kitchen and see the faces of Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, and other chef wannabes on merchandise. The endorsement does not make a product great. Are they any better than the cheaper, more utilitarian products at the end of the isle? You can also find yourself in possession of a monster 48" eight burner stove. Who here has ever managed more than 4 pots on the cooktop at one given time, or had the need to?

I'd have to say Morimoto's book. It is pure food porn, but the recipes are largely unrealistic for the average home cook. Dan

Heh... If there was a full service kosher butcher in reasonable distance, I would... But the 70+ mile drive to Monsey NY is just a bit too far. I'm stuck using packaged chicken from the market. This has been pushed to the back burner while I'm down with a 100ish fever. Dan

I find Heinz Organic Ketchup to be superior to their standard ketchup. It just tastes fresher and more like tomatoes. INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE ORGANIC TOMATOES, ORGANIC DISTILLED VINEGAR, ORGANIC SUGAR, SALT, ORGANIC ONION POWDER, ORGANIC SPICE, NATURAL FLAVORING. 20 cal per tbsp. I will pick some up tomorrow night and participate. Dan

Jerusalem Artichokes are great, as long as you don't mind the "tempest wind" caused by the inulin. I recently found a sources for kosher certified Mexican Chocolate. I want to make a nice mole from it when time and other factors permit. Peanut flour is another ingredient I am playing with, but I have not found much use for outside of smoothies. Dan

I have been working though my can of Rishi's green tea mint blend of the past week. I've had an elevated temperature and it seems to help, especially the soothing mint. I'll have to try a hot toddie or two. If anything, it will help me forget about it for a while. Maybe I'll also give the blend of green tea with honey, lemon, and Jacquin's Rock 'N Rye that tmirga enjoys. Dan

I am wondering what others here drink when they have a cold, fever, flu, or just feel lousy. Do you drink it because it makes you feel better, or due to a homeopathic benefit? Thanks!

I think you need to keep your eye out for an old Modern Maid in-wall toaster on eBay and flea markets. It will compliment your Mid Century Kitchen perfectly. Dan

Geez, I consider Heinz to be the "good" stuff and the "gourmet," organic dreck to be bad. I actually prefer the flavor of the Heinz organic ketchup over their standard... It just tastes more tomatoey. My weakness is celery seed salt. My blood pressure has a different opinion. Dan

We have a full set of Corning French White casserole pans. I use the small ramekins all the time to feed my daughter. I like the oval and round shapes as they tend to prevent burnt or overcooked corners. I will look into the 3 qt oblong model... that may be the way to go. Lodge enamel cast iron pans do have a place in my heart. They do have some nice gratin pans that I have been eying. I guess that is a topic for another day... La Creuset vs Lodge Enamel. Is La Creuset worth 3x the price? Dan

I like to cut them into wedges and bake with ancho and chipotle chili powders.

I think I might make a proof of concept batch with a package of ground turkey and use it for a dinner of chorizo tacos. Dan

The one pan I am lacking in my kitchen is a decent casserole pan. I have typically used my Chicago Metallic 9x13ish metal pan, but it always seems too big. I am considering the tried and true Pyrex pan, but I wanted to hear what others use and what my options are. I am looking for approx 9x13 in size. Thanks!

I pulled out one of my trusty kitchen references and looked at the nutritional guidelines for pork and turkey. Pork shoulder and turkey thigh have the same fat content, so I will use that once I get around to this. I don't have a meat grinder, so this will have to wait a bit. Its good to know I have options though. Dan

I was flipping through my copy of Mexico: One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless to discover a recipe for Mexican chorizo sausage. This is something that I never have in my kosher kitchen, so it inspired my muse. The recipe calls for 1.5 lbs of lean pork shoulder and 8oz of pork fat, plus a variety of spices, chiles and other ingredients. I was thinking about eventually trying this with chicken or turkey breast and schmaltz. Will this work? Any reason not to try other than "It's not authentic?" Thanks! Dan

I typically use my mortar and pestle for grinding spices. I give my spices a good toast to wake up the flavors and dry it out to make a finer grind. I do have a small coffee grinder in a pinch or when I am lazy. I wipe is out with a damp paper towel between uses.

Good news everyone. Taza Chocolate, including their Mexican chocolates, are now certified by OU. I have a wheel in my kitchen, now to find a good mole or other use for it! Dan

Costco has a decent mixed berry blend that I use for smoothies. It comes in 5 lbs bags, so freezer burn is an issue if you don't use it quickly. Dan

Brita filters are better than nothing when you have crappy water. We have fridge mounted filters and a reverse osmosis water filter under the sink. By far, I prefer the RO water filter. Its an expensive system, but the water quality is second to none. We also have issues with sediment here in New Haven, so I might consider a prefilter at the water meter. This not only helps with drinking water but keeps dishes, clothes, toilets, etc... cleaner. Dan

Thanks Alex, Meijer has a "Dairy Malt" product didn't think it's the same. But thanks for the health food store idea:) Dairy Malt, or malted milk, is a mixture of dry malt extract, flour, and dried milk. Great in a milkshake, but not so much in your rolls. As another mentioned, it can be found at any homebrewing supply store. You will want the light DME. The darker grades have specialty grains like crystal, amber, or roasted malts in the mix. While you are there, take the plunge and buy a home brewing kit. Its a great hobby. Edens brand also sells a malt syrup in most natural/health food stores, typically by the sugars. Dan Dan

I'd say skip the can of sweetened condensed milk and replace it with a nice bottle of wine or beer that will appreciate 13 years of neglect. Dan

There is a sucker born every minute...