Okanagancook

I find the black vinegar not 'vinegary' enough. But maybe I'll try half regular and half black.

Yes, ginger in the sauce is a nice addition.

Shelby, here is a great resource for making dumplings. I have her book too. It is very easy to make your own dough and it freezes well if you don't use it all. http://www.asiandumplingtips.com/dumpling-videos-helpful-hints-index.html

Very nice Shelby. Did you make a dipping sauce for the dumplings? I use 2 parts soy sauce to 1 part white vinegar with some chili oil and chili flakes mixed in for some heat. I love this sauce and have been known to drink any left after the dumplings are gone.

OMG of course there is a thread on tamarind on EGullet!

I made the Tamarind Stewed Meatballs on page 162 which has no wine added. i think you are referring to the Sweet Cherry Stewed Meatballs on the next page. Those do look good and I have some frozen cherries in the freezer so I will try those soon. she has a great explanation of tamarind on page 41. I love this book.

Astonishing!

I have seen these at the Super Store. Do you soak for an extended time compared to the blocks of tamarind which are more common?

Tamarind are kinda like dates. Fleshy pith surrounding a pit. You can get them in most ethnic stores...East Indian or Asian.

That is the exact recipe I made to make the meatballs in that book (which are delicious). Worth the effort. The rest of the sauce is in the fridge. I think it keeps well.

Not sure if you are using a commercial paste BUT, making your own tamarind seasoning with a package of tamarind is a revelation. The taste is so much better, milder and fresher.

I made the lamb tongues. Brined in a Pastrami flavoured brine for 4 days then into the bath for 24 hrs at 158F. Came out nice and tender. Three little tongues yielded 128 grams of sandwich meat......that will be our lunch. I also made the heart recipe but used three lambs hearts. Again, nice and tender. I like the book and feel the notes on safe cooking and other tips excellent. Detailed enough but not a textbook.

Bummer contrast to pristine British Columbia crabs

Well, Hungry Chris you will just have to motor to the coast. And you are correct, they need to be fresh. They are very sweet and loads of meat on them. One is plenty for a person. Garlic Butter, lemon and fresh bread place on a table covered in newspaper and napkins, a fork and pick......go! Ok, I have a favourite story about D crabs. We were on a scuba diving trip out to Vancouver Island's west coast. We bought some live D crabs off the dock. The seller had no bags (they are pretty laid back out there). We had a big paper bag in the hatch back. In they went, very wet. Drove 30 minutes back to our motel with the little beggars trying to wriggle out of the bag. They did get out but thankfully pretty close to our destination. Got into the motel room and put them in the bath. The kitchen equipment was grim. Went to the office begging for a BIG crab pot. Got a little pot. Ok. Filled it with water and brought to a boil. To the bathroom. These big fellows had no rubber bands on them. Managed to nab one without getting bit. So, crab splayed as big as it can get. Little pot. Spoon in hand. I thought head first he will die. OMG. The hairs on the back of my neck are up. Bang, bang, push, push, into the water my friend. Finally it stopped moving. Sheesh. Two more to go. Open the wine. But I have to say those were the best crab we have ever had. We were stuffed. We did them proud. Beautiful creatures. And they are hard to find. We went on a crab dive and they hide in the sandy bottom with just a couple of bubbles showing where they are. Thank god for crab pots.

TFTC, my heart goes out to you. Your conclusion that 'life is too short' is exactly the way to think. Please do not beat yourself up. From your posts you are doing the best you can in a difficult situation. I so glad you found an accessible shopping market.

HungryChris: CANNOT ever have enough Zuc fries!! Done right they are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, yes? And I love your hash. What a great idea to mince everything together.....that's on my do to list. Our local butcher makes corned beef for St. Patricks Day and I will be swinging by to get my share.

Not to be combative, but......You know, I'm not fond of king crab. Maybe because it comes cooked. I find the flavour lacking. What do others think? Now, give me a Dungeness crab. Even the ones from our local "Super" Store live from the tank are pretty dang good.

Yeah, that soup LOOKS SPICY. I find that spiciness in a soup is really difficult to tolerate compared to spiciness in a main dish. I will often cough eating a spicy soup. Weird but true, for me.

Ok, yes, I see what you mean. I think you are right. She cooks from her heart but also for 'approval'. Might be a family influence.

In what way 'suck up' do you mean? In the dishes she chose or her demeanour?

So, the verdict is in. Whatcha think? Good on Shirley for giving up her pork belly. True class. The cooking was spectacular. Who wouldn't have wanted to eat any of those dishes. I thought giving them their sous chefs was heart-warming. I think Shirley's first pick was a waste and gave Brooke 'The Man'....a serious advantage. I think Shirley messed up picking Ramen and Tom's point about the proliferation of Ramen Joints and the standard set at them was well taken. The choice of an oyster was quite 'ballsy' especially those from the warm water of the Caribbean. Can't think they were near as good as the Pacific NW or New England oysters. But I guess the flavours she chose hide the quality of the oyster. I just found that an odd choice. The suckling pig shank OMG. I find it hard to imagine anything beating that. Shirley's dessert sounded amazing with so many elements. Brooke's win is a good story line. Too bad for Shirley, she is so passionate. Shirley and her mom made me cry.

Well, I really don't know where to begin. These last couple of pages of the dinner thread have my head spinning. EVERYTHING looks amazing made by EVERYONE. I have a 'spatchcockish' bird (cornish hen) in the freezer; I have a can of hearts of palm that I am stalling on using; I have some Gruyere in the fridge and fresh eggs in the fridge (recipe please!!); I have some nice potatoes and we love scalloped potatoes with the baked cheesy top; I have some steaks in the freezer; and now I want Kim's cucumber sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. Tonight we are having Jerk Chicken and I bet you will never guess where I got the most awesome recipe for the sauce! Martha Stewart. Also have some baked okra; kind of a refried bean dish with plenty of garlic so it seems and some rice with mushrooms. I hope to remember to take a picture for the gallery here. Bravo everyone! cheers ps, can't wait for our asparagus season...another month and a half. I never buy out of season. Just isn't as good.

Mussel envy! My DH is deathly allergic. Sadly I only eat them when I am out at a decent restaurant. Bread is a perfect side.

Beautiful looking meat. Nice string work too! We get free range, grass fed lambs each year from a farm not far from here. We used to be able to get them whole so we could cut them up as we liked but that can't happen anymore. I really enjoyed the butchery. Oh well. The necks are usually sliced which I do a nice braise with. Fantastic meat. The tongues and hearts I am in the process of cooking sous vide. The legs are so tender one can cut thick steaks and grill them. Some end up in curries or kebabs. Most of the other meat are chops or whole shoulders/legs. The 'stew' meat is awful...usually the belly so it is very, very fatty. I spend the time trimming and that is made into stews/braises. Thankfully there aren't many packages of that. Can't get caul fat here.

Is the wine Chardonnay?