snowangel

Friday, March 3, 2006 From the Startrib's Entertainment section: The big news is all about the fact that Lenny Russo of Heartland will heat the Gutherie's New Eateries once they are in their new digs. He will partner with Bon Appetit, a food service giant. This is existing news, and I wish Lenny and Mega the best as they face big changes! I'm pleased that Lenny's touch will be tasted more often than dinner over in the Mac-Groverland neighborhood! There is also a quite positive review of Copper Bleu, an indy in the Lakeville world of chain restaurants and fast food. In Now Open, a visit to the all new Town Diner. I've heard from a friend that this is a winner, especially if you want to got with a family with kids and do better than fast food. Nice drink menu! In the Taste section: A predictable salute to the Oscars with some Food Best of Movie-wise. And linked recipes. Over across the River, in the Pioneer Press's Restaurant section: The Lunch Hour -- "Mission possible: Get out of downtown St. Paul, get a good meal and get back to work in 60 minutes." Several spots highlighted, covering all sorts of cuisine. In Restaurant New, Kathy Jenkins visits Bella in Blaine, Town Talk Diner, and NBA City Cafe in the Target Center. In the Citypages Restaurant section, Andy Steiner interviews Emel and Masooda Sherzad, owners of Kyber Pass Cafe and Da Afgan. A fascinating read, and typical of the narrow focus that Citypages takes to it's food topics. Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine wins a bit thumbs down from me. It is an annual food issue, and they don't even promo it, or give some hints on the web site. Given what I perused while waiting in line at Cub today, I tossed an issue in the cart along with the chuck, onions and OJ, and will let you know if this is an issue worth purchasing. You'd think this publication would want to promo itself! <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Twin Cities media outlets, which do not 'go to press' by Friday each week, may be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or the "digester" who will be happy to do it for you.

I'm planning on smoking at 200-225. If it's really cold or windy, I'll have trouble keeping the temp up, but there's nothing I can do about the weather. BTW, Marlene will be smoking on a Bullet and I'll be using my trusty Weber Kettle, and I do know how to manage the temp on the Kettle (they don't call me Kettle Queen for nothing). I've settled on potato and green salads as sides, and figure this meat won't need any gravy or sauce.

This topic needs reviving, so revive, I will! My cousin and his kids were over for dinner tonight. We're talking a lot of little kids, but, I know they like greens stir-fried ala HSSS. And, I had a hankering for curry. So, for the kids, some regular ordinary broccoli and a whacked up chicken breast (horros, I know), stir fried ala these greens from HSSS along with a big batch of massaman curry. So, I didn't pound my own paste. I dug out that container of Maesri that was languising in the fridge. But, I did take some pointers from the Thai Cooking course on ECI by Mamster and Pim, and marinated and cooked the meat, and added in the add-ins suggested, and it was a vast improvement. The other thing I did was used venison, a meat of which I have a freezer full. I demured to my husband and did include potatoes (not my choice), but cubed them small and was "selective" when I served my portion. I was a little heavy handed with the curry paste, but then again, all of the adults at the table have head colds. Reminder to self. Cook more Thai food. Make more curry.

Note: I changed the title of this topic since it is covering more types of cookware than just Le Creuset. And, while not cookware, I'm looking at the grates on my gas stove, and there's a lot of ick. Now, I could take bar keepers friend to it, and spend hours in all of the nooks and crannies. Oven cleaner? That Dawn Power Dissolver? Any ideas?

Marlene, I'm using hickory (because that's what I have). Sides? I'm thinking potato salad (to make Heidi happy) and something green. Yes, to port wine reduction. I'm thinking regular gravy (to keep Peter happy), but maybe I don't need any sauce if we're having potato salad. ????

Kathy, I have my very own Makita! Back to the kitchen and selling the house. The day we sold the house was the day I decided to do the braised bacon from Zuni Cafe cookbook. I had to pull it out a bit early and stash it in the garage (cold in there in January!) as I cleaned up the spills. At the closing, the people mentioned that the smell of the house and garage was just divine. So, phooey on filling the house with smells of baking and cinnamon. Bacon did it for us!

Spices. I'd guess that the first one in the top row is star anise and the last one is saffron. ANd, yes that red one that's first on the third row certainly looks like sumac! I love the title of your blog, Kathy. I'm a power tool fanatic. I cherish the power tools that my family gives me for gifts. And, good luck on selling the house. I'm sure it will sell, but when we sold our house (lived there for 18 years) almost 2 years ago, I noticed that most calls for a showing happen as the kids get home, are having a snack and spill something on the floor. It was the packing up the crap, the getting all of those DIY projects that we'd done to 95% done that were hard. THe killer was keeping the damned kitchen floor clean. Edited to add: I missed the sumac by one row.

I make mine exactly the same way, just usually with birds because they are easier for me to find. The serrano's at the supermarket are often past their prime!

Yes, I meant the seasonings found on any table (or noodle wagon). Ah, the vinegar with serrano chili (although I often use bird chilis since I can get them easily). My favorite of th condiments!

Beautiful ba mii nam! Any condiments?

Over on the Mexico forum, there is a topic on Chilaquilles with lots of advice. And, in RecipeGullet, there is a recipe for Chilaquilles -- click here.

I know that there are other topics on these kinds of places, and I will do a search. I have friends who swear by this kind of thing, but I want to note that it is possible to do this at home. When I find a great deal on a particular food item, or have a lot of a particular ingredient, it is easy to do this at home. For example, I knew last night that my family had a hankering for spaghetti with meat/tomato salce. It's just as easy for me to prep 6 quarts as it is to prep one quart. I've got the cutting board out, and a big pot at hand. Sure, I spend more time chopping than I would have had I only been cutting up one onion, but I don't think I spend the amount of time as I would have had I cut up six onions on six different occasions. Same thing when I last made chili! Plus, cooking in bulk is a great activity for a dreary Saturday afternoon with the kids. Gets them involved in math (quantities) and knife and searing/browning skills!

I had a rather interesting food revelation today. This was not taste-realted (I don't think I'm that far along), but textural. I had made some orange habarnero marmalade a few days ago. While I'm not particularly happy with this batch (a little too stiff for my liking, and a little lacking in the habarnero kick), it is just fine. I noticed this morning that my tongue wanted to wrap around those pieces of peel. Then, at lunch, I decided to pull out that ziplock with the lonely 10 pot stickers (homemade). My potstickers feature ground pork -- courely ground with plenty of fat -- finely chopped napa cabbage and finely diced water chestnuts, along with some stock, soy, etc. As I ate my pot stickers, I found myself acutely aware that the top part (the pleated part) was a bit -- well, I could have cooked them a bit longer. And, I could swear that I notice every little bit of slipper napa cabbage and rolled every single tiny diced bit of water chestnuts around my tongue. I was much more aware of the textural composition of a pot sticker. Anyone else noticed this? Am I taking more time with my meals or is my oral motor changing?

I never bought a jar of baby food, nor did I have any books to guide me. I guess I looked at the price of jarred/frozen baby food and the packaging waste and was sort of puzzled. I just whizzed things up in the food processor, or gave them table food that was appropriate. Diana's first real food came at 4 months of age. Half a brat. She just sucked that loose meat right out of the casing. All of my kids teethed on frozen bagels or chewy pizza crust. There were no signs of food allergies in either of our families, so I considered anything except honey fair game. I rarely planned ahead enough to make things, whiz them and stick them in the freezer, just most often whizzed things we were having for dinner. Certain things, like pancakes, can moosh up enough with some yogurt that they become spoon food (no choking). But, if you are planning ahead, freeze in ice cube trays. One of the things that got me about baby food was that so much of it was sweet stuff -- bananas (how hard is it to mash up a banana, really!), peas, squash, etc. -- and I really wanted them to learn to eat all sorts of different tastes and colors. Another nifty thing I had was the Happy Baby Food Grinder (this company really should pay me a marketing fee). It is quick and easy to use, especially when you go out. And, at times, when just whizzing something off the table for Diana, Heidi or Peter to eat that night, it was a lot easier to clean than the food processor. (BTW, when we didn't have electricity for about 5 days last fall, and wanted to make hummus, really regretted giving away the Happy Baby Food grinder.) Table food (either finger or whizzed) was a natural because my kids sat (it may have been in the bouncy chair) at the dinner table from day one.

Ronnie, how long for the pieces of belly? Skin up or down? I'm thinking of adding them to the smoker this weekend.

Bump! Marlene and I are going to be smoking prime rib roasts on Saturday. She'll do an 8 pounder, me a 5 pounder (both boneless). This was really prompted because I got an unbelievable deal on the one I purchased, and it's been a few weeks since I smoked anything. Any other bits of advice? And, any suggestions for sides?

After many fits and starts (truth be known, undertaking quitting while blogging was probably not a great idea), I am on track and on the wagon. Yes to keeping busy (the other morning, it was filing almost a year's worth of Important Papers, makiing marmalade and organizing the pantry). And yes, way yes to improved breating. It's interesting that for the first many days in a row, I got a rather horrid head cold which seemed to get rid of a lot of stuff. I'm still waiting for the taste revelation, but I'm getting little nuances every day that it is on the way. Good on everyone!

I hate root vegetables. Hate them. I can be coerced into eating roasted or raw carrots, but that's it. But, the idea of pasties with venison, potatoes, and perhaps a few diced water chestnuts does have potential! ← So you would probably choose "without", (rutabega)? Yes, Steve, consult your brother. I simply can't to rutebagas, turnips or parsnips. But, that rhubarb and venison... I quite frankly, and probably irreverently, think that some crunch from water chestnuts might be a nice twist. Potatoes are a good base, and carrots add a sweetness, but you need another flavor. How about turnips? Their mild earthiness might be good with the venison? SB (will consult his brother; hunter and game eater par excellence) ← Yes, consult your brother. Something without root crops. Potatoes, perhaps?

Nancy, but of course, I have grilled and smoked venison! I actually smoked a piece during the blog, but smoked it for too long. Smoked venison should be smoked for a big, and then foiled with some juice because this young lass of a deer was oh, so lean. Trust me, I've run through many bags of Kingsford this winter! Thanks for the link to the marinade. I've got a hunk that's begging to be kebobed (is that a verb?).

Let's see your brulee tool, Megan! (I use a huge propane torch)

I hate root vegetables. Hate them. I can be coerced into eating roasted or raw carrots, but that's it. But, the idea of pasties with venison, potatoes, and perhaps a few diced water chestnuts does have potential!

I'm behind on my venison posting. Earlier this month, when I was blogging, I made venison several ways: First off, chops and tenderloin. I think I did a mighty fine job on the tenderloin. The biggest success was with the leftover tenderloin. Some horseradish met it's match with some cream cheese (whipped), capers and leftover tenderloin. This was absolutely divine, and were I to be faced with more backstraps, I probably wouldn't bother serving them fresh from the oven, but this way was beyond belief. There was also chili, and I think one other dish which I'm not recalling.

Lori, implore them to hold back some hunks for braising and for chili. The combo of the small dice and the ground makes for a fabulous chili. I've got more venison steaks than I know what to do with (from the pro butchered one), and I'm thinkint stir fry.

These little omelets look fab. How would they keep? I'm hosting a rather large party, and would be hard pressed to make them ala minute. And, Lori, thanks for your pictoral and thoughts on the two different souffle methods and cooking vessels!

This is embarrassing. Of the two venison that were gifted to me, one was done by a professional butcher, so I really haven't a clue what and how they cut it up, but I sure wish I'd been more specific in how they packaged the stuff! The other venision was delivered as four quarters -- two shoulder and two leg quarters. Skinned. My FIL kept the backstraps (but I did get the backstraps from the other deer). Now we get to the embarrassing part. These skinned quarters came to me not long before Thanksgiving, when I was getting ready for not only Thanksgiving, but prepping for a women's weekend (which started Thanksgiving Day afternoon), as well as filling the larder for the family while I was gone. It never even occurred to me to have my dad (a former butcher) help me. So, I just basically cut the thing up as seemed logical, knowing what little I do. Hell, I didn't even both grabbing the copy of Cutting Up in the Kitchen to guide me. So, I'm sure what I have isn't really standard, but it was the way the bones and things laid. When I packaged the stuff up, I aimed for a variety of packages, ranging in weight from 1.5 to about 5 pounds. Some is clearly meant to be steaks, the other stuff is up for grabs. My two regrets: Not checking out the book called "Making the Most of Your Deer" and doing some reading before I tackled this. Not taking pictures of what's in each package and labeling photos and packages accordingly, since I used butcher paper, not clear plastic to wrap. And (oh, make that three regrets). Choosing a time to do it when I was unbelievably rushed. I chose this method for the second deer (I could have had it processed) because I was bound and determined to do it myself. ANd, I'm not particularly fond of venison sausage. It seems to dry, and none of the stuff I've had that's been processed locally really turns my crank, although I did get a nice summer sausage from the deer I had processed. So, now I've come clean about my hacking!