OliverB

well, both of course, but if you have one roast that's 5 inches thick and an other that's 2 inches thick, the later will be heated through much faster. The belly pieces I see around are more or less the same thickness, just differ in how large the cut is. I'd use a meat thermometer (and if you don't have one, it's a good excuse for getting one, the ones with a probe on a cable. I have a wireless one so I can take a unit with temp read out with me around the house). I'd start watching it after a bit over an hour, just take a peek through the oven window here and there. Don't open the oven unless you don't have a window. I'd be pretty confident that it won't burn to a crips in 2hrs, but I have not seen your piece so it's hard to judge. Let us know how it turned out!

it might not differ much if your belly is just shorter than what the recipe calls for. Usually pork belly - at least the one around here - is pretty much the same thickness, just a larger or smaller piece. Do you have a meat thermometer than can go in the oven? I'd use that and set the alarm to maybe 140F or so and from then on keep an eye on it. it's so fatty that you'll have a hard time drying this out. At least that's what I'd do. but my guess would be that you'll still get close to two hours for the crackling to develop. Ok, and now I'm really hungry!

If they turn out the way I hope, just come on over, we're close to the 680/24 interchange! They are also exceptionally good with Weisswurst (the white Bavarian sausage, probably the first thing I'll make once I have my grinder and stuffer!) or a nice crunchy fatty pork roast. Or just a nice cold beer, some butter and some cheeses. My kids love Brezeln and I can get them at Dittmer's Wursthaus in Mountain View or thereabouts (great German butcher!) but that's an hour's drive and while we come by there frequently for family, that's usually on Sundays when they are closed. Of course.

One of the large German cookbooks should also make your friend happy, they usually cover the same dishes and then some. I just yesterday dragged out my copy of "Ich helfe Dir Kochen" (I help you cook) which is a really nice book. I'd also suggest the "Bayerisches Kochbuch" by Maria Hofmann, an old standard that I refer to often and the borders between Bavaria and Austria have been floating for centuries. Your friend can also check out amazon.at and search for "oesterreichische kueche" which will bring up several interesting looking books, though I don't know those. I love Vienna, one of those places where I could move to without hesitation!

I made a sauce yesterday that would work as well as a soup. I browned some sliced crimini in a pan, then I put them into some veggie stock I had made a while ago. I can't remember from what I made it, but it was very red so there were some beets in there for sure. Just a remnant of some leftover veggies a while ago. I let that simmer (and reduce) for a while, added some cream and about a Tbsp of butter, salt and pepper and a bit of red wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar. Blended it up with a stick blender. Was very good with the pork tender loin I had left over and some sauteed greens and fried potato. I could also see adding a bit of nutmeg, smoked paprika or a pinch of curry for flavor variations. If I'd had the time I'd have strained the sauce but I think it looked just as fine with the little dark mushroom flecks and for a soup I'd leave it as is, a sprig of parsley and a couple drops of olive oil (truffle oil?). Makes me want to run out for more mushrooms!

I agree with the unsmoked bacon! I made my first batch recently and don't have a smoker (mainly because I can't decide between a Bradely and a Trager) and it was too cold and rainy outside to use the weber. The bacon came out fantastic and I too will not ever buy bacon again in a store. I have several Asian markets here that sell belly and can also order it at Whole Foods or a meat market (though I have to buy a whole one most likely). I made a savory brine with fresh rosemary, garlic and bay leaf, some crushed pepper. Can't wait to make the next batch but the fridge if full with 8lb veal bones for stock and the freezer has a duck in it that I first need to take care of this weekend :-) As for liquid smoke, I read there are artificial ones and there are ones that are basically smoked water. The later is the one you want to use but with care, it's extremely strong. Fun stuff though, as you can add smoke to things that you could not possibly smoke. Just don't overdo it or it'll taste like eating from a fire pit after it rained.

thanks for all the input! I got mine on the way, certified-lye seems to have the best price, $4.39 per lb or less if you buy more. 99.9 percent pure and food grade according to this: "Certified Lye™ sells an extremely high-quality lye, which is manufactured in the USA and is intended primarily for use in making soap. Our high-quality lye meets the FCC and USDA standards for food uses, such as curing olives, hominy, century eggs, lutefisk and poaching German pretzels. Lower grades of lye are commonly used as drain openers and as oven cleaners." I shall report the outcome with hopefully gorgeous photos of Brezeln made in California! :-) Oliver

thanks! I know you have to be careful with that stuff (it's in drain cleaners after all....). I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere. If anybody reading this knows of a supplier please let me know! thanks {edit} I found one source and for all I can tell their lye will work just fine: http://www.certified-lye.com/ they sell it for soap making but certify that it's pure lye. As I wanted to try my hands at soap making (to show my boy and maybe as fun stocking stuffers) I got two 20 oz containers that should last me a while. Shipping is more expensive than the lye, LOL. I shall post a picture of my Brezen, I hope to get to them this weekend!! Oliver PS: word of caution, this stuff is to be handled with extreme care! They have all the safety info on their site, use gloves, glasses, old clothing and an apron and probably at least a dust mask too. And do NOT use it with aluminum! I'll make my pretzel bath in a glass roasting dish. Can't wait for some real Pretzels, no comparison to the poor excuse they try to sell you here in the US!

I have a need for Bavarian style Pretzels (or Brezn as we call them) but I'm a bit confused on the chemistry side. You have to bathe them in a "Lauge" made of "Natron" according to my German cook book. Natron translates to sodium which leads to baking soda in some recipes I found online. And others use lye (some from the hardware store....). My chemistry days are in the ancient past, can somebody enlighten me if this is all the same or if it's possible to use one or the other with the same results? Otherwise I'll rather wait until i can get some Natron sent to me from Germany. Gong the hardware store way seems a bit risky.... Thanks! Oliver

Does anybody have a link or know of a book etc that might give some more soup recipes they use at the French Laundry? Especially the carrot soup I've read about, but also tomato and some others. The FL book has some, but not the ones I'm looking for. Or I can't find them, always a possibility too... But I feel the need to make the carrot soup I read about..... Thanks! Oliver {edit} don't know why I sometimes forget, but a quick google got me this: FL carrot soup which sounds delicious. I'm still curious about other soups they might serve there. I'm interested in these concentrations of taste.

usually it seems that putting things in oil at home is fine for a couple days, but not for weeks. Brandy could work, but would most likely put flavor into them. not sure I'd like that. I did find this via google: The truffle can also be stored in olive oil prior to freezing. Completely cover the truffles with the oil (the truffles must be completely covered with oil or fat to avoid freezer burn). Freezing truffles in oil should force most of the aromatic esters (the elements which truffles are sought after) into the oil, where they should be captured for later use. So it seems that if you put them in oil you'll get nice truffle oil, but the t's themselves might loose taste. If you have a vac pack, that might be the best? Maybe just cover them with oil a bit, then vac-seal and freeze. Quite some more articles pop up on google for "storing truffles" or "freezing truffles" I read somewhere (Alinea? French Laundry? Fat Duck? one of those I think) that they buy black truffle at their peak in bulk and freeze, but never freeze white truffles. I can't find the source right now, but that's what I read :-) Or just scramble up some eggs and have at them! I sure wish I'd have some left over right now~~

I don't have it handy, but ASAIK the French Laundry cook book has lots of info on this delicious item. I have not made one myself yet, I'm planning on getting it from D'artagnan this year, where the FL seems to get theirs too. I had never had FG until we ate at the French Laundry last year, and it was one of those revelations, I'll never forget. Everybody knows about this stuff, once I put it in my mouth a giant light bulb went on and I knew. I knew why, I knew what this is all about. That, and the rabbit I had are the beacons of bliss, the shining lights of my dining out life. Simply amazing. As for the tkassum's question, you can store it in many ways, but your craigslist idea might not be all that bad either, not to sell it there, but to find somebody that'll jump on the option to buy it together with you! I'm sure somebody will jump on that option, I know I would if I'd live close to you. Matter of fact, I might just use that idea once I get around to ordering mine. And now I have to make plans to visit the El Dorado Kitchen in Sonoma, that food looks delicious! Practically "down the road" from my Walnut Creek location too :-)

could you not have gone and exchanged them? I'd be weary of eating something moldy (other than cheese). If they are black truffles I'm pretty sure they freeze well too. I'd vac seal them individually and put them in the freezer, make sure to eat them within a couple months. I would not leave them in the glass at room temp though.

Interesting to see that so many have the same thoughts as I do about this magazine. I'm getting it for several years and I used to cook with it, lately I read the intro to recipes (it always amazes me that someone would roast 27 chickens this or that way to come up with one recipe, I'd be bored with chicken after #2..). I think they need to update their format though, they look pretty pale next to all the high gloss food porn. It's probably the nerdiest of all food magazines out there and there is always something to learn though. I could live without yet an other rural farm story in the editorial though, I hardly skim that page anymore. It's all a pretty dated format IMO. I also don't really care for dumbed down recipes, meaning those where they try to replicate some dish within one hour that usually takes 3 days to make. There's simply no way that the outcome won't suffer. And their no knead bread - while easy to make - had no taste at all. I'm sometimes thinking about just getting the collected book at the end of the year and canceling the sub (I'm drowning in magazines, food, music, art, photography) but might just send in that renew card again anyways. Magazines are fun :-)

Yikes, just a look at the website is enough to tell me I'll never buy. They hired this slimy Seth guy? And now I'd have to pay to see him gloat with his shiny forehead next to some (wannabe) chef "reality" guy with exploding hair a 5th grader would be ashamed to sport? No thanks. Looks worse than the food network, which is going down the road to absolute mediocrity at astounding speed itself. Thanks for the warning, won't have to waste my time with this rag in the book store. As was mentioned, even the website seems to just re-heat long stale leftovers published long ago everywhere else. Astounding they got funding, now let's just hope they'll disappear just as quickly. There are too many mediocre food magazines out there already. Just my 2 tsp of course

I'm getting it for a bit less than a year and am not sure I'll sub again. (I have too many magazines on all kinds of topics). Some recipes ask for things that are hard to get, particular cuts of meat, fish I can't find, things like that. The appealing thing is that most of the content seems to be translated from the Italian version, which gives an interesting insight. I don't think I've made anything from it yet, though there are some good looking recipes. That the recipe namess and some sections in the magazine are in Italian is also a minor drawback. Sadly I don't speak much Italian (even t hough I had the enormous pleasure of wasting many years of highschool learning latin, which might come in handy once I get a time machine....). I'll probably keep getting it, subs are so cheap, but you might want to look at an other issue or two before you send away your order/

Diamond Chrystal Kosher as every day salt, a collection of specialty salts for finishing/decoration (black salts, red salts, smoked salt, things like that) For day to day use you want something consistent and it's probably best to stick with one brand.

since I just came across it, the last recipe, # 5012, in Escoffier's guide to the art of modern cooking: Vin a la Francaise: place 259g sugar in a basin and sprinkle with a view tablespoons of water to disslove it. Add 1 bottle of good Claret or Burgundy wine and half a lemon cut into thing slices and so on....... so, even in the regard of the bible of fine French cooking (what, almost 100 years old now?), you're fine :-) Enjoy! And I might just try this myself next time we have some left over wine. (probably around 2134 or so ;-)

If I like something I don't really care much if it's "OK", as long as I don't hurt anybody. Come to think of it, wine in the long ago past was almost always spiced in one way or an other and adding something to your wine is really not all that different from adding some of your wine to food.... Just sit back and enjoy!

Thanks skipper, I will certainly check this link out! My head is already spinning with new ideas! (tiny crispy bacon peaces, roasted nuts, roasted garlic, lemon juice instead of water, parmesan, mustard seed, cayenne, and why not vanilla and those tiny chocolate chips? oh, the possibilities! And this kind of cracker is my absolute favorite. Some good cheeses, a glass of wine, can't ask for much more :-) (edit) just thought I'd mention, if you bag them, wait for a good while before you do. I put mine in an open zip lock bag probably a bit too early, they lost a bit of their initial crunch. Also, if you use fresh rosemary (or anything else fresh I'd guess) they will retain moisture a bit longer, need to bake a bit longer and probably need a closer eye during the last minutes. They also puff up more it seems, which is actually quite nice!

well, I had the time and the crackers looked too good so I went for it. The dough is super fast to make, I made two batches with the spices listed (though I did use fennel seeds and caraway seeds) and then got some fresh rosemary from the garden for batch 3. I also added some fresh black pepper and a sprinkle of granulated dried garlic (yes, I use that stuff at times) and sprinkled them with black Hawaiian sea salt (sea salt with char coal) for the looks. Yumm, did they all turn out good! I have to figure out how to add pix here, I'll update the post if I can. I love these crackers but never buy them as they're so overpriced. Especially for something so simple! Less than an hour of "work". Next time I might double the recipe and use the pasta machine, maybe cut them into wide pasta strips, then spray with a mister and add the spices/salt. So simple, so good! And I don't usually bake, though I intend to change that soon and make my own bread for fun and cost savings. Oliver (edit) let's see if the image works, crackers with seeds on the left, crackers with rosemary etc on the righ. Sadly, some of them don't exist anymore.... (burp) hmmm, did not work. I did upload a picture to the image gullet and used the link from my browser, but got an error. Maybe somebody can show me the way? In the mean time, you'll find it under my user ID in the food porn section...... ((edit)) with some help from Chris Hennes, I hope this link will work now:

regarding those wonderful looking crackers, the recipe is here I think I'm gonna make these today - if the dishwasher repair man comes closer to 1 than 5..... I love these crackers and the cost in the store is outrageous, especially once you see how little goes in these, and how easy they seem to be. I'll post a picture if they turn out

I'd consider $80 for a piece of wood silly, no matter what. I have a cheap wooden pin but one of the handles started to come off. While at Sur La Table for something else I came by their rolling pins and picked up a "french style tapered" one with silicone, figuring the non stick will be neat. Once I unboxed the thing at home the kitchen filled with the acrid smell of rubber (or plastic?) and the idea of rolling that into my dough was not appealing. I don't remember the brand of the pin, but the particular I had also got low ratings on Amazon, where people posted that it actually broke on them. I went back and got a wooden Vic Firth for about $20 or so. Only used it once but was very happy with it. I might get a non-tapered one someday too, but have little interest in those with ball bearings and what not. And while silicone usually has no smell, the stinky one will keep me away from all the other offerings by the same company (fiesta, just looked them up on Amazon). Just my 2ct, and I don't bake much, though I plan on starting to bake my own bread, as bread prices seem to go up and up. Of course, my kids love English muffins, which you have to put in a pan first before baking. They can't just go for something simple ;-)

I probably have more vinegars than oils in my pantry, a splash often is just the final touch a dish needs! I've recently sprinkled red wine vinegar on my sandwich bread before applying mayo, then some slices of pastrami or roast beef, arugula and cheese (yogurt cheese recently) on top, a minute in the microwave and there's a delicious lunch! I add some kind of acid to just about any soup, most sauces. Even as a kid I loved to have a teaspoon of vinegar - and my kids are just the same :-) I also usually have lemons and limes at home and always have some frozen lime and lemon juice on hand in case the real thing is out.

certainly not every day cooking here, but quite some recipes that can be done at home relatively easy. And I think quite some can be adjusted/modified for "regular" home cooking. He also gives hints here and there on how to make things a bit easier.