Aloha Steve

What follows is the recipe the Brownie Expert (BH Ginger) says is the best. Her opinion carries weight as the Brownie is her all time favorite food. Before this recipe I used a different one which made a double batch, using a double broiler on a stove to melt the chocolates, two kinds of chocolate, all kinds of directions, it took a long time, about 1.5 hours. This new one I can get it in the oven in 12 minutes from start to finish. I use the best unsweetened chocolate (100% cacao) brand I can find locally which coincidentally is Ghirardelli and imported French butter. GG love walnuts so thats the nut I use. Please don't discount trying it when you see nuking (Microwaving) the chocolate, like I did which stopped me at first from trying this recipe. 12 minutes and I can say "from scratch" ! (I think these are Barb's words, she's my kind of GAL ) Notes: First Place, Plain Brownies, 1997 Minnesota State Fair. Adapted from recipe in Cook's Illustrated magazine, March/April 1994. Please note that I do use real chocolate, unsalted butter and cake flour. If you do not, don't complain to me about it." Barb Schaller's Famous Orgasmic Chocolate Brownies Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter
 8 oz 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
 2 cups granulated sugar
 15 oz 4 eggs
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1 teaspoon almond extract
 (GG does not like almond extract use an extra vanilla) ((I thought it was better with the Almond but what do I know)) 1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts or pecans)
 1 1/3 cup cake flour
 6 oz 1 teaspoon baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt Directions: Move oven rack to center and preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13” metal baking pan with parchment paper. In microwave oven, on medium-high power, melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, about 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Mix in granulated sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, with wire whisk. Mix in vanilla and almond. Stir in nuts, if using them. Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt and fold into chocolate. Spread batter in 9x13” pan lined with baking parchment and bake in preheated oven at 350F for about 33-35 minutes. Do not overbake; toothpick may have fudgy crumbs on it, but not wet batter. Cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing (if you wish) brownies from pan. ***One last BIG suggestion. We like crusty ends on all our brownies. G-d and all the angles in heaven decided to reward people who love brownies and had man invent this THIS Try it you'l love it. Didn't someone say "Huh what's in a name" I'll allude to, there are side benefits to making these brownies [Moderator's Note: Permission to post recipe received from author Barb Schaller]

When we ate there in November 2008, they had 6 or 7 dishes featuring white truffles. In fact, I'm pretty sure they had a separate truffle menu with the dishes. So, perhaps, they focus on a single ingredient, then feature dishes showcasing that ingredient ? I have a story about that night's dinner. Ginger and I took our friends there as a thank you for their help in a business deal that worked out very well for us. Our friends are French, live in Paris and Arras, dine very well and one fancy's himself a self taught 'gourmet' cook, which I believe is true. I am the only one who orders a dish with Truffles, it was a appetizer. At the introduction of the nights menu, the maître d brought a wooden box with two big lovely looking truffles to show us. Our friends oohed and awed but I was the only one to order a dish with. As soon as the truffle was finished being shaved onto my plate, out shoots my wife's hand, takes the plate, and proceeds to give out friends a third each of MY shavings !!!!!!!!!! They look at me and say something like 'Are you sure'......I wanted to say give me it back ! But I did not. I smiled and said please enjoy. (Which of course I meant as they are really good friends) I will never let my wife forget and bring it up once a month or so. LOL

The 1,000,000 Macaroon question: How did it taste ? I use both granulated garlic, powdered garlic if I think a dish might be too wet and want the juices to be adsorbed as it cooks. Delicious! Interestingly, leaving out the fresh garlic wasn't detrimental to the final product at all, as I thought it might have been. It was a bit more mellower with just the granulated garlic, though. I am bringing a leftover meatloaf sandwich for lunch tomorrow. Sounds Yummy Hooray !

Made a decision, well several: First one was: could not just get one book. I was going bonkers trying to limit my selection to one I've bought four, two used, two new. Will get to the library to borrow BBA tomorrow and read it while I am waiting for the four to arrive. I've also decided to buy one of Peter Reinhart's books. I will evaluate the BBA of course when I borrow it, and will wait till I can review his new one "Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day" which comes out on Oct 27. I almost bought a used Brother Juniper .......but decided to wait. I want his recipes as much as anything else. BTW, on Amazon, there are two instructional videos on the page which has the listing for his new book HERE (I hope I did this correctly for supporting eGullet, I clicked the link in the 10 ways to support for Amazon and then searched for the book) Here are the titles I bought: Beard On Bread The Book of Bread - Judith Jones (Bought like new for $4.00, though no one here has mentioned it) The Bread Bible - Rose Levy Beranbaum Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads Thank to all and hope the discussion continues to help any and all, as it helps me.

The 1,000,000 Macaroon question: How did it taste ? I use both granulated garlic, powdered garlic if I think a dish might be too wet and want the juices to be adsorbed as it cooks.

Thank you Andie, I will call both on Monday. I will pass Bookends in Kailua driving my son home tomorrow night. Hopefully, I will be stopping in to pick up a book(s) ! I subscribed to Bread-Bakers too

Sony, your variations sound great ! I think I've got to try most if not all next time

Well, in the sexy department I need as much help as I need in cooking, therefore I will learn patience LOL In a few minutes, I am on the way to the bookstore. I have text myself a list of 7 books to try to find and peruse. Probably the library tomorrow to borrow BBA to read the first 1/3. I am confident with all your comments and recommendations that I can get one or two and start making good bread. I am very grateful to have such a pool of wisdom born of experience to draw from. MANY THANKS. And Steven (FG) thanks for starting the whole kit and caboodle in the first place.

Oooh- I'm making that this weekend! Nice job! Any idea how well the bread keeps? Does it need to be refrigerated? I'll probably bring some into work, so just trying to decide what day to make it and how to store it. Also trying to figure out if I'll be able to keep my hands off of the extra loaf. With cheese you cannot leave it out more than a few hours. I cut the second loaf into two, and froze both for later. Like Anna found, it is a chewy bread, so I nuked the first loaf after it had sat for out for a 10 seconds, it became softer and the butter melted better too Any ideas what we can do to make the bread less chewy and more flaky (perhaps) ?

Thanks Blether for this, it rings true in a lot of instances.

SUSHI ??? Your in Bismarck, North Dakota.....by the look of your avatar you were not born in Japan my friend, I don't think you are going to get topped !!!!!!!! Hearty Congrats from Sushiville aka Honolulu

I'm interested in Artisan bread making.........if that means not just plain: white, rye, wheat or French. I like those AS WELL and want to know how to make them but Artisan to me means; mostly no pan, crusty with ingredients like cereal, fruits, cheeses. I've made my 2nd 'from scratch bread this morning in as many days, a free form raisin-walnut. It was too wet when I formed it before the 2nd rise, I knew there was a problem. Not sure if reforming into a log right before putting into the oven would have helped. It cooked very spready and was not a 'loaf' but something else The good news is, I used the best ingredients I could find, like French butter and boutique honey, adjusted the cooking time and it is a triple. I'm inspired to cook bread. Sticking with Baseball, I'd like to hit Home-runs (who doesn't). I am a beginning cook, baker, having NEVER had a stand mixer or food processor in any of my own kitchen's, and my parent's kitchen never having these either or even hand ones. You know that old Jewish joke "How does a Jewish mother/wife make dinner?" BY PHONE: RESERVATIONS & DELIVERIES....I think you get the idea. Kneading = no problem got a good stand mixer, food processing = no problem got the latest processor, waiting = problem got no patience The first bread, the directions called for overnight, I did it and like everything else about cooking, I am trying to learn it. All of the above to ask: (as of OCT 2009) WHAT ONE BREAD COOKBOOK MUST I HAVE ???? I'm confused cause there seems to be so many good sounding titles ! Anyway here is what I see as some choices. PLEASE feel free to make suggestions and comments. The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking Artisan Baking The Bread Bible by RLB Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day (not even released yet OH VEY)

sorry i edited all out and decided to start to new topic since I am asking for ONE bread cookbook for the novice cook and baker

They came out great ! My first attempt making bread from scratch to boot If I was served this is a fine dining restaurant or bought it from a good bakery, I would be happy and satisfied. Before baking: After

Its unruly Aloha Steve LOL Its avoiding buying the whole bottle and just having it lying around. Airplane bottles is a good one, thanks Dave. I would rather substitute, come close to taste and what the alcohol needs to accomplish composition wise in the recipe. I'm taking notes thanks to all who responded so far, and will.

I make a bread putting with a mock whiskey cream sauce. I use Apple juice instead of Jack Daniels. It probably does not taste exactly like it would with Jack, but its delicious anyway and get's gobbled up wherever I bring it. I know cooked for a while, the alcohol burns off inside a recipe, and I'm not opposed to anyone else drinking, its not a principle type of thing. But I don't want to buy Jack, Cognac, Absinthe, wine etc. and keep it around. I do have a few bottles of non-alcaholic cooking wines which I use. For recipes calling for beer, there are quite a few with almost no alcohol contend which I can use and do drink from time to time. I would appreciate a list of substitutions you all have used, heard of and if you know of any written guides. MAHALO

Bathroom scale? Weigh it the way my vet weighs the cat: holding the cat, then not holding the cat. If you have that big a roast, how accurate does it need to be? LOL, you've got a point there I'd be using a thermometer for the temp anyway........... I guess I was thinking about measuring weight loss, (the roast's after aging not mine) and about amount of ingredients. Still, not going to buy a bathroom scale, cause it would mean I might weigh myself in a moment of self-flagellation.

Thank you Cooks With Love for bringing this recipe to our attention. The starter is bubbling away as I write. I have some gruyere left over from a quiche I made and wondered what to do with it. Now I know. I will post a picture tomorrow if it comes out half way decent, with me baking, its a 50/50 chance.

I am making this recipe that 'Cooks With Love' posted on the Recipes That Rock 2009" thread here Its a recipe on King Arthur Flour's website. Whats neat is you get to choose which way you want to view the ingredients in the recipe, either by weight or volume. I choose weight, as a good egulliteer should. I have this scale which displays ounces/lbs/grams/kgs; Graduation .05 oz / 1 gram. So far, so good. I do wonder what I will need to do if I have to weigh something, like a roast after aging, which weighs more than 11 LBS.

I posted this in another thread here but I think its appropriate in to post here also. I have not baked with mine. I use it for rolling dough on. Afterwards I clean with hot slightly soapy water, dry by hand and store like this. Stored for six months rolled like this, it springs open, is as slippery as the day I opened it for the first time and it has no creases.

Here is a pic of how I store my Silpat. Its been stored like this for 6 months at lest, except for maybe 10 hours of use. Whenever I unroll it for use, its as springy and unwrinkled as the day I opened it for the first time.

This I get completely. What I was asking is about drinking wine before and during eating, that has not used and cooked in a recipe.

I don't drink now. When I did it was not with wine accompanying my food, I was more a scotch on the rocks kinda drinker. I don't understand how wine which has a strong taste, contains alcohol which I would think deadens nerve endings, can enhance the taste of the food its eaten with ? Of course I see wine parings on menus and there is a whole culture of and about wine. So I'm sure its I just don't understand. Another question I have, is if wine really does enhance the taste of food, then, if took wine in my mouth, swished it around, spit it out without swallowing and then immediately put food in, would I get the benefits of the taste of the two together ?

I know we are talking about granulated garlic here,.....how about the already peeled and chopped fresh garlic that comes in its juice ? I 'pushed the easy button' and use it in every instance where fresh garlic is called for. Thoughts ?

Very long story short: We got to the airport, waved goodbye to Nicolas our five year old, unloaded our luggage, stood outside the terminal, never walked in, called our ride (Grandma) to come back and pick us up. We had been ambivalent about going for a good part of the time the trip was planned. Then I thought, "We've got to go to see if we really do not like going any longer." LOL a little nutty thinking. It was a 16 day trip, joining a tour in Paris, (we got to stay at our flat during it, two days in Limoge and finishing up in London.) It was going to be centered around our hobby of the last 10 years, but at the moment is not fun for us. I think it may be time to sell the flat. I do so regret not being able go to E. Dehillerin & Herme While I have been eating Macaroons for the last 5 years, I've never been to his place. I just bought his book too I just made quiche yesterday for the first time and it came out really well, with new 9.5" tart pan, thank you Dorie and will try my favorite flavored Macaroon, Pastiche, by the end of the week. I Promised Reader's Digest version of why we did not go, so I'll stop here. Thank you Linda for asking