Aloha Steve

I was looking at a Miche formula that called for 110 French flour. I did a web search for French conversion to American flours and found this chart. I have no idea if it is accurate and if not, is it way off ? Can anyone who knows please comment. AMERICAN: Cake & Pastry
 APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 45 AMERICAN: All-Purpose & Bread
 APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 55 AMERICAN: High Gluten 
APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 65 AMERICAN: Light Whole Wheat 
 APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 80 AMERICAN: Whole Wheat 
 APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 110 AMERICAN: Dark Whole Wheat
 APPROXIMATE FRENCH EQUIVALENT: Type 150 I also have found links to very scientific data regarding ash, mineral content, hydration levels and other data, which I cannot understand. I am looking for what equals what and only need to know the minimum to understand why.

We bought our covered, foot lever operated trash can at Walmart. I think we paid 69.99, 6 months ago. We use standard tall kitchen bags in it. There is a bit of a hang over but we can tuck in the exposed part. For a kitchen that used to keep supermarket trash bags, on the counter top, not where we cooked or prepared foods, we scratch our heads and wonder what took us so long ?

With all due respect: Are you in the Club ? When's the due date ? LOL Just joking, I'm gonna have to try to potato chip and French's, which is the only mustard my BH will use.

Fixed it for you. LOL, thank you...........

I have a 4.02lb duck defrosting in the fridge. I'm anxious about cooking that bad boy (How do we know it was not a girl I welcome any and all, tips, techniques, suggestions anything you care to tell me. I have no illusions of doing anything fancy with it. I just want to cook it properly and for it to have a nice taste. I have read of some of the comments here like, having to empty the pan of fat a few times during cooking. Never, ever throw away said fat as its good for cooking other things. Thanks, steve

A great looking Banana Chocolate Chip Upside-Down Cake was just posted in the "Your Daily Sweets....." discussion. The poster kindly included the link to the recipe. The recipe called for flour but did not specify what type. Therefore my questions: When a Cake or Pastry recipe does not specify a type of flour, what do you use ? Is there a rule of thumb to follow ?

It looks great. I followed the link to David's recipe thanks for providing it. He did not specify what type of flour to use. What type did you use ?

As I think about it Katie, now that you pointed out that Bob's is more of a speciality provider, I can see there is not that much of a crossover. Thanks for pointing that out, one of my lessons for today. And I can use their products guilt free, not feeling like I'm not being brand loyal to KAF. LOL

I made Five-Grain Bread from the book "Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes: by Jeffrey Hamelman. It calls for a Liquid-Levin build, which means use a portion of your "sourdough" starter, add stuff to it and then use in the total formula, in this case the next day. I've never had any confidence in my starter, however: Even though the bread looks like a 3 (out of 10) It tastes like a 9 yum.

I have been a cheerleader for King Arthur Flour since my mentor or instigator (LOL) cousin who introduced me to baking, told me she uses KAF exclusively. She said she could tell that it was a consistently high quality product and was also consistent with the protein levels claimed. After using their products myself and dealing with the company directly, I in my newbie experience, can tell its good stuff and the customer service is excellent. They are a employee owned company or a ESOP and maybe that's why when you deal with someone who works there you are really dealing with an owner, so they care more about the consumer. On to Bob's Red Mill. I have bought two items from this company (when I could not get a similar KAF product), used each a few times, and have no complaints. I don't have much experience with their products. Have any of you compared the two companies products, side by side ? Oh and BTW, Bob, the recently no longer owner of Bob's Red Mill followed the KAF's example, and sold the business to the employees. You can Goggle it if you want to know the particulars. What it says to me though is "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" Unless I find out otherwise its KAF for me.

Mario Batali's B & B Ristorante, just a few steps from Zeffirino in The Venetian would be a far better choice with a more creative menu. Well David, one of my favorite musical groups is Blind' Faith' (I'm dating myself I know) Zeffirino canceled and B&B booked Many thanks for the info. We went to Bouchon for Brunch the bread was great, the bread pudding type French Toast ok, my Croque Madame and fries were very good, my MIL's corn beef hash with Egg, very good. B&B's just finished about 1/2 hour ago, party of 7 celebrating my Mom's 80th. I tasted a lot of things, I ordered: Warm Lamb’s Tongue with Chanterelles and a 3-Minute Egg, I liked the egg and the mushrooms, could not distinguish the taste of tongue in there. It was good. Beef Cheek Ravioli with Black Truffles and Crushed Duck Liver. Small portion for the $$. Tasted good, sauce very good. Tasted the liver, did not taste the beef or the truffles. I think that I got so spoiled eating fresh, delicious truffle at Le Meurice, last winter that I cannot find it any place else. After all it could have been picked that morning and driven up to Paris. Whatever the case may be, I will not set my sights so high, thinking I will taste it like "that time". And you know that the say about the FIRST time, about a lot of things, maybe that's a factor too. “Brasato al Barolo” with Horseradish “Gremolata” was my main or my secondi dish and, alas I was disappointed. It was described as a incredibly most, marinated over 8 days in a wine and then slow cooked, short rib off the bone. Yes it was good. However, this past Tuesday I ate at Alan Wong's, arguably the best restaurant we got in Hawaii, had the tasting menu, and the last dish before dessert was a small braised short rib. I was too full to eat it at dinner, so took it home, warmed it up the next day and it was fab and beat the one tonight by a mile. Service was not quite on as well. 5 of us were seated, drink orders taken, the last two, came in 10 minutes later and were not asked for their drink order for 15 minutes. Perhaps the hostess did not tell the waiter, the rest of the table was now seated. But we did tell the waiter they were on the way, I think he could have been more attentive. We finally asked a busser if he would please send our wait person over, then after a while the other two drink orders were taken. I thought the service was slow, we had to ask for bread we were not offered any first. But hey, we were there at the busiest time of the evening so this should be taken into account. Did the guy earn the $100+. tip we left him? This by itself was not really off putting as the next part. I was very disappointed in this last bit here: I may be off base here please feel free to correct me if I am. I let them know it was my mom's 80th at the time of reservations, at the time of seating and even joked with the waiter about fitting 80 candles in dish. We were all too full to order dessert. What they did for her, was bring a pitiful little plate of tiny cookies and the chef? wrote in chocolate Happy B-day, I think. The plate was too small to really say and read anything. The bill before tip was around $550., one would think they could put a candle in a $10 dessert and say, if not sing Happy Birthday ! AND, what really was a bummer was two tables away, there was a cake with at lest 10 candles burning on it with about 7 staff were singing Happy B DAY to a person at that table, about 15 minutes before my moms little plate came. Were my expectations too high, was I incorrect to think a real dessert with a candle was appropriate, to be comped ?

Great looking loaves, crumb and crust. Your slash technique looks pretty good to me, well done!

At present I have KA: AP, WW, Sir Lancelot (High protein), Rye fine, Pumpernickel (Rye med. grind), Queen Guinevere (cake flour), Rice flour, Potato flour, Semolina flour, (and one more I cannot remember) Whole Grains and yesterday in a moment of weakness, being completely out of bread flour, bought Gold Medal Bread flour with RLB's picture on the front. I keep all in 99% air tight plastic containers in the extra fridge with the exception of the AP, because I use it so fast. I am hoping to get 6-8 months out of all.

Mario Batali's B & B Ristorante, just a few steps from Zeffirino in The Venetian would be a far better choice with a more creative menu. Well David, one of my favorite musical groups is Blind' Faith' (I'm dating myself I know) Zeffirino canceled and B&B booked Many thanks for the info.

Have reservations for Zeffirino one week from today. Has anyone dined there and can comment on the experience ?

THAT, is one good looking pizza !

Fabulous looking crumb, crust and your slashing technique is good too. I bet it tastes every bit as good as it looks. You've inspired me to hurry and get my hands full of flour. I've been on the road for the last couple of weeks and cannot wait to get going baking bread.

Corton it was and it was excellent. We both opted for the 3 course and with the comp offerings it was really a like a 7 course. The food was very fine, the service was as good as it gets. The only regret I have, is, I did not get enough fresh winter black truffle shaved on my scallops and it was not as pungent as I thought it would be. However, I have only had white truffle at Le Meurice (had in November 08 and the shavings were 1/2" high) to compare too, so it is really not an educated comment. Highly recommended. I also loved being able to see into the kitchen, they have the entire top 1/4 length of the wall of the dining room/kitchen glassed.

A well aged piece of meat cooked correctly, a Caesar salad (thank you Mexico) with the proper amount of simple ingredients, fried onions and mushrooms to accompany this, what a fantastic meal this is! No ingredients have names I cannot recognize, nor hours upon hours of trying to make same look like its not what it is. Oh yes, the other two pieces of this divine meal missing are, bread, yeast salt and flour in some combination perfectly cooked and a sweet for desert. Close-minded...hmmmmm...Hey "What's the Beef" ? Please go ahead and experiment to your hearts desire. We are not close minded just appreciate food, in its original condition, cooked and spiced well. That's why they make vanilla and chocolate, different flavors for different people. for me all this is Much ado about nothing.

Do you skip the rest of his instructions ? What I mean is the soaking, freezing etc. I like your method if you do, its a whole lot easier.

I wish I had the counter space to 'throw' the dough. I've watched his video on how he kneads and have the book. I'll try some of his recipes one of these days but use the mixer. I made this pumpernickle bread and its was great. Up-thread there are some pix of it.

Should have tried to go. Oh well. I think the article says they have been losing a half million Euros per year, not that it's the operating cost. Yes, he says the restaurant operates at a net loss. Sorry if my choice of words wasn't clear. Perhaps if the restaurant stayed open like a regular business does, all year long, maybe it would not loose money. The rent, insurance other operating expenses go on all 12 months, I would imagine.

Going again for two nights the beginning of March to celebrate my Mom's 80th. Its a family tradition to go to Lost Wages for Mom and Dad the last few milestone B-days for both. I cannot, no matter what kind of temper tantrum I throw, get them to stop going to Hugo's Cellar for the celebration meal ahhhhh, LOL. Of course I'd go to the Golden Arches, ammonia and all, just to keep celebrating their birthdays. My question this time, is the other night, which restaurant at the Venetian get's the most votes for us to go to ? I did Delmonico a couple of years ago and its hard or me to eat meat out these days since I make a pretty good steak and rib roast at home. I plan on having at least a brunch at Bouchon or should I save that for my one dinner ?

Ooops, bacon...I did not see that and I found Keri C's own post LOL Got the Crisco and will use the minimum sugar amount. Will make sure to get the skillet hot and have a toothpick on hand. Thanks again.

OK then, a skillet it is. Ginger has been asking me to make some and I will with the recipe you mentioned in my 12" skillet. Mahalo for the quick answer.