capers

barolo, sorry I didn't see this sooner. Head on over to the Gourmet Warehouse - you'll find it in the fridge/freezer.

Well it's not in Vancouver but I'd give the Tuscan Farm Gardens just outside of Langley a call. They have a a lavender and echinacea farm. Here's the link http://www.tuscanfarmgardens.com/ Hope this helps.

Keith "Disposing of the cooked vegetables may help make the dish more elegant and refined, but for the home cook I think doing this and replacing them with less cooked versions of themselves is well sorry, no offense, kinda pretentious Maybe something to do with amatuer food preperation should be more about good times with loved one rather than chefly tricks of the trade?" Well I'm going to disagree with you. I've done it both ways and in my opinion vegetables cooked for that length of time have basically given up their flavor and don't have much left to give so I don't think it has anything to do with being pretentious. As far as calling it amateur food prep being more about good times rather than "chefly tricks" that's just bull! I am an amateur but I also know what tastes good.

Captain Hongo Ahhhh, brings back taste memories. We ate there on Sunday and we were certainly early enough to do a chef's table but decided against it at the last moment. Now I'm sorry we passed. Next time for sure. Your meal sounded wonderful and your post made me want to go back again this weekend, wish I could afford it. I too had the gazpacho and I was happy to see you used the bread to clean your bowl - I did too. I also ate almost half of my husbands parfait of foie gras and chicken livers with golden apple jelly (piggy that I am) - had to eat his since I simply couldn't justify ordering two starters. They offered a wonderful watermelon soup for the amuse bouche, truly delicious. I think the standout part of the meal for me was the dessert. I had the Passion Fruit Souffle with white chocolate creme anglaise - now that is one dessert I would go back for again & again. Thanks for the numbers on the chef's table, it's great to know how much it might cost and thank you for your report.

I like the Italian sausages from La Grotta Del Formaggio at 1791 Commercial Drive.

I've been reading City Food for a long time and I enjoy it. As far as recommendations and others opinions go I take it all with a grain of salt - I like to make up my own mind. Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks in Yaletown usually has it as well. Everyone has opinions and not everyone's tastes are the same. I do appreciate everyone's generosity in sharing their thoughts and recommendations on this site.

Jerry: I too like Ming Wo in Chinatown and the Cookshop in Market Square. For ingredients, have you checked out Famous Foods at 1595 Kingsway between Knight & Victoria? I find they often have products that are difficult to find elsewhere and they have such a big turnover that their baking products are fresh. Good luck with your cake!

If you are planning on freezing bread dough it's a good idea to up the amount of yeast, since I use fresh yeast I just eyeball a bit more, so can't give an accurate amount - because the yeast has to work a bit harder after it's frozen. You could bake it and freeze it, double wrapped in saran, then aluminum foil and then bag. Let it thaw overnight, heat your oven to 400 degrees, then wet a teatowel and wring it out, lay it over the loaf of bread and heat for 10 minutes on a baking stone. Remove the towel and let it sit in the oven (I just stick it on my baking stone) for another five minutes, it comes out with a crispy crust and tastes just baked again.

1. I too go to Windsor Meats - Main Street at King Edward Ave. They have naturally brined and smoked hams from the Fraser Valley that are excellent, fresh turkeys, free range chickens and eggs - excellent price on lamb shanks etc., full service boning and cutting. 2. Como Market and Cioffi's Meats on East Hastings - some consider Cioffi¹s the best Italian butcher in the city with outstanding sausages and veal 3. Famous Foods - -on Kingsway around Clark - free range chicken, Hertel¹s bacon and sausages (no nitrates, naturally smoked) 4. Hill’s Foods - 3650 Bonneville Place, Burnaby Hills will sell to the public with a $100 minimum and pick up at their location. If you're in search of any type of venison, bison, alligator or pheasant etc, as well as wild mushrooms and other exotics, they're usually the suppliers. (if you can’t meet the limit, inquire through Hill’s or your favorite butcher to order in what you need) 5. Armondo’s on Granville Island - my favorite full service specialty butcher 6. Oyama Sausage - excellent hand crafted and smoked sausages, cured meats including prosciutto -excellent source for duck rillette, foie gras, sausages for cassoulet etc 7. Choices Food Stores - for their organic produce, meats and other products and homemade chicken stock : Ah, I forgot - jayhay - you might want to take a look at the Omaya Sausage thread, there is a meat market mentioned.

Do any of you use the double smoked bacon? This is great stuff - In the past, I just could not stand the smell of bacon cooking and didn't particularly enjoy eating it until I tasted Omaya's double smoked. I also love their Merguez Sausage. :

I don't know what you add to your soup besides the squash. I cut double smoked bacon into very small dice and saute, then I cut small croutons and saute them in a bit of the bacon fat, and use these as my toppings. Snipped chives are nice as well. :

Oyama Sausage is one of the best things happening in Vancouver. Terrific products. I like to go to La Grotta Del Formaggio at 1791 Commercial Drive for good quality pastas, oils, vinegars, anchovies etc., and I believe they make their Italian sausages. They carry some very good cheese as well and this is where I pick up my fresh yeast. Famous Foods at 1595 Kingsway is a great place to pick up different flours, nuts & baking goods. They also carry Gina Marie Cream Cheese which I like very much - it's made without gums or fillers added. I've actually got a great list of places to get things from (got it from a cooking instructor) - I'll try to locate it and post some more if anyone's interested

"Suzanne F,Sep 30 2002, 06:25 AM] Mmmmm -- potato salad! Always start with yukon golds or red-skin new potatoes. YES, waxy is better! When I was little, a German deli in our neighborhood made a very simple, very delicious potato salad, with a creamy white dressing and chopped parsley only. I wish I could find out how they made the dressing: it was a little sweet, a little tart, and pure white -- not mayo, but ?????" I agree with waxy is better. As far as the dressing goes and I'm just guessing here Suzanne, but most likely it was made with a combination of Miracle Whip, sour cream, regular white vinegar (1 - 2 Tb.) with milk added at the end to give it the proper consistency. The Miracle whip adds the sweetness, the sour cream and vinegar make it a bit tart. I use this combination for my potato salads when I want a creamy one. When the potatoes are cooked and while they are still a little too hot to handle, I mix up a couple of 3 - 4 Tbs. of white vinegar and a Tbs. or 2 of canola oil, salt & pepper and I cut the potatoes into this, mix and then let cool in the fridge, mixing them occasionally with a rubber spatula. Then I add the creamy mixture before serving. It's a simple, old fashioned recipe - I love it.

The easiest way to do something like poblanos for rellenos is to dunk them in hot oil for 30-45 seconds. That way the skin is blistered completely uniformly and the peppers will remain intact. The oil can then be use again to fry the rellenos.

Not sure if you are aware of this or not but lately I have found pieces of Le Creuset & Mauviel Cuprinox French Copper Cookware at Winners. Most likely discontinued colors but they are selling for half the price. The copper is a great price as well. A friend gave me the heads up so I checked it out - they receive new stock every Thursday and that's when I go skulking.

forever_young_ca I'd like to suggest you also check out Ming Wo at 23 E. Pender Street in Chinatown. They usually have very good prices for All Clad as well. Here's a link to their web site : http://www.mingwo.com/company.htm Edited to add: I have a big old cast iron frying pan that I've been using for roasting and it's working very well.

I'm so glad I read this. I have been growing cynara cardunculus in my flower beds for the foliage and flowers and hadn't thought to check to see if they are edible. Learn something new every day.

My guess is if it is printied in the newspaper (with permission) from Thomas Haas it's already available to the public. However, it probably is better to ask. The date was February 26, 2003 issue - Mia Stainsby.

I'm enjoying your articles! He added 1 Tb. honey (he uses Blackberry honey but says others will work just as well) along with the sugar and added 2 tsp. cocoa powder (here he used Valrhona) to the salt & ground almonds. Also he suggested using Valrhona bittersweet chocolate, Scharfenberger or Cacao Barry. When I make these I level off the scoop so they end up being 1/2 the size of his cookies. I roll them into balls and freeze. Before baking I roll them in the granulated sugar and add a bit extra gran. sugar on top and bake for 8 - 9 min. in a convection oven - I like the crunch and wasn't left with icing sugar on my mouth. So there you have it. Now can you tell me about posting a recipe from a newspaper? Is this inappropriate here? Thanks.

[Have any of you made the sparkle cookies yet? Ben] I can see I'll have to do a fair amount of reading to figure out how to post a reply as everyone here does. I have made the Chocolate Sparkle cookies a number of times and they have become my all time favorite. Since the recipe was posted in the LA Times, Thomas Haas has made a few changes to the recipe and the updated recipe was posted in the Vancouver Sun. I have both recipes but am not sure if it would be okay to post them here. Perhaps someone could clue me in.

I also like Kirin on Cambie for dim sum, worth the extra cost. Are you aware they take reservations for dim sum? Sure helps on a busy weekend. SSW on Main can be very good on occasion but you need to be there by 11:15 or you are gonna be waiting for a good while. Shoot this is my first post and I don't know how to get my name here - I'll have to do more reading. capers