Panaderia Canadiense

Friends in the US who have visited me (and my Latin-influenced liquor collection) often complain to me about the complete lack of Aguardiente Reposado in the US, and indeed of the lack of non-anisado Aguardientes in general. On the Reposado side, of particular note are Zhumir Reposado (if they're still making it) and Estellar Oro (3 years in oak at 0 latitude). On the non-anisado side, Zhumir de Paute is probably the best - it approaches very good Cachaça in character.

Those were two separate statements, actually. ETA - however, CC is primarily a Rye based whiskey with a bit of corn and barley in it to give it character, at least according to the Wikipedia.....

Seconded for Ecuador! I miss my Canadian Club..... Maybe my Auntie will be very kind and bring me a bottle when she visits this October.... (hope hope hope...) Also any single-malt Scotch whiskey, but particularly Oban 12.

Liz, here are a couple of different recipes. This first one, a yuca (manioc) only bun, is my go-to dinner roll when celiacs are visiting. These are best served warm, but stand reheating well (warm oven or nuker). It's a no-yeast bread, but you can make a yeast version by subbing in 1/4 oz of active dry for the baking powder and then allowing the bread a 20-30 minute developing rise before forming it (and a 10 minute proof before baking, of course). I like the baking powder version better, though. They have an intriguing texture, more like yeast breads than biscuits (which is technically what they are), an excellent flavour, and are very filling. Pan de Yuca: 2.5 C yuca flour (that's tapioca flour by another name) 4 C grated cheese - mozzarella is traditional, but I really like medium cheddar 1 tsp baking powder a pinch of finely ground salt 1 C butter, cut into small pieces 2 large eggs 1. Mix the yuca flour, cheese, baking powder, and salt together. I do this by hand, but apparently a food processor also works just fine. 2. Add the butter and eggs and knead until you've got a smooth dough (or process) 3. Preheat the oven to 500F (or as hot as she'll go - this recipe is original for wood-fired ovens) 4. Pinch off balls of about 2-3 oz each, roll them round, and set on your baking surface of choice (I use silpats) 5. Bake immediately, about 7 minutes, then about 3-5 more with the broiler on to golden them up. 6. Serve hot. This dough also holds really well - I've made batches up to 3 days ahead and then simply fridged 'em with absolutely no ill effect. In non-mozza versions, I find it actually improves the flavour. I'm going to have to go looking for the black bread recipe - it's one that uses a blend of flours, and I thought it was in the current binder but apparently not.

Kay, the only question I have is this: do you have tapioca starch / fecula de yuca / almidon de yuca available to you? If not, any recipes I have for GF won't be do-able. Yuca behaves just like gluten in recipes (ie gives the bread a nice elasticity and helps achieve a good rise and texture) without any of the gluteny badness.

Liz, are you tied to white breads? I have a black gf loaf recipe that might work better for you....

OMG, Soba. I made Chez Pim's jam today, and it's, well, there isn't an adequate word in any language I speak so I'll make one up. Awesomtacularico.

My first thought is actually true hot Paprika, followed perhaps by hot mustard. Personally, I'd be tempted to try it with just a little pinch of aji powder (which is very hot but which lacks the typical "hot pepper" flavour when it's dried).

At high altitude at least, that little hole helps to prevent the boiling contents from blowing the lid off (I have had it happen with unvented lidded cookware). My stove ain't nothing grand, either.

I have a lovely box grater that I picked up for about 50 cents at a discount store. No brand name or nothing, 4-sided all steel, wicked sharp, and good capacity. Best of luck!

Great suggestions, but here's something about Reina Claudias when used in frozen concoctions. In order to make them any way palatable you have to sugar them heavily, and in the end you lose the delicate plum flavour that makes them so pleasant. For the same reason, I'm loathe to can them in syrup or dry candy them (both things I do with the Mirabel and Dorado Ambato, which are just starting to ripen). I have several jars of them up in a nice rice wine with sugar for Umeshu (green plums extracted into wine with sugar), and I generally think more of Mirabel than Reina Claudia when thinking cordials - the higher tannins in the darker plums makes the fermentation much easier. I will, however, be definitely looking at the jam!

Oma Salome's black bread. Addition of 1 tbsp of malt extract syrup made a huge difference. Apologies for the cruddy pic.

Well, thanks to the loan of a camera (thank you Yomara!) I can now show you what I've been dealing with. For comparison's sake, what's in my hand in this photo is a standard Granny Smith apple (on the left) and an average green plum from this year's harvest (on the right). The bowl underneath my hand is a 4.5L one and it's heaped full past the brim. Of course, some of what's in that bowl are Mirabel plums, which I do know how to deal with. There are still 30-50 lbs of Reinas on the tree.

I like a simple piece of chorizo on a wooden skewer, over charcoal, with slits cut into the sausage to let a bit of the fat out. This can also be done on a griddle, and it's extremely good - it really allows the rich flavour of the chorizo to shine.

I'd definitely be making use of the SAE storage facility, then! Duty free really limits what you can find.

Well, you'll still have a day or two in BA before departing, yes? Why not do all of your shopping then? On a semirelated note, look for the South American Explorers clubhouse in BA - they've got excellent resources as well as storage for members, and if you're going to be more than a week in South America, membership is a very good idea (there are also discounts, travel tips, etc). The staff will likely also be able to point you in the direction of the best liquors - I have yet to meet SAE members or staff who don't like a nip now and again, and they're generally quality fanatics.

Once you go over 2 years of aging, you are aware that Cachaça becomes Reposao, right? Any 10 year Cachaça will actually be closer in character to very good rum.

Another option, if you have a Latin American grocery near you, is to look for a product called Nata. This is, quite literally, the cream of the cream and is a good deal heavier than even Devonshire double. The nata I can buy here is almost as thick as whipped butter. Twyst - the heat necessary for the reduction process of heavy whipping cream drastically changes the flavour of the resulting thickened cream. Even when one is extremely careful, one introduces a caramel note to it which is not desired in most recipes calling for double cream.

It's MLM for sure - down here it goes by the name of "Royal Prestige" and has 5 stars stamped on the bottom of it. Newer ones also have a lion. I've actually had a "chef" (and I use the term very loosely) do a demo of the stuff for me, and I was rather unimpressed. The method seems to consist of getting that nice heavy bottom very hot (dry pan) and then adding the food and clomping the "special" lid down on it - so that you sear the food and then the fats and liquids that come out of it are your cooking fats or liquids. For me, the food he did lacked both flavour and character. Obviously the trick won't work with yours, since they're sans-lid. Gimmicky. My Gran had a set of Royal Prestige and once forgot them on the hot stove - and if that happens, fuggedaboudit. I'd use them for what they really are, which is nice, heavy-bottomed cookware, and not worry about the whole "waterless, greaseless" thing.

Argentine brandies deserve mention, Taanstafl. They're every bit as subtle as Spanish Jerez brandies, particularly those put out by the Trapiche winery. The other thing to look out for is Pisani, which is similar to Cachaça. If you do buy Cachaça in Argentina, look out for the brand '51' which is perhaps the best available outside of Brazil.

Cariamanga-Vilcabamba blend, medium roast, fresh ground, in a Moka pot, and into a checkerboard ceramic mug with a splash of whole milk. I will accept no substitutes in my home. Outside of home, I won't drink coffee unless it's essencia in hot full-fat milk.

Ecuadorian Criollo from Cariamanga county is chocolatey with hints of fruit but very low acid, so long as you get medium roast. Dark roast is very like bitter chocolate and would overpower your liqueur, I think.

I'd avoid the rail behind the range - there's the issue again of reaching over hot burners to get the tools you need. Rails or pinracks to one side, on the other hand....

I'd cook it and eat it. Your temperature range sounds about right. NB - I live in one of those places where chickens get hung up from metal hooks in plain air and tropical weather. I haven't had a problem yet. (4.5 years and counting).

Now I have serious range envy..... Mine is a simple MABE, and it's up against the wall with a tile backsplash and a window that opens (poor woman's range hood). I've got a ledge right in front of the window, that's about 1' above my burners, and it holds whatever I'm sunlight infusing (at the moment that's a few herbs for perfume) and anything I might be sprouting for the garden. That's it. Then again, I've got a Latin American style range with a closeable tempered glass cover, which means that when I'm cooking the lid is up and catches almost all the grease and whatnot, and when I'm not cooking the lid's generally down and prevents any kind of ickiness from getting on my burners and stovetop. It's very convenient. It also means that when the stove's not in use, I have an extra chunk of taller countertop to work on, which is very nice.