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Mottmott

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Posts posted by Mottmott

  1. I often use my processorto make bread, pasta, etc. About 5 years ago I replaced my 60"s Cuisinart with a new one because the old one "puffed" flour all over the counter. The new one: a Cuisinart  Power Prep Plus with a dedicated bread button, which lead me to believe it was designed with bread/pasta making in mind.

     

    To my GREAT annoyance, the new one is at least as bad, maytbe worse, than the old one in flouring my counter. I've taken to stuffing the cavities in that funel that sits on top with cloths to minimize the mess.

     

    So dedicated bakers, is there a processor out there that will not puff out flour when used for baking? Yes, I know I could knead these things by hand. But my aching back, shoulders, hands... has led to shortcuts in baking rather than no baking at all.

     

     

  2. I still have (and use) my 1961 tilt top wedding present KA. It' went across the country with my son when he was in college and came back sans glass bowl, so now has a stainless bowl. (I took the KA back: - he didn't deserve it, having treated it so carelessly. :shock: ) --and I did have some minor repair done on the motor.

     

    In the 70's, I added the larger handlle/bowl model (5-6 qt?) which is IMO a better bet to use if you do much bread making. Luckily, this, too, is Hobart made and not plastic.

     

    Over the years I've used them both for the usual cake, cookies, bread.  Fortunately I got a grinder back in the day they were metal. I no longer buy store ground meats and this makes it a snap to grind my own.  I also got the pasta extruder disks which is supposed to work with the grinder, but I did not find them satisfactory. The pasta rollers however, is superb.

     

    I must say for those who are just now outfitting their kitchens, it might be worthwhile seeking out the old Hobart made KA's and KA grinders. Mine are over 50 and 40 years old. While it might be nice to have one in cheery pink or fire engine red instead of boring old white, I wouldn't trade my oh so dependable antiques for the new pretty plastic ones.

     

     

  3. I keep my house in mid sixties in the winter.  I often leave lamb or red meat out til it's lost it's really lost its cool so that I can go black and blue. I reason that if I do get a few extra bacteria doing this, they're all on the surface and will be killed off by the heat. I'm more careful with chicken and fish.

     

    Once the meat is cooked more caution is useful.

     

    May I say, I've reached a venerable age without food poisoning despite this slap dash.

     

    Some reflections. :

    -- Some of the fanaticism about food safety is our importing professional cooking techniques - and safety standards - into the home kitchen may lead us to be overly concerned.. In a clean kitchen two hours at my room temperature will not fester a T-Bone. Also, note that I salt the meat before I let it come to room temperature. I do it to encourage flavor, but it doubltless adds to the safety.

     

    --The other, and I think more important, problem is the change in the way food is processed since I began cooking in the 50's. Factory farming for flora and fauna doubtless puts us all at geater risk. I hardly buy fresh foods at the supermarket. Even at Whole Foods I see produce I won't buy because it's obviously been mishandled. Greeens in celopacks shipped in from the other coast?  And I NEVER ever buy preground meat anymore anywhere.

     

    On the other hand, the novice cook should always err on the side of caution.

  4. Sorry about the gd confusion. :wacko:  Only my family knows that my great dane is a great yogurt dessert freak.

     

    Yes High Street restaurant/bistro on Market St in Philadelphia, Pa. USA

     

    Having cleared this up, I hope someone has some feedback on the food. Was this an abberation?

    • Like 1
  5. I have at least 3  8" high bookcases full of cookbooks, so before I add one, I'd like to be sure it will deserve its space. 

     

    Now that you've been cooking from this one for awhile, will it do it? 

     

    I'm particularly interested in the response of those who consider themselves experienced cooks.

     

     

     

  6. Funny to see this thread up again. Just last night, at dinner with my 18 yr old gd, she told me that my poached peaches and pickled onions were favorites of hers. Guess where the pickled onion recipe comes form? Yup.  Zuni.  The bad news, I use the more labor intensive versionm of the two.

     

  7. I took my gd there last night anticipating a satisfying casual mid week meal. We began with the mushroom appetizer which was tasty. But I was disappointed with the pasta dishes. We were eating dead food: The pasta itself had a gummy texture, the fillings weren't very flavorful, the sauce undistinguished. To tell the truth, nothing tasted like what it was made of and blindfolded, I couldn't have identified the ingredients. There was no contrasts in taste, texture,  Even a sprinkling of fresh herbs might  have helped.

     

    When I go out, I want food that's at least as good as what I can make at home. Having been to Fork a few times, I expected that's what I would get.  Most surprising  of all, I was told the Ex Chef was in the kitchen! Maybe they've been having problems he's trying to turn round?

     

    On the up side, the staff couldn't have been better both during the meal and when I expressed my disappointment. The tried to comp us a dessert but my gd had her heart set on yogurt at her favorite a few doors down, so we declined.  And, surprisingly, they did not charge us for either of the pasta dishes. Perhaps because most of it was still on our plates.

     

    This would have been a perfect  spot for the impromptu meal out when I'm in that neighborhood and don't feel like cooking when I get home. It's a comfortable environment for a solo meal. Because they handled it so graciously, I will try there again, though I doubt I'll order pasta unless you convince me here that my experience was an aberration.

     

     

     

     

  8. Actually, the specification of kosher salt is not an affectation. It is approximately half as salty, depending on brand, as, say, Morton's table salt. Weight them out sometime and you will see that the table salt weighs twice as much as the kosher salt. In baking especially this could be a meaningful difference.

  9. If it's like the old Chambers I had in the 70's - and it looks pretty much like it, it's super insulated. You will be able to do some of your roasting with the gas off at the end of the process. Experiment with a thermometer to become acquainted with its capabilities. Prime rib is too expensive to play with anymore.

  10. Procrastination pays! I found the instant espresso online for about $6-8. (2 oz) I also found it, by phone, at Fante's at a similar price. The Roxboro ShopRite had it for a few pennies more than $3.

    I hate shopping at large supermarkets, but every 2-3 months I do a big shop for paper, plastic, foil, some canned goods, sugar, etc. This time I went to the Roxboro Shoprite where I could get Mexican giant corn (try it in soups and stews - adds wonderful texture).

    It's a long time since I've been there and I was surprised by how improved it is: both the store itself and the broad selection which is much better than the Superfreshes in Bala and Chestnut Hill where I've been going.

  11. Thanks for the replies. I used to buy it at the supermarket, too. I think that the miles of pricy coffee-shelf space has crowded out jarred instant espresso. (Even the regular instant coffee was sparse where I looked.) I'll spare you my rant on how hard it is to find items that are 'old fashioned.' Anyone looked for wheatena lately?

    I admit I only checked markets out when I had other things to buy. I have some mobility issues, so I'll let my fingers do the walkin'. You've given me a place to start. I'll give Rittenhouse a call.

  12. I need a jar of instant espresso coffee to use in dessert making. To my surprise several supermarkets had none, and when I called diBruno's they only carry a brand that's excessively expensive for a cookig ingredient.

    Does anyone know where I can find Ferrara or Medalia d'Oro? Hopefully in NWest Phila or the near main line (as far out as Villaova is ok).

    Thanks for your help.

  13. My bad, I was not at all clear. I'm really looking for a restaurant that serves a good version of soft shell crabs. For some reason this is something I only eat when out. (Silly, as I will cook lobster, mussels, etc. at home.}

    I think of this forum as a restaurant forum, so wasn't properly specific. However, Katie's response suggests that they have them at the Oyster House, so I guess I can find them there.

  14. I believe that a landlord is required to follow city ordinances and the lease. As far as I am aware, there is no ordinance that says everyone pays the same rent per foot. I know residential landlords that do, on occasion work with tenants who are long term tenants (less rent) and/or are behind on the rent, and I have never heard of other tenants taking them to court for compassionate behavior.

    Perhaps a lawyer will weigh in.

  15. To avoid rant, pass this by.

    All the complaints about FN shows duly noted, but I don't even try to watch those. What disturbs me is what's happening on PBS cooking shows. First of all, our local area (Philadelphia/NJ) which has 2 PBS stations, seems to be limiting it's cast of characters and playing endless repeats of the same programs. And the trend seems to tilt towards shows that are half travelog and half cooking: Lidia", English, Ripert, Jose Andres. It is particularly annoying when talented chefs are spending more time with their travels than in their studio-kitchens. I confess that I do find Keller and Andres worth watching when they finally get into the kitchen. What a waste. Fortunately there are exceptions, but I wonder how long Hubert Keller and reruns of Julia cooking with chefs and bakers are likely to continue.

    I long for more dry, "here's how you do it" sorts of presentation. I'm sooo bored with chefs who think we need to watch them travel and eat for us. Even the programs that do have some substance are tainted. Their "personalities," verbal ticks, and personal lives are way outside my sphere of interest. And spare me the semi-pornographic animal farm noises that Chris Kimball and his chef sidekicks feel compelled to make after each "the best I ever ate." Am I apostate for feeling annoyed by all the family schtick, travel-time, and pornographic groaning? These formulae have a viral quality. Even programs by those who haven't the same star quality, but who produce shows full of useful information are being tainted. Someone, for example, like Marianne Esposito who has always been something of a food anthropologist of Italian cooking (long before Lidia began her show, I believe) has been tainted by this and has taken to traveloging and other gimmicks instead of just doing what she does best.

    One last grumble: here in Philadelphia, the supposedly no-commercials station is full of commercials, averaging at least 5-8 minutes between those built into the shows and those the studio adds. Indeed, I think some of the travelling originates in the public relations/advertising of Italy, Spain, Norway, etc.

  16. I find that my winter meals cry, whimper, scream for PICKLES! So I've read this thread with interest.

    I often make my mother's old standby for a quick cucumber plckle to serve with roasts or other "fat" meals. These are meant to be eatten in 1-2 days as te texture wont hold up too much longer. Make enough brine to cover te thinly sliced peeled cucumbers using the following ratio:

    In a measuring cup: 1 part sugar, fill cup to 3 part mark with boiling water, then fill to 4 part mark with vinegar. I usually pour the warm/hot mixture over the cucs.

    But my favorite pickle is the Zuni Cafe Ckbk recipe for pickled sliced red onions. She has more than one; I use the one with star anise. It's lots of work, but well worth it.

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