Suvir Saran

British Kit Kats are so much better.. I love one every now and then.

Do gourmet non-vegetarians exist? At least in theory.

Neither... it is not something one could answer as as yes or no. Many would want to, but that is mere human need to put others down in a fragile need for self-affirmation. Unfortunately we have been trapped into defining people under broad labels. For we have little time for any meaningful insight into the world of another. I have known Gourmets in India that cooked foods (meats and vegetables) without ever tasting and could tell you by smelling a sauce and touching it what ingredients had gone into it and also duplicate the recipe with great success. What does one call them? Avid foodies.. gourmets... or simply people that love food. Their own eating habits are a very small part of who they are. In fact, if they were not the consummate gourmets they really are, the world would have been robbed of enough good food for those that consider themselves gourmet to enjoy and savor. I think it takes passion, interest, inquisitive personality, sense of adventure, a love for what is new, a deep rooted respect for what is classic and time tested and also a certain maturity of thought and deed to be called one that is under any label an authority in any art or craft or hobby. Why would it be different for food? Being vegetarian or non-vegetarian cannot define ones ability to become a gourmet. But certainly ones frail sense of adventure and fanatic attachment to beliefs that can limit ones horizons can be more damaging than ones not eating flesh. But yes, there are plenty out there, that will argue to death how being vegetarian is not giving oneself the ability to transcend from being a mere "eat to live" person to becoming a person that "lives to eat".

What a nice cover Steven. Congratulations. Feel free to ask me for any help you need. If you need me to get you insider Indian restaurant news.. let me know.. I can speak enough Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Bengali to get the relevant stuff.

Correct... this is what is called Bone Soup.

I still have my Cadburys craving.... Strange.. since I hate most all mass produced chocolate these days. But if I see cadburys somewhere, I get a glitter in my eye.. and whoever is near me, knows I am craving chocolate... I come home with far too many bars.. and once I begin eating them, after half a bar is over, I am already sick of it. But next time I see the bars in a store, I am that little kid in the candy store than wants everything.

Same reason I posted now... We have the fruits soaking at least 21 days.. and actually, it is better to soak them longer.

Maybe we should do it on the chicken stock thread we already have. Stocks are not too common in Indian food. They have found their way over the years.. and are based mostly on what has been discussed in that thread.... But I will give more thought.. call my mom and grandma.. and see what they have to share.

Could this be one you speak of Tommy?

I love those corners too.... yummmm

I was glad to see that Eric Asimov mentioned these sad morels in his review.

Yes, yes, yes, almost.

Wednesday: Caramelized Onion Tart Tomato, Camembert and Basil Tart Best-Ever Brownies PS: Thanks to Ben (Schielke), Sandra Levine, CathyL, SuzanneF and everyone that helped me with the Kitty Ordeal. I was able to deal, cook and now almost ready to sit down and eat. Thanks everyone!

In the north of Israel. The Druze hunt them (not that it's all that hard) and turn them into lovely soups and stews. Fascinating! Thanks for sharing that.

Thanks Sandra!

I am thinking of making Best-Ever Brownies from Baking with Julia. The recipe calls for a 9 inch ceramic or glass pan, can I use an 8 inch glass pan? What do I need to do to make up for this differnce in size? Anything at all?

A friend from Kerala said to me that she uses the skins to throw into the preparation of chicken stock. They add it to the bones that are already in the pot. Makes for good flavoring in the stock used for Bone Soup. For the most part, I have only seen the skin tossed.

aha!

Yeah, but it sure sounds good to the ignorant eh? Yes it is better being ignorant when reading such devious information.

before. Sad that they would have no desire to share anything more concrete with the person making the query. I am even more apprehensive about using their stuff after that response. Especially that part where they brag about their product suitable to be kept at room temperature. What are the putting in it that makes them so confident? That is what I want to know.

Sounds good to me. I would love that kind of combination any day. I am sure your grandmother must have taught your mom how to make some great desserts and cookies too... did she?

We believe quite the opposite for the most part. We belive the bone gives a lot of flavor. And in India we tend to skin the chicken for most recipes. There are some tandoor (grilled) reciped where the skin is left on.. and they are very few as well.

Porcupine broth? Where? Really?

We usually do skin the chicken. Most homes would serve chicken bone in. Chicken is cut into 8-10 pieces.

How would you butcher the chicken? Someone had PM'd me asking this question. I was reading the PM When it got erased and lost somehow.. and now I cannot find the PM or remember the name of the member. I am sorry!