Suvir Saran

What a great compliment. What other recipes have you been trying Suzycooks? Maybe you ought to un-lurk and share about those experiences in the relevant threads. It seems you may have some great experiences to share. Jaymes's popcorn brought great joy to a friend I made it for. She is still singing praises. And I get kisser for having made it... Thanks Jaymes.

Thanks Jason for saying what you did. You are kind and bold to be so honest. Many with expensive gadgets and tools, can never accept that another with far less state of the art equipment can find similar happiness. I worked with a friend that has recently bought the machine that was favored on eGullets ice cream machine thread. It was my suggestion (after having learned a great deal courtesy of eGullet and all the great posts on that thread) . He has money to waste. And was happy letting me test his machine to see if I wanted to get the same. I was not sure I wanted to get a machine like that after all, since I live in a NYC apartment and space is not a luxury easily afforded. I am glad I was not impulsive to have bought the machine for myself too. Now I realize, I may never need those expensive ones. The results are certainly better than from the inexpensive models that I have worked with. But not close to what one can find commercially. That is not to say that I find commercially prepared ice cream more desirable. Indeed he and I will get better with this as time goes on. But again, I wonder if we will ever get to a point where we get the perfect, consistently delivered product. But do we even really want that? I am happy with ice cream alchemy. And happy with no so perfect results. In fact even having parfait (called ice cream by those that are unafraid of being wrong) made by someone at home, I get a smile on my face. The effort another makes, the fresh fruit or the smile it is served with and the stories that accompany its service, often make up far more than what is lost in the process of using a greater and more expensive and better machine. At Jacks Fifth, Heather Carlucci (pastry chef) made some of the best ice cream I have had at any restaurant in America. She was one of the first chefs to get noticed with great amount if ink by the new food critic of the New York Times, William Grimes in his review of Jacks Fifth (2 Stars, at a time when he was even more cautious and strict). Her ice creams were superb. Her flavors were ethereal and inspiring of compliments even from the most jaded and most well traveled and experienced customers that came in. All that ate her ice cream left changed by that experience. Did the ice cream come close to what Ben & Jerry's of Haagen Dazs deliver? Nope, well it was the best I have ever eaten, and I eat A LOT of ice cream. But it was amazing for what it gave in its novelty. I do not think anyone that enjoyed it and found it brilliant even bothered comparing it to the commercial brands. And they also did not care if it was made in any special machine. They loved the flavors she would make. From the plain old vanilla to the mint chip to English toffee and banana chocolate chip and gianduja or her most amazing fruity and intensely flavorful sorbets. Her mastery was in her pride in making a product that would never be available in a store and the customers enjoyed it for that more than its perfection or closeness to a commercial brand. I cannot agree more with Jason about the long trial and error period before you find a recipe that really works for your machine and your taste. But more importantly, never worry about coming close to what you experience commercially. And never worry about not having the most expensive and best machine. Machines can only do so much. In the end, you can do a lot by your efforts and mastery of your circumstances. Not all of us are in the same situation. I could own the best ice cream machine but have little money left to buy quality ingredients. That leaves me with a bad product. I could have a great machine but no imagination or taste, and again, I am left with a bad product. And actually, I miss the ice cream hand-churned for me as a kid in the old fashioned wooden machines. Even sitting outdoors in the cold nights in Kashmir, I would crave that ice cream. And even 25 years after my first taste of that ice cream, it still is the tastiest ice cream I have ever had. Is it really the tastiest? Nope. That would be a lie. But to my memory and my emotional being, it is. But the traveler in me, the ice cream fanatic that I am (I have more ice cream in my freezer than most living in several NYC blocks. And Ed Schoenfeld and some others that have been to my apartment and peeked into the freezer, can attest to that, or even share stories of having pints of ice cream falling from the freezer for they are packed till the freezer is full), has tasted many that are amazing. But even so, that hand-churned ice cream I tasted in Sri Nagar (capital of Kashmir) as a kid and had a lot of as a kid, is the best vanilla ice cream I can think of. And come to think of it, it was churned and made by a man that did not even speak English. Knew nothing about Vanilla. To him Vanilla was a brown liquid that came in a bottle and his employer had taught him to use when making this basic ice cream. At other times he would make lyche ice cream (that truly is the best Lychee ice cream I will ever eat), mango ice cream, cherry ice cream, banana and orange. Keep trying.. and keep making others and yourself happy. That is what matters. Not what others think or say. You need to enjoy what you have and eat. That is always first and foremost. Your son-in-law is a smart man. And certainly a sensitive man. Anna, I would believe him for what he said. Enjoyment of another does not always need great labels. Simple things can bring great happiness. And riches like those one cannot find easily, even if given to us in great numbers, hardly assure happiness in their enjoyment. What flavor did you make for your son-in-law? Or have you shared that information and I have forgotten? Sorry if that is the case.

The tandoor and the marinades we use do not lend themselves to that little luxury. After January 1st, I shall spend some time on the tandoor and try and flesh this out. I have been troubled by this for over a few years. But I have not succeeded just yet. I am with you on that. You seem to be the first person that has been bothered by it. Friends (Ed, FG and others) have never made an issue of it. I know Ed eats these lamb chops like they are the last thing he is going to eat. I guess the taste and the perfection of cooking makes him not worry about the looks. Another foodie of prime eminence that I know through Ed, not only loves these lamb chops, but eats several and enjoy eating them with his hands. He also actually loves eating the bones on these chops as he loves how nicely coated they are with spice, marinade and all things wonderful. What can I say..... but I am with you, if there is a way I can correct this, I will work with Hemant Mathur and see what can be done. I know he has tried, I know I have tried, and I know we have tried together... nothing more to report just yet. It does not seem to bother too many people.. fine diners, world leaders or even the ex US President, Clinton. They all found no big deal in this little aesthetic being slightly unusual, as the flavor of the chops more than compensates for what may be a challenge in their looks. They are legendary in their reputation. I am not kidding with you Steve. And yes being a statesman or world leader of food of premier eminence does not give their opinion more weight than yours. I share their experience to show you another side of this equation. I value each opinion. Somewhere between all of them lies the truth.

Sounds great!

Quite right Simon. And mother India has many kids that are very, very different from their own siblings. Simon, what is Indian food to you? What do the words Indian food encompass for you? Care to share with us?

Bux, you contradict you own self, or rather, you show how you have grown as a cook. Not everyone has the luxury of having 30 years of experience behind them. Not everyone has read Julia Child, and not everyone can afford buying every book that can teach one those basics. A good cookbook does not need to have pages of instruction. Precision can be reached without overwhelming text. Many cookbook writers simply do not get it, or rather, poor editors let them get by without making any more of a contribution than sharing a recipe that works for a chef. That is where the fault lies. Why do I deserve the advance given me by my publishing house if I simply were to write a book that Bux, Klc, Hemant Mathur and Julie Sahni could cook with and enjoy but no other home chef in India or the US could ever use for I take for granted that my audience has the same knowledge base? What a shame that is. And what a waste of the money given me to translate my recipes into something that can be used by those far removed from me and in a very different place in life. Different in terms of expertise, experience and geographical. A good writer will take into account all these aspects and then some. A cookbook is not successful as a cookbook only by having great photographs or great recipes. It needs to strike a balance between all the many aspects necessary for translating what a chef does in their professional world into that which can be understood by one who has never cooked before. If a cookbook cannot do that, even I, who never cooks with them, would hardly call them a success as a cookbook. Yes, I would buy them for I look at them not as a means to learn cooking, but only to flip through and most times never to open again. But those that cook from them, need something that works. A few extra sentences of wise words from a writer trained in recipe writing could hardly be a distraction for anyone. And the loss of those few sentences can be that critical element that elevates a cookbook from being just one of many mediocre cookbooks into being a classic that would be called upon by generations of home chefs.

How would a home chef know what a soft ball stage is?

And what sauce might you serve this with? Robert (not Buxbaum, but the sauce) maybe?

I had asked a friend to see if his mother would send me her favorite two or three Indian food recipes. Today, I got the email, months overdue and guess what was one of the 3 recipes??? Sweet Corn Soup

Anna N, thanks for starting this thread. It is a great thread. And the different positions that members have taken only strengthen us and our ability to cook and understand food. Differences of opinion and thought should be exciting.. They make us scratch under surfaces we had forgotten existed and taken for granted. This has been an exciting thread. Also, your thread is responsible for the great post that msp posted. That one post has taught me more than any other in a very long time. It shares clearly what a recipe ought to be. And shares the essence of recipe writing in the context of a cookbook. For those that do not care for details, they could just as well stay at home and make their own notes following chefs and mothers and grandmas (as I do since I have little interest in recipe books) or train in a kitchen or take private lessons. Buying a cookbook is an option they may exercise (I buy many, and never to cook with, they are eye candy) but they have to realize they are not ones to judge the style of writing. They are using it for an experience that may not be the purpose behind a cookbook. For those that buy cookbooks, I respect what you ask for and what msp suggests as being good basics. If those cannot be taken into account, one might as well not bother writing a book. One could simply scribble notes for oneself and share with those around them. But to reach an audience far removed from oneself, a recipe must be detailed enough to educate the least familiar cook amongst its targeted audience. If it cannot achieve that, it has failed in a very important and critical element of its main purpose. What a shame. Hence, I would rather have a cookbook with recipes that have no fuss, but all important details. And again, thanks for your thread. It has taught me so very much as I begin my own journey in the world of cookbooks.

Ed, would you mind describing old-fashioned American style Egg Rolls? Thanks!

Priscilla, I took Jaymes caramel corn to a friend and she was taken back into time. She was thrilled. I will have to make more. It is indeed a great recipe. I will actually, also try Chefettes recipe, the caramel pop corn chefette made in Javits Center was superb.

I made two batches of corn bread to take to our Christmas Eve dinner at our neighbors home. Also I made kidney beans with inspiration from Danas recipe. I made one batch in a skillet and one in a round baking pan. They each rose similarly and cooked almost identically. The one baked in the cast iron skillet had a curved edge and the crust was darker and crunchier. The main body of the bread was the same. Also served at the table was Ham, venison meat balls, ribs, potato salad (I missed Ed Schoenfeld's), haricots verts, beets and asparagus. The corn bread was received as the surprise of the evening. People that taste it can never seem to understand how something so simple can be so good. I am always bashful to come out and say it is plain ole Jiffy Mix. I add LOTS of corn kernels into the bread. I also use Aleppo pepper and cayenne. Instead of milk I add buttermilk. And I add cheese into the bread. And for 1 package of Jiffy Mix, I used 1 stick of butter in the skillet and pan.

And how was your Crab Crusted Salmon?

Asafetida in ghee? Wonder where you picked that one from....hmmm....

What stand would you suggest be taken? What other animals do you think should not be eaten? How do you think a vegetarian thinks of those that eat beef, pork, chicken rabbit, lamb, goat, pigeons, partridge, pheasant, deer etc? I have had several of the above as domestic pets.. and so should react similarly to their slaughter. Should I? What is the real difference? Can it be of cultural significance or difference? Who is to say which on of us is correct in eating what other animal? I am not endorsing the consumption of cats and dogs or cows or pigeon. I ask this for the sake of understanding....

Yes Diwan is open Sundays. And the chef is off Sundays. He has to take one day off.. and Sunday it is.

Steve the marination process does not lend itself to trimming neatly. IN fact when they do, the thick marinade will still stick and become messy. It is being grilled in a vertical skewer.. so the marinade drips... I think if they did only one per skewer, one could get away with it... I shall work on that this week.. I have always had the same problem.. and now I know others have noticed.. lets see what I can do..

We ate dinner at Diwan tonight. An amazing meal. The Indo-Chinese cauliflower was great but not as crispy as usual. The tomato chutney certainly was SPICY and the Okra (karareee bhindi), crunchy and yummy. We ordered a Parda Biryaani (biryaani cooked in its own juices under a curtain of dough), which was delicious and fragrant as can be. What was most funny was that we had 4 tables in the dining room that were filled with friends. And two tables had eGulleteers on them. What a small world. The wild boar chops I am told were really great today.. and as usual the lamb chops stole the show. The grilled shrimp were fabulous to look at and taste. They were Sri Lankan shrimp that not only looked great but also had great flavor. The Kulfi was an instant success with our guests who enjoyed the great textural contrast between the citrus soup and the Kulfi and also the sweet against the bitter. The Bindi pineapple sorbet got our attention as well.

Thanks Nickn! I grew up in a country that out of Gandhian principles (at least then, was very conscious about recycling) did not afford even the very rich any such excesses as (wax paper, aluminum foil and zip loc bags). Paper (without bleach) ruled and were cleverly used in many recipes. Natural parchment was readily available and was used often after washing, if I remember correctly. Brown paper that we used to cover books with was recycled after passing from one grade to another. It was used Inside Out for the second year. And if was not torn, it was used by sticking a new label on the surface for the third year. Students that made their own note books using paper left over from note books of previous years were given special smiles and respect from teachers. I remember my mother taught me how to make my own note books. Since I did not find it un-cool to use these home made notebooks, I would use left over unused pages from note books of friends and family and make all of mine from it. But I was alone in that in my class. It was not fashionable to do this. My own siblings never understood how I could take moms advice so literally. We had wax paper in India, but it was never used in cooking. I remember we used it as lining when one worked on surfaces that would need protection from water. But hardly to cook. But Muslin (yes fabric) was used for several things where wax paper or parchment could be used. And brown paper was used to cover books, line baking vessels and also to use as storage. Most of these rolls are new to me. And I am like kid in a candy store when I am in American grocery stores. I buy so much rubbish, as if to make up for all those years of not having access to them. But, recently, I have found myself again going back to those Gandhian principles, and see a trend at least amongst the cognoscenti to follow those old principles. But India, is going the American way and losing that respect for recycling and all things biodegradable.

Ok, I heated oil, in which I put a cutting of wax paper. I allowed it to stay in heated oil, not cooking, since I did not want to do that just yet. Removed the sheet 5 minutes later. Trashed it. Cooled the oil, and it did not show any trace of wax. Then I took some oil, heated it, added the paper, removed the paper after 5 minutes, taking a risk, I sprinkled 1 teaspoon of water into the oil. It sizzled, it was not the right thing to do. But this time around, when I cooled the oil, it did have wax floating on the surface. So, I am sure wax is added into whatever you cook lined with wax paper. Some gets transferred into the item being cooked and some remains on the sheet. If one has parchment, why would one want to use wax paper? Not sure. And yes I tried using wax paper whilst making meringue earlier this year, and the paper would not come off and would break the meringue. Steve Klc helped me understand that I could not use wax paper instead of parchment, and when I followed the same recipe using parchment instead, it worked perfectly and the meringues became a treat to make. Parchment also works well when poaching fruit. Wax paper does not work. You will have wax floating on the surface of the poaching liquid when cooled. Not a good thing to see. Makes you wonder what flavor has been added as well. But I know family members of some friends that have only ever used wax paper. And they bake a lot and well.

Same way I feel, Jim. I use dry beans for I have them in my pantry. And I have them from India, from Indian stores and from the Middle East. Fresher than what I can find in stores here, since friends and family bring them when visiting. But if I have to have plain or very mildly spiced foods (not often the case), I would never use canned beans.. for dry cooked are far superior at that point. But if I were making something cooked slowly and with acid and spices, I would not care if someone did not have dry beans. I would be just as happy with canned. When you make the marmalade, let me know... Looking forward to hearing about your experience. I shall find some meyer lemons that are good, and will can some into marmalade soon.

65% is great. You are way ahead of most of us. I keep very few at home. But that works for me as I live in a city where we have easy access to Indian grocers. I like the idea of having to make a trip to them, it makes it possible for me to get those tropical vegetables that are not as easily found at other stores. And also keeps spices and ingredients fresher.

Are you using old seeds? If you pound whole coriander seeds, there is a great citrus flavor... and when you have toasted them.. it is a little less pronounced. What recipes do you use them in? I just ground some fresh seeds this weekend. The aroma was there. Terrific. Coriander seeds ground fresh have a great aroma. A magical sweetness that is just a tad savory, like what a little salt can do to brownies. Something I learned recently courtesy of Lesley Chesterman (from the Best ever brownies she steered me to). I am glad you finally enjoyed the flavor of coriander seeds.

Cheffie3, I am glad you found their site attractive. What is wonderful is that the stuff you get is even more so. They do custom stuff. Maybe they have become more expensive in the last year. But yes baskets are minimum $125.00. And it has always been a consideration. But as you said, for those special occasions for a very special someone, it makes sense. What other sites/vendors are you considering?