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Richard Kilgore

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Posts posted by Richard Kilgore

    [DFW] Jasmine Market & Cafe

    in Texas: Dining

    Posted

    Jasmine Market & Cafe

    107 E. Main Street

    Richardson, Texas 75061

    972-437-4522

    I spotted this Palestinian cafe tonight and stopped in for a bite. One of the owners, Abu Jamil Anani, has been known as Wally in the hospitality industry for the past 30 years after immigrating to the U.S. Recently retired from hotel management, he is an outoing, enthusiastic and gracious host for this new (open only 67 days) Main Street gathering place for area Arabs. Jasmine is situated in the 100 year old building he and his co-owner nephew rehabilitated. The kitchen is open until 11:00 p.m., but he says customers often stay until 2:00 a.m., hookah smoking on the back patio.

    I had a lamb Shish Kabob Plate with crusty, flavorful roast lamb, rice, grilled tomatoes and onion, pickled turnip (even Fifi would love it), and Hummus with Pita Bread. The Arabic coffee may be an acquired taste for many-- it's strong stuff, and leaves a finely ground coffee and sugar sludge in the bottom of the two ounce espresso cup. Hot tea is served in small glases that need a little time to cool. Dessert was Burma -- baked cheese and philo topped with pistachio and covered with a warm simple syrup at the last minute, a tasty combination. They bake Burma twice a day, and my serving was just recently out of the oven.

    Prices are quite reasonable, with Plate dinners for $6.99, sandwiches for $3.99, 12 appetizers from $1.50 for Kibbeh to $4.99 for Falafel, and $1.00 - 1.50 for desserts.

    The market has a good selection of proccessed foods. A small selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a sign said they also sell meat, but it was not on display. And I noticed some 10 liter pressure cookers that looked very solid.

    I will return.

    Anyone else discovered this place?

    Rocky Use and maintenance

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    I have tried storing three days worth of beans in the Rocky, but find that on the second day the machine will not grind. I have to turn the machine upside down and pour the beans out to free the grinding burrs. What is causing this? I have been using *bucks Sulawese beans and wonder if they are the culprit -- either from oilines or bean fragments. Any ideas?

    Tart Shell Help

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    Since I've got 3 inch flan rings for rustic tarts (thanks for the article, Mamster), I am going to experiment with the smallest tarlett size (45mm) for bite size, the 65mm savarin, and the mini Madelline (44 mm).

    Was there a particular reason you went with 50mm for bite size in the tartlett? I was going to go 50 mm, too, but Fifi pointed out that 50mm looks like a two bite munch. Of course a person who is so wrong about okra could be wrong about anything. :biggrin:

    Savarin Mold Style

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    A Kitchen Aide's been on my list, but just has not made it to the top quite yet. So, by hand it is. I do have a scale picked out, the KD-600 at saveonscales.com -- just waiting for them to get it back in stock in white next week. No reason to get something that weighs more accurately than 1 gram/0.1 ounce is there?

    Thanks for the description, Karen. Sounds very good.

    Savarin Mold Style

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    Thanks, cbarre02. You're right, that was similar to what I had in mind.

    And thanks a bunch Steve for your recipe and your creative spin on the elements floating in my imagination.

    Steve, can I make the dough without using a stand mixer? Would a hand mixer work?

    Savarin Mold Style

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I am not a pastry pro, and to claim I am a pastry amateur also would be pushing it a bit, but would someone please humour me anyway. I am sure this is an elementary question. And perhaps the strawberry shortcake savarin is gouche or just a poor idea, but give me a clue since I don't have one.

    Savarin Mold Style

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I found an entry in Davidson's Oxford Companion To Food. He writes that in the "1840s one of the brother's Julien, Parisian patssiers experimented with the baba in a slightly different form. He used the same dough, but removed the dried fruits and soaked the savarin with his own 'secret syrup'. He named his new confection in honour of the famous gastronomic writer Brillat-Savarin...." He does not mention a direct connection with Brillat-Savarin.

    Where can I find a recipe for the traditional savarin dough? Davidson says the hole is filled with fruit or cream. Or both? What I was imagining as a use of the mold for strawbery shortcake appears to be similar to the original.

    Savarin Mold Style

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I find the Savarin design appealing and wondered what the history is and typical uses. I saw the silicon Savarin molds in a smallish size and thought about using it for strawberry shortcake. Would that be a reasonable use? Other ideas for these small ones? About 2 1/2 or 3 inches in diameter as I recall.

    Popcorn Popper Roasters

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    I have a Poppery I coming, so I would like to know anything anyone has to contribute from their experience. I understand this one is least likely to catch on fire, always a plus to my way of thinking. I have heard of modifcations that allow you to extend and control the roasting time and temperature. Can anyone tell me more about that? I plan on using it stock initially, but am open to some experimentation if it will make a significant improvement.

    Green Beans for a Popcorn Roaster

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    Thanks, Owen. I ordered the 4 lb sampler (eight different half pound bags) from Sweet Maria's. I am going to burn the local beans first, :biggrin: and then try the Sweet Maria's.

    Yes, I saw Cafe du Monde in a Vietnamese market tonight, and a local Pho shop manager told me that they use Goya coffee. But I have been using the Trung Nguyen brand from Vietnam that is very finely ground for iced cofee. Works amazingly well for already ground coffee beans. This I would like to replicate.

    Q&A: The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

    in The eGullet Culinary Institute (eGCI)

    Posted

    The US site for the 6001t is saveonscales.com. I looked at the various kitchen scales they offer, in addition to the 6001t, and sent an email asking for clarification of differences. Their response at top of the quote is in response to my questions at the bottom. I have decided on the KD-600, unless someone can convince me that the greater accuracy of the i5000 will make a significant difference.

    Hello Richard,

    1) The KD-600 is easier to clean, the weighing platform is easily removable for cleaning. Both the 6001 and KD-600 are vulnerable to scratches.

    2)  The KD-600 has 4 weighing functions (g, lb, oz, kg), it is accurate to 1.0g and 0.1oz.

        The i5000 has 3 weighing functions (g, oz, lb), it is accurate to 1.0g and 0.05oz

        The 6001 has 4 weighing functions (kg, lb, oz, g), it is accurate to 1.0g and 0.1oz

    3) The 3 scales compare in stability. The extended arm for the KD-600 is to add additional stability for heavy items that would otherwise cause the scale to tip over backwords.

    4) While the 6001 is sufficient for most kitchens, the KD-600 is preferred due to it's look, and range of weighing.

    5) False, not only does the i5000 come with a bowl, it is more accurate in ounces and pound readouts.

    6) We sell so many KD-600's and have such a high demand that we are purchasing more units for less, and as a result, we are able to offer it at a lower price. It is not being discontinued at this time or in the near future.

    Personally, I would recommend the KD-600 over the other two scales.

    Best Regards,

    Perry

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: Richard Kilgore [mailto:richard.kilgore@sbcglobal.net]

    Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 10:33 PM

    To: info@saveonscales.com

    Subject: Question re: Kitchen Scales

    1) The KD-600 is the easiest to keep clean and looking good? The 6001T is more vulnerable to scratches and such?

    2) All three have the same weiging functions, including the same minimum weight to register?The minimun weight is what?

    3) The KD-600 is the most stable?What is the extendable arm referred to in the description?

    4) The 6001T would be suficient for most home kitchens? Smallest footprint?

    5) The only advantage of the i5000 ove the 6001T is that it comes with a bowl?

    6) Why is the KD-600 on sale at 50% off? Being discontinued? Any problem with it?

    Thanks. There is a discussion on eGullet.com in the eGullet Culinary Institute regarding kitchen scales, and I will post my impressions and decision there. The 6001T has received positive comments currently and in the past on the site. If you wish to follow the discussion or participate in it, I will be glad to send you a direct link.

    Richard Kilgore

    Site Manager, eGullet.com

    Green Beans for a Popcorn Roaster

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    I am going to be roasting with a popcorn popper. What kinds of green beans should I use for a french press (coarse grind), Mokka fine grind), and Vietnamese Iced Coffee (fine grind).

    Should I start out experimenting with an inexpensive green bean, then graduate to something better? And how about sources for green beans. I can get a few pounds of Columbian from a commercial roaster here through a friend, but I don't think he routinely sells his green beans.

    Rocky Use and maintenance

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    I just got a used Rocky (doser) and after using it a few times have a few questions. I use it for French Press coarse grind currently, so I put a mini pie pan under the machine to catch the ground beans.

    Is there a minimum quantity of beans I should grind at one time?

    Does a certain amount of the beans from a grind stay in the machine and then come out the next session, or does all the grind get dumped?

    How do you folks go about cleaning your machines of the grind residue. Each time?

    Am I going to want a dosserless model down the line?

    Any recommendations for green beans to buy to roast for the French Press, for a Mokka, and for Vietnamese Iced Coffee? I likely will be using a popper as a roaster first (as soon as I can find one).

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