Richard Kilgore

Thanks everyone! Very helpful ideas. I wonder if the delicate oyster mushrooms will work as well in the "wet and crowded" technique Chris used. I may have to get more to try it.

I bought a small amount of beautiful oyster mushrooms at Central Market. How would you use them? Salads? Savory? Omelettes? I am interested in any basic principles for cooking with them, as well as specific recipe ideas, and any things to avoid. Thanks!

A friend and his teenage soon returned from a goose hunt last week. It was the son's job to pluck the goose, but he decided the best way to get all those troublesome feathers off was simply to skin it. So I got a phone call pleading for an eGullet solution. What are his options? (For the goose, not the son.) My friend thought wrapping the breasts in bacon and roasting them may work as a way to keep the breasts intact. Anyone ever try that or have an opinion? Any other idea for cooking the breasts intact? Alternatively, any Christmasy ideas for a goose stew or casserole?

I am out of sencha! So order to Yuuki-cha is going out this month. For many days lately,including today, the 2011 Bai Mu Dan from Norbu has been part of my tea day. Very, very nice brewed gongfu cha style. Have not tried this year's yet.

I did my annual onion confit over the past two days, but think I am going to have to concede defeat for the first time. I bought the most aggressive small yellow onions in a four pound bag from Wal-Mart. Beware! These delicate-looking little puppies snarl, gnash their teeth and bite! 36 hours of slow cooker could not defeat them. The smell while cooking banished the crock pot to the patio. Nothing to do but feed it to the trash can. Don't want to chance the dogs or other critters getting to them. Last year they were the best I have ever cooked...because I used 25 year Balsamic vinegar - and civilized onions. Not one to forego a favorite, I'll make another pot of onion confit for the new year.

Thanks all. I had tried rubbing them on the sides of a ss saute pan before crying uncle - to no effect. But tried again more vigorously and this time it worked...until the next time Iwashed my hands and a mild onion odor re-emerged. Next time, nitrile gloves. This time I'll go to the bleach soak and report back. I have never, ever had such an effect from onions! Never. Ever.

Okay. I smell like an onion, and a sharp, clawing, biting one at that. I cut up a four pound bag of small yellow onions to make onion confit. My hands are crying a river and after washing multiple times the snarkey onion will not leave. Help - oh please help - fellow eGulleteers, this miserable set of hands. And what to do to wash clothes and towels that have been attacked?

Have been out of pocket for several weeks, but nonetheless still drinking my usual rotation of black, green, Oolong, and Matcha, along with some new teas. Had the same delicately delicious Gu Zhu Zi Sun Zhejiang green tea from Norbu today, WC, and just now brewing the Tie Luo Han Wuyi Oolong (also from Norbu).

Very nice Tokonome, Hassouni. Are you sure it's unglazed? The glossy surface reflections made me ask.

Very nice Tokonome, Hassouni. Are you sure it's unglazed? The glossy surface reflections made me ask.

This is not helpful. Country asked a reasonable question about the statement "RG beans are fresher". Country even expressly said that the quality of the beans was not being questioned, simply the logistics of how they could be fresher, given the nature of beans, seasons, etc. For this, you offer a dismissive attack. Not at all. No dismissiveness intended, nor attack. Country had posted that he could not afford the $5.50/lb plus shipping. So not a problem. As I pointed out, I don't always want to pay for the high priced bean either, so I buy grocery store beans.

I have ordered beans from Rancho Gordo in the past a few times and am going to put in another large order with friends this month. They are the best beans I have ever had and light years better than beans I have had from the best high-end grocery stores in this area. The variety of beans are a treat to explore. And although I usually buy my everyday pintos from the mainline grocery stores, from them I have had okay beans, not so okay beans and miserably old not okay ones (would not soften even after 4 hours of cooking after an overnight soak!). There are dozens of people in the eG forums who can tell the same story. If you simply don't want to spend the money on Rancho Gordo or other heritage beans, then don't.

I have ordered beans from Rancho Gordo in the past a few times and am going to put in another large order with friends this month. They are the best beans I have ever had and light years better than beans I have had from the best high-end grocery stores in this area. The variety of beans are a treat to explore. And although I usually buy my everyday pintos from the mainline grocery stores, from them I have had okay beans, not so okay beans and miserably old not okay ones (would not soften even after 4 hours of cooking after an overnight soak!). There are dozens of people in the eG forums who can tell the same story. If you simply don't want to spend the money on Rancho Gordo or other heritage beans, then don't.

Yes, I have done that on occasion, too. And our taste buds being so different, that makes even more sense for you. As we have said here before, Wholemeal Crank would run screaming from the room if she drank tea at my preferred leaf:water ratio, and I would wonder why she was drinking warm water if I tried hers. People vary widely in their tea tastes, and what matters is to tweak the brewing so it pleases you.

Yes, the name for a side-handled teapot was lost to memory - Lost and Found Dept., that is. So many use kyusu for it that I do, too. Thanks for the reminder. Regarding the metallic taste, I can't be sure it is from the metal filter; could be a mineral sharpness from the clay. The thing I am sure of is that different clays produce different end results. My Banko pots tend to smooth a tea, and my tokoname tend to sharpen it. So I can choose to produce a tea liquor that meets my tastes by brewing it in one or the other. In general, I prefer the effect of Banko.

Please fill me in on what is a "yokode" kyusu? The clay filters work well with all but fukamushi (deep steamed) because the leaves are more fragmented and more will pass through. Although I use pots with clay filters for fukamushi and have no real problem if I pour very slowly. If you don't like even a few fragments, just use a hand-held screen between the pot and the cup. The 360 degree metal filters work well - no problem with leaves clogging at the spout. The metal filter that raises the leaves above the bottom should work well, but I have no experience with them. The small filter at the spout works okay, but more potential for leaf clogging; many good teapots use them. A plus is that many metal filters are replaceable; once you break a clay one, it's done. The one potential down-side to metal filters (other than aesthetics) is that some people (including me) think they can detect a metallic note in the tea when brewing in them. Hope that helps.

avaserfi - as Wholemeal Crank pointed out, you may need to tune your brewing of the Sakimidori to fit your tastes, although I would be surprised if you had to brew it as weak as WmC typically brews teas. Also note that she brewed hers in an unglazed clay and drank them in a chawan that I assume has a glazed interior. The unglazed clay most likely impacts the flavor and even the glazed clay may as well. We have three basic variables to tweak a tea (other than using various unglazed clay teapots): the tea:water ratio, the time and the temp. My preference is to hold the tea:water ratio constant and then one at a time adjust the other two variables. You may find, for example, that simply lowering the temp will take the astringency to a level you enjoy more.

Thanks for the detailed tasting notes avaserfi and Wholemeal Crank. It may be interesting to see what happens with a second brewing session for the rare Japanese Kamairicha teas...now that your palette has had an introduction to them.

The past three mornings it's been Hong Mao Feng Yunnan Black Tea from norbutea.com, brewed the last two in a Yixing dedicated to Chinese red teas. Recommended by Chris Amirault in the Red/Black Tea Topic. This will go into my regular rotation also. The last two afternoons I have been sampling the rare Japanese Kamairachi teas featured in the current Tea Tasting & Discussion. Very interesting. Check it out. So what's in your tea cup today?

Justifications are numerous...which one, or how many, would you like?

While I agree with WC about the glass inserts, the plastic frame metal ones work well. Of course tea balls and the like are not a good choice because they restrict movement of the leaf and the intensity of the infusion.

Hassouni - My experience with both Japanese and Chinese green teas (and Chinese Oolongs, puehrs, red and white teas) is similar to that of Wholemeal Crank - the brewing vessel makes a significant difference. The material the vessel is made from - china, porcelain, various clays, the shape of the vessel - tall, round, flat, the thickness of the vessel walls. Any or all may make a difference for a specific leaf. The Japanese have developed over hundreds of years tea pots that work particularly well for sencha and gyokuro, and other green teas. If you want to explore for yourself, a glazed kyusu is a good way to start, since you can always continue to use it for your bancha and hojicha, as well as genmaicha if you eventually try an unglazed pot. If you do, you'll likely notice a difference in brewing with Japanese pots made with different clays. And you can use those differences to tweak a tea to your liking. That said, previously I also drank quality senchas for several years brewed in a cup with strainer insert, as you do. And I enjoyed it. It's just that I prefer Japanese tea pots of various materials and shapes now for various teas. But I would not recommend that to a casual tea drinker. Up to you how tea geeky you want to get.

Brewing Guidelines These brewing suggestions are a good place to start for the first session with each tea. After that, of course, adjust further to your personal taste. For the Oolong Much like you would brew a lightly oxidized Chinese or Taiwanese Oolong: 1 g leaf to 1 ounce (30 ml)water, in a pre-warmed kyusu or gaiwan. Three to four ounces water is a good place to start. First infusion: 90C/195F for 30 to 60 seconds. Second infusion: 90C/195F for 30 to 60 seconds. Third infusion: 90C/195F for 40 to 60 seconds. For the Two Karaimicha .75 - 1.0 g leaf to 1 ounce (30ml) water...about 3 - 4 ounces to start. Brewing in a Kyusu First infusion: 60 sec at 65C/149F to 70C/158F. Second infusion: instant pour to 30 seconds at 70C/158F to 80C/176F. Third infusion and beyond: Hotter water with increasing infusion times. Brewing in a Gaiwan First infusion: 60C/140F for 60 seconds. Second infusion: Shorter infusion than the first. Third infusion and beyond: hotter water with increasing infusion times. (Brewing guidelines slightly modified from the yuuki-cha brewing sheet enclosed with the tea.)

Maybe the freshest is at Dunn Brothers on Beltline. Roasted in store in a cool red roaster and always no older than 2 - 3 days - at least when I used to buy coffee from them. Addison Roasters is a large operation and if the coffee beans in their store front are as fresh as Dunn Bro, then they should be as good...and maybe a little cheaper, but I'm not sure about that. At Central Market, you may want to ask staff how long they have had a batch of coffee in the store. I think Addison may deliver it within a couple of days to the store, but no telling how long it's been there. If you are into roasting your own, you may be able to buy green beans from both of them; I have in the past from Dunn Bro...very high quality beans. Good luck. And let us know what you try and what you think about it.

You mean a retail roaster or wholesale, Dan?