jackal10

Industrialization of Indigenous Fermented Foods, Second Edition "The second step in the manufactue of fermented soy sauce is brine fermentation. This fermentation is unique in that it utilises halophilic lactic acid bacteria and salt tolerant yeasts. The presence of NaCl in brine (16-19g NaCl/100ml) effectively excludes undesirable microorganisms" http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WfjPq9d...&hl=en#PPA19,M1

Do you top up the liquid with brine or water or not at all? Since these are in open topped containers for aerobic fermentation covered wih a grid or cloth some evaporation is inevitable. It looks like the biology is that Apergillus is somewhat salt resistant, so the salt and the high summer temperatures select for the right organisms

Not France but I have a friend with an olive and fig farm in Greece who regularly hosts WWOOFers. Basic - no electricity or comms, but greaat to get away from it all.

I have the loaf the right side up on the board, slash it and then slide it off onto the stone. You might also try instead of a tray for steam put a cast iron frying pan to preheat dry in the oven, maybe with some more scrap iron in it to give a heat reservoir, and when you put the loaf in the oven throw a cup of wter into the pan (care hot steam!) and slam the door/

Use of a baguette pan is disapproved by some bakers, as it leaves a characterisitc pattern on the bottom of the loaf. More seriously the intermediate layer reduces the heat transfer to the dough and hence reduces the expansion and lightness of the crumb. The bread will have a denser, less open texture. Use a "flipping board". Cut a thin piece of ply the depth of your oven, or the length of you baguette, plus a handle. Mine is 18 inches (plus 6 inches for the handle) by 3 inches. You can then roll the dough from the couche (folded linen, such as a floured tea towel) onto the the board, slash, take it to the oven and off onto the stone. Demi batard shown Eruption (called a "cripple") can be due to a number of issues: a) Under proof b) Poor slash c) Poor moulding d) Too much top heat or not enough steam so that the crust forms, dries and tears before the loaf finishes expanding

Enough protein in the raw shrimp to set the mousse

I like mine with soaked and squeezed Matzo, fried onion and parsley incorporated.

Go to a local synagogue. They may well have a communal Seder, especially the Reform Synagogues, or if not a family will offer hospitality to "the stranger within thy gates".

Just follow the normal instructions. 1, To un-seperate the hooch (liquid) stir them back together, or just use starter from the lower part 2. A lot of acid and other by products will have accumulated in the culture that you may not want to carry over. I would revive them bu taking only a tablespoonful of starter to ssay 100g (4oz) of flour and 40z of water. Stir togeher and leave covered in a warm place (27C/86F) for 12 hours or until active, then use as fresh starter,

Does no one flavour their matzoh balls? For me fried onion and chopped parsley are essential

I'm not sure you need teach more technique. although I would put in a casefor sous vide, and accurate temperature control. The thing that distinguishes a pro from an amateur is to be able to crank it ou the same, every time, and to understand the economics. A cook making a dinner party for friends is quite different to restaurant cooking, or even catering. So I would teach costings, portion control, structure of the industry, purchasing, marketing, health and safety, and skills, including knife skills that enable fast, volume and accurate cooking. That will sort them out.

I prefer sinkers. Something to get your teeth into.

Boned and possibly stuffed shoulder is very forgiving. Hot oven (say 200C/400F) First hour is undercooked, second hour cooked, third hour overcooked, fourth hour eat something else. If you and the best lamb you have ever eaten brown the outside in a hot pan on the stovetop and then cook it sous vide or in a VERY LOW (plate warming) oven at 55C/130F for 7 to 12 hours

A quick google produces some very negative comments on the company. Here nuserymen are offering "Turbo tomatoes" http://www.dobies.co.uk/pd_MH758_Tomato_Gr...tion_Plants.htm tasty varieties grafted onto strong rootstocks. They claim remarkable growth and yield.

My stockbroker swears like a trooper. If you have ever been in a dealing room you know it is a high energy place, and the occupants are versions of costermongers and barrow boys...

I've just started consulting to the shop. The fresh ravioli and pasta keep a couple of days, even with vacuum packing. Supermarket "fresh" pasta, in modified atmosphere keeps 21 days. I'm sure its not just the modified atmosphere. My guess is pastaurisation, but I cant find the reccomended time/temperature that still leaves the product uncooked.

Probably be spending a few days at the beginning of May in Cavan, likely staying at Cabra Castle Any reviews? What is the restaurant like? Anywhere else to eat? Ay foodie places to vist, cheesemakers for instance?

I too like Rules. Convenient for the Royal Opera House, it is the perfect antidote to an evening of Wagner, but stay traditional with game or steak and kidney pie...

I think the posters in this thread are being a little harsh, although being a northern country many will regard a meal without animal protein as no meal. There is some vegan food, mostly ethnic. High end places will cope, but maybe not well. I think you will be eating a lot of teatime type meals, to take advantage of the long tradition of baked goods. In Wales you can have Barm Brack and laver bread. In Scotland scotch pancakes, Porridge is better with cream and butter. You can get Vegan Haggis, http://www.macsween.co.uk/haggis/content.asp?PageID=20 but its a pale imitation. http://www.veganlondon.co.uk/eat/index.htm is a useful list, and alo has a section outside London. http://www.vegansociety.com/html/ may help. Sorts of foods you can look for: Teas, but be sure to specify no butter or cream. That still leaves bread and jam, and some cakes. Try Ottolenghi, http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/locations/ or one of the grand hotels, This is about as close as you can come to Vegan British. Gujerati Indian, such as Diwana Bhel Poori House in Drummond St in London. Sabras, in WIllesden Green has alas shut, and I dont know if its re-opened. Noodle bars like Wagamama have vegan dishes, as do some Pizza places. Similarly Thai and falafel Your husband will appreciate http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/ and there may be menu items you can eat as well, but you will mosly have to avert your eyes.

The vacuum will not change the amount of juice the meat loses; the temperature you cook it at will. Try not letting it go over 55C/130F

Thats just the point. Its not eating with a surrogate family. I go to a restaurant to eat and converse with my guests, not the staff. I don't care that my waiter has a personality, so long as it does not intefere with them doing the job they are paid for, anymore than I care if they play bass guitar in a rock band on their days off or wear purple underpants. Nor do I want racing or stock tips. I dont go into the kitchen and hug the chef or the plongeur, or want them to touch me, and they have a much more direct relationship with my food. Unlike eating with relations I pay for the meal, part of which (or maybe explicitly via the tip) pays the wait staff. There is a key difference between paid staff and friends or relations. I hope you are not suggesting paying staff for friendship, hugs, massages or touching. There are professions for that, such as psychoanalysts and others. The best staff get the job done but are attentive but invisible, unless addressed directly. WHile I am writing, another bete noir is the Manager or CHef who goes rounf the dining room towards the end of the meal asking "how it was", where the only reply possible is "Fine thankyou". One or two want genuine criticism, but mostly its ritual admiration, interrupting our conversation again.

I've just bought supermarket "fresh organic" totellini. Organic so no magic chemical ingredients, and the contents look perfectly reasonable. It has a "use by" date of 3 weeks (21 April). "pasta contains Durum Wheat Semolina, Pastaurised egg. Packed in a protective atmosphere" Even in an oxygen reduced atmosphere I can't get damp flour to stay good that long. There must be some heap big juju there.

I think it must be more than just the egg. I've just bought supermarket "fresh organic" totellini. It has a "use by" date of 3 weeks (21 April). "pasta contains Durum Wheat Semolina, Pastaurised egg. Packed in a proteective atmosphere" Even in an oxygen reduced atmosphere I can't get damp flour to stay good that long. There must be some heap big juju there. My guess is a fairly dry filling - according to the contents it contains "breadsticks (about 15%), dried potato (about 2%). and then pasturise the pack.

I wonder if I can use Sous Vide (say 2 hours at 55C) to pastaurise fresh ravioli to give an extended shelf life? Enough to kill the bugs but not cook the pasta.

This is for a food shop I am helping They make pasta sheets wound onto rollers using a pasta machine extruded via brass die. The formula is the usual: 100g flour/ egg, with the flour 25% yellow cornmeal. Two of the rolled up sheets (one upper, one lower) are mounted on a machine that injects a portion of filling and then cuts and presses the ravioli. How do you pastaurise ravioli? Would sous vide, say 2hours at 55C work? Hot enough to kill the bugs according to the FCC reccomendations, but not hot enough to cook the pasta.