jackal10

Thayts why I grow mine next to the compost heap. Saves taking them to the kitchen and waiting for them to go mouldy

I should mention the "Food as Religion" thread I started recently. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=70704 I had an orthodox jewish upbringing. It was explained that the purpose of the Kashrut laws was to enforce the seperation of the community from the heathen. It was not explained why this was a good idea.

The line of charcoal in the middel of a Morbier cheese Tradtionally chimney soot, dividing the morning from the evening milk

There is a thread on the NZ forum on winter foods...torture Leek and bacon suet roly poly...sigh..Roll on winter

You could use carregeen instead of gelatine if you want something jellied - often sold as Kosher You can certainly do a vegan version of an Xmas pudding - no eggs, but beer and vegetarian suet. Probably a bit heavy, but if you use mostly breadcrumbs and not flour, and lots of fruit, steamed for a very long time it should be OK. I don't think vegans outlaw yeast, yet, although some only eat raw food. I came accross one tonight who explained he was doing it to improve his health. I forbare from trying to explain that his diet was probably making him sick, but it shows what a lot of basic food education there is still to be done.

Baked apples (stuffed with raisins, sugar, spice) Poached pears (in red wine and cinnamon, chocolate sauce) Strudel (oil pastry) Baklava

Steamed suet puds: Not just Xmas pudding, savoury as well as sweet. Beefsteak pudding (optional oysters and/or kidney. Good with smoked oysters) Leek and Bacon roll with gravy Roly Poly Spotted Dick Treacle pud FOrgot to add dumplings; beef stew with suet dumplings. Rare good ballast. NZ has lots of sheep: Lancashire Hotpot.

The long cooking time at or near the final temperature allows the collagen to dissolve, resulting in much more tender meat, without fear of overcooking or dryness. Some people cook for days, but I find that makes the meat too mushy. About 7 hours at 135F works fine for me. For a brisket or something emulates BBQ style, then you need a higher temperature, more like 170F.

Shelora: PM me your address and I'll snail mail you a pack next time I'm in the right sort of shop. They may arrive a bit broken though.

They'll come if there is custom and demand enough to support them. You need to start educating the people - foodie column in the local paper and on the local TV and radio stations. Examples of well supported local foodie fairs and events Small, local suppliers and producers with queues out of the door... Start a food market of a food event yourself...

I use a brick oven. The trick is to retard the dough and keep it cold. That way you can work with a few at a time. Also the cold dough is stiffer and *much* easier to handle. Again, if the dough is supported, either ina linen couche or bannetons, then it isn't going anywhere, and you can load a few at a time. If you are into large batch commercial production, then you need a bulk conveyor loader, but that is a whole different game.

They are made by http://www.ashbournebiscuits.co.uk/wheatwafers.html I'm sure people who import UK food to Canada have them, if you do a search, or contact the makers. Very tasty, and fairly common. Charcoal biscuits are traditionally served after dinner, with desert, as a digestive, at least they are in my college. There are various other thicker charcoal biscuits such as http://www.charcoal.uk.com/biscuits.htm

Jam is with whole fruit or pulp, Jelly is with clear juice In the European Union the product names "Jam", "Extra Jam", "Jelly" have specific technical meanings and regulations governing such things as the minimum amount of fruit, or the maximum amount of sulpher dioxide preservative. The regulations have been hard fought, with many national interests - for example is Carrot Jam a Jam, since carrots are not fruits. Marmelades, fruit curds and mincemeats have whole chapters to themselves. http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/Consul...sconsultengland http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/jamregs.pdf Conserve is not a regulated food name, so can be applied to anything. It usually means a fruit spread that does not fall into the regulated categories - such as a jam with less than 35% fruit.

Perfect! Can I come? I love the Guerlain scents especially Shalimar and Mitsouko. Here smells of woodsmoke, lavender, baking bread and coffee as background

Use a banneton and rice flour; Put he dough in a banneton and retard the dough as the cold dough is much stiffer. Dust the top of the dough in the banneton (will be the bottom) with rice flour or polenta, and invert onto the peel, also dusted. Work fast, so it doesn't have time to spread.

creme brulee Guiness, or any beer made with black malt Charcoal biscuits (e.g. Millers Damsel) high roast coffee Onions on Tarka Dhal and other indian dishes

There are many to whom food is just fuel. They have no interest in it or its preparation Others are afraid of "bugs" or other nasties that they feel buying package food protects them. All of us are time poor

I'm not that convinced that growing your own is cheaper. Better quaility perhaps, and a sense of pride, but not nescessarily cheaper than a farmers market or a sale item. What you are doing is putting in time instead of cash. OK if you enjoy it, but on an hourly rate you'd be better doing something else. Even worse if you buy in plants, fertilisers etc. The other problem with growing your own is that you need to be able to deal with the surplus. Plants and trees tend to produce in flushes, so when you have, say, zucchini or apples, then so does everyone else. Also you don't have one or two, but enough to feed the neighborhood. You can't even give them away.

Pimms or fake Pimms

Yes its oxidation that makes walnuts go black. Stir it a bit and leave the top off

I think it should have pig, or at least bacon fat in it. After all if you can have bacon ice cream, then why not bacon in a cocktail? Get those smoky notes... That sort of implies a cream base, with the fat emulsified in. Bit like an adapted Bourbon Alexander. Bourbon, sugar, maybe maple syrup, lime, crumbled bacon or porky scratchings on top...or hot buttered Bourbon but with bacon fat instead of butter...or a bourbon float with bacon icecream....

Pork (or bacon) hocks are cheap, and the basis of many dishes: roast or breised, then use the left-overs for CHar Sui buns, and the stock add to the beans. Avoid frozen or pre-made foods - they add a lot of expense Start a supper club - cook for others, who pay you, and you eat for free

Treacle tart Strawberries and cream/Eton Mess Individual sumemr puddings Petit pots

See my recent blog for a surprise loaf. (loaf with the crumb cut out and made into sandwiches before being re-assembled)

Buy a digtal thermometer. Cook your salmon to 45C/115F. Perfect every time. Sauces are many, both hot and cold. Hollandise is great.