hedgehog

A version of the official recipe for canele de Bordeaux was published in Food Arts about 2 years ago The canelé de Bordeaux is the official cake of the city, while cannelé Bordelais is the name used in Paris, New York City, Osaka, Los Angeles, or wherever. In the article, it describes lining the copper molds with a film of "white oil" a blend of melted beeswax, melted butter and a tasteless oil. Then the molds are stored in the freezer until ready to fill and set in the oven to bake.

ground cumin and coarse salt is good with the eggs. Rubell suggests anchovy vinaigrette. I will look for your comments.

I think you are referring to Harold McGee's very fine piece in petit propos culinaire. He was writing about huevos haminados the sephardic method of simmering eggs in water overnight along with. onion skins and coffee for color and some flavor. As good as that is, I personally think the oven, ash or crockpot method provides a smoky flavor, and is in the spirit of the ovid quote. Some baking pointers for the oven: Set the oven rack on the middle rung. Soak the eggs in warm water while preheating the oven to 225 F. Set the eggs directly on the rack. Bake for 5 hours. Stagger the removal for a multi-hued effect. Some little spots may appear on the shell. Don't worry about them they are bits of albumin breaking through the shell. The trick to getting the shell off is described in my earlier note.

William Rubel, author of The Magic of Fire (Ten Speed Press), told me that he roasts eggs in the oven for several hours, achieving the same delicious results as if he'd roasted them all night buried in hot ash in the fireplace.

Is opal basil the same as purple basil? If so, it is used dried rather than fresh in some parts of south-eastern Turkey. Kurds and some Armenians find that drying develops a unique flavor which they like in their lentil and wheat soups.

Adam: do you have a crockpot? Here is something I do to simulate the eggs served in Egyptian breakfast cafes. They crumble the overnight cooked eggs over a plate of simmered dried favas. Place the dry eggs in an empty earthenware slow cooker. Cover and turn the heat to LOW and cook for 5 hours, turning the eggs occasionally. Roll the eggs to crackle the shells, then drop them into a bowl of cold water to soak for 5 minutes. Slipe off the shells, crumble and serve with salt and ground cumin or over simmered cooked favas, egyptian style. .

"And new-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy care Turn'd by a gentle fire and roasted rare" ---Ovid, Metamorphoses THis is a truly ancient Mediterranean dish: eggs roasted in the ashes of a dying fire, absorbing an exquisite smoky flavor while attaining a silk-and-satin texture. In Morocco eggs are cooked in a sabbath stew overnight. The yolks are creamy and delicious; the whites are firm and take on the aroma of the stew. They are not rubbery. You only get this effect if the stew is cooked at a low temperature. In effect,coddling the eggs.

" exactly. Although I get to a good boil first. But then I use extra large eggs. " Jimmyo: I think the thickness of the pan is important to consider. Some pots hold heat better than others. Don't you think?

I wouldn't use the word "boiled" you really are cooking them. My own method with large eggs is to use them at room temperature. Put them into almost boiling water, cover and turn off the heat. 10 minutes later they are perfect.

I think you cut the garlic in half in order to remove the green shoot. I've heard many cooks say the shoot in the garlic is too harsh to use raw.

I am a great advocate of hand-chopping garlic when I plan to eat it raw On the other hand, if you plant to cook the garlic, the storng odor and taste disappear. One of the most fascinating tests to try is in the peeling: take two cloves of garlic; slam one Chinese style with a knife or cleaver, and cut the other one in half delicately. Smell and taste the difference. Since the Chinese always cook their garlic; it's perfectly ok for them. But the hand chopped garlic that is so often strewn over food needs more delicate handling; otherwise it would overwhelm the food.' to quote food and wine writer Matt Kramer: "garlic is a member of the allium family, all of which contain various amounts of sulfur. However, garlic has its unique properties. A scientific explanation goes as follows: the pungent aroma of garlic is contained in an olorless compoound claled "allin" When the garlic clove is intact, this compound is stable. But when the clove is chopped or crushed it comes in contact with an an enzyme which hangs around in another part of the clove. THis enzyme converts alliin into three parts: ammonia, another sulfur compound, and pyruvic acid (which resembles acetic acid or, in the vernacular of the street, vinegar). It is the sulfur compound which is ultimately responsible for hte characteristic odor of garlic. In short, chopping brings less of the alliin into contact with the enzyme which sets al this into motiuon; crushing creates a more intimate mingling, the result being an unpleasnatly strong garlic flavor and aroma.".

I am a great advocate of hand-chopping garlic when I plan to eat it raw On the other hand, if you plant to cook the garlic, the storng odor and taste disappear. One of the most fascinating tests to try is in the peeling: take two cloves of garlic; slam one Chinese style with a knife or cleaver, and cut the other one in half delicately. Smell and taste the difference. Since the Chinese always cook their garlic; it's perfectly ok for them. But the hand chopped garlic that is so often strewn over food needs more delicate handling; otherwise it would overwhelm the food.' to quote food and wine writer Matt Kramer: "garlic is a member of the allium family, all of which contain various amounts of sulfur. However, garlic has its unique properties. A scientific explanation goes as follows: the pungent aroma of garlic is contained in an olorless compoound claled "allin" When the garlic clove is intact, this compound is stable. But when the clove is chopped or crushed it comes in contact with an an enzyme which hangs around in another part of the clove. THis enzyme converts alliin into three parts: ammonia, another sulfur compound, and pyruvic acid (which resembles acetic acid or, in the vernacular of the street, vinegar). It is the sulfur compound which is ultimately responsible for hte characteristic odor of garlic. In short, chopping brings less of the alliin into contact with the enzyme which sets al this into motiuon; crushing creates a more intimate mingling, the result being an unpleasnatly strong garlic flavor and aroma.".

cherry pitters are fine for most olives. Pressing down on soft nicoise works well. The big problem is to pit a cracked olive that seems glued to the flesh. I place them in a single layer on a double thickness of kitchen toweling. THen I hit each one with a heavy pestle and remove the pit. (the toweling helps cushion the blow).

I add about 3/4 teaspoon truffle or red wine vinegar for 3 eggs. Makes the best scramble.