fifi

The most spectacular dessert in recent memory... The occasion: Five "girlfriends" in Akumal, Mexico. We are at an elegant small restaurant. Our host was part owner of the restaurant and we had had a fabulous meal. Our table is sitting on the sand under the coconut palms next to the azure lagoon. The sun has now set. The dessert: The chef has suggested the mango "mousse". The "mousse" was actually a frozen concoction of mango and finely diced habernero peppers in this creamy base. It was served in a big swirl in huge brandy snifters. The waiter then used a dipper and dramatically poured flaming tequila into the snifters. Quite spectacular. One of the "girlfriends" is our super taster and we are all trying to deconstruct this marvel. Fangelico? Nutmeg? Nope... We can't get it. The chef came out and fessed up. All that is in there is mango and sweetened condensed milk whirred in a blender. The haberneros are stirred in and then it is frozen. THAT IS IT! (Sweetened condensed milk is a very common ingredient in Mexico.) Maybe it was the setting and the company but that was the best dessert I have had... ever. And I don't really like dessert.

As for feeding 50+... Call a caterer! How about centerpieces of artfully arranged apples and bananas. Uuuummm... Maybe not. (I am getting concerned about the condition of the original banana. Please report.)

Richard... First you have to HAVE a Farmer's Market before you can regulate it. Houston is dismal. The market on Airline is NOT a farmer's market. There are some vendors out in back of Canino's that may be close but I doubt it. About the only thing I have snagged there are buckets of red jalepenos. But I don't think that was the farmer selling them. We seem to have a lot of specialty produce farmers around Houston growing Asian and other specialties, herbs and such but I suspect it all goes to restaurants and the larger "ethnic" supermarkets. This site is quite useful and they also offer a definition: Small farm operators: Those with less than $250,000 in annual receipts who work and manage their own operations meet this definition (94 percent of all farms). One good look at the map is informative. I don't get the "code violations" not allowing tasting. The supermarkets here often have little stands set up with samples of breads, fruits or whatever for tasting.

eGADS mudbug... Great post! I am going to go study at Garlic U for a while, folks.

Alison Cook reviewed the new Sudies in League City this week. Since this is just down the road from me, I intend to try it out. I watched with interest as this place was built. Alison's description of the hush puppies are calling to me. I will report back. The only problem is... I may be comparing the catfish to the thin fried catfish at Middendorf's at Pass Manchac in Louisiana.

There is a book somewhere in here. Sort of like Jan Morris roughing it.

It is now the morning of Oct 3. And we still don't know the fate of the apple and the banana. Inquiring minds want to know.

I would travel many miles to find "the garlic lady". Unfortunately, Houston has no real "farmer's markets". (Just look at that map on that internet site. There is a huge hole around Houston.) Can anyone characterize the different types of garlic so that I can drool vicariously?

At least, I used to think I knew good garlic when I saw it. A couple of weeks ago, my local HEB had some white skinned garlic, 5 heads for $1. They looked pretty good... nice fat heads with big cloves, firm, no blemishes. Then last weekend, I made Baba Ghannouj after reading FoodMan's Lebanese cooking lesson and getting a serious Jones for some of that food. I used a classic recipe that called for 2 cloves. When I sliced the cloves lengthwise preparing to dice and smush with some kosher salt, I noticed that the sprout was discolored brown so I removed it. The rest of the clove wasn't as succulent as some I have seen but was ok. BOY... was that some strong garlic! I just finished the last of the Baba Ghannouj and it just kept getting stronger. Now, I loves my garlic. When the fresh purple skinned garlic comes in at my Asian grocery for 10 for $1, I buy a bunch, roast it up and freeze it for later in glass jars. I make mojo de ajo and keep a jar in the fridge for pan frying fish. I like paper thin slices on fresh pizza, added just when it comes out of the oven. I am no garlic weenie. What I want to know... What is the best garlic in the world? When is it available at its peak? What are your experiences regarding red skinned versus white skinned? What is going on with the brownish bud in that white skinned garlic? Do I need to make a pilgrimage to Gilroy to learn all about it? Do we have a garlic expert around here?

Was the game a shell game... "Where is the paycheck?"

Hear! Hear! maggie. When I visit my daughter, I like to cook for her at least one night. (She does breakfast. I have been amazed at her excellent eggs over easy! *proud mama puffing up*) The whole thing takes just what you said... a right brain shift. Actually, I find it a challenge and quite fun. Her big, old, single porcelain sink makes clean-as-you-go pretty easy. I may hand a washed bowl out to her in the dining area to dry it and get it out of the way. Other things get put out of the way out of the kitchen, like the dish rack goes out on the dining table or on a book shelf until washing up time comes around. About my best description is that I have to adjust my whole "rhythm" of prepping, cooking and cleaning.

That looks amazingly similar to my daughter's kitchen in the District. It is in an older building but the stove is the same. Cabinet storage is similar. She does have a shelf over the sink. (Oh... Go kiss your single sink. They are so much more useful that those double things that take up too much room and nothing fits in either side.) She has a cart with the microwave in the adjacent dining area against the wall. The lower shelf of the cart is used for condiments and other things that don't require refrigeration. She is starting to cook more and is considering the roll around like vengroff suggested. Also, she is just starting to really cook. She keeps it simple and shops often since she is walking distance from Fresh Fields and wouldn't haul much at one time anyway.

AAAAWWWW! That is really sweet.

Well put. The problem is, there aren't many of them out there. My first question of a kitchen designer would be whether or not they cook!

On kitchen design, I don't see how a designer can design a kitchen for you if they don't know how you cook. My house designer is wonderful but doesn't know beans about cooking. For that reason, I took the kitchen on myself. While watching every design show I could find, I actually kept a diary of how I used my kitchen in my house at the time. (An upscale tract built patio home with an ok kitchen.) I kept track of what I liked, what I didn't like, what I wanted to add. I did mental run throughs of day to day cooking (not much of that), recreational cooking with friends (my favorite thing to do), big family bashes, etc. I found some surprising things. I am short so I HATE upper cabinets. Out they went. I have windows instead. (More bay views. ) I don't like groveling on the floor to get things out of base cabinets... drawers. The island needs its own prep sink for cooking with friends. I use big pots so the clean-up sink had to be large. Walk in pantry, ABSOLUTELY. I could go on. My point is... my style of cooking is not like anyone elses so how could a kitchen designer know what I want or how to prioritze where the money gets spent? But then... When I cook, I really cook so I know what is important to me. Those who don't cook are probably just as happy with a trophy kitchen. Now all I have to do is get the damn thing built!

From the science department... I don't see any way that flouring would interfer with the tenderizing process. Tenderizing by braising is a temperature driven process, long exposure to relatively low temperature breaking down the connective tissue. I use flouring if I want some thickening, such as classic beef stew. I don't see much purpose to flouring of a bigger piece like a brisket or roast. When I do flour, it is lightly like wawairis said... otherwise you could get the lumpies. BTW... I have rediscovered Wondra for flouring after seeing several chefs on TV use it. I find it makes for a light and even coating.

I have actually sent some of my minions to Japan instead of me for this very reason. tommy... I would only add... "You just never had GOOD xxx." What is wrong with... "I just don't like it, dammit."

Not enough butter?

Thanks Suvir... Now THAT is interesting. It is really too bad that their web site doesn't accurately reflect their product. They need some marketing help. My first impression was that this was a line of relatively cheap "Wearever" type cookware with a few design twists. Nowhere was I made aware of the technology in an upfront and introductory way.

Domestically, I am referring to the possibility of doing a detailed and critical comparison of various brands of peanuts and pretzels. Internationally, I am more fortunate. Continental does a really nice job if you are blessed with Business First.

I have a hard time with desert myself. Cobbler is a "delicious" concoction of stewed fruit with some sort of dough that gets deliberately soggy in the fruit and sugar juices. As to peach cobbler, whenever my great aunt Minnie would cook a peach cobbler, my dad would elegantly pronounce that he smelled "dirty drawers" (that is underwear to southerners).

When in Mexico City do try to go to a traditional Mexican "lunch" at Arroyo. As we pulled in, there was this huge multi-tierd fountain with water splashing on the most amazing display of peppers of all colors and shapes... very artfully arranged. This place has huge elevated cooking "pits" where leg of lamb is cooked in those big agave leaves. They also have big cauldrons where chicharones are fried as well as fried pork roast! Don't get afraid of the lard. The pork is succulent and wonderful and not fatty at all. You start off with a leisurely selection of starters, add some tequila samplings. Then a traditional "folklorico" show starts. As that is winding down, the main course appears. It is a delightful place and not a tourist was in site. I was priveleged to be taken there by a Mexico City colleague. Traditionally, we got there about 1:00 and didn't leave until about 4:00! They dropped my overstuffed, tequila laced body at the hotel and WENT BACK TO WORK! edit to add: Don't forget to eat the corn on the cob wherever you go. It is a revelation... not the insipid "sweet corn" we swoon over but REAL CORN. You can get it with lime and chile powder which is what I recommend. Some vendors will have the mayonaise option. (Don't knock it.)

I checked out the site rather quickly and I have to say... it didn't tell me much. I still don't know what the product is made of! I also don't know what they have in the way of technology that would differentiate them from other cookware manufacturers. This just looks like a cookware line after form rather than function. But then, that is just my opinion.

That is my point. It was not a normal reaction. As far as liking it, that wasn't an issue. It was not overly smoked as far as flavor. It was just richer and sweeter in smoke flavor than the excellent briskets I have had at my favorite joints in Texas (including my own brisket). I would have thought that a "smokering" all the way through would have produced an overpowering smoke flavor, smothered the beefy notes, and dried it out. None of that happened. It was simply amazing and I am damn curious. (Maybe this will require a research expedition to the Big Island. )

I haven't been in a while but I do have to recommend to all of you the Brennan's Jazz Brunch on Sundays. It came up in a discussion with a friend this evening. That is probably one of the most delightful dining experiences to be had in Houston. I love the formal service. Of course, I have to have the turtle soup, possibly one of the most delicious foods on this planet. I am somewhat stuck on Eggs Sardou so I really can't comment on the breadth of the menu. There is just something so retro about the whole thing. The food, the service, the jazz, the "buzz" in the room without being annoyingly loud... I get the feeling that I am at the turn of the century... like the previous century and I am having an Edwardian experience. (Yes... I know... Edwardian predates jazz, but that is how it feels to me.)