NewFoodie

Yes, I had seen the Happy Boy Farms website. Unfortunately, their produce is only available at their farm store and at their local farmers markets, which is not helpful to me, since they are 3,000 miles away from me.

I've read that the Charentais melon is the most delicious cultivar of cantaloupe. Is this available in North America? If so, where can I get it?

I'd like to try some really top-notch balsamic vinegar, but actual Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale is ridiculously expensive (for 100 milliliters, it's $125 to $175 for the affinato, and maybe $200 to $250 for the "standard" extravecchio, and up to $400 for the "high end" extravecchio that's aged 50 to 75 years). I've read online that SOME of the "condimento" balsamic vinegars are made exactly the same way as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale balsamic vinegar, but just not by either of the two consortia permitted by the E.U. to use the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale appellation. And condimento balsamic vinegar costs only $50 to $100 per half liter. The problem is that MOST condimento balsamic vinegar may be aged as little as 3 years, and / or may incorporate commercial-grade red wine vinegar. So: can anyone recommend some really top-notch condimento balsamic vinegar, that's actually made more or less like the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (and, if possible, tell me where to get it)? Thanks for any help.

From what I'm reading online, real wasabi is Japanese horseradish (Wasabia japonica), and has a taste reminiscent of asparagus and artichokes. The widely available fake wasabi is "western" horseradish (Armoracia rusticana, also known as Cochlearia armoracia) mixed with mustard, soy sauce, and green food coloring. I'm probably going to have to order real wasabi online (which I hate to do, since it takes so long to receive it), because I can't think of any place around here in the hinterlands that would carry such an arcane product. One person commented that some sushi restaurants will give you real wasabi for a "small upcharge". I'll ask around, but I suspect that it is also unavailable in local restaurants. The links that others cited above lead to articles about two companies (Frog Eyes Wasabi in Oregon, and British Columbia Wasabi) that are starting to grow a lot of real wasabi. And it's the superior "sawa" kind, meaning that it's grown under natural conditions: in cool, running water, rather than in dirt. Frog Eyes Wasabi is producing two varieties: Daruma (neon green, modest heat, slightly sweet) and Mazuma (darker with a purple ring inside, very hot and robust). I'm really eager to try real wasabi on sushi and sashimi. Off the top of my head, I'm kind of leaning towards the Mazuma, but any comments on this would be appreciated.

I see online that Cerignola olives are very large; with a texture that's meaty, semi-firm, "crisp to the bite", and "yielding"; and a flavor that's slightly sweet, mild and buttery; and a color when ripe that can be black, red or green (although the Bella di Cerignola variant is actually dyed bright red). I'll look for these, but as I don't live in a large city, there aren't a lot of specialty stores around here...

Is it true that the wasabi sold in supermarkets and served in most sushi restaurants in the U.S. is not really "real" wasabi? I keep reading that it's really some kind of horshradish, but it doesn't look, taste or smell anything like horshradish to me.

Frankly, all I know is that, so far, I've bought both green and black olives at the supermarket, varieties / cultivars unknown. I liked them both, but I preferred the flavor of the green ones, and that had nothing to do with the color.

What do you think about "coring" cucumbers to remove the seeds? I see some chefs on TV doing that.

I'll certainly try to sample these. I understand that Alfonso are also highly recommended. But these are all black olives, and I prefer green. Can anyone recommend a favorite green olive? Also, I hear that Mission olives can be black, reddish-purple or deep green when ripe. Has anyone tried these? How were they?

Yeah, I patronize Terhune's and Cherry Grove all the time, as well as Birchwood Farm Dairy across the river in Upper Makefield, PA. Cherry Grove has their own creamerie and makes their own cheese, and Terhune's, which has been there at least since I was a kid, has a surprisingly diverse range of self-made products, including even I think 5 varieties of wine (which I haven't tried). And all 3 have their own onsite stores. Unfortunately, Honey Brook Farm in Pennington is just a CSA (they don't have an onsite store), and that's a bit more of a commitment than I want to make. (There's also a CSA in Lawrenceville whose name escapes me, and which I can't find online right now.) I hadn't heard of Blue Moon Acres in Pennington. I'll have to check them out. Valley Shepherd Creamery is in Long Valley (a town I had never heard of), and it's about 45 miles away, so that's kind of too far. Anyway, the Trenton Farmers' Market (which is actually in Ewing), is excellent, although a little of the food comes from as far away as Vineland (about 70 miles away).

Brian's, d'Floret Restaurant and Manon in Lambertville are all excellent - and they're all with 400 feet of each other! Italian Cucina, hidden in a back alley across the river in New Hope, Pennsylvania, is also supposed to be excellent, but I haven't eaten there myself, so I really couldn't say for sure. They supposedly serve huge portions, but the service is dreadfully slow, owing to the excessive schmoozing that the owner / chef does with the patrons.

I didn't even know what a CSA until you mentioned it. Yeah, I found two nearby, but they require such a commitment, not just in terms of how much they cost but also in terms of uncertainty on the return you'll get, that I don't know if they're for me. Those cucmbers, eggplants, olives and tomatoes sound good; I'll look for them. And I do believe you that "locavore" is a good way to go. I think I read that Hass avocadoes are the "regular" kind, comprising 95% of all sold in the U.S. They're good, though. I'll look for the Gwen or Reed varieties.

Lots of good ideas here. I'll have to "digest" all this (you should pardon the pun) and get back to you on it all. And thanks for the link to the salad thread.

I had recently posted a question about what types of garlic people recommended. I actually have the same question about: • artichokes • asparagus • avocados • cucumbers • eggplant • lettuce • olives • onions • tomatoes I guess my main interest is which types of each of these vegetables would be best for salads (except maybe for asparagus). Thanks.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try to find some of these.

I've read recently that there are 10 "varieties" and around 70 cultivars of garlic, and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about any type that they considered especially good. Thanks for any help.

Well, you could be right. I don't eat a lot of eggs, but I've noticed that sometimes eggs don't taste as good to me as at other times. I had thought that maybe I just go through "phases" with eggs, but who knows, maybe it's the eggs themselves. They've all been just regular supermarket eggs though; it never occurred to me to try eggs from different sources.

William Colsher: Well, according to the articles you cited, apparently the Food Network was right...

William Colsher: Thanks very much, I will check out these articles. GlorifiedRice: Yes, that does indeed sound very snooty.

Chris Hennes >...try making one with eggs from chickens that are pastured. quiet1 >...it can be incredibly eye opening to try eggs from different sources and see how much the flavor can vary. William Colsher >Look at the eggs. Taste the eggs. Compare them to each other and to your usual eggs. You know, I'm very surprised to hear this, because I saw a show on the Food Network that said that, to the surprise of their "experts", chicken eggs from widely different sources all tended to taste the same. But on your say-so, I'll try eggs from different sources. cdh >The best fish-eggy thing I've had in recent years has been trout roe... I hadn't thought of that. I believe I'll try it. Thanks for the tip. Katie Meadow >I won't address the issue of top ten food lists, because frankly I would rather have a perfect peach than many of the items on those lists. Actually, those best tasting thing I ever ate in my life was an orange I split with two of my brothers, because at the time (many years ago) we were hiking over a series of five mountain peaks in a freezing rain, maintaining a very fast pace to get out of the rain before we got hypothermia, and we had nothing else to eat that day. William Colsher >Once you get out of the supermarket mindset you'll begin to see so many possibilites you'll never have to ask a question like this again. I'm sorry if my question sounded stupid to you...

The Japanese have a tradition, called Tsukimi, of eating rice dumplings while viewing the September full moon (called Harvest Moon in the west, during which time the Japanese offer sweet potatoes to the full moon), as well as the October waxing moon (during which time, beans and chestnuts are offered to the waxing moon). You can read about Tsukimi here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukimi http://japanesefood.about.com/od/holidaytraditionalfood/a/tsukimifood.htm Also, the middle of summer falls right around the beginning of August. IMHO, that's as good an excuse as any to share good food with friends and family outdoors while viewing the night sky. And I think Hunter's Moon in October is also a good time for this custom.

I had never heard of ramps. Thanks for the tip. I had never heard of cronuts either. I can't tell if you've made this suggestion in earnest or in jest. So Black Sea caviar isn't nearly as good as Capian caviar? That's disappointing to hear.

Yes, although I said I have an aversion to offal in general, I expressed an interest in foie gras, and that was because it was recommended to me. I admit I had some trepidation, since I dislike beef liver. It was better than I thought it would be, but still not my cup of tea. liuzhou >I just think you are being very negative. You ask for advise on becoming a 'foodie' (horrible word) then reject almost all advise offered. I disagree that I'm being very negative and rejecting almost all advise offered. Consider the following exchanges I've had with other people in this thread: ChrisTaylor >>...charcuterie, something else worth exploring. >This sounds like an excellent idea liuzhou: >>Start with two different varieties of say, tomatoes. What is the difference in flavour? Sweetness? Acidity? Then try them cooked in different ways. >I've cultivated perhaps a dozen kinds of tomatoes, and perhaps a dozen kinds of other vegetables, as well as perhaps a dozen kinds of potatoes, and I sampled all of these a number of times. I confess I didn't analyze these gustatory experiences, though. I suppose I should have. SobaAddict70 >>Assuming you mean things like fried chicken, pizza and meatloaf, then I might start here: it's Franny's clam pizza at their restaurant in Brooklyn. It's not haute cuisine, but it's something that a foodie might eat >This clam pizza looks excellent. I'll show this video to my friend. And it never occurred to me that 'foodie' was a horrible word. Other members have used it throughout this thread. SobaAddict70 >Thanks for your input. >Your reply to me comes across to me as sarcastic, so I simply responded in kind. I can't read minds, remember? As God is my witness, I can't understand how you could interpret my sincere thanks for providing those links, even if they didn't work out for me, as sarcastic. If you won't believe that, I don't know what else I can say. Mjx >...you've only described what you're not interested in... Of course. I don't KNOW what I'm interested in. I know nothing about such matters. That's precisely why I came to this group for advice in the first place. I'll think about it and see what I can come up with. liuzhou >Tell us one food you really, really like and why you like it. I like all the things my friend prepares for me, which I thought would have been obvious, since I continue to eat it, and I like sushi and sashimi. I like these foods because they taste good and it's pleasant to eat them; for me, that is reason enough to eat them. >I don't think there has been as much hostility as there could have been. Wow. So the hostility was merited, then? I don't want to upset anyone, liuzhou, so perhaps it would be best if you troubled yourself no further on my behalf. dcarch >Once we have isolated cultural/religious biases, elitism, and personal preferences, the discussion can be less "passionate". Amen. To the group as a whole: Thank you for your kind words and advice. (And yes, I am sincere in saying so, and no, I am not being sarcastic.)

I'm not doing anything wrong, and I haven't been rude to anyone. If you don't like my approach to food, why trouble yourself to speak to me? I haven't done anything to you or anyone else here. >Well, actually, you said you were unaware of any cooking classes that were held locally. (Would you like me to quote you?) Why would I want you to quote me? Of course I said that. I wasn't aware of any local cooking classes. Is that offensive? >I provided those links to show that there were cooking classes held in your immediate vicinity. But I never said I wanted to take any cooking classes. >I meant you have decided you don't like things without even trying them - not a foodie trait. >Right: So far, what we're getting is that you want to to sample 'different' food, but 'different' in that it's described as 'gourmet' in popular US culture, and not too different. So what? I'm entitled to do that. I have a right to my tastes. That's not an attack on anyone. >Do you simply want to appear knowledgeable about something that has cultural cachet? I've already addressed that question in a previous post: the answer is "no". WHy question my motives? I'm entitled to my opinions. >Thanks for your input. I was sincere when I thanked you for your input. Why the sarcasm? Why all the hostility?

>Learning about food is, in part , learning to overcome these irrational prejudices. Of course my feelings are irrational, as are all subjective feelings. That doesn't mean that one's subjective feelings are "unreasonable" though - not because subjective feelings can be "right", but because emotional, subjective feelings aren't part of the rational part of the human mind - and that is as it should be. But "prejudices"? This implies that I am consciously, intellectually judging the ways of another culture to be "wrong". I didn't think that, I didn't feel that, I didn't say that, I didn't imply that, and I didn't mean that. I didn't say Chinese cuisine was "wrong". I merely expressed great surprise at the enormous difference in cultural perspective - which is precisely what I said. And above all, I was NOT attacking Chinese culture, and I'm stunned that you seem to have taken it that way. No one ELSE seemed to think that I was attacking Chinese culture. >You seem to be saying you want to be "a foodie", but aren't really that interested in food. You keep putting up barriers and setting obstacles in the way. You don't want this and you don't want that and you don't want to learn to cook and you don't want any foreign muck except foie gras (but no liver). This certainly sounds like you are quite angry with me, but as I explained above, I believe you have misconstrued my intentions entirely. And I have just as much right to my subjective tastes as you or anyone else does. If I don't want to eat offal, I don't have to, and it's quite inappropriate for someone else to get angry about that. I have no problem with anyone else eating whatever they want - no matter how much it surprises me - and I don't understand why you would possibly care what my tastes in food are.