ChefPip

Good point Chocolot. I've considered doing this during the Holiday Season in past years. The use of invertase has been an idea that I've kept on the back burner but when I saw Shel's thread I thought I'd see if anyone else has considered it. What you are saying is quite helpful in realizing that there may be a limit to the time such confections can be kept on hand. Still there is the amount of time needed for the center to become softer than the York example, but not too liquid. That may just take some experimenting and record keeping where the candy is kept at a constant temperature in a cool place. Then if it's as good as I can imagine, it may not exceed it's "best consumed before" date.

There was a time before York began a big advertising campaign that a candy company known as "Ludens" had one of the best Peppermint Patty candies going. It was known as the Melloment Patty and there are other makers who still produce something similar. Pearson's is one example of it. York's texture so solid and seems like a piece of compressed confectioners sugar with Peppermint flavoring in it. I'm a firm believer in, "To each his or her own" so I would wish you the best. Ludens is known now more for cough drops but at one time they produced several forms of candy. I'd offer you this link to review from epicurious. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peppermint-Patties-240935 I've wondered about this for some time myself. I know invertase is used in making chocolate covered cherries. Those are stored for a week or two so that the enzyme melts the sugar to a liquid inside the chocolate shell. My thought is to only use the smallest amount of it and allow the patties to be stored in the refrigerator for a couple weeks so the patty will have a creamier texture and not be so chalky as York's. .

Just a wild guess here. Could you incorporate a drop or two in Sourdough recipes.

Where I purchase Pimento Cheese at Kroger's there is a young woman at the cash register who suggest to me the mixing of potted meat with the PC. She keeps telling me how good it is. I may use some deviled ham and try it. There was a local company who made something like this at one time. It was like ham salad mixed with PC and they used the marketing name, "Chesham" which was pronounced "Cheezam" As for myself, I've almost always eaten the PC I've consumed as it came right out of the container. But I'm open ot anyone's ideas about combining it with other items. I'd like to hear more.

I use my kitchen oven, smoker, rotisserie grill which I can cover, and crock pots. If I cook on charcoal fire, I cook low and slow and then if necesary transfer the meat to the kitchen oven to bring the meat up to a safe temp. I measure it with thermometers which I can insert into the meat and read the temp in the center of it. The Rotisserie has fire baskets on either side of the revolving meat with foil pans under the meat to catch drippings. The fire is kept around 350 gauging it with my hand. About 6 seconds. If I use the kitchen oven I start at 500F and after twenty minutes to a half hour reduce it to 350F for one half hour to fourty five minutes. Depending on the weight of the piece of meat. I use a roasting pan with a wire rack in it to support the meat. If I'm using the crock pot I start it on high and get it hot and add some broth and then the meat which has been washed off and patted dry. No Searing it, brining it first. Once it becomes hot, I turn the heat back. My Crock Pot has a start position that gets it hot fast,, High, and Low. Once the contents begin to simmer and bubble I turn it to Low for a long slow cook.

In my area there is this old Dairy Ice Cream Shop that has sandwiches and other foods for lunch. One of the things that make their hamburgers and cheeseburgers is a mixture of mayo & mustard with some other flavorings that they put in it. Perhaps the juice from the pickle jar. I understand that they make it the day before they use it so the flavors will merge. I know people who have moved several hours away from here who when they come back to visit swing by there for a burger, first thing. I figure they are using commercial mayo & mustard but the quality of flavor in that seasoning is unforgettable. I think that will be what I shoot for with my own mayo when I make it to use in my Pimento Cheese. I may attempt to experiment with cream cheese and cottage cheese as part of the cream medium in this cheese spread. The notion of Velveeta still leaves me a bit perplexed. I examined the copy cat recipe for Durkee's famous sauce just to see what is in it. http://www.food.com/recipe/durkee-famous-sauce-clone-108402 Balsamic vinegar in it may hold some promise.

I remember some discussion on an outdoorsman's TV show where they would use coarse sharp sand from a creek bed and a medium sized pine cone to scour the surface of iron ware. Then wash it with mild soap, rinse & dry, before treating it with a light coating of oil to prevent rust. So if anyone wants to try that on their next camping trip, there you are.

When I started this thread, it was out of curiosity as I had looked all through the "Cooking" category and didn't see any threads regarding pimento cheese. I've always seen it as a ready, go to food just like peanut butter and jelly for a fast snack to carry one through till dinner. A habit learned in childhood. When I've looked at old magazines from the 1920's era at the Library, the Cheese Sandwich appeared to be a standard lunch item in those times. So much so that some advertisements were asking, "Are you still eating that same old cheese sandwich for lunch every day". This may have been be due to J. L. Kraft learning to produce a processed cheese which he could package in tin containers that shipped well and stored successfully. it brought cheese into the mainstreem of the national diet after the military proved it's usefulness in WW1. My intrigue with this subject has grown to the point that I Googled, "The Quest for the Best Pimento Cheese" and realized that I and others in this thread are not alone with our appetite for the concoction. Nor or we alone in seeking the ultimate recipe. Page after page in Google address this food item and offers numerous recipes. Can anyone imagine seeing a "Pimento Cheese" cook off on TV ? Sponsored by Blue Plate or Duke ?

Ok, when I find some Extra Sharp and some Mild that I really like the flavors of, then my next batch will be fresh shredded and I'll make my own Mayo too. Everything from the ground up. Then we'll see how it taste. Presently I favor more Extra Sharp and a smaller amount of Brick Cheese in the mix. I could try it using mild cheddar in place of the brick though.

Shelby, you pique my interest about fresh grated. What do you imagine that it is about grating it yourself ? I'm fond of extra sharp cheddar cheese and try different labels frequently. Yes, there is a big difference in flavor between each brand. Getting a cheese with the right flavor may make the argument for shredding one's own. If you did find the right cheese then you may never find it available shredded in the bag. LOL I wonder of some of these ingredients I see in the recipes aren't just compensating for what the cheese is lacking in flavor characteristics ? Got any favorite brands of Extra Sharp Shelby ?

I know Nursing Homes epitomize morbidity to most young people. The smell of urine and noises that come from those places are nerve wrecking to say the least. On my first visit to one I came out of the room I was visiting with my family and asked the young Nurses how they could stand it. It was explained to me that it is tough at first and as repulsive as I experienced it to be, that these people would tell me that they are better off in the home than being on their own in a house where they would wonder if anyone even knew they were there or alive. Sometimes, hard as it would be to believe it, the Nursing Home is where a person is better off. As for the cuisine there, I've read stories about seniors not wanting to eat it. Were they depressed or resentful ? No, they were "geriatric" and just didn't have the stomach acids to digest it. Some pineapple & cottage cheese or some Fig bars could have helped make the difference for the Bromelain or Ficin enzymes in those foods that would promote their digestion. Otherwise there could be painful indigestion resulting from the food. But I have to agree that institutional foods can leave a lot to be desired. Still there should be some thought given to it as we will all be there sooner or later. Myself, I have several older women who live in a high rise for the elderly whom I taught BBQ and Smoking of meat. They are wanting to do things that they never tried before and pool their money, set up groups, and buy equipment at the end of the season to get their best deals. It is a real blast to talk to them and hear how they tried recipes and processes I helped them to learn about. Some of them work at the Dollar Stores part time yet and live out of the High Rise, so they are able to be mobile and digest the foods that they prepare. But I made sure that they knew about the enzymes in Papaya, (for marinades), Pineapple, and Figs.so they wouldn't have to walk the floors all night after dinner. LOL

Interesting views on the subject. I know in the South where Pimento Cheese is so popular that they insist on using "Blue Plate" brand Mayo. In the South East they insist on Dukes. The Mayo can make a major difference in taste. As for fresh grating of the cheese vs purchasing grated in bags, I don't know. Some people like cakes that are whipped up with a spoon opposed to electric mixers. Then it may just be the image of a Grandmother hand beating the batter that positions it in our minds this way. I'm no stranger to making my own Mayo and started with using the Moosewood Cookbook's recipe for it. Everyone needs to make Mayo for themselves and try using different types of oils so they will understand how the flavors change when using the same recipe. I like the idea of a bit of horseradish. Also having a creamy medium with shreads of cheese and bits of pimento mixed through it. As a kid I had an Aunt who made it with Velveeta and I thought it was good back then. Haven't had it since. But I think Pimento Cheese is one of those things that our opinions are shaped with as kids. Like Smores, wieners roasted over a campfire on a stick, and favorite flavors of Kool Aid etc. One year I grew Pimentos in my garden instead of Bell Peppers. The Pimentos are sweeter in my opinion and they aren't much different than Red Bell Peppers when growing. I've thought of trying the fire roasted Red Peppers as they would be much more economical than the Pimentos. But I appreciate the sharing of views and information here. And Smithy, get yourself a little bit of Pimento Cheese from a number of Deli's along with a loaf of Rye & Pumpernickle bread. Then try it with the different breads. A pickle or some pepperoncini peppers will go good with it too. I go around various deli's buying minimum quantities of spreads and stuff just to try it. Generally they give me a small sample to taste on a little plastic spoon. If I like it well enough I buy a small quantity to take home and try to make something like it. A lot of things we don't care much for in childhood somehow come back to be part of our adult life.

Great thread here. What I make are much like the Clausen's Pickles. I use the Horseradish leaves in mine as I have many horseradish plants growing on public lands. Don't want them in my yard LOL. It's my understanding that the bloom end of the cuke produces, pectinolytic & cellulolytic enzymes that will travel down through the center of the cuke to cause it to decompose quickly so the fruit can seed the ground. I cut up to 1/2 inch off the bloom end of my "National Pickling" variety to remove that area and then cut 1/4 inch off the stem end. I never put my cukes in water when I bring them in from the garden or market. I use a damp sponge to scrub the dirt and grit off them so they won't absorb water. Grape, Horseradish, Wild Cherry, and even Oak leaves have been used where I live. But only a small portion of an Oak leaf as they are so potent. These leaves contain tannin which stops those enzymes. The stores used to sell a commercial canning chemical called "Pickle Crisp" but it's calcium chloride If you want to buy it from a Pharmacist. I've been making these Refrigerator Pickle this summer while the Dill and Horseradish have thrived,putting up pickled caulaflower, and will be making sauerkraut soon. But as for trying to make those Pickles like Clausen's, you have to watch the price you pay for the cukes pretty close or otherwise it's about as cheap to go ahead and buy them from Clausen's and save your time..

A few of us make our own, most of us buy our favorite at the store, and some of us are still toiling with a recipe that will taste like our favorite store bought brand. What is your favorite brand ? Have you ever tried to make something that taste like it ? Do you have a good recipe that you would post for Pimento Cheese ? What type of bread do you spred it on ? Plain or Toasted ? My favorite is that which Kroger sells under their own brand name in their Dairy Case. They also offer it in a "lite" version, but I like the full flavored. I'm not so keen on Pimento Cheese spread which uses pickle relish or diced jalapeno peppers in it. The recipe I'm using right now goes like this: 4 C shredded Sharp Chedar Cheese 2 C shredded Brick Cheese 4 oz Cream Cheese softened a bit in the microwave 3/4 C of Mayo or Salad Dressing 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp cayenne red pepper 1 4 oz jar diced Pimentos Mix the cheese, onion powder, cayenne, and mayo together well with a mixer until mixed well but still chunky in texture. Then add the Pimentos and mix as much again until somewhat more smooth. You can add a little more mayo to get the thickness you desire or you could open another jar of Pimentos and begin adding and mixing until you have this cheese spread to suit you. I've tried to cost this recipe out so that I can compare it to the store brand when it is on sale. No need making it when you can buy it already made and cheaper.

Hello and welcome JR ! If you really like to cook and cast iron and Wok utensils intrigue you then you are a good path. Those are healthy interesting ways of cooking. Something I'll mention to you. If you are buying a gas stove new, try to get them to throw in a set of jets for the other gas while you are at it. Then package them and hide them in the stove somewhere where they won't get lost. That way if you locate in an area where you start with Propane and later Natural Gas comes available, then you'll have your coversion jets handy. Purchased later these will be expensive and possibly difficult to get. Stove manufacturers may go out of business or be bought out. I just noticed that GE Appliances division was purchased by the Swedish Electrolux company today for 3.3 billion dollars. Since you are a foodie, you may want to look into this place. Restaurant Depot com http://www.restaurantdepot.com/ There may be some Kitchen things there that could prove useful to you. I know realtors suggest the average family only stays in a home 5 years before moving on, but I'd suggest that you build what you want so it will satisfy your family's needs for the next decade or two. Build out far enough from town so that by that time the town wll have grown out to where you've built your home. That way if you want to sell sell your home then, the investment value will have grown considerably. So in your planning now you'll have time to shop for what will be prime property in years to come. Happy cookin

Controlled burning is an old concept. People probably learned of it from observation of natural phenomenons such as forest fires that were ignited by lightning. In time they noticed the benefits to the landscape through the cycles of recovery that took place afterwards. Experimenting with replicating those results probably led to this concept for earlier people whose early technology would have been creating fire and controling it to improve their lives.. I've seen video coverage of Foresters engaging in what they call "Prescribed Burns" which keep the underbrush at a minimum so that the trees of value can flourish. Whether they be hardwood for building or fruit or nut orchard trees, it's just good wood lot management and conservation of natural resources. If underbrush is allowed to grow up unchecked, it is like having a huge pile of kindling amidst your valuable timber just waiting for the right moment to ignite and destroy everything. This is why 'prescribed burning". takes place evey couple of years to keep that threat to a minimun and the prescribed burn so much easier to manage. Forestry Management - prescribed burn video in Northern Illinois https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uq5_5VQLJk&list=PLC-G0onEQWwNUT-N05qq6Q4PbaqDA9gtJ&index=7

If you can find a copy of this book and have time enough to read it before you have to leave, it may be a treasure of insights for you. Tony Horwitz traveled the South extensively in order to write it and speaks of so many things including causine and events one could partake of. The title can be a bit misleading as it could be a great tour book as well. 067975833X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=067975833X&linkCode=as2&tag=egulletcom-20">"Confederates in the Attic" by Tony Horwitz

I'd like to chip in on this too. I started making Iced Tea as a kid. Over the years I would drink tea with friends and when I tasted something exceptional I'd inquire. One of my big break throughs was when I met an English Woman who was working at Sears in my home town. She explained to me about steeping tea. From the information I gathered I developed this technique I use. The teas I've used are of all types. Even brand X with black, cut black, and orange pekoe in the bags. I'm not committed to any one brand. For a two quart plastic juice container: I have a small metal sauce pan I place 3 tea bags in along with a cup cool water. The heat is turned on low and the temps come up gradually so as NOT to boil. In a small mixing bowl I place 1/2 or so Cups of white cane sugar. When the heated tea water is ready it will be drained in to make the syrup. I watch the sauce pan and gently aggitate it by shaking it left and right. Before the water would boil a creame colored foam will begin to develop in each tea bag. The trick is not to inflate the tea bags with steam, because the water has heated to high and too quickly if that happens. As this slowly heats this same foam will begin to build up around the edge of the sauce pan. A "bead" as the old moonshiners would call it. LOL At this point a little bit of steam will begin to arise off the heated tea water and that is a sign it is time to drain it into the bowl with the sugar. Do not squeeze the tea bags, but just allow them to drain for the most part. These can then be discarded and they will still be wet. The syrup can be stirred until the sugar is dissolved. In the two quart pitcher a tray of ice cubes can be loaded and cold water added till it is near the top. This is stirred to get the water cold and then the syrup is added and stirred thouroughly. Water can be added to top this off and stirred enough to mix it in well. Next this goes into the refrigerator to sit for a few minutes. If you can wait that long. It can then be poured into a glass and enjoyed. By the time I was in high school years it became my job to make the Iced Tea before meal times. I became well known for my tea making and taught many others this method that I developed. Rarely did anyone ask for mint or lemon to go with it. I get kind of burnt out on soft drinks during the summer with the High Fructose Corn Sweetners or the even worse diet sweetners. So I resort to the Iced Tea.and try to keep sweet but not syrupy. Just remember, if you follow my method bring the temp of the water up slowly and don't inflate the tea bags or boil the water. It will yield a smooth beverage that doesn't taste more like tea bag than tea.. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. One cup of sugar is syrupy sweet. I perfer it at the 1/2 Cup level.

I was born and raised in Huntington, WV near where Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia are divided by the Big Sandy River and the Ohio River. Before the later 1960's there was a large number of small Mom and Pop restaurants where we generally ate after Church on Sunday. Often the Church sponsored a Dinner where the best of the congregation would cook a bountiful Sunday Dinner in the Church Kitchen and multi purpose room that was set as a dining room. Covered dishes were often brought in and these were largely casseroles, jello salads, and deserts. Deviled Eggs always sound their way in in covered plates which had recesses in them to accommodate them for safe shipping. It was a source of many jokes. Of the things I remember in these diners was the "White Half Runner Green Beans and Kennebec Potatoes pressure cooked with strips of bacon. The gardeners of the Church always grew loads of these along with the kennebecs to bring in and sit the night before with the regulars who draped unfolded newspapers on their laps to remove the strings and snap them in spall pieces for tomorrows early morning cooking. This was always overcooked as if by tradition. Tomato Dumplings, Chicken Dumplings were always around too. Slices of Ham, Pork chops,Roast Beef, Cat Fish, Cornbread cooked in those iron molds that make sticks that look like ears of corn, and so many things mentioned in above post were on the tables. Deserts were often served with fresh churned Vanilla ice cream. I remember the Date Nut Pudding with Ice cream very well. There were many fruit trees growing wild where Apples, Cherries, Pears, Peaches, could be gathered for fruit coblers which again went well with the ice cream. Away from the Churches which were some of the best food I remember were the old Dime Stores with their lunch counters that featured things like Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with the mashed potatoes and brown beef gravy poured over it. Of course a toasted Pimento Cheese on whole wheat sandwich was a lunch time tradition too. By the week ends the Open Pit BBQ's were firing up to deliver some of the finest Pit Master's skills. BBQ often had Apple Butter mixed in with it as a secret ingredient. Then there were the occasional Fish Fries that followed an all night fishing venture on the long weekends. I remember the Ox Roast that were held at the County Fair Grounds too. If you haven't tried Appalachian BBQ Smoked Ox, you should put that on your list. It is so tender, you can only use the sharpest of knife to cut it. At home I remember string Pole Beans from the garden to string on needle and thread to make "leather britches". These dried to a brown leathery array that looked like tree bark. It was an old way of drying and preserving the things. Butter Beans with yellow buttermilk cornbread was a favorite with the older men in my family. I would often watch them pour Sorghum on their cornbread as a treat. But we were always out in the fall to purchase srorghum and apple butter if we didn't have apples enough to make our own apple butter. One of the first things I learned to make as a little kid was "snow cream" which was made of snow. I always seemed to get a sore throat from it somehow. But it was some milk, sugar, vanilla, and snow stirred quickly to make a kids treat. Then who can forget "Gubberment Cheese" and crackers ??? And speaking of Appalachia and the waterways here, this video may provide some entertainment and insights. into the fun and joys of the simple life we can have here. This shanty boat was built from reclaimed materials from an old barn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RaFApVP0zU

Here are a couple links to "Chocolate Beet Cake" from BBC media and one for Green Tomato & Beer Chocolate Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. I have these recipes on my list to make and try but as yet haven't proofed these recipes. BBC Beetroot Chocolate Cake: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beetroot_chocolate_cake_82388 Chow com Green Tomato & Beer Chocolate Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. http://www.chow.com/recipes/29926-green-tomatoes-and-beer-chocolate-cake Another chocolate frosting I see posted that is intriguing is "Chocolate Avocado Frosting" Made iin the food processer. http://www.coffeeandquinoa.com/2014/03/fudgy-chocolate-beet-cake-with-chocolate-avocado-frosting-vegan-and-gf/ Although Avocados are high in calories, they are also high in the good monounsaturated fats. The Smooth Caribbean Avocados are about half as high in flavor and fats as the Calafornia Hass variety.. A handy site about Avocodos if you want to use them for their fat content in baked goods and confections: http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/10/18/know-your-avocado-varieties-and-when-theyre-season

Over the years I've seen a number of unlikely supplemtents used in Cakes and baked goods. Puree of green tomatoes, puree of beets, apple sauce, spun apricot baby food, and the like used for special purposes. One such special purpose is for producing baked goods for Funeral Wakes where the cake starts out dry but increasingly absorbs moisture from the air thus not drying out before it is consumed. Such items sit on concourse tables as ready foods when sympathy calls are being made and would leave conventional baked goods vulnerable to drying out quickly. There are many methods for accomplishing different objectives with the food products we create.. From a Better Homes web site page: Source:http://www.bhg.com/advice/food/baking/my-cakes-turn-out-dry-how-do-i-make-a-moist-cake/ One group of Southern Women have collectively published Cook Books with some comical insights. They go by the name "The Sweet Potato Queens" and are kind of a "Red Hat Ladies" group. I know them best for their "Death Recipes" which are purpose designed for Funeral events, wakes, and the like. Some may see these as "gimicks" or "trick recipes" but they understand the social implications of such affairs and have created recipes to address them. For a caterer to have a portfolio of recipes ike these will surely keep them well positioned in their communities minds. The use of Beets with Chocolate is a very good partnership. I've noticed the moisture and quality of crumb in these cakes that I've tasted. I've also tried them with such additives as powdered Cool Whip or Pudding mixes added to them.

I'll mention this for everyone's consideration. Back in my school days I knew a guy who could only eat with plastic cutlery or stainless. If he touched sterling cutlery to his lips he got an unpleasent metalic taste or even a mild shock. Certain food products caused a metalic taste for him too. I asked him what he did and he explained that he had seen a Doctor and had test done. He was told he had some "condition" and the meds he was issued were called "Bile Salts". I've met other people whose bodies were more acid to the point that they cannot wear jewelery. The metal exposed to their skin would corrode to where it couldn't be worn. I just mention this as a FYI.

I just roasted a small piece of "Eye Of Round" last night. It was then placed it in the fridge overnight so I could slice it thin with my meat slicer earlier this morning. Tenderloin is great meat for such a party where as the Roast Beef from Eye or Round is tougher. Thats why I slice it thin so it will be easier to eat. You won't have much or a problem with the Tenderloin and you serve it in 1/2 inch thick cuts. Since you have some time before this presentation is due give this page look over. I rubbed my 2 pound piece of Eye of Round with some coarse ground pepper, coarse Kosher salt, garlic and onion powder and at the end a slight dusting of Oriental 5 Spice seasoning. It taste about like what I'd buy at the Deli section of my local grocery stores. My finishing internal temp was 145 degrees. http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/03/09/make-your-own-deli-style-roast-beef/. I would slice the Roat Beef at about 1/8 inch thick cuts. As you will have some kids there you could make "Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches" for them as that may be enough for the kids. Basically a sandwich with some meat filling cut diagonally and a scoop of mashed potatoes in the spread open sandwich. This is topped with a savory brown beef gravy. Heinz makes a savory brown beef gravy which would work nicely with this. My RB slized and finished would cover either of my open hands from finger tip to wrist. All 2 lbs of it of which half is in the freezer now. But I can't say enough for having a having a meat slicer for Roast Beef. I've seen those small electric ones in yard sales for as little as $10 dollars. But these are just some suggestions.

Liuzhou, There used to be before this Globalization trend. To me this is an alarming trend. Recently I've seen this with canned Tuna, Jack Mackeral, Salmon, Apple Juice, and a variety of other products such as pasta. So often these products can be found in thrift and discount stores or Walmart and now even at ALDI's. It seems like these are places where the less prosperous people will consume and are limited to shopping within walking distance of their living areas. We have a term, http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defines-food-deserts. that describes this in the USA. And they seem to be the dumping grounds for this practice. But like I stated, if it doesn't state the origins of the product then I don't trust it or purchase it. I have a responsibility to the guest who visit my establishment.

liuzhou Thank you for pointing that out about using the sesame at the end. I've been following what I learned from a book, "The Wok and the Way" and that was what was suggested. I'm glad you brought this up. By annology, here in Appalachia when we make Apple Butter we only add the Oil of Cinnamon right at the end of the process before canning it in glass jars. Otherwise it will evaborate out of the Apple Butter and be wasted.