gourmande

Another soup addict here, and though late in joining this "soup-grope-group", I'm eager to participate in the soupe de la semaine project. Admittedly I have just skimmed through the previous 10 pages, but is the idea for Maggie to choose a soup theme and participants pipe in with their adaptation or recipe choice? The soup kettle is out and ready!

Well, I attempted the overnight soak with bleach and unfortunately the dark "stain" is still very much there. At what kind of store does one purchase "Barkeeper's Friend"? I've never heard of the product.

I have to admit, the intoxicating aroma was indeed the first thing Dale commented on when when he came home after work. However, you've made a good point, one I've never thought too much about before, and you're right, braising or stewing in beer, ale, etc. doesn't seem to perfume the house as much. I had Steak and Guinness stewing for a few hours this week and a carbonade flammande two weeks ago, and neither aromatized the house the way a wine based braise or stew does. That's not to say that beer braised foods are less flavourful because they certainly are, just that the aromas don't seem as intense. Very interesting.

That looks and sounds fabulous Marlene. Now I wish you had posted this before I started on my port and wine braised short ribs this afternoon In your opinion, how does it compare with wine braised short ribs?

Thanks fifi, I use the 3M scrubber too (used the nylon scrubbers before that great invention) but I'll try the bleach later tonight. I have some short ribs braising in a lot of red wine and port at the moment so that should stain the pot nicely once again. Since I use my pots many times per week, perhaps I'm actually wearing the enamel down and the cast iron is beginning to show through. I'll let you know if chlorine does the trick.

The temperature seems to be dropping steadily and it's damn cold out there... but, the kitchen smells like heaven with beef short ribs braising in the oven. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Unfortunately we won't be enjoying these until tomorrow, nevertheless, the aromas are a great comfort right now. (edited to correct mistakes made by frozen fingers )

I'm a newcomer to this thread so please bear with me especially if I've missed something that has been already said... Anyway... Most of my LC pots are about 30 years old; they were the first pieces I purchased when I moved out from under mom's wings into my first apartment. So yes, I'm a huge fan and envy those of you who find such great bargains on new pieces. Now that you've listed so many good sources I think I'll be doing a bit of e-shopping soon - you can never have too many cocottes or Dutch ovens I do have a question about cleaning though. Over the years the lovely cream interiors have developped what I like to call a patina, but have I read somewhere here that the original cream colour can actually be restored at home? I have had one of my cocottes re-enamelled for $80 when the original finish simply shattered one day when I was heating a splash of oil - and no, they would not cover it under warranty as they determined it was due to extreme overheating at some point. The only drawback to that option is that the process involved enamelling the entire pot (inside and out) in one colour and the choices were black or dark green I chose the latter. I would like to hear more about personal experience with cleaning as opposed to links to the LC web site (I already have that). Many thanks

I do what redsugar does... minus the beer, but I like that variation... must try! And if you can only get your hands on a fresh hock, I'd suggest roasting it well first.

Temporel on rue Couillard also has fab lunches reasonably priced.

Glad to hear that. The Black Tomato is one of my favourite market haunts and is consistently good (has been so for years.)

Might I also suggest the Bijou (downtown Stratford) and the Westover Inn (St Mary's). Neither will disappoint.

Hey, not to worry, no offence taken here, just a little chuckle and my comment was meant in fun. Perhaps our perceptions of "old' just keep changing as we age. I remember thinking 20 was old, then 30, then 50, now it's not age I look at but how much a person enjoys life. But back to food... I was hoping we would try St James this time, but our stay in the area was just too short. I will try to put it at the top of my list next time I'm there. Thanks for the reviews.

Indeed, and thanks for the recommendation. We started with a Paradise Pupu Platter, which consisted mainly of: chicken satay, nori roll slices, Ahi spring rolls (these were TO DIE for), and the infamous Emma’s poke (FA-BU-LOUS) I chose the catch of the day (NZ red snapper) and elected to have mine baked. The thick, moist fillet was crusted with luxurious, fresh coconut and topped with a generous ladling of chunky mango chutney. The fish was perched atop steamed rice and a green curry sauce. Amazingly good! I followed that with a Haleiwa Paradise Salad, and for desert, settled on the Tropical Fruit Sorbet, a duet of fresh mango and raspberry sorbets studded with fresh mint. Great meal! Had we had a few more days I would have gone back; everything on the menu sounded delish.

ummm... I'm in my 50's, and let me assure you that I can still engage in serious physical pursuits... "old" is but a state of mind... Anyway... we just got back from the desert and enjoyed some fine food at: Haleiwa Joe's (Rancho Mirage) - fresh ingredients beautifully prepared, and stunning surroundings: view here The Deck (Palm Springs) - Jazz/dinner lounge offering an eclectic Californian/Asian menu The Left Bank (Palm Springs) - Classic French with a southern California influence We also enjoyed good, casual fare at: The Kaiser Grille Las Casuelas ... sorry, can't remember the other restaurants we tried (could be the martinis and bloody marys that blurr my memory.)

I'm heading down to Palm Springs this Sunday for a week so was rather hoping to find some good recommendations.... When we were there last year, first time for both of us, it was rather hit and miss. I remember a decent menu selection and dinner at The Left Bank (or was it Rive Gauche?) though a bit crowded and noisy. Everything else was unremarkable. I'll certainly check out the suggestions already posted (thank you) and hope to find a few more when I check back later... PS... Thanks, but I'll pass on the sliders

For breakfast, lunch, fresh buttery croissants, fabulous coffee and an authentic local experience, try Chez Temporel on rue Couillard in the old latin quarter. My first visit was in the mid 70's, and though it has undergone some cosmetic changes over the years, the flavor is still as rich.

In addition to what Treqx recommended, may I also suggest: Guido le gourmet La crémaillère Le continental Bon appétit! Lise

I have no such impulses at the grocery store, however, the market's "offerings by the exit" are more tempting and what I always succumb to at least once a week (or is that weak?!): cheeses, cornichons, what, a new condiment?

Well, I visited Charleston S.C. for the very first time last week (was there for a British car show) and was totally blown away; I had no idea what a gem this place would be and we can't wait to go back. There seems to be a wealth of very good restaurants in Charleston, but because of our schedule and the fact we were chosing on the fly and on our own (i.e., forgot to check here first), we were able to sample only a few but were pleased with most of our choices. Here are the restaurants we tried and that I would easily recommend: Mistral Restaurant (French provençal) My choices: fish soup provençal; tomato asparagus salad; braised rabbit with mustard cream sauce; sorbet au Champagne; fruit and cheese plate. Excellent food, service and atmosphere. The owners are extremely welcoming and gracious - we felt at home as soon as we walked in. Sermet's Corner (eclectic) My choices: baked artichoke torta; sauté of shrimp, sausage, mushroom and peas over couscous with lobster cream sauce; mixed greens salad. Excellent food, service and great atmosphere though a tad noisy and music a bit loud for moi. The chef is also a painter so his art adorns the walls, tables, almost everything. Poogan's Porch (new southern) My choices: she crab soup; creole jambalaya; seasonal greens. Excellent food, service and atmosphere. The historic house provides a beautiful, relaxed setting for a "nouveau" lowcountry dining experience. Hyman's Seafood (seafood and deli) My choices: a combination plate featuring broiled shrimp, broiled scallops and broiled grouper. All their dinners come with a choice of potato or rice (I chose red rice), salad or coleslaw (I opted for salad) hushpuppies and boiled peanuts . Unlike the other places we enjoyed, this is a very casual deli-tyle eatery (nothing fancy here). Excellent seafood and service, the other food items ok, atmosphere fine: wooden tables, servers rushing about, a bit noisy but fun. We also lunched at a few pubs in the Market area, and though I didn't care for the food at either (couldn't even eat the soup at one), my dining partners enjoyed theirs. Ok, I'll concede, the Newcastle ale was good. The worst food I had was at breakfast, at our hotel: dry scrambled eggs, paper thin and overly crisp bacon, hard biscuits, sausage gravy, grits, stewed apples, tasteless bread for toast, e-v-e-r-y single morning... Next time I'll bring my own yoghurt and fruit.

So, it's been a while but, where did you dine and how was it?

I hope this doesn't add to the confusion, but I have a recipe for paw paw pickles that calls for firm, just ripe papayas.

Oh I agree, the threat of botulism poisoning is indeed serious, but the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum in low-acid foods is destroyed when these foods are processed in pressure canners, following time and pressure requirements for the particular foods. Perhaps I should contact the manufacturer of the pressure canner to see what they suggest. If I find anything, I'll post it. I imagine there are others who might be interested As for today's batch, I froze most of it but packed some in a sterlized jar, floated a film of oil on top and refrigerated it.

Has anyone here ever canned pesto? I generally freeze it but would like to try canning it so that it can stay at room temp. All my searches seem to yield the same advice: for food safety reasons, canning pesto is not recommended. However, since we can find preserved pesto on the grocery shelves it must be possible. Any ideas out there?

While there are countless great cheeses from Québec, here are a few that have not been mentioned in this thread but that are well worth trying, if you can find them where you live: Raw Le fêtard – a hard, moderately salty cheese Le Ciel de Charlevoix – a semi-soft blue-veined cheese Mi-carême – a soft and slightly bitter cheese Le Riopelle de l’îsle – a soft mild cheese Pasteurized or thermised Le Lavallois – a soft Camembert type cheese Mamirolle – a semi-soft sharp cheese Saint-Damasse – a soft sharp cheese