Deryn

I have taken to doing all my 'saute' (even dry stuff like mustard seeds, etc. for curries, which I guess means I 'toast' those) in my IP before I stop and set it to do other pressure related tasks - but I have not yet tried to toast wheatberries in it. I like the one pot, one utensil, one appliance concept very much lately.

This is exactly what I need to make myself do. I am a sporadic user rather than a 24/7 one - and I should be the latter. I still (though I am alone now) seem to buy and waste food for 10 (when my freezer is full) because I have not gotten out of the habit of cooking for many at a time - and may never do so. In addition to that, I have to go so far to get many ingredients that I tend to overbuy them and then they go bad before I use them up. I definitely agree though a FD IS the way to go - I haven't used my pressure canner now in quite a while, or even my dehydrators. I have great success with local fish, venison, lobster, crabs, shrimp, etc. and am trying to educate people in this area about (beginning with the basics) what a freeze-dryer is and what it does/what I can do with it - almost hoping they may come to me and ask if I could do a load or two for them. There are so many fisher-people in this area so I thought some might bite but, so far, no takers ... strangely enough, not even any excitement at all .. which I think is kind of sad but I will keep (slowly) trucking along alone with it I guess. I did tell my daughter that when I am gone, she can sell all my kitchen equipment and I was amazed when she said of all the things she knows I have she would like the FD (and my Thermomix).

ChocoMom ... just another short note to say I am so very sorry too that the effects of the fire seem to be having ongoing medical consequences for your family. I hope everyone is feeling much better soon!

Millennials generally are still lucky enough have their mothers in the picture, and maybe even their grandmothers, even if those relatives, at whose dinner tables presumably a lot of those nostalgic memories were made, live some distance away. First alternative - have the chef call the person who originally made the dish and find out exactly how they made it. Second alternative (admittedly a very high end one and probably not viable within a 24 hour timeframe) - Buy (or find a loaner FD in the local area for or someone who could take a prepared meal and FD it for) a freeze-dryer each 'mother' or 'grandmother' (if they are not local) and have them cook the exact dish their child or children are craving, freeze-dry it and mail it to the restaurant, which will reconstitute it and present it as though it was freshly prepared for that client exclusively. Third alternative - send the kid home to Momma to eat the dish once in a while - and tell them while they are there to WATCH what is going on in the kitchen (get off that cellphone and stop texting) and listen to the kitchen wisdom of their elders before bringing in a recipe that they themselves have no idea how to reconstruct. It is probably more difficult to feed the elderly with any of the above strategies since the people whose meals they remember fondly are probably well gone by now. But, take heart because as long as most stuff is bland and overcooked, the current very elderly generation will probably not take much issue with it. Now, when MY generation gets to that point I am hoping that you would not be able to please us as easily - since many of us, while we may have grown up in the post war era, when canned soups and convenience foods, and overcooked meats and veg were quite the rage, have broadened our culinary tastes and horizons considerably and it will be much more challenging to recreate our favorite meals as we fade into the horizon. At any rate, I think you are going to have to limit the scope of this backwards 'restaurant' if you want it to be viable because as I said you cannot be all things to all people. You will have to choose a class or two of favorite meals that millennials (your primary target market for now) generally like and offer as many varieties of those as you can and/or use a basic burger and offer truffles and fois gras and sauerkraut and 50 varieties of cheese, etc. as toppings on x number of different breads. Are they the 'hamburger' (but 50 different ways) generation? Or are they inspired or nostalgic for a specialty pizza of some kind? Find what has made these kids MOST nostalgic, in general, if possible and work from there to refine your boundaries (which you have to have to be financially viable at all). You can expand the options that you feel competent to prepare as time goes on if the concept flies at all. Use the incremental approach and just feel your way from a basic, well defined, 'possible' within the other constructs you have set for yourself (price point and time being significant ones) to where you want to go. Doing it all from day one would indeed prove disastrous - but then we already have pointed out why that would be.

I blame Kerry for my having a freeze-dryer! Thank goodness she started this thread - though I suppose if she had waited a year or two I might have a pretty red or aqua one, instead of boring black. Where I am now, out in the Canadian east coast boonies, I can't find activated charcoal or a Sawyer mini anywhere close by, but when I go back down to NC soon I will acquire those so I can make the filter because where I am it is expensive to have heavy gallons of oil shipped in so the longer I can reuse what I have on hand, the better. I gather you are either cycling at least 2 batches of oil then (one in the pump and one being cleaned at any given time) or you are not using your system 24/7 if you let the oil sit for several hours before allowing it to release into the catch jars? I hope you will post here often. I don't use FB but know of the group you are probably talking about and wish sometimes I could at least read it.

I will warn you, soapstone is not cheap. But, it was my dream too - and I put soapstone counters into my NC place ... unfortunately just before I moved up here to NS where this kitchen needs them too - but out here in the wilderness I don't think I can justify that cost unless I just do an island with it. I know all this must have been stressful for you and will continue to be as you make all these decisions and wait while things come to fruition, one hopes sooner than later, but at least you now have good things to look forward to - and that sunroom addition sounds like a wonderful idea!

I tried to grow rhubarb in western NC but failed miserably - just too hot for it there (and apparently the plants I put in also have an allergy to black walnut poison). And what was available down there was usually sad looking, only for a very short period and very pricey. I thought it was brought from up north but it is interesting to learn that it may have been hothouse grown. Here in NS, I have a large patch of wonderful rhubarb that was imported from Britain (so the story goes - over 100 years ago when this house was built to house the British engineers brought over to man the Commercial Cable (telegram) company) and is still going strong (with no help from me). I get almost a full summer out of mine too before it gives up the ghost. I grew rhubarb quite well in Ontario but nothing like this stuff. I have promised to dig up a bit for a lady who works in the produce department at the grocery store I go to 70 miles from here as soon as spring allows - as apparently even around these parts, rhubarb of this longevity and quality is a rare gem. Always good to have an 'in' with the produce department I figure - I get organics magically marked down sometimes, so far just on the strength of a promise to transplant. She also owns a small farm on Cape Breton Island - and has goats and chickens (I will be getting fresh organic eggs for free in trade as well). I really, really hope the rhubarb takes in her garden. Oh and she is also Jamaican and has promised to teach me more about jerk and other foods from that area. Quite the happenstance that I bumped into her one day when complaining about the lack of lemongrass.

ChocoMom - What an ordeal you have been through. So sorry to hear about it all and I am glad you and yours are safe. Countertops? Probably not what you need for chocolate work, but, my personal favorite countertop material is soapstone. I am not a fan of granite - too fussy for me - but I guess most like that best for candy - with its slick surface. Appliances? Well, if you can squeeze it out of the insurance dollars (since you are rebuilding so quickly I gather the insurance company is being very cooperative) .. an HR freeze-dryer - for those centers! And, of course, you will need an EZ Temper no doubt. And I love my TMX - but perhaps the newer version with the better heat control would suit you better. For large batches though, I doubt it would be that handy as it is relatively small (for any kind of a commercial operation). Kerry would be able to advise you better about that though I am sure. Looking forward to hearing about the rebuilding. Are you making design changes to the house (or building a completely different design)? I know if my house in NS burned down I would definitely do my best to build something with a different layout - a single storey (this one is 2 storeys) with a layout similar to the one I am trying to sell in NC. Again, I am so glad you are safe. Take care of yourself and your family.

Harrison, perhaps that average unmarried guy ought to think about finding a girlfriend who can cook (and put up with the idea that she will never be able to stand up to the memory of his mother) ... or .. if he is a millennial who wants 'control', he could learn to cook himself! But, seriously, you keep coming back to the idea that someone has nostalgia for something that they ate in the past, something that reminds them of 'home', which was most likely cooked by a relative or friend, now gone or too far away to be able to share their cooking with the person who is reminiscing about it. On the other hand, the eGullet crowd most likely would be more inclined to want to order some exotic dish from a far away land we have never managed to visit or have never seen otherwise available locally to try. I think you need to define your target market much more clearly (which is basic entrepreneurship 101 stuff). You just cannot be all things to all people. (p.s. for a perfect illustration of the issues many of us have tried to talk about - that of the variability of recipes which all go by the same name - take a look at the thread IndyRob has going about Cacio e pepe.)

Hi and welcome to eGullet. I wish I could answer your questions but I have no idea about any of those things. The only thing I can offer is a link which you may already have investigated (and believe me there is a lot of information in the depths of this repository but it will take work to even find out if what you are asking is discussed - sorry) ... Food Timeline

There used to be a place in Ottawa (downtown in the 'mall' on the bottom floor across the street from the Hudson's Bay - not sure if it is still there) that might have filled the bill that others are describing above - a sort of open food court where diners could choose from a variety of meals and/or assemble their own from bits and pieces of meals cooked at different stations and pay at one cashier area only. Many years ago I went there often and the food was always excellent and the assortment of choices very large - though I don't recall there being much really 'ethnic' representation in the offerings. But, that also brings to mind the many HUGE buffet type 'restaurants' in Vegas - which had (back when I went there a number of years ago now too) many different cuisines one could choose from all done in a single large area, to a pretty high standard. But, again, with either of those places or others like them, one pretty well eats from what the restaurant has on hand and is prepared to cook. There are also 'mongolian' restaurants where one chooses from a large variety of meats, vegetables, sauces, etc. and the 'chef' puts them all in a wok or on a grill and cooks them all to order - perhaps that is closer to a 'choice' for the customer, but, you won't find mac and cheese or grandma's apple pie there either. But, I don't really think any of the above addresses what I think the restaurant concept that Harrison is trying to research. I heartily agree with all the great 'this is why that concept is a problem' advice everyone here offered. I also think that what is being discussed is, as others have said, what 'personal chefs' do and that is probably not viable in a decent sized centralized restaurant establishment. (eta: I just read Alex's comment about Restaurant Jezebel and that very small place might be able to accommodate diners better but at that price point I doubt that is in the realm of millennials, especially those who are hungry tonight, not tomorrow or next month when they can get a reservation). Under what circumstances would I like it though, if it were possible? Hate to say it but most probably it would never appeal to me. But, there are people out there who like the 'Blue Apron' idea where ingredients are delivered to one's house and then they have to follow the directions and cook their own 'to order' dinner - but again, the offerings are chosen from a set menu even it varies often, not just at the whim of the customer. Maybe, hypothetically, they would find this idea which takes that whole idea a bit further, intriguing. Could you count on making money from them long term though ... I doubt it. And you would have to operate in a very large city to make it work at all I think - where you would have major competition from the whole roster of ethnic and other specialty restaurants which are also there and well established. Perhaps what work for me (once or twice, just for fun) would be if I source the ingredients (at least for any that are exotic) and give them and a recipe to someone else (in a restaurant setting where I know the health and safety standards are up to scratch) and they cook it all for me. I pay then only for the cooking and the place to eat it (or maybe I just do take out). But, even that is complicated and fraught with the great possibility of disappointment because not all chefs know all cuisines and believe me, for me not to cook for myself what I have spent time sourcing ingredients for, I would want to be sure that the chef I was delegating that responsibility to was an expert in that particular cuisine. But, then like most here, I LOVE to cook so perhaps I am not the right kind of person to ask about this. Good luck with your paper.

Unfortunately I am sure you are correct. I wasn't disputing that ... more lamenting it. I am an admitted kitchen gadget freak but the prospect of this kind of addition to my household does not intrigue me at all. Quite the opposite in fact ... I dread the day they take over our lives. I realize that the goal of replacing humans for all tasks (leaving the rest of us to do what? what 'purpose' will humans have then?) is seen by many as noble and a step that we must take even if it destroys our lives in the end, but, I disagree for many reasons that are too politically incorrect to discuss here. I was being facetious when I said I wanted a cleaning robot (though the idea is appealing, the reality if it comes in robot form, is definitely not - for me). I would rather see the development of 'auto-magically self-cleaning' kitchens than 'employing' a metal and plastic blinking servant who would get in my way as I bumble around the kitchen cooking.

I know they are out there, dcarch (or will be) - but that thing is so large and clunky and slow, it would drive me nuts to sit around and watch it work in 'slo-mo' - not to mention I would have to redesign my kitchen most likely so it (or both of us at once) would fit. I am picturing something softer - that can give me a hug once in a while if what I cook doesn't turn out the way I planned it, and it would be nice if it is able to quickly get the pans washed between uses during a single dinner service - without bumping into me as I cook. At the rate that robot appears to work, it would take a week to get a load of laundry done. Even at my age, I can beat that by a few days.

I want a robot that does all the cleaning up, not the cooking.

The OP is Santhali, from India. Eventually we got that out of her in her first thread. Saren salma, I think you should be more explicit with your thread titles since there are 'tribes' all over the world, and new people here (or those who have not read these threads for a long time once time takes it to the dungeons of the forum) may have to ask that question over and over. For instance, it might be more useful to say "Hako lah - a Santhali indigenous Indian tribe fish recipe" perhaps. Chili paste (there are many kinds and most of us are probably aware of that) should also be better described - it is a sweet chili paste, a very hot one? Mustard paste and onion paste - do those consist only of mustard in the first instance, and onion in the second - or are there other ingredients in those that we should know about if we are unable to obtain exactly what you are talking about where we live and have to recreate some facsimile if we want to approximate your tribal tastes?

What, may I ask, is so obnoxious about the scent of pickled bamboo? Are there unusual ingredients used in the pickling process?

Is there a significant difference between horse and donkey noodles, taste and texture wise? Does the second balk at being chewed or stubbornly resist tenderness? I would love to know more about (and see pictures of) snail noodles. I love escargot ... are those buttery, garlicky and reminiscent of those? Or are these tinier snails, more akin to periwinkle size, and swimming in soy sauce? I am eagerly awaiting more noodle facts and pics from the heart and soul of your fascinating area, luizhou. And, by the way, did Pig Face make a New Year's debut yet?

Tuna casserole for me also has some kind of crunchy crust topping which doesn't include cheese, but, I think you could do the same crumb crust with a bit of parmesan too. I am not sure I would mix that into the body of the casserole, but, cottage cheese/ricotta in the layered part (as for a traditional lasagne) would be fine. I am wondering how often you make these two selections for your daughter because it seems to me that if you combine the two then you will also have to come up with something else or she may be fatigued eating the same combo casserole all the time.

Those aren't grown in Canada this time of year, kbjesq, so they have to be shipped from CA or Mexico most probably. And then there is the Canadian $ exchange - so you can count on 30 percent extra there. It is sad though that I, located far from a major city, think Anna's prices are a bargain for the most part right now. And I am sure the produce she got is much fresher than I can get here too. I long for spring.

I need an online grocery service to deliver to me here in the boonies. Anyone in Ottawa or TO want to start one? I will send my Asian grocery list pronto!

Jamie Oliver would probably be very sad to learn (though I suspect he already knows) that the foods consumed in Britain today are very little, if any, better in terms of nutrition than they were in post-war Britain. Moving from full fat to skim milk products is not any improvement. Much as I personally am not a (beef) liver fan, I suspect it is better for people than pizza. Pasta (though I love it) is not really a step up from Indian foods (not mentioned and apparently a dying cuisine in Britain but many Indian dishes tend to be much more vegetable based than the kinds of Italian pasta dinners that I expect many Brits consume these days - i.e. spaghetti, as pictured). Purchasing whole wheat bread is little better in most cases than buying white (with all the additives and so little real nutrition and fiber left in most commercially produced bread these days). Baking one's own at home would be a much better trend. 'Chips', both fresh and frozen (I suspect more frozen than fresh these days in most households) remain the mainstay of the British diet - and the only vegetable mentioned. I believe most salmon available in Britain is farmed, not wild - replacing wild cod and haddock - too bad - though I guess it might be a plus if they don't batter and deep fry their salmon. Thanks for posting the article, Anna. I don't think it was particularly good (not really specific enough for my taste but then it covers a long time period) but it did reveal some interesting things - not that most surprised me. I know there are many people who try to cook often at home and eat fresh, often organic, foods in the UK (Tere is an example, as I think my daughter in Scotland is as well) - this article I think really doesn't speak to most of those however. Those who live in rural, agriculturally rich areas I am sure don't run as much to the pub (also disappearing) as they might have in yesteryear - which for them is probably a good thing since they probably tend to cook at home more than those in cities. I don't think any of my Welsh relatives (some now living in or near London, and in Northumberland) have ever had a (separate) freezer, and I am not sure they even had a fridge when I visited Wales as a child in the late 50s - though I know they all do now. It was summer and I know I was never offered ice, ice cream or a popsicle at any rate. We kids were given room temperature orange squash and I don't think even the grown ups had cold drinks except maybe if someone brought some beer from the pub. By contrast, though fridges in Canada were smallish by today's standards, and we waited years till we got a black and white tv, I think we always had a fridge with a freezer compartment - but not a separate freezer till the mid-60s.

Back when I always seemed to be either entertaining a lot or doing a lot of (free) catering for weddings, etc. I definitely could have used that spoon-maker. Doesn't quite fit into my current lifestyle (so far) but I admit it I love the idea of it, silly as it may seem to most.

I agree wholeheartedly, kbjesq. Even though I am alone, it also gets an inordinate amount of use in this house too - usually at least once a day. And it has saved my hide a few times when I didn't get to the store for fresh chickens for my dog (who eats a whole one, minus the bones, a day) - and had to dig into the freezer for a whole frozen one and quickly make a dog's dinner in a hurry. I have a kitchen full of gadgets and this is the first time I have seriously considered intentionally buying more than one of the same kind (or at the very least, another insert so I can use it sequentially without having to clean out in between uses).

My personal preference (to be sure the potatoes cooked in the time it took the rest of the ingredients to cook) would be to boil the potatoes (not too overdone though) and then grate them. I might then be still tempted to sauté the grated potatoes to give them a bit more taste before adding them to the egg mix - or just grate and sauté without the boiling part. I wonder though if using store bought plain hash brown potatoes is what the restaurant may have done. Most potato frittata recipes I find on the web say to cook the potatoes in some manner first.

I am not a big massaman curry fan myself. For some reason, aside from the fact it is often a bit sweet for my tastes, I don't care for potatoes with coconut. Not sure why but I have never found a massaman that tickled my tastebuds. Now, beef rendang is a different story - and I have been scouring the internet trying to figure out if I could adapt a recipe to use in the IP (when/if I am lucky enough to have all the right ingredients at my fingertips at the same time). It is a 'dry curry' however - and requires long slow cooking - so I guess, if I use the IP, I should use its slow cook function. I hope I have the patience to wait that long - I have been so spoiled lately by fast cooking almost everything. I have made a version (which I know is not 'authentic' but it is delicious) in my Thermomix - but that is hardly 'instant' either.