GG Mora

The head shouldn't give at all when you squeeze it. Firmer garlic = fresher garlic. Run from any garlic showing green sprouts. Fresher garlic seems to be available in smaller markets; farmer's markets are always a good source, as are produce markets and food coops; never buy garlic from Costco and avoid buying it in large chains. Fall is a good time to buy garlic (when it's recently harvested); spring is a time to buy garlic very carefully. The strength of garlic varies wildly from one variety to the next and depending on freshness (fresher = stronger). Don't bother with elephant garlic unless you're only buying it for display (no discernable garlic flavor*). This is just personal preference (based on some inherent laziness) but I always look for the head with the big cloves vs. the head with lots of little cloves. Peeling garlic can be a PITA. Bigger cloves = more garlic with less work. *Since I'm new here, I should warn the community that I tend towards the hyperbolic. Thus, when I say that elephant garlic has no discernable garlic flavor, what I mean is that I've never come across elephant garlic that wasn't exceedingly mild (read: boring).

Yes, but have you ever tried making CC cookies with real seeds scraped from the bean? We're talking a whole new animal (especially if you add lightly toasted walnuts).

Macadamia Toffee This recipe is adapted from Francois Payard's "Simply Sensational Desserts". I found that if I followed his instructions, the result was disaster every time. So I adapted the instructions and describe them below in detail. 290 g heavy cream (1 1/4 c) 41 g light corn syrup (2 T) 334 g sugar (1 2/3 c) 400 g macadamia nuts (lightly toasted, salted), crushed (2 3/4 c) METHOD (Don't try this without a candy thermometer) Line a cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper. Better yet, if you have a marble slab, oil it lightly with neutral vegetable oil (peanut or canola) and have it standing by. Also have a rolling pin and a sheet of parchment on call. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan large enough to hold 4 times the volume of these ingredients (this should save you having the whole mess boil over). Bring to a boil over slightly hotter than medium heat while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the mixture starts to turn a pale golden color, and from this point on give it your UNDIVIDED attention. Stick the candy thermometer in the pan and DO NOT be tempted to up the heat (the temperature will rise painfully slowly). Using a wooden utensil with a flat edge, stir occasionally at first and then constantly as the temperature approaches 260°F. Keep boiling and stirring until the mixture reaches 284°F. Turn off the heat and dump the nuts into the pan, stirring vigorously (the mixture will stiffen very quickly). When the nuts and toffee are well combined (gotta work FAST), dump the whole mass out onto the prepared cookie sheet or marble slab. Place the sheet of parchment over the toffee and roll it out with the rolling pin, using lots of muscle, until it's about 3/8 inch thick. Let cool completely, then break into irregular shapes and store in an airtight container. Crushing the macadamia nuts is easier if you freeze them first. Put them in a large Ziploc bag and hammer them with a mallet or some such. Try not to hit them more than twice, or you'll end up with something resembling macadamia paste instead of the desired chunks. Let the nuts come back to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. ( RG1021 )

Macadamia Toffee This recipe is adapted from Francois Payard's "Simply Sensational Desserts". I found that if I followed his instructions, the result was disaster every time. So I adapted the instructions and describe them below in detail. 290 g heavy cream (1 1/4 c) 41 g light corn syrup (2 T) 334 g sugar (1 2/3 c) 400 g macadamia nuts (lightly toasted, salted), crushed (2 3/4 c) METHOD (Don't try this without a candy thermometer) Line a cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper. Better yet, if you have a marble slab, oil it lightly with neutral vegetable oil (peanut or canola) and have it standing by. Also have a rolling pin and a sheet of parchment on call. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan large enough to hold 4 times the volume of these ingredients (this should save you having the whole mess boil over). Bring to a boil over slightly hotter than medium heat while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the mixture starts to turn a pale golden color, and from this point on give it your UNDIVIDED attention. Stick the candy thermometer in the pan and DO NOT be tempted to up the heat (the temperature will rise painfully slowly). Using a wooden utensil with a flat edge, stir occasionally at first and then constantly as the temperature approaches 260°F. Keep boiling and stirring until the mixture reaches 284°F. Turn off the heat and dump the nuts into the pan, stirring vigorously (the mixture will stiffen very quickly). When the nuts and toffee are well combined (gotta work FAST), dump the whole mass out onto the prepared cookie sheet or marble slab. Place the sheet of parchment over the toffee and roll it out with the rolling pin, using lots of muscle, until it's about 3/8 inch thick. Let cool completely, then break into irregular shapes and store in an airtight container. Crushing the macadamia nuts is easier if you freeze them first. Put them in a large Ziploc bag and hammer them with a mallet or some such. Try not to hit them more than twice, or you'll end up with something resembling macadamia paste instead of the desired chunks. Let the nuts come back to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. ( RG1021 )