Tropicalsenior

I thought I would report back on the result of my Wholegrain Mustard. I don't like mustard that is terribly hot so I did make one change I only made half a batch so for the mustard seed I used three and a half tablespoons yellow mustard seeds and two tablespoons of black mustard seeds. It says to let it set for one or two days testing for heat before refrigerating. I tested after one day and it is plenty hot. It has a good texture but I think that I would reduce the water content by half next time. It seems to be quite thin.

The recipe is for a full batch. A half batch makes just a scant cup of mustard.

I should mention that the Gourmet mustard is quite sweet. I like it that way but you can reduce the sugar if you like. I also make mine in the microwave. I have a 750 watt microwave and I cook it one minute on high, whisk it well and then cook it twice at 2 minute intervals on 50% power, whisking it well at each interval. Because it contains egg, I don't keep it longer than 3 months although I don't think I've ever had it last that long. I only make a half batch at a time.

Make two kinds of mustard this morning. A Wholegrain Mustard that is new to me and my old favorite, Gourmet Mustard. Whole grain mustard on the right and Gourmet on the left.

I usually made a cheese sauce or hollandaise sauce. My kids would eat anything if I put a cheese sauce on it.

Quite obviously, nobody. Never saw them again in that store.

You wouldn't have liked the Costa Rican version. Brussel sprouts are not grown Costa Rica and these had obviously come in on a slow trawler and spent a week or so in customs before they made it to the grocery Shelf.

I've only seen LGBoD twice in Costa Rica since I've been here and both times they looked like the shriveled gonads of ancient hedgehogs. Not something I would ever want to put on my Thanksgiving table even if I was crazy about them, which I'm not. My daughters loved them so I always cooked brussel sprouts for them but @rotuts is right. If they aren't made well they can be truly vile.

Why not use rum extract? It's pretty powerful so you wouldn't use three tablespoons full. Probably 1/2 to 1 tsp with the rest made up of water.

I've never made carrot soup myself because I'm not a fan of cream soups but I did have some at a friend's house about 25 years ago that was delicious. I called her and she said that the recipe was from Gourmet magazine and she no longer had it but she did go to Google and review quite a few recipes for me. She said that this one was closest to what she had done. She also remembered though that she didn't have any fresh ginger so she used powdered Ginger.

Everything is gorgeous. And I'm sure that it tastes just as wonderful as it looks. I sure wish that I could get some decent Rye flour down here.

This week's baking. Wednesday was two loaves of soft sourdough bread. Sunday I made Easy Sourdough English Muffins. The easiest recipe yet and definitely the best. Last week on the dinner thread @MaryIsobel and @Maison Rustique were talking about a Honey Fig Bread. I just happened to have some figs in the refrigerator and it sounded delicious. I looked at about 20 different recipes and didn't like any of them so I made up my own. It turned out great especially for a first effort. Something that I will be making again with very few moderations.

I used to make menudo for my husband all the time. I wouldn't touch it with a 10-ft pole but he loved it. I used the pig's feet in that. A Puerto Rican friend suggested that I soak both the pig's feet and tripe in one to one lemon juice and water for several hours. It made a big difference in the flavor and especially in the smell while it was cooking.

Just an example of what a wash can do. These two breads were made with the same recipe, cooked for the same amount of time in the same temperature oven. This bread was made without a wash. This bread was brushed with milk. The only difference in the two breads is that the second bread, that I baked today, is a little bit shorter because I wanted more surface area for sandwiches. I rest my case.

It is that plus the breed of the cattle. They are a Brahma cross. Also, they have no concept of Aging. The beef you buy in the afternoon may have been grazing on that grass in the morning. Do not throw that fat away. It is the most flavorful fat for making roux. I mix equal parts fat and flour and brown it nut Brown. I then roll it into logs and keep it in the freezer. I cut it off as I need it to thicken stews and soups.