scottie

Lori, thanks for your narration of the terrine process. I don't know about your kids, but I'm certainly finding this all very educational! When my finished terrine was finally revealed after all the weighting, etc., I thought it looked pretty unappetizing. But once cut, the inside looked great. I used caul fat. It was icky. I'm going to try fatback next time. I think the caul might have given the terrine a bit of a strange, internal-cavity type flavor- not in a good way. Plus, it was a little disturbing to eat it- do you peel it off first, or just go for it? I went for it at first, got a little grossed out, then peeled it off, which ruined the presentation and further grossed me out. But I really had no trouble devouring the terrine itself. Did you do anything with the drained-off juice? It seemed a shame to throw it away, but I couldn't think of anything to do with it. Did you test the internal temperature?

Docsconz, thank you for the wonderful pictures! Your boys are so lucky to have their culinary horizons expanded early on. Wylie and Sam look so happy. They truly look like people who love what they do, and would probably do it even if they had day jobs and no venue. I expect that spirit comes through in the food. This is the one restaurant I have to try before leaving NYC next month.

I was pleased to see parsley root and salsify upthread- I'd never had either until last night. I bought some of each at the Union Square greenmarket, then let them sit around, thinking I'd look up a recipe or two. Remembered them last night when famished. So I shredded them and glazed them in butter and some lamb demiglace, then tossed with minced parsley. That was good eating! What I'd most like to see is Angelica, an herb whose stem is candied and used in desserts. It shows up a lot in Careme. Also, I'd really, really like to try Medlars- not a vegetable, but certainly forgotten. I think the loss in popularity/ propagation of many of these vegetables is due to the growing dominance of agribusiness over the last century- those guys just want easy-to-grow and easy-to-ship, long-shelf-life produce. Homogeneity equals profits, especially when Monsanto can now patent corn and canola seeds. Thank goodness for farmers' markets!

The best middle-of-the-night drunken grubfest I can remember involved a big wokful of fried rice. Due to general inebriation, the cayenne container accidentally fell into the wok, releasing great clouds of cayenne all over everything. Only one of my four roommates at the time would eat it with me, and we chowed down. But the next day, upon attempting to eat the leftovers, it became apparent that the rice was WAY too hot to be safely eaten. The realization of the impending pain in our near future was frightening, indeed.

Made duck confit for the first time ever the other day. After straining the hot fat back over the meat, I toasted some lard bread (from the neighborhood Italian bakery) and sopped up the salty, greasy fond at the bottom of the pot. Man, was that good! I thought about it for the rest of the day. you can never have enough fat.

I'm sorry, Lori, I don't know the answers to any of these questions. But I can guess... I think that sealing the top with fat will help the terrine keep at least twice as long. Like confit, which can keep for a month or longer. I would not recommend freezing- I think that would screw with the texture, and texture is already so vital to this endeavor. Seeing that Christmas is in ten days, I would go ahead and make the terrine, then seal it with fat- I would eat it ten days later. It should have a very well developed flavor by then, as well. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

Has anyone tried making any of the terrines in this month's Gourmet magazine? I tried making the duck terrine with glazed shallots- the first one I ever made. Wish I'd taken pics, but I only saw this thread today. It came out beautifully, just like the picture. But it seemed a little dry, and the flavor wasn't as wonderful as I had hoped. The recipe doesn't call for liver- maybe that's what I was missing. Also, it said to bake it for 2 hours, or until the internal temp reached 165 F. After 1 3/4 hours, we tested the temp and it seemed way hotter, almost 200F. I wonder if it overcooked, and that's why it was dry. Had I seen Bleudauvergne's photos upthread, I would have blanched and peeled the pistachios rather than just mixing them in straight. Anyway, we ate most of it the first day. Then, a few days later, I spied a leftover hunk in the fridge and devoured it- and you know what? It tasted better! Does anyone know whether terrines need to age a few days to bring out their flavor? Seems like maybe they do...

Went crazy: 1 pound Gold Nugget potatoes Purple carrots Yellow carrots Salsify Parsley root Shallots Small yellow onions garlic a loaf of San Francisco-style sourdough 2 moulard duck breasts a package of lamb sausages 5 pounds of lamb bones a large swath of pork skin Bone-in pork shoulder milk and cream buttermilk and yogurt fresh thyme and marjoram Wow. I think that's all. Brought my boyfriend so he could carry it. The potatoes, onions and carrots went into Oxtail Stew. The duck breasts, shallots and cream went into Duck Terrine. The lamb bones are about to become stock. The lamb sausages will be dinner tonight. The pork skin and shoulder are destined for cassoulet. Not sure I can continue to fund this habit... edited to add: from the fabulous Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC

The most delicious thing I ate today is also so far the only thing I've eaten today. Luckily, it was actually quite delicious: Duck Terrine with pistachios and wine-glazed shallots, drizzled with a scrumptious wine reduction. From this month's Gourmet. Polished it off for breakfast. Now will have to spend three days (and untold riches) to make more!

I must say that, after reflection, the apple sorbet with blue cheese shortbread was the most memorable part of our meal at Magnolia. I had been looking forward to dessert, and it did not disappoint.

At work the other night, the chef de cuisine had me pick through a deep hotel pan filled with baby goat confit (cooked in lamb fat), to get the bones and bits out. There was an awful lot of cartilage, which I always believe gives really good flavor and texture to stock, so I asked the chef if he wanted me to save the bones for stock. He said no. His explanation was that the bones had already given everything they had to offer, as the confit had simmered for some time, plus then it had sat around for a couple of months, so any stock made from the bones would be greasy and flavorless. I, however, am the type who has to see for myself. I was going to bring the bones and bits home, for my own experiments, but by the end of the picking (it took me three hours!), I really really did not want anything more to do with it. If I had leftover bones from duck confit, I'd certainly give it a try. At the very least, you will get a nice layer of fat on top that you can save for truly delicious potatoes.

I'm interning at a Danny Meyer establishment right now. Everyone wears chef's jackets and trousers, but only one person gets called "Chef," and that's the chef. Even the Chef de Cuisine gets called by his first name. One of the instructors at culinary school said it took her 15 years in the business before she was comfortable calling herself a chef.

One day, when I have a farm, I plan to raise squab, Muscovy ducks, and various types of rare-breed chickens (and rabbits, but they don't have wings). Maybe quail. Maybe geese, but they are supposed to be ill-tempered. However, at $60 or $70 a pop, it might be worth the investment. Plus, they make good watchdogs and weeders. Definitely running around and eating bugs, "as nature intended." Your friend should check out the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy website. Very useful for the rare-birds breeder.

"The TV station which aired the program received dozens of complaints, with many viewers concerned children may have been watching." God forbid children should know where meat comes from. We should allow them to grow up thinking that, as Megan said, it "magically appears" at the grocer's. Oh wait, that's part of the problem! That's why people allow factory farms and inhumane conditions for livestock- willful ignorance. I heartily applaud Jamie Oliver's attitude on this point and challenge anyone who eats meat to do the same.

I love Tolero's Taqueria in Carrboro- it's in the old El Chilango space. They have great tacos, tortas, and gorditas, plus a condiment bar with pickled radishes, onions, jalapenos, lettuce, and a number of very good salsas. My favorite is the Gordita al Pastor- pork and pineapple, spicy and good.

I've been thinking about this thread and feeling like I was too critical and accidentally implied that the Barkers are lazy, which they are not. No more beating a dead horse here.

So, I added a whole bunch more about this the other day, but somehow didn't post it. My point was something about provincial establishments being held to the same standards as the "big boys in the big leagues"- should they or shouldn't they? I think that's an endless debate, and one that applies to many more arts and crafts than cooking. Anyhoo, I quoted myself here because I believe there are plenty of reliable, quality establishments in the Triangle (well, Chapel Hill mostly because that's where I lived) where I can always expect good, creative food: Acme, Crook's Corner, Elaine's, Lantern, Fearrington House of course. The cuisine at these places would be considered creative and consistent whether they were in Los Angeles or Nebraska. So I don't think excuses should be made for Magnolia Grill's less stellar efforts, just because they happen to be in Durham and not New York. New York has a hell of a lot of crappy restaurants, too. The Triangle is a great region for gourmands. It has a whole lot to offer, chiefly because of the wonderful produce from local farms, plus the seafood from the coast. Also, there are a lot of people in the area who care greatly about good food. This area is on the forefront of American regional cuisine, and I think it will only get better. But we can't afford to be lazy about it, because the "big boys in the big leagues" WILL hold these establishments to their standards of excellence. Perhaps the day will come when people like myself won't have to move to New York City to get the culinary training one needs to achieve success in this country, because the names in North Carolina will carry as much weight and national recognition as those in New York. That means that folks in the provinces have to work twice as hard to achieve the same respect- not rest on their laurels because their backwater locale makes it easy for them to be regionally successful with lower standards.

Dude, New Orleans didn't get its own Zagat's until like three years ago. So be patient, it will come, and the more inquiries the company gets about your area, the more likely they will be to cover it- eventually.

My SO and I were back in the Triangle last week, and it fell to me to choose the dinner destinations. I've been wanting to try Magnolia Grill since forever. So we went there. And you know what? It wasn't all that great. Granted, we dined there on the Thursday before Duke's parents' weekend, so it was pretty packed with parents and students, but I don't think that should be an excuse. Ben Barker was present that night, so I have to imagine that our food was prepared to his standards. Here's what we had. Couldn't find a menu, so no fancy descriptions: me: seared scallops Duck breast Apple sorbet with blue cheese and pecans, served with blue cheese shortbread him: foie gras Filet can't remember the dessert My scallops were oversalted and not nearly as good as some I made at home a couple of months ago. My duck was tough and was served medium, not medium rare as I had requested. My dessert was pretty good. I really wanted to try the desserts, as Karen Barker is so famous for them, and this one was good. But not outstanding. My boyfriend's foie gras was good. His filet was just fine. All I remember about his dessert is that it wasn't very exciting. We had a nice Californian Pinot Noir- Napa, not Russian River. That was pretty good. The service was good, too. But the food just didn't warrant all the rave reviews we've read and heard about Magnolia Grill. I guess we've been spoiled by New York City. I've been here since June, and we have had many, many fine meals in that time. Even our neighborhood bistro consistently turns out more creative and more flavorful food than the rather pedestrian and uninspired fare we received at Magnolia. I would give it one more chance, but there are plenty of places in the Triangle where I know I can expect a creative, well-prepared meal for the same price or less, without having to wrestle for reservations. So my question is: Has anyone else had a disappointing experience there? Does everyone believe Magnolia deserves all the hype? Am I just spoiled? Opinions, please. P.S. The best meal we had during our visit was at Tolero's Taqueria in Carrboro. Yum!

My (ex)husband took me to Fearrington House once. That was one of the more romantic meals of my life. But there are some viable options that don't require a second mortgage. I don't find the main room at Lantern to be romantic at all, it's too crowded and noisy. The back room is nice, but so smoky it would be bothersome to non-smokers. The food is upscale Asian, emphasis on seafood. It's very good. Have you thought of Acme, in Carrboro? Low lighting, not too noisy, always flavorful, always some veg-friendly items. Emphasis on local and seasonal, always delicious. Some of the best venison, trout and quail I've had. Every meal I had with the hubbie there was romantic. We once had a surprisingly romantic meal at Baku's on 9th street- tapas. Probably more casual than you're looking for. But we were pleasantly surprised and impressed. I like Elaine's, too. I hear bad things about La Rez these days. Has anyone tried La Provence in Carrboro? The chef claims it's very romantic. Keep us posted!

I'm a student at the Natural Gourmet Cookery School, in NYC. Their Chef's Training Program is focussed on health-supportive cooking, which often includes foods for limited diets. We've had a wheat-free baking course, and the program is very conscious of vegan diets, as well as common food allergies such as nightshades. I recommend checking out the website or even contacting the school- they are very helpful in finding resources for people with limited diets. For sweeteneers, we often use agave syrup, brown rice syrup, and barley malt. The agave syrup has the best and least obtrusive flavor. For baking, sometimes we use date sugar, which is just ground dried dates, and that works pretty well. If I were sensitive to dairy, I would miss it a lot. One thing we do at school for vegan desserts is, we use coconut milk and coconut cream a lot. I find the coconut cream really yummy- it has the same creamy mouthfeel as dairy, sometimes even better. All you do is scrape the more solid "cream" out of a can of coconut mik, then whip it in a food processor or blender to fluff it up. You can add flavorings, to, like lime zest or almond extract- anything, really. If your brother can eat almonds, he ought to try home-made almond milk as well. Just take some almonds, soak them overnight, remove their skins, and grind them up in a blender with some water. Then strain it through a cheesecloth, squeezing as much as you can out of the nut meal. Boil the liquid a little to take out the raw flavor- you can simmer it longer to reduce it to a creamier consistency. It's a bit of a process, but it's another dairy substitute which I, as an omnivore, find delicious in its own right. You can do the above with just about any nut. If you use cashews, you can make a "cheese" with the ground soaked nuts, which can be flavored and used as a dip, spread, or even a pasta filling (spelt, of course). The school has done cashew-cheese ravioli for the public dinners, and it was a hit. Also, I would recommend that your brother try eating some naturally-fermented foods, as he is probably going to have to work to maintain a healthy probiotic level. Bubbie's brand sauerkraut and pickles are good for this, as is miso. Check out Asian grocery stores and macrobiotic cookbooks and websites for this. Sorry this is such a long post! Good luck to your brother and I hope this helps. There's plenty of good food out there he can still eat- don't get discouraged and hang in there!

Well, I just heard from JBH today, and I'm so excited because I get to work the Per Se dinner on August 31! They told me that I will be the only student volunteer that night. Suddenly I'm nervous. Thank goodness the website has a floor plan of the kitchen. Maybe I'm a little bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but I should hope that chefs would want to do a JBH dinner in order to further the Foundation's mission: the advancement of the culinary arts in America. Maybe some of them are recipients of Foundation scholarships, and want to give something back. Or maybe Steven's right and it's all a load of hooey. In any case, it's a tremendous opportunity for students like me to work, in however minor a capacity, with some of the most interesting chefs in America. (la de da )

I saw them there the other day. You could even buy them pre-skewered and ready to grill. Plus, I think the quality is pretty high there. I think they were about $6/lb. I've also seen fresh sardines at Whole Foods and in Chinatown in the past two weeks.

JBH is offering a special student price of $55 for the dinner on Monday, 8/15. The chef will be Vikram Garg from Indebleu in W.D.C. I have my reservation! I followed up today on whether I'll be able to work the Per Se dinner on 8/31. The contact lady told me they are looking for people who have had a lot of volunteer experience at JBH, so that pretty much counts me out. But if all goes well, I should get my fill of the Per Se work ethic in a few months.

I'm a culinary student in NYC and I'm scheduled to work the Waldy Malouf dinner next week. I'm looking forward to the experience. Some of the kids in my class have had good experiences at JBH, some of have had not so good. One girl said the first time she was there, the chef seemed grateful to have the help and ended up giving the students some leftover wine. But the next time, the visiting chef just acted like the students were in his way or something. Which maybe they were, but that's too bad. As far as I know, the students from my school have mostly just done the plating at these dinners. I requested to work the Jonathan Benno dinner on 8/31, as I plan to intern at Per Se, but I don't know yet whether I'll be approved for that one. Boy, I hope so.