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Lisa1349

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Posts posted by Lisa1349

  1. Answering my own question, I found frozen banana leaves at Sae Han Oriental Food Market‎ in Blue Bell. Not the freshest produce, but a large enough selection of Asian items.

    I have found banana leaves at the Shoprite on Germantown. I dislike that store but they have a great Ethnic Foods aisle. I went in for corn husks for tamales and they were the first things I saw when I walked in!

  2. while I got an Elk loin, with demi glace, wild boar sausage, winter hash and Brussel sprouts, which happened to be one of the specials for the night. I was looking forward to this dish, which at $35 was the priciest on the menu.  Unfortunately, it was so heavily seasoned with pepper that I could barely taste the elk. The wild boar sausage on the other hand was very nice.

    This is a "send back-able" offense in my book. Was it advertised as pepper crusted? The portions look huge. And that's from me, who likes to eat large portions.

  3. I noticed on my Rocco's takeout menu that it says they serve wood-fired, brick oven pizza. I have a serious pet peeve about places that advertise as brick oven but really aren't.  I knew that Rocco's has the standard metal deck-style ovens and that they bake and re-heat their pizza in those.  So when I went in to grab a slice yesterday, I noticed that they do indeed have a large brick oven right next to their normal deck oven, however it wasn't fired up.

    I'm positive that the reason I've never noticed the brick oven before is because everytime I've been there it hasn't been fired up.  Anybody know what the story is on that?  I'll definitely ask about it next time I'm there, but it would be a shame for them to not be cranking pies out of there on a normal basis.  Maybe they don't fire it for lunch (which is the only time I'm there)?

    I haven't noticed it not being fired up, but they made a big deal out of it when it was first built. I stopped ordering the brick oven pizzas because they were so much smaller than their others. One pizza didn't feed 2 hungry people. No thanks.

    I must also say the quality of their sausage has taken a dive. I avoid it now.

    edit: I haven't noticed the brick oven on or off because I stopped ordering from it.

  4. I dug out the Gourmet 2005 December issue to confirm that the story was correct that went with the recipe to make sure I had the right cookie. I realize this is my favorite cookie issue of theirs of all time. I make the fig swirls from this issue every year as well.

    Thanks for everyone's help. This holiday will be even better now!

  5. I think it is also important to note the general 3-5 years you spend being a "pastry cook" before attaining the title of pastry chef. This time is spent plating, producing components of the dishes, learning, and making lots of mistakes.

    Many whom I attended school with thought they could become executive high muckety-muck chefs right out of school. They usually spent a year peeling potatoes. I spent 2 years making salads, not that I am bitter. :raz:

  6. Can you recall when you see a recipe that you're dying to make but don't get around to it for a few years? That's me, and I can't find the recipe, please help!

    I saw a recipe for brown butter cookies, in one of the food glossies a few years ago. I think about it every year at Christmas, and this year, gosh darn it, I want to make them. Extensive searches on Epicurious are not bringing up the right recipes. It went with a short article about a woman who made these cookies for her office and everyone went nuts for them and it was as simple as browning the butter and chilling, then making the cookies normally. Sure, I could take any butter cookie recipe and do that, but I want the exact recipe. Anyone remember it? Can anyone find it?

    This would make my holiday season. Please please help. Thanks.

  7. Lately I've been eating something I thought I'd never like--cornmeal mush.  My mom used to make it and it wasn't my favorite.  I'm tired of eggs and don't like eating sweet things in the morning.  I add sharp cheese, onion and garlic powder, butter or cream, and onion confit if I have it.  Sometimes jalapenos or green chili sauce on top.  It would probably be really good with bacon, too.

    Not quite cornmeal mush, but grits with crispy bacon and aged gouda. The grits were a little runny, but that was OK. When I compared nutrition analysis I found that bacon grease is healthier than butter so I dumped that in the grits rather than butter. Super yum.

    gallery_8581_4531_565506.jpg

  8. I know it was deemed so by the Today show, hardly known for it's culinary prowess - but the designation is a big deal. And, my trip to Vesuvio's Saturday night confirmed that this is THE sandwich of all sandwiches.

    The bread was part kaiser roll, part focaccia. Contents: sliced, grilled filet, caramelized onions, provolone, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato & sriracha mayo.

    Amazing. Who else has had it? Whaddya think?

    We usually get fattest or ugliest city, so best sandwich is an honor!

  9. Yum! Fonduta is great with vegetables, dip cooked cauliflower, asparagus spears, and potatoes. A smidgen in a leaf of grilled radicchio is awesome. Char some ciabatta for dunking. Pour leftovers over pasta.

    If the cheese is getting tight and grainy, the heat is too high. I whisk the eggs over a double boiler until frothy like when making zabaglione, add a touch of cream and butter. When it's pretty hot add cheese a little at a time. Switch to low direct heat, add truffle at the end.

  10. My house, really. It's a special thing of beauty for me. I usually make dozens of them in my All Clad Stockpot along with my sauce.

    I've been disappointed with mostly every meatball sandwich I've tried in the Philly area and beyond.

    I'm with you. Meatballs outside the home are scary. I've recently graduated to accepting some marinara outside of home, from Rocco's, but meatballs are still home only. I will have to try Shank's. I'm open to it, just haven't found it.

  11. Right now I have a monster of a butternut squash if anyone would care to share a nice butternut squash soup recipe.  I love soup-for-dinner all year round.

    Not a full recipe, but better technique: to get more squash flavor I prefer to roast the squash rather than simmer it in liquid. I'd suggest roasting the squash and puree with stock fortified with additional mirepoix and simmered with bay leaf. I'd also like roasted squash diced into miso soup with crab shu mai and rice noodles.

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