artisan02
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Posts posted by artisan02
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We will see...when Muffin210 gets back from Hawaii we will set a date and Yuki from FujiTV can make the reservations.....I thought we were going to be able to get Alton to come, but he has to fly to Texas after her book signing.
Cream Pan in Tustin definitely can survive on word of mouth alone, that place rocks.
What and where is Cream Pan? I am trying to get familiar with the greater LA area, as I moved my permanent residence down south this last year.
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Joan:
Have you tried it? There's one opening very soon in Cupertino (South Bay - Northen CA) very close to where I work. Anxious to know if it's any good.
One just opened on Monterey Road, just south of Capitol Expressway in San Jose. It has been jammed since opening day, which was only a few weeks ago.
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SF Bay Area Classics and Staples … with links.
Markets
I would add Monterey Market on Hopkins, in Berkeley to this list. There are sometimes incredible values there..and things you won't even find in Berkeley Bowl. This little market has a loyal following, and for the most part, exemplary produce. And they are just down the street from Monterey Fish.
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By the way, do you know a local source for kitchen stuff? I haven't lived here long, and haven't been able to find one yet.
There's a kitchen shop in Lodi...
Seriously, the only shop I know of is a restaurant supply store in the same complex as Shun Fat, the Asian market at 65th and Stockton. There might be something out towards Folsom or Eldorado Hills. Have you looked out that way?
There is William Glen, in the shopping center on the corner of Marconi and Fulton. Same shopping center has a Trader Joes.
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A tool I recently found that's helped a lot is that Publix has their weekly circulars online. . .you plug in your zip code and see the flyer for your store. Short ribs are $2.19/lb this week; since I'd never tried making them before (but wanted to after reading the "Braisin' Hussy" thread), it seemed like a good time to buy them. So I'll probably go tomorrow and buy a couple more packages for the freezer, since last night's were wonderful--and required the purchase of ONLY the ribs, as I had everything else I needed already in the pantry.
And that's where the thriftiness lies. . .if it's a genuinely good deal and you'll really use the product, stocking up on it (if it can be stored long-term) when it's on sale and knowing who charges what (89 cents/lb for oranges at the grocery store or 10 for $1 at the farmer's market; while asparagus costs $2.99/lb both places) saves more money in the long run.
This is how I have been shopping. However I travel around quite a bit for my work (I am a traveling nurse), and when I am in an area for a few months, I find all the grocery stores in my area, and do the online circular thang. I find that most stores are now online, and the circulars come out either on Tuesday or Wednesday, with an occasional one starting on Sunday. I compare prices from all the stores, and make my menus from what is on sale there in the various stores. Usually, that is. Sometimes I go to a store to check out the on sale product, and it is totally a waste, in terms of quality and value.
I also shop the farmers markets, and the markdown bins at my local produce stores: sometimes the produce marked down is amazingly good.
No, it is usually not organic, and not the "best" of ingredients, but being on a tight food budget precludes going that route most of the time, unfortunately.
Christine
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My brother recenly mentioned all you can eat crab fests that are offered in San Jose- he goes a few times a year during the season (I'll find out the facts and post them- I believe that it is done by an Italian American group)
Have you found out the details yet?
I am based in San Jose this winter, until early February, and this sounds about perfect.
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I make the John Thorne inspired, Cooks Illustrated stovetop version, except that I use Monterey Jack for its melting qualities and aged Gouda for flavor. If I don't have aged Gouda, I use really really sharp cheddar.
I make the John Thorne version from Simple Cooking. It has been, hands down, the best mac and cheese I have ever had. I tend to use a sharp cheddar, and use a lot more tabasco than he uses. I haven't tried it with other cheeses yet.
His version is an oven version.
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Has anyone made a "white fruitcake"?
I've seen these mentioned in some Southern cookbooks that reference older recipes. I'm intrigued, but haven't tried one yet.
They typically omit dark fruit and the common "fruitcake" spices. Bill Neal mentions some versions that use all egg whites rather than yolks--though he says he prefers the whole egg version.
Add-in ingredients might include the following:
ground almonds,
chopped citron,
grated fresh coconut,
rosewater,
crystallized pineapple.
The liquor of choice: bourbon or brandy...
Yes, I make a white fruitcake. I inherited the recipe by way of my mother and her mother. I don't know if mine is a Southern recipe, but I grew up in Virginia and that is where I learned to make it. Oddly enough, the name it was christened with is California Fruitcake.
This fruitcake has apricots, figs, white and dark raisins, citron, orange and lemon peels, and pecans. It also called for maraschino cherries, but as dried tart cherries became available, and as I am now the sole remaining baker of this fruitcake, I changed the cherries to dried cherries. I plump them in kirsch now.
After I learned to make this fruitcake at my mothers side, we found an edited recipe from my grandmother that also had pineapple in it. I now use fresh pineapple chunks in it, well drained.
The batter doesn't have any spices in it, and the liquid is the liquid from cooking the apricots and various fruit juices and nectars. It is a whole egg version.
We have never put any liquor on it, and it seems just fine that way. If I had to choose a liquour/wine to put on it, I think sherry would be the best. But I haven't really experimented with doing this, as the fruitcake is very good without it.
I haven't made it in a few years, as there seem to be very few fruitcake lovers that I know, and I have been traveling around. It takes about two days to make, as the fruit needs to sit overnight in a dusting of flour.
However, I have introduced this fruitcake to some fruitcake "haters", and they seemed pleased with it. It has a little bit of tartness to it, and is not overwhemingly sweet.
California Fruit Cake
2 cups dried sliced apricots -- boil 1 minute in
1 thin syrup:1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup water:
cool and dry
1 cup dried figs -- cut small
2 cups white raisins
1 1/3 cups dark raisins
2/3 cup dried cherries or maraschino cherries -- cut
small. Marinate
dried cherries in Kirsch .
2/3 cup orange peel -- cut small
2/3 cup lemon peel -- cut small
2/3 cup citron -- cut small
2 cups broken nut meats -- preferably pecans
24 cubes pineapple -- cut in 1/4's and
drained well
4 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons corn syrup
5 eggs -- well beaten
1 1/3 cups fruit juices -- use syrup from
apricots, plus pineapple juice, plus
whatever juices you have
Dust fruit mixture with some of the flour and set aside covered until ready
to add to batter. It is even better if the fruit is left
overnight like this. Mix remaining flour and dry ingredients (minus the
sugar) and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar well.
Add the corn syrup and beat well, then mix in well beaten eggs. Add the
flour mixture alternately with the mixed fruit juices,
beating well between each addition. Then add fruits, mixing well past each
addition. Pour into prepared pans. * Bake at 325
degrees for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 275 degrees. If you have used 2
tube pans, continue baking for another 2 hours. If
you have used 1 large angel food pan, bake for 5 hours longer. When done,
cool completely in the pans. Remove cakes from
the pans when cool, but leave paper on the cakes until ready to serve. Wrap
and store.
* Use two 9"by 3" tube pans or one large angel food cake pan. Line sides
with greased brown paper: I use brown paper bags.
Fill pans 1/2 to 2/3 full .
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Pere Hugo -- definitely get the Bertolli! I no longer buy books for the recipes, but only for the reference material they contain, and this was a great addition to my shelves! Keep checking for "used" copies on Amazon or on powells.com, or some of the other book-selling sites.
I totally agree with Suzanne! This is an incredible book. Oh, I guess I forgot to add it to my totals...
I think I had better add up and list my new books: I think I have about 12 new books since I posted my totals a bit ago. Maybe more: I found some bargains around here.
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Speaking of the Time-Life Good Cook series, I have the complete set of 28--from "Beverages" to "Candy" and everything in between. I got them by subscription in the '80's and recall eagerly waiting for the next monthly volume. The series taught me a whole lot about real, genuine cooking.
I have almost all of that series, but am missing about 2-3 books of it. I still haven't found the Preserving one, which I lust after. However they are all in storage now, so I am not going to hunt for the remaining volumes just yet. Maybe when I finally settle down again, I will get the remaining books.
This is such a classic, and very classy series. However, I think they were coming out in the 70's. I distinctly remember getting and using them then.
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Do you have (food-related) books that you've become so enamoured of that they have held your interest and remained on your shelves for twenty or more years?
Divulge their titles, do, so we all can know....
Simple French Food, by Richard Olney.
When French Women Cook, by Madeline Kamman.
Chez Panisse Desserts.
Good Cheap Food, by Miriam Unger.
Delights and Prejudices, by James Beard.
The Good Cook series, edited by Richard Olney
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In regards to cheese there is a great place I never pass up when in East bay. On San Pablo just off University. It is called something like the Country Cheese Store. It has an amazing selection and great prices and is family owned and operated. No politics, just food. A small meat counter in the rear as well with real, impoted from France, french salumi. You who live in Bay area are soooo lucky. Here in LA we have very little that compares to the food shops of B.A. and they are spread over many miles and hours of traffic. I would like to add a great burrito joint as well ( if it is still there) not far from the old Spengers the name eludes ( Il Piquante maybe) me but when I went there the first time and ordered the steak burrito they asked how I wanted my steak done. I was floored!
David
Oh, I know this place!!!
Yes, you are absolutely correct! It is a great place.
I am a traveling nurse, who calls the San Francisco bay area home. I go from state to state,and I am truly finding out what wonders and treasures we have in the bay area.
I have spent some time in the LA area lately, and I found what you said to be absolutely true.
I was based just north of Berkelely, living in the bay area. I shopped regularly in Berkeley, at Berkeley Bowl, and at Monterey Market. There are no finer markets in my estimation. Plus everything else that Berkeley has to offer.
Everyone talks about California and the San Francisco bay area being the most expensive places to live and eat. Well, I disagree. I found that I could live more inexpensively than most by shopping at these wonderful places. There are wonderful fresh bargains galore. Wonderful produce. Wonderful bulk products.
Okay, I sound like an advertisement. But I still think the bay area doesn't have to be a nightmare for someone who wants to eat well and inexpensively.
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I miss the Cheeseboard and their politics. Mmmmm...sourdough cheese roll.....
The Cheeseboard now has a cookbook, The Cheese Board Collective Works.
It has most of their breads, pastries, and even pizza recipes. It is hard to find outside of Berkeley, unless you order it from Amazon.
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Anything by Michael Fields
Anything by Pierre Franey
I can't help loving "The Silver Palate Cookbook"
Also, can't help loving the Lee Bailey (picture) cookbooks starting with "Country Weekends"
Oh, I really started cooking with some of those! Michael Field's Cooking School was one of my early favorites. I think I looked for his books back when he was the editor of the Time-Life Foods of the World series. I learned to cook some wonderful things from his book.
Pierre Franey: yes. I love 60 Minute Gourmet.
And, I too like Lee Bailey's cookbooks. I think I have all of them now, and have had great sucess cooking from them.
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Jenny, do yourself a favor and pick up The Gift of Southern Cooking by Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis -- absolutely wonderful. Also look for anything by the late great Bill Neal.
I am joining in this thread on the late side.
Anything by Edna Lewis. The Taste of Country Cooking is marvelous.
Damon Lee Fowler's books are also good. I can't remember the names of them right now and mine are packed away, but he has several really good books about southern cooking
And of course, Bill Neal. I think his classic one is called Bill Neal's Southern Cooking. I don't have it with me to check out the title, but I think that is right.
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I love those tortillas. Really nice toasted with some cheese on top :-).
I like the Mission wheat low carb tortillas better-they taste more like real wheat tortillas than the La Tortilla factory ones, at least to me. I don't know if they are available on the east coast though.
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I have always instructed host/hostesses to seat single diners at "good" tables.
I haven't had this experience myself, but I have read (correctly, I hope) that the French Laundry automatically VIPs a solo diner. Anyone know if this is true?
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Rereadin this thread I noticed that your are happier with the results (and the food sounds much better) when you try something on your own. I think it's time to THROW THAT FAKE DINNER COOK BOOK AWAY You don't need it and are too good of a cook to waste your time with it.
If you are interested in cookbook selections let us know. The web also has a million recipe websites. Much cheaper than buying new cookbooks.
I am an experienced cook, but one of the best books I have found, for beginners and not-so beginners is the book Learning To Cook With Marion Cunningham.
There are some great recipes in there, wonderful in their simplicity. I found one of the best chicken-on-the-bone recipes in there, actually two recipes which I use over and over again. One is a one dish meal, and I never cease to get raves with it.
I don't know how to link to Amazon for this book. But I really think this is a truly wonderful book, and Cunningham is a masterful teacher, in my estimation. I would think this would be a good book for Rachel.
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I finally got to sit down with the new John Ash book and I think it's gorgeous if a bit weirdly organized. There is lots of useful information of the "I'll do it that way from now on" type and some very tempting recipes, i.e. Cold Zucchini Soup with Cinnamon, Cumin and Buttermilk. He answers questions that would come up in a class as he proceeds. It is not a replacement for your basic go-to book like Bittman or Joy, but It's a keeper. .
I wish you hadn't said that. ;)
I had just been thinking tonight that I am getting itchy to get a new cookbook or two. I had briefly looked at that, and put it down. Now you have me reconsidering it.
Has anyone gotten The Girl and The Fig cookbook? I have been eyeing that one as well lately. Some interesting recipes in there...
And I do need to add 3 more to my total, all found at a Crown Books Liquidation Center: Consuming Passions; Ten Late Breakfasts, and one by Copeland Marks, about the food of Malaysia. I forget the title: the book is somewhere out in my car.
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I have been questioned many times by people who ask why I have so many cookbooks because, "You couldn't possibly use recipes from all of them."
Perhaps not, but my philosophy is that if there comes a time that I need a particular recipe I will certainly have a source in which to look.
People ask me this all the time as well. I don't think they realize the comfort they give my soul, as well as the wealth of inspiration.
I have been thinking of this lately, as I have been packing up to get on the road again to another assignment. I started out with 3 full book boxes of cookbooks a year ago. Somehow it has multiplied to over 4 boxes now. I am having to start to make choices as to what else to take with me when I travel.
And I find myself reluctant to pack up my cookbooks until the very last minute, just so I can pull one out and browse it. Today, they are all going into the car, and I won't see them again until I take them out at the next assignment. I am already starting to feel like I am in withdrawal.
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Bought yesterday:
The Provence Cookbook, by Patricia Wells.
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Anyway, I just wanted to say that there's another Life cookbook that was a great inspiration in the 70s: "Great Dinners from Life" pub. 1969. I patterned my Salade Nicoise and Cannelloni with Two Sauces after their recipes. In fact, the recipes for these dishes in my cookbook slightly, um, OK, mostly resemble them.
I have that book in my collection! I have it packed away right now, but I still use some of the recipes, and ideas.
I grew enamoured of it when the meal plans came out in LIFE every month. When they became available in book form, I quickly snatched up the book. That was in the early days of my cookbook collecting.
If I remember correctly, this was the same time frame that Time-Life was still putting out the Foods of The World series. I could be dead wrong about this though.
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Most of this new batch is still unread, but having unread Calvin Trillins, Madhur Jaffreys and Gale Gands on your shelf is like money in the bank.
"I don't have any books by Gale Gands yet. I have seen her mentioned, but I have been reluctant to add another unknown (to me ) to my collection while I am traveling around like I am currently.
Is she worth it?
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Okay, this is my first post here on eGullet.
I have been lurking for some time on eGullet though.
In some respects, I feel like a wimp among you all. I know it isn't a contest, but still....
I have a unique situation. I am a traveling nurse, and I had to put most of my collection in storage. I did cull through my collection and I carry my favorites around with me. I have been very careful the last year because of this, due to lack of space in which to transport my favorites. But I have bought about 30 books since I started this traveling nurse gig. I just can't resist buying cookbooks.
Okay. I have over 1000 in my collection. I don't know the exact total right now. It may be closer to 1200. But put me down for 1000 to start. And one day, whenever I settled down again and get my books out of storage, I will let you know the exact number.
My first books were the Foods of The World Series. I have the whole collection. And I think somewhere in there, I got the book Great Dinners from Life.
As far as traveling around goes, I mentioned that I culled my favorites to take with me. I couldn't cull them down to just 20 or so. Nooooooooooo....
I probably started carrying about 125 with me about a year ago. That was 3 very stuffed book boxes. Now I am up to 4 boxes: I think I have added 25 books to that collection. I just can't stop buying them, no matter what.
On this note, I have a few questions.
Do any of you, if you haven't bought a cookbook in a while, get an "itch" to buy a new one? I was reading over this thread, and I never saw anything like this mentioned. I mention it, cause I sure do. I just get the itch to get a new one every now and then. Only thing, is that sometimes I get more than just one.
The other question is this. I am traveling around the USA, and everywhere I go, I try to find a good source for cookbooks, other than the usual B&N, and Borders. Sometimes I find a specialized cookbook store, or a great used bookstore that has a wonderful collection of cookbooks.
I am wondering what your favorite places are to find cookbooks?
Right now, I am in Los Angeles, and I think I heard somewhere that there is a great cookbook store, or a great place where I can find cookbooks. I heard this a few years ago. I would like to find this place, if at all possible.
All this being said, I bought 3 new cookbooks in the past 2 weeks:
BitterSweet by Alice Medrich
The Whole Beast by Fergus Henderson (signed)
The Cheese Board Collective Works
I hope to be able to get some of the books I have read about on this forum. I now have quite a few to add to my collection. I think I will start having my books shipped to me from now on. I just can't put them in storage, as they are a comfort and joy to me.
Christine
Secret Japanese BBQ place
in California: Dining
Posted
Hmmm..I will have to stop there on my way to Idyllwild. If you happen to be there when I am, then I am the woman trying to clean them out before you can ge to it. That looks like it is right up my alley.