marie-louise
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Posts posted by marie-louise
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[Moderator note: The original Improving my cooking skills topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: Improving my cooking skills (2003)]
It seems that the group lost some cohesiveness over the holidays. I know I had a hard time finding the time to participate. I'm still interested. Are others? If so, how often? What cookbook/s? What should we make next?
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Another KitchenAid atttachment fan. I've had it for eight years; it is rare that I buy ground meat anymore. I bought it because I wanted to control the quality and the fat content of the meats I was eating. It comes w/ a fine and coarse attachment. The coarse one makes nice chili.
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marie-louise, I may be completely off base, but it sounds as if the jet orifices either might be clogged or even the wrong size. I'm assuming that all your repairmen checked the thermocouple. Gas stoves are kind of like gas heaters- once you realize there are few parts- you can get the confidence to read up on it, then be a genuine pain-in-the-butt to your repairman.
I probably should give it one more try and insist that the next guy pulls it out from the wall and checks the connections. I later found out that the guy who installed it is not well thought of by the other repairmen (don't ya love how they gossip about each other.) I have a brand new house so I'm sure the main gas line is not the problem, but maybe he gerry-rigged some connection back there because he didn't have the right size. The cooktop is great, it's just the oven that's been problematic. It's had a few factory recalls and at one point, the whole oven became covered in soot (it never did get clean after that.) It's a lemon.
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Never during dinner, and especially not just before-I hate when someone chatty calls 5 minutes before dinner's ready!
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I've had three repairmen over the years-prabably eight or ten visits. The problem is that Wolf sold their residential line to Sub-Zero. The people willing and able to fix this pre-Sub Zero vintage stove are dwindling. After pitching a full-blown hissy fit to Sub-Zero, they send out one of their repairman, who knew nothing about my stove and acted like it was beneath him to be sent on this assignment. He's the one who made the broiler crack.
To add insult to injury, the person at the appliance store (where I was buying a new dishwasher) told me my Wolf had no trade-in value. I think it is a real POS.
I'm not sure which high BTU range I'm buying yet, but it won't be a Wolf, that's for sure. And whatever it is, I'll still use it every day!
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That's disgusting. And we were hard on the guy who wastes food while trying new recipes and/or practices his knife skills!
PS In the next year I'm getting rid of my 30", 7-year old Wolf range. But it's a piece of shit, it's very tempermental. Its latest trick is that the broiler shoots out a flame of gas about a foot high when it starts up. The repairman tried to tell me that was normal if you don't use the broiler very often. Funny thing, it happens when I broil a few days in a row, too. Then he tried to say it was because I have a tile floor and it was too cold in my kitchen. Anyway, if anyone wants to come and haul it down 32 stairs in Oakland, send me an email. Meanwhile, I've used it every day, and just know I will roast more chickens once I buy one w/ a self-cleaning oven.
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Just the two of us here. We eat about 80% of our dinners in our dining room; the rest are either outside on the patio table or in the breakfast nook. Even if it's simple food-or take out-I like to make a nice place setting. On rare occasions we eat in front of the TV while watching a movie, otherwise the TV is off.
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I use the Chez Pannise method; I simmer them for 14 minutes (after bringing a pot of acidulated water to a boil and adding the eggs with a slotted spoon). I drop them in an ice bath and crack all the shells under water- then let cool. Lovely results!
Next time you do it, try taking one out at 8, 9 and 10 minutes. The yolk is just barely set, and the taste is incredible. I have made egg salad sandwich w/ 10 minute eggs; I'd guess you would need 12 minutes for deviled eggs.
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Ever since I ate a salad at Chez Panisse Cafe that had an absolutely incredible egg in it, I've been using the method out of the CP Cafe Cookbook. Note-this is really for those times when you want to cut an egg in half and eat it. It is a little soft for egg salad sandwiches and such. But for anyone who thinks they hate hard-boiled eggs-just try this:
Bring enough water to cover the eggs to a full boil.
Lower the eggs gently into the water with a slotted spoon, turn down the heat slightly, and cook for exactly 9 minutes (8 for softer eggs, 10 minutes for a firmer yolk).
Prepare a bowl of water and ice.
When the time is up, remove the eggs and immediately plunge them into the ice bath to cool. After a minute or so, when the eggs are cool enough to handle, crack them all over on the countertop and return them to the ice water for another 5 minutes. Remove from the ice bath & peel.
The egg yolks should be a deep golden orange and slightly moist at the center; and the whites will resemble a firm custard.
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I always undercook any pasta that will be baked (or in this case, stirred stovetop.) I also make the sauce a little thinner, so once some of the liquid absorbs into the pasta, the sauce is the right consistency.
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I don't think noodle dishes reheat well; I also don't think they are good assembled too far ahead before baking (except for lasagna, that seems to work okay.) They're okay reheated, just never as good as when they are fresh. Somehow the noodles absorb too much of the sauce and the thing always seems kind of dry and bland. You lose that quality of tasting meat, noodles, vegetables and sauce as indivdual elements-it all blends together like a bland bowl of soup.
If you really want to make this as a make-ahead dish, I'd prepare it to the point of adding the peas and noodles. Heat the chicken in the sauce, add fresh herbs and peas, then pour over freshly prepared noodles and bake (or serve as is.)
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Noah's = Rolls with holes
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Personally, I always found Noah's bagels too light and bready to be real bagels.
They are much, much worse now, although I agree, they never were chewy enough. Now they are almost inedible. I used to get wonderful lox and cream cheese bagels there, and challah which was only sold on Fridays, and Hamentashen(sp?) that were only made for Purim. They closed during Pesach. They don't have egg bagels anymore-although they have bagels with unbelievable amounts of crap in them.
At least I hear Noah used the money he made on the sale well-I recall hearing he used most of it to start some sort of charitable organization.
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In Bodega Bay proper, there's a big, sort of touristy place right on the water. Can't for the life of me remember the name, but it's pretty much the biggest place in "downtown" Bodega Bay. They have decent food and a great view.
That's The Tides. In was in Hitchcock's "The Birds." Luccas is better, IMO, but the Tides does have a great view...
I also second Pt. Reyes Station Cafe. We are off on Wednesdays, and the restaurant is closed that day, but I have eaten there a few times and it was great.
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Marie-Louise, someone just told me about a Russian restaurant in the area that is a must - are you familiar with it? Sorry, I don't know the name... I was told this of year is great for game meat...
You might also be thinking of St. Orres up in Gualala. I've had great meals there over the years, but haven't eaten there in a long time. I stayed in their cottages several times and fell in love w/ the area so much we bought a weekend place nearby.
Re: Manka's. We stayed and dined there for a few days (in the very cheapest room.) We had such high hopes for the place, and I must say, the room was quite lovely. But the service sucked and some of the food was inedible. A piecrust that stuck to the plate and an almost raw pidgeon with the claw still attached were some of the more memorable moments. When we got home we Googled and were pleased to see that at least we weren't nuts or overly picky-there were a number of other unhappy campers who have posted not too nice reviews.
I thought of another breakfast place in Occidental. It is on the same side of the street as the Union Hotel, it's an old Victorian building, kinda funky in that whole wheat, Marin County sort of way. But good.
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As you are soon to discover, there is not much to do in Bodega Bay. I have a weekend house further up the coast, I drive through there twice a week. But... it is beautiful. Take books to read in case it rains and you will have a great time.
You should drive down to Point Reyes Station at least once (it is less than an hour, I'd think.) It is a cute little town. It has a nice bookstore, a good bakery, and the reason for your trip-the cheese from The Cowgirl Creamery. It is a block west of the main drag, in a place called Tomales Bay Foods. The Mexican place in town has good tacos, or you can get sandwiches at the deli inside Tomales Bay foods. Drive into the park: a few minutes to the visitor's center will get you to a long but flat trailhead to the ocean called Bear Valley Trail, or you can driveanother half hour to the lighthouse or, if you really want a big hike, go out to Pierce Point Road and hike on that trail on the point. You will see magnificent herds of Tule Elk.
Of course you should go to Hog Island for oysters, but be aware that they have to close when there has been significant rain, due to contamination from the streams that go through the dairy farms, then dump into the Bay. So call ahead.
For local food, I prefer the fish and chips (and the cracked crab) at Luccas to that of the Tides. I eat in the little deli, not the restaurant (outside if possible). Don't be tempted to order anything but fish and chips at Luccas; while their fish is great, everything else I've ever had there is just about inedible. I also like their plain cooked crab (I get it to take home) better than the Tides.
Tanabutler raves about River's End up the coast in Jenner (about 15 minutes north.) I've not eaten there, but it always has a full lot. The beaches between Bodega and Jenner are magnificent-great places to park and watch the huges waves this time of year.
You could also drive to Guerneville, or wander around Occidental and then go to the bakery in Freestone for a 2-lb. sticky bun. There is a little spa in that town called Osmosis that people like (I've never been.) They have warm redwood mulch spa treatments.
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Yes, we will be cooking a special dinner at home, just for the two of us.
So far, the only thing on the menu is champagne. I'm thinking of an assortment of seafood dishes. I may order a couple of lobsters from back east. Last year I made gravlax as an appetizer-good w/ champagne and makes great sandwiches the next day. Ending the year w/ a rich chocolate dessert also seems appropriate.
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To me one of the positive things about cooking and eating is sharing with others.
Word. I can't imagine not wanting to share a recipe.
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At this late date, your best chance for dinner at a top restaurant will probably be to wait until the 30th/31st. With all the flu going around, lots of kids, parents, babysitters and couples will be too sick to go out-creating lots of last-minute openings. Perhaps you can get on some waiting lists now?
As for us, we never go out on NY Eve. We will have a romantic dinner at home, and since we are old farts, we will have to struggle to stay up until midnight.
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Highway One from north of San Francisco to where it meets 101 is beautiful. No wineries, but lots of beautiful scenery. The winter storms make for great ocean waves, but the roads can close due to rockslides. There are lots of B&B's in a town called Mendocino, and that is near the Anderson Valley (Navarro, Roederer, others.) It is a beautiful drive down a redwood-lined road that runs along a river; on rare occasions that road floods, but only in a huge storm.
I have friends who stay at a place in Cannon Beach, Oregon every Christmas. They love it, that might be a good midway point for you to stop. I've stayed in Seaview, Washington; again, no wineries but GREAT food. I stayed at The Shelbourne Inn. I see from their website it is being featured in next month's Martha Stewart Living. Sigh, I guess reservations will be a little tougher now. Talk about great B&B breakfasts-the weekend we were there, the chef was making omlettes w/ fresh porcini mushrooms he's picked nearby.
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Did you know that See's makes Hanukkah gelt? The chocolate is much better than most I've tasted, even though the coins are American!
I, too, was at a See's today (downtown Berkeley.) A 1-lb. box of coins, a 1-lb. assortment of California brittle, marizpan, ginger, and dark chocolate cherries, and just for fun, a chocolate-covered marshmellow Christmas tree.
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I use instant polenta as well (an imported brand from Italy that cooks in about 5 minutes.) I like to make it w/ low fat milk, then finish w/ butter, Parmesan cheese, and a little grind of nutmeg. It seems to me that I read somewhere that most Italian families are now using the instant polenta almost exclusively. Hopefully someone who actually lives in Italy can tell me if this is true or not.
This is a perfect example of "shortcuts." Maybe my polenta would be a little-or a lot-better if I stood there and stirred it for 20 minutes, but it tastes good enough to me.
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Here is a link to an incredible dim sum place in San Francisco. Note that they say dessert items are to be eaten along w/ savory items. No recipes, but lots of mouth-watering pictures in the photo gallery at the bottom. They don't have it, but in addition to my favorite sweet-the egg tarts- I am also fond of little cubes of what I think is almond jello in a sweet sauce. Sometimes it has a little canned fruit in it. It is always served very cold, and it is very refreshing.
PS Please do just reply to the old threads. I haven't been here that long, and I love it when old threads pop to the surface.
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Is the recipe in any of the Books?
Irwin
Yes, Irwin, the recipe for those biscuits is in Lost Recipes!
Gee, I wonder if maggie's going to be adding another cookbook for Irwin?PS Add one more for me-I FINALLY found a copy of one of the Time Life Foods of the World Cookbooks in Berkeley (Pacific Northwest). Ten scored, 17 to go. I think I am going to order the rest online, the wait is agonizing.
Q&A -- Menu Planning
in The eGullet Culinary Institute (eGCI)
Posted
JAZ, I see that you have recommended Culinary Artistry as a good book to learn more on the subject. What's your opinion of The Elements of Taste by Peter Gray?
PS Great eGCI course-thanks!