tinpanalley

Just some questions I'm struggling with... Totally on board that tomatoes alone are simpler and more versatile than adding other things like onion, garlic, basil, etc. No problem. The state of those tomatoes is irrelevant though, right? Whole, chunks, a chunk/pulp mix. Does that matter? I see recipes that people seem to take from books like a Ball book of canning recipes but like this one they have onions and things. So, why is that possible if I was under the impression that you can never add anything other than tomato and citric acid? And if it is possible can they last the same time as a jar of only tomatoes? Thank you!

This is the weirdest thing... Same starter, same milk, same method. I was using a yoghurt maker and all of a sudden it just stopped working. At best I'd get sour cream consistency. So, I started using my Instant Pot. Same problem, maybe a bit thicker. I used to get a yoghurt that was so nice and thick, almost like watery flan, that when strained would get perfectly thick like the thickest greek yoghurt. How can it possibly be now that it's only mildly thick like regular yoghurt? What variables would be wrong? What can I check? Would love anyone's help. Milk: 2% or 3%, have tried both. Both used to work fine. Starter: Cultures For Health I don't add anything else. This culture can be used continuously with some from the previous batch. And I can tell you when it worked, we could go months using the last batch to start the next one never losing quality or consistency. We add the starter at 41C and leave it chilling in the fridge overnight after incubating.

Thank you so much for the recommendations! I ended finding a lovely first edition of "The Cookin Woman" and ended up getting "Forgotten Skills Of Cooking" which has been wonderful. It's incredible how many cookbooks there are among the Ballymaloe crew. And each one is so expansive, I can't imagine how they could have filled so many volumes? Anyway, thank you, I'll definitely also look into the Scottish book. Curious if there's anything Welsh out there.

I'm trying to get myself the closest thing I can to a definitive traditional Irish recipe cookbook. Not modern fusion 'expressions' by bored chefs, I mean really simple home-cooking recipes for all the Irish essentials and forgotten classics. Asking some food writers and culinary historians I know, two titles popped up: 1. "The Cookin' Woman" by Florence Irwin (definitely getting this) and then 2. People have varying opinions on different books by Darina Allen. Primarily I am recommended "Forgotten Skills of Cooking". But I keep seeing "Irish Traditional Cooking" showing up as well. Can anyone tell me about these two Allen books and how they might differ? My goal is traditional, authentic, home recipes, culinary history, techniques. Not an Irish person doing pot au feu and Carbonara. I want things people have been cooking for 100 years without embellishment and as little modernising as possible. Thank you!!