Toliver

[JEWISH MOTHER] Eat something. Would it hurt you to post about it? [/JEWISH MOTHER] And, yes, Cusina just blogged from down under, I believe.

The tubes are an import item (from Italy, I believe). Out here in California we have a chain of stores called World Market (they used to be called Cost Plus World Market but have now dropped the "Cost Plus" part). They carry a lot of imported items, usually have a large wine selection and have branched out into coffee now. They're a great place to go if you need to whip up a quick gift basket of wine & food stuff. Anyway, in addition to the tomato paste in a tube (looks like a toothpaste tube), they also carry anchovy paste in a tube, which is another great item to have on hand. If you don't have any World Market stores near you, try a similar store that would carry import items. I've seen the tomato paste tubes in my local Italian deli/store, too.

It's a flat lid, traditionally made of wood, that is a bit smaller than the circumference of a pot. It is used when simmering and is directly dropped on top of the food being simmered. It keeps the food from moving around and breaking up, and allows the food to suck up maximum flavour from the simmering liquid. A must-have item for the Japanese kitchen! I thought that's what pot lids are for, just use the next smaller size. I've seen Sara Moulton on FoodTV use a circle of wax paper (or was it parchment paper?) for this purpose. I never understood the intention behind it. Thanks, Rachel, for explaining it.

From the article: That just bums me out. I get a hankering for a Slim Jim now and then (see the "Strange Cravings" thread). Guess I should switch to Slurpees now. Unless they come out with a new Slupree flavor, "Downer Cow Cola". And what frick is "potted meat"?

I have one of those slicers, too. But since taking a knife instruction class last summer, I can do it quickly without benefit of a slicer. I even taught my 73 year old mom how to do it. She was thrilled with the "trick" and ended up serving sliced avocado with everything in the ensuing weeks.

Looks like Al Dente has started a blog. Rest easy, Pan!

Of course, it's about choice. How many cable channels do you have and yet how many suck? So what if there's 20,000 items in the grocery store? If they don't carry more than two brands of pasta, what kind of choice is that for me? The FoodMaxx in my low income neighborhood carries only one brand of non-dairy creamer. What about root beer? I hope you like Mug Root Beer because that's the only name brand of root beer they carry. Are you looking for Pickapeppa Hot Sauce? You're not going to find it in FoodMaxx. Butter lettuce? Not at FoodMaxx. Eggland brand eggs? Not at FoodMaxx. What about something simple like jumbo sized eggs? Nope. The only eggs they carry are the dozen large sized and the eighteen pack of large sized. You want Brie? "I'm sorry sir, she only works on the weekends." Quantity does not necessarily equal choice. But this is beside the point. Quantity, given this subject matter, does imply that there's a heckuva lot of more slotting happening at stores that offer more brands or styles of a product to their customers when compared to stores that offer less. But what about when a company owns both kinds of stores, an upscale store and a bargain store (like Ralph's/Food4Less, SaveMart/FoodMaxx, etc)? How do they determine slotting fees for one store but not the other, or does the slotting fee guarantee placement in both chains? Do slotting fees also help to explain why prices are higher in the upscale store but not in the bargain store since there must be slotting fees in the upscale store but not in the bargain store? Why does Stove Stuffing cost twenty-five cents more in SaveMart than it does in FoodMaxx? Slotting fees could explain the difference.

For Christmas, a friend gave me this set of Forschner knives. I'd never heard of them before. They're made by the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives. They're sharp as heck but very ordinary looking, kind of like the Ford Taurus of knives. And the longest knife scares the heck outta me. It looks like something out of "The Lizzie Borden Story". I'm not sure what to do with it. Now I need to buy knife guards so I can store them safely. Has anyone dealt with Forschners before? Will they keep their edge for a while?

Well, it's not good for the consumer in that it limits our choices. And then I'm also sure the cost of the slotting fee is passed onto the consumer, too (the companies aren't going to just eat the cost, are they? no pun intended). So that's lose-lose for the consumer. It's also interesting to note that bargain grocery stores (FoodMaxx, Food4Less, etc) seem to offer less product choices when compared to mid-to-upscale grocery stores (Albertson's, Save Mart, etc). Does this mean slotting fees tend to be more prevalent in middle to upper class grocery stores?

Oh God, yes! Tortas are awesome. If you ever go to San Diego, find the nearest La Torta. The Cass Street location (in Pacific Beach) is the best. Check out the Tortas menu (35 kinds!). They also have this chipotle mayo that rocks, especially when you dip their beer batter onion rings in it. Great. Now I'm hungry.

You are very correct in that not everything works for everybody. In responding to Marlene's query, I offered a cheap simple solution that works for me. She may find out she doesn't like it or may find out it's perfect for her needs. I am looking forward to hearing the results of her quest. This makes me wish I had one of those new fangled digital cameras. My cheapo (sheet metal) wok is of the Big-Ass variety (okay, it didn't say that on the shelf in the Asian market where I bought it, but it's an appropriate description ). Because of its size, I usually make too much food for one sitting which I don't mind since I love leftover chinese food. How do I know the wok is hot enough? I put a drop of water in the empty heated wok. If the water drop immediately starts dancing around like a whirling dervish, I know it's ready. I'll wipe up the drop (if it doesn't evaporate from the heat), add my oil and "wok on". I'm also beginning to think that the real key to making homemade chinese food taste like what we get in a chinese restaurant is mostly in the sauce. The pot sticker dipping sauce I found in one of my chinese cookbooks tastes exactly like what you get in the restaurant so that's one little victory.

I dislike non-stick for another reason; I like being able to push what I'm cooking up the sides of the wok to isolate certain ingredients that may not be cooking as fast as others or to let something brown or, if there's too much lliquid, to let some liquid evaporate quickly. Can't do that with non-stick without everything falling back down. Excellent point! You're also supposed to push the food up the sides and be able to use the exposed center to add your sauce and then thicken it. Once thickened then your bring your food back down and incorporate it all. This can't be done as easily with a non-stick wok.

I first did a double take when I read "pineapple". Now it all sounds interesting and I'm beginning to salivate thinking of the taste combinations in that dish. As for the anchovies, how much?

Great! Follow Mudbug's advice (see the post above) and treat it like a cast iron skillet. Get the wok home, wash it, then dry it and season it on the stove. And like Mudbug stated, when cleaning it after cooking make sure you put it back on the still-warm burner to dry out any residual moisture. Rust is a bad thing! In addition to the above-mentioned brush, make sure you have a good wok spatula, too (like the one pictured in the middle here). Over time, the more you use your wok, the better seasoned it will become. I could have sworn when I just did a stirfry in my wok a couple nights ago that is was like cooking in a non-stick pan. But that's also the nature of wok cooking: stirring ingredients quickly enough that they won't have time to stick. That's where mis en place comes in so very handily, as you know. Over time, if used enough, the wok should also develop a blackness starting in the bottom middle (again, as Mudbug pointed out). This is just evidence of the seasoning of your wok and should be left alone. Let us know how your wok shopping went. As for those who have non-stick woks, given the recent eGullet threads on the toxicity of non-stick coatings when exposed to high heat (like in wok cooking), personally speaking, I wouldn't recommend using a non-stick wok for cooking.

That article states that the pronunciation of "Po' Boys" is "poo-boys" which I would think is incorrect. Being a derivative of "poor boys", I would think the " Po' " would be more like "poh", which sounds more like a southern affectation. As for their description of a submarine sandwich, that may be how a submarine sandwich started out but today it has evolved into something much more generic. Today a submarine sandwich is a long roll with any type of deli meat/lunch meat & cheeses in it, along with lettuce, tomato and onion topped with an Italian dressing or just vinegar and oil. It's a cold sandwich meaning the bread isn't toasted nor is the meat heated. As a kid growing up in a town with a submarine base, I didn't think twice about the sandwich of the same name. I always figured it was named so because the roll is usually long and round like a submarine. Who knew?

Head cheese gone really, really, really bad?

Last night, a quick stirfry using scallops (from Trader Joe's) and veggies from the Farmer's Market this weekend: Baby bok choy, young carrots (not baby but not full grown), spring onions and garlic. I added some sliced water chestnuts and used a soy-oyster-sherry sauce over everything. It turned out quite well.

I am a little confused as to why there seems to be a "if you can't do it 'right' at home, why bother" theme going on here. So what if the burner on my stove doesn't put out the high heat like they use in a "real" chinese restaurant? I imagine most of the homes throughout Asia don't have stoves that do either. And yet these foolish people continue to use a wok at home. Go figure. Last night I made a stirfry (scallops and baby bok choy) on my horrid electric stove using my $10 sheet metal wok that turned out great. Sometimes cheap is good.

Such a silly question:

All this AND you're in training to be an astronaut, too?!

Organic cauliflower Organic broccoli Organic bermuda (red) onion Organic beets Organic navel oranges (Turns out that everything this one farmer sells is organic. I feel like I hit the jackpot!) baby bok choy carrots spring onions Two pieces of spiced Linzer Tort, 1 piece of Orange Cake (with walnuts, I believe)and 1 piece of Persimmon Cake from the German woman who sells canned and baked goods.

It was a vegetarian night for me: roasted beets, carrots & brocolli (a la Jim Dixon's cauliflower) with a side of mashed potatoes.

You whiners! If you had Cool Whip, you had it good. We had "Dream Whip". It came in a freakin' box, fer cryin' out loud! People have sought therapy for less...

Bon Appetit Digest – February 2004 “Warming Up Winter” This month’s contributors: Tama Janowitz, Bruce Aidells, James Leland Day, Leslie Mackie and Donata Maggipinto Starters – “Oscar’s Greatest Eats” by Hugh Garvey A brief look at some Oscar night memorable menu moments. Style Notes – “White on White” – White on white tableware “The Flavors of Bon Appetit 2004” – A new book compiling the best recipes from last year has just been released. "The Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift" A two-day trip to Napa Valley for culinary classes & wine tasting. “Love Potions” – Sensuous sipping suggestions for Valentine’s Day “The Art of Maple” – Artisanal maple syrup…moving beyond the breakfast table R.S.V.P. – Readers’ Favorite Restaurant Recipes “Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust” – Mother’s Bistro & Bar – Portland, Oregon “Le Cirque 2000 Champagne Cocktail” – Le Cirque 2000 – New York City “Pasta with Shellfish, Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes” – Hélène Darroze – Paris “Pancetta-Topped Goat Cheese with Raspberry Sauce and Arugula Salad” – Artner – Vienna, Austria Entertaining Made Easy – “House Party Weekend” by Rozanne Gold Keeping things simple in the kitchen whether at home or on vacation. Recipes: “Pasta Rustica with Smoked Mozzarella”, “Braised Orange-Ginger Short Ribs with Dried Apricots”, “Warm Lemon-Cumin Chicken on Pita Bread Salad” Tools of the Trade – “Loafing Around” by Dorie Greenspan The season for bread baking is here. Get in gear with kneading mats, pans & more. Dorie offers bread making as stress relief in the modern age. She recommends a kneading mat such as the Demarle Roul’Pat ($40 at www.happycookers.com). There are different kinds of rising baskets, too. One is called a banneton (about $70 at www.kingarthurflour.com) and the other is more oval/round (Frieling Basket - $30 to $35 at www.cooking.com) and they both add a pattern to the exterior crust of the rising bread. A good peel is needed to make sure the bread gets into the oven without incident (wooden peel $19 at www.cooking.com or an aluminum peel $20 at www.kingarthurflour.com). Baking pans can determine how your bread turns out. Get a deep browned crust using a dark pan (Professional Nonstick Loaf Pan from Chicago Metallic - $14 www.cooking.com) or get a crust that is not too thick or dark by using a pan like the light-colored aluminum-coated pan like the Willams-Sonoma Professional Loaf Pan ($12 at www.williams-sonoma.com). Wine & Spirits – “Hot Hot Toddies” by Hugh Garvey Inventive twists on the classic spirited warm-ups from your favorite ski-resorts. Recipes: “The Irish Slalom” – Sugarloaf/USA Ski Resort in Maine “Mexican Coffee” – The St. Regis Aspen “Candy Cane Cocoa” – Teton Mountain Lodge - Jackson Hole, Wyoming “Rum Hot Toddy” – Fairmont Banff Springs – Alberta, Canada “Hot Apple Pie” – Restaurant Six89 – Carbondale, Colorado “Hot Buttered Rum” – Duchin Lounge – Sun Valley, Idaho Bon Vivant – What’s New. What’s Hot. What’s Good. – by Gina Provenzana Heart-shaped hand blown red glass vase (www.chiasso.com), kicked-up-a-notch chocolates (www.partistry.com & www.vosgeschocolate.com), pink-tinged dinnerware (Nancy Koltes at Home) and Organza tablecloth (Dransfield & Ross), chocolate perfume(!)(www.cosmeticmall.com), Kate Spade wedding paisley-themed thank you cards and place cards & Chelsea Paper initialed note cards (www.chelseapaper.com). Going Out – “Fantasy Island” by Malachy Duffy Malachy looks at the innovative restaurants revolutionizing dining on the Caribbean isle of St. Bart’s: L’Indigo (Chef Philippe Masseglia – Hôtel Guanahani, Grand Cul-de-Sac), Dõ Brazil (Shell Beach, Gustavia), Eddy’s (Gustavia), L’Esprit de Saline (Saline Beach), La Langouste (Hotel Baie des Anges), Wall house (Gustavia), Zanzibarth (St. Jean), Le Gaïac (Chef Maxime Deschamps - Le Toiny hotel) Top Tables – “The Restaurant Reporter” by Tanya Wenman Steel Side bar list of places to go for the “Best Breakfast” “The Buzz” – “Around the country and around the world – where to go now” Dallas – Jasper’s (Plano - Chef-owner Kent Rathbun), Standard 2706 (Chef Timothy Byres), Aurora (Chef Avner Samuel), Waka (Chef Seiji Wakabayashi) New York – ‘Cesca (Chef Tom Valenti – Upper West Side), The Biltmore Room (Chef Gary Robins), Matsuri (Chef Tadashi Ono - Chelsea) Venice, Italy – Osteria San Marco, Ristorante al Fontego dei Pescaori, Alle Testiere (Chef Bruno Gavagnin) How America Eats – 7th annual reader’s survey – by Tanya Wenman Steel Some surprising answers: 65% of those surveyed feel they are almost as good as a professional chef! Salty or Sweet? 31% chose Nuts as their favorite snacks. Unfortunately, the survey results are rather short (two pages). “Fire & Spice” by Bruce Aidells (of Aidells Sausages fame) Bruce offers up some recipes using bold spices from around the world…not all are necessarily spicy, but most are warm & comforting. Recipes: “Veal Parprikash” (sour cream balances any heat from the paprika), “Thai Shrimp Curry” (adjust the heat by adding the curry to taste), “Turkey Green Chili” (poblanos, jalepeños, tomatillos & cilantro), “Baked Ziti with Spiced Pork and Sausage Ragú” (spicy Italian sausage, pancetta & hot red pepper flakes), “Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Almonds” (Cover Recipe), “Baked Baby Back Ribs with Lemon Confit Marinade” (thyme, rosemary, fennel seeds), “Roast New York Strip Loin with Adobo Rub” (garlic, paprika, rosemary), “Tandoori-Spiced Leg of Lamb” (lime juice & “Indian” spices) “Wonder Bread” by Leslie Mackie A true comfort bread recipe for Winter: “Rosemary-Semolina Round with Sesame and Sea Salt” “Dinner by Candlelight” by Suzanne Goin A Valentine’s Day dinner for more than two. Recipes: “Bay Scallops with Polenta, Wild Mushrooms, Sherry and Parsley Breadcrumbs”, “Duck Breast with Crème Fraîche and Roasted Grapes”, “Potato Gratin with Bacon and Thyme”, “Warm Crepes with Hazelnut Brown Butter” Table & Home - “Serving Up Winter” by James Leland Day A look at some beautiful casserole dishes, gratins and ramekins that go from the oven to the table. “Cozy Breakfasts” by Dorie Greenspan Breakfast comfort foods! Recipes: “Banana, Raisin and Oatmeal Pancakes”, “Individual Oven-Coddled Eggs with Mashed Potatoes and Herbs”, “Raisin-Bread Strata with Sausage and Dried Plums (formerly known as “prunes”), “Sugar-Crusted French Toast with Honeyed Apples”, “Crispy Cornmeal-Bacon Waffles” Dorie offers a side bar of tips on “Waffle 101” “It’s in the Cards” by Mara Papatheodorou & Charlotte Butzin A casual Winter party with an Argentinian flair. Recipes: “Poblano Chile Olive Empanadas”, “Rolled Stuffed Flank Steaks with Onion and Tomato Salsa”, “Onion & Tomato Salsa”, “Baked Corn Pudding with Chiles, Onions and Cheese”, ‘Mixed Greens with Honey-Lime Dressing”, “Crepes with Carmelized Apples, Rum Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream” “Love at First Bite” Recipes: “Chocolate-Hazelnut Soufflé” (Wonyee Tom of the Water Grill - Los Angeles), “Praline Meringues with Dulce de Leche Cream and Tropical Fruits” (Malka Espinel of De la Tierra at Sundy House – Delray Beach, Florida), “Dark-Chocolate Mint Cupcakes with White-Chocolate Mint Frosting” (Marcel Desaulniers of the Trellis Restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia), “Chocolate-Raspberry Dome with Marinated Raspberries” (John Hui of Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas), “Lemon Cheesecakes with Lemon Chantilly Cream” (Scott Varricchio & Amanda LaBarbera of Quest in NYC), “Passion Fruit Tart with Crisp Meringue Top” (Michelle Gayer-Nicholson of Trotter’s to Go, Chicago) “Chilling Out in Park City” by Tama Janowitz Tamara takes beginner ski lessons and explores the Utah Resort town. A side bar suggests the “best places to fuel up for the slopes.” Recipe: “Macaroni and Cheese with Crumb Topping” (with Asiago & White Cheddar - from Robert Redford’s restaurant Zoom), “Mustard-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate Sauce” (from the restaurant Stein Eriksen) “Food with a View” by Victoria von Biel, photographs by Steven Rothfield A quick look at the gorgeous Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. Fast Weekday Dinners – “Every Night Cooking” by Brook Dojny and Melanie Barnard Recipes: “Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions”, “Turkey Enchiladas Adobo”, “Seared Peppered Scallops with Orange-Soy Glaze”, “Steak and Onion Sandwiches with Horseradish Mayonnaise”, “Escarole Soup with Garbanzo Beans and Pasta” At the Market – “Grapefruit” by Donata Maggipinto With names like Star Ruby and Rio Red, this isn’t your father’s grapefruit. The bitter sour variety is a thing of the past thanks to grapefruit growers in Texas. Recipes: “Pink Grapefruit, Fennel and Parmesan Salad”, “Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables with Grapefruit Gremolata”, “Grapefruit, Ginger and Star Anise Compote”, “Roasted Tuna with Grapefruit and Tarragon” Reader’s Time Saving Recipes Recipes from Susan Richardson of Edina, Minnesota: “Classic Date Bars”, “Beef, Black Bean and Corn Nachos” Recipes from Juli Tsuchiya-Waldron of Tokyo, Japan: “Cola-Braised Pork Stew”, “Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Butter Dressing” Feedback – The End Page Q & A with Fashion Designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka

Well, when Amanda starts posting on eGullet, I will thank her. Until then, I will attribute this recipe to our own Jim Dixon who brought it to our attention and will heap on him all the kudos this excellent recipe deserves.