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jwagnerdsm

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Everything posted by jwagnerdsm

  1. jwagnerdsm

    Dinner! 2003

    oops. wrong thread and so I deleted my original post about Thanksgiving side dishes. We had leftover beef stew with noodles from the farmers market. Functional and tasty but nothing real special.
  2. Don't forget the great indoor market in Barcelona (and elsewhere). That will give you as much instruction about fine local ingredients as anything else you do.
  3. Niman Ranch is an outstanding product. Living in Iowa, i often buy excess product from the farmers who raise pigs for them which lowers the price considerably. But I encourage everyone to patronize this fine company. Those of you who follow the food industry know about the changes that have taken place in the pork industry in the past decade. Big hog factories, vertical integration, etc. But the happy news is that more and more farmers are finding ways to market directly to consumers which has been a boon to the farmer, the consumer, and to the small meat lockers that are finding new business this way. And the meat is so much better tasting. Today, I smoked two racks of baby back ribs that a farmer sold me at our local indoor farmers market. This meat has such a clean taste that you can actually taste the meat, smoke and marinade and not the chemical cocktail that larger farms use.
  4. The story didn't say that the paper was called by an unnamed staffer, it attributes the quote to said staffer. All that means is that no one wanted to talk on the record. That usually means that management has asked them NOT to talk to the press. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to employees who refused to give me their name.
  5. Why would they need publicity if they are booked through 2004?
  6. jwagnerdsm

    Dinner! 2003

    Pork Tenderloin studded with little match sticks of ginger and roasted with cherries. Served atop spaghetti squash seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon and then fried like hash browns.
  7. I read that study, too. It's been out there for awhile and some have countered that while that was true when the coffee boom was really happening, it isn't so true anymore because most everyone in every major market has been exposed to good coffee and coffee drinks. The guy who runs the most popular coffee place here told me a few months ago that he hasn't seen any boost in business since Starbucks opened.
  8. Health insurance is a nice benefit and socially responsible (although it's also smart business for anyone who wants to hire and retain good employees). I'm sure the schools, little league teams, women's shelters, etc. of Seattle appreciate it when we buy $3 cups at Starbucks. I'd just as soon see more of my dollar stay in the local economy.
  9. I had a nice night out at the Lettuce Entertain You tapas restaurant in Chicago. Is it called Cafe Baba Reba? Of course, in Des Moines we don't have any place where we can get a large variety of interesting tapas. The quality probably wasn't as good as some of the little cafes I eat at in Spain, but overall it was a satisfying meal. We chose the place simply because we wanted tapas and it was close to where we were staying. I'd go back. Call me a rube if you want. I think it's interesting that we can sometimes forgive corporations because we like their product. I am thinking of Starbuck's and Ruth's Chris. Starbuck's recently came to Des Moines -- news that got a good laugh across the globe. Starbucks seems to be everywhere and now, finally, Iowa. They are doing OK, but so are the half-dozen or so long-standing and very successful coffee houses that have been in operation in Des Moines for more than a decade. And there are plenty of people who simply refuse to go to Starbucks because of what they are: a fast-food joint that sells coffee. I'd like some examples of the things Starbucks does for the community? I can't recall hearing about any great community service they've been involved in here.
  10. jwagnerdsm

    Dinner! 2003

    Dinner: hamburgers on the grill with ground beef from the farmers' market. Burgers were mixed with Jalapenos and cheddar cheese. Very good. Supper: spaghetti with a homemade sauce that simmered all day. Homemade italian sausage links and meatballs stewed all day. Excellent.
  11. Fascinating. I'll give it a try, although it being September in Iowa, we are past the "hard" months of the growing season. Meanwhile, eating bright orange habernaros has proven to be a pretty good party trick when my foodie friends come over. Thanks.
  12. The first trick I learned several years ago -- and I think everyone does it now -- is to smash the garlic clove with a big knife instead of messing up a mincer. Some other things that make a difference: 1.) Adding a half-stick of butter to my risotto with the last ladle of broth to give it an extra creamy texture. 2.) Using free-range chickens instead of the paltry caged birds from the grocery... a huge difference. 3.) wrapping some wood chips in foil and dropping it onto the grill when I don't want to smoke a piece of meat on the smoker but still want a little hint of apple or hickory. 4.) Using my ricer to extract tamerind paste. Saves on the clean-up. 5.) And always doubling the amount of garlic called for in a recipe.
  13. Mark, Interesting piece. Thanks. This year I grew cherry, Jalapeno, Thai Bird, and Habanaro peppers in containers in my driveway. They received moderate sunshine, regular watering, and experienced several hot days. However, as I use these peppers in the kitchen, I find that they are very mild (even the habanaro). The only pepper with any bite at all is the Thai bird, and even that doesn't have the kick I was hoping for. Any idea what happened?
  14. PJS, I don't have a George Foreman grill. I'm sorry your mother doesn't know how to truss a chicken and I recognize that cooking can be dangerous. I wasn't trying to sell you a Showtime, I was only mentioning that I have found it to be a reliable way to cook a very nice chicken. edited to correct spelling
  15. You haven't seen the very graphic half-hour infomercial? And if you order before the half hour is up you get a free burlap bag and spatter guards that slip over your cooking togs.
  16. Well, Jimmyo, you'll be glad to know my second favorite gadget is a big club that I use to beat the chicken to death before plucking it and gutting it in the backyard.
  17. I always feel guilty slapping a chicken onto my Showtime Rotesserie oven. I love gadgets and couldn't resist it when my wife bought it for me a year ago. And I hate to admit it but it works great. When people come over, it's the one thing people always gravitate toward. Two questions: Anyone else have a Made For TV kitchen gadget they love and are maybe a little ashamed of? Anybody else have the Showtime? What do you use it for besides chicken?
  18. God, I love the street meat or whatever it is they call hot dogs in Toronto.
  19. jwagnerdsm

    TVP

    As long as we're talking about unnatural food products, I must admit to a weakness for Velveeta Grilled Cheese sandwiches like Grandma used to make. It also sometimes toss it in my wife's cheese/brocolli soup as a thickener when she's not looking.
  20. Interesting post. Being a fairly new member, I hadn't seen it until today. I remember the first issue that Reichl edited. I was ready to quit my subscription before that but liked the fresher ideas and decided to give it another year. I've been mostly pleased with the changes. I still think Saveur is the most engaging of the food magazines out there. It's a real celebration of food, a little quirky, authorative without being condescending. Bon Appetit, on the other hand, is the magazine I'm least likely to pick up these days. I am so tired of 40 ingredient recipes. I like a challenge as much as the next home cook, but I'd like to see a few ideas that won't take me three hours to cook.
  21. Toliver, I just wrote a piece for my web site about the winner of the spaghetti sauce contest at our local italian fest. She braises short ribs in her pot and serves the meat (along with meatballs and sausage) on the side. I like the idea, although I haven't used ribs yet.
  22. CSAs actually began in Japan, spread to Europe and are now quite common in North America. The growing season is shorter in some parts of Canada, obviously. There are several CSAs in your province, but since I am unfamiliar with the geography, I am unsure which are close to Toronto. I'd be very surprised if some farmers don't serve the city. It's wonderful and, as I often say, the best part is that I know where all our food comes from. In this age of Mad Cow disease, etc., there's something kind of nice about knowing who grew your food. Here's a link to a site that can help you find a grower in your area. (Remember, the season is almost over so you'll have to wait until 2004. But do sign up now, or at least get on a waiting list, because spaces fill up very fast.) My website lists, week by week, all the things we've found in our box. CSAs require a little more flexibility and work, but the trade off is that you know you are supporting a small grower AND you get the best tasting food available. A recent Iowa State University study showed that, for us, the average piece of produce has traveled about 1,700 miles before ending up in the vegetable section of the store. Those veggies are bred to ripen slowly. They aren't bred for taste. Also, you are more likely to get a taste of heirloom vegetables with a CSA. And most growers are organic. Let me know if you have any questions.
  23. I've got a good chicken rub recipe that works great on the grill. It's even better on the second day or great cold as a snack so make lots. My Webpage: Iowa Flavor Click on the recipes link and then click on Quicky Chicken. Enjoy.
  24. Actually it's a pasta sauce with tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onion and basil. Meatballs and italian sausage links have been simmering in the sauce all day. After years of trying to make a decent spaghetti sauce, I finally learned that the meaty goodness is what makes the difference.
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