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Just came across this chocolate cake and was wondering if anyone has tried it or heard of it. Something tells me it might work well, but I want to know what your opinions are before I experiment. Thanks!

Howdy! Decided to be adventurous and buy 5 different brands of Mango pickle: Swad, Ahmed, Patak's, and two others. Have tried 3 so far and each is so incredibly salty that I can't bear to take another bite. I like salty food, but this is unreal. I threw away a ginger pickle a few weeks ago because it was way too salty. And when I ordered a mixed pickle at local restaurant it was also inedible. So what's the secret here? Is it an acquired taste? Should I be burying a miniscule amount of it in a huge bowl of rice?

The 87-year-old mother of a friend of mine makes these pickles that I've never seen before and I was wondering if anyone else had or knew if there is a story behind them. She uses large cucumbers, peels them, then scoops the seeds out of the middle (leaving a ring shape). The secret ingredient is...red-hots candies. The pickles come out bright red, looking and tasting like those pickled apple rings you see at Thanksgiving. The woman lives in Ahoskie, in rural eastern NC. Here's her recipe, as written: Red Ring Cucumber Pickles 2 gal. cucumber rings, peeled 2 cups pickling lime 8 1/2 cups cold water Soak 24 hrs. & drain; wash and soak 3 hrs in cold water. Put in pot and cover with water, with 1 cup vinegar, 1 T alum, 1 oz. red food coloring. Simmer in this for 2 hrs., drain & throw away solution. Heat the following and pour over cukes: 2 c. vinegar 2 c. water 10 c. sugar 8 cinnamon sticks 20 oz. red hot candy Let stand over night; drain off & reheat two mornings; put back over cukes, keep covered; 3rd day, reheat together and pack in jars. They are really quite good...if odd...Any thoughts?

This is also posted on The Heartland but I thought I might reach a "transplant" here who might not check that forum. I am overwhelmed with eggplant and wanting to make the favorite salad topping of my misspent youth. Angelo's (Wichita) pickled eggplant recipe has appeared in the newspaper but I can't find it in their archives. If you have it, I would really appreciate! Thanks in advance.

Pan-Fried Prawns with Superior Soy Sauce (豉油王煎虾) I bought some large spot prawns from the market. Tonight, I wanted to make a pan-fried prawns with "King of soy sauce" (Superior Soy Sauce) - which is a light soy sauce. My favoriate brand is Pearl River Bridge. This dish is offered in some Hong Kong style seafood restaurants. Picture of the spot prawns. The ingredients are very simple. All you need is some light soy sauce and garlic, and a little bit of Xiao Shing cooking wine. You need to be careful with these spot prawns. They have a sharp, jagged "horn" at the front of the head. It can poke through your skin when you try to handle it during cooking. Very painful. Better use a pair of scissors to trim off the "horn" and the fillers, and some of the legs before cooking. Use a pan/wok, add a fair amount of cooking oil in medium heat, add the prawns and cook them first. It's done when the prawn color has turned from grey to bright red. Remove prawns from the pan and drain the excess oil and moisture from the prawns. Mince about 4 to 5 cloves of garlic. On the same pan (no need to wash), now set the flame to high, add cooking oil, wait until it is almost fuming, add the minced garlic. Cook for 20 seconds. Stir. Re-add the prawns. Cooking until the prawns have coated the cooking oil and got hot, about 2 to 3 minutes over high heat. Dash in the light soy sauce. About 3 tblsp - adjust to your taste. Stir. As a finishing touch (an important one), dash in about 1 tblsp of Xian Shing cooking wine. Stir for about 30 seconds until the wine and soy sauce dry up. The finished dish.

Is ketchup a commonly used condiment in the Indian kitchen? Yesterday I attended a wonderful Indian festival here in Tokyo and on my first trip around the food booths, I picked up samosas, pakoras and shish kebabs. These were ordered from 3 different booths and they were all served with a side of ketchup, for the shish kebeb it was actually squirted down the whole length of the kebab. A later purchases of more pakoras at yet another booth was not served with it though. Are these foods normally served with ketchup? I have never been served them this way in a restaurant.

The fruit has been excellent this year and I find my shelves overflowing with jams and preserves. I have enough for the gifts that I usually give, so I'm trying to come up with other ways to use up my supply. I've got mango/lime, pineapple/ginger, cherry, mayhaw, pear/ginger, and peach. I don't use added pectin, so everything is of fairly soft consistency. So far I've come up with the following ideas: 1. Fill a cake or sandwich cookies 2. Mix into a plain ice cream base (will this work?) 3. Eat biscuits and jam for breakfast every morning for the rest of my life (not a bad notion) Any suggestions would be appreciated. It's only July and I have always had a strange compulsion to put food in jars all summer long. Please help! Thanks, Linda

Can anyone point me to a recipe for the above? I believe coconut milk, lime and chillies are involved.....? A search of recipe gullet and google yielded nothing Would be very grateful for any assistance

Has anyone been here and could you give me some feedback on the place? Thanks.

I havent seen a Topic for dinners at the Beard House.. I was excited to see the Chefs from Moto will be there on the 9th.. I will post my dinners here as I hope others do.. http://www.jamesbeard.org/events/2005/08/004.shtml

Opening towards the tail end of August... just north/adjacent to the Wine Bar on Church. A-la-carte seasonal menu... and... wait for it... RESERVATIONS. Also... a lounge area for libations while one waits for a table in the Wine Bar. Shhhhhhhh... this is on the "QT"

I'm sitting here eating some Jelly Belly beans, realizing how much I love them. Our grocery store recently put in one of those bulk serve yourself contraptions with about a dozen different flavors. For me they are a guilty pleasure with all of their sugar, flavorings and colorings. I don't care, I can eat buttered popcorn and toasted marshmallow till the cows come home... Anyone else love these thing? Hate them? Wonder how they get the flavors so dead on (for most things)? Are there any other beans that even come close??

Hi All, Having been incredible lucky and spent the last six months working in Jamaica, I find I am now in sever Jerk Chicken withdrawal. For anyone who likes hot and/or BBQ style food I urge you to get the first possible flight to Kingston and simply drive along the road until you see the smoke billowing from the first 'pan' you find. You will not be disappointed with the hot, succulent chicken that you'll get served. Coming from the UK where the tendency is to fast grill when BBQ'ing, I was amazed at how tender and juicy a chicken can remain even after (or because it's has?) been cooking for several hours. So, I'm in the process of building prototype one of my Jamaican pan. I have the oil drum cut in half and the red/yellow/green paint ready. Now I'm stuck. I'm not 100% sure what the best design should be. Having read lots since I've been back I'm realising that it's all about indirect heat and smoke. I've seen all the fancy designs for smokers where the firebox sits to one side, and so one - but I'm keen to try and be as authentic as possible, and those guys did not seem to have all the fancy stuff. Thus, if I just put charcoal at the bottom and chicken on top, even with the lid down I'm just gonna grill. Anyone have any other ideas? Fire to one side? Chimneys to draw smoke? Raise the fire? Cover the fire? I've had a good look around the www and to my amazement I can't find anything. You are my last hope. Cheers Steve

Aloha all, It's watermelon season here in Hawaii and whilst enjoying a deliciously refreshing one this morning I thought about making watermelon pickles. My grandmother used to make wonderful ones and I would assist her but I remember nothing about how she made her pickling syrup, etc. If anyone has a good recipe or method, please do share. There is nothing in the Recipe section. Thanks so much!

I have a jar of Fauchon Fleur de Sel Milk Jam. Any suggestions on how I could use it in a cake or dessert?

after having a $19 sidecar there last night (and realizing that I was the youngest non-staff male by at least 20 years -- albeit there were plenty of women younger than me) and perusing the late night menu ($16 pommes frites and $75 scrambled eggs with caviar -- as well as a caviar preparation from the "Alain Ducasse private stock")...I wondered, has anyone actually eaten here and if so, is it worth checking out for dinner?

I've never been able to figure out why foodies tend to despise ketchup. Like just about any condiment, it has its applications. If you don't like it, there are a million other condiments out there. The same goes for Worcestershire sauce and barbecue sauce, deli mustard and honey mustard, pickle relish and mango chutney, and jarred salsa. Why ask why? Just enjoy it for what it is. Maybe I'm weird for liking ketchup. I also will eat pickle relish straight out of a jar. Ditto for hoisin sauce. Soba PS. In the omuraisu thread in the Japan forum, Hiroyuki asks pretty much the same question, ao I thought I'd ask all y'all.

Basic Condiments By Andie Paysinger and Mary Baker Wecome to the eGCI class on the "little sauces" that enhance the foods we love. The sauces we will prepare will not require any exotic or unusual ingredients or special equipment. The directions given will include additional instructions if the appliances used are not available. We've used different methods for the different recipes, but you can use whatever method you prefer. We will be using whisks, spoons, measuring spoons and cups, a heat source, a food processor or an immersion blender (or mortar and pestle if these are not available), a stand blender or similar appliance. Session I: Mayonnaise Note: If you are concerned about the possibility of salmonella in raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. Basic Homemade Mayonnaise (Andie Paysinger) Makes 1 1/4 cups Ingredients 1 large egg yolk, chilled 1 cup chilled oil 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder Lemon juice, approximately 1 tablespoon or a little more 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (freshly ground if possible) Kosher salt to taste. Begin with a chilled 1-1/2 quart bowl and place it on a damp towel or a piece of rubber foam shelf liner so that it remains stable. Using a whisk, electric beater or immersion blender, whip the egg yolk until it is creamy. Slowly add half the chilled oil in a thin steam and continue beating until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the remaining ingredients, using 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Continue whisking or beating still adding the oil gradually until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add salt to taste and if needed, add a bit more lemon juice and beat until it is completely incorporated. Cover and immediately place in refrigerator. This should be used within a few days. Variations Once you learn the basic recipe, you can make numerous variations, including fresh and dried herbs and spices, a paste of green peppercorns, or hot pepper paste. Avoid anything that is too liquid as it will make the mayonnaise too runny. Aioli: The classic garlic mayonnaise (Andie Paysinger) This can be made entirely in a small food processor or a blender. However, the traditional way is to make it in a mortar and pestle; there are many people who contend that it tastes better made this way. Makes 1 cup Ingredients Garlic cloves, peeled, about 8 fat cloves Kosher salt, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon, approximately Yolk from an extra large egg 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground white pepper Juice of half a lemon Hot water, about 1-2 teaspoons (if needed) Crush the garlic cloves in a mortar with the salt or in a small food processor until you have a fairly smooth paste. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing until it is a thick paste. Add the olive oil, a little at a time, blending constantly until all the oil has been incorporated. Add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice and mix well. Add the pepper and more salt, if needed. At this point, you may want to add more lemon juice if there is any bitterness from the garlic. If it seems too thick, add a little of the hot water and blend until the desired consistency is reached. Cover tightly and refrigerate for an hour before use. This must be used immediately. It will not keep more than a couple of days, even in the refrigerator. It is best if used the day it is prepared. Easy Chipotle Mayonnaise (Mary Baker) Chipotles are smoked jalapenos; they are very, very hot. This recipe is for an easy, blender-made fresh mayonnaise with a mild kick. You will be using only a small spoonful of the sauce in which the chipotles are packed. Save the chipotles in an airtight container in the fridge for adding a smoky kick to soups, chiles, and roasted meats. (To make a really easy sauce, of course, you can always "cheat" and just mix a little chipotle into prepared mayonnaise.) Makes 1 cup Ingredients 1 medium egg, warmed to room temperature 1 yolk, room temperature 1 juice of half a lemon 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon of chipotle adobo sauce Whisk one entire egg in a small bowl until frothy then let settle. Measure 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg into a stand blender. Add the egg yolk and whip for 5 seconds. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice and blend at a low speed for 2 minutes. (For a food processor, whip the eggs for 15 seconds, and blend the lemon juice for 15 seconds.) Remove the center cap of the blender lid. Through the small opening, slowly pour in 3/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream while blending on low. When the mixture reaches a thick, creamy consistency, add the adobo sauce and pulse until incorporated. Taste and add more adobo sauce if you like, a little at a time. Saffron Mayonnaise (Mary Baker) A garlic-saffron mayonnaise called "rouille" is used as a finish for boullabaisse and other Provençal fish soups and stews, but this version is pure saffron. Its bright golden color and tobacco-like aroma make it an excellent condiment for beef sandwiches. Ingredients 1 medium egg, warmed to room temperature 1 yolk, room temperature 1 juice of half a lemon 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads, loosely packed Place one teaspoon of lemon juice and the saffron threads in a condiment bowl or small measuring cup. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the lemon juice is a deep gold color. Whisk one entire egg in a small bowl until frothy then let settle. Measure 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg into a stand blender. Add the egg yolk and whip for 5 seconds (if using a food processor, whip the eggs for 15 seconds). Add the lemon juice and saffron, and blend at a low speed for 2 minutes. Remove the center cap of the blender lid. Through the small opening, slowly pour in 3/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream while blending on low. When the mixture reaches a thick, creamy consistency, taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Click here for the class Q&A.

Post your comments and questions on the Basic Condiments course here.

Welcome to the eGullet Culinary Institute's class on Basic Condiments, which will be presented next week, beginning Monday, June 13. The Instructors After spending her childhood on a farm in western Kentucky, Andie Paysinger (andiesenji) worked in her mother's bakery, eventually attending Dunwoodie School of Baking (later the Dunwoodie Institute) in Minneapolis. She joined the Army and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, where she developed an avid interest in Mexico and Mexican food. A later post in San Francisco increased her international food interest. Settling in California's San Fernando Valley, she worked in the medical field, but after taking some private cooking classes, she began working part time as a personal chef. Although she is no longer a personal chef, she retains her enthusiasm for baking and cooking, collecting cookbooks and recipes, trying to reproduce recipes mentioned in historical sources, and growing her own vegetables and herbs. In addition to her abiding interest in food and cooking, Andie has been involved in showing basenji dogs and in painting and etching animals, mostly dogs and horses. One of her paintings is in the permanent collection of The Kennel Club, England, and has been published in the Illustrated Standards Book (frontispiece) 1998, and in Treasures of the Kennel Club (2000). Mary Baker (Rebel Rose) is the administrative partner of Dover Canyon Winery, a small artisanal producer in Paso Robles, California. She has taught college-sponsored courses in wine appreciation, and frequently speaks on wine appreciation and food-and-wine pairing. Thirteen years in wine hospitality and winery business management include stints as the first tasting room manager for Wild Horse Winery, and later the business manager for Justin Winery. As one of the original moderators on AOL's Food and Drink Network, Mary hosted monthly online winemaker chats. From 2002 to 2004 she served as a director on the board of the local vintners' association, representing the Paso Robles appellation, entertaining international visitors, and speaking at local wine festivals and seminars. She was also chairman of the 2004 Paso Robles Zinfandel Festival, an annual wine festival featuring a grand tasting, live and silent auctions, press events, artist receptions, and open house events at over 80 wineries. In her spare time she writes and plants vegetables and flowers, many of which promptly die. She is the author of Fresh From Dover Canyon: Easy Elegant Recipes from Dover Canyon Winery. The Course The course will cover the basics of making mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, including instructions and recipes for several variations of each. It will be presented in two sessions, the first on Monday June 13, and the second on Wednesday, June 15. Session I: Four variations of mayonnaise Shopping list: Eggs: 1 or 2 per recipe Extra virgin olive oil: Approximately 1 cup per recipe (Optional: Corn or canola oil, mild nut oils, or grapeseed oil) Powdered mustard: 1 tablespoon total Lemon: 1/2 lemon or less per recipe White pepper: 1/2 tsp. or less per recipe Kosher salt: 2+ teaspoons per recipe Garlic: 1-2 heads total Chipotles (canned, packed in adobo sauce): One small can total Saffron: 1/4 tsp of threads total Equipment: Whisks Spoons Measuring spoons and cups Food processor, an immersion blender, or regular blender (or mortar and pestle) Click here to go to the course.

Hello all, my first post. I have been picking up loads of tips from the forums over the past couple of months, it’s a great site. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on why chutneys are made in the way that they are, ie chop, add sugar, add vinegar… heat, stir lots and wait ages?? We have recently done a big batch of this one (about 15 times the recipe) http://redskitchendiaries.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/weekend-project-ale-chutney/ We have been thinking about how we might cut down on time and energy costs by taking a different route, and of course getting a quality product at the end. My understanding of preserving in this way is that you need to: 1. Stop enzyme/bacterial activity, this is done quite quickly with heat 2. Get to a pH of 4.5 or below 3. Introduce enough sugar so that the amount of available water for pathogens is decreased to an acceptable level, (which I think is a fair interpretation of water activity) Does anyone know why you need to stand over a stove for hours to reduce the liquid, why can’t you cook the veg to the point you want it, then separate the liquid, reduce to a good consistency and pot as normal? Any views would be greatly appreciated Rich

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for peach freezer jam? I've made 2 batches and them don't seem to set very thickly.

If you've peeked at the topic about Heniz vs. Hunt's (ketchup, that is), you'll see that I recently threw away a bottle of ketchup that had an expiration date of December, 2009. Meaning I bought it sometime in 2008, so it was at least 3 years old. That wasn't the oldest, though, not by a long shot. There was some chili paste with garlic, a bit of Sriracha, a couple of bottles of tonic water, etc. etc. Stuff that was essentially prehistoric. That said, what are the oldest condiments in your fridge? And why are they still there?

In this topic on sweet potato salad, Jaymes said (about mayonnaise): I have to disagree: while some cooks here in Atlanta use it, most that I know prefer Hellman's. I certainly do. Duke's is oddly sweet -- halfway to Miracle Whip, in my opinion -- and I can pick it out immediately in things like tuna or potato salad when it's used. If I were faced with the choice of Duke's or nothing on a sandwich, I think I'd have to choose the latter. Am I missing something? Do people really like Duke's? Are there other brands worth trying?

Here are the winners for this year. Any thoughts? Cookbook of the Year Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy by Diana Kennedy (University of Texas Press) American Cooking Pig: King of the Southern Table by James Villas (John Wiley & Sons) Baking and Dessert Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours by Kim Boyce (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) Beverage Secrets of the Sommeliers: How to Think and Drink Like the World’s Top Wine Professionals by Jordan Mackay and Rajat Parr (Ten Speed Press) Cooking from a Professional Point of View Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine by René Redzepi (Phaidon Press) General Cooking The Essential New York Times Cook Book: Classic Recipes for a New Century by Amanda Hesser (W.W. Norton & Company) Healthy Focus The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook by Jessie Price & the EatingWell Test Kitchen (The Countryman Press) International Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories by Grace Young (Simon & Schuster) Photography Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine Photographer: Ditte Isager (Phaidon Press) Reference and Scholarship Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes by Mark Bitterman (Ten Speed Press) Single Subj ect Meat: A Kitchen Education by James Peterson (Ten Speed Press) Writing and Literature Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg (The Penguin Press)