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James MacGuire Bio James MacGuire was born into an Irish-American family in Manhattan in 1951. At the age of sixteen, he landed his first summer job as a dishwasher at Porky Manero’s Steakhouse in Westport, Connecticut. He was quickly promoted to salad boy -- preparing iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing – and soon got hooked on the pressure-cooker high of the professional kitchen. He continued to work in restaurants while attending McGill University in Montreal but quit after two years to wield a knife full time. MacGuire’s culinary career then brought him back to the States. He worked in San Francisco (Ernie’s), Los Angeles (The Biltmore Hotel, Le Chambord), Dallas, Ketchum, Baltimore, and finally back to New York where he worked at The River Café under Larry Forgione. Next came a sojourn to France where he toiled in the kitchens of L’Auberge de L’Ill in Alsace, Orsi and Bernachon in Lyon, Auberge Henri IV in Chartres, and Jean Delaveyne in Bougival. At his final stop in Tours, he worked for the man he still describes as his mentor, Charles Barrier. “Barrier remains a great friend and huge influence,” says MacGuire. “He made everything in-house, and was totally unafraid to delve into charcuterie and other specialties. He did things right, including a professional bread-making operation to make bread for sixty customers at lunch and another sixty at dinner. When he wasn’t satisfied with the results, he called on his friend, bread expert, Raymond Calvel, who has since become a friend of mine and my biggest influence on the baking side.” MacGuire then returned to Montreal, where he opened Le Passe-Partout in 1981. The thirty-seat restaurant featured a small changing menu of cuisine du marché. Almost everything was made in-house. He later added a bakery, where his bread and viennoiseries were considered the best in the city. In April 2004, after 23 years in business, he closed both operations. MacGuire now works as a consultant and teacher, and has held bread seminars for The American Institute of Baking, The Culinary Institute of America, and The American Breadbakers’ Guild. He also contributes articles and cookbook reviews to Ed Behr’s The Art of Eating. With Dr. Ronald Wirtz, MacGuire translated Professor Calvel’s last book, The Taste Of Bread (Aspen Publishing, 2001) into English.

James MacGuire Bio James MacGuire was born into an Irish-American family in Manhattan in 1951. At the age of sixteen, he landed his first summer job as a dishwasher at Porky Manero’s Steakhouse in Westport, Connecticut. He was quickly promoted to salad boy -- preparing iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing – and soon got hooked on the pressure-cooker high of the professional kitchen. He continued to work in restaurants while attending McGill University in Montreal but quit after two years to wield a knife full time. MacGuire’s culinary career then brought him back to the States. He worked in San Francisco (Ernie’s), Los Angeles (The Biltmore Hotel, Le Chambord), Dallas, Ketchum, Baltimore, and finally back to New York where he worked at The River Café under Larry Forgione. Next came a sojourn to France where he toiled in the kitchens of L’Auberge de L’Ill in Alsace, Orsi and Bernachon in Lyon, Auberge Henri IV in Chartres, and Jean Delaveyne in Bougival. At his final stop in Tours, he worked for the man he still describes as his mentor, Charles Barrier. “Barrier remains a great friend and huge influence,” says MacGuire. “He made everything in-house, and was totally unafraid to delve into charcuterie and other specialties. He did things right, including a professional bread-making operation to make bread for sixty customers at lunch and another sixty at dinner. When he wasn’t satisfied with the results, he called on his friend, bread expert, Raymond Calvel, who has since become a friend of mine and my biggest influence on the baking side.” MacGuire then returned to Montreal, where he opened Le Passe-Partout in 1981. The thirty-seat restaurant featured a small changing menu of cuisine du marché. Almost everything was made in-house. He later added a bakery, where his bread and viennoiseries were considered the best in the city. In April 2004, after 23 years in business, he closed both operations. MacGuire now works as a consultant and teacher, and has held bread seminars for The American Institute of Baking, The Culinary Institute of America, and The American Breadbakers’ Guild. He also contributes articles and cookbook reviews to Ed Behr’s The Art of Eating. With Dr. Ronald Wirtz, MacGuire translated Professor Calvel’s last book, The Taste Of Bread (Aspen Publishing, 2001) into English. ****** Posters should bear in mind that MacGuire's point of view has, of course been greatly influenced by Raymond Calvel, so he has asked two friends to look over his shoulder: -Hubert Chiron, of the INRA in Nantes, France, author with Philippe Roussel, of Les Pains Francais: Evolution, Qualite, Production ( Mae-Erti Editeur), a clear and extremely useful book which takes the science of things as far as most bakers would want to go but also reflects Chiron's love of baking history. - Jeffrey Hamelman, Head Baker at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont, and author of Bread, A Baker's Book Of Techniques And Recipes (John Wiley and Sons, due out this fall) In cases where either's input goes beyond approval of MacGuire's own answers or if opinions differ, they will post their answers following MacGuire's.

I was watching Alton Brown on Good Eats make a batch of mayo. He filled a regular store-bought mayonnaise jar with his homemade concoction and proceeded to say that We should use it within a week. A week!? That's not a lot of time to mow through some mayo, man! I make a ton of egg salad sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches, tuna fish sandwiches - I use a lot of mayo - yet a regular store-bought jar of mayo still seems to last an eternity on the door of my fridge. Are there additives to the store-bought variety that can increase it's longevity so much, or is my beloved AB watching his 6 and erring on the side of his lawers?

Chevre & Apple Chutney Roll Serves 8 as Appetizer. The chutney part of the recipe (adapted from a recipe in a November 1996 “Bon Appétit” magazine) makes approximately 3 cups of chutney which is more than is needed for the roll. However, the chutney is excellent as a condiment and we never have a difficult time using up the "extra". The chutney is best if made at least one day before using so the flavors can mellow. Use golden raisins for a light-colored chutney and dark raisins for a dark chutney. Also, other dried fruits (prunes, apricots, etc.) can be substituted for the raisins as variations to the basic recipe. Chutney 1-1/2 c apple cider vinegar 2 c sugar 1-1/2 lb tart apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces 10 large garlic cloves, minced 2 oz fresh ginger, peeled, minced 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper 1-1/2 c (packed) raisins, coarsely chopped 2 T yellow or brown (or a mixture of the two) mustard seeds Roll 12 oz chevre, at room temperature 1/2 c apple chutney (from above), cooled or chilled Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir. Mix in the remaining chutney ingredients (but not the chevre!). Simmer until the apples are tender and the chutney thickens, stirring occasionally while it cooks. 45-60 minutes. Cool chutney and chill until used. Pat the softened chevre onto a sheet of plastic wrap in a rough rectangular shape. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and roll (or pat) into a 1/4"-thick rectangle. Peel off the top sheet of plastic and spread the chevre with a thin layer of chutney. Use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to help roll the chutney covered chevre, along the long side of the rectangle, into a tight roll. Or, you can line a small loaf pan or other mold with plastic wrap and spread alternating layers of chevre and chutney inside the mold, packing each layer firmly,starting and ending with chevre. Unmold onto a serving plate and peel off the plastic. Chill if not serving immediately (roll can be made up to one day beforehand) and bring to room temperature before serving with crackers or bread. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Vegetarian, Condiment, Appetizer, Easy, Cheese, Snack ( RG1046 )

Chevre & Apple Chutney Roll Serves 8 as Appetizer. The chutney part of the recipe (adapted from a recipe in a November 1996 “Bon Appétit” magazine) makes approximately 3 cups of chutney which is more than is needed for the roll. However, the chutney is excellent as a condiment and we never have a difficult time using up the "extra". The chutney is best if made at least one day before using so the flavors can mellow. Use golden raisins for a light-colored chutney and dark raisins for a dark chutney. Also, other dried fruits (prunes, apricots, etc.) can be substituted for the raisins as variations to the basic recipe. Chutney 1-1/2 c apple cider vinegar 2 c sugar 1-1/2 lb tart apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces 10 large garlic cloves, minced 2 oz fresh ginger, peeled, minced 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper 1-1/2 c (packed) raisins, coarsely chopped 2 T yellow or brown (or a mixture of the two) mustard seeds Roll 12 oz chevre, at room temperature 1/2 c apple chutney (from above), cooled or chilled Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir. Mix in the remaining chutney ingredients (but not the chevre!). Simmer until the apples are tender and the chutney thickens, stirring occasionally while it cooks. 45-60 minutes. Cool chutney and chill until used. Pat the softened chevre onto a sheet of plastic wrap in a rough rectangular shape. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and roll (or pat) into a 1/4"-thick rectangle. Peel off the top sheet of plastic and spread the chevre with a thin layer of chutney. Use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to help roll the chutney covered chevre, along the long side of the rectangle, into a tight roll. Or, you can line a small loaf pan or other mold with plastic wrap and spread alternating layers of chevre and chutney inside the mold, packing each layer firmly,starting and ending with chevre. Unmold onto a serving plate and peel off the plastic. Chill if not serving immediately (roll can be made up to one day beforehand) and bring to room temperature before serving with crackers or bread. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Vegetarian, Condiment, Appetizer, Easy, Cheese, Snack ( RG1046 )

Tataki Kyuuri no Shouga-zuke ( Cucumber pickles with Ginger) Serves 4 as Side. These are a simple cucumber pickle that only need a couple minutes to marinate. Tataki is from the verb to hit or strike and they are called this because the cucumbers (kyuuri) are slightly smashed before marinating in the ginger (shouga) dressing. Try to use Japanese cucumbers if possible, if they are not available then use seedless ones. 3 Japanese cucmbers 1 T grated ginger 1/2 T rice vinegar 3 T soy sauce large pinch of sugar 1. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, then cut them in 2 to 3 inch lengths. 2. Place them into a ziploc bag and slightly crush them with the bottom of a pan, you don't want to smash them to a pulp rather you want to just open them up a little so they can marinate faster. Some will be broken. 3 Add the rest of the ingredients to the bag and masssage it gently to mix the ingredients. 4. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then serve. Keywords: Appetizer, Japanese, Side, Vegan, Easy ( RG1041 )

Tataki Kyuuri no Shouga-zuke ( Cucumber pickles with Ginger) Serves 4 as Side. These are a simple cucumber pickle that only need a couple minutes to marinate. Tataki is from the verb to hit or strike and they are called this because the cucumbers (kyuuri) are slightly smashed before marinating in the ginger (shouga) dressing. Try to use Japanese cucumbers if possible, if they are not available then use seedless ones. 3 Japanese cucmbers 1 T grated ginger 1/2 T rice vinegar 3 T soy sauce large pinch of sugar 1. Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, then cut them in 2 to 3 inch lengths. 2. Place them into a ziploc bag and slightly crush them with the bottom of a pan, you don't want to smash them to a pulp rather you want to just open them up a little so they can marinate faster. Some will be broken. 3 Add the rest of the ingredients to the bag and masssage it gently to mix the ingredients. 4. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then serve. Keywords: Appetizer, Japanese, Side, Vegan, Easy ( RG1041 )

Made lamb curry the other night, using Jaz's recipe. After seeing the price of Major Grey's chutney, I decided to make my own : bought about $8 worth of mangos, some golden raisins and spices. I made over a quart for about $10. And it was really , really easy and tasted great! Anyone else make chutney regularly, and if so, what kinds?

Gravlax with a Mustard Sauce Serves 10 as Appetizeror 18 as Hors d'oeuvre. The gravlax preparation for the salmon itself, I go to Costco and buy the huge slabs of raw salmon (which have no bones and no skin): one 2-3 lb. piece of fresh salmon filet (use the thickest part for this) divide into two equal pieces The Cure: 1/2 cup of sugar 1/2 cup of coarse, kosher salt 1 large bunch of fresh dill (stems included) 2 Tbsp freshly coarse ground black peppercorns 4 Tbsp vodka Mix dry ingredients together and rub into the salmon (which is cut into two large slabs and , at the end of prep, put the two pieces "face to face")... douse with the vodka and put the fresh dill on top ... replace the second slab of salmon on top of the first after rubbing in the curing mixture ... then I cover tightly with saran wrap, a bit of foil, and wrap a brick in aluminum foil to weight it all down ... Cover tightly and place in back part of your refrigerator and let cure for 3-4 days... I turn and baste it with the accumulated juices once each day. .... after the curing, wash off the gravlax with cool water, dry with paper towelling, slice thinly (use a very sharp knife so as not to crush the delicate fish) serve with the honey mustard dill sauce(on the side in a little bowl): 1 Tbsp sweet, regular yellow mustard (i.e. French's) 1 tsp dijon style mustard 2 Tsp sugar (or honey works well, too) 1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 3/4 cup salad oil chopped fresh dill salt & pepper Mix all ingredients except for the oil and dill .... then whisk in oil in a steady stream ( making an emulsion... like mayonnaise ) ... when thickened, mix in the chopped fresh dill ....refrigerate and let flavors meld (can be done after the 3 days of curing)... To serve: I slice the salmon very thinly and place on a large decorative platter (black lacquer is a nice color to set off the salmon) .... serve garnished with lemon wedges, chopped red onion, capers, grape tomatoes, creme fraiche (or sliced beefsteak tomatoes), more fresh dill sprigs for color ... This makes a presentation which is lovely to look at and considerably fresher than smoked salmon (which is very expensive and too salty for my tastes!) Hope you and your guests will enjoy it! Very simple ... 15 minutes prep and then let it sit for the 3-4 days .. slice and serve ... how simple is that for such a delectable and beautiful presentation? Hardly original, my first efforts were inspired by the preparation of Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit in NYC .... Keywords: Appetizer, Kosher, Easy, Fish, Hors d'oeuvre, Seafood ( RG1035 )

Gravlax with a Mustard Sauce Serves 10 as Appetizeror 18 as Hors d'oeuvre. The gravlax preparation for the salmon itself, I go to Costco and buy the huge slabs of raw salmon (which have no bones and no skin): one 2-3 lb. piece of fresh salmon filet (use the thickest part for this) divide into two equal pieces The Cure: 1/2 cup of sugar 1/2 cup of coarse, kosher salt 1 large bunch of fresh dill (stems included) 2 Tbsp freshly coarse ground black peppercorns 4 Tbsp vodka Mix dry ingredients together and rub into the salmon (which is cut into two large slabs and , at the end of prep, put the two pieces "face to face")... douse with the vodka and put the fresh dill on top ... replace the second slab of salmon on top of the first after rubbing in the curing mixture ... then I cover tightly with saran wrap, a bit of foil, and wrap a brick in aluminum foil to weight it all down ... Cover tightly and place in back part of your refrigerator and let cure for 3-4 days... I turn and baste it with the accumulated juices once each day. .... after the curing, wash off the gravlax with cool water, dry with paper towelling, slice thinly (use a very sharp knife so as not to crush the delicate fish) serve with the honey mustard dill sauce(on the side in a little bowl): 1 Tbsp sweet, regular yellow mustard (i.e. French's) 1 tsp dijon style mustard 2 Tsp sugar (or honey works well, too) 1 1/2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 3/4 cup salad oil chopped fresh dill salt & pepper Mix all ingredients except for the oil and dill .... then whisk in oil in a steady stream ( making an emulsion... like mayonnaise ) ... when thickened, mix in the chopped fresh dill ....refrigerate and let flavors meld (can be done after the 3 days of curing)... To serve: I slice the salmon very thinly and place on a large decorative platter (black lacquer is a nice color to set off the salmon) .... serve garnished with lemon wedges, chopped red onion, capers, grape tomatoes, creme fraiche (or sliced beefsteak tomatoes), more fresh dill sprigs for color ... This makes a presentation which is lovely to look at and considerably fresher than smoked salmon (which is very expensive and too salty for my tastes!) Hope you and your guests will enjoy it! Very simple ... 15 minutes prep and then let it sit for the 3-4 days .. slice and serve ... how simple is that for such a delectable and beautiful presentation? Hardly original, my first efforts were inspired by the preparation of Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit in NYC .... Keywords: Appetizer, Kosher, Easy, Fish, Hors d'oeuvre, Seafood ( RG1035 )

Lisa’s Mustard Cheese Crackers cream butter and cheese in processor til almost smooth. add remaining ingredients and pulse til just combined. divide dough between 2 sheets waxed paper and roll each into 8 inch logs. freeze, wrapped in wax paper and then foil til firm (1 1/2 – 2 hrs) preheat oven to 350* cut logs into 1/4 in slices and put on buttered baking sheet 1 in apart. bake til edges are golden brown, about 15 mins. 1/2 c butter (1 stick) 1/2 lb grated swiss or emmenthaler or gruyere 1 c ap flour 3 T dijon mustard or i sometimes use wild thymes peccorino peppercorn mustard and omit the mustard seeds 2 tsp dry mustard 1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp salt Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre ( RG1017 )

Lisa’s Mustard Cheese Crackers cream butter and cheese in processor til almost smooth. add remaining ingredients and pulse til just combined. divide dough between 2 sheets waxed paper and roll each into 8 inch logs. freeze, wrapped in wax paper and then foil til firm (1 1/2 – 2 hrs) preheat oven to 350* cut logs into 1/4 in slices and put on buttered baking sheet 1 in apart. bake til edges are golden brown, about 15 mins. 1/2 c butter (1 stick) 1/2 lb grated swiss or emmenthaler or gruyere 1 c ap flour 3 T dijon mustard or i sometimes use wild thymes peccorino peppercorn mustard and omit the mustard seeds 2 tsp dry mustard 1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp salt Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre ( RG1017 )

http://www.rumshop.net/newsletters/may2004.pdf (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) The May issue of GOT RUM? Magazine put out by Luis Ayala has a lot of cool information and recipes for mexican rum drinks, food and drink recipes with Piloncillo (a type of unrefined brick sugar that is common in Mexico), as well as some interesting history of the spirit in that country.

Here are my 2 cents: GITS Step 1: Make the dough Step 2 --roll into balls step 3: deep fry on a low flame step 4: drain step 5: Soak in sugar syrup ( which I forgot to take a picture of as I was making it ) Step 6: Eat.. enjoy.. love life and be happy step 7: Find Deliad and feed him all this so I am not alone in gaining 10 pounds

I have been invited to a Cinco de Mayo party and asked to bring an appetizer for 6. I don't think it has to be Mexican, but I would like to bring something either Mexican or Southwestern in flavor or spirit (or at least South of the border). I don't want to bring salsas or guacamole or anything so predictable. Most of the interesting things I can think of need last minute attention, like fritters or gorditas etc. I like the idea of a shrimp seviche, but it looks messy to eat standing up. Any ideas on presenting a seviche for a cocktail-type party are welcome. I would like something that could be served room temperature and be prepared in advance. It doesn't have to be "authentic," just taste great and suitably impress . Also, I don't have time to experiment. I would like something you have made before. Too much to ask?

Article and recipes here. Cheers!

It's prepared grain mustard that's used like a condiment here. Can I use it to make any Indian dish? Suman

Hello, When I ate at the Mandarin Kitchen in London, I had the opportunity to try a dish whose main component was jellyfish. Recently, I found some jellyfish in North Carolina of all places. Does anyone have a good recipe for jellyfish? Sincerely - Weka

I'm looking for a good source for hot sauce by mail order in the USA. Are there any great web sites where hot sauces can be ordered? In particular, I'm looking for a source for "Inner Beauty Real Hot Sauce", a personal favorite that seems to be impossible to find now. I sure hope they haven't gone out of business. So, I like a spicy hot sauce, but one with good flavor in addition to heat. I'm guessing I'll have to find a substitute for my favorite "Inner Beauty". Any experts out there who can suggest a good alternative? Any suggestions for excellent on-line suppliers who may be able to help by providing both expertise and a good selection?

I finally dived into the wonderful world of making homemade ketchup. Everything was going fine until I hit "spices" on the label. I've been eating tubfuls of this stuff for decades and I've never been able to detect any particular spice notes. Any ideas?

Article here.

Never do I buy ANYTHING because it is endorsed by someone famous (at least not consciously), but my friend got Jamie Oliver's T-fal stuff and I liked the hefty weight. I haven't used them so I'm not sure how they perform. What are your thoughts? I've always gotten my cookware from resturant supply houses because I refused to spend the money for a name. I used another friends All-Clad Copper Core sauteuse and I was amazed at how well it performed. I guess for 350 bucks it better!!. Jamie/T-fal is very reasonably priced and it's my 40th B'day on Monday so my DW wants to buy me a set.

A while ago, to learn the ins and outs of Horseradish, I began making my own mustard. I have managed some really really good varieties, (one with black mustard seeds, rice-wine vinegar, horseradish and Kabocha squash) and some really god awful ones too. I recall that my grandmother used to make her own ketchup too. it wasn't all that good. has anyone made their own condiments before? care to share experiences?

Hello! I was looking for a good pickle recipe. Thanks for your help. -Billy

Brooksie's Dill Pickles Brooksie's Dill Pickles Brine 1 Quart White Vinegar 3 Quart DISTILLED Water 1 scant cup salt Cucumbers Fresh Dill Tabasco Peppers Garlic Many times the dill will be ready in your garden before the cucumbers. In that case you may preserve the dill by breaking into 2 inch pieces and putting into large jar and pouring mixed brine solution on it until covered. Keep this jar in a dark place and when the cucumbers are ready use the dill AND the brine, but remove the dill from the brine before boiling. There you go simple and easy. You will notice that the cucumbers are never blanched or par boiled, etc. The beans should not be either, although I have noticed that they really take 4 to 6 weeks, just a little longer than the cukes. Incidentally, the dill will keep until after the nuclear war (when there will be a great shortage of dill pickles and Mama's to make them) as long as it is kept in the dark 1 qt White Vinegar 3 qt DISTILLED Water 1 scant cup salt Cucumbers Fresh Dill Tabasco Peppers Garlic 1)Sterilize jars and pack into each jar beans or cucumbers (standing end on end) along with one large clove garlic, one tabasco or other small hot pepper, 1 dill stalk top 2)Heat brine to boiling and pour over cucumbers in jars. 3)Seal and Invert Jars until cool 4)Ready to eat in three or 4 weeks Keywords: Side, Kosher, Easy, Vegetables ( RG961 )