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Interesting Christmas Gifts Received 2014

Porthos

By Porthos
in Food Traditions & Culture

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Anna N

Anna N

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My DD and SIL know I have started restoring older cast iron skillets and gave me a new 1 - egg size cast iron skillet.

Great. I find mine is very useful when I am testing the seasoning of things. So when I am making meatballs I can make one little one, fry it up and decide if it needs more whatever. Similarly when I am making potstickers I can fry up a little bit of stuffing and determine if it needs some help seasoning-wise.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

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liuzhou

liuzhou

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I bought myself a bottle of bubbly for Christmas day breakfast. A bit sad really, but I enjoyed it.

 

Then on Boxing Day a surprise gift turned up from an old friend - a crate of Champagne. 12 lovely bottles! She is a wine journalist with a wine trade magazine and gets regular 'samples' of imported wines which she usually sends to me. 

 

Another friend, from Hunan province, also sent these:

 

preserved%20dried%20wild%20onions.jpg

 

and 

 

%E5%89%81%E6%A4%92.jpg

 

The first is preserved dried wild shallots from Hunan. My initial thought when I saw it was to tell her I quit smoking years ago, but she tells me just to sprinkle it onto rice and eat it. I will do what I'm told. 

 

The second is her mother's home-made 剁椒 (duò jiāo) or chopped chilli. Again to be used as a relish with whatever takes my fancy. 

 

Champagne and wild onion with chopped chilli! That'll do me.

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...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

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Anna N

Anna N

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haresfur and liuzhou,

Now those are seriously INTERESTING gifts. I was the recipient of some gifts for which I am very grateful. But I can't say that they would be interesting to anyone but me!

Thanks for sharing.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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naguere

naguere

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Posted

Not exactly a whole gift, but my second son let me try a small glass of:

 

Dragon Ball Jasmine Tea,,

 

From the Ying Kee Tea House Hong Kong.

 

It was delicious and more fragrant than a fragrant thing.

 

how on earth those tiny balls unfurled to such a grand size amazes me.

Martial.2,500 Years ago:

If pale beans bubble for you in a red earthenware pot, you can often decline the dinners of sumptuous hosts.

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BeeZee

BeeZee

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I got a selection of interesting teas from Teavana, various seasoning blends and flavored salts, and blood orange infused olive oil which should make a nice salad dressing.

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" - Oscar Wilde

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CatPoet

CatPoet

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I got a toffee tea with gold sugar balls...    I prefer black tea blends or smoked tea and well it wasnt that bad but not that yummy.

Cheese is you friend, Cheese will take care of you, Cheese will never betray you, But blue mold will kill me.

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rotuts

rotuts

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Im just dying here.

 

that's about the coolest thing Ive seen since the Original iPod

 

the possibilities are endless !

 

I also Sooooooooo  Pleased BedBath&Beyond does not carry these

 

Id be right down there  (  20 % off, of course  )

 

the possibilities are Indeed Endless with this Gizmo !

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

a long long time ago, I lived in (E)Spain for two years.  I was 10.  My father taught there. Madrid.

 

they are so many things that are very Spanish.  This is one :

 

TIrron.jpg

 

you can see what it is by the pic on the Box.  there are many many kinds.  I think Turron

 

sales peak around Christmas, but don't quote me on that.

 

about 10 days or so before Christmas, i had a real hankering for some Turron.

 

just a bit.  but Im not a shopper, I don't enjoy cruising the Malls etc.,

 

Boom !  my sister sent me a few bars of this for Christmas.

 

Its the kind I like.  It brings back memories.

Edited by rotuts (log)
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rotuts

rotuts

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BTW  someone on eGullet needs to get one of those "Ball" makers and start a thread.

 

Id be Sooooooooo beside myself ...........

 

Ive already thought of over a Doz. mods on the balls :  ie the fillings.

 

savory , sweet , tart , bitter ........

 

Im pretty sure Amazon  ( USA ) doesnt sell them

 

but I dont want to look !

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

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Posted

I didn't get anything food-related that would be considered particularly interesting to most. I did get a nice little collection of sausage making supplies that I'm looking forward to playing around with.

 

The first is preserved dried wild shallots from Hunan. My initial thought when I saw it was to tell her I quit smoking years ago


That's funny because the first thing I thought when I saw the picture is she must have bought it from a shady looking character at a Phish concert. :biggrin: 

 

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

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Im pretty sure Amazon  ( USA ) doesnt sell them

 

but I dont want to look !

They probably do... Amazon Canada sells them for ~$117.

Ouch... just noticed that's ~$117 + $40 shipping.

Edited by Tri2Cook (log)

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well, that's North of the Boarder !

 

Sooooooooooo   what do you call them at Am. USA 

 

Ohhhhhhhhh  Nooooooooooo !

 

The Lunch Ladies are Up There, but

 

:sad:

 

they have no counter space !

 

:laugh:

 

Rats :

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=japanese+octopus+ball+maker

 

Big Change  ie $$

 

why so much more S. of the border ?

 

Rats.

Edited by rotuts (log)
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Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted (edited)

Actually the prices aren't that far apart all-in. Amazon U.S. is with free shipping, Amazon Canada is charging $40 for the shipping. It's pretty cool but not something I'd have a lot of use for. If it was $30 or something in that area, maybe as a novelty but I'd never use it enough to spend $150+ on it.

Edited by Tri2Cook (log)

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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$160 on amazon.com - check out automatic takoyaki machine.  

 

Oops - I see you beat me to it.

Edited by Kerry Beal (log)

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Confectionary Course • Confectionary Course Q&A
eGullet foodblog 2006 • eGullet Foodblog 2012

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andiesenji

andiesenji

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Im just dying here.

 

that's about the coolest thing Ive seen since the Original iPod

 

the possibilities are endless !

 

I also Sooooooooo  Pleased BedBath&Beyond does not carry these

 

Id be right down there  (  20 % off, of course  )

 

the possibilities are Indeed Endless with this Gizmo !

A couple of years ago someone sent me a link to a video of that machine working.  I have a couple of the cast iron stovetop pans, one is shaped like an octopus - in case someone might question the purpose. However I have only ever used them for cooking doughnut holes, as I can't eat seafood.  The "cells" are a nice size, much smaller than those in an aebleskiver pan but work the same way.

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"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

Well, that's North of the Boarder !

 

Sooooooooooo   what do you call them at Am. USA 

 

Ohhhhhhhhh  Nooooooooooo !

 

The Lunch Ladies are Up There, but

 

:sad:

 

they have no counter space !

 

:laugh:

 

Rats :

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=japanese+octopus+ball+maker

 

Big Change  ie $$

 

why so much more S. of the border ?

 

Rats.

 

The price seems reasonable enough.  I paid twice that for my katsuobushi bako.

 

I'd worry though that the instructions are in Japanese and the voltage is 100v which may be a problem in North America.  If the product catches on I'm sure Zojirushi will come out with one.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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SylviaLovegren

SylviaLovegren

Posted
Posted (edited)

a long long time ago, I lived in (E)Spain for two years.  I was 10.  My father taught there. Madrid.

 

they are so many things that are very Spanish.  This is one :

 

attachicon.gifTIrron.jpg

 

you can see what it is by the pic on the Box.  there are many many kinds.  I think Turron

 

sales peak around Christmas, but don't quote me on that.

 

about 10 days or so before Christmas, i had a real hankering for some Turron.

 

just a bit.  but Im not a shopper, I don't enjoy cruising the Malls etc.,

 

Boom !  my sister sent me a few bars of this for Christmas.

 

Its the kind I like.  It brings back memories.

 

 

Turron is also very Italian, at least Sicilian/Naples, etc.  The Italian salumerias in Hoboken, NJ always had it and I just LOVE it.   My mouth is watering looking at that picture. 

 

ETA, when I think about it, it's probably wherever there was an Arab/Moorish influence.  Whatever, yumminess.

Edited by SylviaLovegren (log)
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rotuts

rotuts

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My sister also sent me a number of these :

 

Bentons.jpg

 

and here they are :

 

http://shop.bentonscountryham.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=hscb

 

Ive had 'mail order' bacon from several places over the years.

 

this bacon is exceptionally stunning  for me

 

its like a Personal Beverage, its personal to you.

 

I no longer cook  'bacon and eggs' etc

 

but this stuff on top of my TurkeyMeatLoaf  ( TML )

 

sends the TML into " Infinity and Beyond "

 

its quite smok[e]y,  but for me is a very good way.

 

I use < less etc

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