When Expensive Equipment Matters

[tanabutler]

I am going to pipe in here with goat goat cheese. Once when I was in London I sampled the cheese of a goat and I thought it was very very tasty. Recently I saw a little loaf of the stuff in the dairy case at Wal-Mart, and grabbed it to savor at home, however, it nearly made me vomit. I shall now have to figure out where I can find good goat cheese in Delaware...

Have you tried LocalHarvest.org to find producers nearby? If not in Delaware, perhaps someone in Maryland or NJ sells to Delaware markets.

[KatieLoeb]

I am going to pipe in here with goat goat cheese.  Once when I was in London I sampled the cheese of a goat and I thought it was very very tasty.  Recently I saw a little loaf of the stuff in the dairy case at Wal-Mart, and grabbed it to savor at home, however, it nearly made me vomit.  I shall now have to figure out where I can find good goat cheese in Delaware...

Have you tried LocalHarvest.org to find producers nearby? If not in Delaware, perhaps someone in Maryland or NJ sells to Delaware markets.

Where are you in Delaware? If you're close enough to Philadelphia there are several excellent cheese purveyors here (Lisa - are you listening?). There's also Gourm-e-Co, American Gourmet out of Washington, DC or even online farmers (search for the Bobolink Farm threads) that sell cheese and ship it.

[NulloModo]

I am less than 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I have a feeling I will have to make some trips into the city to buy some of the things I hear about on these threads.

I am not against ordering online, but I tend to be rather impatient when I Want to try something new, so I would rather drive that day to Philadelphia and search till I find it than wait the several days for an air-delivery.

[KatieLoeb]

I am less than 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I have a feeling I will have to make some trips into the city to buy some of the things I hear about on these threads.

I am not against ordering online, but I tend to be rather impatient when I Want to try something new, so I would rather drive that day to Philadelphia and search till I find it than wait the several days for an air-delivery.

NulloModo:

I may have misunderstood your intent. I wasn't sure if you were looking for commercial cheese purveyors like for a restaurant, or just good retail cheese for "recreational" eating. Certainly there must be a decent cheese shop somewhere in Delaware or perhaps nearby in Chadds Ford or thereabouts. But Philly is a short drive and you should definitely go visit our own Lisa Alois, self-proclaimed Fromager to the Masses at DiBruno's some afternoon for a world tour of their astonishing inventory.

[NulloModo]

Interesting ;). I am a 'recreational' cheese user I suppose you could say, I certainly don't have a restaurant to run.

I am just beginning to get into this appreciating fiine food and cooking thing, so I am a complete novice with regards to what to look for or where to look for it. I have learned a lot simply reading threads in e-gullet, and am otherwise sort of picking it up as I go along. I don't recall ever seeing a shop which sells only cheese anywhere around here, but I can't say I have ever looked either, I will have to do some searching and then report back my findings.

[robyn]

I am less than 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia.  I have a feeling I will have to make some trips into the city to buy some of the things I hear about on these threads.

I am not against ordering online, but I tend to be rather impatient when I Want to try something new, so I would rather drive that day to Philadelphia and search till I find it than wait the several days for an air-delivery.

I order cheese from France sometimes. If I order it by about 10 am - it's on my doorstep next business day (courtesy of overnight FEDEX). Robyn

[Chad]

I believe someone has already mentioned this, but balsamic vinegar -- the cheap (fake) stuff just doesn't cut it. The real stuff is sublime.

Chad

[Mabelline]

Fresh fish and shellfish in Montana. Also my genuine 'leaf fat' lard, freerange chickens, eggs, and capons. Good tea. Good vinegars--I am now working on fig.

[tommy]

I believe someone has already mentioned this, but balsamic vinegar -- the cheap (fake) stuff just doesn't cut it. The real stuff is sublime.

Chad

yeah, but who can afford or find it!

[markf424]

I believe someone has already mentioned this, but balsamic vinegar -- the cheap (fake) stuff just doesn't cut it. The real stuff is sublime.

Chad

yeah, but who can afford or find it!

Two questions, man. Affording is one thing, but finding is easy. I have two bottles of the good stuff at home. Now, granted, I'm too cheap to use them 99% of the time, but I've got 'em!

[tommy]

Two questions, man. Affording is one thing, but finding is easy. I have two bottles of the good stuff at home. Now, granted, I'm too cheap to use them 99% of the time, but I've got 'em!

i honestly can't find anything like balsamico tradizionale without really traveling (bronx, italy), and boy it's really super expensive, like you say.

[GordonCooks]

Salt!

maple syrup, bacon, organic eggs, capers, rice, truffle oil.....

[stephenc]

Paper towels

[NulloModo]

I believe someone has already mentioned this, but balsamic vinegar -- the cheap (fake) stuff just doesn't cut it. The real stuff is sublime.

Chad

yeah, but who can afford or find it!

They have something marked as Balsamico at Williams Sonoma selling for about $30 for a smallish bottle. Would this be some of the good stuff?

It is far more than what balsamic vinegar goes for at the grocery store... but at the same time apparently less than what the stuff shipped from Italy will cost.

[markf424]

They have something marked as Balsamico at Williams Sonoma selling for about $30 for a smallish bottle. Would this be some of the good stuff?

It is far more than what balsamic vinegar goes for at the grocery store... but at the same time apparently less than what the stuff shipped from Italy will cost.

No, it's just good "fake" balsamic. It's not the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, which is easy to identify by its signature bottle shape:

You can buy some from Amazon.com - I'd link it but I'm unsure how to make sure eGullet gets their props. It runs close to $100/bottle for a small bottle that size.

[NulloModo]

So this:

http://ww1.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm...amico&cmsrc=sch

Which is aged, and called Aceto Balsamico, is not the real stuff, as it lacks the Tradizionale at the end? Any the popular consensus is that it is worth it to pay double the price for the real stuff?

[Behemoth]

As a couple of people already mentioned, CHEESE.

I used to think that so long as parmesan came in a hunk, and had Parmiggiano Reggiano stamped on the side it would be at least decent. But the supermerket brand I bought here tasted bland, texture like plastic. Maybe I have just been really spoiled but last month when my parents visited from Philly I made them haul me a lb. from DiBrunos. Heavenly stuff. I would think given the sticklerishness of labelling in Europe the quality would be at least comparable. Meh.

Canned tomatoes are another biggie. Okay, they are not in general expensive but the better brands are about $.50 more than the cheap ones. Definitely worth it.

[ehemann]

I spend good money on good cook books. also ;organic milk, artisan cheese, artisan bread, clogs, salt, sushi umm i'll think of more just wanted to throw my hat in the ring

[hathor]

I agree with almost everything you're all saying.

Reggiano

Buffalo Mozz.

Fresh Herbs

Good knives

Freshly cut meat

fresh fish

good wine

Thank God I have a Wegman's close by!!!

Gosh, I've never tried buffalo mozzarella before. Now with 2 people talking about it....must....buy....buffalo mozz!

Regarding bufala mozzarella: here's some trivia that I learned just last night: bufala also means "knucklehead" or 'thick headed". Where else would you read this kind of stuff??

[chefboy2160]

OK,I've allready said good food but I cannot believe there has not been one reply that says better clothes! Shopping is fun and who does not like to upgrade there chef attire! Pro or homebound there is a lot to choose from and remember that perception is a big part of the meal! In the words of Wilma Flinstone and

Betty Rubble" Charge IT.............Doug

[robyn]

I believe someone has already mentioned this, but balsamic vinegar -- the cheap (fake) stuff just doesn't cut it. The real stuff is sublime.

Chad

yeah, but who can afford or find it!

Two questions, man. Affording is one thing, but finding is easy. I have two bottles of the good stuff at home. Now, granted, I'm too cheap to use them 99% of the time, but I've got 'em!

And not using it about 99% of the time is about right. You don't want to saute with it - or make a salad dressing out of it. On the other hand - you might drizzle some over some strawberries for dessert. Robyn

[KatieLoeb]

NulloModo:

There's real "good stuff" that is aged and comes in bottles that aren't necessarily shaped like the one above. The stuff I have at home is This One and it's amazing. This is what I referred to in another thread abot wine and cheese when I said to drizzle just a tiny bit of good viscous aged balsamic over some aged parmesano reggiano. That's the snack food of the gods, for sure.

In addition to putting it on strawberries as Robyn mentioned (another favorite way to use this sparingly for best effect) you can also brush a light film or a wee drizzle on a perfectly grilled steak before you eat it. That's pretty damned tasty too.

[robyn]

OK,I've allready said good food but I cannot believe there has not been one reply that says better clothes! Shopping is fun and who does not like to upgrade there chef attire! Pro or homebound there is a lot to choose from and remember that perception is a big part of the meal! In the words of Wilma Flinstone and

Betty Rubble" Charge IT.............Doug

Maybe the problem with better clothes is there are too many home chefs like me. I have an XXL red Champion tshirt that I use when I'm cooking anything that is red or brown or has oil in it - which is a heck of a lot of the time. Note that I am very short - so it is basically a mini-dress on me - and every time I wash it - it gets "minier" . Robyn

[chefboy2160]

And the problem with that would be what my dear?Doug..........

[robyn]

And the problem with that would be what my dear?Doug..........

When I bend over - no one would ever confuse me with a Vargas girl . Robyn