Need Help Finding Ingredients

[chef koo]

some of you might know i have a competetion coming up. it's a black box. i'm allowed a couple of my own secret ingredients. i just got a call from my supplier that he doesn't have it in stock. does anyone have any black truffles and/or normandy butter. or maybe does anyone know where i can get it? any help will be much appreciated

[dodger]

I tried Meinhardt's website. (which was a waste of time) but perhaps they don't have it listed there. I'm going to go get a coffee and source some out for you!!!

John

edited to say...Neil??

Edited March 5, 2005 by dodger (log)

[Ling]

Coop has mentioned that you can get black truffles (fresh) at Urban Fare. And they have the locked cabinet of various truffle stuff too (oils, jarred, etc.)

You might find Normandy butter there too....I think I may have seen it before, but I'm not 100% sure. Sorry!

[*Deborah*]

THey have lots of butter at Meinhardt's...they have organic, and they have like $10/lb. butter but I don't know if it's Normandy, I was in sticker shock. (Is Normandy that like Plugra they talk about in baking? )

[CanadianBakin']

I'd give The Gourmet Warehouse a call. I know they have a locked cabinet at the front of the store that at least has truffle oil but they probably have truffles too, I've just never looked for it. They also have coolers with assorted items so I wouldn't be suprised if they had the butter. Best wishes!

[Vancouver]

I can confirm Ling's sighting of fresh black truffles at Urban Fare. Give them a call to check before heading over, of course. But they have them normally in the cheese section under glass.

Cheers!

[chef koo]

thanks for your help guys. black truffles were easy enough to find. only probel m was that they're all super small. but better small than none. normandy butter i couldn't find so i settled for the not so great little cousin of normandy butter... swiss butter. $8 / lbs. but if any of you see any normandy butter i'd still like to get if possible. thanks in advance.

deborah. normandy butter is butter that's beeen cultured by bacteria. almost like cheese. they do this all over europe but butter in this fashion from normandy is different like all butters. butters from different parts of europe will taste different depending on the way they raise the cattle.

Edited March 6, 2005 by chef koo (log)

[Daddy-A]

Chef,

Keep us posted on the competition.

A.

[*Deborah*]

deborah. normandy butter is butter that's beeen cultured by bacteria. almost like cheese. they do this all over europe but butter in this fashion from normandy is different like all butters. butters from different parts of europe will taste different depending on the way they raise the cattle.

←

In Normandy, do the cows eat the Calvados mash?

Thanks for the info, though, Chef!

[chef koo]

i will. i'm actually feeling pretty confident about the whole thing. it's just a matter of wether or not my style of cooking is appreciated by the judges. i know i can make something i would like. i'm very uncompromising when it comes to cooking. if lwinning means cooking something i don't want to in the name of a prize then fine... i'll lose. but we'll see. oh i don't drink coffee so if anyone wants a free espresso machine let me know

[Stinky Cook]

I imagine that you will likely not (should not) find Normandy butter in vancouver, or elsewhere in Canada. However, I have seen french butter for sale across the border in Bellingham. French butter is generally superior to any butter i've bought here in Vancouver. Next time you are in France, bring back some Isigny Ste. Mere butter with sea salt in it...mmm...worls best toast

[chef koo]

i got a hold of swiss butter which will have to do. $9.50 / lb (ouch)

[SushiCat]

Chef Koo,

What is the timeline? I'm in Germany and might be able to get some Normandy butter here (I'll look and report back) and bring it back to Van. But I'm not back until the 14th.

let me know, Sivia

[chef koo]

i appreciate the offer. and i would've jumped on it but the competition was today. my black box contained boneless turkey thigh (shudders, i hate turkey), savoy cabbage, and mini potatos. i made a turkey and red wine stew. i stewed the turkey and red wine with chantrelle, onion, carrot, asparagus, thyme, rosemary, and the cabbage, and i boiled the potatoes. it turned out perfect. but i lost. i lost points in presentation. the judge didn't like the color of my dish. he said it was too red. but whatever. i wasn't dissapointed about that. i was however upset when i watched the other comptetitions where they got other ingredients wher i knew i would've done so much better with. off all the ingredients used i turkey leg was one i've never used and know little about. i knew it was like a game bird meat so i treated it like a game bird.

[Chef Metcalf]

i appreciate the offer. and i would've jumped on it but the competition was today. my black box contained boneless turkey thigh (shudders, i hate turkey), savoy cabbage, and mini potatos. i made a turkey and red wine stew. i stewed the turkey and red wine with chantrelle, onion, carrot, asparagus, thyme, rosemary, and the cabbage, and i boiled the potatoes. it turned out perfect. but i lost. i lost points in presentation. the judge didn't like the color of my dish. he said it was too red. but whatever. i wasn't dissapointed about that. i was however upset when i watched the other comptetitions where they got other ingredients wher i knew i would've done so much better with. off all the ingredients used i turkey leg was one i've never used and know little about. i knew it was like a game bird meat so i treated it like a game bird.

←

Sound's like you gave it your best shot given "the ingredients " you received.

I'm curious Chef Koo...what were the other chef's given for black box ingredients?

cm

[chef koo]

i can't remember them all perfectly but i remember one was beef and mini potatos. one was short pasta and prawns and red peppers. another one was snapper and short pasta and asparagus. there was lamb, cauliflower, and potato. and that's all i can remember.