eG Foodblog: torakris/snowangel - When Pocky meets pad thai....

[Swisskaese]

It looks delicious.

The best thing for drying pasta is to either put it over a sterilised broom handle or buy a pasta drying rack.

I bought my drying rack for about 20USD when I went to visit my parents in the States. It is similiar to this one, but mine is made out of wood.

Edited October 10, 2005 by Swisskaese (log)

[prasantrin]

It looks delicious.

The best thing for drying pasta is to either put it over a sterilised broom handle or buy a pasta drying rack.

I bought my drying rack for about 20USD when I went to visit my parents in the States. It is similiar to this one, but mine is made out of wood.

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Hey! You can get stuff like that at the Y100 shop in Japan! It's for laundry, but there's no harm in multi-tasking! Now if only I had a pasta maker...

[Susan in FL]

The best thing for drying pasta is to either put it over a sterilised broom handle or buy a pasta drying rack.

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Ah yes, but don't forget the clothes drying racks, used by some in the Pasta Cook-off! For Russ and me, that is the best thing.

[snowangel]

I almost never eat anything sweet for breakfast. In fact, outside of fruit (and I much prefer a fruit with tang), I almost never eat sweets. But, for breakfast, I had a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some great chocolate sauce that we get at the farmer's market. It's by the River Chocolate Company (they don't have a web site). This one was called Mexican Chocolate sauce, and the ingredients are Belgian chocolate, cream, sugar, light corn syrup, Vietnamese cinnamon, organic coffee exracts, vanilla, salt. It is very thick, and very rich. I heated the sauce so I could spoon it out, and put it over a scoop of incredibly hard ice cream so that the sauce hardened up. I'll post a photo later when I can find it (lost in computer space).

Since I don't have drying racks, I'm figuring that my dining room chairs will be covered with flour!

[edsel]

Since I don't have drying racks, I'm figuring that my dining room chairs will be covered with flour!  ←

If you've got some spare cotton dish towels, drape them over the chair backs and lay the pasta over them.

Or you can try the broom-handle spanning two chair backs. Though that can be kind of precarious.

[Corinna Dunne]

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It was quite hard to get used to making bentos after coming from the US where most lunches consisted of as andwiche that has been smashed in the middle by some kind of fruit.

This past one that I made was probably the fastest one I made to date and I was actually quite embarassed to post it as it was quite lacking in variety...

After making bentos for 10 years now I have gotten quite used to the little tricks that make it look good like lettuce leaves used as cups, lemon slices for color, mini tomatoes also work nicely for color but the stores always jack up the prices the weekend of sports day (about $2.50 for 10) so I no longer buy them.

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This is fascinating. I can't believe that mothers in Japan face the additional pressure of clever presentation for their children's lunch boxes. I am really looking forward to reading the Bento Box thread. I love the pictures of the fake food too, really cool.

And Susan, the brisket looks great. This is something I'd love to try, although I think I might delegate it to my husband who is "in charge" of the barbeque and such likes!

The two of you have incredible energy. Thanks for the great international blog.

[Smithy]

It's hard to read recipes when one is doing laundry, helping with homework, etc.

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...Talking to the husband, listening to the husband, feeding animals, playing tug of war with large dogs...

I hear ya.

[Smithy]

This is a wonderful blog. I hope to be able to log on before the end, but right now I'm just skimming to catch up. Great job on the pasta, Kristin! Susan, I'm sure yours will go well too - but I'll wish you luck, just in case.

A friend of mine uses a hollowed-out pumpkin as a soup tureen. I think she may bake the pumpkin a bit to soften it. At any rate, then she surreptitiously scrapes pumpkin into the soup as she serves it, thereby ensuring that her kids get some vegetables.

Good luck! Great blog, both of yez!

[TPO]

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It was quite hard to get used to making bentos after coming from the US where most lunches consisted of as andwiche that has been smashed in the middle by some kind of fruit.

This past one that I made was probably the fastest one I made to date and I was actually quite embarassed to post it as it was quite lacking in variety...

After making bentos for 10 years now I have gotten quite used to the little tricks that make it look good like lettuce leaves used as cups, lemon slices for color, mini tomatoes also work nicely for color but the stores always jack up the prices the weekend of sports day (about $2.50 for 10) so I no longer buy them.

←

This is fascinating. I can't believe that mothers in Japan face the additional pressure of clever presentation for their children's lunch boxes. I am really looking forward to reading the Bento Box thread.

←

I also am fascinated by the bento boxes. I am not a big fan of sandwiches and often have trouble coming up with lunch ideas. The items in your bento boxes look like a great lunch to me.

One question though... how long is the lunch break at the schools your children attend? As you know, here in the US school lunch is often a rushed event with kids wolfing down food in 10 minutes or less. I was wondering if your kids had time to enjoy their carefully prepared bento boxes.

[fifi]

Sheesh . . . You ladies are amazing! I have to be away for a couple of days and look what happens!!!

Susan . . . I must have missed it way up-thread but I am so honored that you tried the green beans and liked them. I saw some nice ones in the store yesterday and guess what I am going to cook.

Also, did you finally decide that what you bought was tumeric? I bought some for the Beef REndang recipe in the Braising with Molly thread and I still have a yellow stain on my cutting board.

Kristin . . . I can tell by your pictures that you have really taken in the Japanese esthetic. Your pictures and compositions are beautiful.

This has been delightful. And you have given me some useful information that will result in positive action. Well . . . Actually negative. I will probably never attempt to make pasta from scratch.

[snowangel]

Also, did you finally decide that what you bought was tumeric? I bought some for the Beef REndang recipe in the Braising with Molly thread and I still have a yellow stain on my cutting board.

Next time I make the Rendang, I'm tempted to microplane the stuff into a glass bowl and use the head of the stainless smasher. I don't think that stuff will stain a pyrex bowl (but I could be surprised!

[snowangel]

I have lunch with Peter at school once a week, and today was the day. He wanted me to bring lunch this time. We often eat school lunch, so if we're going to eat school lunch, I plan which day of the week based on the menu. They always offer two entrees with sides, or a salad (which are usually quite good, although I usually bring my own vinegarette).

Anyway, I decided this morning that I had to have larb, so I made it. I used pork, and my recipe for Larb.

Whenever I need kaffir lime leaves, I get them from my lime tree

It sits on the deck during the warm months and in our sun room during the cold months. The little pot in there is one of my orchids which I am nursing back to health after a hail storm.

So, I made larb and trotted off to the school lunch room. Peter's lunch:

He wanted tuna salad, a piece of cheese cake, cheetos. He bought milk at the school cafeteria. Chocolate milk is favored by almost all of the 4th graders.

The cheesecake. Our church receives a donation of bakery goods every Saturday night from a local bakery, and the deal is that we "sell" these to church members for a free-will donation, and then the money goes to local food shelves, etc. So, I did not bake the cheesecake, but Peter saw it on Sunday and had to have it. What's interesting is that most often, people will put more into the free-will offering than the bakery charges for the items!

My lunch

Larb, a couple of apples and some slices of Eichten's tilset cheese. Since I ran out of time to slice the apple and put lemon juice on it, I just took the apples and had bites of apple along with bites of cheese. I couldn't buck the trend of the kids, so I, too had chocolate milk. I love chcolate milk, and it certainly made for an interesting counterpoint to the rest of lunch.

I stayed for recess, ran the three laps with the kids, and was heading back into school to leave when I got caught in a firedrill.

I can no longer put off making pasta. Wish me luck.

[Smithy]

Susan, I wished you luck before, but I'll wish you extra luck for good measure.

That looks like a standard lime tree. Is it? Or is it a kaffir lime tree? Are the leaves interchangeable for larb purposes?

[lancastermike]

Come home after 10 days at the beach to find this wonderful blog. Susan, that brisket made me want to smoke something. Good luck with the pasta, I'd much rather smoke than make pasta. Kris had good luck with hers. I do find pasta making to be a chore. Smoking meat, is a joy

[snowangel]

Susan, I wished you luck before, but I'll wish you extra luck for good measure.

That looks like a standard lime tree.  Is it?  Or is it a kaffir lime tree?  Are the leaves interchangeable for larb purposes?

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Yep, I kaffir lime tree! And, I regularly pick the leaves for larb and curries. It hasn't gotten much taller in the past year, but is certainly wider!

[torakris]

It looks delicious.

The best thing for drying pasta is to either put it over a sterilised broom handle or buy a pasta drying rack.

I bought my drying rack for about 20USD when I went to visit my parents in the States. It is similiar to this one, but mine is made out of wood.

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the really embarassing thing is that I do have pasta drying racks, came free with the machine...

the thought of using them never even occured to me

[snowangel]

I have rolled out my first sheet of pasta. It was not sticky, and I am not covered with flour.

But, there is an odd thin streak, and I should have cut the dough in half as I got to thinner settings. I cut my ball of dough into six pieces and I'm wishing I had cut it into 8.

I need an assistant, and Peter will be here any minute!

Advice in the next few minutes before I proceed would be appreciated!

[torakris]

I have rolled out my first sheet of pasta.  It was not sticky, and I am not covered with flour.

But, there is an odd thin streak, and I should have cut the dough in half as I got to thinner settings.  I cut my ball of dough into six pieces and I'm wishing I had cut it into 8.

I need an assistant, and Peter will be here any minute!

Advice in the next few minutes before I proceed would be appreciated!

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Obviously I am not the one to offer advice.

It looks good though. I can't figure out why I have had to use so much flour, the dough really just sticks to everything...

[torakris]

I always use part coarse ground semolina flour when making pasta.

It continues to absorb moisture while the dough rests, so it's a better texture for running through the machine.  It also gives the finished product a nice "bite".

Semolina is the milled endosperm of Duram wheat.  It's very high in protein (gluten) and makes a great thickener.  It can even be prepared as a hot cereal or cooked like polenta.

SB

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I actually have some semolina in the house and was thinking of using it.

IF I ever do this again what is a good proportion?

[torakris]

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It was quite hard to get used to making bentos after coming from the US where most lunches consisted of as andwiche that has been smashed in the middle by some kind of fruit.

This past one that I made was probably the fastest one I made to date and I was actually quite embarassed to post it as it was quite lacking in variety...

After making bentos for 10 years now I have gotten quite used to the little tricks that make it look good like lettuce leaves used as cups, lemon slices for color, mini tomatoes also work nicely for color but the stores always jack up the prices the weekend of sports day (about $2.50 for 10) so I no longer buy them.

←

This is fascinating. I can't believe that mothers in Japan face the additional pressure of clever presentation for their children's lunch boxes. I am really looking forward to reading the Bento Box thread.

←

Unfortunately I am not one of those mothers who spends hours on my children's bentos. Actually I rarely make bentos for my children since they all eat the school lunch. Hide eats a bento every Friday but last week was a half day so I didn't make one. Here is the one I made 2 weeks ago, this is about as simple as they come and took 10 minutes.

the bento thread has some links to some pretty fancy bentos....

[torakris]

I also am fascinated by the bento boxes. I am not a big fan of sandwiches and often have trouble coming up with lunch ideas. The items in your bento boxes look like a great lunch to me.

One question though... how long is the lunch break at the schools your children attend? As you know, here in the US school lunch is often a rushed event with kids wolfing down food in 10 minutes or less. I was wondering if your kids had time to enjoy their carefully prepared bento boxes.

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Most elementary school children do not eat bentos rather they eat the school lunch called kyushoku. Kyushoku is not just about getting food in the stomachs it is about teaching the children about food, about manners, about working together etc. The lunch "hour" at my children's school starts at 12:15 and ends at 1:40.

according to Mia...

12:15 to 12:30 the buckets containing the lunches are carried to the classrooms by the students and then also dished out by the students

12:30 to 12:55 lunch is eaten in the classroom with the teacher (who also eats the school lunch)

12:55 to 1:00 the meal is cleaned up and empty buckets carried back downstairs to the kitchen

1:00 to 1:15 is recess or free time

1:15 to 1:40 is cleaning time, the children are responsible for keeping the school clean. They break into different groups every week and clean the classroom, hallways and even the grounds

from 1:40 it is back to studying

a year ago I posted a photo essay about the Japanese school lunch system,

you can find it here

[Malawry]

There's no reason to fear the flour component of pasta. Especially since it's been so wet outside where you both live--extra moisture in the air can lead to extra wet pasta dough. I generally try to limit the flour in the initial doughmaking, but I'm generous with it when it's rested and I'm rolling it out. If it's at all sticky, don't put it through the machine without flouring it. If you do you'll just gunk up your rollers, which may have led to your thin streak Susan. In the early passes I use plenty of flour, flouring both sides of the pasta packet until unsticky, running it through the largest setting of the machine, rubbing both sides with flour, folding in thirds, pressing the air out, and then running it through the machine again. I don't start taking down the setting on the machine until it has a fleshy, live feel to it--it's hard to describe, a little satiny and soft and supple and not at all tacky unless squished with a finger. At that point a tiny brushing of flour on both sides is usually adequate between each run-through on a lower setting...sometimes it gets dry enough you don't need to keep flouring it.

I have not made pasta with semolina and am curious how it turns out. Also I don't know if semolina behaves differently than the pasta I am accustomed to making, with regular unbleached white all-purpose flour.

You can cut down pasta at any point if it's getting too long. I learned from watching a classmate who had become a real pro that properly made flour-rubbed pasta can be laid folded gently on top of itself between run-throughs, which saves time until the final run-through when you have to cut the sheets to make your shapes or whatever.

Oh, and when I say rub with flour, I mean sprinkle one side lightly with flour, and then use the flat of your hand to gently rub the flour into the pasta. There should be no puddled white flour spots; brush any that appear off with your fingers or (better) a dry pastry brush. Turn over and repeat on the other side. Brush off any excess, checking the first side again, and then either fold again to run through the largest setting if it's not supple yet, or take the machine down to the next lower level.

It took me years of practice to manage not to ever make the pasta sheet wider than the roller. I wish I could explain how to do it properly, it's just an instinct/feel thing for me.

[prasantrin]

I have lunch with Peter at school once a week, and today was the day.

Do most schools in the US allow parents to have lunch with their children at school? I don't remember that being allowed when I was in school (though at my elementary school, almost no one stayed for lunch). It seems like Peter really enjoys having you come for lunch. Does most of the children like the idea?

[snowangel]

Unfortunately I am not one of those mothers who spends hours on my children's bentos. Actually I rarely make bentos for my children since they all eat the school lunch. Hide eats a bento every Friday but last week was a half day so I didn't make one. Here is the one I made 2 weeks ago, this is about as simple as they come and took 10 minutes.

Still, compare the presentation against what I took to Peter's school today!

Taking a break from pasta making. It's going much better.

[daniellewiley]

Unfortunately I am not one of those mothers who spends hours on my children's bentos. Actually I rarely make bentos for my children since they all eat the school lunch. Hide eats a bento every Friday but last week was a half day so I didn't make one. Here is the one I made 2 weeks ago, this is about as simple as they come and took 10 minutes.

the bento thread has some links to some pretty fancy bentos....

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The above lunch, including the BUzz Lightyear box would be Dylan's dream lunch. I'm afraid to show her, for fear I'll need to recreate it! What are the rectangles? Tempeh or egg?