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Showing posts from February, 2009

A Gentle, Sweet Tale of Food, Cooking, and Possibly ... A Little Magic

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The School of Essential Ingredients "I'm thinking something minimal, industrial. Lots of stainless steel--I love stainless steel--with a concrete floor and black cabinets." Susan's hands gestured and pointed. "No handles--I hate handles --and maybe some rows of open metal shelves above the countertops. We could put the dishes and the new pots and pans up there." She turned to her fiance, who smiled and nodded. Amanda waited, thinking perhaps there would be more but this appeared to be the end. :So we'll just leave you to do your magic for a littl while. Jeff and I need to go talk master bathroom, anyway. We're going to have to take out the whole third bedroom just to get a decent master suite!" And with another laugh, she was gone. [...} Antonia stood in the kitchen, trying in her mind to lay the outline of Susan's vision over the kitchen that existed, but the straight lines kept bumping into the curve of the bay, sharp edges rumpled by the

Cilantro Haters are United

fetid barb of green cilantro spoils the stuffing coriander too Such was penned by a cilantro hater after finding cilantro slipped into the Thanksgiving stuffing. I must say that cilantro does not belong in stuffing. This WSJ article looks at the many haters of cilantro who unite in Facebook groups and other places. I used to be one such. When I was a child the smell was unappetizing and the taste soapy. However, with my early adult years my tastes changed. Who can say why? All I know is that my former distaste makes me sympathetic to those who abhor cilantro, such as my mother-in-law, and so I leave it out of any recipe when I know that one such is going to be at our table. I myself am merely happy to now be among those who can glory in cilantro's unique flavor, such as the fellow who wrote this haiku. crisp cilantro sprig trendy garnish refreshes why peeps be hatin

Crunchy Cornmeal Waffles

These sturdy, tasty waffles came from The King Arthur Baking Book.  We enjoy them on their own but that I have a sneaking liking for as the base for creamed tuna. You may raise your eyebrows in surprise at that, but creamed tuna is a family favorite and considered a high treat. I think the secret is in using albacore tuna, whole milk (instead of a lower fat product), and last ... but not least ... that pinch of nutmeg which is du rigeur for a good white sauce (well, one used for this purpose anyway). It also helps when you have searched high and low as I did to find a waffle iron that makes four waffles at a time. So much faster than the regular one-waffle-per sort. Step 1: 1-3/4 cups buttermilk 2 large eggs 5 tablespoons melted, cooled butter or vegetable oil In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter or oil. Step 2: 1½ cups unbleached flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons

Worth A Thousand Words

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Watermelon No. 2 by James Neil Hollingsworth

This Just In

The Cracker Kitchen: A Cookbook in Celebration of Cornbread-Fed, Down Home Family Stories and Cuisine by Janis Owens Though our roots are in the Colonial South, we Crackers are essentially just another American fusion culture, and our table and our stories are constantly expanding -- nearly as fast as our waistlines. We aren't ashamed of either, and we're always delighted with the prospect of company: someone to feed and make laugh, to listen to our hundred thousand stories of food and family and our long American past. Crackers, rednecks, hillbillies, and country boys have long been the brunt of many jokes, yet this old Southern culture is a rich and vibrant part of Amer-ican history. In The Cracker Kitchen , Janis Owens traces the root of the word Cracker back to its origins in Shakespeare's Elizabethan England -- when it meant braggart or big shot -- through its proliferation in America, where it became a derogatory term to describe poor and working-class Southerners.

A Couple of Books to Look Out For

If you liked Animal, Vegetable, Mineral and also Michael Pollan's writing, then it seems to me that Mark Bittman is taking elements of that whole way of thinking about food and putting it together in Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating . Probably not a lot new for those who are in tune with the food world but I have read reviews from several non-foodie friends who had their thoughts sparked by the two books I mentioned. They will probably find a lot of good stuff here. I am waiting for the library to get it in ... because I like reading the basics also. You never know when you will learn something new. Also along those lines is Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient . I still begrudge the pork industry what we lost when they went to the "lean pig." In other words, I remember when a pork chop was tender. And had tons of flavor. I'm waiting for this one from the library as well.

Professional Cutlery Giveaway

Now this sounds like a good deal! Food Service Warehouse sells professional cooking equipment to chef's, restaurants, and anyone interested in commercial quality cooking supplies. We are giving away $1,000 worth of professional chef's knives made by the largest manufacturer of professional cutlery in the U.S. No purchase is necessary - just fill out the on-line form to enter. You can check out the giveaway here . The knives they are giving away are of a brand I don't know but then again I don't buy professional cooking equipment. The photos and description are very alluring ... The Connoisseur® Collection Chef's knives features high-carbon stainless steel blades that are hand-ground and honed for ultimate sharpness. The rosewood handles are infused with polymers and resins, making them impervious to stain, hot water and food acids.