DonShirer's Profile
Sheep's milk products in CT
Any good cheese shop should have oodles of sheep or goat cheese for you to try--even the better supermarkets usually have a few in their deli sections. Fromage in Old Saybrook, The Cheese Shop in Centerbrook and Caseus in New Haven are all excellent, but a little over an hour from you.
Liuzzi and Bon Appetit in Hamden are a little closer, but I haven't been to either in quite a while. Curds & Whey in Haddam (just moved-be sure to get new address) might be a little closer.
Some great sheep cheeses you may want to try are Fiore di sardo (Pecorino sardo-Italy), Manchego(Spain), Petit Basque(France), Vermont Shepherd (Putney Vermont), Moliterno al Tartufo (Sheep&Goat truffle-Italy), and Ewe's Blue (Old Chatham NY).
Recommended Goat cheeses are Goat Gouda (Beemster, Holland), La Yerbera (spain), Brunet (Italy), Goat Ricotta Salata Tenerina (Sicily), Lebanon Goat Cheese with chives (Lebanon CT), Tomme de Grand Mere (France), and my favorite: Humbolt Fog (CA).
Be careful to check with the proprietor, many cheeses advertised mainly as sheep or goat have some cow milk mixed in.
why does my sauerkraut smell like farts?
I don't make my own sauerkraut, but I have a similar question to yours, except that the subject and object are interchanged.
[Stonington, CT] Water Street Cafe
Sounds like your'e eating your way through the New England shoreline! I only had time to read 3 or 4 of your reviews, but they were spot on IMO. Hope you enjoyed your visit here, and thanks for the culinary observations.
Elderberry flowers
As kids, we used to make elderberry fritters, both from the flowers and the fruit.
Looking for interesting cheeses to try
There are too many great cheeses out there to list, so I'll confine myself to just a few. You like cheddar, so you might like aged Gouda from the Netherlands. Beemster makes several varieties. Since you like goat cheese, have you tried Humboldt Fog from California? Since you like swiss cheeses, you might try Hirtenkase from the Alpine region of Germany. Vermont Shepherd Sheep Milk Cheese, Rupert, and Bayley Hazen Blue are three interesting cheeses of this dairy state.
Try searching this site for other cheese-related threads. There have been quite a few good ones.
Teen Friendly Place CT Shoreline
You are very welcome! Goose Island Honkers!?!? That I'm going to have to try.
What did you have for lunch today?
COTFD (clean out the fridge day). Stovetop mac&cheese, baked beans, cole slaw.
ketchup without high fructose corn syrup?
You might want to check out this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/308602
I can't taste much difference between Heinz organic and Stop&Shop's Nature's Promise Organic Ketchup (Heinz is cheaper, but the stores rarely carry it). And I go with the scientific studies that say that any sugar, organic or HFCS, is equally bad for you (if you are a pessimist), so if no organic is available at a reasonable price, I happily go with anything that tastes good to me.
June 2012 Cookbook of the Month Nominations Are Now Open!
How about TURKISH COOKING : authentic culinary traditions from Turkey, by Jackson Bade. We've only just begun to explore the recipes but the ones we've tried are delicious.
Teen Friendly Place CT Shoreline
It's not quite on the shoreline, but Oliver's restaurant and tavern qualifies on the other counts. Food is decent, burgers good. There is a sports bar (with TV's), a game room (with pool table), and a dance floor. I'd say that adults might enjoy the Copper Beech or Gabrielles, or the Griz (all in Essex) better, but Oliver's would appeal more to teenagers.
Cafe Rio - Brazil in Old Saybrook?
Ever since Fogo closed last year, I have been hoping to find another restaurant featuring the exceptional meats of Brazil. From my experience today, Cafe Rio is unlikely to be it, although it is run by a friendly Brazilian couple.
Serving breakfast Tuesday through Sunday, I have seen glowing reviews of their breakfasts and sandwiches on the web, so when I was in the vicinity at lunchtime, I decided to try their Brazilian buffet. There was a choice of more than a dozen dishes, and a few of the salads were better than average. Unfortunately the meats didn't live up to expectations, the beef slices were a little tough and needed the gravy they came with to improve their taste. A sausage and bean dish was not exceptional either. There was a nice looking chicken entree but I did not try it. After you fill your dish, they weigh it and charge you accordingly.
They had a busy take-out business while I was there, so someone must like the cuisine. Before I go back, I will definitely look up dishes other reviewers liked, since I wouldn't try the buffet again. In their favor, their washroom was clean, they offer a selection of tea bags, and there were some scrumptious looking desserts, that I didn't have time for.
Curds & Whey new location
Curds&Whey, the artisanal cheese and food shop once hidden away on a hill in East Haddam has moved to a new location at 1610 Saybrook Rd., Haddam (near the intersection of Rt 152 and the road to the swing bridge). More info on their website at www.curdswhey.com/
Frozen Burritos-Do You Eat Them?
I succumbed to temptation at the grocery last week and bought a bag of El Monterey beef and bean burritos. They are a little small so had two for lunch. Refried bean taste ok, could hardly detect the beef. With a Whole Enchilada a mere mile away, I don't think I'll buy any more of these.
Rice - How did you experience it today?
Today it was Chicken Curry with arugula over Jasmine Rice.
Hot "pantry" dinners that aren't pasta...
The link wasn't recognized, but this one seems to:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/speedy-salmon-casserole/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=salmon%20casserole&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=%2f404.aspx
Campari tomatoes -- tried them yet?
I looked for Campari seed on the net. Evidently the variety was developed in Holland, and they only sell seed to commercial growers. However, several enterprising gardeners replanted the seed from tomatoes bought at Costco, and reported that it evidently was not a hybrid since they got very similar fruit from their plants. One seller lists the seeds on eBay at $1 per seed in qty of 10!
J.A.M.S.S. in Old Saybrook, CT
I recommended this place on another thread last June. Last time I was there, I too had the corn beef hash (and I agree it was good...and generous).
In Search of a Nice Dinner in CT
In Middletown, you might try Luce, or Fiore II. There are some interesting ethnic restaurants, but because of your wife's preferences, I left them out. If you and your wife can stand vegetarian, It's Only Natural might delight your friend. I haven't been there in a few years though, so you might want a second opinion.
Best tea for Dim Sum?
Here's one from left field.: Try a spiced Chai Tea with Dim Sum. Peps up the blander dishes.
Cheeses and recipes
In addition to the ones you listed, groceries I've seen often carry Havarti, Edam, Camenbert, Monterey Jack, Vermont cheddar, Manchego and a selection of undistinguished cheeses with all sorts of adulterants like chives, pepper flakes and various herbs. Most are pretty bland, but the Havarti and sharp Vermont cheddars are probably the best of the bunch. Their native Manchegos may not be not as good as the better Spanish ones, but are usually edible. Be sure to visit the cheese stand near the deli counter and not the shelves in the dairy section. Their parmesan is not so hot for snacking, but may be better grated on spaghetti than the dreaded green can.
Do you have any farm stands that sell local cheesemakers products? Some of their simple farmers cheeses may be pretty good.
How about melted cheese sandwiches with Monterey Jack and Cheddar, or even Brie. Any fruit goes well with a cheese plate. Search the web for "Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese" or one of the baked versions. Grate some sharp cheddar and put it in an omelet or scrambled eggs. The grocery cream cheese (but please not the "lite" version) is usually perfectly adequate for making cheesecake.
Holy basil seeds?
Johnny's Seeds and The Growers Exchange have it, but you'll probably get the most seeds for your money with a $2.50 packet from J. L. Hudson.
Quinoa..now feel ill..
The box I bought last week said it was pre-rinsed, so I didn't rinse it. No ill effects.
I'm a newbie gardener in N.J. (7a, not a parkway exit but our zone)
If you want tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc. better buy plants now.
But why not experiment with some quick growing veggies or herbs from seed. Lettuce, arugula, Mizuna, Basil, Cress, Kale, green beans, cukes could all be started now and still produce crops.
(I'm not suggesting you do all of them, but try a few and you'll have more experience next year.)
Shallow Part of Garden
Lettuce, arugula, radicchio, cherry radishes, spinach ought to be ok in a shallow bed.
You could always put a border around it and make a raised bed. A 2x4 edging would give you 3 more inches if soil depth.
May 2012 Cookbook of the Month Voting is Now Open!
I'm a modern sort of guy, so I'll go with THE NEW SPANISH TABLE but I wouldn't be unhappy if Moro won.
One book is all I can digest in a month.
Great Pinot Noir under $20 -- Is there such a thing?
Estancia Pinot Noir, not great but consistently drinkable IMO. About $15, but a local winery said last week they don't carry it anymore because they raised the price. (Maybe he meant he forgot to order it?)
May 2012 Cookbook of the Month Nominations are Open!
Thanks, Mel. GOURMET THAI IN MINUTES. Is that loud enough?
May 2012 Cookbook of the Month Nominations are Open!
I have not participated in this voting before so I don't know if you have featured a Thai cookbook recently, but "Gourmet Thai in MInutes" by Vatcharin Bhumichitr, ISBN 978-1-904020-74-8, is now sitting open on my desk with me (a tyro at Thai cooking) wondering which of these beautifully illustrated "inspirational recipes" I should try first!
Never the twain shall meat...
I recently cobbled together a lunch from leftovers including both Indian and Southwestern dishes. I was sorry afterwards since the hot SW spices overwhelmed the more subtle Indian flavors.
Then I thought, if we can have threads on cuisines we like, why not one on those that should never be served together at the same meal? So lets hear your anti-pasties and feuding foods!
