Ernie Diamond's Profile
Vacuum infusions using ISI whipper.
Anyone ever used an ISI device to do a rapid/vacuum infusion? I need to do a spice blend and I am wondering whether it works as well with water as with alcohol. My suspicion is that it does not.
Thoughts?
vacuum sealed jar of foie gras
I would eat it.
Some might disagree but I am a strong advocate of the "trsut your nose and eyes" approach. Open it up, give it a sniff. If all looks right, try a small bit in the morning. If you're okay by evening, tuck in.
Highly unscientific admittedly but I can honestly say that it would be my approach.
Modernist cuisine recipe for clotted cream
Need the recipe for clotted cream from modernist cuisine. It uses a PID controller. My thanks for your help.
Help! Pigs Feet, Trotters, Pied de Porc
I agree with Will; the waiter was likely reaching for the appropriate word when he explained that the pancake was made with gelatine. Not knowing for sure, I suspect that this was a piece of pork skin that had been cleaned and crisped to top the trotters.
If this local place seeks to maximize profits, they are going to use every piece of the animal. A piece of skin cleaned from a belly section or other cut would be used here rather than going into the trash. Taking leftover skin from, say a belly cut and crisping it is not only economical but it would add a textural counterpoint to the stewed trotters.
In any event, it looks fantastic.
Cider Taste off
French/Norman cider is quite different from American offerings (Woodchuck and the like). It has a flavor that is very redolent of apple skins and can be at once both exceptionally musty and sweet. I love the stuff but it is not to everyone's taste.
Homebrew for the Seasons
Just brewed an American Pale Wheat. I think that a pale, well-hopped ale would be a great break from the winter offerings. Turn-around time will be manageable as well, shouldn't take too long to get something together, especially if you keep the gravity lower (say, below 1.050). I just racked a bitter last night that is ready to drink after eight days. Some styles favor less ageing. In general, lower the OG/higher the FG, the better it will be. You can make any of the above selections work if you keep the gravity low, the hops low and the malt bill uncomplicated.
Homebrew for the Seasons
Ten days?? I think that the best beer I ever brewed was a Maibock which took me 72 days.
Homebrew for the Seasons
My go-to site for this sort of conversation is Homebrewtalk. You should find some good suggestions there.
Benefit of brewing over the winter is that you have access to some cooler temperatures in garages, etc which is why lagers are such popular spring offerings.
A brown ale doesn't say "Spring" to me. What do you like to drink in the thawing days post-winter? I am brewing saisons like a mad man right now so that is an obvious choice for me. A lightweight belgian pale is a good call too. What about an American Pale? something golden and hoppy?
Cuts for corned beef other than brisket
So I've taken to making corned beef with fair success. I find however that the brisket I have access to tends to be thin and fairly fatty.
Are there any other good meaty cuts (no suggestions of shortribs please) that lend themselves to good corned beef or do I just need to source better brisket?
Challenge - Composed salad
Another thought, going off of the crab suggestion below; what about pickled red beets topped w. a corn relish and then apple or turnip and then crab on top? I know that it sounds slightly odd but the combination of tastes and textures appeals to me. Thoughts on this? Maybe it's more of a late summer salad...
Challenge - Composed salad
good call on the persimmon! Wouldn't have thought of that!
roast beet, persimmon and either turnip or apple. I think that apple would be better w crab, though that's a lot of sweet with the persimmon.
Challenge - Composed salad
So what if I roast yellow beets, dice them. Dress the turnip and apple with something. beets are bottom layer, turnip and apple on top which would help any staining (agree that red beets would just stain the whole kit). maybe grate marcona almond on top?
Or do roast red on bottom, raw/roast yellow in middle and raw apple on top? Something in addition? Walnuts? grated almond? goat cheese? Herbs?
Challenge - Composed salad
So making a "composed salad" for a progressive dinner party coming up. Had an idea to do a dice of Fall veg but I need more help. want to serve this out of a glass w a spoon.
Here's where my head is; fine dice of young turnip, raw beets and Fuli/Honeycrisp apple. The Turnip adds peppery crunch, beets color and apple for sweetness.
I need ideas to round it out with all/any of the following - nuts (walnuts), Goat Cheese, herbs (which?), dressing (thinking walnut oil, cider vinegar and dijon? help).
Flesh this out well enough? Get cracking.
Makin' sausage: tongue, heart, and hocks
that's a pretty succinct summary. Tossing these cuts in with 20 pounds of other meat? Good plan. basinc a batch on hearts, et al? challenging to say the least.
Seriously consider eating the hocks as schweinshaxe. I think you will enjoy it if you even halfway enjoy eating pork.
Makin' sausage: tongue, heart, and hocks
It does need to be skinned first. Cooking a tongue in order to skin it would sort of remove its utility as a sausage meat, though since the cooked meat couldn't be ground and blended effectively with the fat. Bear in mind that pork tongue is not thick. Even the act of parboiling would cook it through enough to take it out of the running. There's a reason sausage making begins with raw meat.
Of the three cuts, heart is the only one that should even be considered and I'm not even certain that it would be successful since the muscle structure is so fine.
My most direct suggestion Foreverhungry, use cuts other than these three if you want your foray to be successful. None of them are well suited as the base meat for sausage.
Makin' sausage: tongue, heart, and hocks
You'll find that tongue benefits from being skinned which is somewhat difficult to do when raw. I don't think that it is the most practical cut for sausage unless the thought of eating the surface of the tongue appeals to you (it doesn't appeal to me).
The heart might be better but it is quite lean and it has a very fine grain. I have a suspicion that it could become a casing full of nubbly little nuggets. Nothing says you can't give it a shot but I would guess that the texture will be different than you would get with shoulder. I suggest putting it through a fine die after grinding it coarse. If it works, you should get an intense flavor which would be great. Season accordingly.
I don't think that hock would lend itself well to sausage. Too much connective tissue, skin, etc. I suggest that you cure it in a brine. After about a week, the cured joint can be simmered gently until cooked through and then roasted briefly in the oven to crisp it. This is a fairly common preparation in Germany, et al known as schweinshaxe. It is outstanding.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/635879
It's a bit more trouble on paper than sausage making but that isn't exactly a spur of the moment thing, either. For all the stories of sausage being made with all the scraps, you'll find that the best sausage is made with carefully selected and very desireable cuts, not simply the leftovers.
Cook's Illustrated Coq Au Vin
I would proceed with the recipe until the chicken is cooked, remove the meat and veg, cover and store seperately. Day two, reheat the chicken in the sauce then remove and reduce as the recipe suggests.
you might consider using fresh onions and mushrooms. I know it seems wasteful but be prepared for the possibility that they won't keep well.
ATK/Cook's Illustrated Vodka Pie Crust
Coll, what is the microwave technique? I used one of their recipes which called for sauteeing the apples briefly before adding them to the crust but nuking them seems to save that step.
No need for the whole recipe, just the bit about how to pre-cook the apples in the microvave.
Fergus Henderson/St. John Beans and Bacon
Anyone mind posting the recipe for Fergus Henderson's Beans and Bacon? It appears in the first St. John's cookbook. Ingredients and general guidelines is fine, I don't need the whole recipe as he recorded it.
My thanks.
What's the best low calorie beer?
I have been buried in the Classic Style series and the Hefe edition keeps referencing how calorie laden it is. I don't know what it was being compared against so perhaps it was contextual.
Cincinnati Dinner suggestions?
Ha! Funny you say that! My sister's dinner last night was Scallops and Summer Succotash. She said it was very good but there's something about local dining that does not invite scallops and seasonal dining that does not invite "summer succotash!"
I lived for a number of years in Boston which, like San Fran has no shortage of very fine upscale and downscale restaurants. In truth, I have not been wowed by many places in Cincinnati. Nada is fun and ten times better if you ask for your tacos to be served on corn, rather than their standard flour tortillas. Hugo's is nothing special, 20 Brix is forgettable, the Quarter is decent. Cincy is still trying to play catch-up on the restaurant scene; lots of overly complicated, overwrought, over seasoned dishes that to me make no statement. You won't easily find simple, clean flavors that offer something identifiable and unique.
Three that I have never been to but I would point to as options are Nicola's, Boca and Virgil's in Bellevue. I can't say anything more about them except that I have heard very good things.
As you can probably tell, I have very strong opinions about restaurants. There are many people who would disagree with me but fine dining in this city is not all that it is cracked up to be. There are some gems but it takes work to find them.
Actually, my recommendation for a fun birthday weekend is a stay at 21C in Louisville and dinner at Proof. I would recommend that without hesitation to anyone. You will be very very satisfied.
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20 Brix
100 Main Street, Miford, OH 45150
Cincinnati Dinner suggestions?
My point is that Mt. Carmel, besides being local and a very decent beer has few distinguishing characteristics when compared with the broad spectrum of brews. Bistro offered a fine cross section of styles and labels, some which could be found few other places. 127 does exactly the opposite by offering beers that can be found in just about every other bar or restaurant in town.
Perhaps it isn't fair to use any one beer to emphasize a lack of inspiration but that's exactly what struck me when I saw the taps.
Cincinnati Dinner suggestions?
127 is to be avoided at all costs. Don't be fooled by the "farm to table" concept. I am actually writing a review right now. I can't tell you how disappointing this place is. I also don't have a very high opinion of Jean Robert's Table.
Two places that are extraordinary, in my view; A Tavola in OTR and Miyoshi in Florence.
If you do Miyoshi, ask for Alan as your waiter, tell him Ryan sent you and that you want him to order for you. For $50 per person, you will have a Japanese meal you are not going to forget. They bill themselves as the Best Japanese in Northern Kentucky but I would put the two meals I had there against any I have had in New York or elsewhere.
A Tavola does not accept reservations. The owners are young, place is very popular and it can be swamped. I make a point to go around 5.30 if I want to get straight in or, more typically around 9-9.30. It is hands down the most satisfying restaurant concept to come to the city in many many years. Trust me, though, if you go before 9, be prepared to wait. .
There will be many locals who tell you that you don't want to go to Over the Rhine for dinner or otherwise. Cowards! May they be consigned to a lifetime of meals at the Cheesecake Factory.
What's the best low calorie beer?
I'm under the impression that hefes are generally pretty caloric.
My suggestion for a low-cal beer is a vodka soda.
ISO - Quote on pig butchery. Very specific, Very obscure.
Incedentally, I wrote John Thorne to ask him if my memory of reading it in one of his books was correct. He responded, saying that I was mistaken and that he had not included that in one of his books. Excerpts of his responses as follows;
"I don't come up with anything. I checked Serious Pig, as I'm sure you did, too. My guess is that the quote appeared in another book that you read because of my quoting from it. I think, for example, of Tomi Ungerer's Far Out Isn't Far Enough.
"it seems a little to the left of what I would quote, unless it was a lengthy quote, since it's descriptive of the carcass rather than the process."
When I finally dug it up and shared it with him, he found that he had in fact included it;
"That's a great book! Definitely worth getting hold of if you're interested in Maine (and by extension New England) cooking. I wrote about it extensively in Serious Pig. Of course, that's the clue -- and there the quote is, on page 145. I'll be damned!"
A funny exchange. Shows that even the best of us can't always trust our own memories.
ISO - Quote on pig butchery. Very specific, Very obscure.
Found it!!!
If you are interested, it reads as follows;
"My Mother's best dishes were tied into the different seasons. Strawberries and cream were tied into the Milky Way of daisies sweeping uphill over the June meadows. Spare-ribs were tied into the evenings white with hoarfrost, into the November air, into the bare trees - the time when the current pig hung, pink as a cherub in heaven, for once in his life, all passions spent and all bristles gone, opened wide and braced apart with spruce stretchers like a canoe, all his inner secrets bared, head down from the beam in the woodshed, at utter, utter peace."
~ Robert P. Tristam Coffin
"Mainstays of Maine"
ISO - Quote on pig butchery. Very specific, Very obscure.
Well, it's not a matter of the book, exactly. I have the book at home among others of theirs. I just can't seem to find the quote. I'm sure I didn't make it up...
By the way, if you don't have this book, buy it. It's a favorite of mine, for what that's worth.
ISO - Quote on pig butchery. Very specific, Very obscure.
I had read a quote once on pigs and pork. I think that it was either in a John and Matt Lewis Thorne book or a book on Maine Eats. I am trying to find it with no luck.
The quote references a pig that has been butchered and is hanging in the barn. The author compares the animal to a canoe which hangs nearby. If I remember correctly, it closes with something to the effect of "Quiet and at peace."
It's really a remarkable quote but as I said, I can't find it. Any help would be appreciated.
Worst Beer Ever?
...not to mention many of the best British brews. White sugar has long been used in both the UK and Belgium as an adjunct in great beers. Not to mention the various spices brewers in Belgium and elsewhere make extensive use of to make some of the world's best.
