speake's Profile
ISO Worcestershire Powder
I've tried to get some of this stuff for years. I'm also looking for dried molasses. I'm checking wholesalers and if in luck I may contact you if I have to buy a few kilos of the stuff.
How to give beef stew more punch?
Well-marbled top chuck (5 lbs) is my meat of choice and I toss in some dried orange peel into the marinade and again halfway thru cooking.
Big Chef/Little Chef
It wasn't bleeping out words but that whole scenes were cut which resulted in three commercial breaks in about 15 minutes. Strange.
Big Chef/Little Chef
In Toronto. There were a number of cut aways that occurred from 9:10 to 9:30. Basically 8 to 10 minutes of ads in that time space. Seemed deliberate or extremely incompetent.
Big Chef/Little Chef
Is the Food Network censoring this show? It seems that there is a deliberate attempt to cut content with frequent commercials (every 4 minutes) in the middle of dialogue or cut to black screens to cover-up content. Or is it just me? What are they refusing to show and why?
Dutch condiments
I'm looking for a product called "Conimex Ketjap Manis." Anyone know where this can be found in the GTA?
Cottonseed oil
Only 3 gallon... and I was looking for 8 gallon! Thanks for the info. Have you tried this oil for frites?
Barberian's - $80 for 2 x $50 gift certificates @ Costco
I've been going to the big B since 1980 and in all that time I have only sent one steak back because it was too tough. While I recognise that meat is a natural product and every piece cut from the same loin can vary, the waiter (the one who looks like Rob Snider) while at first surprised called over Aaron (I knew his Dad) who promptly another one that was brought cooked to perfection. It's worthwhile to order lots of garlic toast and a plethura of pickles, too. And even though the wine cellar looks like it was designed by Albert Speer, it is as intimidating as it is spectacular (care for a 1985 Chateau Petrus?) . There are few places in Toronto as dependable as Barbarians.
French butter
Not availableas far as I have found (not found), though it might be in Quebec. I thought of biting the bullet and importing a gross of it. Maybe I will... along with some fois gras?
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
I'm thinking there was too much water and not enough bones/slash meat in the stock and it required more reduction, or at least a second reduction with the bones..
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
I've found that chilling only eliminates the larger bits--these settle to the bottom of the pot--and most of the proteins remain suspended and keep the stock cloudy. Boiling not only imbeds the soluble proteins in the stock but can also create an emulsion with the fats that are difficult to extract later (egg whites won't clear a stock if fat is present). It's always easier to let stock gently simmer for a few hours (only the occasional bubble rising to the surface) and topping up the water level every so often to keep the bones covered and skimming off the proteins and fat every 15-20 minutes or so until none remain. Then ladle the stock through a fine mesh strainer without stirring the pot or removing or pressing on the bones.
As a point of interest, I read (On Food and Cooking, Harold McGee--every serous cook should own it) that, as a rule, eight hours of extraction releases only about 20% of the gelatin in beef bones, so it's a good idea to simmer the bones a second time in fresh cold water once you've removed the first batch.
KitchenAid meat grinders
Thanks all. Just the comments I needed to hear. My height isn't a problem (6'3")... it's my weight!
Copper pot, for candy - Toronto area?
If you're prepared to fork over some big $, Williams Sonoma has a mauviel sugar pots or try creativecookware.com
where to buy crunchy Fried Onion bits in Toronto?
I think those were French's fried onions, available (sometimes) and Loblaws.
KitchenAid meat grinders
Any comments about how effective/efficient these add-ons are?
Anything wrong with this stockpot?
The others being don't let it boil, and ladle out the stock from the pot till you reach the crud at the bottom.
Anything wrong with this stockpot?
But don't stir your stock... at least until all the bits and pieces have been strained out
Where can I find decent Vol au Vent?
I forgot about Rahier. They make an excellent bouche de noel
WHere in GTA to buy pans, and which one
Crate and Barrel opens today at Yorkdale, you may want to check it out for opening specials
Anything wrong with this stockpot?
Just make sure it has a heavy, thick bottom--the thicker the better to resist burning and scorching. Also make sure it has big sturdy handles to make it easier when hauling it off the burner. I don't use a lid when making stock but do with soups.
Knives
The last blade I got was an 8 inch Mac chefs knife. It holds an edge well and is quick to sharpen. http://www.macknife.com/
Duck Fat
Pusateris on Avenue sells 1 kg frozen tubs for about $10. I recommend buying whole ducks and cut them up yourself instead of buying just the legs because its a lot cheaper, plus you get to make crispings when you render the fat from the trimmings. Then try frying potatoes in the fat. Wow.
Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Port Sydney -- where to buy the best cottage food?
Morley Stephans is a butcher in Port Carling who we used to buy meat from for years. I believe his kids have taken over the biz. I is usualy packed on a weekends, so go early.
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
Yeah, know that. I hate burning stuff. I incinerated 20 qts of tomatoes this weekend because I used my el-cheapo stock pot--something I knew could happen but I needed it. Its now been banished from the house and is outside waiting for the recycling pick-up.
Where can I find decent Vol au Vent?
I've been trying to find a bakery that makes a nice flakey, normal sized Vol-au-Vent. Years ago (and I mean years) Women's Bakery used to have them (along with their corn meal muffins in the orange cellophane package, but that's another craving) and the defunct The Little Pie Shop had them (craving number 2, TLPS's Eccles Cakes) but I haven't heard of a place that makes them anymore.
WHere in GTA to buy pans, and which one
Well, I am a bit biased. Copper gives you more control because it is a better conductor of heat, which reduces the chances of burning and it doesn't warp or have hot spots—all potential problems with steel or aluminum—and is why All-Clad offers their copper core set. Key here is thickness: the thicker the pan's bottom, the better.
For everyday cooking, when you're not wanting to make pan sauces or don't want to use much butter or oil, non-stick are fine. They do wear out, though, and after a full year's regular use, should be inspected for wear.
Stainless steel is a good heavy material because its pretty indestructible (though over time it does develop a fog that can be removed with products like Bar Keeper's Friend), it won't discolour food the way untreated aluminum can, but as mentioned above it isn't a great conductor of heat.
Cast iron is also a good material but it can't really be deglazed because that could remove its seasoning.
The choice is yours, though. Two or 2.5 mil copper pots are a major investment, but it is one for a lifetime. If you choose this route, look for the pots with the cast iron handle rather than brass: both can get really hot, but the brass gets so faster. For starters I'd look at getting a 20cm saute pan without a lid (you can always get them later) or the 22cm fry pan (a poele) both from Mauviel and see how you like it. These cost a few hundred $$ but I'm sure you won't go back to the other stuff once you've used them.
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
Is the pressure cooker difficult to clean afterwards?
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
The main goal of not boiling any stock is to keep the impurities out of the broth and keep it clear. It will still be flavourful and, more important, it has a better presentation especially for soups (you'll see all the veggies you've carefully diced and pieces of chicken in the bowl).
There are two kinds of stocks: white and brown. White stock is from unroasted bones that have been rinsed to remove any fat particles and blood before they are tossed into a pot filled with cold water. With brown stock you don't have to rinse the bones as the roasting will take care of that. The reason for the difference is for presentation: a white sauce would become too dark with a brown stock, and brown stock adds depth to a meat sauces and jus. Both would ruin the colour of any sauce if they were full of particulates--unless you cleared them with egg whites and lean ground meat.
Chicken Stock - Where'd the flavor go??
The others are correct. Never boil stock. Just take your time. In this case the first burn should started in cold water, brought to a gentle simmer (with the occasional bubble breaking the surface) over a gradual heat and have taken about an hour and a half (for about 4 lbs of bones). This way the soluble proteins from the bones etc that would cloud a stock during a rolling boil, either rise to the surface and can be skimmed off or settle along the sides and bottom, which is why you ladle finished stock into a strainer of cheesecloth instead of dumping it, and those proteins into the strainer.
I don't usually add vegetables until I've made the first round of stock--I go for pure chicken essence that won't have any competing flavours. Once I've got my first round, I freeze what I want then I add other ingredients and herbs to the remainder and reduce it more. You can also use that stock to poach chicken, giving you a double strength stock you can continue to use over and over.
