Calamityville's Profile
Is sherry vinegar worth the expense?
It is if you like it! I love the stuff. I have three different bottles on my shelf. My favorite is the Lustau. I use it on steamed vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil. I also have red wine, white wine, champagne and distilled white in the house along with cider, balsamic and rice vinegars. They all have their uses.
Grinder for drip coffee
They're both good grinders and yes the grind is important for drip coffee, though not as important as for espresso. One of the things I like about a burr grinder is that you can grind some coffee and be doing other things in the kitchen while it's grinding. Either of the models you listed appear to be reasonably price grinders. All things being equal I choose whichever one is quieter.
Cooks illustrated question
I had hoped my experience with Cooks Country/Cooks Illustrated was an isolated instance, but decided to do a search and see what came up. Sadly I'm not alone and my opinion of this organization has diminished greatly.
Don't ever give these people your credit/debit card info. I finally had to get my credit union to refuse the charge after 4 phone calls over a two month period. Each time I was cheerily told the charge would be credited back and each time it wasn't..
Trying to recreate a great martini but can't find fennel syrup
Make it yourself!
Housemade Fennel Syrup
4 star anise pods
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 small fennel bulb—halved, cored and thinly sliced
In a small skillet, toast the star anise, fennel and anise seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the sliced fennel, cover and simmer over low heat until translucent, about 20 minutes. Let cool until warm. Filter it through a coffee filter
Confused with Bitters
The Angostura Orange Bitters are really the best in my opinion. They've got much more going on than the Fee's or Regan's. I've never seen the Stirings for sale in my part of the world
Buying a Whole Duck in Portland, OR?
You should be able to get duck at any of the multitude of Asian Markets in PDX. Many of them have high quality fresh ducks and usually cheaper than a frozen duck somewhere else.
Sheridan Fruit could probably order you up either a fresh or frozen duck if you don't want to hit the above.
Classy Meat and Potatoes in PDX
Fancier, but still within the realm of meat and potatoes would be Country Cat.
I really love Ringside for Steak and their onion rings set the bar.
If he really would be happy with just meat and potatoes at Applebees there's Saylor's a place right out of the 60's including the "Eat the 72 oz Steak and Trimmings in an hour and it's free deal"
Homemade blue cheese dressing
Aaack, only a year to reply. No, the fish sauce isn't something you taste. It's an umami element. It rounds out and enhances the savoriness of the dressing.
Margaritas for 20
Don't cut corners when serving your guests. This recipe can be made a day or two in advance. I serve it up in pint glasses and it only takes a few moments to fill them with ice and give them a shake. They'll be the hit of the party and everyone will want the recipe. A $6 Mexican juicer will take care of all the squeezing in less than 10 minuets. The only change I make to the recipe is to add the juice of four oranges.
Jeffery Morgenthaler's Gallon of Margarita's - http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2006/a-gallon-of-margaritas/
Sausage maker
Grizzly has a great upright 5lb stuffer for $70 - http://www.grizzlyimports.com/products/5-lb-Vertical-Sausage-Stuffer-SS/H6252
I love my KitchenAid for grinding meat, but not for stuffing the sausages.
Coffee maker shopping, suggestions?
Get a Bunn Home Model. You'll have to pour the water over when you get up, but it's so fast it doesn't matter. The water is preheated in a resevoir so it makes better coffee. Available with a thermal pot in your budget range.
Best store-bought ramen noodles?
Here is a link to a PortlandFood.Org thread on Ramen. It includes many links to ramen sites. Look for the Pollo Elastico posts. http://portlandfood.org/index.php?showtopic=6457&hl=ramen
Pollo Elastico also has an awesome blog called the Guilty Carnivore here
http://www.guiltycarnivore.com/
Homemade blue cheese dressing
I agree that wedge salad is the best.
I make this recipe all the time - my friends demand that I bring it for barbecues.
1 Pint Sour Cream
1 Pint Best Foods Mayo
1 Pint Buttermilk
1 cup crumbled blue cheese - I use a tub of Trader Joe's Gorgonzola
Juice of 1 small lemon - about a 1/4 cup
1 T. Onion Powder
1 t. Garlic Powder
1 t. Fish Sauce - the secret ingredient!
1 T. Dried Chive
1 t. Dried Dill Leaf
1 t. Morton Kosher Salt
1 T. Ground Black Pepper or more, lots more!.
Whisk together in a bowl - best if made the day ahead. I've had it last a week in the fridge, but it usually disappears before then and I usually make a double batch.
Gild the lily and cook up some thick pepper bacon and sprinkle crumbles of that on the wedge salad along with a half dozen homemade croûtons.
Homemade Ketchup
Here's another link to try - several links to recipes at the bottom of the page.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/sleuth/0799/
You might try putting your link in the search blank on Google and seeing if there is a cached page.
Healthier Alternative to Smoked Meats in Beans?
I often use ham flavored soup base with good results. I prefer the Better than Bullion brand.
Stuck in Valencia for 3 months
Silly me! I thought you meant Spain when I read the thread caption.
I'm guessing Taco Trucks and Stands will be your best options. Good luck.
Seeing a lot of Copper River Sockeye here in Cali. Gimmick?
Copper River Salmon is as much about processing as anything. It's supposed to be processed quickly and gotten to market sooner. I believe part of it is a cooperative effort to help the fisherman have a place to sell there fish to and get it processed and sold.
I prefer sockeye to chinook - the fat content is about the same (spring chinook is the exception - it's higher). Sockeye flesh has a finer texture and I think a less assertive, but finer flavor. Most salmon are carnivorous, eating shrimp and other small creatures. Sockeye are plankton eaters.
I once had chinook, silver and sockeye cooked up side by side by side. All the fish were of similar size caught that morning by a commercial fisherman near Astoria OR. The chef/friend at the restaurant where the fish were delivered sauteed them with just a bit of salt and pepper for seasoning. The chef, the fisherman and I all prefered the sockeye. The chinook was second and the silver came in 3rd - Anybody would have been lucky to have eaten any of the three.
Stumptown, Albina Press... other suggestions for a PDX coffee holiday?
The Mississippi & Albina Streets area where Albina Press is located have undergone drastic gentrification - You won't recognize the area. Same with Alberta Street. Many restaurants and hip twenty something places.
Podnah's Pit Barbecue - Overrated?
I've been to Podnah's three time in the last month. I really like the brisket and pulled pork. Chicken is good and the ribs are the best in town - but still haven't rocked my world. I'm not wild about the potato salad and the coleslaw is just okay. I love the blue cheese web salad. My favorite commercial place to eat barbecue in Portland.
Kitchen Aid Mixer - which size to buy?
I love my Pro 6, but it's noisy with the metal gears. I use it quite often for grinding meat for sausage and it doesn't bog down at all. The Artisan is so much quieter though. The Pro 6 is best used with ear plugs.
College Inn chicken broth in Portland?
I think I've seen it at some of the Grocery Outlet Stores around town. Maybe Winco too.
Butterscotch Pudding Recipes Please?
Here's a link to a recipe I've made. It calls for Guittard Butterscotch Chips. I've used Nestle's when I can't get my hands on the Guittard. Doesn't seem to make too much of a difference.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/04/10/FD240767.DTL&hw=butterscotch&sn=001&sc=1000
Best of ________________ in Portland.
What part of town are you settling in? I have a strong eastside bias, so consider that when reading my suggestions.
Here are some sites worth checking out. There are two major food boards in town.
http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/
http://www.portlandfood.org/
Good recommendations at http://www.extramsg.com/ - I strongly dislike his White or Carolina Blue font on Gray background website format (hard for my aging eyes to read), but he provides good starting points for many different types of cuisine.
There are several blogs related to dining in PDX. Hit some of the websites above and then ask for related sites - you'll get more recommendations than you can hit or afford in a year of two.
Fine dining with a good dose of Portland - Higgins and Wildwood
Bread - Pearl Bakery or Grand Central
Coffee with your kids - Jim and Patty's on NE Fremont
Thai - Chaba Thai, lunch is ok with kids
Mexican - LaBonita for lunch and OK with kids. You and Mom and Margaritas, Taqueria Nueve.
Burgers with your kids, Mike's in a couple of locations.
McMenamins is for better or worse an interesting place for burgers and beer. Try Kennedy School or Edgefield or for funky the White Eagle.
Old Portland - Try Dan & Louis Oysterbar, Huber's or the Ringside.
Vietnamese - Lot's of choices, Pho Hung, Oregon or Van for noodles. My Cahn for other choices. Lot's of Bahm My choices in town.
Local Stuff - we've got lot's of Farmer's markets, New Seasons for Groceries, Phils, Gartners or Viande for Meats, Pasta Works for interesting if not inexpensive ingredients.
Wine - Lot's of stores and an hour to Pinot Noir country - don't limit yourself to the names that get the review, there are lots of family wineries that don't get any press and are lots more fun to seek out.
Beer - more beers than I can name - the great majority are English Ale styles, not enough or any pilsners or Belgian styles (my opinion)
Spirits - make an appointment and check out Clear Creek Distillery
Welcome in advance to Portland
Re: toasting walnuts
I agree that toasting them at the time of use is the best way. They do fine stored in a baggy for a week or two. We always eat up the extras with some blue cheese and sherry or port.
KitchenAid: Is the Pro 6 too much mixer for me?
I have a Pro 6 and love it. I use it for heavy duty work, kneading bread dough and grinding meat in addition to the usual mixer chores. It has metal gears and it's much noisier than the smaller models with non-metal gears.
Bought mine on the KA website outlet store for about the same the smaller mixers sale price.
Portland, Walking Distance from SE 39th & Madison
Stumptown Coffee is at 34th and Belmont - their coffee is considered by many to be the best around. Fresh Pot is located in the Powell's Books at 37th and Hawthorne.
Powell's Books is another wonderful Portland experience. Two on Hawthorne, one a general bookstore and the other for Cooks and Gardeners.
Both Hawthorne and Belmont are well served by bus lines from Downtown. Max doesn't get you very close to this area.
Zinfandel & relatives
I hate to say it but Gallo's Rancho Zabacho Sonoma County is excellent. Gallo is the largest vineyard owner in Sonoma County.
I also like just about anything from Dry Creek Valley.
I also don't like Zins that are over oaked.
Ridge wines still rock if you can give them at least two or three years, five to seven is usually better.
Zin needs heat to ripen. The wines that I like come from warm sites with cool nights that keep the acidity up. With enough acidity it's possible to get balance even with higher alcohol. The acidity gives it a finish and keeps it from being a pruny overripe fruit bomb.
