pamplemousse's Profile
Good food after visiting Storm King? Mountainville/West Point area...
Piggybacking on this query...
I will also be visiting Storm King soon and would like to find a place to stop by for food afterward. However, I'm more interested in getting some hot apple cider and donuts. Any recommendations in the area?
Thanks!
shipping homemade truffles?
Thank you! Apparently they got a little jostled around in transit, but were not melted, and the recipient was very appreciative. :)
-pamplemousse
shipping homemade truffles?
Hello hounds,
I am making a batch of homemade bergamot-infused truffles to send to a special someone. Problem is, he lives far far away and I must resort to FedEx overnight to get them to him. Does anyone have experience shipping homemade truffles long distances? Any ideas about how best to pack and mail them? Is dry ice a necessity? I know it's the thought that counts, but I'd like to avoid having him open a box of melted brown goo, if at all possible.
Thanks so much!
-pamplemousse
I want to buy some quince!
I've seen pineapple quince at Bi-Rite within the past week.
question about pan for tarte tatin
Yes, it's for a dinner party, and so probably not the best time for experimentation. The roasted apples look lovely and simple so I will likely make them instead. I'd be curious about your sauteed apple tart recipes too, though, if it's not too much trouble to share... Thanks!
question about pan for tarte tatin
Yes, the classic recipe is to use the pan on the stove top first, so I'd have to devise some workaround for the Pyrex, which might not be worth it.
The other alternative is to make a different dessert altogether, like the roasted apples with cinnamon ice cream from the Lucques cookbook! (Anyone tried it?)
question about pan for tarte tatin
I am planning to attempt my first tarte tatin this evening, but I don't have a cast-iron pan. I've been thinking of buying one, so will purchase if it really seems like the only way, but I am wondering if it is OK to use a Calphalon (nonstick) instead, or a Pyrex pie dish.
Thanks!
making truffle salt?
A couple of years ago, I bought a trio of truffle products (honey, carpaccio, and salt) from Far West Fungi on a trip to SF. I hoarded these delicacies away because they always seemed too precious to use, until finally I decided to move to SF and realized it would be ridiculous to pack them up and fly them back across the country with me (in retrospect, I think I could have made room in my carryon for a one-oz. jar of deliciousness).
So my last month in NY became a truffle-filled extravaganza. The carpaccio tasted like nothing more than mushrooms packed in oil at that point, but the honey made a decadent companion to cheese that I served at my farewell party. Most of all, though, I was entranced by the truffle salt. My god, that stuff is good. I used it in salad dressings and eggs and beets, and sprinkled on crusty bread with good butter.
The other day I saw fresh truffles for sale and had the brilliant idea that I could make my own truffle salt to give to people as part of the holiday food gifts I am planning to assemble. Has anyone tried this before, or seen a recipe? I have actually never bought a truffle before so this will definitely be an experiment for me, but it doesn't seem like it could be too difficult. But I am not sure whether the truffles should be used fresh or dried and what the best way is to infuse their flavor into the salt, other than just mixing the two and letting time work its magic. Please let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!
dinner tomorrow near North Beach, ~$20/pp
So, after a bit of wandering around, my classmate and I ended up at Tommaso's last night. In terms of atmosphere, it was actually just what we were looking for, with its bustling, cozy, old-school North Beach vibe (not usually what I'm seeking, but, as I said, it seemed to suit the occasion).
Unfortunately, I found the food to be pretty lackluster. We weren't too hungry after eating hors d'oeuvres at the party, so just split a spinach salad and the spaghetti/ravioli combo. The salad was enormous and fine, but I got sort of bored eating it after a while. The pasta dish, on the other hand, seemed surprisingly skimpy, especially considering the $16 price tag. I do love really good spaghetti and meatballs, but the version here was pretty one-dimensional (and the pasta was I think cappellini rather than actual spaghetti--a small gripe, but I really do prefer the thicker noodles). I know that Tommaso's real specialty is pizza, so I don't want to write it off completely, but I doubt I'll be back anytime soon.
That being said, last night we were quite content to just find a lively place for a glass of wine and some decent cheap eats, so it definitely hit the spot. Thanks again to Little Big Al for the suggestion.
dinner tomorrow near North Beach, ~$20/pp
Thanks, Little Big Al, for these recs. They all look like good possibilities. I'm perfectly content with "old school red sauce" kinds of places every now and then, just looking to avoid falling into a total tourist trap. Ideally I'd love to find someplace a little closer to the Italian Institute (these are all pushing a mile away). Any suggestions more in the direction of the Financial District? If we need to spend a little more than $20/pp, that's probably o.k. Thanks again!
dinner tomorrow near North Beach, ~$20/pp
I recently completed an Italian language course at SF's Italian Cultural Institute. I will be back tomorrow evening for una festa and plan to go out afterward to get a bite to eat with one or two of my fellow students. The school is on Washington between Sansome and Battery, and, given the subject of the class, it only seems appropriate to go out for Italian food.
I'm looking for a place that's within a short walk of our location and has decent food and wine without blowing the bank. I moved here from NYC about six months ago, and my experience of NY's Little Italy has made me wary of restaurants in North Beach--I fear that if my classmates and I just walk around looking for a place, we'll end up in one of those terrible cheesy restaurants with huge plates of oversauced fettucine alfredo and throngs of tourists.
Can you hounds come to the rescue with an alternative plan?
Grazie mille!
Wet/ Dry Brine for Turkeys?
Thanks, JasmineG! I ended up washing out the ziplog big bag I had used to brine and transporting her in that, which seemed to work fine. Massaged a compound herb butter under the skin and baked per LAT recipe. She finished cooking a lot more quickly than expected--perhaps because I forgot to lower the temperature right away after flipping her--but turned out juicy and delicious. My only disappointment is that there aren't more leftovers!
Wet/ Dry Brine for Turkeys?
Well, I went ahead and did it! Hope it works out despite the foreshortened brining time. Problem is: I now need to bring it to the friend's house where dinner is happening (about 1.5 hour drive away). I've taken it out of the bag in order to air-dry, but obviously will need to put it in something to transport it. Suggestions? I have an ice chest, but don't want it to get wet again at this stage!
Also, have other people just roasted the turkey as is, sans additional seasonings? I have sage, rosemary, and thyme that I was thinking about putting under the skin--either whole sprigs or as a compound butter (I think this is what JasmineG said she did). Any suggestions?
And finally: NO basting, right?
Thanks, all! This is my first time doing the turkey, so I'm a little nervous and hoping it all works out ok!
Wet/ Dry Brine for Turkeys?
How long did you brine for? Has anyone dry brined for only two days, and how were the results? I was planning on trying the SF Chronicle recipe (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/11/17/FDGIQ9RTLC1.DTL) but the dry brine sounds so much simpler. Just hoping it's not too late to do it tomorrow night!
Suggestions to use up Brandy?
Is it possible to brandy dried figs, or only fresh? I, too, have a surfeit of brandy that I've got to get rid of before moving. I love brandied figs, but all the recipes I've managed to find use fresh fruit. Any ideas?
City Bakery style chocolate chip cookies
Yes, I followed the link below to the original blog post and it does seem she is attempting to emulate the City Bakery cookie. Looks like a great recipe. I plan to try it this week.
Thanks!
-pamplemousse
City Bakery style chocolate chip cookies
I'm not usually a big chocolate chip cookie person, but the City Bakery (NYC) version is a whole other beast--all butter, chocolate, salt. Can someone recommend a recipe that approximates this style?
Thanks!
-pamplemousse
All About Braising: Poultry and Game Recipe Reviews
I just bought this cookbook and am very excited to start cooking from it. What is the verdict re making coq au vin a day ahead of time? I'd like to make it for New Year's Eve dinner, but since I have to work during the day I'd need to prepare it on Sunday. Will it still be good the next day? Seems like the flavor could only improve, but the texture (esp. of the breasts) might get a bit dried out. Any tips?
Thanks!
-pamplemousse
korean recipes
Thanks! I just made the kalbi jjim recipe from http://www.xanga.com/koreancooking and it was delicious (albeit more like a really good beef stew), so I'm inspired to do more Korean cooking.
-pamplemousse
korean recipes
This thread is great! But I'd also really like to purchase a good Korean cookbook. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
-pamplemousse
the half-life of baked goods
I am attempting to make gift tins of cookies and things to give as holiday gifts. Most are for local NYC friends, so shouldn't be a problem, but I'd also like to send some to the West Coast, and would prefer not to pay for overnight shipping. How long will brownies stay good (and keep moist) for? Is there a particular way I should pack them to ensure the longest shelf life? What about macaroons and other, drier cookies?
I intend to make these buckwheat butter cookies with cocoa nibs, in part because their flavor supposedly develops with age: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2007/12/cookie-baking-part.html. Anything else like that that folks would recommend?
Thanks!
-pamplemousse
BonChon vs. BonBon
Thanks. Do they have the same menu? Is the atmosphere at one nicer than at the other?
BonChon vs. BonBon
Which of these Korean fried chicken joints in Manhattan do 'hounds prefer, and why? Thanks!
Stuffed zucchini blossoms at Bonita
I recently had a delicious stuffed zucchini blossom appetizer -- a special -- at Bonita in Fort Greene. Has anyone else had this? Does anyone know what is in it? I recall it being filled with corn, perhaps more squash, perhaps peppers, and some kind of cheese (I think they said cheddar, which surprised me). I'd like to recreate these myself, so any input (or other great recipes for zucchini blossoms) would be much appreciated!
Pearl Oyster Bar report
The only place I've had a lobster roll is at Mermaid Inn. How does this one compare? And does anyone know the going rate at Mermaid this summer?
help with tapas party
Quick question: Despana was out of sweet paprika, so I now have hot and bittersweet. Can the bittersweet be used in place of sweet? Specifically, can it be used in the chickpea-spinach stew (which I just started--with the bittersweet--before realizing that the recipe specified sweet, not smoked paprika!). Do I need to throw it out, go find sweet paprika, and start again, or will it be okay this way?
Thanks!
help with tapas party
Wow! This is incredibly helpful. Many thanks for the terrific suggestions and answers to my questions.
I went to Despana this evening and had a truly lovely experience there. I enjoyed trying all the samples and the men working there were very generous. They even gave me a free bag of bittersweet paprika, so now I have both that and the spicy paprika! Which do I use when?
Okay, you've all convinced me that I should make gazpacho. Unfortunately, I'm housesitting right now and can't find a food processor or even a blender in the apartment! Is it possible to make gazpacho by hand?
Finally, re the pastéis de bacalhau: I was inspired by Carb Lover's report on making these, and am using the recipe she recommended from Leite's Culinaria. I guess my menu has a pan-Iberian, not exclusively Spanish, theme to it. Perhaps it's not all the most authentic, but as long as it's delicious, I'll be happy!
help with tapas party
Hello hounds! I'm a longtime lurker but this is my first post. I'm having a tapas party over the weekend and could use some help with planning, advice with the menu, etc. Here's what I'm considering so far (though this may well need to be whittled down!), with some questions interspersed:
-tortilla Espanola: This can be made ahead and served cold or room temp, right? I've always just had it by itself, but should it be served with a sauce (e.g. aioli or romesco)?
-pastéis de bacalhau (codfish fritters): Obviously these will need to be fried at the last minute, but can the batter be prepared in advance?
-lamb meatballs: Found a recipe on Chowhound (courtesy of MMRuth). How far in advance can these be prepared?
-pan tomate: I just tried making these last night and they were delicious! Must they be served warm/freshly toasted, or can they be assembled ahead of time?
-chickpea & spinach stew: I found a recipe here (attributed to The New Spanish Table) that uses frozen spinach. I always use fresh, but it would be much easier and less time-consuming to use frozen. I assume with all the spices the difference in the end result will be negligible. Thoughts?
-mushrooms w/ garlic & sherry
-deviled eggs w/ Spanish paprika
-bacon wrapped dates and/or goat cheese stuffed figs
-manchego & quince paste
-olives: I'm intrigued by this recipe (http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/stuffed_gr_olives.html), but thinking about just using the marinade... although I do have a jar of piquillo peppers and was not sure what to do with them.
-almonds: Given the cost of Marcona, I think I'll just put out a dish of regular roasted almonds.
I had also thought about: patatas bravas (but is that too much potato with the tortilla and cod fritters?), gazpacho, jamon serrano or chorizo, vegetables with romesco, or shrimp with garlic sauce. Re the latter, would frozen shrimp--say from TJ's or Fairway--be up to par?
Many of the dishes require Spanish paprika. I remember reading something in the NY Times mag recently about La Tienda's paprika, but I don't think I have time to order it. Would whatever brand is available locally (meaning at Sahadi's, for New Yorkers) be acceptable, or should I go to Penzey's? Also, there seem to be several varieties available. I was planning to buy both hot and sweet. Right?
Finally, I'd like to make both white and red sangria. Any recommendations for decent cheap wine to use, or any favorite recipes?
I greatly appreciate your feedback and suggestions!
