gardencub's Profile
Blue Oar in Haddam, CT - is it open during the week now?
I believe it is, but if you cannot get a confirmation, call Simon's Marketplace in Chester, they run both places. I am sure they can tell you.
Pie!
Tomorrow - Thursday, March 3 a buddy and I are off to find a great slice of pie, perhaps the perfect slice of pie in CT. We are not looking for whole pies, or fancy French pastry, but a slice of pie and a cuppa joe. Maybe some ice cream action as well. Truth be told, we might nibble a sandwich while we are at it.
We have 3-4 hours and a tank of gas. We will be leaving from Bristol. So where do the Ct Chowhounds suggest we start looking for the elusive perfect slice of pie?
Restaurant L & E, Chester, Ct. Rip Off
We go monthly and have always felt it was worth it. Not every meal has been 4 star worthy, but we find that more often than not any "misses" were because the Chef's reach exceeded his grasp.
We recommend it all the time, the staff is attentive and professional, the dining room is charming and warm, the bar is a tiny jewel box of a place. The food - always something we HAVE to try on the menu.
GO!
How do you plate deviled eggs to be stable?
cut the eggs the other way, through the equator not the polls, you then have enough thickness in the whites to cut off part to make the bottom flat. This creates a whole new shape and look to old fashioned deviled eggs.
Mussels Meuniere or steak frites in Hartford, CT area?
Hi there,
While this is not in Hartford it is worth the drive.
Restaurant L & E in Chester had mussels steamed in Belgium beer with frites on the menu in mid December, and they were delish! Their menu seems to change often so I would check before you went. They might even have steak frites on the menu.
We have eaten at the bar and in the main dining room, both are great, but we liked the bar best.
Slightly stinky chicken... Am I crazy or is it okay?
12 hours means nothing, you have up to 2 days before food poisoning may occur. Many peopple get food poisoning and blame the last meal they ate, but in many instances it was a meal more than 24 hours before.
I too often take few more risks than many, Chicken is never on the list. I treat all chicken as if it had been innoculated with e coli, salmonella and several doses of anthrax. One too many video clips of the effects of food poisoning in cooking school to make me even slightly courageous with poultry.
pork loin isuue
I would leave the bone on, I think the bone adds flavor and moisture. If all you have is a backbone, I would roast, rest the meat, and then carve the whole roast off the backbone adn then carve the now boneless roast into slices. I am always in favor of leaving roasts as whole as possible, believing IMHO that the added flavor and moisture will more than make up for any extra labor needed to carve it.
New Year's Day Open House Menu suggestions
As it is an open house, and not intended to be an actual meal, I didn't plan on a main entree', We keep going back and forth about adding one more savory dish, but in looking at the quantity of food I have made already and what I am still going to make, I am pretty sure there will be enough food.
I have toyed with making some pulled pork for little sliders, or , god forbid, another ham, but I really want food that needs no untensils or a fork at best. There will be no room for most folks to sit down and trying to cut ham, or a roast on your lap is messy business, especially for those of us who find our laps getting smaller and smaller!
New Year's Day Open House Menu suggestions
I had vetoed the roast ham or turkey as we have done that at 4 of the last 6 parties we threw. I have added ham and cheese in puff pastry that I ganked from Ina Garten and Marha Stewart.
Oh, and for the record, I am a recent graduate of pastry school, so I am really planning on showing off my baking skills. probably far too many desserts, but.. hey, I am a baker, not a cook!
I'm hosting Christmas - need help on serving etiquette
Everytime we host company and for special family events. I have 4 complete sets of fine china or porcelain dinner ware and two sets of everyday dishes. None of them were bought at full price. Ebay, auctions, estate sales, tag sales, Goodwill, etc all helped to supply the dishware. I honestly believe that if you are going to spend all day or multiple days cooking your heart out, YOU deserve to use the good dishes.
You eat with your eyes as well as with your mouth and a beautifully laid table, buffet etc only makes it that much more special. I do not mean formal. Stuffy finger bowls and 14 pieces of silverware are a thing of the past in my world. I mean a well thought out scheme, fitting the event.
Rustic ironstone, country baskets, pottery platters, casual wine goblets, country woven clothes can be just a lovely as fine Irish linen, sterling flatware and crystal classware.
A well laid table is not one that is too fancy, but one that shows thought and consideration to comfort, aesthetics, your guests, the food, etc.
I vote for using nice stuff. I also believe you can set a half way decent buffet using wire chafing dishes, but I would personally rent some nicer chafing dishes from a party rental place for a few bucks. For that matter, you can rent dishes, glassware, flatware etc, I have rented glassware for many events, and the nice thing is, you don't wash, just rinse.
cold asian chicken salad recipe needed - quickly
Hey fellow chowhounds- Help
I have lost an old favorite recipe for a cold chicken salad that had a peanut sauce, finely chopped peanuts, finely shredded lettuce and a few other ingredients.
I want to serve this for the holidays, but when I went to the cookbook, that page was never put back!
I first had this in a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco and spent two years getting a recipe that was close.
Any help, suggestions, ideas etc, would be helpful.
Thanks,
Gardencub.
All Purpose Flour: Does Brand Really Matter?
I think that the White Whole Wheat as less of the germ in it, It is the Wheat Germ that goes rancid in Whole wheat flour. Wheat flour without the germ will last much longer than whole wheat with the germ, as the oils in the germ go rancid pretty quickly after milling.
King Arthur Flour worth the $?
As a Ct Yankee through and through, King Arthur is the flour I was raised with and continues to be my flour of choice.
I have use Gold Medal, TJ's, and the store brands from Sam's and BJ's and I prefer King Arthur every time. I do by cake flour - and usually whatever brand I can find, for use in cakes and some cookies. I have also been known to mix cake and AP flours to approximate pastry flour for use in pie dough and pastry crusts.
Just for your info
Flour types listed from highest to lowest protein content as listed in "Professional Baking" by Wayne Gisslen, 5th edition.
High Gluten 14% protein
Bread Flour 11 - 13.5 %
All Purpose11-11.5%
Pastry flour 9%
Cake Flour 8%
Are dragees banned in Florida??
I find all kinds of cool things at Beryl's. I can't wait to try some of the chocolate transfer sheets.
cold Christmas Eve buffet?
cold roast ham, cold chicken salad or any of it's many variations, (tarragon, asian, with fruits and nuts etc) cold sliced turkey, chicken, pork loin. As kids we always had a cold Christmas Day buffet. Kids were and still are too wound up to sit still for a fancy meal. We would have a cold roast turkey breat, a cold roast ham, mustards, mayonaise, etc.
Many Eastern Europeans have a cold Easter dinner after church and serve cold cooked kielbasa with mustards, etc. You could do that as well.
OR, instead of a cold main dish, how about a slow cooked dish? A huge meat based lasagna, or pulled pork, or a hearty beef, or veal or turkey stew that could be simmering in the slow cooker while you are at church?
Are dragees banned in Florida??
Have you tried ordering from Beryl's. She has a great online catalog with a huge selection at fairly reasonable prices. I see nothing about them being outlawed in Florida.
Help! Making new recipe for shortbread (Rich Man's Shortbread)
I just searched on Google for Rich Man's Shortbread and a recipe from Sur la Table came up. After reading it, I would use light corn syrup myself, but the quantity, (a couple of tablespoons) is fairly small so I still believe that either would work.
Help! Making new recipe for shortbread (Rich Man's Shortbread)
Chicklet, I am not familiar with the recipe but either dark or light will "work" for the recipe, the difference will be in the flavor. I always assume a recipe means light corn syrup unless it states otherwise.
If it asks you to boil the toffee for 5 minutes, does it give any other indicators as to the desired consistency, color, volume? (for example, boil until thickened, or boil until toffee turns a dark amber, or boil until reduced by half - approx 5 minutes? If they ask for a color (dark amber) than the corn syrup you use will make a difference. The dark syrup could give a false reading.
New Year's Day Open House Menu suggestions
Ham is the usual suspect at almost all our parties. We both looked at each other and said "We can't serve these folks another ham."
I am always a fan of really good ham, and ham on a biscuit, roll or mini brioche can make my tummy happy at almost any party.
Any other pork ideas that aren't ham?
New Year's Day Open House Menu suggestions
Ok, I need help with some ideas for a party.
We are having an open house on New Years' Day - 1-5pm for 50-75 guests.
I am willing to spend hours and hours cooking before the event, but on the day of, I do not want to spend all day in the kitchen, heating, plating, garnishing etc. I want to enjoy our company. With that in mind, these are the criteria for what I want to serve.
No last minute cooking, must be able to serve at room temp, or cold. I have a tiny kitchen and NO dishwasher, Having a mountain of dishes, pots, and pans to deal with minutes before guests arrive will be a disaster.
Must be able to eat with hands, or with just a fork. This is a stand and mingle kind of event.
I am thinking:
Smoked salmon mousse
Chopped chicken liver, dried cranberry and pistachio "Pate"
Hummus Platter
Cheeses, fruits and bread
Thai chicken salad on cucumber slices
For the sweet side I am going to do a huge selection of petit fours. small tartlets, homemade candies, etc.
Granulated sugar v. 10X for glaze/drizzle?
Christina, run your granulated sugar through your food processor until you have turned it into 10X. !0X has some cornstarch in it, although I do not remember off the top of my head what the ratio is. Perhaps a quick google search could tell you.
That small amount of corn starch does help set up your glaze.
anyone making candy for the holidays? What are you making?
I am making home made marshmallows - peppermint, chocolate and citrus flavors.
I am also making a marblized peanut butter and dark chocolate bark type thing - old family recipe.
Truffles
chocolate covered apricots
chocolate coconut nests
(good) Restaurants with a view near New Haven, CT
I cannot be more emphatic in stating that I would not eat at Aqua if I was starving. I have never had such bad service in my entire life. I took someone there on a first date, Made reservations two weeks in advance, told them the reason ande asked for a water view table.
When we arrived we were given a good table, but then asked to move to one that was 3 rows back from the window. Apparently they have an aversion to same sex couples there. We stayed as it was Saturday night and too late to go elsewhere before the movies. We eash ordered a starter, a salad, we split a fish course and each had an entree, plus dessert, drinks before and after. They served the entire meal in less than an hour, bringing each course exactly 5 minutes after the preceding one. At one point we had three plates stacked up, waiting to be eaten.
Before we had finished with the entrees the waitress brought us our bill and asked if she could take care of it for us now! When I suggested we might want an after dinner drink she asked for our drink order then and there.
I was insulted and embarrassed in front of my date. I asked to speak to the manager and was told he was too busy to come to the table.
I left no tip, and told the waitress why, I won't comment on the food as it tasted like sawdust in my mouth after the horrible and offensive service.
I called the restaurant during the week to speak to the manager, He listened to me for about one minute, put me on hold and never came back to the line.
This was a couple of years ago, Things may have changed for the better, but I will not give the place another chance.
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Aqua Restaurant
34 Riverside Drive, Clinton, CT 06413
Miller's Provisions, Stratford, CT
Some chefs will share a variation of a secret recipe, giving folks a similare if not exact experience. If that were not the case, there would be no recipes in Gourmet (RIP) Fine Cooking, Etc.
A good chef is usually willing to share knowledge, technique and skill. Viable trade secrets are one thing, but sharing a reasonable fascimile is good business too.
New Haven Restaurant Week: Chowhounds at Foster's 11-09
I agree, crumbing can be a very necessary part of good service. Some foods produce inordinant amounts of crumbs, and some diners are just not as tidy as others. Crisp crusted breads, flatbreads, salt and pepper grinders, bowls of grated cheese, etc all can leave a huge mess on a table.
I wonder if management has phased out crumbing as part of good service, or if waiters are just not as well trained any more? Could it be like so many other things that were once taught under the guise of manners and etiquette, lost after the 60's? If you rebeled against place cards, salad forks and the trappings of middleclass / bourgeoisie?
In any case, the fine details of good service are never out of place.
Antipasto Platter Ideas Please!
Antipasto is easy, It really can be just about anything. A great cheese, a few fresh veggies (tomatoes, blanched asparagus, mixed greens,) add some cured meats, a few selections from the olive bar and a loaf of decent bread. Jars of marinated olives, pickled eggplant, italian tuna packed in olive oil, marinated artichokes all can add flavor and texture. It can be as elaborate or as simple as you want.
How to substitute Fat Free Yogurt or Sour Cream in Quick Bread Recipes
yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream are all acidic and can change the way your leavening works. In the quickbreads that I make with sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt, the recipes call for both Baking powder and baking soda,
You may find that the leavening needs will change when you change to the yogurt, et al
New Haven Restaurant Week: Chowhounds at Foster's 11-09
Crumbing of the table was once part of any good service, There is a small "dust pan" and a little sweep- often a metal or plastic, (sometimes bone or ivory if antique) that is used to scrape the cloth of crumbs. A good waiter can quickly and discretely remove most crumbs from the table without disturbing all the dishes etc.
Crumbing is most frequently done after the main and and before dessert, but can and should be done between any course if the waiter sees that the table is looking less than perfect.
I see fewer and fewer places that actually do crumb any more. I fear it is going the way of finger bowls and steamed towels.
Non-traditional pies that are worth it... Thanksgiving
that very well could be... now I will have to dig deeper... Thanks Blue room.
