yumyumyogi's Profile
Homemade mozzarella
Does anyone have a good recipe for homemade mozzarella that WORKS? I'm writing on behalf of my husband who works on a farm with excess organic raw milk. He's made a few batches, but they've all turned out rock hard. He's got good technique so I'm thinking he just needs a good recipe.
Jerusalem artichoke (aka sunchoke) recipes?
Jerusalem artichokes are great as a soup, gratin, fried chips, or puree. Also good, as others have mentioned, simply roasted.
This is the soup we made at my previous job. Season as you go, of course: Sweat onions, celery, potatoes in butter till soft. Add think sliced sunchokes and saute till soft. Top with water or vegetable broth & simmer. Puree with blender. Add creme fraiche to taste. Garnish with hazelnut oil. Lovely.
A puree works nicely as a garnish: Slice sunchokes thin. Top just till covered in a pot with heavy cream. Cover with parchment lid and simmer on low till soft. Drain and puree in blender, seasoning to taste and adding just enough cream back as needed to produce a good texture.
Chocolate ganache: Butter or no butter?
If you're lucky enough to have shiny macarons, that is. My first semi-successful batch after 3 tries with only the dull exterior to disappoint. Not sure what happened, but that's another topic altogether.
Chocolate ganache: Butter or no butter?
Thanks for your response. I think I will try out both versions in small batches as you recommended just to see for myself.
Baking substitutions for vegans
Yes, there's hope! I'm not vegan but I began experimenting with the above mentioned vegan substitutes ever since I started a batch of muffins one day, only to realize I had no eggs in the house. I tried using flax seeds and I was utterly fascinated with how good they turned out. Ever since, I've been replacing butter and eggs in my baking just to see how they turn out. So far so good.
As far as the Parmesan goes, that's a tough one Good luck finding a replacement.
Baking substitutions for vegans
One caveat: I refer to virgin coconut oil, which has extremely different fat and health properties than the highly refined regular coconut oil. I believe the movie theater popcorn is made with the non-virgin version which is high in trans fats and much less expensive.
Baking substitutions for vegans
Here are some substitutes I've had success with:
- Reconstituted ground flax seeds in place of eggs (1-to-3 flax seed to water ratio = 1 egg)
- Coconut oil in place of butter
- Applesauce in place of milk and/or sugar
You might want to try coconut oil for rice krispie treats as I've made granola bars with it before and they turn out great. If you find they don't hold together, you can add a few tablespoons of rice syrup and/or a nut butter to bind them together.
Chocolate ganache: Butter or no butter?
Hi. I'm trying to make an Earl Gray-infused chocolate ganache filling for macarons but am debating whether or not to add butter to the chocolate/cream mixture. Could someone explain to me what difference it makes to add butter and which version would work better as macaron fillings? Thanks. Much appreciated!
Festival food favorites
Good to know. Maybe lamb kabobs instead of chicken then? I agree lavender and honey partner well together. We have a lavender honey ice cream that's a runner every year.
Festival food favorites
Zeppoles! With a lavender powdered sugar. Sounds great. I'm going to test them out. Thanks for the suggestion!
Festival food favorites
Thanks, tcamp. We have a baked falafel sandwich with a tahini tzatziki on the menu. I'm hoping the "baked" part will be an attraction, not a turn-off. Where would you get those turkey drumsticks, at a medieval festival perhaps?
Festival food favorites
Thanks, cstr. I like the beer and wine tent and nut brittle idea. We always served the beer and wine in the main food tent but they would probably do well in their own tent. Bratwurst is definitely on the menu!
Any thoughts on lavender-flavored foods? We put some lavender twist on about 50% of the foods we serve, i.e., lavender balsamic vinaigrette. Some people love it, others get sick of it.
Festival food favorites
Hi Chowhounds, I'm in the midst of planning an lavender festival in June in southern California.
So far on the menu, we have some staples from previous festivals such as BBQ chicken and beef brisket sandwiches, burgers, chicken kebabs, and corn on the cob. We'll also be selling fresh made kettle corn and lavender ice cream.
What are your favorite types of festival food? And is there anything you'd like to see specifically at a lavender festival? Any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Brian Lewis has left Bedford Post??
Momoney, having worked there myself, I can confirm that everything you say about Brian Lewis is true. It's about time he got let go. What a relief, like a big weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Everyone suffered under that guy. But it was going to come back and bite him eventually. And it did. That screaming, foie gras-killing, 40-lb veal cheek-wasting man who calls himself a chef.
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
Everything is thicker than water: Infuse more flavor into grains (beans, quinoa, bulgur, etc) by cooking them in stock instead of water.
I never buy chicken parts, only whole chickens. With a single chicken you can get at least 2 meals (for 2), plus the carcass for stock.
Something learned from a sous chef I once worked with: Always finish off soups with a little acid, whether it’s a Jerusalem artichoke soup with rice vinegar, a black bean soup with lime, or a lentil soup with lemon. It will make the flavors pop and brighten up any soup.
As a salad lover, this changed my life: Wash leafy greens ahead of time, spin dry, and store in airtight containers generously lined with paper towels (and save used paper towels to wipe off excess oil after seasoning cast iron pans). The most useful has been to have a tub of baby spinach ready on hand to toss into soups and scrambled eggs.
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
I do the same. It's something my husband the chef taught me. It makes a nice quick and rough stock that's definitely cheaper and more flavorful than stock in a box. I save and freeze the outside skin of onions and garlic, carrots peels, parsley stems, about-to-go-bad celery, and chicken bones and fat - all things that would be otherwise be thrown away.
Pumpkin scone recipe?
Hello. I'm a displaced New Yorker seeking to satisfy an urgent craving for pumpkin scones sold at Alice's Tea Cup. If you've tried those scones, you'll know why. Anyone have any recipe suggestions to replicate the deliciousness of Alice's Tea Cup's?
What to put on rice?
If all the prep for a proper bibimbop seems daunting for a weeknight meal, I oftentimes do a quick version of it with just a few sauteed vegetables I have readily on hand (kale, spinach, carrots, onions, mushrooms, shredded lettuce - in any combination) and an egg over-easy. Just add some sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and gochujang and toasted shredded nori if you have them.
I love a simple breakfast version with a little warm dashi or miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, a pat of butter, some shredded nori, and an egg over-easy.
Best Kept Secrets in the I.E. !!
I love the farm-to-table concept and the way the menu reads, but found the execution a big disappointment. Everything was under-seasoned, clumsy and flavorless. I think it's pretty difficult to mess up something as beautiful and simple as a butternut squash, but they managed to do it. And such a restaurant should be able to do a vegetable right seeing that it's all about the ingredient, but they managed to mess that up, too. Wanted to love it, but sadly disappointed.
Best Kept Secrets in the I.E. !!
A Dong off the Mt. View exit in Redlands has pho. Did not try it, but their summer rolls were quite good.
Best Kept Secrets in the I.E. !!
Good to know about Ravi's and Handel's.
As a recent New York expat, I'm finding good chow hard to find out here. Some gems I've discovered so far are:
1. Mu
www.mumartini.com
An organic Thai place in Redlands. Their Tom Ka Kai is powerful and amazing. The green curry and lettuce cups are excellent.
2. The Grand Oak
www.hsresort.com/thegrandoak
A true hidden gem in Cherry Valley. It was a sweet surprise to find this place - a resort with lavender fields, olive groves and thousand year oak tree. Makes you feel like you're in Tuscany or the south of France. The new chef from Germany is putting some nice touches on the menu (spaetzle, the best apple streusel I've ever had, and lebkuchen). Their cote de beouf is impressive.
Good food between Palm Springs and Pomona on I-10?
Yikes. I feel your pain. I just moved to the desert from NYC. A few place I've found so far:
THE GRAND OAK STEAKHOUSE & BAR
About 5 minutes drive off Rt 10. A nice surprise - food and atmosphere. On a beautiful property with lavender fields, cypresses, and olive trees.
http://hsresort.com/thegrandoak/index.htm
MU
An organic Thai restaurant in Redlands. A bit on the pricier side, but pretty darnn good.
www.mumartini.com/MU.html
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
White Plains must-eats for Manhattan foodie
Cholo's Kitchen
4 Lawton St.
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914.235.0094
Closed Mondays
And please check out the "News" section of their website to get a sense of the owners' personalities:
http://choloskitchen.com/
November 2008 COTM The Art of Simple Food: Vegetables
Cubing becomes a cinch when you do it a few times this way:
http://www.cookthink.com/reference/1040/How_to_peel_and_seed_a_butternut_squash?tag_type=&tag_id=
November 2008 COTM The Art of Simple Food: Vegetables
This is by far the best knife for cutting squash, or any rooth vegetable for that matter. Even my chef borrows it from me when he needs to cut squash. It's relatively cheap, to:
http://www.amazon.com/Forschner-Victorinox-4-Inch-Curved-Fibrox/dp/B00093090Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1227583223&sr=1-3
In search of: Back-Oblaten
Thank you JM! I'm going through major lebkuchen withdrawal symptoms (shakes, chills, dizziness) and must make them this minute, sans back-oblaten. I'll check out the German deli for the next batch I bake next week.
