cocolou's Profile
HELP! with cast iron griddle!
Is it good to scrub a cast iron pan or grill with one of these BBQ copper brushes?
Planning ahead - Sept. 5-7 stay in Chicago
My daughter and I are looking for a French-Italian restaurant close to North Michigan. Nothing too fancy: just friendly and very good. Any suggestion? Thanks
Peameal far too salty
I bought a big piece of peameal bacon, juicy, tender but... very salty. Should I parboil it before using? What else could I do to get rid of most of the brine? Thanks!
French restaurant recommendation needed
Le Montmartre, 911 Sheppard Av West, Tel 416-630-3804
Cozy atmosphere; fireplace, attentive staff and good food for a reasonable price
Has been in business for many years.
Home Delivery - what do you tip$? (moved from Ontario board)
IMO the driver delivers the stuff and he does not have anything to do with what he is delivering. For a $20 pizza, I feel that $2 is a minimum, before opening the box. If you don't like what is in the box, then you can call the store and complain, don't you think?
Trapper's - Comments?
3479 Yonge. It has been in business for quite a while; attractive menu, but can anyone comment? Thanks!
Cheap knives
See http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/kitchen/cookware-bakeware-cutlery/kitchen-knives/kitchen-knives-1105/overview/index.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=knives
among other sites that deal with knives. IMO sharpening is very important and should be done properly.
HELP! with cast iron griddle!
You are so right, Jimmy. And paint thinner is the worst thing to use, unless you are looking for slow death.
Cheap knives
Mother of Four, take good care of them as they are hard to find. The closest would be the Laguiole ones. Of course, using one of these electric sharpening thingies is the worse you can do to your knives. The best is to invest into a sharpening stone and use natural oil.
Best sub-$15 wines at LCBO?
Chardonnay, under $15 at lCBO:
Naked Grape (Unoaked),
and Spinelli (Terre di Chieti - Italy)
Vietnam Spots on SunTV
This am there was a short program abut Vietnam restos in TO. Here is the list:
Pho Hung, 200 Bloor St. W., 350 Spadina Ave., Toronto - 416-963-5080
Golden Turtle, 125 Ossington Ave., Toronto - 416-531-1601
Hanoi 3 Seasons, 588 Gerrard St. E., Toronto - 416-463-994
Pho Mi Saigon, 680 Silver Creek Blvd at Cawthra, Mississauga
Pho Ben Thanh, Cannon Street, Hamilton
Ginger, 695 Yonge St., Toronto
Banh Cuon St. Clair, 1772 St. Clair Ave. W, Toronto
Xe Lua, 180 Steeles Ave. W., Thornhill
Krispy Roll, 789 Warden Ave., Scarborough
I never tried any of them but I intend to. Golden Turtle looked very appealing. I wish those of you who tried one of those spots let us know what they think about them. Thanks!
Guilty Pleasures?
Yes Sheryl: beef fat is the trick. Also: double dipping, if I may say (!). The problem is to find out when they change the oil...
Guilty Pleasures?
You are right, cheesymama : not enough sauce ! What can we do to make them understand we want your chick and fried to swim in it?
Where to buy the best steak?
Re Dominion, I would say : beware of the 'special' glass case next to the meat section. There Rib Steak is on special but it looks so pale you wonder if the cow had been suffering from anemia for months. The meat has to be red and look fresh and shiny.
Peppermill req for MikeR from the DC board
I swear by PEUGEOT. I had two of their mills for years. They are just great. Look underneath to see if the brand name is engraved.
Cheap knives
I don't believe in cheap knives. To me, it sounds like poor quality. Now, good knives do not have to be expensive, though. French Chefs use low carbon steel knives that are close to straight iron. They can be easily sharpened with a whet stone. They should not be washed, only cleaned with a paper towel, then rubbed with Borax to prevent scaling. They will last you a lifetime. For such knives, I suggest Laguiole (laguiole.com)
How to clean Cast Iron?
A well seasoned cast iron pan is a family treasure. It should never be cleaned with soap or used to cook acidic food. The best (IMO) after cooking a piece of meat in oil is to clean the pan with hot water and dry it with paper towels. If it needs more scrubbing, I would suggest using a copper BBQ brush. Rinse well under hot tap water to eliminate any residue. Let the pan dry in open air. Store it in a dry space and take care that it does not rust. If a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.
http://www.kitchenemporium.com/info/castiron.html
Cheese Grating Boards
A zyliss grater will do the trick without you working too strenously. And, as a bonus, you can also chop parsley/cilantro with it. Starfrit might also have something similar (at Wal-Mart).
Authentic affordable paella in TO?
I just saw Casa Barcelona on tv this a.m. It is located 2980 Bloor Street West (at Royal York) Etobicoke (416) 234-5858 - IMO the chef/owner puts too many things in his paella for it to be called 'authentic'. Anyway, there are as many paella recipes as stars in the sky. If you check www.casabarcelona.ca you'll see that the mini paellas are $10. What did you friends order to arrive at $100 for two? I am just curious.
Cheese Shop Recommendation Needed
Grande Cheese - 22 Orfus Rd,Toronto, On (416)787-7670
Not only cheese : salami, pasta, etc. You might have to call them to find out if they would make gift baskets.
Alex Farm Products 2594 Yonge St, Toronto 416-488-8000 ...
Hope this helps.
Lentils de Puy....
''Lentilles du Puy'' is a 'Appellation d'origine contrôlée' (A.O.C), which means that it is one of its kind and its name cannot be used fraudulently (i.e. It identifies a typical, specific product linked to its origin.) ''Products awarded an AOC are the expression of a close link between production and locality, all implemented and perpetuated by people gifted with know-how.'' A by-law protects them. It is an appellation recognised throughout the European Union. True Lentilles du Puy are from Le Puy-en-Velay (Auvergne) and that should be mentioned on the package - Here is a very informative site but unfortunately I could not find its equivalent in English:
http://www.confrerie-lentilleverte-dupuy.com/htm/Cultur.htm
I hope this helps.
Authentic affordable paella in TO?
You remind me I have not been to La Vecchia for a while. Their risotto is sooo good that their paella cannot be bad. And the bill is affordable, if I remember.
See http://www.lavecchia.ca/home.php
Unoaked Chardonnay
We tried the oaked as well as the unoaked. I suppose it's a matter of taste, of course, but we prefered the unoaked. It tasted sweeter but the thought it was 'natural' might have been a factor. Thanks to you all for the infos.
Bonjour Brioche - insanity!
Once is enough, so you can talk about it. And then, forget the place. A shame their stuff is so good but I, for one, don't want to encourage BB in their attitude. I'll wait until they move to a larger location.
