† Requires Javascript
Copyright © 1997-2009 Demand Media. All rights reserved.
|
| Member | Message |
|---|---|
 |
Posted: Sep/26/2008 8:13 AM PST
Aimee and KeyWee, I have to get one thing straight.. my idea of gourmet is much like your ideas of good food. Recipes that have been handed down, have peasant roots and fill the stomach and the plate. None of your decorative wimpy tiny tall pile of skimpy ingredients in the middle of a huge plate with a drizzle of some colorful sauce around it. What makes a dish gourmet is that it is lick-the-plate-yummy. It is gourmet also if it comes from someone else's culture, made with ingredients which are readily available in the country of origin.. but it should be labeled exotic instead. What makes these dishes sometimes unatainable in our neighbourhoods is that the ingredients are sometimes rare, difficult to find and/or expensive at our local markets. Until this year, when I had a huge walk in pantry built, I had a weird arrangement of mouse-proof boxes under the beds in the guest bedrooms. This was my "gourmet" supply pantry. My freezer was and still is always stuffed with odd stuff..kerif lime leaves, lemon grass, chilpotles in adobo sauce, goose fat, coriander paste,enchillada sauce, corn tortillas etc... I made quarterly runs to the city of Montreal to restock my supplies. It seems that the locals are developping a far more sophisticated palate, or the city folks that have cottages around here are influencing the buying for the Provigo, IGA, Metro and Bourrassa stores. Most of the stuff for which I used to make the 5 hr. return trip to Montreal is now available in St-Jovite/Mt-Tremblant. My fridge was so stuffed with condiments from a dozen countries and cultures that there was hardly any room for normal food. When I had my kitchen remodelled this year to make allowance for my handicap (can't stoop, can't kneel), I added a bar sized fridge to hold the condiments. Are you getting my drift? I LOVE INTERNATIONAL COOKING! And my passion drives me to go to great lengths to indulge this pastime. Gimpy2 |
|
|
Posted: Sep/26/2008 11:30 AM PST
Aimee A gorgeous strawberry blonde woman chef who plays the bagpipes..How totally awesome! Absolutely must know what series of events brought about the playing of the bagpipes. The skirl still gives me goose bumps! In Montreal there used to be a department store called Ogilvy's. The owner was very proud of his Scots ancestry. Every night at closing time, the clients were piped out of the storeby 2 pipers in full dress. I used to love that. Okay, now for the question of fats and oils. I have a total horror of margarine. It has never, and never will come into my kitchen. I feel pretty much the same way about most of the so called healthy oils.. and have a particular horror of palm oil which I think of as axle grease. I use grape seed oil for anything that required a very very hot pan, as it has the highest scorching point. Peanut oil is my next choice for that. As for drippings.. the ones that I keep are from the 2 geese I roast for xmas every year. Goose fat is the champagne of fats.. if it is rendered and filtered it keeps almost forever.. I save it in several small containers. I keep one out, the rest in the freezer. It has been used for centuries by the French to cook and preserve meats, usually fowl, most often duck, without the benefit of refrigeration.. from which the culinary term CONFIT. The cultural heritage of my part of the world leans heavily toward fat salt pork. It has a distinctive flavor and requires some restraint in its use.. but I sure love it. Butter rules! No matter the cholesterol, I will never cook without it. Introducing it into hot EVOO usually keeps it from scorching, as long at the heat is not too intense or too prolonged. But then being a pro you know this already. Very recently, the trend toward international gourmet ingredients in the local stores has gone as far as to include GUEE!! This to me is a wonder. In case you don't know, it is rendered butter from which all milk solids have been removed. It is an integral part in Indian and Pakistani cooking. It keeps almost as well as goose fat. Too cool! EVOO is the chief oil I use. It is healthy and tasty. I must admit I am not fond of the Greek versions.. too strong. Flavored oils are great, particularly toasted sesame oil. It scorches very easily so it is a condiment, not a cooling oil, but I just adore the flavor it gives to food. Just about anything Oriental I prepare has a few drops in it just before serving.. unlike most flavored oils it keeps almost forever in a cool dark place. Nut oils such as almond or Hazelnut are expensive and very perishable so I don't stock them. Tempted sometimes, but I resist. Gimpy2 |
 |
Posted: Sep/26/2008 12:46 PM PST
Very interesting reading (and lots of typing  ).I'm actually not from KY but relocated, and therein lies the problem. I sent you a foodie gmail (as we are hijacking our own soup thread ~ not that anyone cares  ). And I have actually heard of poutine, sounds great.
|
 |
Posted: Sep/26/2008 10:03 PM PST
KeeWee - Closer to Illinois or Clarksville TN? Clarksville has lots of good Korean restaurants. Um and they have soup If you try the onion soup let me know how you like it! I often save the juice off my chicken and dumplings to use in soups like this that require really rich flavorful broth. Kimsheaven - I like that tomato soup idea! I usually use heavy cream, and it is both costy and fattening. I'll try enriching my next tomato bisque with evaporated milk! -- Note, don't boil the soup after you mix the two pots together, or you'll wind up with milk chunks! Gimpy - I don't get into tall skinny food either. We're doing a wine tasting next month and serving a "Scallop Cannoli" made with a papadum, non-sweet whipped cream, and berry sauce. ECH. Thank god they're letting me do the lamb shanks and ravioli. I do not know why I play the pipes. Not even my Mom remembers how young I was when I said I'd play someday.  Everyone - Anyone enjoying the discussion of good rustic food might like to get Elizabeth Luard's " The Old World Kitchen". Terrific and WELL researched book of the peasant food and recipes of Europe. Also Culinaria's "European Specialties". I have those next to my bed right now for sleepytime inspiration! |
 |
Posted: Oct/01/2008 7:20 AM PST
What are you using for ground cover with your tomato plants? |
 |
Posted: Oct/01/2008 6:41 PM PST
Aimee, do you have a recipe for the Thai soup Thom Ka? I don't think I am spelling that correctly. It's the coconut milk, lemon grass and chicken soup. Karen |
|
|
Posted: Oct/02/2008 5:09 AM PST
Oops ~ sorry, didn't see the questions: Aimee ~ we are about 40 miles from Illinois and probably about 120 miles from Clarksville. I would have to drag my husband into any Asian restaurant. Last time we were in Clarksville, we had to eat at a Ruby Tuesday's (C-). Gardenbook ~ ok, back to the soup topic! I found a Thom Kha soup recipe on www.recipezaar.com ~ search for recipe #87080. Yes, I'm a broken record about Zaar, but you can find almost any recipe there. However, Aimee may have a better one! |
 |
Posted: Oct/02/2008 7:09 AM PST
Zaar is a really cool web site. I usually go to foodnetwork.com as my first choice, but I get so many results that I usually end up mixing the recipes. Zaar seems to have more of the hard to find recipes. I used to watch foodnetwork almost 24-7. Emeril when he first got hot, Food 911 with Tyler Florence, Good Eats(my favorite), and several others. Lately, I feel like they've geared more towards reality shows and alot of my favorite shows have been cancelled. Now, I Tivo Good Eats and tune in occasionally for Tyler's Ultimate. Although I love Emeril's cooking, I grew bored of his show. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the Japanese Iron Chef show. I rarely knew what they were making, but was strangely drawn to the TV. 
|
|
|
Posted: Oct/02/2008 7:32 AM PST
I like Zaar too! Epicurious.com is good too, and so is about.com. I usually look up all kinds of recipes for a dish and pick the one I like best! I'm gonna give you a recipe for tom kha from Victor Sodsook's True Thai. I don't know if it's the best one out there, but it's a very good book and I've had luck with his recipes. I'm not going to pull this one out of the back of my head either! Thai food relies on such a careful balance of taste and flavors that when I start cooking Tom Kha or Peanut Sauce without a recipe, I usually end up fiddling with it until I have about two gallons. So here's a real recipe with measurements! 3 c good rich chicken broth or stock 8 large coins of siamese ginger (galangal) or regular ginger 1 large stalk lemon grass, tough outer leaves removed, in 2 in pieces 12 kaffir lime leaves or strips of peel (no white pith!!) from one lime 2 14 oz cans unsweetened coconut milk 1# boneless skinless chicken breast, in bite sized pieces 1 1/2 T chili-tamarand paste (from the asian grocery) 1/4 c fresh lemon juice 2 1/2 T light brown sugar 2 1/2 T Thai fish sauce 1/2 # sliced fresh mushrooms 5 small Thai chilies (can use serrano if you can't find Thai chilies) Put the stock, ginger, and lemon grass in a soup pot. If using lime leaves, tear each in half and add to the pot. If using lime peel, add to the pot. Gradually bring the stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for one minute, stir in the coconut milk, and return to a boil. Stir in the chicken and return to a boil. Add the chili tamarind paste, lemon juice, sugar and fish sauce. Stir until the chili tamarind paste and sugar are disolved and blended. Add the mushrooms and simmer just until tender, about one minute. Float the chilies on top and turn off the heat. Don't eat the spices. ---- Notes from Aimee! I like this soup like this, with just the chicken and spices in it, but I've had it full of vegetables too. You can add bias cut carrots, scallion, tomato wedges, sweet pepper strips, asian eggplant (par cooked), broccoli etc. I top mine with a bunch of chopped fresh cilantro and put extra chili flakes, lime wedges, and fish sauce on the table so people can doctor their own. I always add extra chili and fish sauce to mine. Finally, my favorite brand of fish sauce is "Squid" brand. It's Thai, and not as crazy stinky as some of the vietnamese brands. |
|
|
Posted: Oct/02/2008 9:11 AM PST
Damethod, keyWee and Aimee, Very interesting ..the whole thing.I agree that FoodTV, whether it's the American or Canadian version have gone much too much into the reality sector. Always was bored with THE THIRSTY TRAVELER (a freeloader with a taste for the sauce on a world wide forever binge). Nice work if you can get it. LOL. Anyway now even some of my favorite chefs have jumped on the bandwagon.ie THROWDOWN, GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. Also I really don't give a ## how junk food is made. Disgusted and annoyed. Thank heavens for TYLER'S BEST, JAMIE AT HOME, CHEF AT HOME and a few others. COOK LIKE A CHEF and MADE TO ORDER have moved to the FINE channel. I have cut and pasted the soup recipe.. but I have questions.. 12 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES!!!! is that a typo and you meant to write 1 or 2 ? Those things, though very tasty, are murderously bitter! Ditto for Tamarind. I think this soup pot has more pucker power than 2 1/2 T of brown sugar could balance out.. am I wrong? Intrigued. Gimpy2 |
† Requires Javascript
Copyright © 1997-2009 Demand Media. All rights reserved.
