Tactful_Cactus - Your comment about most Worcestershire sauces containing anchovies reminded me of a small scandal in Boulder, CO, some years ago. A very popular red-sauce Italian restaurant called Pasta Jay's was discovered to use anchovies in their spaghetti sauce. This caused a great kerfuffle in a city that is home to many, many, MANY vegetarians and vegans. Personally, I can't understand why Pasta Jay's is so enduringly popular.
I make turkey stock after Thanksgiving every year -- a lot of it, since we always have a huge turkey. I freeze it in 8-oz yogurt containers and use it throughout the year, as needed. The last few containers generally moisten the stuffing for the following year's turkey. Other than that, I buy organic, low-salt or not-salt broth.
My 'Joy of Cokking' is a tattered heirloom -- the 1964 printing (about the same as my old 'Fanny Farmer Cookbook' and my 'Let's Cook It Right,' from the shelves of an aunt who was an Adele Davis apostle). I still pull out "Joy of Cooking" or the Fanny Farmer book if I need an oven temperature or baking time or, like JerzeeTomato, to decide whether to use one egg or two. I also am comforted to know that I can turn to "Joy" if I ever feel like making, say, a tomato-olive casserole. (with quick-cooking tapioca a key ingredient in what is described on page 306 as a "fine dish").
Agreed, SRHCB, but if Congress is (verbally) grilling Roger Clemens, they can't be paying attention the Iraq (where was that again?), veterans' care (what team did Walter Reed play on?), still-devastated New Orleans (Katrina who?), health care (the insurance companies that so generously make campaign contributions say we don't need to worry about that), Osama bin-Laden (is he the guy who's running for President?), etc., etc. PETA is on the right track on a lot of issues, but their agenda doesn't have to be inserted into every issue. How many people with loud PETA voices know baseball jargon.
I'm looking at the ricotta/mozz' kit too. And I LOVE Jenkins's cheese book. It's my cheese bible, and I have given it as gifts to other foodie friends too.
What leftovers? I made a 20-pound turkey for 14 people (http://culinary-colorado.blogspot.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-2007.html). I sent 3 single friends off w/ small turkey/stuffing packages. My 25-year-old son still has a teenager's appetite and did serious, middle-of-the-night damage to the the sliced turkey. What he didn't eat, my husband polished off the next day. All I had left was the carcass for stock.
Thanksgiving dinner is always a big sitdown feast at our house. The fewest we ever have had was 12, the most was 20. This year, we're looking at 16 to 18. One good friend always brings desserts -- three or sometimes even four of them.
She does fabulous pies (pumpkin, apple, mince, squash, sweet potato, cranberry-plus-something) or perhaps a pumpkin cheesecake. When she makes pumpkin something, she steams a fresh pumpkin, and the result is always far better than one made with canned pumpkin. But then, I like that too. My son prefers sweet potato pie. My husband doesn't care for either.
Claire @ culinary-colorado.blogspot.com
Canned organic, no/low salt chopped tomatoes (Muir Glen or other brand)
Canned tuna packed in water
Assorted olives
Pasta (spaghetti, linguini, rotini and penne - Barilla)
Long grain, brown and basmati rice (takes more than 20 minutes to cook -- but not much longer)
Parmesan, cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses
Tortillas (whole wheat and corn)
Canned, low-salt beans (pinto, black, garbanzo - Kuner's)
Canned chopped green chilies (Hatch)
Frozen poblano chilies (bought in the fall bulk from the chilie roaster, cleaned and frozen in zip-lock bags)
Jars of good salsa
Frozen peas
Home-made stock, frozen in small yogurt containers
Eggs from free range chickens (Horizon, Cyd's Farm Fresh or Land O'Lakes if I have a good coupon)
Good olive oil
Salt-free butter
Multi-grain bread
I live in Colorado, which is not exactly pizza heaven. The two best places around have New Haven connections. Proto's is Pepe's-influenced (no suprise since Nancy Proto grew up in New Haven) but makes contemporary pizza in several Front Range locations. Virgilio's in Lakewood is owned and run by a guy who grew up in New Haven and worked at Pepe's. It's been a long time since I lived in Connecticut (the summer after graduating from high school, in fact), and I remember liking Pepe's best -- for no other reason than I like Pepe's best.
I raise a glass to your new endeavor and lookf forward to visiting often. I've added a link to your site from my newish regional food blog, http://culinary-colorado.blogspot.com.
I also have to add: Since WHEN does Asiago OR parmigiano EVER have the bite of Romano? The sharpness is NOT EVEN CLOSE. Romano has the most bite and is the most assertive and salty of the three.
crsommers, i don't know about "authentic" but the caesar at pearl oyster is almost as good as what i make at home. {i rarely order it out anymore since i tried the recipe in amanda hesser's cooking for mr. latte. sooo amazingly delicious, and really cheap!}
We always used a simplified, shortcut version of this. Cream of chicken soup, broccoli, chicken, shredded cheese and bread crumbs on top. We never put toast on the bottom...at least not in my remembering.
For those who are anchovy-averse because of the texture, try adding Thai fish sauce instead. It's made from pressed anchovies, has all the great anchovy umami without the hairy texture (or the bother of crushing the anchovies into a paste, I'm way lazy!!!) plus no one will ever know. I agree with you, the anchovy essence is what makes the Caesar dressing so yummy!
Worcestershire sauce is a poor runner-up to the Thai fish sauce, flavorwise. Don't use it.
To All:
Anchovy paste: BAH!
Good brand tinned anchovies: HOORAY!
Vegans: Take a hike! (If you had a clue how much anchovy is used in restaurant prep, you'd all go screaming off a cliff.)
Re: Caesar (authentic) Salad. The BEST one on the planet was at ARMANDO'S in Acapulco (1960's). Always assumed that was "authentic." High-end Mex restaurant/exquisite fare/Mexico is where the CS originated -- why would I think otherwise? Are you sure about your facts? The original-original didn't have anchovy in it?
Mexico cuisine in New York is the pits -- it it runs from cheap dreck to over-priced and all bad-to-poor, but -- does anyone know where in NYC the genuine item Caesar Salad can be found?
One more, please god, before I die!
I use anchovy paste. It is in there and NOBODY know it. The tang is amazing and the final product is spot on.
to anchovy.
it aint a caesar without anchovy in the dressing.
but a little advice: most people i know (most people who don't cook) dont think they like anchovy, so they have a permanent mental distaste for it. never mention to said people that anchovies are in the dressing.
I make my own. Of course finding stock here in Israel... actually I don't think I've ever seen it.
My husband used to buy ready made vegetarian stock before he moved to Israel. I'm not sure there's a kosher brand that sells beef or poultry stock.
When I make a poultry stock, I'll either use several carcasses I've stored in the freezer (both chicken and turkey). If not, it's turkey necks and/or chicken wings and necks. Celery tops and celery root, carrots, onions, dill, parsnip and the greens. Black pepper and the barest hint of salt (Kosher beef and poultry are heavily salted during the koshering process).
Simmer for the better part of 10 hours and strain. I happen to use soda bottles to freeze the stock in. I feel safe using it since I only use it the once.
Oh I absolutely cheat!
Not-so-lazy:
Crockpot - just through bones, veg and water in, turn it on in morning and voila! Few hours later, perfection.
So-so-lazy:
Pressure cooker- awesome results in 30 minutes.
Very-lazy:
a spoonful of Minor's stock concentrate (soupbase.com)
I almost exclusively cheat. I'd love to say I don't. But I do.
Subscribe to our feeds:
Subscribe by email:
Website: http://
Location:
About:
Favorite foods:
Last bite on earth: