Text 23196, 186 rader
Skriven 2007-11-21 11:43:02 av Carol Shenkenberger (1:261/1466.0)
     Kommentar till en text av Ruth Haffly
Ärende: Soupy weather
=====================
 -=> Quoting Ruth Haffly to Carol Shenkenberger <=-

 RH> Hi Carol,

Hi!  Have to skip around messages or I'll go over my 20 <g>.
Last one you asked if i had any recipes to trade back to the Asian Grocery.
Yes.  I remember she liked to spice her rice (proper asian sticky type with
a good zorashi maker).  

I have devised probably 20 spice blends, of which I can easily get (and 
recognize so I can get!) ingredients for.  I think well of a new one I just 
made up using Zatar seasoning, sesame seeds, and crumbled pretoasted nori.
I would not have thought to mix sesame or nori with a middle eastern seasoning
blend but it works.

 RH> might be missing some things (spice blends?) now that you used to get
 RH> and get now some things you never knew about until you got to Japan.
 RH> Clear as mud?
 
 CS> True!  I grok <g>.

 RH> I know I'm doing a lot of things I never would have dreamed of had we
 RH> not gone to Germany, AZ and HI.  The echo has has some influence as
 RH> well on my cooking.

All of us.  We influance one another to try new stuff all the time!

(On the squash) 
 CS> Well, it's patiently waiting still.  Maybe tomorrow.

 RH> Sounds good to me.  It's warm today, supposed to be again tomorrow and
 RH> Wed.; then rain move in on Thursday and turn cool (60s) again by
 RH> Friday. Good oven running weather.

We've been using the fireplace almost every night here.  There have been a few
warm days but the nights are chilling down.
 
 CS> Yes.  Cant wait for the stuff!  Should be here next week then its a
 
 RH> Hopefully will be.  We got our stuff in Frankfurt on Thanksgiving
 
 CS> Well, we got no call last week and so we figure even if it does
 CS> 'arrive' by the 20th as per contract, it's not going to be delivered
 CS> by then.  Bummer.

Got the call today.  Delivery is the 30th, 10 days late.

 CS> Well, the ship with the sailors pulled out suddenly (someone else
 CS> broke so they have to fill in) but we still have 5 folks (1 is under a
 CS> year old) plus us and plans.  Joe and Marge might come too.  (They are
 CS> in their early 80's and don't want to cook up a big meal but like
 CS> company.  Family plans still in the air).

 RH> Well, better some than none.  Saw in an article on the weather
 RH> problems in Bangaladesh that the Essex and another ship are on standby
 RH> for relief.

Ouch, bit out of the ESSEX way there.  That means they may pull them further
and relieve a carrier with them in the gulf.

 CS> cooking.  I have unlimited LD conus calling so we'll let them all call
 CS> home and say hello during the event.
 
 CS> Well, they will have to call from their ship now.

 RH> For free?  Does the ship do that for holidays?

Nope, but often various organizations gift them with free calling cards that 
last about 10 mins.
 
 RH> OK, thanks.  Any subs for sake or mirin?  I do keep rice vinegar on
 
 CS> lea&perrins worstershire can work for a different but quite acceptable
 CS> (and occasionally better) result.
 
 CS> For dishes that show in the recipe a lighter hand is needed, I think
 CS> well of applejuice and a little club soda.  Obviously a flavor
 CS> diffrence, but one that works for the lighter dishes.
 
 RH> OK, I'll take it all under consideration.  I may also use some chicken
 RH> stock as well.

I forgot in this message to tell you why sherry isnt really a good sub. It's
too 'fruity'.  I know you can get alcohol-free sherry flavor but that will 
seldom work.  Best to just omit it.
 
 CS> In a lighter dish, where that is already in there, the alcohol just
 CS> was never needed in the first place if you ask me!

 RH> Probably added by somebody who wanted to add a "touch of class" to a
 RH> dish. (G)

Yes, as well as in Japan, a common side item to add.  In many of my recipes, I
found it not needed (didnt enhance things) so took it out of the 'traditional'
one i based off of.  I have 1 750ml sake bottle here.  It will likely last us 
2 years.
 
 CS> As you've probably noted, i do use mirin or sake but carefully and not
 CS> much. I object to the faintest taste of alcohol in food and
 CS> particularily, wine tasting foods.  I like wine, but 'with' food, not
 CS> 'in food'.

 RH> I've had a few things with it in but not noticed any appreciable
 RH> flavoring it made.  Probably could be left out or subbed with
 RH> something else and taste just as good to me.  As for drinks with
 RH> food--sweet tea, diet Coke or water are my usual, as well as chocolate
 RH> soy milk for some. 

For me, the fruity addition of wine, adds nothing and actually detracts.  I am 
sure there are variations where it works and I'd like it, but I see no point 
overall in developing a taste for that.  There are so *many* other things out 
there!

 CS> What I really do most of the time is just ignore the alcohol and make
 CS> the dish without it.  I think *most* of my own series, will work with
 CS> that.  You might want a little rice or wine vinegar in it's place but
 CS> can be vinegar vice 'wine' or sake or mirin.  I seldom add more than 1
 
 CS> That help?  There's no one size fits all replacement but if you have a
 CS> specific recipe in mind, let me see it and I can tell you what would
 CS> work.

 RH> OK, but probably nothing specific at the moment.  I think Sam Choy
 RH> suggested adding a tablespoon of sugar to rice vinegar for a mirin
 RH> replacement.

That probably will work and be far closer in flavor to mirin.  Just adjust the 
rest of the recipe vinigar down to match.
 
 CS> Oh, any recipe of mine that uses mirin as a dipping sauce?  Soy sauce
 CS> or a mix of soy and worstershire will be just fine.  In fact, I
 CS> normally mix one or both of those in with the mirin for a dipping
 CS> sauce.

 RH> We don't do much with dipping sauces but will keep that in mind.

I seem to notice those who dont do dipping sauces, use gravy more.  It's a 
different style of cooking that leads to this.
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Spinach Dip
 Categories: Sauces, Appetizers
      Yield: 10 Servings
 
      1 c  Mayonnaise
      1 cn Water Chestnuts, Chopped
      3 ea Green Onions, Finely Chopped
      1 c  Sour Cream
      1 pk Dry Vegetable Soup Mix
      1 pk Frozen Chopped Spinach
 
  Defrost, drain and squeeze moisture from the spinach.  Combine with
  remaining ingredients.  Chill several hours.  Serve with raw
  vegetables or serve in round bread bowl that has been made out of a
  loaf of round bread. BREAD BOWL: loaf out leaving 1/2 inch walls on
  all sides of the loaf. Cut bread pieces into cubes and serve with dip.
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Velveeta Salsa Dip
 Categories: Appetizers, Snacks, Salsa, Sauces
      Yield: 12 Servings
 
      1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
      8 oz Pace picante sauce or salsa
      2 tb Chopped cilantro (optional)
 
  Microwave cheese and salsa for 5 minutes, on high, in a one and one
  half quart casserole dish. Stir after three minutes. Stir in
  cilantro. Serve hot with tortilla chips or vegetables.
 
MMMMM
 
Ok, the velveeta might not be haute cuisine but it is good in that one dish!
                  xxcarol
 


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