Text 21240, 116 rader
Skriven 2009-02-23 09:47:18 av bill swisher (1:124/311)
     Kommentar till en text av Dale Shipp
Ärende: Re: thick 260
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Dale Shipp wrote:

> I remember when the regular grocery supermarkets began their bulk food
> aisles, perhaps 10 years ago or so.   Today they have disappeared.  My
> opinion is because that niche market is covered by places like Sam's,
> Costco, BJs and the other warehouse stores.  The later do not tend to
> sell things like bins of loose beans, but do sell quantity packaging.

We belong to both Sams and Costco.  When the new Sams goes in close to 
our house in Anchorage we, well at least me, plan on dropping Costco. 
Both have angered me but Sams less.  When we joined them they offered 
name brand products at a reduced price.  Now, slowly over the years, 
they've replaced the name brand with store brand, Kirkland and 
MembersMark (that's not why I joined), and frankly their prices aren't 
competitive sometimes.  Plus the quantities are ludicrous at times, like 
I have a use for 1/2 gallon jug of cinnamon.  :-)  When I bought a 
notebook computer in January they were #'s 3 & 4 in pricing over other 
national chains having sales.

Our local, in that it originated in Seattle I think, grocery chain is 
called Fred Meyers and they have bulk spices.  My SIL came through town 
last summer and was interested because she didn't know of a place in 
Denver that had bulk.  I explained that Freddies is a subsidiary of 
Kroegers and she should try KingSoopers, nope no joy there.  Sams and 
Costco used to sell dehydrated mushrooms, other than shitake, now we'll 
occasionally see dehydrated button mushrooms at Sams while traveling 
down here in America.  Since we were in the 5th wheel we'd buy 3 or 4 
containers and put them into storage until we got home.  Right now we've 
got a smallish 1.5oz container that's about a quarter of the size we'd 
been buying, that will go into checked baggage when we fly back next 
month.  I use a lot of these, crush a handful and toss into all sorts of 
things to thicken/add flavor.  Once upon a time Costco had 8oz 
containers of dehydrated porcini from Canada and we bought 4 IIRC. 
Unfortunately that supply is "drying up" and we've not found them again, 
I look every time I go into a Sams/Costco down here.  I can find them in 
very small packages usually near the fresh mushrooms at a price that's a 
huge markup over what Costco sold them for, a little over a buck an 
ounce IIRC.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

       Title: Two Kinds of Mushrooms, Pickled
  Categories: Appetizers, Condiments, Vegetables, Info
       Yield: 1 batch

       2 lb Small, firm white button
            -- mushrooms
       1 oz Dried porcini, cepes or
            -- other dried boletus
            -- (about 2/3 cup)
       4 c  ;Water
       3 ts Salt
   1 1/2 c  Red wine vinegar
   1 1/2 c  Distilled white vinegar
       3 lg Garlic cloves
            -- peeled and halved
      24    Black or white peppercorns
       6 md Bay leaves
       9    Whole cloves
       3 lg Blades of mace

   Wipe button mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and trim the bases of
   the stems; try to avoid washing them.  If washing is necessary, do it
   quickly and roll the mushrooms in a towel to blot them.  If the
   mushrooms aren't uniform in size, cut any overlarge specimens in
   halves or quarters.

   Combine the mushrooms, dried boletes, water and 1 1/2 tsp. of the
   salt in a large saucepan.  Bring the liquid slowly to a boil and
   simmer the mushrooms, uncovered, until buttons are tender, 10 to 15
   minutes. Pour the whole business into a bowl, let the mushrooms cool,
   then cover them and refrigerate overnight.

   Drain the mushrooms in a colander set over a bowl (be sure to save the
   delicious liquid).  Either remove the pieces of boletus and add them
   to the reserved liquid (puree this for a superb soup), or leave them
   mixed with the buttons; although not comely, the pieces are delicious.

   Combine the remaining salt with the two vinegars, garlic,
   peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves and mace in a saucepan; bring the
   mixture to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

   Meanwhile, divide the drained mushrooms among heatproof storage jars
   that have snug lids.  Divide the seasonings from the boiling-hot
   pickling liquid equally among the jars, then pour the spiced vinegar
   over the mushrooms. The liquid should cover them well; if not, add a
   little more vinegar (either kind) or water as required.  Let the
   mushrooms cool, cover the jars, and refrigerate them to mellow for at
   least 3 days before serving. At serving time, you may want to drain
   the mushrooms and toss them with a little good olive oil.  Keeps for
   up to six months in the refrigerator.

   Yield: About 3 pints.

   Witty writes: "Little button mushrooms make a pretty pickle, but their
   flavor is not in the same league with that of boletus mushrooms, dried
   specimens of which are used here to lend their fine, dark taste and
   deep, earthy color to a delicious preparation that's fit to grace any
   antipasto.

   "For the flavoring element, look for dried mushrooms labeled cepes,
   porcini, boletus, boletes, and so on; sometimes they are to be found
   in bags marked 'dried European mushrooms,' and those imported from
   Chile can be quite good, too.

   "There is a bonus from this pickling job: the flavorful cooking
   liquid (and the pieces of dried mushroom, too, if you don't choose to
   pickle them) makes a fine base for a soup or a sauce."

   From "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty.  New York: Workman Publishing
   Company, Inc., 1986.  ISBN 0-89480-037-X.  Pp. 34-35.  Posted by
   Cathy Harned.

MMMMM
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