Comments on: Three Little Tricks that Make Cooking Easier and Better http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/ the hyperglobal meets the hyperlocal -- ethnic markets meet farmers' markets Sun, 05 Sep 2010 05:24:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3823 Eric Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:28:07 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3823 Abi -- there is no doubt that soda water at home is the way to go. Check out one of my first posts on this blog on this theme: http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/archives/34 (or search for "matcha water" in the search above in the upper right corner, above) Abi — there is no doubt that soda water at home is the way to go. Check out one of my first posts on this blog on this theme:

http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/archives/34

(or search for “matcha water” in the search above in the upper right corner, above)

]]> By: Abigail Pugh http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3829 Abigail Pugh Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:36:18 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3829 Thanks for the Nigella compliment. I always call my mum the 'real Nigella' because she mixes short cuts with good old-fashioned technique and a dash of theatre and it works...90% of the time (the other 10% nobody notices because they're lulled by her confidence!). I'll source the name of those super-strong organic juices. They act like concentrates but are actually just full strength.To the bottled water thing: does anyone at this blog know about old fashioned Soda Streams? I reckon adding bubbles at home to filtered water is the greenest way to get fizzy, healthy water to have with our home cooked meals. Eric thanks for the congrats. I'm almost 6 months. And eating like a mad thing. Pregnancy cravings make you understand and love food in a great, new way. (The nose gets doubly sensitive and even a sip of wine is a big sensory blast). I wish I knew what was in that flavour-blast rub from Cape Town: it looks like oily black tea with chillies and beautiful salt crystals but the stringy leaf is probably rosemary, with other herbs, that have blackened. It's fabulous stuff. Thanks for the Nigella compliment. I always call my mum the ‘real Nigella’ because she mixes short cuts with good old-fashioned technique and a dash of theatre and it works…90% of the time (the other 10% nobody notices because they’re lulled by her confidence!).
I’ll source the name of those super-strong organic juices. They act like concentrates but are actually just full strength.To the bottled water thing: does anyone at this blog know about old fashioned Soda Streams? I reckon adding bubbles at home to filtered water is the greenest way to get fizzy, healthy water to have with our home cooked meals.
Eric thanks for the congrats. I’m almost 6 months. And eating like a mad thing. Pregnancy cravings make you understand and love food in a great, new way. (The nose gets doubly sensitive and even a sip of wine is a big sensory blast).
I wish I knew what was in that flavour-blast rub from Cape Town: it looks like oily black tea with chillies and beautiful salt crystals but the stringy leaf is probably rosemary, with other herbs, that have blackened. It’s fabulous stuff.

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3828 Eric Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:38:35 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3828 And: you're pregnant! Congratulations. Breakaway baby food is next, perhaps an empire could be born along with the baby! And: you’re pregnant! Congratulations. Breakaway baby food is next, perhaps an empire could be born along with the baby!

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3827 Eric Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:37:11 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3827 Abi, you make me ache! Capetown is someplace I've always wanted to visit. Has anyone told you that you sort of write like Nigella? :^) Can you be more specific about these small glass bottles of juice? Who makes them?Is it 100-percent juice, nothing else?I'm not sure I've seen them. Your tough herb desert global flavor blast sounds delightful. I wonder what's in it? Abi, you make me ache! Capetown is someplace I’ve always wanted to visit.

Has anyone told you that you sort of write like Nigella? :^)

Can you be more specific about these small glass bottles of juice? Who makes them?Is it 100-percent juice, nothing else?I’m not sure I’ve seen them. Your tough herb desert global flavor blast sounds delightful. I wonder what’s in it?

]]> By: Abigail Pugh http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3817 Abigail Pugh Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:49:08 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3817 I'd like to comment on stock as well! I do keep organic stock cubes (herb and chicken varieties) in the cupboard for dissolving into a bit of hot water, throwing into a veggie puree, adding milk or cream, a handful of herbs, liquidizing and calling the resulting simple soup 'lunch'. But for stock-centric dishes such as risotto, I rely on home made chicken stock with bones and scraps from my local Polish 'chicken ladies' (a buck a bag). I add water, a whole onion, a carrot, half a lemon and some sea salt and simmer slowly (leaving it sub-boiling so it stays nice and clear). Then I freeze it in whatever containers I can find (increasingly phobic about plastic but I do re-use yoghurt containers). A couple of other great staples: small glass bottles of organic, undiluted, unsweetened fruit juices - the sour ones, like lemon, lime, cranberry and blackcurrant. Make a healthy drink by adding club soda (NO! to imported bottled fizzy water! think of the fossil fuels to import these carbon-squandering evils!) and a tasty unrefined sugar such as maple syrup or coconut sap, and lots of ice. (A great booze-substitute if pregnant like me and jonesing for grown up drinks). Also, add a few drops to salad dressing. Throw a capful into a soup for an intriguing fruitiness. They keep forever add add a hit of strong, fruit flavour when, let's face it, you otherwise wouldn't be getting out the juicer. One more thing: I bought some sundried chillies (can't remember the type) in olive oil from a trip to Cape Town (best farmer's market I've ever been to and prices to make you cry from jealousy). The jar lives on the shelf of my stovetop, and I put a teaspoon of them into soup, risotto, tagines, salad dressings...they're running out fast. I also have a huge jar of a herb and seasalt 'rub' from the tough herbs of the Karoo desert near Cape Town. I adore and can't live without these little flavour treasures brought home from traveling - souvenirs of the land, and indispensable ways to add something extra with zero work. I’d like to comment on stock as well! I do keep organic stock cubes (herb and chicken varieties) in the cupboard for dissolving into a bit of hot water, throwing into a veggie puree, adding milk or cream, a handful of herbs, liquidizing and calling the resulting simple soup ‘lunch’. But for stock-centric dishes such as risotto, I rely on home made chicken stock with bones and scraps from my local Polish ‘chicken ladies’ (a buck a bag). I add water, a whole onion, a carrot, half a lemon and some sea salt and simmer slowly (leaving it sub-boiling so it stays nice and clear). Then I freeze it in whatever containers I can find (increasingly phobic about plastic but I do re-use yoghurt containers).
A couple of other great staples: small glass bottles of organic, undiluted, unsweetened fruit juices – the sour ones, like lemon, lime, cranberry and blackcurrant. Make a healthy drink by adding club soda (NO! to imported bottled fizzy water! think of the fossil fuels to import these carbon-squandering evils!) and a tasty unrefined sugar such as maple syrup or coconut sap, and lots of ice. (A great booze-substitute if pregnant like me and jonesing for grown up drinks). Also, add a few drops to salad dressing. Throw a capful into a soup for an intriguing fruitiness. They keep forever add add a hit of strong, fruit flavour when, let’s face it, you otherwise wouldn’t be getting out the juicer.
One more thing: I bought some sundried chillies (can’t remember the type) in olive oil from a trip to Cape Town (best farmer’s market I’ve ever been to and prices to make you cry from jealousy). The jar lives on the shelf of my stovetop, and I put a teaspoon of them into soup, risotto, tagines, salad dressings…they’re running out fast. I also have a huge jar of a herb and seasalt ‘rub’ from the tough herbs of the Karoo desert near Cape Town. I adore and can’t live without these little flavour treasures brought home from traveling – souvenirs of the land, and indispensable ways to add something extra with zero work.

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3826 Eric Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:56:33 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3826 Oh, I know New Leaf! There's one down in Felton, yes? The owner is a real character. They are a wonderful store. You're actually using/loving/recommending the three-in-one deal? More so than a stove-top? Can you brown meat in it? Oh, I know New Leaf! There’s one down in Felton, yes? The owner is a real character. They are a wonderful store.

You’re actually using/loving/recommending the three-in-one deal? More so than a stove-top? Can you brown meat in it?

]]> By: Stuart http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3825 Stuart Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:46:49 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3825 Eric, I get the mushroom broth at a new store down here called New Leaf...like an independent whole foods, but better...everything is actually organic. The also carry umeboshi, but haven't ventured that far yet... Come down, get some stock, a pressure cooker....cook us dinner. :) Eric,
I get the mushroom broth at a new store down here called New Leaf…like an independent whole foods, but better…everything is actually organic. The also carry umeboshi, but haven’t ventured that far yet…

Come down, get some stock, a pressure cooker….cook us dinner. :)

]]> By: Stuart http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3824 Stuart Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:34:48 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3824 Pressure Cookers -- I like Fagor. I've had one for 14 years. They are just as good as the Kuhn Rikon and half the price. They also just came out with an electric one that I have been using a lot lately (it's also a slow cooker and rice cooker.) I haven't freecycled my stovetop one yet...what if I want to cook rice and beans at the same time? Slow cooked some Rancho Gordo beans last week..what a revelation! I just used onions, garlic and water to cook the beans...the broth came out yummy and almost beefy. (the last hour of cooking, salt the beans and leave the top off). My wife just about accused me of using a meat stock! The "pot liquor" is in the freezer right now awaiting something worthy of it's excellence. Pressure Cookers — I like Fagor. I’ve had one for 14 years. They are just as good as the Kuhn Rikon and half the price. They also just came out with an electric one that I have been using a lot lately (it’s also a slow cooker and rice cooker.) I haven’t freecycled my stovetop one yet…what if I want to cook rice and beans at the same time? Slow cooked some Rancho Gordo beans last week..what a revelation! I just used onions, garlic and water to cook the beans…the broth came out yummy and almost beefy. (the last hour of cooking, salt the beans and leave the top off). My wife just about accused me of using a meat stock! The “pot liquor” is in the freezer right now awaiting something worthy of it’s excellence.

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3822 Eric Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:07:24 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3822 Sonja -- so glad you're back on salt! Fresh herbs with everything, along with good salt, is a sure-fire way to improve one's cooking. EVERYTHING tastes better with herbs! Sonja — so glad you’re back on salt! Fresh herbs with everything, along with good salt, is a sure-fire way to improve one’s cooking. EVERYTHING tastes better with herbs!

]]> By: Eric http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/2008/10/14/three-little-tricks-that-make-cooking-easier-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-3821 Eric Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:04:46 +0000 http://www.breakawaycook.com/blog/?p=226#comment-3821 Steph -- the "salt is salt, screw your sea salt" people are wacko -- they understand nothing.What they're REALLY saying is:in foods that are heavily processed, salt makes no difference whatsoever -- your fancy salt isn't going to taste any different or better than good ol' Morton's. And to a trivial extent, they're right. Samples from ten- thousand-vat batches of Campbell's soup aren't going to taste any different if they use iodized or anything else. But for hand-crafted foods of the kind we explore here, the difference couldn't be more stark. especially for textural reasons, as you say. I'm a huge June Taylor fan as well -- wish I could afford to buy more of her stuff! They're really wonderful. And: love the "cheating" fried bread and pasta! Btw, any good farmers' markets in Baltimore? Anything of special interest to breakaway cooks there? Steph — the “salt is salt, screw your sea salt” people are wacko — they understand nothing.What they’re REALLY saying is:in foods that are heavily processed, salt makes no difference whatsoever — your fancy salt isn’t going to taste any different or better than good ol’ Morton’s. And to a trivial extent, they’re right. Samples from ten- thousand-vat batches of Campbell’s soup aren’t going to taste any different if they use iodized or anything else. But for hand-crafted foods of the kind we explore here, the difference couldn’t be more stark. especially for textural reasons, as you say.

I’m a huge June Taylor fan as well — wish I could afford to buy more of her stuff! They’re really wonderful. And: love the “cheating” fried bread and pasta!

Btw, any good farmers’ markets in Baltimore? Anything of special interest to breakaway cooks there?

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