Administrivia

By cazdyn on Oct 29, 2008

new web-site look is great. well done and thanks. the photo is also wonderful. up here in toronto, the persimmons are out in force (sold by the box in chinatown). i made your ginger-mint recipe the other day. cheek-stingingly good. any more persimmon dishes? your recipes are thread-the-needle perfection.

By Christina Nunez on Oct 29, 2008

I love this photo! Personally I’m attracted by focus on ingredients and will always click whenever there’s a recipe that sounds intriguing/appealing.

Was glad to see you at the SieMatic event, the food was delicious.

By Anu on Oct 29, 2008

I would like entries on cooking on a budget. Its easy to cook with lots of fancy ingredients but great budget meals would be nice. Also things that are good to whip up after work on a weeknight. I also love pantry meals. Things you can make out of stuff in the pantry.

By Karena on Oct 29, 2008

I’d love to get ideas on spices or condiments that most of us have in our cupboards, yet use only once for a specific recipe. For example, besides a rub for chicken, what should I do with the tin of 5-spice powder that’s languishing in my kitchen? Then there are spices I’ve heard about and would love to try, but am not sure how to use (e.g., vadouvan, grains of paradise).

By Kathryn on Oct 29, 2008

I like the idea of focusing on one ingredient at a time. I would also vote for more focus on vegetarian/vegan cooking and more posts like your recent “three little tricks” post, which was awesome.

By Em on Oct 29, 2008

Yes, I like good photos!
I actually like your blog the way it is. It’s so unique and definitely Breakaway style!
If anything, having regular posting schedule (i.e., once a week or every Wednesday) might attract regular visits?

By Stuart on Oct 29, 2008

Karena,

I use grains of paradise a lot. It can be used like black pepper, but has more going on…pepper, citrus, cardamon, ginger (those aromas from one spice is what the early spice traders thought paradise would smell like, thus the name.) It works in vinaigrettes (especially with a good apple cider vinegar)in lentil soups, apple pie, any North African or Indian style stew. One of my favorite things to do with it, especially now that the weather is colder, is to toast some slivered almonds (OK, a lot of them) and simmer them and several good grinds of grains of paradise in coconut milk for about 20 minutes. Don’t bring it to a boil..I think this kills the sweetness from the milk. this is a great sauce for over lentils and rice, black bean cakes, poached fish or chicken…

I carry a line of spices at my store from Whole Spice that I think are of excellent quality. You could order online at their website (wholespice.com) in smallish amounts…if you live in the bay area peninsula I can special order them for you and save you a bunch on the shipping, as sometime the shipping on small amounts can be as much as the stuff you are ordering! The also have a great shop in Napa at Oxbow Market. (Have you been there,Eric? You would have a field day!) Feel free to contact me off the boards if you have any other questions — stuart@MyToque.com.

Eric, if this post is to commercial, or I have crossed a line in promoting the store, please edit, and I apologize.

By Eric on Oct 29, 2008

Thanks everyone. More persimmon ideas indeed, especially now! Thanks Eric — we’d love to have some Toronto input around here. Isn’t there a large population of West Indians there? Any intriguing flavors there that we might want to know about?

Christina, it was good to see you too, and I’m glad you got to taste the dishes.

Anu’s thought of budget-oriented entries is always a good idea, and right up my alley, so you can expect more of those.

Anything Karena asks, I will do! Anything else besides five-spice? I could branch out into the more esoteric spices, just for fun, but am slightly afraid of alienating non SF Bay Area people, for whom it’s a bit harder to find those things. Still, it’s not THAT hard, thanks to those internets.

And Kathryn and Em, thanks for the kind words — more veg it is. I’m actually quite intrigued by vegan cooking, and plan to do a lot more of it. The problem is that it’s fussy and labor-intensive as hell, but I hope to bring the breakaway treatment of simplicity and no-fuss-ism to it. And Em, yes, I could be more regular about publishing, thanks for the nudge.

By Eric on Oct 29, 2008

Stuart slipped in as I was writing that. Please, Stuart, it’s hardly “crossing the line”! You have a great store (it’s in Half Moon Bay, for people who don’t know it)

I’ve actually never cooked with grains of paradise, and can’t wait to play with it. I’d love to order some from you — will take it to email. That almond/coconut sauce sounds unbelievable.Still haven’t been to Oxbow, even though I donated a cooking class for them … must rectify that soon. Em lives in Napa — hey Em, have you been?Please score some grains of paradise, and report back!

By helen on Oct 29, 2008

Eric, I most enjoy your recipes. You invariably offer a unique flavour combination, slight twist in preparation and/or useful tidbit in each of your recipes. They are inspiring to read (and I’ll get to making them some day…).

The persimmon tree is lovely. If it belongs to you, then I’d love to hear about its care and growth. And it reminds me: Perhaps you’d consider cooking with the season more often. We’ve packed up the BBQ for good, and now we’re right into chestnuts and pumpkins, braising and baking.

By Rowina on Oct 30, 2008

Your blog exudes freshness and such warm vitality and enthusiasm that reminds of the positive American attitude. I would say, your new blog would fit the “ordning och reda” (every thing in its place, roughly translated) way of life most Swedes adhere to (I’m based in Stockholm).

Although I have not done any of the recipes you have featured, as yet, I have read and noted with interest the way you combine exotic spices that is very appealing and makes me want to try them right away.

I have never seen a persimmon tree with it’s lovely apricot-colored fruits, and thanks to you, i have seen a photo of it.

By Eric on Oct 30, 2008

Thanks Helen — how I wish that was my tree! I was driving by that tree in Sonoma, CA, and had to get out to take a shot. I did, however, just plant two persimmon trees: a hachiya, and a fuyu. They are scrawny little things right now, but my climate is right, so I have high hopes for them. I’ve got a worm bin going, and have given the trees a nice nutritious snack of worm casings, so we’ll see what happens. Not much for a few years, is my guess….

Rowina, you’re sweet, thank you. It’s somehow comforting to know that someone in Stockholm is reading.

Ordning och reda!

By Karena on Oct 30, 2008

Stuart–thanks for sharing that coconut-almond sauce! I will email you and place an order for the grains of paradise.

Eric–Since you asked…I’m also looking for ideas for star anise, fines herbes (beyond eggs), garam masala, and zatar. Thanks to “The Breakaway Cook,” I know what to do with mace besides adding it to cookie dough!

By Em on Oct 30, 2008

Sure! That sounds like a fun little project! I was just thinking of what to make this weekend.
And no, I haven’t been to the store yet. I can’t belive that I didn’t know about this place until now.

By Autumn on Oct 31, 2008

Hi Eric -

I’d love to see more veg friendly meals. Also, holiday meal ideas – for large crowds. Some easy to whip together, large-ish meals for entertaining.

Also… I’m ashamed to admit this, but I am terrible about using fresh herbs in my cooking. I find that if I buy a bunch of cilantro (for example), I use about 3 sprigs of it and then it sits in my fridge waiting for the next meal until it goes moldy and gross. Don’t get me wrong, I use tons of dried herbs and spices, but I just feel like my cooking would improve vastly if I could get a handle on the fresh herbs.

Love the site! Keep up the great work!

By Em on Nov 2, 2008

Hey Eric! Look what I tried with grains of paradise!
http://kitchen-em.blogspot.com

Stuart,
The coconut & almond sauce was fantastic! I tried it with poached fish last night and it was really good! Thanks for sharing.

By Eric on Nov 2, 2008

Em, that looks incredible! Good for you. I’ve asked Stuart to mail some grains of paradise, so I hope to start experimenting very soon…..

By Monika on Nov 5, 2008

Eric, I love the new design… and being a sucker for good design, I approve.

Also, being a vegetarian with a love for odd and new things, what originally drew me to your blog was the macha salts, but I have to admit, with the recent focus on meat-based fare, I haven’t been drawn to spend much time with you (grin). Today’s recipe on the other hand is making me wanting to try it out this sunday. I’m wondering if my 4 1/2 year old would eat it.

All said though, you have to be what you are best at being, and that is you… as somebody (I gather rather important) said: Do what you love to do and they will come.. (never mind that it might take a while.

By Eric on Nov 5, 2008

Thanks Monika — I’m definitely finding myself moving toward eating less meat, and what meat I do eat is from animals that have been raised by farmers that I personally know.

If you call today’s persimmon eggs “orange fluffy eggs” or something intriguing, I’m betting your little one will like them. They have just enough sweetness to interest children!

By Stephanie on Nov 6, 2008

I personally love your blog and all I want to see is MORE entries. I’m learning a lot from your posts and all the comments from the community. I like all the variety of topics you cover (products and events as well as your magic in the kitchen). I do NOT want more vegetarian recipes, but that’s just me. If anything more recipes with grains and breads.

Those ads were bugging me too. From what I’ve been reading about that stuff you’re supposed to constantly monitor and adjust them to make them work correctly which is a job in and of itself. There are all kinds of other tactics that marketing types do with those ads, but again, we’d rather you just make art instead of deal with marketing on your blog. Perhaps later on, you’ll get some free time and be able to find a better solution to this.

By Alice on Nov 6, 2008

Hi Eric,

talking about persimmons: here’s what I did a few days ago
http://www.cottoecrudo.com/en/2008/11/rice-custard-with-persimmon-and-lavender-syrup/

And talking about your blog: I really like it the way it is. I love the fact that reading your posts (especially those where you mention local markets, produce and places) makes me want to come back to California!

By Pdot on Nov 8, 2008

I would like to see you post more often as your cooking really inspires me.

Karena, speaking of using up some 5 spice powder, I just found this recipe last week. It’s a Dorie Greenspan recipe.

http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/11/spiced_cranberry_bundt_cake

By jan in nagasaki on Nov 10, 2008

Eric, I love your blog! I am a vegetarian so I like it when your recipes contain no meat. I live in Japan so I like it when you use ingredients which I can find here. AND, most important of all, I love your enthusiasm and general joy in life. It is inspiring and enlightening. Thank you!!!

your blog looks great!!! nice and sharp. crisp…. like a fall apple!!!! I just got a bag of persimmons the other day…… today I will create something!!!

By Eric on Nov 10, 2008

Thanks for all the sweet comments, everyone.

Alice, your persimmon custard looks outrageous–wish I could taste it.

I will try to post a little more often– it’s great to hear that kind of encouragement. Now it’s about once a week, but I’ll see if I can get it up to 6 or 7 per month.

By Micah Smith on Nov 12, 2008

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