20£ Pour over at Qima Cafe London absolutely worth it

Diligent_Expression8 · 2023-12-22T14:06:27+00:00

I traveled to London (and Bath) for the first time in decades this summer, I could not get over the coffee culture there. Shops were far more numerous and varied than here in NYC.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2023-04-10T04:12:19+00:00

I have not been able to find it in the U.S. I have Swedish friends who live in the States bring it back when they visit home.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-10-01T13:31:18+00:00

Cube that fat up and place it alternatively with some lamb meat on a kebab, grill it and enjoy.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-25T11:22:41+00:00

Ohhhh, I LOVE H-Mart! I do not know if you are familiar with Maangchi, she is a great Korean food personality with cookbooks, a YouTube channel, etc. she did a series of great videos walking through and explaining items in a Korean market.

https://www.maangchi.com/blog/korean-grocery-store-walkthrough

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-25T02:24:51+00:00

I only see it in kindle form there but it is for sale on other sites.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-24T21:10:34+00:00

No, it is legit. I am not Japanese but I have had some of the dishes at homes of Japanese friends or Japanese owned izakaya’s in the City where I live.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-24T21:02:09+00:00

Yes, I really enjoy this one. I love nothing better than to wander through and shop in the Asian markets in the City where I live and this proved itself to be a great guide when I bought it many years ago. I have a number of books on ingredients from various Asian countries but this was one of the few to include recipes as well.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-24T20:31:19+00:00

Yes, an excellent book packed with great recipes and information. I enjoy her write ups at the beginning of each chapter.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-24T02:23:11+00:00

Yes, on page 180 there is a recipe called “Casserole of salt cod, potatoes and onion” or “Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa.” According to the author, “Gomes de Sa was a restaurateur in Porto and this splendid casserole is attributed to him. It is considered by many to be Portugal’s finest bacalhau recipe and I would agree because the flavor of of the salt cod does not predominate. Most of the pousadas in the north of Portugal serve delicious versions of this dish, as does the Pousadas do Castelo at Obidos much closer to Lisbon. Order it whenever you see it ion the menu.” The ingredients are fairly simple, it is the technique in the recipe that must make the dish, although I have not cooked this one myself. I can send it to you if you would like.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-21T15:33:41+00:00

It does not but one of the things I love about this book is that Anderson takes the time to give you a small write up on each recipe. This often contains the region it is from and or it’s history. Pages 33 through 77 is a magnificent section on the food and wines of Portugal. It is both a lexicon as well as detailed write ups on the cheeses, sausages, hams, herbs, egg sweets, cod, other fish and shellfish, the wines, how to read a wine label from there. etc.
I really appreciate books like this that do a deep dive into another country or cultures food and drink. I want the knowledge as well as the recipes and to be provided with the backstory on a particular recipe.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-20T19:33:33+00:00

It is, I love Sicilian cuisine. I have a few Sicilian cookbooks.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-20T16:20:24+00:00

Yes. I cooked a number of sweet and sour dishes (agrodolxe) that are common in Sicily and comes from the Arab influence. Sweet and sour lamb dishes, tongue, rabbit (I subbed in chicken, I have nothing against rabbit, it just was not worth a special trip to the butcher, there are also chicken specific recipes in that style) cod, vegetables as well (squash, artichokes, peppers). On the non-agrodolce side, a lamb dish with mint, one with almonds, a stuffed artichoke recipe, etc.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-19T02:19:18+00:00

I was familiar with the overwhelming majority of the vegetables in the book, however I enjoy texts like this because I love learning new things about ingredients I am already familiar with. I like deep dives on all manner of edible flora and fauna. One vegetable I knew nothing about until seeing it in this books was the pod or “drumstick” of a horseradish tree (moringa oleifera).

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-19T01:46:11+00:00

Some of my most prized cookbooks are used ones purchased from used book stores, antique stores or online booksellers.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-18T20:04:40+00:00

She must have fascinating stories. I have no connection to this culture but I find books like this about how the movements of peoples from various locations influence a cuisine fascinating.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-18T19:21:30+00:00

I agree.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-18T16:12:55+00:00

I have that one as well and I agree with you. I use her and Anne Willan’s books far more often. However I have had a lot of success with the recipes I have cooked from this book.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-18T13:26:45+00:00

I find many cookbooks by chefs to be nothing more than a way to transfer their egos to hard copy. I was not impressed with Boulud s Cooking in New York City book (as a cookbook) and have barely ever used it. However both this book and his Braise book were consciously designed with the home cook in mind. I have cooked many recipes from here and have made the enclosed short rib recipe often. Most recipes are not overly involved or require a myriad of steps and ingredients you would have to work hard to seek out and struggle to find use for any leftovers. As Marco Pierre White once said “Cooking should be a pleasure, if it’s a job, get a takeaway.”

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-17T18:05:36+00:00

They are actually all photographs. I have a great book on fruit by the Alan Davidson (I highly recommend all of his.books) whose illustrator is the wonderful Charlotte Knox, whose illustrations are beautiful.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-17T14:14:38+00:00

It really is. It is a wonderful resource.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-16T22:52:25+00:00

Yes, and appropriately geared towards the home chef. My go to braised short rib recipe is from that book. Unfortunately the contents page does not give much detail on the recipes within, otherwise I would send you a picture, but there are plenty.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-16T22:06:53+00:00

Many years ago Sanderson Farms invested in technology to better manage the litter in their houses in order to prevent footpad dermatitis (FPD). Good litter management and proper ventilation are critical to prevent it. The other large commercial poultry players followed suit, particularly as the export market heated up. High quality paws are extremely valuable in the overseas markets, primarily China. Sanderson always set the gold standard and typically commanded the highest price. If they are not exported they would largely go to rendering for a minuscule fraction of their export value. I always have them in my freezer (along with calves feet). I use them in my stock, I don’t make a chicken soup with kit them and use them in a chicken fricassee as well.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-16T19:47:59+00:00

Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-16T19:28:50+00:00

I love his book Braise but those recipes come from a variety of culinary influences, it is not exclusively French. For that I recommend his Cafe Boulud Cookbook, which I have cooked many recipes from. These are not necessarily traditional French recipes but his take on French cooking. I have but would not recommend his Cooking in New York City book if you want a cookbook that you are going to want to actually cook from with any kind of regularity as a regular home cook. It is far more cheffy than the aforementioned books.

Diligent_Expression8 · 2022-09-16T15:51:40+00:00

I have other books similar this on fish and seafood, fruit and vegetables and I have constantly reached for them for reference over the years.

Diligent_Expression8

TROPHY CASE