Food Porn

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Duck Confit sounds complicated. So do you use the duck fat to seal it ? Instead of clarified butter?

I use the duck fat to both cook and preserve it.

So some of your friends must be famous (or at least. semi-famous) in the culinary world.

One of them I have known since 1994. He has written a bunch of books and his name starts with M. A few others had their own places too and just happened to write a book. Not well known outside the chef-circle but still respected.

Must be nice to eat the way you do.

Only on the weekend.

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Okay, I guess I'm seeing part of the stem. But the "spongy" looking thing does not look like thinly sliced artichoke heart with leaves. It looks more like some type of wild mushroom -- thinly sliced. Weird.

I'm sure it's delicious though.

It's probably the leaves on their side from when I took it out of the dish.

It is quite good and very rich. Lardo is a great ingredient if you can locate it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Duck Confit sounds complicated. So do you use the duck fat to seal it ? Instead of clarified butter?

I use the duck fat to both cook and preserve it.

So some of your friends must be famous (or at least. semi-famous) in the culinary world.

One of them I have known since 1994. He has written a bunch of books and his name starts with M. A few others had their own places too and just happened to write a book. Not well known outside the chef-circle but still respected.

Must be nice to eat the way you do.

Only on the weekend.

When you mentioned the initial M, I immediately thought of Mario Batali -- but there must be other famous chefs whose names contain the initial M.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Okay, I guess I'm seeing part of the stem. But the "spongy" looking thing does not look like thinly sliced artichoke heart with leaves. It looks more like some type of wild mushroom -- thinly sliced. Weird.

I'm sure it's delicious though.

It's probably the leaves on their side from when I took it out of the dish.

It is quite good and very rich. Lardo is a great ingredient if you can locate it.

Looks delicious in any case. I had to look up Lardo -- apparently some form of salumi -- so I'm thinking Italian cured meat or sausage. I suddenly remembered Bourdain in northern Italy eating a rarefied form of cured lard. Really pure white lard -- shaved very thin.

May be this (eating pure white lard) is not so unusual. In Hawaii I saw a Chinese dish (can't remember the name) that consisted of bite-sized cubes of pure pork fat -- dipped in batter then fried -- and served covered in a clear sweet-sour anise-flavored red sauce. Tasty -- but healthy?

originally posted by: QuailSeed

When you mentioned the initial M, I immediately thought of Mario Batali -- but there must be other famous chefs whose names contain the initial M.

Well, let's just say that Babbo is still my favorite restaurant and I don't have to wait a month for reservations.

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Looks delicious in any case. I had to look up Lardo -- apparently some form of salumi -- so I'm thinking Italian cured meat or sausage. I suddenly remembered Bourdain in northern Italy eating a rarefied form of cured lard. Really pure white lard -- shaved very thin.

Lardo is cured belly fat. It is typically made with salt, pepper, rosemary and whatever 'secret' spices the particular salumeria opts to include. It is a fantastic ingredient and a little goes a long way since it is so flavorful and rich.

May be this (eating pure white lard) is not so unusual. In Hawaii I saw a Chinese dish (can't remember the name) that consisted of bite-sized cubes of pure pork fat -- dipped in batter then fried -- and served covered in a clear sweet-sour anise-flavored red sauce. Tasty -- but healthy?

Eat healthy, die anyway.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

When you mentioned the initial M, I immediately thought of Mario Batali -- but there must be other famous chefs whose names contain the initial M.

Well, let's just say that Babbo is still my favorite restaurant and I don't have to wait a month for reservations.

Wow. I peeked at their website -- looks great and not outrageously expensive -- which surprised me.

So you must have your favorite menu items -- can you share that here?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Looks delicious in any case. I had to look up Lardo -- apparently some form of salumi -- so I'm thinking Italian cured meat or sausage. I suddenly remembered Bourdain in northern Italy eating a rarefied form of cured lard. Really pure white lard -- shaved very thin.

Lardo is cured belly fat. It is typically made with salt, pepper, rosemary and whatever 'secret' spices the particular salumeria opts to include. It is a fantastic ingredient and a little goes a long way since it is so flavorful and rich.

May be this (eating pure white lard) is not so unusual. In Hawaii I saw a Chinese dish (can't remember the name) that consisted of bite-sized cubes of pure pork fat -- dipped in batter then fried -- and served covered in a clear sweet-sour anise-flavored red sauce. Tasty -- but healthy?

Eat healthy, die anyway.

You have a point -- that we're going to die anyway. As for the Lardo, do you have a favorite source?

I wonder if it can be ordered online. I'm not hopeful about finding it where I live (definitely not NYC).

You are very fortunate in being able to eat the foods you eat -- Food Paradise.

originally posted by: QuailSeed
So you must have your favorite menu items -- can you share that here?

The beef cheek ravioli, pork chop with hot peppers and lasagna are a few of my favorites.

The best option is the seven or eight course dinner with wine pairing, a great value and very well paced.

originally posted by: QuailSeed
You have a point -- that we're going to die anyway. As for the Lardo, do you have a favorite source?

The local Italian salumeria that makes it themselves.

There are plenty of decent mail order companies as well.

You are very fortunate in being able to eat the foods you eat -- Food Paradise.

I live to eat, not eat to live.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed
So you must have your favorite menu items -- can you share that here?

The beef cheek ravioli, pork chop with hot peppers and lasagna are a few of my favorites.

The best option is the seven or eight course dinner with wine pairing, a great value and very well paced.

Thank you. It all sounds so good. I can only dream.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed
You have a point -- that we're going to die anyway. As for the Lardo, do you have a favorite source?

The local Italian salumeria that makes it themselves.

There are plenty of decent mail order companies as well.

You are very fortunate in being able to eat the foods you eat -- Food Paradise.

I live to eat, not eat to live.

I would too, if I ate as well as you do.

When Googling for Lardo, the keyword is Salumeria. Thank you for that.

I remember a Bourdain episode in Seattle where he visited “Salumi” Artisan Cured Meats run by Armandino Batali – I think this guy is Mario’s father maybe?
They actually do mail order.

I stumbled across a Forbes article on Salumerias. The writer named “Salume Beddu” in St. Louis as the best in the US. In his opinion, as good as the salumerias in Italy. Wow.

Salume Beddu also does mail order. They use mangalitsa and Berkshire pigs. Their Lardo sells for $27.50 a pound. But their specialty is Spalla Cruda (Spanish-style cured pork shoulder).

Actually got to see what Lardo looks like. Photo of Lardo:

asfinefoodsnj.com...

I'm learning a lot. Thank you.

originally posted by: QuailSeed
I remember a Bourdain episode in Seattle where he visited “Salumi” Artisan Cured Meats run by Armandino Batali – I think this guy is Mario’s father maybe?

Yes, that is Mario's dad.

If you like artisinal cheese you should check out his in-laws farm, Coach Farm. They originally owned the leather goods company, Coach, got out of that and started making cheese.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed
I remember a Bourdain episode in Seattle where he visited “Salumi” Artisan Cured Meats run by Armandino Batali – I think this guy is Mario’s father maybe?

Yes, that is Mario's dad.

If you like artisinal cheese you should check out his in-laws farm, Coach Farm. They originally owned the leather goods company, Coach, got out of that and started making cheese.

That's amazing. I had no idea Coach had been sold by its original owners way back in 1985 -- 30 years ago.

I looked at the Coach Farm website -- they specialize in goat milk products.

I'm almost positive I've seen their logo somewhere before. Whole Foods is not listed as a source though.

I've had goat milk kefir before -- maybe I'm confusing it with something else.

In any case, thank you for the info.

originally posted by: QuailSeed

I'm almost positive I've seen their logo somewhere before. Whole Foods is not listed as a source though.

Whole Foods had carried them extensively at one point. The one by me will order it on request.

I've had goat milk kefir before -- maybe I'm confusing it with something else
.

Coach Farms only does cheese made form goats milk as well as selling pasteurized goat's milk.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

I'm almost positive I've seen their logo somewhere before. Whole Foods is not listed as a source though.

Whole Foods had carried them extensively at one point. The one by me will order it on request.

I've had goat milk kefir before -- maybe I'm confusing it with something else
.

Coach Farms only does cheese made form goats milk as well as selling pasteurized goat's milk.

Thank you for the additional info. I do like goat cheese -- what I've had of it. Certainly not this artisanal quality of goat cheese, but still good.

Whole Foods does carry some good cheeses: Rogue River Blue, Burroughs Market & Neal's Yard Dairy Stilton, etc. I should take a closer look at their cheese counter.

As for the kefir, I'm sure it was made by someone else. It looks like Coach Farms has just added yoghurt to their list, but it's new.

Lillian Cahn was 89 in 2013 when she died. So is Mario Batali married to a granddaughter? Just curious, not really any of my business.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Thanks for posting that recipe. It answered my questions. I was going to ask you if you actually need a clay tagine (Williams Sonoma used to sell them, along with the tagine spices), but I see a covered pan will do.

I have an All Clad tagine which has a ceramic lid.

You serve this with bread -- any special type of bread? Could you cook rice in the broth?

I usually make Kesra, a traditional Moroccan bread, which is rather easy to prepare.

I'm not a huge fan of rice so I will sometimes make couscous on the side.

I have questions about the Kesra. There seems to be two distinctly different recipes for Kesra.
One involves flour & yeast & baking. The other, more intriguing, recipe calls for semolina & oil & grilling.

I remember a recipe for a North Indian sweet semolina pudding where the cook was advised to use "Cream of Wheat" as a substitute for semolina, if semolina was not available.

So can you use "Cream of Wheat" for Kesra?

I forgot to ask: what kind & brand of semolina do you use? There are so many different kinds of semolina (coarse, fine, or flour, etc.) that it's overwhelming.

originally posted by: QuailSeed

Lillian Cahn was 89 in 2013 when she died. So is Mario Batali married to a granddaughter? Just curious, not really any of my business.

Susi, Mario's wife, is Lillian's daughter.

originally posted by: QuailSeed

So can you use "Cream of Wheat" for Kesra?

I have never used it as a substitution as I have ready access to most ingredients but I would probably not as I think it is a bit to fine. One of the things I like about semolina flour is the coarser texture so I would opt for fine semolina flour.

I forgot to ask: what kind & brand of semolina do you use? There are so many different kinds of semolina (coarse, fine, or flour, etc.) that it's overwhelming.

I usually use Dallari which I found has consistently good quality but Red Mill is another good domestic option.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: QuailSeed

So can you use "Cream of Wheat" for Kesra?

I have never used it as a substitution as I have ready access to most ingredients but I would probably not as I think it is a bit to fine. One of the things I like about semolina flour is the coarser texture so I would opt for fine semolina flour.

I forgot to ask: what kind & brand of semolina do you use? There are so many different kinds of semolina (coarse, fine, or flour, etc.) that it's overwhelming.

I usually use Dallari which I found has consistently good quality but Red Mill is another good domestic option.

Thank you so much for answering my questions. I really appreciate it. Let me take a wild guess: I bet you actually make your own pasta.