Subj: 386 poisoning + picni

recently made a spicy ratatouille

(as with most Mediterranean stuff), it's pretty mild.

It's one of those dishes that can certainly be made more piquant
than normal and turn out very nice.

I'm sure, but I'd have to reset my tastebuds. Speaking of
which, I've become very sensitive to capsaicin, with a
strange result: my tolerance is mildly diminished, but my
detection has if anything increased. By a cousin of the
successive augmentation experiment that amused echo picnic
goers a couple years ago, it was some years ago determined
by me and my associates that my threshold was approximately
0.3 Scovilles. I can no longer perform the experiment, as
I've run out of (read: can't find) my capsaicin bottle, but
it seems to me that the tiniest amount of spice is detected
immediately - as though a diminution in one sub-sence has
been made up for by an increase in another.

Most of the Hatch chiles I've encountered are pretty mild -
none approaching what I'd be inclined to call a hot pepper.

We need a term to describe a chile that has discernible heat but is in
the lower end of the heat spectrum.

Slightly spicy? Wussy spicy? Half a pepper?

Statler & Waldorf
Bigallet Viriana China-China Amer

A French orange flavoured amaro. Interesting. It's not available
locally but I shall search for it when I'm in Alberta next month.

I'd be inclined to find some from a local bartender
to taste and then figure out what to substitute.

Subj: 387 more picnic food ^2

You can thank your lucky stars, about the oatmeal part,

I generally like oatmeal

That Scottish heritage will get you every time.

In defence of much maligned porridge, some tips.

We were talking about something called baked oatmeal with
chocolate chips, served warmed over on a buffet table.

-1- the one kind worth making is slow cooking large flake rolled
oats. Avoid quick and especially the instant variety.

Quick is good as thickener for dishes that don't
mind a bit of a gummy texture (I used to use it
in chili when I didn't have any appropriate corn
product and or any guests). It can be toasted and
eaten as granola, where large flake would stick in
your teeth. Instant is pretty useless. I believe
that the stuff used in the referenced dish was
made with the "cooks in 1 minute" stuff.

-2- Salt the water.

Another shortcoming of the dish, which was bland.

-3- Use more liquid and cook for less time than the package calls
for. The flakes should be fully hydrated and soft but not boiled
into gluey sludge. It should be a thick but still a somewhat runny
gruel.

Not applicable to the dish, and I'm not sure I
would agree.

-4- Don't eat it plain but enrich with fruit, nuts, sweeteners and
sweet baking spices. Some classic combinations: walnut, banana and
maple syrup, honey-almond, and apple, raisin, cinnamon and brown sugar.

The chocolate chips didn't help much - possibly
because there weren't enough of them.

-5- Milk and cream are definitely unnecessary.

Cream is never unnecessary.

-6- Only make it in cold weather.

And when at the edge of starvation.

Subj: 388 nasty was was nasty

Pizza Hut / nowhere to visit barring extenuating circumstances
such as trying to get a beer near Yellowknife airport.

Some time after we had that beer the place changed hands and really
went downhill. So much for franchise consistency. I haven't been
back for years.

And I'm sure that news travels quickly, and were
there to be an improvement you'd have heard.

Subj: 390 First dinner at Forge

don't know of any culture that celebrates new year around now.
Perhaps some Australian aboriginal peoples, for whom this is
springtime?

Well there is Rosh Hashanah just over and Diwali coming up soon. We
have enough South Asians of various flavours in Yellowknife that
Diwali is a real thing here.

Rosh Hashanah is ago, but I don't know about
Diwali.

Interesting that the Japanese more often celebrate western new
year's rather than eastern.

They adopted the Gregorian calendar a long time ago but still
celebrate the Lunar New Year as well.

But the Hong Kong and Singapore people adopted
western ways and calendars but don't tend to do
much for January 1. Big China I don't know about.

Silly Rabbit
mint bitters

Is mint bitters really a thing?

It's one of those things that I don't see a
real need for, but apparently somebody does.

Subj: 393 La Ferte-St. Aubin

the car told us we had to fuel now! / 44.78 liters (vs.) the
capacity of the tank was 45.0 liters

North American cars including European imports seem to have a built
in margin for error for careless drivers but European gauges are
extremely accurate. I learned this the hard way while driving my
brother's restored ancient Sunbeam Alpine.

And as we discovered the parking structures leave
little room for error as well.

Cranberry crush cocktail
categories: booze
servings: 1.

h - For Cranberry Syrup
1/2 c sugar
1 c water
1 1/2 c cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
h - For Cocktail
16 cranberries
1 in fresh ginger, chopped
1/2 oz cranberry syrup
Ice
1 ds cranberry bitters
1 ds orange bitters
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz Averna or Ramazzotti Amaro
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Splash Q Tonic
h - Garnish
3 whole cranberries and lime twist

For the cranberry syrup, combine sugar, water, cranberries,
and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium heat,
stirring frequently. Cook until sugar dissolves and
cranberries soften and pop. Mash cranberries slightly.
Let cool. Strain with a fine-mesh strainer and keep sealed
in the refrigerator.

For the cocktail,mMuddle cranberries, ginger, and cranberry
syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker until cranberries
have popped. Fill shaker with ice. Add bitters, gin, amaro,
and lime. Shake well until chilled. Double strain into
cocktail glass, top with splash of tonic, whole cranberries,
and lime twist.

Maggie Hoffman, Serious Eats adapted from Bitters by Brad Thomas Parsons
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Quoting Michael Loo to Jim Weller <=-

Bigallet Viriana China-China Amer

A French orange flavoured amaro. Interesting. It's not avail-
able locally but I shall search for it when I'm in Alberta next

I'd be inclined to find some from a local bartender
to taste and then figure out what to substitute.

I doubt if I'll find any at local bars. In the meantime there is
always Aperol.

In defence of much maligned porridge ...

don't mind a bit of a gummy texture
Cream is never unnecessary.
when at the edge of starvation.

I see I failed to convince you! At least you're more polite about it
than Sacerdote was a decade ago when I brought the subject up. [g]

I don't know about Diwali.

It is a South Asian celebration known as Festival of Lights and
symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness and good
over evil. But it has its roots in an ancient fall harvest festival
and marks the end of one year and the beginning of another.
Consequently it combines elements of both Thanksgiving and New Years celebrations.

Since you like eggplant ...

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV 2.10

Title: About Begun-Er Tok - Bengali Eggplant
Categories: Indian, Vegetables, Info
Servings: 1 text file

Spiced Eggplant With Tomato
and Mustard Seeds

Among my family in Bangladesh, I've become known for my weakness for
begun-er tok, a Bengali spiced-eggplant dish that's tart, salty,
hot, and sweet all at once. In it, thick slices of eggplant are
fried until tender before being gently simmered in a spiced sauce.
It's an involved and long-cooked affair, yet I still can't visit
without being met by a platter in every home.

Each aunt makes the dish her own way; some versions are extra saucy,
with eggplant floating in a bright vinegar-spiked tomato sauce,
while others highlight the nightshade's delicate side, in a gently
spiced, sticky-sweet curry. My mother's version, with just enough
tart tamarind paste and fiery chili to light up your tongue, will
always be my favorite.

And now, here's my take on it, inspired by Mom's and all the other
renditions that have welcomed me over the years, but with a modern
twist—I've made it fast and easy. When I want to give myself a taste
of those memories on demand, I make this simplified oven-baked
version. It gives me 90% of the satisfaction of those slow-cooked,
multi-step curries, but with only about 10% of the effort. On a busy
week night, that's solid math to me.

Tender baby or Japanese eggplant gets tossed in a lively curry paste
with tomato, vinegar, and mustard before it's baked in the oven.
This easy vegetarian side, inspired by the classic Bengali dish
begun-er tok, is perfect as an accompaniment to saucy chicken tikka
masala or simply scooped up with flaky parathas.

I opt for tomato paste in place of ripe fresh tomatoes, since it's
already cooked down and concentrated, so there's less simmering for
me to do. I also skip the tamarind, my mother's key ingredient, and
replace it with white vinegar. And because it's baked in the oven,
this dish is hands-off and comes with none of the splatter and mess
of simmering on the stovetop.

This eggplant dish may not be the same lovingly slow-cooked one I
grew up with, but it's a quick cure I can bust out any time the
homesickness strikes.

SOHLA EL-WAYLLY

From: Serious Eats

MMMMM-------------------------------------------------

Her recipe follows.


Cheers

Jim


... Pringles are called Pringles because somebody named them Pringles.

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Quoting Jim Weller to Michael Loo on 10-13-18 19:26 <=-

In defence of much maligned porridge ...

don't mind a bit of a gummy texture
Cream is never unnecessary.
when at the edge of starvation.

I see I failed to convince you! At least you're more polite about it
than Sacerdote was a decade ago when I brought the subject up. [g]

Dunno about these people who can't appreciate a good pot of porridge...
I'll admit it can be too easy to make a bad pot of porridge, but good
porridge is a nicely satisfying dish... :) I do like cream or milk
with mine, though... :) Along with raisins, cinnamon, butter and brown sugar... I've substituted a packet of ginger drink (powdered ginger and
sugar) for the brown sugar at times... :)

Since you like eggplant ...
Title: About Begun-Er Tok - Bengali Eggplant

I saved both parts of that recipe... dunno if I'll ever actually make
it, but it does look interesting.... ;) And I like eggplant, too... :)

ttyl neb

... Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.

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