FoodNuts!

Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

confusing semolina products

I was researching Matt’s great posting on Timpano di Tucci, trying to figure out what pastas I would use if I were to do it, and found this funny little Quiz:

Take the quiz here

I got 18/24, took it again with my wife (who surprised me at her knowledge of pasta types) and then got 21/24. What’s your score? Try it and post in comments!

One of the great things about living out in the country, or in areas where farmland dominates the landscape, is that you have the opportunity to get closer to your food and its sources. Carrots? No problem, ask around and find a guy who is growing them and you’ll have Beta-carotene by the truck load. Tomatoes? Peppers? Scallions? Turnips? Beets? Apples? Pears?  Same thing. Where we live we have found sources for much of what we eat.

About 1 month away from being ready

However, the opportunity to “get close to the source” for some foods may not be ideal for everyone. I imagine that one of these is pork. Yes, I am talking about the whole hog, standing shank deep in mud, its attention constantly on what it is going in the front end, with little regard of what comes out the back end. If one is used to pork only as a pretty cut of meat, on a diaper and shrink wrapped on Styrofoam, seeing pigs au natural may be a bit of a shock. From the cute piglets to the giant sows and boars, they are a site to behold.

Always on the lookout........

Ahh, but what is contained therein? One of the finest of meats, the complete foundation upon which the French art of Charcuterie is built! Hams, bacons, sausages in their multitudes, country to country, around the world.  Smoked meat and fresh meat, pickled pig’s feet and liver sausage. Some won’t eat it; that’s ok, that just means more for us that do!

Just doing what comes naturally

Once a year, we buy ourselves a whole hog. They’ll weigh in at just around 200 lbs, hanging weight for the butcher. Digging around, my wife found a source not far from where we live. They are called “Pigs R Us”. Really though, we call them Randy and Betty. They raise hogs year round, some goats also, but mostly swine. This morning the family went on a little trip to pay for our hog. It was killed and slaughtered on Thursday, and is currently at our butcher, Wards meats, hanging. I could send a check, but I wanted to get some photos. Also, since I am one of the few people that take the offal, I have to head on over to pick this up.

They are cute when they're young!

Randy and Betty use no hormones in raising their pigs, and the pigs are raised on a diet of soured milk, barley and cracked wheat. That’s it. It’s an old-fashioned way of raising, as it guarantees the quality and taste of the meat.

They raise a mix of breeds: Hamshire, Duroc and Landrace. But you’ll buy each individually. They’ll set up the slaughter, and it will then go off to the butcher to hang and be sectioned. It’s all very easy, it can be done over the phone, and the real problem we have found is making sure you have enough freezer space.

Future Charcuterie

If live in the area, and want to buy your own pig for meat, I highly recommend them. They are in Brush Prairie, just northeast of Vancouver Washington. Their phone is 360-892-2913, or 360-931-4427

The other day I was at a farmers produce stand. I had gone there to buy cabbage heads for making Sauerkraut. Having obtained these monsters of the Brassica family, I looked around at what else was in season and at their peak. That’s when I spotted them: Leeks. Beautiful, and the blanching must have been a good 18 in of their total length, little green. These were added to the cart, along with some beautiful Russet potatoes, chosen for lack of blemish.

Upon getting home, I set myself to making Leek and Potato soup. A very simple recipe, it is as good as your ingredients are fresh. The stock used was our homemade chicken stock, which is a ritual at our home. It came out wonderful, a fantastic accompaniment to salad, meat or great on its own. With this success I got to thinking (as I always do): What about the same thing as Leek and Potato soup, but instead use Shallots? It would be more like French Onion soup (due to the Shallots inherent stronger strength compared to the leek), and instead of beef stock, it would remain chicken stock.

My wife and I, wandering again at the farmers produce stand,  saw them:

Beautiful Shallots, waiting to be tested in my idea. I purchased about two pounds, got the rest of the produce we desired and headed home. I then set to making a Shallot and Potato soup.

First, I skinned the Shallots, then cut each bulb in half. This allowed for me to cut 1/4″ sections of the Shallot that would be like a strip, similar to the splitting of the Leek lengthwise, the cutting it in 1/4″ strips at a 90 degree angle to the lengthwise cut.

I had about 7 cups of shallots, which were place in a stockpot with 3 Tbls of butter. They were sauteed on low heat for about 15 minutes, or until tender. I cover the pot to trap the escaping steam, which helps in cooking them fully.

Be careful, one way to ruin this is to burn or brown the allium (Shallots, in this instance.). A light saute, till tender, that’s all. They will take a bit longer to saute than leeks, but not too much longer.

Next, I cut the potatoes into 3/8″ to 1/2 ” cubes. I made an equal amount of  Potatoes to Leeks, so 7 cups. I did this as I sauteing the Shallots.

When the Shallots are done sauteing, add the chicken stock (8 cups) and the diced Potatoes. Turn up the heat to begin a simmer. I avoid boiling because I am dealing with delicate flavors that can be denatured or lost in a boil. As far as spices, in Leek and Potato, black pepper and salt are the only ones, and it is crucial as to how much of each you add. Since the Chicken Stock we make is unsalted, it may take more salt, but be careful. Add sparingly, according to your taste. Too much salt will make it, well, salty. Cook until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, and you’re done.

I must say, I was pleasantly suprised at the outcome. Although they burned my eyes like onions while preparing, they lost a large amount of their strength after cooking. A little stronger than the subtle leek, but just as “good to the last drop”

I’ve long been a fan of bacon; the internet is awash with all sorts of bacon news, in fact.

Where are my english muffins?

But today, when I saw that they had finally created spreadable bacon, and I was tempted to order some, I figured that perhaps the time had come seek professional help.

Or, perhaps I can just restrain myself, and wait for Christmas. Hint hint…

Course, if I were a REAL man, I’d make my own — here’s a recipe … once I try it I’ll post on the results.

“Bacon jam tastes like the love child of pulled pork and pate!” said one friend. “I am now officially in pig heaven,” said another as I shared tastes from the jar of Skillet’s bacon jam that had just arrived in the mail.

This needs to be done. Seriously.

Entering one of the most competitive grocery markets in the world, Tesco’s Fresh & Easy is not having an easy time of it here in Southern California. Although they have yet to open a store in Santa Clarita, apparently they have rather misjudged the buying habits of a large swath of the Southland.

There are 70 stores now open in Southern California, which has been hurt more than other regions by the recession. Fresh & Easy also opened stores in other areas with poor economies, including Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Apparently, they have decided to finally make some concessions to the actual customers, who are not used to just purchasing what they need for the day. Typically, SoCal families like to purchase food for the week — and small package sizes don’t really fit into that style.

The company is adapting “to customer feedback” by adding cereal and pet food choices and offering larger package sizes for families, he (Tesco CEO Terry Leahy) said.

…

“Everything has gone awry, from store operations to pricing to variety and selection to their locations. You could not do much worse unless you did it on purpose,” said David J. Livingston, a Waukesha, Wis., grocery industry consultant. “They were arrogant and totally misjudged the American consumer.”

Hopefully they will continue to pump cash into the operation, and change things up to be competitive. It would be a shame to lose another choice, since consumers usually love having alternatives (and the standard chains need sharper competition).

One blue marbled timpano pan has been ordered for the Food Nuts! Hopefully it will be in stock and we’ll have it in plenty of time for food and frivolity New Years Eve.