Food! Food! Food! The Good, Bad, Ugly, and Tasty steampunk treats and drinks

[Dr. Madd]

Today's supper: Pork kabobs with mushrooms, potatoes, peppers, onions, pita bread and naan.

[hasher]

Grilled a lovely free range non hormone injected ribeye slathered with my special rub:

topped it when it was done (and rested for 5 minutes on a rack THANKS Alton Brown) with a little gorgonzola butter I whipped up.

Sea salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground peppe flakes, celey salt, garlic, cumin and a little pepper.

Combined with a side of organic yellow corn and some butter and some fresh bread it was delicious.

[Camillia du Chine]

Veggie dogs on the grill, steamed broccoli, bbq sauced chickpeas on a bed of fresh buttercrunch lettuce.  Mmmm!  Also grilled an eggplant in the skin for baba ghanoush later.    Oh, and gin n tonics as we were doing yardwork.

[Major Dickie Woodruff]

If you go to the RDC Charity Fete in Harrogate in October then you will see all manner of home made goodies including jam and cakes and teas

This announcement was brought to you by
Majors Magnificent Jams Company

[rovingjack]

I have an idea for a recipe I want to make for a cousins reception which I won't be able to attend.

She professes to enjoy pie and contests and thus is instating a family pie contest at her post wedding reception. I will send one down with family.

Here is the idea:
Cucumber melon pie- using cucumbers that are more flavorsul (the yellower the more tart the flavor is supposed to get), and honeydew melon. I might use tapioca to thicken or gelatin possibly both. And a touch of vanilla.

I plan to cut the cucumber much like apple slices for pie (after peeling and seeding), the melon I think will likely not matter how I cut it just as long as there are no giant chunks.

I'll cook the melon and cucumber in a double boiler adding vanilla and any sweetener in, I can then remove the peices from the resultant sauce and thicken and possible partially whip before adding the pieces back after cooling.

Meanwhile I think I will make a filo dough or super flakey crust and back it first  before adding the thickened and partially whipped filling. Then let it set up in the fridge and have it served cool.

The hope is that it makes a light and delicate flavored cooling summer pie. It's mostlt theory right now but any thought on the idea are welcome.

[Dr. Madd]

That is an interesting idea. The flavors ought to work well with each other.

[Angus A Fitziron]

I have an idea for a recipe I want to make for a cousins reception which I won't be able to attend.
...
The hope is that it makes a light and delicate flavored cooling summer pie. It's mostlt theory right now but any thought on the idea are welcome.

Not really an original thought and one I am sure you have already had - make at least one or two pies well beforehand and share them with friends who you know to have discerning palettes and who will be bluntly honest with you!

[Dr. Madd]

This Memorial day weekend, we had - Russian Cabbage rolls, My Wife's excellent recipe, as well as the best Pumperknickel Rye I've ever eaten. made by my wife, and potatoes Stroganoff. Sunday, we had grilled Pizza, my recipe, and yesterday My Mother-in-law served up BBQ, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Potato salad, chips, deviled eggs, Lemon pie, sugar free cake with all kinds of toppings. I slept for hours, then My wife made Stuffed Belle Peppers that disappeared like they had wings.

[Guinevere Meander]

Dear Dr. Madd, not to derail this thread, but would your darling wife by any chance be willing to share the Pumpernickel rcipe? I've been looking for one for ages and most are dry brick

[JohnOdin]

For Victorian cookery you can't to go far wrong with this:
http://www.questia.com/library/book/mrs-beetons-book-of-household-management-by-nicola-humble.jsp?CRID=bp_mrs_beetons_book_of_household_management_by_nicola_humble&OFFID=se1&KEY=bp_mrs_beeton%2527s_book_of_household_management
We picked up our hardback copy of Mrs Beetons for a £5 from a charity shop.

[Dr. Madd]

Dear Dr. Madd, not to derail this thread, but would your darling wife by any chance be willing to share the Pumpernickel rcipe? I've been looking for one for ages and most are dry brick

I'll ask her.

[Dr. Madd]

1 pkg. yeast
warm water
molasses- She didn't measure
rye flour
bread flour
sea salt
veg. oil
caraway seeds
flaxseeds
cocoa powder

She didn't I'm afraid, measure, but there you go.

[Guinevere Meander]

1 pkg. yeast
warm water
molasses- She didn't measure
rye flour
bread flour
sea salt
veg. oil
caraway seeds
flaxseeds
cocoa powder

She didn't I'm afraid, measure, but there you go.

Ah, the true spirit of victorian cooking! This is why I LOVE this forum!! My grandma never measured and winged it all the time, so does your wife...thank You notheless!!  Still appreciate your afford(sp?), thank You kindly, dear Doctor

[Zeppelin Kapitan Fritz]

     I always thought a healthy diet consists of lots of meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and potatoes.

[Dr. Madd]

You forgot cabbage, olives, Mushrooms and pineapple tidbits. Everything is better with pineapple tidbits.

[Guinevere Meander]

Speaking of mushrooms, my late husband really enjoyed his mushroom soup.

[CapnHarlock]

ok - absolutely delicious and mostly healthy, sort of, anyway ......

cut up a couple pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, cook in water on high in a slow cooker for about 2 hours, or 1 hour in a pot on medium-low, until easily-penetrated by a knife.(Think "low and slow")   Drain and dry them out over heat until there is no 'obvious moisture in vessel.

add a light sprinkle of black pepper and salt, and just enough chicken (or veggie) stock to be visible in the pot.

mash with a "granny-style" (bent wire) potato masher until lumpy. Add Greek-style (or drained) yogurt and mash some more (you're making smashed taters, not babyfood.. don't get crazy or use an unfortunate galvanic device.. trust me on this one...)

I have given up on the entire idea of butter and/or cream in my taters - this is just better - Please consider giving it a try .  It made me forget the meat ....

[CapnHarlock]

*SIGH*  I may have just discovered my new favorite hot sauce condiment

approx. equal parts ground dried chile de arbol, guajillos, ground red chile flake and oven-dried habanero. (leftovers from my last chili powder experiment)

cook for a few minutes in hot olive oil, add a chopped tomato, and a diced red onion - cook another minute or so, add some ground cumin a bit of salt and black pepper, turn down heat and cover  with about an inch of cider vinegar - let it cook/reduce 30 minutes then blend and reduce to 'sauce consistency"

Surprisingly. not outrageously hot, but quite tasty. A little honey or agave syrup might reduce heat even more and bring out the "mango/peach" flavor of the habaneros.

[J. Wilhelm]

*SIGH*  I may have just discovered my new favorite hot sauce condiment

approx. equal parts ground dried chile de arbol, guajillos, ground red chile flake and oven-dried habanero. (leftovers from my last chili powder experiment)

cook for a few minutes in hot olive oil, add a chopped tomato, and a diced red onion - cook another minute or so, add some ground cumin a bit of salt and black pepper, turn down heat and cover  with about an inch of cider vinegar - let it cook/reduce 30 minutes then blend and reduce to 'sauce consistency"

Surprisingly. not outrageously hot, but quite tasty. A little honey or agave syrup might reduce heat even more and bring out the "mango/peach" flavor of the habaneros.

Sans the oil, and depending on the proportion of salt and vinegar, sounds very much like the pan-Spanish Adobo marinades; originally a European paprika-based meat preservation technique (active ingredients: vinegar, salt, capsaicin), eventually, in the Americas, it kind of deformed into a "family of sauces" incorporating the hotter chili peppers (some recipes of which do incorporate cooking the ingredients in oil).  Sounds awesome.

[Dr. Madd]

Over the Weekend, we had a nice salad, some Deutsch Beefsteak burgers, seasoned with parsley, salt, pepper, and minced cocktail onion (A 1930's Diner innovation), with sliced muenster, and oven fried French fries. Also, My wife made a salad with all kinds of great veggies, like mushrooms, olives, green pepper, lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and finally, ham, grilled chicken, and cheese.

[inigo jameson-gatling]

The only ales of value must be from the Hook Norton brewery in Oxfordshire in England. They have a steam engine.

http://www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk/public_visitors/steam/steam_home.html

[CapnHarlock]

NOT Risotto, But Not At All Bad, Either...

I was clearing out fridge in the expectation of a trip to the great pan-Asian market tomorrow, when a friend came over for a surprise visit......


~ 1/4 lb bacon, diced (or use olive oil and add lentils for a veggie-version)
1 medium to large yellow onion,  minced
~2 tbsp garlic, minced
~ 1.5 cup arborio rice
1 28 oz. can crushed plum tomatoes
1 32 ox box chicken broth (or feel free to use homemade, or other stocks, or water)
fresh (or dried) oregano, thyme  and basil (if fresh, chiffonade and mince finely)
CapnHarlock's "House Seasoning"
    (1 part kosher salt, 1 part black pepper, 1 part granulated onion, 1 part granulated onion, 1 part Indian paprika)

1) cook the bacon one low heat in a deep skillet until not quite crispy - let the fat render (or just heat oil)
2) add minced onion and let it sweat
3) when almost translucent and liquid present, add garlic and sautee a few minutes
4) add the rice, and toast - just let it get more opaque, not brown
5) dump in the tomatoes , herbs and stock, liberal sprinkle of "House Seasoning" ,  stir
6) cook on low-to-medium-low about 30-40 minutes, covered, stir every few minutes - not crazy constant stirring like REAL risotto, but don't let the rice stick to the pan. Let most of the liquid absorb.
7) If you happen to have grated parmegiane, or a reasonable facsimile, add at the end and stir in.

(I forgot I had green bell peppers- they would have worked well too)

A surprisingly delicious quick meal when 'the cupboard is nearly bare'

I suspect that tomorrow's lunch may well be these leftovers, mixed with  leftover black-eyed peas cooked with linguica  sausage.

[J. Wilhelm]

Captn.  Harlock:

Excellent suggestion.  I must thank you on that idea.  I happen to be one of those in the unfortunate position of not being employed.  I've been like this for so long I have learned to cook and make due with as little as $5 per 6 servings.  Your last "risotto" sounds like an excellent base for a new dish.

Another survival strategy: Ground turkey (I use the one with higher fat content, 75%, if it's too white and lean you get zero taste); browned and then simmered in tomato sauce and cream (or whole milk) for a pasta sauce...  Despite the way it sounds it has an excellent taste when done.  With a bright orange colour, I named it "Pasta a la Bevo," a nod to the colours and mascot of my alma-mater, the U. of Texas.   I find that with a little bit of fat, ground turkey will get the consistency and flavour of ground veal.  Once I found that out secret, I started using the turkey in dishes that call for ground beef, like for example Dirty Rice. and even Rice and Beans as well!

JW

[Aleister Crow]

Random wanderings on the net led me to this, so I thought I'd pass it along:

Steampunk Pork Dumplings

[Will Howard]

I like the sound of the Sonoran hot dog.  Will have to get together with a few friends & try it!