Cooks' Corner

[maggiepie]

Kristl, your dumplings sound delicious.
I have never made pork dumplings but these sound easy enough.
I love sesame oil too, I especially like the sesame with hot chilli oil.

[Kristl Walek]

While I also use olive oil a lot---I don't use virgin or extra virgin for salads, as I find the flavour of the oil interferes (for me) with the flavours of the salad. So, I actually do use one of the light olives. A serious Ceaser salad (with home-made croutons) is an oft-prepared fast standard evening meal in this household.

[mark smyth]

when I go to the cupboard I always smell the seame oil - sad isn't it!? Me not the oil 

[johnw]

I love sesame oil too, I especially like the sesame with hot chilli oil.

Helen  - Just made a batch of chili oil a couple of weeks ago.  Added star anise, cinnamon and Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum); what a difference using real Sichuan peppers.  Great for cleaning out eustachian tubes!  The gritty bits at the bottom can be tossed with peanuts; we can buy these hot tossed peanuts in jars down the street - they are highly addictive.

johnw

[Kristl Walek]

john,
one of the huge holes in my life since moving here has been ethnic food and ethnic food stores---you seem to be a serious "foodie"---where can you refer me in halifax to buy asian (chinese, japanese, east indian), middle eastern, italian supplies?

and is Pete's the only place where i could find a good selection of cheeses?

any help much appreciated.

[maggiepie]

John, sounds good.
What sort of oil did you use?


Kristl, if you think it is hard to find speciality foods and spices, you should try New Brunwick, it is virtually impossible.
I had to import some Maldon salt flakes from the USA.

[johnw]

Kristl

Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese/Malaysian - try Tian Phat or Ca Hao (both have big selections but sometimes I have to go round a host of such grocers to find a rarity) - shipment from the Orient every Thursday. Wok..something... for fresh rice noodles, chow fun etc..
Japanese - best is Heiwa.
Italian - The Italian Market; luckily a friend is a wholesaler and brings much in from Italy to supply east of Montréal.
cheeses - new Seaport Market. Otherwise a myriad of stores for certain kinds.
Middle Eastern - new name which I forget, maybe be ?Mid-East/? - corner Agricola & North (Spanish one across the street), good deli up the street, pita factory next door, best Indian is around the corner from the Spanish one, North & Robie.

Also Golden Bakery, obviously for middle eastern breads and desserts.

johnw

[johnw]

John, sounds good.
What sort of oil did you use?


Kristl, if you think it is hard to find speciality foods and spices, you should try New Brunwick, it is virtually impossible.
I had to import some Maldon salt flakes from the USA.

Helen

In Sichuan they apparently use Canola oil for this so I used that.

The best part is the debris on the bottom of the hot chili oil jar.

johnw

[maggiepie]

John,

Do you have to heat the oil?
Years ago I used to make flavoured oils and vinegars. Haven't made any since coming to Canada.

[johnw]

John,

Do you have to heat the oil?
Years ago I used to make flavoured oils and vinegars. Haven't made any since coming to Canada.

Yes the oil and all ingredient, I believe, has to be brought up to a temperature of 250F and held there for 10 minutes.  Otherwise it can go bad, sometimes apparent by a clear gelatinous blob that hovers in it.  The secret is real Heaven Facing Chilis and a potent Sichuan peppercorn. Will dig around for the recipe.

johnw

[johnw]

when I go to the cupboard I always smell the seame oil - sad isn't it!? Me not the oil 

Mark - It's not you Mark. All sesame oils and products with sesame oil are in bottles that leak a bit or have faulty spouts.

Be warned, if you get hooked on great olive oils expect to pay snowdrop prices.

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

Be warned, if you get hooked on great olive oils expect to pay snowdrop prices.
johnw

 

[Arykana]

coffee cake

[Lesley Cox]

Not an acceptable post - UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY THE RECIPE!

Erika, last night I dreamed that a local friend asked me about what to do and what to see in Hungary. I had no idea so I looked on the Forum and gave her your email address.  But as it was all a dream, you probably won't hear from her.

[annew]