| Welcome Forum If this is your first time in the ChefTalk then please begin here by introducing yourself. |
 | | 
10-10-2001, 11:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Toms River, New Jersey
Posts: 9
| |  to W. Debord
W. Debord,
I agree whole-heartedly with your reply. My wife and I negotiate often on whether the baby bottle supplies really need to be on the counter (she won this round) or whether we can shelve the decorative canister set we received as a wedding gift (my victory).
My preference is 'function over form' in the kitchen. Catering means having multiple everything so storage is always a problem. I have industrial shelving which is a great (and sturdy) organizational aid, but can't compare with the appearance of wood. To balance this, I keep the shelves tidy and hang a variety of nice wicker baskets on the wall around the shelves.
The refridgerator is an area that I review daily. Many items are stored in varying degrees of doneness. Other items are being reserved for stock. Tracking spoilage of fruits, vegetables and meats is another critical item. I agree with you about throwing out certain items which you are 'saving for a rainy day'. If I don't have a plan/recipe in mind to use a certain ingredient or food product, chances are I won't use it before it goes bad.
Thanks for the many ideas for improving my kitchen arrangement and cooking preparations.
Brian  |
10-12-2001, 02:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 117
| |
Hi Brian - Just checking in on the state of your kitchen and of course on the fair Madeline. Hug her tight. |
10-16-2001, 06:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Toms River, New Jersey
Posts: 9
| | hi linda
Good news and bad news ...
The wife and kids are visiting my in-laws for a week. This is actually the bad news. I miss them a great deal.
The good news is that I have plenty of time to be in the kitchen. This time of year is when I get serious about soup. For what it's worth ... some of my favorite soup ingredients include shitake mushrooms and pumpkin. I have taken the time to cater a few small events recently (birthday parties, baby showers, family reunions). I still hope to one day make a living out of cooking food, but for now I use my spare time wisely.
My kitchen is simply too small for my cooking style, but I'm not complaining. I've become quite good at buying ingredients on an 'as needed' basis and much of my catering prep is done onsite. Menu selection is an area I'm working on now. I'm looking for appetizers that have great taste, visual appeal, but lend themselves to being made a day ahead (and in large quantities). Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Enough about me ... your turn.
Brian |
10-16-2001, 07:50 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,755
| |
I think you'll get alot more responses if you re-post your question in a different thread more related to cooking than introductions.
I'll be waiting, with my list of favorites.
__________________
"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection", Rose Levy Beranbaum |
10-17-2001, 12:03 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 117
| |
Hi Brian
Soup/stock is a ritual in my kitchen. Once the weather turns colder, there is always a pot burbling away. I have this crazy save the bones and peelings system set up in the freezer. The chcken bones in one bag, lamb bones in another, and vegetable ends and peelings in another. When I collect enough, or when the spirit moves me, I put on a pot of stock. Usually it gets done in the slow cooker while I am at work. On the weekends, home or cottage there is a pot of something on the stove.
Dinner tonight by the way = lamb and barely soup, crusty bread, a green salad and a nice bottle of wine.
Why don't you post a couple of your favorite recipes? |
10-17-2001, 01:04 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
Posts: 2,823
| | Hello Brian
May I suggest Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook? Click here for an excerpt
__________________
K
«Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.»
«Just Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt.»
«Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some things are just better rich.» |
10-17-2001, 02:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Toms River, New Jersey
Posts: 9
| | soup stuff
This is a thread that just won't die ...
For my mushroom soup last evening I hydrated some porcini mushrooms and put extra effort into concentrating the flavors of the reserved mushroom liquid. I cheated by using Swanson chicken broth in place of homemade stock for the remainder of the soup base. I didn't have stock in reserve and I was starting this soup process around 8:00 as it was. I sauteed some onions and garlic then added in sliced shiitake mushrooms (best tasting mushroom variety I've ever had). Simmer this with the soup base and add some oregano for garnish. Pretty simple. but very tasty.
Most of my soups have a minimalist approach to ingredients. I often make them in large quantities and I try and cut out odd (expensive) spices and vegetables. This helps cut down my per head cost when catering. Much of my attention, as mentioned earlier, is in maximizing the flavor of the soup base.
I'll type more later. I have a rustic potato soup that's heals a cold just from the smell.
Kimmie,
I've read Martha's book and it is great for 'visual appeal' appetizers. Many wonderful ideas in the book. Thanks for the reminder.
Brian
Last edited by brian1e4; 10-17-2001 at 02:45 PM.
| | |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | |
|
