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Post by Don Cuevas on Dec 27, 2013 13:14:04 GMT
...to a fault. I think this one for focaccia truly overdoes the instructional photographs. www.simplysogood.com/2013/08/focaccia-in-five.htmlFor example: "Add 1/2 teaspoon yeast.", illustrated. Next step will be that the author will feed it to you, bite by bite. "Open wide...that's a good boy. This is for Daddy. This one is for Mommy." ...ad nauseam
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Post by lagatta on Dec 28, 2013 1:28:25 GMT
It might be useful for people learning English.
Have you made this? It seems like a very odd focaccia.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Dec 28, 2013 1:51:40 GMT
I haven't used that recipe.
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Post by bjd on Dec 28, 2013 10:11:42 GMT
What is "kosher salt"? Is it coarse salt of some kind? And sea salt? All salt in France is from the sea.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2013 11:20:51 GMT
Actually, I know a few people who need instructions that precise before they will touch anything in the kitchen.
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Post by lagatta on Dec 28, 2013 21:22:55 GMT
Kosher salt is a grade of coarse salt (gros sel) used in the "koshering" process. I think that when they refer to sea salt, they mean specific kinds, such as fleur de sel.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 29, 2013 1:27:34 GMT
I think we discussed this before and, as I said before, I have no problem whatsoever with this kind of step-by-step recipe.
For one thing, skilled cooks/bakers can simply skip down to the bottom of the page & follow the well-written conventional recipe.
But more important, these carefully spelled out and illustrated recipes can encourage people to try dishes which might have intimidated them otherwise. More people realizing that yes, they can learn to turn out food like mama (or their favorite restaurant) makes can only be a good thing, right?
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Post by lagatta on Dec 1, 2014 22:04:42 GMT
I actually read the instructions on the bag of cat litter. They advised the cat's human to "wash your hands after changing the cat's litter box". But I suppose a lot of humans (who have plumbing) don't wash their hands after going to their own toilet either.
Many photos might be very useful for the disturbing percentage of illiterate or semi-literate people, even in wealthier countries. It might prevent someone using half a tablespoon instead of half a teaspoon.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2014 23:09:41 GMT
Actually, when I read precise instructions, it usually gives me ideas about alternate things to do rather than following the directions as written.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 24, 2019 5:12:55 GMT
Every evening after the news, there is a programme that lasts a grand total of one minute (it is actually a commercial for a food store) and a lot of what they show looks pretty good. Here are a few examples.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 25, 2019 10:24:14 GMT
Is Grand Frais a new grocery chain? I don't recall seeing it; imagine that it is a sort of hypermarché located only in suburban areas, but I hadn't even heard about it.
I don't particularly like cherry tomatoes, but one could do that with many vegetables.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 25, 2019 11:49:32 GMT
I have never seen this chain, but their website says they have 229 stores. None in Paris of course, but the chain has existed since 1992. They only have 5 departments in the store: butcher, seafood, greengrocer, dairy and 'world' products.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 25, 2019 13:51:24 GMT
And here's how they pretend to make something sort of Mexican.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 25, 2019 16:16:30 GMT
Well, the guacamole is pretty authentic -- not at all one of those horrible concoctions I've seen online with garlic powder &/or mayonnaise.
The wraps aren't at all Mexican, but are probably pretty edible nonetheless. They seem more southeast Asian inspired than something Mexican.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 25, 2019 17:51:11 GMT
Why on earth would anyone put mayonnaise in guacamole? They already have similar textures (though I know guacamole isn't supposed to be as smooth as mayonnaise). Because the fat content isn't high enough?
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 25, 2019 18:14:59 GMT
Some of the French put crème fraîche in guacamole. Actually, when I was doing my café gig, we had an extremely successful "fiesta" night with a pseudo Mexican menu and we were forced to do that when the guacamole risked running low. No complaints about it.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 25, 2019 22:07:16 GMT
Doesn't everyone just love that final note in a recipe that tells you to "serve in an attractive bowl"? Do they think that without that direction that you'd bring it forth in your cupped hands, or make several trips bearing a laden spoon from the stove to the table?
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 26, 2019 8:48:15 GMT
In a totally different vein, I bought a bottle of kimchi seasoning some time ago, but the bottle does not tell me how to use it. Well, maybe the Korean print does, but not the English print and certainly not the French sticker added just for the ingredients and importer's name.
So I looked it up on the internet, and now it seems quite simple.
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Post by patricklondon on Oct 26, 2019 9:18:51 GMT
Doesn't everyone just love that final note in a recipe that tells you to "serve in an attractive bowl"? Do they think that without that direction that you'd bring it forth in your cupped hands, or make several trips bearing a laden spoon from the stove to the table? Or suppose the dinner guests include Auntie Nellie who gave you a godawfully ugly bowl last Christmas and will undoubtedly expect to see it used (and not for the dog, either)?
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 26, 2019 9:44:14 GMT
Maybe they're worried about the British. "Cook the fish in the batter and fry the potatoes until everything is golden brown. Serve in newspaper."
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 26, 2019 14:06:54 GMT
Luxury! we don't get our fish and chips in newspaper anymore....
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 26, 2019 14:15:58 GMT
I know, I know...
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 26, 2019 17:21:09 GMT
Or suppose the dinner guests include Auntie Nellie who gave you a godawfully ugly bowl last Christmas and will undoubtedly expect to see it used (and not for the dog, either)? Needs must! In truth, I think most Americans -- or at least the ones from my generation & earlier -- probably envision the Brits eating all their meals on The Good China.
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Post by patricklondon on Oct 27, 2019 8:34:15 GMT
Only when someone comes to call for whom you must keep up appearances. When among friends or close family, eating chips out a newspaper (a custom long vanished) had the bonus (if it were one of the down-market scandal sheets) of some story about a vicar and the choir-mistress to read on the way home (though usually, just as you got to the interesting bit, it got to the end of the page and "continued on page 9"). My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings"too literate to be spam"
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Post by bjd on Oct 27, 2019 9:24:00 GMT
In my hunt through book boxes in Bayonne, I have found cookbooks by Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson, both in English. The comments in both lead me to believe that they are written to encourage non-cookers to actually learn to make food, that it's good and healthy to do so and not all that difficult.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 27, 2019 14:31:32 GMT
There is a grand frais in Cogolin - 5 kms from St Trop and 20 min from our southern france house. Very good products. Beautiful vegetables good meat etc. A big supermarket. We go there often.
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Post by patricklondon on Oct 28, 2019 10:50:20 GMT
In my hunt through book boxes in Bayonne, I have found cookbooks by Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson, both in English. The comments in both lead me to believe that they are written to encourage non-cookers to actually learn to make food, that it's good and healthy to do so and not all that difficult. That was always Saint Delia's particular genius (though I still refer to the Blessed Marguerite Patten, as given to me by my mother over 50 years ago). They've all got their particular market niche. Jamie Oliver for the hyperactive youngsters, Nigella for the more grown-up, many of whom (truth to tell) probably just luxuriate at the opulence of her TV programmes (or do rather rude mash-ups of them, which you can find on Youtube if you wish). I also love reading Elizabeth David, though I've never tried more than a handful of her recipes. My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings"too literate to be spam"
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Post by onlyMark on Oct 28, 2019 12:16:44 GMT
You can't beat a good Fanny.
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Post by bjd on Oct 28, 2019 19:01:37 GMT
I actually prefer reading cookbooks to following recipes. Mostly for inspiration because I never have all the necessary ingredients.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 28, 2019 21:20:06 GMT
Ditto! I also find that stray facts or suggested techniques I read in cookbooks tend to stay with me.
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