The Occasional Foodie Post
A few tids of bit that have been clogging the storm drains of the cerebellum and need to be posted so that the waste liquids can be swept out of the street and the next brainstorm doesn't drown me.
First, as every good foodie knows, flavor is essential. Not merely crucial or desirable or a good idea: essential. Even busted-ass Gordon Ramsay (love ya Gordo but remember not to over-reach) knows that to make good food you only need a few good, flavorful, fresh elements prepared with proper attention. But some things need the punch of more than the flavors they bring to the saucepot. That's why there are such things as chicken stock and demi-glace. And I have a source for you. What's source for the goose....
Soupbase.com. This is your source for Minor's concentrated bases of ... I was about to list some but it's not really possible to do the range of availables justice here. Just go and poke around. I'll only say one thing. A friend has the low-sodium chicken base as he is concerned with his salt intake. He mixed up a taste of base and I was amazed. The problem with low-sodium is, well, it doesn't have enough salt! So it comes across as less flavorful. But not the Minor's. Rather full flavored actually. I would recommend it without hesitation.
But that's just one product. The range of flavors offered there is astounding. If you don't find something you like there, there's not much you like. I'm working on my order even as I type this. I'd also like to point out that the tubs of concentrate sit nicely in your fridge and last a decent amount of time. Keeping cans or brick-paks of chicken stock in your pantry takes up significantly more space. And I'm not much a fan of the chicken stock I've bought lately for flavor. Is there a code I'm unaware of that means "free-range chicken broth" means "almost chicken-flavored water?"
And a couple of links from Amazon's "Al Dente" blog. First, Nancy Silverton’s Awesome Butterscotch Budino. Love butterscotch. Not that I need to eat this but I'd love to try it. And a recipe from "The Purple Foodie" blog for making paneer (Indian cheese). Paneer is great (again, not just good - great) with spinach in many ways. A samosa filled with spinach, paneer and some appropriate spices (I'm thinking a little cardamom or garam masala if I had any) would be most delicious. I think I may make paneer with basil from my AeroGarden this evening. I'll try to take pictures.
Also, look through The Purple Foodie generally. It is a garden of eatly delights.