What are you cooking now?

[french frank]

The thing about travelling in order to eat is that you can recapture, albeit as through a glass darkly, memories of places you've been (and eaten). Sunday lunch today was a pale shadow of a choucroute garnie, with two sorts of mustard. Some chefs serve several types of mustard although I don't remember being offered a choice. As I only had two sorts of meat (freshly baked gammon joint and frankfurters) I offered myself Dijon (with the frankfurters) and beer and black peppercorn (a Christmas present) with the gammon. If really rebellious you could spread the mustards on the other way round.

All this reminds me of alighting from the train in Strasbourg, making straight for the Place de la Cathédrale and ordering a choucroute garnie. Après ça, la cathédrale

[french frank]

As usual 'cooked' rather than 'cooking': Aigo boulido. I made it with care (half a garlic bulb for two helpings) and was quite pleased with the result. I added fresh sage and marjoram from the garden to the cooking. Ladled over the last two pieces of my wholemeal loaf, with grated cheese sprinkled over them. An ill-favoured thing but mine own. Coop Les Jamelles Viognier - because it was there (at my elbow). Nous autres paysan(ne)s hein?

https://www.coop.co.uk/products/les-jamelles-viognier-534856

[vinteuil]

Aigo boulido. I made it with care (half a garlic bulb for two helpings) and was quite pleased with the result...

... actually sounds really nice!

just sorry you missed the opportunity of using a Fowler 'flood-of-tears-and-a-sedan-chair' * pleasantry :

"I made it with care and half a garlic bulb... "


* zeugma, or syllepsis, for our scholastic friends... .



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[french frank]

... actually sounds really nice!

just sorry you missed the opportunity of using a Fowler 'flood-of-tears-and-a-sedan-chair' pleasantry :

"I made it with care and half a garlic bulb... "

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Formidable! Actually, I could have added a whole bulb and still found it palatable. I think I noticed some wet garlic in the greengrocer this week. Must investigate.

The soup was really light, more of a consommé, which I don't usually make. I like hearty soups crammed with lots of al dente vegetables (we do not purée in this hestablishment).

[AuntDaisy]

Tried Nigel Slater's Orzo, black cabbage and smoked cheese with home grown cavolo nero (which the pigeons & caterpillars had spared) yesterday.
Surprisingly tasty (but macaroni cheese might be easier.)

[french frank]

(but macaroni cheese might be easier.)

Yes, with cheddar cheese - and you could always add kale to it (orzo, cavolo nero, smoked cheese indeed!)

I suppose I could look up the difference between orzo and couscous ...

[Pulcinella]

Yes, with cheddar cheese - and you could always add kale to it (orzo, cavolo nero, smoked cheese indeed!)

I suppose I could look up the difference between orzo and couscous ...

There's quite a lot.
Don't get confused with orzo = Italian for barley; it's a pasta shape, made into little barley-shaped grains.

[AuntDaisy]

There's quite a lot.
Don't get confused with orzo = Italian for barley; it's a pasta shape, made into little barley-shaped grains.

... and surprisingly textured - soft outside, al dente inside (assuming I cooked it correctly).

[french frank]

There's quite a lot.
Don't get confused with orzo = Italian for barley; it's a pasta shape, made into little barley-shaped grains.

Couscous is made with semolina flour (durum wheat) whereas orzo is presumably made with barley flour, though Wikipedia says it can also be made with semolina. Both are pastas/paste in very small shapes.

[AuntDaisy]

Couscous is made with semolina flour (durum wheat) whereas orzo is presumably made with barley flour, though Wikipedia says it can also be made with semolina. Both are pastas/paste in very small shapes.

I live & learn - thanks.
Signore Tescoti used durum wheat semolina, (our Co-op didn't have it). Interesting how different the textures of couscous & orzo are.

[french frank]

I live & learn - thanks.
Signore Tescoti used durum wheat semolina, (our Co-op didn't have it). Interesting how different the textures of couscous & orzo are.

Italian anecdote coming up; We had an Italian deli just round the corner. They had at least 13 different varieties of dried pasta, which surveying I asked il signore why they had so many and what the difference was. He looked dismissive: "No difference." As I was paying la signora at the till I said that I'd asked her husband what the difference was and he'd said none. At which she looked indignant (all those years of carefully selecting which shape she'd use, I suppose). "Si! Is difference. Is different on the tong."

So the textures are different on the tong.

[Pulcinella]

Italian anecdote coming up; We had an Italian deli just round the corner. They had at least 13 different varieties of dried pasta, which surveying I asked il signore why they had so many and what the difference was. He looked dismissive: "No difference." As I was paying la signora at the till I said that I'd asked her husband what the difference was and he'd said none. At which she looked indignant (all those years of carefully selecting which shape she'd use, I suppose). "Si! Is difference. Is different on the tong."

So the textures are different on the tong.

Surely the main difference is what/which sauce it's accompanying, which is why Italian friends were horrified at the restaurant chain here (Bella Pasta?) that offered a choice of shape and a choice of sauce! They nearly had to be taken to A&E (these were the days when it functioned) at the prospect of the wrong shape being chosen!

[french frank]

Surely the main difference is what/which sauce it's accompanying, which is why Italian friends were horrified at the restaurant chain here (Bella Pasta?) that offered a choice of shape and a choice of sauce! They nearly had to be taken to A&E (these were the days when it functioned) at the prospect of the wrong shape being chosen!

No idea. I made a puttanesca sauce (thanks Roger) last week and have it with whatever pasta I have i.e. macaroni. Though sometimes I substitute finely diced potatoes. I just try things out.

Signor Vintoglio will no doubt be along soon to enlighten us as to the origin of puttanesca ...

[Pulcinella]

No idea. I made a puttanesca sauce (thanks Roger) last week and have it with whatever pasta I have i.e. macaroni. Though sometimes I substitute finely diced potatoes. I just try things out.

Signor Vintoglio will no doubt be along soon to enlighten us as to the origin of puttanesca ...

AARGH!

Spaghetti please.
Maybe another long thin pasta shape, but NEVER macaroni.

[vinteuil]

Signor Vintoglio will no doubt be along soon to enlighten us as to the origin of puttanesca ...

... do I really have to have a view on everything ??

I think most of us around here are grown up enuff to have learnt about the ways of the world : if we need to enquire about the meanings of puttana and puttanesca - well, there are dixonaries and I'm sure websites...

But Pulcinella is of course right - spaghetti (or linguine, possibly fettucine, tagliatelle, &c) - long and thin. Not maccheroni...

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