The food thread

And speaking kosher -- for those of you stateside -- the Empire chickens are the tastiest birds for the money -- next step up is Dartagnan.

Our farm has regained the right to slaughter on site, there are also several other farm direct to consumer possibilities here in the Connecticut River Valley. A chicken that has never been quick chilled or washed in a sanitizing bath is something special. These are all not very commercial operations 50 or so a week by reservation, maybe. IMNSHO anyone that has to maintain a product flow for business maintenance reasons has to compromise somewhere.

Empire is good, actually very good but if they fiddled around with the feed to get a little more gaminess all the usual customers would have a fit.
 
Fermenting almost complete. Once everything sinks, I'll add vinegar and salt, leave it for another 2 weeks and run it through the food mill. Yield approx 2 litres.
 

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Wonder pot time is here.

(aka Wundertopf, aka wonderpan, aka סיר פלא‎, eh-l-peh er-se, seer peh leh, another brilliant Jewish invention)

In my elementary school years, untill she turned fulltime bottle, my mom used to make a stinkin hot dish in a wonder pot.
We did have a gas oven, but only a wonder pot gives it the right consistency and crust. The dish is worthless without the latter.

For decades, I've tried to get it right in other ways, to no avail.
My g/f gave me a seer peh leh for my birthday.

Basically just stewed beef, with onions, garlic, bay leaves, bunch of cloves, and a handfull of (dried) chili peppers.
The inside of the bundt pan is greased, then layered with dry bread crumbs.
Mashed potatoes in, pieces of meat, some stewing fluid, mashed potato rooftop, bread crumbs, finished by bits of butter.
Followed by placing the wonder pot a generous hour on the stove.

The stuff is eaten with plenty homemade apple sauce.
Bit of a necessity, with the right amount of chillies.
(as I also cook for others, I'm forced to limit the heat, and add some homemade chili sauce on my plate after the cooking. Not 100% result, but we all have to make sacrifices)

Duh, forgot to make a picture before I ate the sucker.
 

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I was surprised that trapping coons and squirrels was illegal in NJ -- I guess it's the kind of trap. Then again, a fella was arrested a few towns over for clubbing a rat with a shovel:

NJ man accused of eating raccoons - New York News


NJ man accused of eating raccoons
Updated: Oct 17, 2014 7:54 AM

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Authorities say a Monmouth County man illegally trapped and ate raccoons and squirrels.

Police have charged Aleksandr Borykan, 30 of Ocean Township with animal cruelty. The state also charged him with illegal use of a leg hold trap, hunting without a license and hunting out of season.

Detective Lt. Kevin Faller tells the Asbury Park Press a resident in the townhouse complex where Borykan lives reported finding animal carcasses.
 
Here:

October 17, 2014 13:51

SURREY, B.C. CANADA (CP) - Authorities are complementing Mr. Gordon Calaway for his incessant efforts to rid his municipality of Rats, Mice, Racoons and Possums. The Police are considering holding a secret ball in his honour and using the proceeds to support the cause.

The Province has also nominated him for a Medal of Honour for going beyond the call of duty.

Detective Sam Spade tells the gallery of Reporters that it has been a long time since any one man has been on such a crusade and that he is to be held in the highest regard no matter what circle he travels in.
 
My daughter's 28th birthday. Much of the food was catered from Sofra, Cambridge celebrity chef Ana Sortun's cafe/catering branch. She covers the Mediterranean coast from Morocco to Greece. Everything was well above average. I contributed a grated carrot and orange salad (center) dressed with a simple lemon juice, cinnamon, and orange flower water dressing. Shown here are a Greek lamb saganaki and an Armenian tokiq with winter greens.

I was inspired to add a grated kohlrabi, yellow beet, and carrot salad with a simple German mustard and lemon juice dressing. Grated raw veggies are a great substitute for juicing while keeping the fiber.
 

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