The food thread

I use goose fat for roast vegetables (potatoes, parsnips, carrots).

And yes it is delicious with rosemary and some whole garlic cloves. A must to go with the christmas goose. In that case I do cook the potatoes first since I use them whole or halved but the carrots and parsnips are raw.
Roast parsnips are to die for!

Goose fat is a bit expensive for deep frying. A 200ml jar costs about £2 here.
Probably could do it after the goose is done as there is a lot of fat coming out but I don't deep fry anything. My kitchen is too small for more gadgets and I'm a bit weary of deep frying on a gas cooker.
Chip pan fires are nasty!
 
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Yeah I had my first wok fire a couple of months ago. A few minutes of inattention is all it takes.

Easily done paying attention, don't do this at home BTW. I made a batch of traditional crispy noodles (the ones you throw dry into the wok) and I used a small cast iron pan on my outdoor side burner filled almost half way with oil instead. The ensuing fire ball was dramatic, hint turn the burner off before throwing in the noodles.
 
Yes that is the only way to make french fries, but of course there are other ways to fry potatoes. See rosti for example. I have heard that goose or duck fat are ideal for frites, but am unable to verify. 🙁

Duck Fat, All-Natural | Shop D'Artagnan

It would cost a small fortune to fry up a bunch of french fries in duck fat -- if you have to purchase it from Dartagnan.

If you cook a whole goose or duck, you'll have plenty.

I was amused at the recollection in an early chapter of Jacques Pepin's first book at the technique he used to get the fire going in the morning -- a piece of kindling which he (unbeknownst to the chef) dipped in the duck fat so it would keep lit.
 
other ways to fry potatoes.

Ever since my first visit to Spain I've stuck to frying frites in olive oil as the standard on regular days.
Once I didn't pay enough attention at the store, back home noticed I had taken a 2.5gal tin can of pomace oil from the shelf instead.

What a nasty stuff, the flavour of genuine olive oil is worth more than the extra cost, without potential health risks that come with pomace oil.
I still can't get my head around 'professional' food places going pomace for a mere saving of $4/gal.
 

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Not a guarantee you'll get the same quality product though..

US manufacture Camel cigarettes differ greatly from the ones manufactured under license in Europe (still lots of folks who ask friends and family to bring US originals over from America or the airport)

The flavour of locally manufactured Heinz ketchup is different in various nations, never the same as USA made. Due to regional differences in flavour/quality of ingredients and composition difference based on local preferences.

Knorr sells local manufacture broth cubes in many countries, a package of Knorr cubes may look the same but flavour differs in each nation.
The USA made ones I took over from Burning Amp in San Francisco have a flavour that is very different from the ones manufactured in The Netherlands.

Lots of other known brand examples.

Knorr also locally manufactures products exclusively for that market, French made Knorr broth cubes with Puget olive oil and Mediterranean spices have been a much sought after specialty item by foodies abroad for decades.
For a number of years already, they are offered by foodie web shops outside of France, even in England : French Click - Knorr Bouillon Herbes Huile Olive Puget Cubes (x15) 150g
UK price is 1.5 times French retail, $0.26 the piece makes a relatively expensive broth cube, regular Knorr ones in England in a 15 x10g package cost 1/3d of that amount.

Even with dual food quality legislation by Brussels, which I gathered is to be expected by 2019, substantial price differences for the exact same product in different countries are to be expected.
As will be general quality/flavour differences of same brand items, similar to Camel, Heinz, Knorr etcetera.
Even with dual food legislation, German and Austrian food stores close to the borders may still retain their numerous weekend customers from Poland, the Czech Republic and your neighbouring countries to the north.

I shop all over Europe for specialty items, when quality/flavour of a food product/ingredient in one nation vastly outclasses the ones available in The Netherlands, or have them sent/brought over from the rest of the globe.
An allergist/allergologist friend has a son who works a pediatrician job in a South African hospital, a combined holiday/visit to her son is scheduled shortly, good opportunity for a delivery by South African food mule. :clown:
 
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US manufacture Camel cigarettes differ greatly from the ones manufactured under license in Europe (still lots of folks who ask friends and family to bring US originals over from America or the airport)

Ah yes, Camels in Amsterdam... I remember well my first trip to Europe. I still smoked back then, but here it was the beginning of the long, dark night for smokers. There was no place to legally smoke in YHZ (Halifax airport), and few even outside. At that time KLM was flying from Halifax to Schiphol and we were on the red-eye to Amsterdam. Exiting the plane and walking by other gates one could identify the airline by the predominant tobacco aroma. The pong of Gauloise, must be Air France, the intensity of Latakia, oh Turkish Airways, etc.

When we got to our hotel in Amsterdam (a nice one, the Dolen Crest, near the Munttoren) I was shocked to see a cigarette machine in the lobby, they had been illegal here for years. I fed a few guilders into the machine for old times sake, then had to select from unfamiliar brands. I think they had 555s and some other vaguely familiar brands, but then I saw the Camels. I pulled the lever and a package of Camels was dispensed, and a Dutch 10 cent piece was taped to the package. A rebate! I knew right then that I loved the Netherlands.
 
Knorr sells local manufacture broth cubes in many countries, a package of Knorr cubes may look the same but flavour differs in each nation.

I don't know what Knorr was thinking when they didn't disable comments on Marco Pierre White's youtube demos/commercials. The comments sections are a hoot. I think they eventually did disable comments on most of them.
 
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Maritime Saturday night supper

My favourite fish monger, who sells his wares at the Saturday farmer's market 2 blocks from my house, carries some farmed Atlantc salmon from Cap D'Or. This is dry-land farmed fish, rather than cean pens, which apparently avoids a host of environmental issues. Alsoba very high quality product. I usually get his haddock, and sometimes halibut, but today I decided to spring for the salmon.

I like it grilled, but always worry about it sticking. I have a mesh pan that I use for fish on the bbq, so I got it good and hot, brudhed it with olive oil, the dropped in a bunch of fresh herbs from my garden to line the bittom of the pan, then dropped ths fish skin side down on top of the herbs. When the herbs catch fire you know the first side is done, flip it over and cook for a couple of minutes more. No sticking. Served it with fresh corn, fresh green beans, and salad with organic kettuce and fresh cukes. Yum.

IMG_20180818_194116.jpg

PS: the picture doesn't do it justice, the salmon was cooked perfectly, by whch I mean "barely", even though slightly crispy on the outside. Excellent fish.
 
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As a follow up, the largest maker of high end wood fired pizza ovens recommends IR irradiance thermometers. I can't wait to fire it up.

Harbor Freight under $20 if I recall correctly. Paid more for mine. One àt the shop for checking equipment and full racks the other lives on my kitchen counter.

That with a probe thermometer and temperature çontrol on my inductive cooktops make cooking much easier.

Other technique is to cook with cheap olive oil. Tastes like other oils with no flavor but smokes a bit to let you know it has reached a useful temperature.

Next as DIY guy hook up a thermo couple to a fan to regulate the oven temperature.