We had a real traditional Maritime supper tonight; fish cakes, baked beans i(n molasses sauce, from a tin), a bit of bacon, home made oatmeal brown bread, cole slaw, and home made mustard pickles.
The Brood X Cicadas are just emerging in USA. Predictably there are some recipes appearing online. Guessing no one here harvests them?
Just found out about cooking on a Himalayan salt block. They heated it on a grill and then placed meat and veggies right on it. Anyone try it?
No Cicadas around here but I hear they are like other bugs. Good protein and plenty of them. Especially right now.
No Cicadas around here but I hear they are like other bugs. Good protein and plenty of them. Especially right now.
I tried salt block cooking and gave away the "equipment" after 3 attempts. The people who successfully get excellent results, do not include me. Unh uh, buh bye. Adios and sayonara
Nezbleu - fishcakes, what a great idea. Commercial variety no thanks but home made that's different. Alaskan Colin, refreshed whole rice, properly cooked, delicious all by itself, add some freshly picked lemon thyme, it's a bugger to separate the leaves from the stalks but worth it, diced sweet peppers to taste, mix it all together and bind with an egg. Big chunky triangular chips cooked (as always) in olive oil and washed down with any good dry white wine.
Cal, I see lots of you across the water are into smoked this and that, for me only bacon or if I lived in Scotland or the north of England I would smoke my own kippers. The best kippers I have ever eaten are not from Loch Fyne or the Isle of Man but from Calais. These were made by a small French company that got bought out and now all that's available are the fillets. Those kippers were so sweet and juicy and what surprised me was the sawdust used was from Beech, not oak or apple.
Cal, I see lots of you across the water are into smoked this and that, for me only bacon or if I lived in Scotland or the north of England I would smoke my own kippers. The best kippers I have ever eaten are not from Loch Fyne or the Isle of Man but from Calais. These were made by a small French company that got bought out and now all that's available are the fillets. Those kippers were so sweet and juicy and what surprised me was the sawdust used was from Beech, not oak or apple.
Hey BS, I mean Black Stuart, yes smoked things are popular around here, Meats, seafood, veggies and cheese top the list and often we use stronger woods like Hickory and Mesquite. Maybe it's just a throw back to our ancestors that use to cook over an open flame, and used smoke as a preservative, don't know, all I know is, I am one of the converted.
I bet smoked Cicadas would be delicious. 😉
I bet smoked Cicadas would be delicious. 😉
Couldn't resist. After a little research, I decided to take the plunge. Stainless tray with perforations and a 2" block, 12"x9". On special too. I'd never heard of a salt block so I guess no one else around here had either. In the clearance rack it was. Wahoo, only $39.
Also, since it's my 5th wedding anniversary, I had to buy something made of wood for my wife, so she gets the bamboo scraper to clean the new salt block.
I know, I know, you say Cal you are such a romantic, how do you do it?
Lots of practise and rum. Rum has given me so many good ideas over the years, I can't thank it enough. 😉
Also, since it's my 5th wedding anniversary, I had to buy something made of wood for my wife, so she gets the bamboo scraper to clean the new salt block.
I know, I know, you say Cal you are such a romantic, how do you do it?
Lots of practise and rum. Rum has given me so many good ideas over the years, I can't thank it enough. 😉
Attachments
' Coulda sliced up one of these :
Redmond Organic Salt Block – FeedsForLess.com
And saved for for more and better Rum ..... : )
Redmond Organic Salt Block – FeedsForLess.com
And saved for for more and better Rum ..... : )
hehe!
I remember those as a kid. My Mom was always so disgusted when I chipped off a piece for me. Be damned, them horse licks was good when you had no money for candy...
...and you probably think I'm kidding.
I remember those as a kid. My Mom was always so disgusted when I chipped off a piece for me. Be damned, them horse licks was good when you had no money for candy...
...and you probably think I'm kidding.
>> ...and you probably think I'm kidding.
I do find it hard to believe that a person as
urbane , sophisticated , and gastronomical ,
as your good self would have ever been near
a salt lick : )
The brick and your slab do have a similar
appearance ????
I do find it hard to believe that a person as
urbane , sophisticated , and gastronomical ,
as your good self would have ever been near
a salt lick : )
The brick and your slab do have a similar
appearance ????
Lots of time spent on farms and ranches so lots of exposure to salt licks. The trick was to get there before the animals did.
Not really a similar appearance. The salt block translucent and is only 2” thick. It also cost a heck of a lot more than a lick. I am tempering it right now. You slowly raise the heat over a 4 hour period and let it cool slowly as well. I will try cooking on it tomorrow.
Not really a similar appearance. The salt block translucent and is only 2” thick. It also cost a heck of a lot more than a lick. I am tempering it right now. You slowly raise the heat over a 4 hour period and let it cool slowly as well. I will try cooking on it tomorrow.
I take that back. I just looked it up. You can buy a Himalayan salt lick that looks just the same.
>> The salt block is translucent and is only 2” thick
It ' s translucent because it ' s 2 " thick ...... ???
The lick might be hard to slice though .
Plus the waste of the hole through the center .
How about a Utah salt block ?
" Made in the USA " .... : )
It ' s translucent because it ' s 2 " thick ...... ???
The lick might be hard to slice though .
Plus the waste of the hole through the center .
How about a Utah salt block ?
" Made in the USA " .... : )
It's translucent because salt is a transparent crystalline structure and I'm guessing it's the minerals that make Himalayan salt translucent, whereby a Utah salt lick is a manufactured product and is opaque.
What is it you think I want a lick for? I already have the Himalayan block and its accompanying tray. I will try it out tomorrow. It's still cooling down from the tempering.
What is it you think I want a lick for? I already have the Himalayan block and its accompanying tray. I will try it out tomorrow. It's still cooling down from the tempering.
> What is it you think I want a lick for?
To make more blocks .
To cook meat on .
The same way I sprinkle sea salt into
a black iron skillet .
To make more blocks .
To cook meat on .
The same way I sprinkle sea salt into
a black iron skillet .
I think I'll stick to the (human) food grade one, rather than one intended for the dietary needs of livestock. Also, because it is manufactured rather than mined, I wonder if it might be more porous once slabbed and therefore not really suitable for cooking. Either way I am going to try something simple like prawns and maybe some strips of skillet beef or veggies or....
Also depending on a number of factors, this isn't intended to make your food salty as adding salt to a pan would.
Also depending on a number of factors, this isn't intended to make your food salty as adding salt to a pan would.
The salt on cast iron isn't intended for " salty "
( though that is a consequence )
It seems ( for some reason ) to aid in a nice
' sear ' .....
( though that is a consequence )
It seems ( for some reason ) to aid in a nice
' sear ' .....