Father Feeds Flock!!!

My flock loves to eat Pho.  Well, at least 2 of us do. I have wanted to try to make it for quite a while. I looked at several recipes online and I used bits and pieces from a few. First thing, first.  I took some soup bones and par boiled them. This helps clean them so they don't cloud the broth.  Then I roasted them, along with ginger and garlic cloves. Spices are probably the key to Pho.  I used cinnamon sticks, anise seeds, coriander, fennel seeds and some ground cardamon (too cheap to buy pods, as I don't use them much). I toasted them until they started to smoke and release their oils.   I wrapped it in some cheesecloth and plopped it in with the rest. I chose to char the onions on the burner instead of in the oven, so the onions would stand up a bit more.  The char here, and on the bones, ginger and garlic are another key element for the flavor. Add 6 quarts of water, bring to a boil, then simmer f...

If you are reading this blog the odds are that you have at least a little food nerd in you. A food nerd doesn't just like to eat, they like to immerse themselves into the entire culinary culture. That is why you will like this book.  It contains over 5000 definitions of culinary terms and food.  It also contains many American, British, French, Italian and Spanish cooking terms. Written by Jacques Rolland, a french born, third-generation member of a hotel and restaurant family, this book calls upon his many experiences of different cultures and knowledge of food.  He is also a certified sommelier, which if you don't know what that is, this book has the answer. The Cook's Essential Kitchen Dictionary is a great reference to have in your kitchen. If you need help deciphering a recipe or ever wondered what the heck is xanthan gum. While browsing through it's pages, I learned that Chilean Sea Bass is not a Bass.  It's real name is Patagorian Tooth fis...