I'm dying here.

[cjsmith]

Of bliss; I'm dying of bliss. Fresh-baked rye bread and gruyere/emmenthaler Swiss fondue. I can now authoritatively state that dying of bliss is not a bad way to go.

(No, I didn't make fondue yet. This was the very last bit of the previous batch of fondue. I'm not at all fond of my cheese grater right now.)

Comments

[evilegg.livejournal.com]

Do you have a fondue pot, or what?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I do, but it cooks just fine in a plain old pot. It reheats surprisingly well (it separates, but if you're willing to beat the crap out of it with a spoon, that's easily fixed).

[gdmusumeci.livejournal.com]

What balance of gruyere and emmenthaler do you use, and any additional spices?

(I've got a Moroccan lamb tagine just barely simmering slowly away, so the entire house smells like lamb and coriander and onions: mmmmmmm)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Fifty-fifty. Garlic, nutmeg, cracked black pepper. I toss the grated cheese in some flour and gradually melt it in white wine.

I would have absolutely no idea what to do with lamb. You have me well and truly outclassed! :)

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Compared to fondue, lamb tagine is *easy*. You could do it with one hand tied behind your back whilst making fondue!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

You've got to be kidding. There is nothing in the world easier than fondue, unless it's bread! (Well, fondue is effortful, what with all the cheese shredding and all, but not tricky or complex or difficult to get right.)

What is tagine?

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Tagine is meat braised with onions and garlic and spices and usually includes a bit of fruit. I have a lamb and pear tagine that *rocks*. A classic tagine is chicken with green olives and preserved lemons.

http://walton-eats.livejournal.com/tag/tagine

If you need preserved lemons, I make them :).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

So tagine is sort of like a stew, maybe? Except for the fruit? (I don't know what makes something a stew, technically, either.)

The first entry I see for that tag is the lamb and pear one. The photo makes me want to lick my monitor.

I realized something weird about myself when reading the recipe: long ingredients lists intimidate me. (I suppose there's a tiny bit of this that's rational: I don't own most of the stuff on such a list.) I scan down the list and my brain goes "This Must Be Hard" and I find my eyes wandering off to some less scary part of the page!

Forcing myself to read through it, though, it doesn't look like anything is particularly tricky. There's a bunch of chopping to do and you'd get multiple dishes dirty, but that's it. Yes?

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

There's a bunch of chopping to do and you'd get multiple dishes dirty, but that's it. Yes?

Exactly.

And the secret to making a recipe with lots of ingredients (or even a few) is to measure and chop and have everything ready to go before you ever turn on a burner. mise en place - set in place - is Restaurant Cooking 101 and it is the thing that makes most cooking much easier.

And a tagine *is* a stew. Or some would call it a braise. I just call it delicious :).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

So that's why you have lovely pictures with every vibrant spice in its own teeny little glass bowl! (Don't you wash a LOT of dishes that way?)

I bet measuring ahead of time helps when you're dividing a recipe, too. I almost doubled one of the ingredients in my rye bread -- actually dumped it in, and had to go fishing, measuring what I got back out -- because I momentarily forgot I was halving the recipe.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

(Don't you wash a LOT of dishes that way?)

Yes :). But they all go in the dishwasher :):).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Dishwashers are wonderful things. Dishwasher-safe crocks and stick blender parts are wonderful things. I adore having a dishwasher.

I was wondering where I could store a dozen tiny glass bowls, but now I'm envisioning new uses for my muffin pan. :)

[deege.livejournal.com]

I am lazy when it comes to fondue. I grate all of the cheese in the food processor. It also saves my fingers.

I like to throw a drop of Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) into my Swiss fondue also. Try it!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking I should probably get a food processor. Modern ones are pretty easy to clean, right? Most parts dishwasher-safe?

I've had fondue with Kirschwasser, but never added any myself. I don't think I've ever owned any Kirschwasser. :)

[deege.livejournal.com]

Super easy. I throw everything in the dishwasher (ok, not the electrical base but everything else). I have a small Braun one, not one of the giganto models. It's perfect for this kind of thing. If you're lucky, you'll find someone getting rid of one on FreeCycle.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Yeah, I should keep an eye on freecycle. Good idea.

[layer.livejournal.com]

have to ask, do you use a breadmaker or do it all from scratch?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Scratch. I do have a breadmaker, but I'm not very good at using it, so mostly it sits in storage. I should try to dig it out again. But really, bread's easy. While it rises you can do all sorts of other stuff, like pet the kitties or read a book. Now that's my kind of cooking! Petting kitties and reading a book!

[layer.livejournal.com]

i have been thinking about getting one, but maybe i should try a few more loaves without first. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, perfect solution then: borrow mine! Then you'll know whether you want one, and if so, what convenience features are important to you. (I bet modern breadmakers have more features than my early-1990s model has.)

This means, though, that I'd have to go FIND mine. Heh. A good challenge. :)

[layer.livejournal.com]

ooo... that would be awesome.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

OK, I'll look.

Whereabouts do you work? I'm at Wolfe and Central, basically. Are we close enough that, once I find this thing, it would be convenient to do lunch & I could hand it over then?

[layer.livejournal.com]

i actually work in brisbane now, but do get down there sometimes and would be happy to make a special trip.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I have looked and so far have not found. Will report back periodically!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

FOUND! The breadmaker is found!

When's the next time you'll be in the area? I should make sure to put this thing in my car so it won't be at home when I'm at work.

[layer.livejournal.com]

yay!

i know i'm going to be in santa clara next thursday evening for a meeting but not sure about the time frame. beyond that, not sure. will keep you posted. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

OK, we can shoot for Thursday, time to be determined later. We might even be able to finesse a quick dinner out of this.

[layer.livejournal.com]

turns out my meeting is from 7pm to probably 9/9:30, so probably won't make it this time. :(

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw bummer. Would it help if I met you near the meeting place? Or we could just wait until the next time you're in this neck of the woods.

[layer.livejournal.com]

let's just wait if that's okay. it would be nicer if we could actually hang out for a bit instead of tossing electronics from one car to another as we fly by. :)

i'm going to have to come down that way again soon to meet up with david fox anyway. hopefully soon.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

OK, that makes sense. I'm going to take it out of the car, so give me one night's notice?

[layer.livejournal.com]

will do.

[callyperry.livejournal.com]

Oh, my, that sounds good! Yum!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Heaven on earth. And I did manage to get all but one helping of lasagna into the freezer! Go me!

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, I'm not sure why I've not been invited to this taste sensation orgy....

However, I MUST say the tofu lasagna for tonight was ... ... mmm...magnifique!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Too long a commute on short notice?

I'm glad you enjoyed the lasagna!

[recordersmith.livejournal.com]

Fondue has always scared me, in my head it's hard to do. You're starting to convince me that maybe it isn't so hard and I should try it. Maybe next weekend. You have a recipe, or at least a brief how-to summary?

Bread I make in the bread machine, because that way I dont have to remember that I started it and it's rising somewhere or needs to be kneaded or that it's in the oven or anything...I'm pretty lame that way.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's *so* easy. Give it a go and let me know if anything goes wrong. If the fondue separates as you're melting it you probably added the cheese too fast, but that's the only thing I can think of that might be a problem (and you can always beat it vigorously to get it together again). Lemme go find the recipe; I posted it, years back. Ah: CJ's Mom's Cheese Fondue. I forgot to mention the cracked black pepper. It works either with or without. Don't omit the flour, though; I was wrong when I wrote there that it might be optional -- see the comments.

Bread machines sure are convenient for set-it-and-forget-it stuff. When I'm working the dough myself I'm always setting the microwave timer to remind me to get my @$$ back in the kitchen! :)

[layer.livejournal.com]

any thoughts on a substitute for the wine for those of us allergic types?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

What is it you're allergic to, exactly? Some people make a cheddar cheese fondue with beer or with a much smaller amount of whiskey, some make cheese fondue with apple cider, and with strong cheeses you can also go for red wines. I'm pummeling my brain for any that don't have alcohol; I'm sure they exist, but I don't remember any off the top of my head.

These recipes might help. Mess with it, substitute stuff. If you like cheddar, you might want to try some of those first, as Gruyere and Emmentaler can be pricey.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I forgot to add: if you stir in a figure eight pattern, while adding the cheese, it mixes better.

I use a wooden spoon and a plain old revere ware pot. If I'm serving to guests I'll use the fondue pot, because then I want it to sit on the little stand so I can put a flame under it. Keeping it warm is good. A hot plate turned low would work if you don't have a little stand and a flame thingy.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

sounds like heaven to me. say the word and i bet you'd have a crowd of people there to share it with you!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'd enjoy sharing it with a small crowd. OK, medium size crowd if I get a food processor. :-)

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

sounds delicious!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

You need to come over to my house. You need to bring Mary and whoever else wants to tag along.

[deyo.livejournal.com]

We'll bring the food processor. ;)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Excellent! And maybe some cheese. I have a LOT of flour, yeast, and (usually) wine.

That icon scares me. Is that the world's largest stand mixer or what?

[deyo.livejournal.com]

We usually have some good cheese on hand. :)

And that's the Hobart 80-quart mixer aboard the USS Cassin Young (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cassin_Young_(DD-793)).

[deyo.livejournal.com]

They're still available. (http://cgi.ebay.com/80-QUART-M-802-HOBART-MIXER-SINGLE-PHASE-NEVER-USED_W0QQitemZ320226588981QQihZ011QQcategoryZ57091QQcmdZViewItem) ;)