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Post by Lucy on Mar 16, 2005 17:08:05 GMT -5
I agree in principle, but I get sick of seeing every TV chef (I'm looking at you, Oh Great Charlie Trotter : using hands and nothing but to mix things. They say stuff like, "you have to really get in there and mix it, don't be afraid to get your hands in it." But that's a lot of bushwah, IMO; utensils, hands, it's all the same. Might as well keep your paws out of the food you're going to be serving to others, is what I say. They're overdoing the whole back-to-basics earthiness thing. Charlie Trotter uses his mitts to mix salads and compose layered desserts, and it's disgusting, says I.
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Post by TheBo on Mar 16, 2005 17:25:17 GMT -5
I agree somewhat, Lucy--but if it's the thing you need to use (like, for instance, for kneading bread or to hold an item you are slicing), you should use that tool (hands). If you need to use your hands, they should be clean. If another tool is appropriate, it should be used.
Speaking of tv chefs, and I'll just make this a little rant-aside, I really hate that guy on the Eating Channel with the show, How to Boil Water--Tyler something. He keeps wiping his hands on his pants! It's disgusting! Even an apron would help! And on that show where he goes to famous kitchens to find out how to make something, then comes back to make it in his own kitchen, you see him sticking his fingers into everything, then licking them! Then sticking them into something else! Even at a chocolatier in Switzerland! Eugh! And he's constantly touching his hair and his face! (Not to slander farmers, but in Wisconsin, that's when we'd say, "Whatta farmer!" Many farmers in my family. Don't hit me.) I never saw Julia Child lick her fingers and then not wash them EVER--if I ever even saw her lick her fingers, for that matter. If Julia Child can cook without licking her fingers, so can the rest of us.
Now, back to our discussion on kimchi.
Bo
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Post by moreshige unlogged on Mar 16, 2005 17:59:40 GMT -5
Yes, so I gather from your earlier post. I see what you mean, although I was just trying to help Lucy with her...perceptions. Going back to what you say about the hand flavor, I was thinking that people used rubber gloves because the ingredients irritated their skin, not for sanitary reasons. (For instance, I have a little trouble when I get fresh tomato juice on my skin, even though I am not allergic to eating tomatos.) Personally, I think there's nothing wrong with using scrupulously clean hands to mix foods. So, what exactly is in kimchi? Does it contain vinegar? I was puzzled recently on this show by what seemed to be people eating it immediately after it was made, so it seemed to me it must have vinegar to get it going. How's it work? Bo Hmmm. I never heard of vinegar used as an ingredient before but I'm not a kimchi making expert. I can tell you that the most basic general type of kimchi is made with red hot pepper (chili ) and salt water. But you have to age it a few days or else it will just taste like salty cabbage. Growing up I've tried so many types of kimchi. You don't have to use the nappa cabbage as the main ingredient. The other popular sources can be korean radishes or cucumbers. If you age it the right way some of the cucumber kimchi can taste like pickles. But usually cucumber kimchi is served fresh so most of the time it tastes like cucumber with chili. The other one Lucy talked about it is called 'mool-kimchi' which litterally means 'water-kimchi' because it doesn't use red pepper. As for korean radish kimchi, it's served in 2 forms. If it's made from a whole radish (not cut) then it's called "chon-gak kimchi" If it's cut up into little cubes, then it's called 'gak-du-gi". Kimchi in general is graded by it's level of fermentation. For Kimchi that's only a few days old, Koreans would call it 'fresh' kimchi. After a couple of weeks or so, the kimchi enters a 'ripe' stage and then an 'oldness' stage when it starts to have a more tanginess to it. By then people would 'recycle' the kimchi and add it to make such dishes as 'kimchi-jigae' (pork kimchi soup) or to your classic ramen dish. Perfect kimchi is when it's perfectly 'ripe'....not too salty and not too tangy. As for the gloves....I think comercially made kimchi is made with rubber gloves for sanitary reasons or maybe for the reasons you described. But one thing is for sure, comercially made kimchi is vastly inferior to home-made kimchi in general. When I go to a korean restaurant, I can usually tell what's good kimchi by using my mom's kimchi as a standard. But its quite a high standard. Maybe I'm spoiled... My mom mostly makes a 'seafood' type of kimchi which she adds salted squid (calamari) or salted tiny shrimp to it.....mmmm Now I have to call my mom because I miss her cooking. ;D
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Post by Lucy on Mar 16, 2005 18:20:51 GMT -5
Moreshige, my booklet says that whole radish kimchi with the tops on is sometimes called "bachelor radish kimchi," because in olden times, bachelors kept their hair long and in a ponytail. (I believe the Chinese did this, too!) I thought that was cute; it makes me think of a plate of little cartoon heads. Do people really call it that still?
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Post by moreshige on Mar 16, 2005 18:27:47 GMT -5
Moreshige, my booklet says that whole radish kimchi with the tops on is sometimes called "bachelor radish kimchi," because in olden times, bachelors kept their hair long and in a ponytail. (I believe the Chinese did this, too!) I thought that was cute; it makes me think of a plate of little cartoon heads. Do people really call it that still? "chon-gak" means bachelor. so yes, people still call it "chon-gak kimchi"
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Post by Soju on Mar 16, 2005 22:55:17 GMT -5
I'll gladly eat kimchi, but I'm unwilling to even give a thought to eating lutefisk, even though I'm of Scandinavian ancestry. Take a fish, soak it in lye, and bury it? Sounds like a way to get your neighbors to move
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Post by effendi on Mar 16, 2005 23:04:09 GMT -5
Don't know if any of you knew that Chicago had its own kimchi museum -- at least briefly. It was on Ravenswood Ave., a couple of doors south of the Zephyr on Wilson Ave. I kept meaning to visit, but it never was open when I dropped by. It closed a couple of years ago, although I believe they still make kimchi on the site.
Incidentally, I first got interested in Korean food 37 years ago in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City to you younger folks). Although it's not talked of much anymore, we used a fair number of Korean troops in Viet Nam -- particularly in Quang Ngai Province, where they patrolled near our Americal Division (of My Lai infamy). The Koreans had a very pleasant officers club in Saigon, which was open to American NCO's (which I was at the time). The club restaurant had the reputation of being one of the few places in town that served real beef. The Vietnamese and French cafes had a tendency to substitute water buffalo, which is fine in a stew, but almost unchewable broiled. The club had the standard in-table gas cookers, and served up an array of side dishes that I've rarely seen equalled since. The kimchi came in several different grades, with the ``summer'' variety being the most popular. Since we were Americans, the waiter used to warn us against the more potent ``winter'' kimchi, but I eventually developed a masochistic taste for it. It stimulated the taste buds (before cauterizing them), cleared the sinuses, and eventually sent its unmistakable aroma out through every pore in the body. Quite an experience.
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Post by moreshige on Mar 17, 2005 1:06:01 GMT -5
I'll gladly eat kimchi, but I'm unwilling to even give a thought to eating lutefisk, even though I'm of Scandinavian ancestry. Take a fish, soak it in lye, and bury it? Sounds like a way to get your neighbors to move You know in olden days, they used to bury their kimchi in huge jars. But I'm not sure if they did it to keep the kimchi cool or to help it ferment or both. I love trying new food. I would try lutefisk if I had the opportunity.. Hmm I've tried smoked scandinavian salmon before.
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Post by moreshige on Mar 17, 2005 1:17:49 GMT -5
Don't know if any of you knew that Chicago had its own kimchi museum -- at least briefly. It was on Ravenswood Ave., a couple of doors south of the Zephyr on Wilson Ave. I kept meaning to visit, but it never was open when I dropped by. It closed a couple of years ago, although I believe they still make kimchi on the site. Incidentally, I first got interested in Korean food 37 years ago in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City to you younger folks). Although it's not talked of much anymore, we used a fair number of Korean troops in Viet Nam -- particularly in Quang Ngai Province, where they patrolled near our Americal Division (of My Lai infamy). The Koreans had a very pleasant officers club in Saigon, which was open to American NCO's (which I was at the time). The club restaurant had the reputation of being one of the few places in town that served real beef. The Vietnamese and French cafes had a tendency to substitute water buffalo, which is fine in a stew, but almost unchewable broiled. The club had the standard in-table gas cookers, and served up an array of side dishes that I've rarely seen equalled since. The kimchi came in several different grades, with the ``summer'' variety being the most popular. Since we were Americans, the waiter used to warn us against the more potent ``winter'' kimchi, but I eventually developed a masochistic taste for it. It stimulated the taste buds (before cauterizing them), cleared the sinuses, and eventually sent its unmistakable aroma out through every pore in the body. Quite an experience. Our custodian at our church was a korean soldier who served in Vietnam. I should have asked him about his war experiences. I've heard that the Viet-Cong were particularily afraid of the Korean soldiers there. Yeah, NCO's rule! I had a Sergeant major who's Italian who always shared his home-made wine with our unit. He made it by following his grandfather's secret recipe.
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Post by TheBo on Mar 17, 2005 10:45:20 GMT -5
I love the conversations on this board, they evolve in such an interesting way. All the info on kimchi ought to answer Sandy's original question, but good! I sure feel fully informed. ;D
I remember on DJG, there was a lot of talk about the different types of kimchi, particularly the radish. (Wonderful word, radish.) I guess the comparison to wines is pretty apt.
Bo
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sandy
Senior Addict
Posts: 334
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Post by sandy on Mar 17, 2005 23:08:46 GMT -5
I see jars of kimchi in stores in the vegetable section. I'd really like to try it.
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