Channeling Julia

Because rice is used in so many dishes worldwide, I'd like to show a few of the varieties available at my local grocers.

1. Short grain sweet rice - glutinous or sticky rice - note the opaque grains

2. Short grain rice - sushi rice - the american varietal is calrose

3. Long grain rice - many varieties adapted to climates

4. Long grain brown rice - with bran

Several varieties of long grained rice are especially prized for the smell after cooking - Jasmine from Thailand, Basmati from India and Wehani from California. Black rice is also called forbidden rice, probably as a marketing gimmick.

Rice is husked before use. White rices also have the bran removed to prolong storage.

Rice is also used to make vinegar and wine. The most popular form of rice wine in the United States is sake, though rice wine is produced by many countries besides Japan.

Curry is the generic name for a mixture of herbs, which is why there are so many possible variations. In Pakistan and India it isn't unusual for families to have recipes dating back hundreds or years. There are also curry variants all over Southeast Asia. Garam Masala from Northern India is sweeter tasting. Madras from the South is hot and spicy.

Ingredients: coriander, turmeric, and cumin are the most common ingredients, however fenugreek, ginger, garlic, fennel seed, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green or black cardamom, mace, nutmeg, red, white & black pepper are also used.

Here in the Western world, we are used to a standardized prepackaged dry curry powder, but in Southern Asia curry is often prepared with fresh local ingredients and the results are far superior!

When you shop at your local grocer, you'll probably see only one curry - yellow to light brown. By purchasing the raw ingredients you can begin to experiment. Tumeric is prized for its yellow color and earthy taste, cardamom and cinnamon give a sweetness, black peppers and chili peppers add heat. Start with equal amounts of each spice, change to taste.

There's nothing more elegant than homemade ice cream for a memorable evening. Whether you choose to make a sherbet, sorbet, frozen yogurt or the rich creamy stuff - your guests will find it the perfect cap to a fantastic meal.

How many of us have that ice cream maker sitting on a dusty shelf? Perhaps we've even used it a time or two since it was given to us years ago. Or maybe there's even an old hand cranked one from your childhood stored in the attic? Take it out and get it ready for a real taste treat! The kids will love it - another mysterious kitchen gadget, another opportunity to help out in the kitchen!

And it wouldn't be true recessionary cooking if we didn't get something from a can. In this case we'll be using sweetened condensed milk to make ice cream.

By the way, I like strong flavors - cut back on the amounts of flavorings if you like a lighter taste.

Vanilla Ice Cream

2 - 14 or 15 oz cans - sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ice Cream

2 - 14 or 15 oz cans - sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon cocoa or carob powder

optional: 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Coffee Ice Cream

2 - 14 or 15 oz cans - sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon instant coffee

optional: 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Empty the cans into a small boiler, add eggs and flavor

Beat until smooth

Slowly heat to at least 160

Do you have citrus fruits in your own backyard? Ornamentals like cumquats? Staples such as orange trees? Perhaps a lemon or lime tree?

If so, you're well on your way to making your own marmalade!

The idea is really simple - Clean and cut the fruit, soak in water overnight, strain out the seeds - then bring to a boil. Let the fruit & water simmer for half an hour. Add 3/4 cup of sugar for every cup of liquid and let it boil for 20 minutes without stirring.

The presence of the sugar will raise the boiling point as the water boils off. If you have a candy thermometer, take off heat when it goes over 104C or 220F. Otherwise you need to test for the setting point. (scoop a tiny amount -1/4 teaspoon will do, place on a plate. If it skins after a few seconds then you're done. To test for the skin, press it lightly with fingertip. If fingertip stays dry, there's a skin.)

Most of the recipes out there call for large quantities suitable for canning, however you can make a small amount and use within several days. It's great as an accent.

First, an aside:

It's just as important to be able to cool food in the kitchen as it is to cook the food. Ice is great for quick cooling of hot pots to speed up a preparation process. Throw it directly in if dilution is ok, or set the pot in a pan and fill the pan with ice.

Back to the subject:

When I was a kid, my mother introduced me to snow ice cream. Scoop some clean snow, pour a bit of milk over it and eat.

Shaved ice is great as a summertime alternative to commercially made frozen treats. The earliest literature on shaved ice is from Heian period (9th & 10th century) Japan. Commercial ice manufacture began in the 19th century. It wasn't very long before shaved ice machines were invented. Fruit flavored syrups were used to flavor the ice in the early 20th century. Italian ices are flavored before the ice is made. Snow cone and shaved ice vendors use previously frozen ice and add the flavored syrup at the time of sale.

Ingredients:

Shaved ice

Simple syrup

Flavoring

Food color (if needed)

Mix the simple syrup and flavoring to make a flavored syrup.

Pack the shaved ice in a small bowl and pour the flavored syrup over the ice

Serve with a spoon.

Note: you can purchase "snow cone syrup" at a food wholesaler or Italian syrup from the grocer - but it is usually made with corn syrup. We prefer to sweeten with our simple syrup - made with real sugar.