• 714 vanilla + Scotch

    From MICHAEL LOO@1:123/140 to JIM WELLER on Thursday, May 10, 2018 10:30:48
    It's sad but understandable that vanilla wafers are no longer
    flavored with all-real vanilla. I myself have taken to
    artificial flavor lately because of the huge rise in price of
    the real thing.
    Vanilla prices have surged since March 2017 when a cyclone hit
    Madagascar which destroyed a number of vanilla plantations. It takes
    2 to 7 years for a vanilla vine to grow to maturity and blossom. And
    of course every vine needs a tree to grow on in the first place.

    Leading to the danger of immature vanilla pods
    or pods from immature plants being sold because
    of financier pressures to produce.

    I bought some pure vanilla extract a few weeks ago and was shocked
    to see Club House Pure Vanilla Extract priced at $19.99 for a 125 ml
    bottle which works out to $160 per liter. I have taken to subbing
    a tablespoon or more of spiced dark rum for each teaspoon of vanilla

    That makes sense; also Bourbon can work in a
    lot of recipes.

    called for in a recipe. The last time I made rice pudding I was
    out of both rum and cheap rye so I used a tablespoon of good single
    malt Scotch and the rice pudding was delicious. Somebody made a
    snide comment about wasting good Scotch and I responded the whisky
    was actually cheaper than vanilla and so an economy measure!

    I see a sludgy black rum going well in most places
    calling for vanilla. Scotch, well, maybe, and it
    has an honorable history in sweet things, but the
    flavor of a good one is pretty punchy - might go
    well with a nutty dessert, but my mind's taster
    tastes scorch if you flavor pudding with Scotch.

    Marmalade & whisky bread & butter pudding
    Categories: booze, sweet, British
    Servings: 6 to 8

    8 sl day-old crusty white bread, crusts removed
    50 g very soft butter
    4 Tb Seville orange marmalade, plus 4 ts
    300 mL full-fat milk
    248 mL pot double cream
    3 lg eggs
    1 vanilla pod, seeds of
    4 Tb golden caster sugar
    1 Tb whisky
    icing sugar, for dusting

    Butter each piece of bread on both sides, then
    spread 4 with the 1 Tb marmalade each. Pop the
    remaining bread on top to make 4 marmalade
    sandwiches. Cut into triangles and nestle in
    rows in a large baking dish. Heat oven to
    160C/140C fan/gas 3/325F.

    Beat the milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar and
    whisky together, then pour over the bread. Leave
    to soak for 30 min.

    Dot the remaining marmalade all over the top of
    the pud and dust with the icing sugar. Bake for
    45 to 60 min or until puffy and starting to
    caramelise where the bread breaks out of the
    custard. Serve hot or warm.

    Jane Hornby, BBC Good Food magazine, 2/2010
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  • From Dale Shipp@1:261/1466 to Michael Loo on Friday, May 11, 2018 03:43:06
    On 05-10-18 10:30, Michael Loo <=-
    spoke to Jim Weller about 714 vanilla + Scotch <=-

    Vanilla prices have surged since March 2017 when a cyclone hit
    Madagascar which destroyed a number of vanilla plantations. It takes
    2 to 7 years for a vanilla vine to grow to maturity and blossom. And
    of course every vine needs a tree to grow on in the first place.

    Leading to the danger of immature vanilla pods
    or pods from immature plants being sold because
    of financier pressures to produce.

    Would that be the same sort of result from picking asparagus from
    immature beds? (I seem to recall it takes 3-4 years to get a bed going
    well). Would it stunt the plants, or just make for an inferior product?

    I see a sludgy black rum going well in most places
    calling for vanilla. Scotch, well, maybe, and it
    has an honorable history in sweet things, but the
    flavor of a good one is pretty punchy - might go
    well with a nutty dessert, but my mind's taster
    tastes scorch if you flavor pudding with Scotch.

    How about using Drambuie as a substitute flavor? That is sweet.


    MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

    Title: VEAL OR CHICKEN SCALLOPS IN TARRAGON SAUCE
    Categories: Meats, Poultry, Sauces
    Yield: 6 Servings

    4 Veal scallops or
    4 Chicken breasts pounded thin
    1/2 lb Thinly sliced mushrooms
    1 c Hot chicken broth
    1/2 c Seasoned flour
    2 tb 35% cream
    2 tb Oil
    1 ts Cornstarch
    1/2 c White wine
    1 tb Cold water
    2 tb Or more of chopped fresh
    -tarragon
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1/4 ts Lemon juice

    Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Coat scallops in flour. Fry in oil a
    few minutes on each side until browned. Salt and pepper to taste,
    place in oven to keep warm. Add some butter to the frying pan. Add
    the mushrooms and cook 3-4 mins. Add the wine and heat on high 2-3
    mins. more. Add the tarragon and chicken stock, salt and pepper and
    heat on medium for 3 mins. Add the creme and continue to heat 1 min.
    more. Dilute the cornstarch with a few drops of water and add to the
    sauce. Add the lemon juice and heat gently 2 more minutes. Pour over
    scallops and serve.

    MMMMM


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