Comments on: On the tongue. http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/ Ramblings about food, cooking, and so on and so forth. Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:38:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Shelby http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Shelby Wed, 14 Jul 2004 17:59:25 +0000 /?p=7#comment-15 I really miss the wide variety of fress chiles at the NYC farmer's markets. And the Indian food markets in Queens. Ah, well. The things you give up for a steady paying job and housing that doesn't cost a fortune. I really miss the wide variety of fress chiles at the NYC farmer’s markets. And the Indian food markets in Queens.
Ah, well. The things you give up for a steady paying job and housing that doesn’t cost a fortune.

]]> By: Laura http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Laura Tue, 13 Jul 2004 19:45:41 +0000 /?p=7#comment-14 Odriana - Galangal I've used, though I don't own any. The other two...I sometimes find Grains of Paradise, but rarely, and usually when I haven't got my wallet on me. Cubeb I've never seen on its own, but there's a local African grocery I've been meaning to check for teff anyway, and that's probably the most likely place for it. As for seeing flavor combinations - it's interesting, because I think almost exclusively aurally, but I do see-and-taste flavors. It's a strange joining, particularly when I'm not eating anything, but end up still being able to almost taste the imaginary combinations in my mouth. Sharkie - it's the only way, as far as I'm concerned! Odriana – Galangal I’ve used, though I don’t own any. The other two…I sometimes find Grains of Paradise, but rarely, and usually when I haven’t got my wallet on me. Cubeb I’ve never seen on its own, but there’s a local African grocery I’ve been meaning to check for teff anyway, and that’s probably the most likely place for it.

As for seeing flavor combinations – it’s interesting, because I think almost exclusively aurally, but I do see-and-taste flavors. It’s a strange joining, particularly when I’m not eating anything, but end up still being able to almost taste the imaginary combinations in my mouth.

Sharkie – it’s the only way, as far as I’m concerned!

]]> By: Nat http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Nat Tue, 13 Jul 2004 19:40:38 +0000 /?p=7#comment-13 Ooh. What's the Ghanaian pepper like? I love interesting new hot peppers. Ooh. What’s the Ghanaian pepper like? I love interesting new hot peppers.

]]> By: Laura http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Laura Tue, 13 Jul 2004 19:40:25 +0000 /?p=7#comment-12 Rachel - the spice from Ghana sounds wonderful. A lot of spices are still regional things, even as previously-unusual ones become commonplace. Sometime I really must write something about my experience reading <i>Comfort Me With Apples</i>, because it was (among other things) a fascinating look at the birth of American fusion cuisine as I know it. Rachel – the spice from Ghana sounds wonderful. A lot of spices are still regional things, even as previously-unusual ones become commonplace. Sometime I really must write something about my experience reading Comfort Me With Apples, because it was (among other things) a fascinating look at the birth of American fusion cuisine as I know it.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Rachel Tue, 13 Jul 2004 19:09:50 +0000 /?p=7#comment-11 Every time <a href=http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethan/>Ethan</a> goes to Ghana, he comes home with a kilo or so of hot ground Ghanaian pepper from the market downtown. The first time he went to buy it, the ladies tried to sell him kebab spice instead; apparently even in Ghana men mostly grill, while cooking is considered a women's thing to do, so they were baffled that he apparently wanted other spices too. The kebab spice was good stuff, but there's nothing to beat the hot pepper. We fill jars and jars with it, and it goes in damn near everything. When we're running low, we know it's time to travel east again... :-) Every time Ethan goes to Ghana, he comes home with a kilo or so of hot ground Ghanaian pepper from the market downtown. The first time he went to buy it, the ladies tried to sell him kebab spice instead; apparently even in Ghana men mostly grill, while cooking is considered a women’s thing to do, so they were baffled that he apparently wanted other spices too. The kebab spice was good stuff, but there’s nothing to beat the hot pepper. We fill jars and jars with it, and it goes in damn near everything. When we’re running low, we know it’s time to travel east again… :-)

]]> By: Nat http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Nat Tue, 13 Jul 2004 17:49:43 +0000 /?p=7#comment-10 The cumin cocoa was... interesting. There have been more than enough surprising successes from spice experiments to offset the occasional incident like that, though. I think my mom's basically not super-used to having other cooks who cook like she does in her kitchen these days -- it's been a long time since she cooked with her mother, it's been a long time since I cooked with her regularly as a kid, and surprisingly few of her friends are avid cooks. The cumin cocoa was… interesting. There have been more than enough surprising successes from spice experiments to offset the occasional incident like that, though.

I think my mom’s basically not super-used to having other cooks who cook like she does in her kitchen these days — it’s been a long time since she cooked with her mother, it’s been a long time since I cooked with her regularly as a kid, and surprisingly few of her friends are avid cooks.

]]> By: sharkie http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-8 sharkie Tue, 13 Jul 2004 17:04:58 +0000 /?p=7#comment-8 *g* That's the way my dad taught me to spice as well, and while I've had some spectacular failures (Dill and dried mustard in spaghetti sauce, anyone?) it's given me a pretty good idea of how spices *should* work together.... *g* That’s the way my dad taught me to spice as well, and while I’ve had some spectacular failures (Dill and dried mustard in spaghetti sauce, anyone?) it’s given me a pretty good idea of how spices *should* work together….

]]> By: Odriana http://www.premodern.org/upsidedownpear/archives/2004/07/13/on-the-tongue/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Odriana Tue, 13 Jul 2004 16:02:32 +0000 /?p=7#comment-7 I think that the fact that you "see" the way that spicing is going to work together makes this not such a "by the pants" activity. Your description is priceless. If you haven't tried them, there are some amazing spices that you possibly don't have: like galingale, grains of paradise, and cubeb. They are amazing. I think that the fact that you “see” the way that spicing is going to work together makes this not such a “by the pants” activity. Your description is priceless.

If you haven’t tried them, there are some amazing spices that you possibly don’t have: like galingale, grains of paradise, and cubeb. They are amazing.

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