General: potatoes taste earthy now

Subject: potatoes taste earthy now
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: ripperanewa at hotmail.com (Jim Carr)
Date: 25 May 2002 22:27:35 -0700
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Can someone tell me why most all the potatoes taste earthy now?
I'm from Ontario Canada
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 09:38:30 +0200
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"Now" as in right now, during the spring? New potatoes tend to have an earthy flavor, in my opinion and it's definitely new potato time.

Anxiously awaiting Danish new potatoes
From: Michael Nielsen (archon at gvdnet.dk)
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 13:46:25 +0200
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> "Now" as in right now, during the spring? New potatoes tend to have
> an earthy flavor, in my opinion and it's definitely new potato time.

I prefer the winter potatoes. The stores here are having "new potatoes" (foreign) and I do not like them, because they taste of soil, even if I peel them before cooking.
From: Thierry Gerbault (ThierryGerbault at NOSPAM.att.net)
Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 05:56:15 GMT
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Michael Nielsen wrote:
> I prefer the winter potatoes. The stores here are having "new potatoes"
> (foreign) and I do not like them, because they taste of soil, even if I
> peel them before cooking.

Then I guess you shouldn't eat them. Some people, including myself, actually crave this taste that is only available for a short time.
From: Michael Nielsen (archon at gvdnet.dk)
Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 23:50:16 +0200
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Regarding icecream I just tried a new kind today from Føtex called Underground with Pecan Nut and Caramelsauce. That was great stuff. 34 kr per liter.
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 12:14:30 +0200
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Michael Nielsen wrote:
> Regarding icecream I just tried a new kind today from Føtex called
> Underground with Pecan Nut and Caramelsauce. That was great stuff. 34 kr
> per liter.

I'll have to look for it -- I'm about ready for another Føtex excursion (*need* infusion of confit de canard which is found in the refrigerator case -- everyone needs a mass infusion of duck fat at least ... oh ... 12 times a year :)).

We, surprisingly, just had a new ice cream shop open less than a block away (very strange place for an ice cream shop): Nørrebro Is. Haven't tried it yet, but soon.
From: Thierry Gerbault (ThierryGerbault at NOSPAM.att.net)
Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 18:01:18 GMT
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> -- I'm about ready for another Føtex
> excursion (*need* infusion of confit de canard which is found in the
> refrigerator case -- everyone needs a mass infusion of duck fat at
> least ... oh ... 12 times a year :)).

Speaking of an infusion of "fat"... This week on television I saw a candy bar sold in (I think) Czechoslovakia which is said to be the highest calorie candy bar in the world. The inside is made of pure pork fat (didn't say whether it was sweetened) which is then coated with chocolate.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 04:48:41 GMT
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Thierry Gerbault wrote:
> Speaking of an infusion of "fat"... This week on television I saw a
> candy bar sold in (I think) Czechoslovakia which is said to be the
> highest calorie candy bar in the world. The inside is made of pure pork
> fat (didn't say whether it was sweetened) which is then coated with
> chocolate.

I wonder if the Former Bush would consider trying them out after all his years of eating pork rinds.
From: Thierry Gerbault (ThierryGerbault at NOSPAM.att.net)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 06:20:29 GMT
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Alan Zelt wrote:
> I wonder if the Former Bush would consider trying them out after all
> his years of eating pork rinds.

It would be fun to gift him a box!
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 11:36:58 +0200
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Thierry Gerbault wrote:
> > Speaking of an infusion of "fat"... This week on
> > television I saw a candy bar sold in (I think)
> > Czechoslovakia which is said to be the highest
> > calorie candy bar in the world. The inside is made
> > of pure pork fat (didn't say whether it was sweetened)
> > which is then coated with chocolate.

Alan Zelt wrote:
> I wonder if the Former Bush would consider trying them
> out after all his years of eating pork rinds.

I never thought I'd hear myself stick up for Bush-the-former (although, to be fair, he had a lot more on the ball than Bush-the-current), but pork rinds are *completely* different. They're salty and crunchy, leaving less fat on your fingers than the average potato chip (ha! *That* makes it healthy -- and that was gentle sarcasm), and that's all that matters!

And they're even better fresh (fresh-fried that is, not to be confused with not-yet-cooked!).

jacqui{JB}
Certified, card-carrying pork freak
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 01:05:51 GMT
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> but pork rinds are *completely* different. They're
> salty and crunchy, leaving less fat on your fingers than the average
> potato chip (ha! *That* makes it healthy -- and that was gentle
> sarcasm), and that's all that matters!

What the hell would he know about healthy. He probably lost his re-election bid because he refused to eat his brocali.
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 08:41:01 +0200
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Thierry Gerbault wrote:
> Speaking of an infusion of "fat"... This week on television I saw a
> candy bar sold in (I think) Czechoslovakia which is said to be the
> highest calorie candy bar in the world. The inside is made of pure pork
> fat (didn't say whether it was sweetened) which is then coated with
> chocolate.

I think I've found my first food SAFEWORD!!!

Urgh.

And to think I missed this when I was in Prague last week.
From: Thierry Gerbault (ThierryGerbault at NOSPAM.att.net)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 08:09:17 GMT
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> And to think I missed this when I was in Prague last week.

The very thought of it makes hot water come up into my mouth...ugh! On the TV snippet they showed melted pork fat being poured into trays, then when solidified, being cut into bars and off to a conveyer belt to be covered in chocolate. I'm glad I wasn't eating dinner at the time!
From: Michael Nielsen (archon at gvdnet.dk)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 00:00:36 +0200
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> I'll have to look for it -- I'm about ready for another Føtex
> excursion (*need* infusion of confit de canard which is found in the
> refrigerator case -- everyone needs a mass infusion of duck fat at
> least ... oh ... 12 times a year :)).

My fat infusion is mainly from icecream and whipped cream (some people say I inhale them, though) :)

I tried the pistacchio version of Underground, but I liked Pecan Nut with caramel much better. Tomorrow I'll try the chocolate. They also have a vanilla.

Speaking of fat, I think it is bizarre with all those on close-to-fat-free "fat products"; like mayo - if they take the fat out
of mayo, it is not really mayo anymore :)

> We, surprisingly, just had a new ice cream shop open less than a block
> away (very strange place for an ice cream shop): Nørrebro Is. Haven't
> tried it yet, but soon.

Have you been to the Konditor called "La Glace"? Great place, and they have many diferent layered cakes in the window, where you can buy a piece and have it at the tables with some coffee or whatever.
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 08:50:06 +0200
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Michael Nielsen wrote:
> My fat infusion is mainly from icecream and whipped cream (some people
> say I inhale them, though) :)

Heh -- I'm definitely all over the cream part, anyway. I still miss my *whisper* Starbucks ice cream -- mocha almond fudge. Expensive and not available at every store (amusingly, it *was* available at the 7-11 not so far from where I lived in San Diego -- but that's Hillcrest for you: even an upscale 7-11), and so well flavored that you could taste the coffee through to the end of the bowl.

Hmm ... come to think of it, I miss Dreyer's peach sorbet, too, for the same reason: peach flavor through to the very end, despite the cold mouth.

> Speaking of fat, I think it is bizarre with all those on
> close-to-fat-free "fat products"; like mayo - if they take the fat out
> of mayo, it is not really mayo anymore :)

Gross, gross, gross. Not quite a safeword item, but something I won't bring home, either. Personally, I believe that eating less of the "real thing" is far preferrable and far more healthy to eating more of something fake and full of chemicals. Others's mileage, obviously, varies.

> Have you been to the Konditor called "La Glace"? Great place, and they
> have many diferent layered cakes in the window, where you can buy a
> piece and have it at the tables with some coffee or whatever.

I haven't eaten in, but when my best friend came to visit we picked up some lovely cakes for our afternoon tea. Doesn't La Glace do the "ice cream cakes" as well (weird to me to call something a cake when there's no cake in it!)? If I'm not misremembering the name, then our New Year's eve dessert (brought by a friend) came from there also. It was quite the conglomeration of ice cream, sorbet, marzipan and whatever else they could think to put on it. Not bad -- and certainly some of the best ice cream I've had here -- but a bit too many flavors thrown together for my taste.
From: Michael Nielsen (archon at gvdnet.dk)
Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 23:17:18 +0200
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> Heh -- I'm definitely all over the cream part, anyway. I still miss
> my *whisper* Starbucks ice cream -- mocha almond fudge. Expensive and
> not available at every store (amusingly, it *was* available at the
> 7-11 not so far from where I lived in San Diego -- but that's
> Hillcrest for you: even an upscale 7-11), and so well flavored that
> you could taste the coffee through to the end of the bowl.

"Hjem Is" makes a great coffee "ice cake".

> I haven't eaten in, but when my best friend came to visit we picked up
> some lovely cakes for our afternoon tea. Doesn't La Glace do the "ice
> cream cakes" as well

Yes, they have beautiful statues of their ice cream cakes in the window.

> (weird to me to call something a cake when
> there's no cake in it!)?

Like "fløde-boller" without "fløde" :)

If you want to try a great flødebolle, try those from "Summerbird", they have marzipan in the bottom and the chocolate is in 2 layers and is from Valhorna. Eternally better than those you can buy in packages.

> If I'm not misremembering the name, then our
> New Year's eve dessert (brought by a friend) came from there also. It
> was quite the conglomeration of ice cream, sorbet, marzipan and
> whatever else they could think to put on it. Not bad -- and certainly
> some of the best ice cream I've had here -- but a bit too many flavors
> thrown together for my taste.

I like that :)
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 04:47:56 GMT
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jacqui{JB} wrote:
> -- I'm about ready for another Føtex
> excursion (*need* infusion of confit de canard which is found in the
> refrigerator case -- everyone needs a mass infusion of duck fat at
> least ... oh ... 12 times a year :)).

I had my duck fat fix for the week tonight. sauté a cut up spud in duck fat. After ten minutes add about a handful of thinly sliced garlic. Go for another ten minutes.

As for my confit and cassoulet fix, that will come with a special
pilgrimage in September. All washed down with some Madiran of course.
From: jacqui{JB} (shining_one_wh at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 11:32:11 +0200
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Alan Zelt wrote:
> I had my duck fat fix for the week tonight. sauté a cut
> up spud in duck fat. After ten minutes add about a
> handful of thinly sliced garlic. Go for another ten minutes.

Yum. Whenever we have confit de canard, I saute some savoy cabbage with cut-up boiled potatoes, a chopped onion or two and some garlic with a bit (okay, more than a bit :)) of duck fat. Very, very good stuff. Dare I admit that occasionally the base of this dish is bacon ...? With the duck fat added in at the very last minute ...? Thought not.

> As for my confit and cassoulet fix, that will come with
> a special pilgrimage in September. All washed down
> with some Madiran of course.

Of course. I think I'm envious -- I haven't done nearly enough traveling in France yet.
From: Mike Harris (harriswest at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 07:50:15 GMT
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Jim Carr wrote:
> Can someone tell me why most all the potatoes taste earthy now?
> I'm from Ontario Canada

Washing them before use seems to help.
From: BubbaBob (bubbabob at _removethis_rt66.com)
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 00:15:33 -0600
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Jim Carr wrote:
> Can someone tell me why most all the potatoes taste earthy now?
> I'm from Ontario Canada

Perhaps your sense of taste has been damaged by a viral infection. No one else seems to have noticed a change.
From: Miche (micheinnz at yahoo.com)
Date: Sun, 26 May 2002 21:07:03 +1200
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Jim Carr wrote:
> Can someone tell me why most all the potatoes taste earthy now?
> I'm from Ontario Canada

Wash them before cooking.