Datil chilies
 

Are y'all familiar with Datil chilies? I don't know much about them. There was a man selling them at the Oklahoma State fair when I was there. He gave me a bottle of sauce, which I thought was good. Not as hot as Habanero, this sauce was smoky, but I beleive he had smoked the Datils before making the sauce to get that flavour.

Hey Dante!

Good stuff here. I was thinking that your Moms baked Oysters may have been just that recipe, thank you. This is a great recipe for bringing up the flavor of the Oyster and not complicating it with other strong flavors. Kind of like Oyster stew in a shell.

Sheers are a fine alternative to a knife for cutting herbs. I rarely use them but I am very inclined to use my knife for everything. Although, I no longer have my favorite knife. So sad about that *sigh*. Forgot that I had it in my carry on and homeland security got me...again. They were nicer this time, the last time it was pounce and detain. Run an FBI check. Thankfully I am clean. Nothing in my background. This time the guys tried to help me get my bag checked but it was too late. Had to give the knife away or fly another day.

O.M.G. That would be SO MUCH FUN :)
I wish I could! Maybe at the very least I can visit one day.

Ooh, you know what I'm thinking? Cafe-art gallery. Perfect!

*Swoons over the thought of a cafe-art gallery* I would hang out there!

That would be so cool to meet you, Ursy! And a cafe-art gallery! That would be so cool.
One thing I like about cooking is that I learn something new about every day. Like, I have never heard of some of these chili's you are talking about.
I bought myself a mandolin today for citrus ! My Uncle is giving me his cast iron skillet as well. can't wait to make a pineapple upside down cake.:linecook:
ginger .........rids colds & flu. high in magnesium & relieves muscle pain. reduces inflammation. relieves migraines and headaches, according to my research.

Before you cook with cast iron be sure to season the pan well. :) salt to clean.

I love learning about food, cooking and alternative uses for resources as well! I love travelling around searching for local foods, culture, history and natural remedies. I could spend hours looking at herbs and exotic spices.

I love to experiment without recipes or taking a recipe and trying to alter it to see what kinds of flavor profiles I can build.

Todally - and there'd be a garden out the back so we could grow our own chillis for the home made sriracha... pity I'm so far away, but we can dream :)

It would be wonderful wouldn't it?

I love my mandolin - what brand did you get?

I also love my cast iron skillets - no more sending crappy non-stick frypans to landfill every few years too. Super happy about that! I hope to pass them on to Bek someday, if she ever shows an interest in cooking...

I have a Wagner and a Griswold - they're both way older than me. I'd love to know their history.

Ursy party - lol :)

Lodge is your only choice for American made nowadays, I think... I have never used one but I hear they are perfectly serviceable.

The vintage ones are the best because their surfaces were machined smooth and the quality of the iron used back then was much, much better. As a result, they are generally lighter than today's cast iron products.

I found them really heavy to work with in the beginning, but that was only because I was used to lightweight non-stick pans. I don't even notice the weight now. I also love how you can throw them in the oven - opened up a whole new world of cooking techniques for me.

Wagner and Griswold were both made in America, I think mine are from the early 1900's.

Australia doesn't have the rich history in cast iron that the U.S. has, so I had to get them via Ebay (which can be risky - there are cheap copies out there. I took an educated gamble and it was fine)

The shipping to Australia was pretty high, as you can imagine - given the weight, but still cheaper than a brand new Le Creuset from the local department store, and I think they were a worthwhile investment.

The forums at the Wagner and Griswold society contain a wealth of information, and the members are pretty generous with their knowledge. You can also find ebay listings posted by members of WAGS which cuts down a lot on the guesswork.
http://www.wag-society.org/

It's also good to check out the part of the forum where they post ebay listings of fake copies so you know what to steer clear of.

I would totally become a member if I was in the U.S. - and I'd also be scouring garage sales and flea markets for the vintage stuff. There are still some wonderful finds to be discovered out there!

That is such a beautiful story! I was more the type to just up and go. No reservations, no planning haha. *Sigh* It's been a good 7 years since I've done that kind of travelling around, at least for more than a weekend at a time (which is still quite enjoyable) . Maybe I will get back into it *smiles*