Which is better for restaurants/evening fun - Gordes or St. Remy?
Sep 3rd, 2009 | 09:41 AM
#21
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,518
Likes: 0
When purchasing Cepes:
- The fresher the better. They loose around 15% of their water each day. I once purchased some OK looking cepes in Rodez, and kept them in an outside cool area for 2 days. They dried up & were pretty poor by the time I cooked them.
- when initially purchasing them, make sure they are solid. Squeeze the base if you can & it should not "give" at all. Only around 20% of the vendors let me even touch the mushroom. Often they look OK from the outside, but have dried out & are hollow or have rotted on the inside. In Paris last year, the vendor picked out the mushrooms for me. When I cut them up, they were rotten on the inside. The vendor gave me new ones (free) a couple of days later when he received a new crop.
- The Cepe will most likely have dirt on the root side. scrape or slice it off. You probably won't be able to brush the dirt off with a mushroom brush.
- Like I mentioned earlier, I prefer the base. I think they have more flavor than the caps. I look for bases that have become detached from their cap & purchase them.
- Store them in a cool place. Do not store them in a plastic bag - they'll "sweat" & become mushy. A paper bag or bowl is better. Use them the same day you purchase them.
- better to undercook them than to overcook.
Stu Dudley
- The fresher the better. They loose around 15% of their water each day. I once purchased some OK looking cepes in Rodez, and kept them in an outside cool area for 2 days. They dried up & were pretty poor by the time I cooked them.
- when initially purchasing them, make sure they are solid. Squeeze the base if you can & it should not "give" at all. Only around 20% of the vendors let me even touch the mushroom. Often they look OK from the outside, but have dried out & are hollow or have rotted on the inside. In Paris last year, the vendor picked out the mushrooms for me. When I cut them up, they were rotten on the inside. The vendor gave me new ones (free) a couple of days later when he received a new crop.
- The Cepe will most likely have dirt on the root side. scrape or slice it off. You probably won't be able to brush the dirt off with a mushroom brush.
- Like I mentioned earlier, I prefer the base. I think they have more flavor than the caps. I look for bases that have become detached from their cap & purchase them.
- Store them in a cool place. Do not store them in a plastic bag - they'll "sweat" & become mushy. A paper bag or bowl is better. Use them the same day you purchase them.
- better to undercook them than to overcook.
Stu Dudley
Sep 3rd, 2009 | 01:28 PM
#23
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,518
Likes: 0
Don't recall seeing them on that many menus. Since we cook them at the Gite or Apt where we're staying, we've only ordered them a couple of times at restaurants. If you see them on a menu, ask if they are fresh or if they are dried ones that they added water to. There is no comparison between the dried & fresh.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
