Q:
Dear John, Regarding the poor response on meatballs, the
best ones I have ever had were made by your mom, and my mother-in-law. I have tried
several recipes, they are never wonderful. I have been told: soak the bread first; use
only day old French bread; do not use onion; only garlic; use both; bake first; fry first;
and drop them in the sauce raw. Come on John, give us a few good tips and we will let you
know if we succeed or fail.
Millie C. - MontereyA: Okay; now my curiosity got to me. Were
did the meatball originate? I never saw meatballs in Italy. It think it is an American
invention. The term can be used many ways. You can call a person a "meatball"
(my buddy Devin McGilloway uses this one often). Since a good meatball is supposed to be
soft, this must mean the person is a little soft in the head. I've also heard it used to
describe a woman's attributes as in: "Hey, look at those meatballs!" - No
explanation required. Okay Millie, here are some tips: Always use white bread, gently fry
the meatballs first, use only fresh garlic - no onions - in the meat, fresh parsley, lots
of cheese and not too much egg. Gooda-lucka!
Out of the mouths of babes:
Only from an Italian - three years old, on his first day of preschool, when served pasta
with red sauce, he asked, in his little boy's voice, "But where are the
meatballs?" |
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Q:
Hi John, I tried your eggplant recipe last night and it was fantastic!
I was curious as to why you don't salt your eggplant first. I always do but of
course it takes longer. Do you think it's worth it to salt and drain the eggplant first?
Rita Garcia - e-mailA:
I don't mind my eggplant being a bit watery. Anyway, I don't salt it because I'm in a
hurry!
Readers: If you have
ever seen my office on Wave Street, you will notice that I have a different kind of flower
garden in front. Presently, I have artichokes, cherry tomatoes, arugula, celery, spinach,
red cabbage, chives, edible pansies, mandarin oranges, Meyer lemons, parsley, two kinds of
Swiss chard and one snapdragon. Tiffany is responsible for planting and maintenance and,
although rather new at this, she is doing a great job.
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Q:
On your show the other day, with Chef Joho, you two were talking about
frying pans. I have been confused for a long time on what is the best. Some people say
stainless steel, cast iron or Teflon coated. Different stores sell professional cookware
or cookware by some chef. What is the best for every day cooking? Do you have to pay a
huge price for some fancy named cookware, or is there something else out there?
Dennis - e-mail
A: Yes
Dennis, expect to pay for good pots and pans. Folks, it just makes good sense to cook with
the best. They are really easy to keep clean and will last a lifetime. Call Bill at
Monterey Bay Restaurant Supply (899-1422), he has several brands. Cast iron is just for
frying because it browns beautifully. Don't put acidy foods like tomatoes in a cast iron
pan or they will taste metallic. Teflon is used when you either don't want to use a lot of
oil or when cooking something that sticks easily like fish. Unfortunately better pots and
pans won't make you a better cook. To be a better cook takes practice, huge respect for
the products you use, a good palate and most of all, you must love what you are doing.
Have fun Dennis, and by the way, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold!
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