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Cadillac CTS Engine Problems
Completely inaccurate. No one from GM has ever asked a host to remove a negative post (or any post), and even if they did, we wouldn't remove it unless it violates our Membership Agreement. Organizing legal action within the forums isn't permitted, and that has nothing to do with GM or any other manufacturer.
Your best bet for getting any meaningful action is to report, as individuals, your issue to the NHTSA at www.safercar.gov. They're the only agency authorized to investigate vehicle issues, and to ask for a recall if it's warranted.
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what our host just posted.
Many of us have posted missives that are anything but complimentary to GM in general and the CTS in particular. I've never seen a post deleted, mine or anyone else's.
Cite examples. What post done by whom when was later deleted?
Data talks. You (well, probably you don't) know what walks.
I have had a post deleted. Its okay if we're all just posters here, but go ahead and post your email or phone number and a call to action and see what happens. Edmunds or GM won't let us have each others personal contact info. GM doesn't want a class action and Edmunds doesn't want to alienate a manufacturer.
The NHTSA, is concerned with safety. A blown motor or timing chain is only unsafe on your wallet and GM's rep. Perhaps EPA would be concerned with all the oil floating around the atmosphere.
Well probably I do, Canadian Pin Head (I didn't make it up, it's his username)...and no, I don't mean bowling (just since you resorted to cutting me down first). It was my post asking for others to join me in a class action. So tell me why you didn't see my post??? Duh, deleted!!!
I read about all of your posts about your blown engines and other problems. I worry about mine blowing up, I spend $1500 on a warranty I shouldn't have had to buy. I can't sell the car because I wouldn't screw even a stranger that bad. I've become extremely angry at GM with their head up there ^&*$ protecting there profits at our expense. A quart of oil every 2,000 miles is normal? Seriously? I have to pay $200 for a glorified oil change before they'll check to see if my motor is using oil? Seriously??? Please don't jump on me folks...I'm not the enemy.
Yes, it was deleted because it violated our Membership Agreement, to which you agreed when registering for an account. It has nothing to do with GM, or the fact that you were making negative comments about the vehicle and/or GM.
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Hello all, new here. I purchased my 2005 CTS 3.6 in august of 2011. After about 6 months the car was skipping on the highway so I brought it in to my local dealership and was told the same thing that I see a lot of you were being told. Due to the fact that the car "uses" oil (which is apparently completely normal) my car was down in oil significantly and caused the timing to go off. The necessary repairs were to cost me $4000, but lucky for me, the dealership said I would only be required to pay $1000, which I did, grudgingly, as the car was barely out of the dealerships used car warranty.
After that I've made sure to check every 1,000 miles and top off my oil as required. But the problem came back! After another 8 months of constantly topping off my oil, I had misfire codes pop up and I brought it back to my dealer. This time they blamed a faulty ECM, and I payed $500+ for that replacement.
It's now about a year later, and the skips are back. I'm terrified it's going to be one of these two issues again. I can't wrap my head around how an engine can have this many misfire problems and eat THIS MUCH oil. I find it ridiculous that i'm spending so much money on oil only to have the issue keep popping up. No codes have fired off yet, but it's only a matter of time. I've already called GM customer service and I was basically told I was a lost cause because I purchased the car used, not new. So I'm out of luck.
There a large group in the same club as you, GM only care about the bottom line and nothing else, yes nothing else, oh did say nothing else. All I can say is lets keep the pressure on them, by writting over and over again how they are screwing us 3.6 L owners, especially on a car that is suppose to be "the cream of the crop" "Cadillac" not saying much really, is it ???. A lot of people read these blogs and the message might sink in one day. For some of us, every time these cars needs work our families suffer as we struggle to pay the repair bills or pass up trips because we can't trust our car and don't want to strand our family in the middle of the road !!! We can thank Edmunds for having this site for us to vent on.
I love my CTS. I hate Cadillac. I'm probably not a welcome poster here because I let my emotions out. After 30+ GM products (cars+trucks) since the 60's that didn't use a quart of oil every 1800 miles, I'm told, 50 years later, that a quart every 2000 miles is acceptable. Boy, is that progress?? Cadillac is doing an ignore the problem corporate cant afford the problem thing. Sooner or later, our cars will die off and we'll go away. Right on about the go away part. If each of my 30+ GM purchases netted them $2,000 profit each, thats $150k to GM in my lifetime. From now on its going to BMW or Accura or ANYWHERE BUT GM!
Update on my situation :
after hearing the valve knock and having my engine skip on my commute to work, I purchased (for what feels like the hundredth time) 6 quarts of oil from my local napa. I ended up having to put 2.5 quarts into my engine, the stick was bone dry. KEEP IN MIND I added oil last thursday! 1.5 quarts. It's getting out of control. THIS IS NOT NORMAL, GM.
benzgas Posts: 1Sarah,
I think Cadillac has a major problem with oil consumption that should be dealt with. GM seems to be in denial. 20 minutes ago I just finished going over the fluids in my vehicles (2013 Silverado 5.3, 1995 Jeep Wrangler and 2013 CTS Coupe 3.6). The only one that took any oil was the Caddy. At 1,600 miles on the odometer I have put a total of 3 quarts of oil in the CTS since it came off the showroom floor. Yet not one quart in the Silverado in 7,000 mile since it was delivered from the dealer. The Jeep with 135,000 miles on the odometer used 1/2 a quart since its last oil change 4,000 miles ago.
This may be my last GM car with this kind of product quality. The Caddy was a replacement for a 2006 MB C280 which never used a drop of oil between oil changes. Very disappointed in a $50K+ Cadillac.
I am expecting GM to shut down there Cadillac CTS line. This is ten years of failure for the CTS. I have heard of the same problem with lots of the new CTS's. GM think we are all stupid, when we hear from them "it's normal".
I have to laugh this is how bright they think we are! I took mine in they said they never heard of that problem ha ha, but leave it with us and we will look into it ha ha, picking it up they told me to bring it back next week because they have a monitor placed on the car to figure out where the oil is going ha ha. They just wanted me to keep paying them to monitor there problem, a real big ha ha. Little did they know I myself have rebuilt 7 or 8 engines and not stupid. I called a week later and said I was bringing in the car for them to check where the oil was going, but I would not be paying for it, it would be on GM's dime. They wouldn't look at it, and what about this monitor that they put on? wouldn't you think that they would want it back big ha ha ha, no where to be found. I couldn't find it, the place I took it to, to change the oil couldn't find it? Can you believe our tax dollars went to these people to bail them out, to give us this. Bull...t and L..s. When I took it for a oil change last week the guy looked at me and said there is something wrong it only shows 5000 km and it has been 2 years since it was here. I replied, yes these cars where not made for driving, they are just made to look at. He looked at me very puzzled.
cadillacjack1 Posts: 7I only kept my CTS for ten days-after engine lights-and shaky idle-and fourth cylinder failure code. Passenger airbag failure. And reading the horror stories.
But as for the oil-I once had a Ford Marquis 1970 (apples to oranges I know but hear me out) and It had very high millage. And the oil light would flicker.
I added then as I always have-lucas oil treatment and I always add motor honey on top of the lucas. I run all my cars with heavy duty oil additives. I've never had any problems. All my engines--I've owned maybe thirty cars have ran like tops--high millage. I Noticed on My cts-it had one hundred fifty thousand miles it was a 2006 three point six-the previous owner had thicker than usual oil in it. I would have went this route-but there are about a dozen other problems that the cts are also known for--I don't have the time to list them all---but maybe try thicker oil-since conventional isn't working(I read it is due to undersize piston rings on top of the overall bad design--but what can you expect it to run like a caddilac?
kayaus2 Posts: 1I had a 2006 CTS (or I should say POS) and had numerous problems with it. The biggest problem was how much oil it would use. It would use about a quart every 1000 miles! It didn't leak and it didn't smoke. The catalytic convertors are so efficient they just burn up the oil without producing any noticeable smoke. The dealer said this kind of oil useage was normal. What??? That's ridiculous!!! That's their excuse so they don't have to fix the problem. I wouldn't accept that answer and kept pushing for a fix. I had to go through the whole monitor thing too. Well finally after I'd had enough of getting the runaround and since it was still under warranty (under 50,000 miles), I got them to fix it. You'll never guess what it was. When the motor was first assembled and the rings were put on the pistons, the ring gaps were not staggered. They were all lined up so oil was constantly getting past the rings into the cylinder and getting burned up. They fixed that problem and it was fine after that. Well....that problem was but it was always something with that car. My advice...if your CTS is still under warranty push hard for a fix. If not, trade it in. Preferably to the dealer who sold you the POS. That's what I did! I hope this helps someone. I searched the Internet and could never find any information like this.
Oh, and I traded my Caddy in on a 2014 Chevy Malibu. I absolutely love it! Good luck and thanks for listening.
billpaul Posts: 103Dealers are probably pressured by GM to claim that rapid oil consumption is "normal". Otherwise, GM profits may be much reduced if these apparently common engine problems are corrected. Also, it seems most buyers do not research reliability when purchasing a car - so there is no penalty to GM for not solving the problem. Finally, there is no recall of these cars since it is claimed that it is not a safety problem - not that I agree.
zebandco Posts: 22Let me say this first - my dealer, Ron Craft/Baytown Tx, went for the high road and helped me out. Love Ron Craft - big profs! GM, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen and I ate a big piece of the turd my STS laid. GM is still nowhere to be seen on this issue. That is all you need to know about Cadillacs. Period.
I'm with you, kayaus2. If you've got one push hard for a fix. Your other (and best) option is to run the front yard away! Bail out! Extend! I can't tell you how much I loved that car, but it hurt me bad. This whole thing about oil consumption (any oil consumption) being acceptable is, frankly, unacceptable. BS! Who expects to have to check their oil every time they get gas??? Hell, to own one of these POS vehicles you would have to have an oil tanker truck following you to keep the damn thing on the road.
So Hurt, Never Gonna Get Over It Unless GM Steps Up.
(But, then again, they don't have to. Do they.)
keith721 Posts: 178K miles on the engine, timing chains and gears were replaced two years ago under a GM notice before the 5-year drivetrain warranty expired. Recently, the engine has experienced timing advance issues, missing badly and causing valve noise when gently accelerating. My local mechanic observed but could not diagnose the issue. The Service Engine light does not illuminate. The local Cadillac dealership claims there is nothing wrong with the engine and/or they could not reproduce the problem. There is definitely a problem with the engine and it's very unsettling when it occurs. The valve noise is undeniable. All I can do is take my foot off the gas pedal and pray the engine doesn't implode. This is simply unacceptable in a car of this supposed caliber. My '93 Northstar V8 never had these kind of issues, and it went over 200K miles without any engine problems of any kind. At this point, I'm set to drive the CTS with a dealership mechanic tomorrow morning, in an attempt to reproduce/display the issue.
bgaytan Posts: 1Is there a recall on the 2006 Cadillac CTS? I bought one a couple of months ago and last month I had the oil changed. A few days ago, less than 30 days after oil change I started hearing a racket of noise from the engine. I dismissed the oil because I just had the oil changed. But curiosity, or I guess a 6th sense made me check the oil and the oil dipstick was practically dry! I had no warning, no indicators, nothing to alert me. I could've messed up the engine. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what does GM say about it?
jpf Posts: 496
bgaytan; From this forum and the GMC Acadia forum (Acadia uses same 3.6 liter engine as the CTS), unfortunately GM is of little help unless the engine is still under the powertrain warranty. Since your vehicle is a 2006, I assume it is not under warranty. This engine has significant problems with its timing chains (3 in total), and when you're losing oil it means there is insufficient lubrication of the timing chains and the rest of the engine. As a result the chains tend to stretch leading to major engine damage. If I were you I would top up the oil and trade it in as soon as possible. Good luck.


text: health By Wes September 15, 2011 10:31 AM Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Category: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter More Leave a comment Send to a friend! Print this page Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr! More From FMX Nature Is Attacking My House! [PIC] Asking Alexandria And Jonathan Davis Says Duran Duran Cover Was Unrehearsed [VIDEO/NSFW] How Easy It Is To Lose A Set Of Keys! [VIDEO/NSFW] Will The New Slipknot Album Live Up To The Hype? [VIDEO/NSFW] Best of the Web

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At least for now, evidence gathered from a vehicle during two drug-related arrests will be allowed in a trial for John William Smith on Tuesday in Monroe County.
Smith and co-defendant Timmy W. Curtis were arrested on Jan. 4, 2012, after law enforcement agencies responded to an anonymous tip that the two were in a black GMC truck parked outside the basement of Curtis' mother's home producing methamphetamine.
Defense attorneys Michael Bufkin and Sandra Downs contend that the search of the vehicle after two the two men were restrained away from the truck was unlawful, and a suppression hearing was conducted Wednesday in Monroe Circuit court to determine whether the evidence was admissible.
Read more of this story in the print or e-Edition of the Glasgow Daily Times on Friday.


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Summer slimline PS3 rumours hotting up
Sony has entered into commercial arrangements for the production of a slimline PlayStation 3, it has emerged. The electronics giant has signed up motherboard maker Foxconn and product design firm Pegatron to jointly manufacture the slimmer model, according to a report by Taiwanese website UDN. Nothing concrete is known about …
I call BS.
I have contacts in both these contract manufactuers, and they are still producing regular PS3's. I think this is pure FUD/Stalling tactics by Microsoft and their media puppets.
i already have the orignal so not really bothered. Maybe if they released this with a price drop Sony would be stepping in the right direction!
They can sex it up all they like, it's still the runt of the current console litter. Were it not for the BR playback, mine would be sold. (And yes, I have all three consoles).
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A 32-year-old Maplewood woman and her six-year-old son walking on Boyden Avenue and Parker Avenue were struck by a car on Wednesday evening, according to Maplewood Police Captain John Perna. Neither was seriously injured.
The pair were crossing Parker Avenue shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, said Perna, when a 63-year-old Maplewood man driving a 2004 Mercedes Benz traveling north on Boyden Avenue made a left turn onto Parker Avenue.
The man, who had a green traffic signal, reported that he never saw the mother and son (both of whom were wearing dark clothing) and drove into both of them while making the left turn, Perna said.
The mother and son were transported to St. Barnabas Hospital as a precaution; neither was found to have a serious or life threatening injury, according to police.
The man was not charged with a motor vehicle offense, said Perna.


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Ottolenghi [The Cookbook]
As was suggested, I am starting a thread on Ottolenghi as I cook my way into the book, I just can't wait until spring to get into this great book. Tonight I am making the salad of hericots vert, snow peas and hazelnuts to accompany our dinner. On Sunday I will be making the Orange Polenta cake that was featured in Gourmet in January. I will report back on both.
First very important question: how is this name pronounced? Otto-lang-ghee?
I can't wait to hear about the orange polenta cake!
re: The Dairy Queen
re: MMRuth
Thanks! For those following along with Candy, here's a link to the orange polenta cake recipe http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/...
I couldn't find a recipe online for the hericots vert, snow peas and hazelnuts one, alas.
re: The Dairy Queen
You have to translate it into English English. ;-) So green beans and mange tout.
ETA - it's probably best to use the original, British English names for the recipes so people can find them easily online. :-)
re: MMRuth
re: Candy
re: MMRuth
I'll take a look. We're going back next March/April for 2 weeks. 35th anniversary trip. Last time 2 years ago we went in October. My birthday trip. That is where I first encountered Ottolenghi. Gorgeous shop and the weather could not have been better. I love London. We had our 30th anniversary at Le Gavroche, fabulous meal. We'll be going back there for sure.
re: MMRuth
Mushroom Parcel
Although I did not follow it precisely, this recipe inspired me last week. I used cremini, button, shitake, and a small amount of dried morel. I also replaced the chervil and tarragon with parsley and thyme (they were in the ref) and the only alcohol in the cupboard was cognac. To even further deviate, I cooked it on the stove in a pot. Some of the mushrooms were sliced and seared while the others were left whole or quartered - I thought it would make the texture more interesting.
It was great!
I served the ragout over 'pancakes' made from garbanzo flour. The textures and flavors "mated" (see other thread!) very well(!). The next morning the mushrooms, along with spinach, ended up in an omelet and in the evening became the basis for a pasta sauce.
I will definitely make this again. And I might even follow the recipe!
I've made quite a few dishes from the book, but I'll start with the ones I did at the weekend, which are fresh in my mind.
Marinated rack of lamb with coriander and honey (p104)
This was very easy - you whizz up the marinade the night before and leave in the fridge overnight. When ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade and shake off the excess. Sear on a hot griddle and then cook in the oven. I did it for the suggested 15 minutes, which gave quite rare lamb. I would probably leave it a couple of minutes more next time. The sauce is made from the reserved marinade, gently heated.
This was absolutely delicious - meltingly tender with a beautifully balanced, herby sauce. Very good for a dinner party, as there's hardly anything to do on the night.
I served it with the butterbeans in sweet chilli sauce and fresh herbs (p72)
I used dried beans but I've also made it with canned. I think dried and freshly cooked is better, as you can dress the salad while they're still warm, and the beans really absorb the flavours. But canned is fine at a pinch. Basically you combined the cooked beans with a dressing made from garlic, sweet chilli sauce, sesame oil, lemon juice, coriander and mint. You also add a couple of chopped red peppers and some spring onions.
Again, very tasty indeed, and Mr GG enjoyed the leftovers for lunch at work. A great accompaniement to the lamb.
I'm going to make the meringues today. I see that their website has some recipes too:
I made the salad last night with the French green beans, snow peas, hazelnuts and orange zest. it was very delicious and simple to make. The dressing was olive oil and walnut oil (it was what I had) and the orange zest added a nice bright flavor. I'll definitely be doing this again.
re: Candy
re: MMRuth
Was the oven a little too hot? That can make meringues weep a bit. I think I learned in college Foods and Nutrition class that adding a bit of cornstarch to the egg whites will help stop the cracking and weeping.
Tomorrow the orange polenta cake. i had to go to 4 stores to find Almond meal. It is just Bob's red Mill i don't know what the deal is with so many main stream stores not stocking it.
re: Candy
re: MMRuth
I don't remember the exact proportions but it was not a lot. Good luck. Try low and slow with the meringues. Sometimes 175 F and patience is the way to go. I know you know about humidity and meringues so I won't bring that up. But low and slow can work well. Did you use super-fine sugar or regualr granulated? Super-fine dissolves better in the whites and is also less prone to weeping.
re: Candy
re: cpw
cpw: I do know about rancid almond meal...double yuck!
Luckily, we here in Oakland, CA have nearby Berkeley Bowl where they have freshly-made almond meal in a cooler. What luck to live nearby!
Old nuts and their oil are among the worst tastes around. I once picked up a bag of pistachios I thought were recently purchased and used w/out looking at the date. Ewwwwwww! Now I try to be more aware of the sell by date.
re: Candy
Chicken with sumac, za'atar and lemon, p122
Another simple and delicious recipe. It requires some forward planning as you need to marinate the chicken for a few hours or overnight, but once you've done that you just whack it in the oven. I made it a while ago now, but it was tender and tangy and very good cold as well as hot.
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
re: LulusMom
re: LulusMom
re: LulusMom
re: oakjoan
re: roxlet
Her Za'atar Chicken recipe is here: http://www.thestar.com/Article/246269
And there is a youtube video of her making both the chicken and salad where you can get a rough idea of the fatoush recipe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFnpBz...
re: greedygirl
re: Gio
re: Gio
re: Gio
I just checked and, like LuLusMom, for the Za'atar I have - Penzey's, and a jar that a Lebanese friend supplied me with - the sesame seeds are whole, as are the dried thyme leaves; looks like the sumac berries are crushed. I also have ground sumac from Penzey's.
Thanks for the report and recipe link GG! I cut up a chicken today to make tbe COTM/Schneider's chicken with sherry vinegar sauce tomorrow night, but I think I'll do this Ottolenghi recipe instead,
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
We had this for dinner last night and just loved it - my husband mentioned it again today. He also said that, based on the couple of things we've had so far from the book, he think it rivals his girl friend's book (Suzanne Goin). I served it on a bed of rice, and spooned on the juices left in the pan. I wish had remembered to line the pan with foil. My chicken did take more like 45 - 50 minutes - probably just a bigger chicken.
re: MMRuth
re: greedygirl
re: MMRuth
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
STOP STOP STOP. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh... I can't stand to read any more good things about this book, lest I run out and buy a copy RIGHT NOW. I really want to have it.
You gals make it sound so delicious and healthy and approachable.
When is the U.S. edition supposed to come out? I wonder if I can hold out that long?
re: greedygirl
Chicken with sumac, za'atar and lemon.
My turn to make this. Moist and flavorful. Good weekday dinner as I prepped and marinated the night before, and then last night turned it out into a roasting pan, sprinkled with a little za'atar and roasted at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. I served it with two side dishes from January's COTM "A New Way to Cook" - Roasted Asparagus, and Greek-Style Potatoes with Lemon and Thyme. The potatoes went especially well with the chicken and tasty sauce.
re: Rubee
Chicken with sumac za'atar and lemon
I made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit. My DH who is not usually a fan of what I will call Middle Eastern food, absolutely loved this dish and suggested we put it in rotation. The only question would be whether it might be better with crispier skin, and he suggested sticking it under the broiler for a few minutes at the end. I wonder whether anyone has tried this. Also, when I had the marinated chicken out on the counter, he commented that he thought that it would be really good grilled, too. Then you wouldn't get as much of the onion/lemon flavor I think, but it might be worth trying when the weather makes turning the oven to 400 less appealing. Did anyone think about peeling the lemon? I know that the pieces would probably dissolve, but I was thinking that lemon segments would enhance the "sauce" that was created as it baked. Served with brown basmati, it was delicious. I just wish that I had had some broccoli to do the grilled broccoli recipe from the book.
re: greedygirl
re: roxlet
re: roxlet
Allspice is made from ground pimento berries.
Radish and broad bean salad, p16
I made this several times last summer when broad beans were in season. I love broad beans, and this is a very good way to eat them. The dressing is made with preserved lemon, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil and cumin. They suggest serving it with green tahini sauce but I always just had it as a side dish. It looks gorgeous on the plate as well.
Fennel and feta with pomegranate seeds and sumac, p17
A lovely combination as I am a big fan of all the main ingredients! Here's a link - I'm beginning to think this whole book is online!
Couscous and mograbiah with oven-dried tomatoes, p77
Mograbiah is the Arab name for Israeli couscous. You make your own oven-dried tomatoes by baking them in the oven for a couple of hours with oil, sugar and balsamic vinegar. The tomatoes are combined with a mixture of mograbiah and regular couscous and fried onions. What makes this dish imho is the labneh - you can buy it in Middle Eastern shops, but they also give a recipe so you can make your own out of Greek yoghurt. It's absolutely luscious. This is a good recipe for a barbecue (I made it last summer).
The Orange Polenta cake just came out of the oven and is cooling. I'll post photos in a little while. I did want to offer up a word of caution. Read the recipe thoroughly before beginning. I threw away the orange peel before realizing I would need the zest. Luckily i had other oranges on hand. Reading the recipe this AM and then getting out my 9" standard cake pan I quickly realized a standard 9" x 1 1/2" cake pan was not going to be deep enough. So a quick trip to the shop for a deeper pan. A 2" deep would have been fine but I brought home a 3" deep pan and am happy with that. i can turn it out in a bit and glaze it. Smells great.
Finished cake. Just waiting for it to cool and I can cut into it. I'll take some over to Pikawicca to share, have a slice each tonight and take the rest to the shop tomorrow.
re: greedygirl
re: Candy
I am considering this as one of three caked that I am bringing to a party later this month. Do you think that this would be appropriate as a celebration cake? I am also making an apple cake and I think a coconut cake, and I want the cakes to all be very different. This looks different.
re: Candy
re: Candy
re: Gio
Here's my report on the Marinated Turkey Breast With Cumin, Coriander and White Wine, p. 126. This is quite simple to do. You marinate the turkey breast with mint, parsley, coriander(cilantro) garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine, cumin, salt, and pepper. The book calls for a "small" turkey breast, but mine was very large. I just added a bit more of each ingredient, whizzed them up in the blender, put the turkey breast in a large stainless steel bowl and poured on the marinade. You then massage it into the breast, cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight. It's roasted in a very hot oven for most of the cooking, with heat turned down at the end. Since mine was so big, I used an instant read, inserted thermometer. The turkey got gorgeously browned and the flavoring of the marinade went into the meat due to the long marinating period.
I served it with Kosheri (p. 85), a lentil, pasta and rice dish that he says is very popular in Egypt. He also says it's not far removed from kitchari, which is an Indian dish from which kedgeree sprang. It's served with a spicy tomato sauce.
This was very, very good. It's a bit of work to get it all together, but nothing is difficult. You first cook green lentils in cold water 'til they come to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. He says that they shouldn't be mushy and should still hold their shape. I thought they were at that stage after about 15 minutes and so stopped the cooking at that point. Drain in colander and set aside.
Vermicelli noodles are then broken into pieces and sauteed in butter. Basmathi rice is added (I used brown basmati and so had to cook it longer) and broth. Nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper are added, and rice and noodles are cooked together and set aside.
2 sliced onions are sauteed until browned and a bit carmelized.
The lentils are added to the rice/noodle mix as are the cooked onions. The whole dish is served with a spicy tomato sauce made with garlic, tomatoes, cider vinegar, chilis, lots of cumin, salt and chopped coriander.
The Kosheri went perfectly with the roasted turkey breast. I served it with a green salad made with lots of escarole, frisee, arugula, romaine, a bit of fresh baby spinach and chopped green onions. The salad was simply dressed with oil, sherry vinegar, a bit of crushed garlic, mustard and S and P.
This was a big hit and it's not that complicated to make.
I'd post the recipe, but it's in British measurements and I can't find my conversion notes. When I do, I'll post it, because it's not online anywhere I can find.
We had my new favorite dessert: frozen low and nonfat yogurt mixed with Seville orange juice and pith, and a touch of vanilla and sweetened with agave syrup. This is cranked in the Donvier and becomes soft-servish. Really good as I've said about 20 times on this Board.
The lentil are added to the rice and noodles and then the onions.
I've also made the Cauliflower Fritters with Lime Yoghurt, p. 50 of the book. These are simple to make and absolutely wonderful. I'll post the recipe if anyone's interested. I think this recipe is on the U.K. Guardian website, but I'm not sure. There are loads of fritter recipes on that site.
re: oakjoan
Here's the recipe - the whole book really has made it's way onto the web!
re: Candy
made this cake last night and we just loved the mix of flavors (almonds, orange, orange flower water) and the involved, fragile buttery texture. I used the trader Joe's ground almonds, which include the skin so the color is darker than it would be if skinned almonds were used and mineola tangelos - Im tempted to try it with meyer lemons as a variation.. Definitely one of the most delicious desserts we have baked.
Came downstairs this am and even more is gone. I dont understand the big fuss about the glaze - its a very small amount of glaze for a large cake - not enough to soak in and affect the texture of the cake. I will give a day after report if any is left when I return home tonight., but I have to believe that the flavors if anything will be improved by the sit.
I used a regular flat teflon layer cake pan for this - I thought the instructions re partchment were fussy and cut a bigger round than the bottom of the pan - this almost messed me up since I couldnt get the excess to flatten against the side walls. Stupid. I would simply cover the bottom and butter and flour the next time - the cake is so buttery it would come out just fine without the parchment on the sides. I was worried about the pan capacity, since this was a relatively shallow pan, but tho it was filled to the top and rose above, it did not spill at all - so you dont need to buy a special pan for this one. I baked it more than 45 min - even though my toothpick came out clean earlier, I was not quite satisfied with the firmness of the cake at the center, and even with a little extra time, it sank a bit at the center so I think even a few minutes more of baking time might have been in order.
Both the Gourmet and cookbook called for superfine sugar - fussy, fussy, regular granulated worked fine. Why would you need superfine to make caramel??.
Finally, this was my first time using the actual cookbook - side by side with the online Gourmet recipe translated into English English.The typeface and layout of the recipes in the book are tiny and designed for style, not readibility. I could not look at the recipe and see where I was (thank God for the printout).. I think I need to do a full scale conversion/translation chart to put alongside this book before I feel fully comfortable using it.
re: jen kalb
It's not that you *need* superfine, but that superfine (caster) sugar is the standard thing in England. I understand that there isn't really an equivalent to our granulated there, but the finer grind is not a specialty product in England as it is there - and therefore it's not fussy to call for it in a British context. No reason not to just use regular granulated for most applications if it's easier.
re: Caitlin McGrath
Guess I was fuzzy in how I said this - I understood calling for caster sugar in the English cookbook - but it was silly for the Gourmet writer to call for superfine in the US article.
As well as to specify an offset spatula as desirable for smoothing the batter. These are the sort of finicky things that can stop some cooks dead in their tracks.
re: Caitlin McGrath
re: greedygirl
I believe I've heard that your granulated is coarser than ours, which is why recipes call for caster, whereas in the US, most all cookbooks call for standard granulated for baked goods, which is why I stated, "an equivalent to our granulated" - but it's absolutely possible I'm misinformed!
It could simply be a difference of style vs. one of function, as all sorts of things differ country to country. Superfine costs much more and is not common in the US, but our granulated works perfectly for most baking applications.
Cinnamon and Hazelnut Meringues.
I made these on Saturday to take to a dinner party and they were a big hit. You heat the egg white with the sugars (super fine, and brown muscovado - I think you could just use dark brown sugar) over simmering water, and then whisk in a stand mixer, to make the Swiss meringue. Fold in cinnamon, put dollops on parchment paper lined sheets, and sprinkle on chopped hazelnuts.
I also made the rose water and pistachio ones, but had some difficulties. For these, you heat the superfine sugar in the oven, but mine caramelized somewhat in the time they recommend. It was a real PITA to then get the sugar into the mixing bowl, even with my husband's help, and I lost some sugar in the process, and so added a bit more when I beat the sugar with the egg whites and rose water. You form the same dollops as with the other ones, but are supposed to drop them onto a plate with finely chopped pistachios. I was in a rush at this point, so after trying that once, I just made the dollops and sprinkled them with pistachios. You are supposed to bake for two hours at 230 F, which I did, but when I checked them before I left, they were still not crisp on the outside, so I just turned the oven off and left them. When I got back later that night, they had definitely crisped up, but weren't at all chewy inside - just dried out. Because of the caramelization, mine were a light brown, rather than white, and some of the rose water flavor dissipated. I'll try to get a photo of them though.
When I was in London, I had a dish called "Eton Mess" - crumbled pieces of meringue, whipped cream, and cooked rhubarb. I'm thinking about making something similar with the rose water meringues, and am wondering how to flavour the whipped cream with cardamom - not sure how it would be if I used sprinkled some in - then I'll had some stewed apricots, I think.
re: MMRuth
re: The Dairy Queen
re: MMRuth
re: MMRuth
re: oakjoan
re: MMRuth
re: The Dairy Queen
Eton Mess (paraphrased from Breakfast Lunch Tea (Rose Bakery, Paris).
Rose Carrarini says that Eton Mess became so popular that it replaced Pavlovas.
4 egg whites
1 cup and 1 tblsp. of superfine sugar
a "dash" of vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups strawberries (I figure you could put whatever fruit you wanted. She says that in winter they often make it with chestnut puree and chocolate sauce)
Preheat oven to 250
Grease a baking tray and cover with parch. paper
Beat egg whites until firm and white. Gradually add the sugar and then vanilla extract.
Put "giant spoonfuls" on the tray and bake until the meringues are almost dry but "a bit gooey" in the middle. This will take about 3 hours. Set them aside.
Whip the cream to soft peak stage
Puree a quarter of the strawberries in a food processor with 1 Tbsp of sugar. Cut the rest of the strawbs into pieces and break up the meringue into pieces by hand
Fold the meringues, strawbs and whipped cream together gently. She says you can make these as you like them - more whipped cream than strawbs or vv. Top with the pureed strawberries and serve at once or put in fridge to chill.
I imagine you'd leave some of the rhubarb in those soft chunks and puree the rest.
I've made this and it's realllllly good. Who'd a thunk that a boarding school cafeteria dessert would be popular!
Let us know how it turns out. I'm already thinking about making it with part non-fat yogurt. Hey, I can't help myself.
re: MMRuth
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Rocket (aka Arugula):
I made this for lunch yesterday. I made a full batch, simmering the cubed tubers with garlic cloves and arugula in chicken stock for about 20 minutes (with some pinches of salt). I then put half of it in a smaller sauce pan, whisked together half an egg and half the yogurt, tempered it, and then gently heated the soup as called for. You then season with salt and pepper, add in chopped scallions, and garnish with argula.
This was a quick and easy soup, rich and flavourful. My husband declared it one of the best soups he'd ever eaten. I served it with a roasted beet salad that I concocted, with frisee, chopped pistachios leftover from the meringues, finely grated ricotta salata, shallots, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
re: MMRuth
re: oakjoan
You absolutely do. It's funny - finally, after YEARS of cooking by the book so to speak, I'm becoming creative and starting to come up with things on my own. I'm going to start keeping a file of "my" recipes - who knows, maybe some day I can write a cookbook!
I roasted the beets a la Goin, and then did a bit of a short cut, tossing the sliced shallots with the beets, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and let them sit for a bit. I didn't dress the frisee as I thought there was enough dressing on the beets.
re: MMRuth
Thanks! I've been making beet salad with sauteed beet tops ever since I had it at a restaurant a few years ago. I need to branch out!
I was at one of our local produce shrines, Monterey Market, yesterday and they had NO frisee. None at Berkeley Bowl either. Maybe the shipment didn't come in or our recent deluges have ruined the crop. My heart sinks.
Tonight's dinner was composed of dry diver scallops with aioli and a side of samphire, asparagus and potatoes cooked with saffron. Delish. On the shortcut thread i confessed to cheating on the aioli. All was good and will do again. I am truly loving this book and it is getting me to eat more veggies. I have one of the chicken with z'atar recipes for later this week. I may just have to work my way through the whole book and wait anxiously for our next trip 3/10
re: Candy
Lovely. I saw samphire at the market today, but didn't pick any up. I do think that this book is so wonderful that we should wait until it's widely available in the U.S. to have it as COTM. I'm going to make some phone calls in the morning to see what I can find out about a U.S. publishing date.
re: MMRuth
re: MMRuth
re: MMRuth
re: MMRuth
Which market, MMRuth? I think that I recall that you are in the NY Tristate area? Was it a local store? In response to a previous question, (on I think this thread or some other dealing with British food maybe) I saw salad cream at the Food Emporium in Bronxville when I was there earlier today.
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
Will do. I've had some great London meet ups in the past with Howler and another poster whose Chowhound name is escaping me at the moment. We usually try to rent a flat in S. Ken or Ken. Looking forward to it ,and let me know if there is something you want me to bring along.
My last breakfast in London was take out chocolate croissants from Otttolenghi in Kensington. Oh so fine!
This thread has inspired me to go eat there for lunch today. I think I'll buy the book too and join you guys as you cook through it.
I love this place!
re: dexters
I just received my copy of the book yesterday. I ordered it through Amazon, and it said that it shipped from Delaware (I think, but definitely a US state). They book arrived clearly from the UK with British postage and a "Royal Mail" sticker. Obviously, all the measurements are in grams, etc. I keep www.traditionaloven.com on my bookmark bar and I have it set to the conversion section. Very useful!
re: roxlet
re: The Dairy Queen
I ordered it from the US Amazon web site, and it was really relatively speedy -- I think less than 2 weeks to arrive, though the delivery estimate that they emailed to me after I ordered it ranged from one to four weeks. I guess that they were just covering their ass in case it was somehow delayed.
This is the exact conversion link:http://www.traditionaloven.com/tutori...
Tonight I am making the Seared duck breast with blood orange and star anise (p.128) & the French beans and mangetout with hazelnut & orange (p.36) - however I'll use lemon with the green veg as I don't want both dishes to feature oranges. I'll report back - hopefully with pictures :-)
re: themags
Seared duck breasts with blood orange and star anise (p. 128) w/French beans and mangetout with hazelnuts and orange (p. 36)
The duck recipe prefers the English Gressingham but my local butcher had the French Barbary, which Ottolenghi said was a good alternative. The greengrocer had blood oranges so all I needed was some star anise – note to self – never buy spices at Planet Organic again - £2.79 for some broken pieces and not one single star :-( I'm not sure of the size differences between Gressingham and Barbary duck breasts but I reduced the cooking time by a third and the duck was medium rare and nowhere near as pink as in the picture – however I do think it was still pink enough. The only other thing that didn't really happen for me was that the blood orange slices reduced to almost a compote when the recipe indicated that they would remain intact. However this didn't affect the taste one bit.
I used lemon in the beans and mangetout so to not have orange in both recipes. For years I've made a similar French (green) bean dish but with toasted almonds and lots of garlic and it was a learning experience to just use one clove – it tasted great. The leftover veg and rice accompaniment made a great cold packed lunch the next day.
I'm usually not one for following recipes – cookbooks are more bedtime reading – so this thread piqued my curiosity and I thought I should give it a go as an experiment. All in all I was pretty pleased with the outcome!
Last night and tonight. Last night was the scallops with saffron potatoes, samphire and asparagus. Divine! Tonight was chicken with za'atar (courtesy of Anna Sartoum in Boston), and lemon. The lemon was really just for flavoring. The toasted pine nuts with red onion and warm spices was excellent.
re: Candy
I'd also recommend trying that salad with red rice, quinoa salad with orange, arugula and pistachios (p. 76). I'll go look for the link now, I already posted about it a few months ago.
Here's a link to the recipe where the poster has helpfully change the measurements to U.S.
re: Candy
Hi Candy
Just a question - You mentioned that the chicken with za'atar was courtesy of Anna Sortun (I'm a huge fan and have her cookbook "Spice"), but your recipe looks like Ottolenghi's, not Sortun's chicken with lemon and za'atar. Did you mean Sortun's za'atar blend? I love her dukkah, but haven't made anything else from her cookbook.
If you've cooked out of "Spice" - I've mentioned it a couple of times for COTM, so would love recs.
Either way, your picture looks delicious!
Thank you so much <b>Candy</b> for starting this thread! I am fortunate to live very near a branch of Ottolenghi, and eat there relatively often, but I had never even noticed the cookbook. I picked it up yesterday and stayed up way too late reading through it. I am heading back out today to pick up a few more copies to mail back to some friends in the US.
Tonight I am making the Chargrilled Broccoli with chilli & Garlic (p. 41), & the Salmon with red pepper and hazelnut salsa (p. 139).
re: dexters
re: dexters
My last breakfast in London was from the Kensington branch. Wonderful chocolate croissants. Can't wait for next March and to go back. I have picked up some small cucumbers to make the salad with the peppers and poppy seeds tonight. It is a great book. Too bad no US publisher has picked it up yet. When they do it may be too late.
re: Candy
Hmm, U.S. publisher may be too late? You think we have that much influence? After us, there are no more interested cooks in the U.S.? ;+)
I certainly hope not! May Ottolenghi live long, prosper and write more cookbooks!
So here's what I made last night: CRUSHED NEW POTATOES WITH HORSERADISH AND SORREL (p. 63) and TURKEY AND SWEET CORN MEATBALLS with ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE (p. 125).
Both of these were quite easy to make and were absolutely delicious.
The meatballs (I used ground breast and dark meat and some ground chicken) are made of ground turkey, bread soaked in water and squeezed dry, an egg, chopped spring onions and parsley, a lot of ground cumin (2 1/2 tsp), pepper, salt and crushed garlic. Oh, and corn. It's tossed into a very hot skillet and left to become "lightly blackened", cooled and then added to the turkey mix. I used Trader Joe's frozen organic sweet corn). All this is mixed together and formed into "golf ball" sized meatballs. They are then fried in hot olive oil until browned and cooked in the oven for 5 minutes. I skipped that step because they seemed done after frying.
These are served with the red pepper sauce which I actually made from scratch for a change. My husband's a big fan of roasted peppers so I buy them jarred. This time I broiled them and scraped off most of the blackened skins (He says peeling isn't essential for this recipe). They're then blended with olive oil, salt, coriander (cilantro), a garlic clove, a small mild red chili (I used a teaspoon of my Universal Condiment) and 2 Tbsp "sweet chilli sauce" - I only had garlic chili sauce and so used that with a tsp of sugar) and 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar.
The sauce with the meatballs was really good and the mashed potatoes added a bit of semi-blandness that was perfect.
Except when served with a spicy red pepper sauce, the mashed potatoes are anything but bland. What a great combo!
The potatoes are simple: you boil some unpeeled new potatoes until done, drain and mash them crudely. While they're cooking you prepare a sauce of Greek yoghurt, olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, some grated fresh horseradish (or you can use jarred or both), 4 tsp of chopped sorrel leaves and some chopped watercress (or other "small sprouting leaf"), 2 chopped spring oinons and S&P.
This dish was really great. It stood up to the pepper sauce and yet didn't clash with it.
I served the whole thing with a small salad of lots of greens (arugula, radicchio, frisee, escarole, romaine) and chopped green onions, cukes and romanito tomatoes.
Another Ottolenghi winner - Ring the gong!
re: oakjoan
What I meant that word of mouth about this book is getting out fast and then there was the January article in Gourmet. People are ordering it from the UK all of the time. There are lots of copies being imported. Some US publisher is missing the boat.
I'm making that cucumber salad with peppers and poppy seeds tonight. This book is inspiring me to eat more veggies. I've been bad about that.
The cucumber, sweet red pepper salad with poppy seed dressing tonight was a delight. Very fresh tasting and different. Another keeper.
re: Candy
re: oakjoan
I used a very sweet red pepper. Much sweeter than regular red bell peppers.That are a long red variety from Mexico and larger in circumfrence than an Anaheim. The only thing I would change is to change from poppy seeds to toasted sesame seeds. I was flossing out poppy seeds even the next day.
re: oakjoan
re: dexters
No, I got all Scroogey at the market and refused to pay $2+ a pound for Persian cukes (my faves). I bought "small" regular cukes instead. They were probably much less crisp than the Persians, as well as less flavorful. I'll try it again when the Persian cukes come down in price as summer approacheth.
re: dexters
Today I made the Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Icing. It was a bit complicated, but not difficult and we split a piece to see how it'd taste. Ah the rigors of science. I just got a new computer and haven't set up the photo/camera program yet. So you'll have to believe me that it looks good.
I added walnuts on top because I love walnuts on any cake or cookie, and since we got a package of organic walnuts this week in our CSA box.
The cake is very moist and light because it's made with olive oil. Of course the icing is made from butter and cream cheese as well as maple syrup. In my case, all I had was low-fat cream cheese and it didn't seem to make much difference in the end.
As is my practice, I made the cake on Sunday and my husband will take it to work tomorrow so that we don't eat the whole thing. I get a taste and his office mates love me.
The complicated part was the measurement conversions, but it seemed to be correct as the cake wasn't flat as a pancake or tough. Mine doesn't look quite as gorgeous as the one in the book photo, but it's pretty nice.
Tonight I made the Camargue red rice and Quinoa salad.
My store was out of rocket, so I used pea shoots. I think rocket would definitely be better, as the peppery flavor would add a bit more bite.
Overall though, I did like this, as did my kids. My husband thought it would be better with bacon (but isn't everything?).
I also made the Sweet & Sour Celeriac & Swede. This is fine preparation for 2 veggies that I am usually uninspired with. I would make a bit more dressing than called for in the recipe (or maybe I used too much veg).
The swede salad is on the left, and the Quinoa is on the right in the photo.
Also, I made the Chargrilled Broccoli with Chili & Garlic last night and very much liked it. Didn't taste as good as it does in the restaurant, but very good nonetheless.
Finally, I made the Smashed Potatoes with Horseradish last night as well and found it a bit dry. I think my proportion of dressing:potatoes was off. I need to get a new scale!
re: dexters
re: Caitlin McGrath
re: dexters
I just finished looking through the Ottolenghi cookbook because The Dairy Queen (on another thread) was talking about the number of unusual or unknown ingredients in the book.
I remembered feeling the same way when I first got it, i.e., 'WHAT THE !**$! is "mograbiah"? Turns out it's a type of couscous and he suggests fregola as a replacement. He also says it's known as "pearl couscous" in the UK. I figure that'd be Israeli couscous here.
Camargue Red Rice. I couldn't find that (I didn't look very hard) and subbed Bhutanese Red Rice which I found at the market.
Spec is, I think, a sort of German prosciutto (anybody know?)
Broad beans are favas
Manouri cheese - he suggests goat cheese if you can't find it
Samphire - no subs here. I've never heard of it but might find out if a local produce market could get it.
Mangetout - snow peas as discussed above.
Salsify - Is that what's also known as "oyster plant"? This is also something I've rarely seen outside of a restaurant menu
Romano peppers - I think these are similar (or a different name for) Italian frying peppers which we see in the market in summer/fall. They don't say that they're piquant or I'd say one could sub those long, pretty mild chillies called Anaheim.
Mushrooms of various types: One recipe calls for CHESTNUT mushrooms. I've never heard of these, but the others are locally available here in Oakland: enoki, oyster and shiitaki In the Mixed Mushrooms with Cinnamon and Lemon dish, I figure one could sub in other mushrooms such as portobello if one couldn't find chestnuts.
Sorrel: I find this in the herb section, but it may not be widely available. It has a wonderful sour taste
Swede: called rutabaga here and swede elsewhere because some of my ancestors started planting it in Sweden
Pea shoots: Again, we have these because of our large Asian population. Don't know how widely they are available elsewhere.
Vine leaves: Grape leaves are available all over in jars
Elderflower cordial: Oh, come on now!
Labneh - if you can't find it he suggests full-fat yoghurt (I don't even know what that tastes like anymore! ;+) mixed with olive oil.
Arak - Sub is Pernod
Swiss Chard: He says it's difficult to come by in England. Hey! One for our side.
Muscovado sugar: You know where to find it if you participated in the Pure Desert (Medrich) DCOTM a while ago.
Dessicated coconut: Dried coconut
Ground rice: I've never heard of this one - anybody? Is it just rice flour? Is it available in Asian shops?
Well, this certainly tags me as an obsessive-compulsive personality.
re: oakjoan
Camargue Red Rice. I do see that in NY.
"Spec is, I think, a sort of German prosciutto (anybody know?)" - Speck - pretty widely available in NYC - I believe it is from the Tyrol, and can be either Italian or Austrian, but is indeed similar to prosciutto.
Broad beans are favas - yes - finally found my "All You Need to Know About the British Kitchen" and it confirmed that Broad beans are favas, and butter beans are limas.
Samphire - I think Candy posted about this. My pamphlet says "A fleshy green seaweed plant which cannot be cultivated but still grows wild on the sea marshes of East Anglia." I saw this at Chelsea Market, but am blanking as to the name used for it.
"Salsify - Is that what's also known as "oyster plant"? This is also something I've rarely seen outside of a restaurant menu" I see this on occasion in NYC, and my pamphlet comfirms that it is also known as "oyster plant".
Sorrel - I mostly see it in the spring and early summer in NY - not widely available, but attainable.
Pea Shoots - I see them in NY as well, though mostly in the summer.
Muscovado Sugar - I did buy that for the meringues, but I think one could just use dark brown sugar with good results.
Ground rice - I made those pistachio shortbread cookies - still need to post about them - but I just ground some rice in my coffee grinder.
re: MMRuth
I've also seen Camargue red rice in fancy places around here, but the Bhutanese worked fine for me.
I'm never sure I can get my coffee grinder clean again after using it for something else. I have another old one that I use for spices, but that is also "tainted" with the residue of cumin, etc.
I should really spring for another one to use in grinding neutral stuff like rice.
I fell in love with muscovado sugar during the Pure Dessert month. I use it a lot now because it's so full of flavor.
re: oakjoan
Samphire is sea beans, which I have seen at produce markets. Although, I see here http://www.epicurious.com/tools/foodd... that there is a samphire generally available only in Europe. I don't know if that's what Ottolenghi intends, but I assume Candy used sea beans (her report above).
I have D'Arbo elderflower cordial in my pantry; it's sold at gourmet shops (I think I may have seen D'Arbo locally at the Pasta Shop), and you can sometimes fnd elderflower syrup at Ikea, too. It's tasty in sparkling water and sparkling wine. It's floral with strong lychee notes.
re: oakjoan
Speck I am planning on using prosciutto unless I get up to Indy to the German market.
Samphire= Sea Beans available in my local (Mid western Kroger)
Salsify - I have grown it. I found it available canned, I figured it would be too hard to move in the shop.
Sorrel I grow
Pea Shoots - readily available in our local Asian shops
Ground rice- Asian shops
re: oakjoan
Romano peppers - they're the long, thin Spanish ones.
Swiss chard - I get a lot in my organic veg box
Ground rice - you should be able to get this in Asian shops
Labneh - delicious - you can find it in Middle Eastern shops.
Chestnut mushrooms - they're like regular button mushrooms but with a brown skin
re: greedygirl
re: greedygirl
Thanks you guys! I was writing that mainly for people who don't live in London or Manhattan or San Francisco and might not be able to get certain ingredients without lots of trouble and expense. Therefore, it's nice that he has replacement suggestions throughout.
GG is right about labneh, it's great stuff.
Glad to know about the "chestunt mushrooms" - I guess they're what we call "crimini".
re: oakjoan
re: The Dairy Queen
re: MMRuth
re: The Dairy Queen
re: MMRuth
It's here! It's here! It's here! The mailman delivered our mail, and then actually made another trip back to deliver just the book. WOOHOO! Very impressive package, with the Royal Mail stamp and all. Can't wait to cook from it. Won't be tonight or even tomorrow night. Maybe Friday.
re: oakjoan
re: dexters
dexters: I used a bit more yoghurt in the potatoes with horseradish. Aside from the dryness, how did you like the taste of the potato dish? I thought they were fab. Also, did you use jarred horseradish or fresh? I used all fresh since it was very peppery and fresh. The books says either are fine...as well as wasabi paste.
I first made the rice/quinoa salad for a large group and it was a big hit. I think the peppery flavor of the rocket/arugula is key and agree that watercress would be a good sub. I was intrigued with that recipe from the moment I saw it months ago....oranges, rocket, red rice, dried apricots, onions? Oh, and don't forget the pistachios. I thought it'd either be great or very weird. Turned out it was great.
re: oakjoan
I did like the flavor. I would probably amp it up with more horseradish, but I didn't want to overwhelm my small children. I used the Stokke's jarred horseradish.
One think I noticed about the Quinoa salad is that it did improve drastically as it sat out & cooled down. He says in the book to eat it when it is completely cool, but I was a bit rushed to get dinner on the table so it was still a tad warm when I served it. I liked it and I will make it again.
The swede salad also improved overnight as the flavors permeated the swede and celeriac. My 18mo. old son just demolished the leftovers, which surprised me since he wouldn't touch it last night.
Next up are the carrot, apple and pecan muffins, and the granola bars. I'll report back!
re: dexters
re: Candy
I just finished the quinoa salad, with an emergency trip to the maincurist. The pistachios were murder on the nails. I have not yet added the arugula. I think you are right Dexters, I am going to hold off until tomorrow to let the flavors develop. It tastes good now but I imagine sitting for 24 hours will meld and mellow the flavors.
Last night I made the turkey meatballs with sweetcorn, with the roasted red pepper sauce. I typically don't love mince turkey, but I haven't been let down yet with this book so I gave it a whirl.
These were really good. I was kind of surprised at how much I liked them, since I thought the idea of corn in a meatball was odd. I only used 2 peppers for the sauce, as that was all I had, and it was still more than adequate quantity. The sauce gave the meatballs a great zing.
I also made the granola bars last night. OMG. So good. I have eaten nearly the entire pan already. With 95 grams of butter, this granola is in no way healthy, but it is delicious all the same. I will make these again and again.
ALSO, (I'm on a roll lately!), I made the carrot, apple and pecan muffins this morning. I have yet to bake them off as I don't have liners. I did have to add a bit more water to the topping than the 1 tsp. called for to get the "coarse, sandy texture". If the tasty batter and topping is any indication, these will be another fabulous item.
re: dexters
re: oakjoan
I'm making Koshary (koshari, koshery, kosheri) for a lunch tomorrow. There are now 2 great dishes (among others) I gleaned from Ottolenghi and both have various grains mixed together. Koshery has basmathi rice, lentils and pasta and the quinoa salad has red rice and quinoa.
I just love this mixing of grains/beans/pasta, etc. together.
re: oakjoan
Last night I made Chickpeas and Spinach With Honeyed Sweet Potato (p. 82).
What a spectacular dish this is...even made with canned chickpeas.
Sweet potatoes are cut into slices and then cooked in water until tender. They are then put into a pan wide enough so that they all have contact (or most) with the bottom of the pan. They're then sauteed in a bit of water with butter, honey and salt until the water has evaporated and they're a bit brown on the bottom.
A sauce of a sauteed, sliced onion, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, sauteed onions (fried together for 8 minutes (how specific can you be?). Then chopped canned tomatoes, a tsp of sugar and 1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin are added along which spinach (which I left out because the stuff I had turned out to be pretty wilted and decayed looking. Chickpeas (I used one soup can-sized can) are added and the whole mixture is cooked together for 5 minutes. Season with s&p if necessary. He says to serve the tomato/chickpea mixture with the sweet potato slices on top, but I just stirred the whole thing together. Chopped cilantro is added at the last minute.
It's served with a sauce made of yoghurt, crushed garlic, juice of one lemon 3 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp dried mint. I had some fresh mint and so used that instead.
This was amazingly good. The combo of the tart, acidic tomatoes with the crunchy garbanzos and the soft and sweet sweet potatoes was delicious.
The 2 of us ate a whole recipe and we had other stuff, too.
I also made hamburger patties using home-ground chuck. I almost always make my own hamburger since I read Bittman on the subject. Of course, his description doesn't mention much about all the tendons and tough membranes one finds in chuck roast and which tend to make the ground beef less of a delight to eat. I spend some time cutting away as much as I can, which improves them a good deal. The taste, however, is far superior to the stuff in the supermarket. I grind it in the food processor with sliced onion and garlic, salt and pepper.
We also had a green salad with lettuces from Full Belly.
A very, very good dinner.
re: oakjoan
How did you like the Koshary? It is a very common dish in Egypt, and I really enjoyed it when we had it there. The crispy onions are key. I would be tempted to make it, but my son didn't like it very much and I am not sure that I need to be eating that many carbs in one sitting, but I'm curious as to how this recipe is.
Whole wheat and mushrooms with celery and shallots (p. 73)
This simple salad is so good. Additional ingredients are flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, sherry vinegar, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Soak wheat berries overnight, then cook until tender but still a little firm to the bite (mine were fairly fresh, from the local farmers' market, so didn't take too long). Whisk brown sugar into sherry vinegar, and marinate the shallots and celery in it. Then add the wheat berries and remaining ingredients. I didn't have any tarragon, as the market was out. I added the chopped leaves of the celery along with the parsley. And I sautéed the mushrooms instead of leaving them raw (I used crimini instead of white button). Can't wait to have the leftovers.
Served this alongside the tofu with white wine, lemon, soy, and butter sauce from Flexitarian Table and some steamed asparagus dressed with lemon olive oil.
Red lentil and chard soup (p. 90)
I made this a couple of weeks ago. I loved this recipe on the page: the sautéed onions, cinnamon, cumin, coriander seeds garlic fried in butter, cilantro, lemon zest and juice sound like lots of great flavor. So I was disappointed that the flavor wasn't deeper; cooking the lentils with vegetable broth or chicken stock instead of water and adding the spices earlier might help, but I won't rush to repeat it even with changes - especially given that it's straightforward but uses multiple steps (simmer lentils in one pot, sauté onions in another, fry garlic and coriander seeds separately [I did not use a *third* pan for this as the recipe instructs, just used the skillet from the onions]).
re: Caitlin McGrath
Caitlin: I'm always confused about what whole wheat is. I have spelt and faro. Are those comparable? I was going to ask at our shrine of a grocery store, but it was very crowded at the counter where they weigh bulk items and I didn't want to wait.
I also love the salad with quinoa and red rice.
re: oakjoan
Joan, whole wheat I think generally means wheat berries ("whole wheat grains" in Ottolenghi). Since farro is a type of wheat, if you have whole farro grains, I think they're comparable. I'm not sure about spelt because I don't have personal experience with it. (This link says it's "in the wheat family": http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-spelt... ) I've been using excellent wheat berries from Full Belly.
re: Caitlin McGrath
All three are types of wheat. Faro, I believe, is the most ancient and from the eastern Mediterranean. Spelt is also very old and arose in Italy (it may be a cross between farro and more nothern wheats breeds). The most commonly used today is durham wheat. Spelt and faro tend to have more nutrition than durham. (Someone correct me on this please.)
Wheat berries are simply the entire kernel (the whole grain) of wheat that may or may not be cracked. It is whole wheat but so is the same kernel more finely milled into whole wheat flour.
All three would work in this recipe if a whole grain. Joan, since you have both spelt and faro, it may be interesting to compare the flavors and report back.
re: Caitlin McGrath
re: Caitlin McGrath
Thanks, Caitlin. I can probably find it in the bins at Berk Bowl. If not, I'll give Full Belly an email. Last time I was at BB I gave up because it was so crowded.
I am going to try the recipe with faro and will report back.
Well, since I've started this message I might as well post about dinner last night. I made a big batch of koshary and its sauce because one guest is a vegetarian. Another friend is almost entirely a meatatarian, but he likes my cooking and I've now been able to trick him into eating eggplant and cauliflower. Last night he ate lentils because I told him koshary was like a pilaf. mmmWAHAHAHAHAHAahahahah.
I made the chicken with za'atar, but cut the chicken into pieces. I had originally planned to serve a couple of roast chickens, but the thought of all that carving made me change my mind. If you don't feel like roasting a chicken, this is quite easy and absolutely devine! I love that combo of spices: the sourness of the sumac and the sweetness of the cinnamon and allspice. Add garlic and lemon slices and you'll break into a chorus of "Heaven, I'm in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak....etc., etc."
The chicken and kosary are a great combo with a big green salad. I used mizuna(o)?, arugula, romanita tomatoes, cukes and Full Belly Farm lettuces and spring onions.
Except for the marinating time, this is quite simple to make....unless, of course, you're a bozo like me and have to cut up 2 whole chickens.
For dessert I made the Almond and Orange Florentines (p. 227). These are a snap to make and not full of butter and eggs. They're made entirely of sliced almonds, egg whites, sugar and orange zest. You mix this with your hands and then make little mounds with your hands on the baking sheet (I used parchment for one batch and Silpat for the other - both worked fine). You dip a fork in water and flatten them as much as possilble without creating too many gaps btwn the flakes. I also used my water-dipped fingers to tidy them up. He says to bake for only12 minutes at what I figured to be around 300 degrees. Nothing much happened to them in that time, so I turned up the heat to about 325 and left them in for a few more minutes. I wish I could be more specific, but I wasn't really thinking about posting while doing this. You do have to watch so that they don't burn on the bottom. These cookies are quite deelish - very crispy.
I served them with something I discovered at Trader Joe's yesterday when I realized I wasn't going to have time to do the frozen yoghurt I'd planned. TJs has a non-fat frozen yoghurt that is quite good and quite tangy. I got some frozen blackberries which I defrosted and simmered a bit with some sugar. Served them over the fro-yo with the cookies on the side.
This was a really good dinner, with many compliments to the chef.
re: oakjoan
re: Caitlin McGrath
Thanks CMcG: I was pretty sure they had them, but I was shopping at the most crowded time and gave up too easily. I used all my brain power to remember that hazelnuts are called "filberts" at the Bowl and that they are on the other side of the aisle from most of the other nuts.
re: oakjoan
Made the Almond and Orange Florentines - We loved them!! They were way better than I expected. I did have the same problem with the cooking time that oakjoan had and, based on her success, I did the same thing - after 12 minutes raised the heat to 325 degrees. They cooked for EIGHT more minutes. Of course I did open the oven door twice during that time so YMMV.
Delicious AND Passover friendly, so I was able to serve them to my friends this week! Each of whom demanded the recipe.
re: Caitlin McGrath
Whole wheat and mushrooms with celery and shallots (p. 73)
We made this salad to go with the flattened chicken from Italian Easy and roasted red peppers and capers (Batali- Molto Gusto). This was my first time eating wheat berries in something other than bread. Taking note from Caitlin's original post, I sauteed the mushrooms and would continue to do so when making this salad. The tarragon was a pleasant addition as well. It made for a delicious salad, but a bit too sweet for me. I would use less brown sugar the next time I make this, but otherwise very nice.
Seared Duck Breasts with Blood Orange and Star Anise
I am so behind on posting about so many recipes generally, but trying to catch up. I used purchased blood orange juice for the juice, but 2 blood oranges for the segments (I halved the recipe). I had a huge duck breast, and so cut it in half for this recipe. I loved this dish, but next time would cook the duck a la Goin, so as to render a bit more of hte fat. Also, I thought that the cooking time here was too long for medium rare, and so cut back a bit. I served this with a wild rice pilaf that I made up, with baby bok choy and toasted pine nuts.
re: MMRuth
I have had my eye on that recipe, and your photos look scrumptious, MMRuth. What is Goin's method? After trial and error over the years, I now do duck breasts by scoring the skin and fat and cooking slowly to render out lots of the fat, for a longer time and at lower heat than most recipes suggest; then turn them and cook flesh side down briefly to medium rare.
re: Caitlin McGrath
Hers is the same as yours - score, and cook slowly over low heat to render the fat, etc.
Here's the post where I cooked her recipe:
re: MMRuth
That recipe with the roasted grapes reminds me of one from one of Rozanne Gold's 1-2-3 books for chicken breasts. You take a bunch of red and green grapes, slow-roast some and puree and strain the rest. When the chicken comes out of the pan, you deglaze the pan with the juice and add butter and the roasted grapes to make a sauce. I always thought it would go even better with duck (or pork).
Khalid's Chocolate & Chestnut Bars
Pistachio Shortbreads
The bars - I used cooked and peeled chestnuts from TJ's. The recipe says to bake for 15 to 20 minute, and not to go beyond the point where a skewer comes out with a gooey crumb attached to it. That said, I thought it was still far too gooey, and baked for another ten to fifteen minutes. I left it to cool, noting that even the top of the middle seemed undercooked, and then refrigerated overnight. After further testing the next day, I let it come to room temp. and baked for another 15 minutes or so. While I will fully admit to preferring cake-like brownies, these were still fudgey after all my finagling. I didn't bother with the cocoa on top - they were rich enough as it was.
The Pistachio Shortbreads - overall, an easy recipe, though I was too lazy to completely peel the pistachios, so mine don't quite have that lovely green. I did find that rolling the logs of dough in the chopped pistachios was more of a pain than I thought it would be, and there were bare spots. That said, I'd make them again. For the ground rice I, well, just ground some rice. I gather this is an ingredient that can be found in the U.K, but don't know if it differs from just plain ground rice. I did have to be careful that they didn't brown too much, and was lucky to have some vanilla sugar on hand to sprinkle on them.
Both desserts were winners at the dinner party to which I brought them.
re: MMRuth
I have had my eye on the Pistachio Shortbreads and now both eyes are on them.
Tonight I made the Chicken and 3 Rice Salad for dinner, using the leftover za'atar chicken with lemon and garlic from Sunday night instead of roasting another chicken. It's pretty simple. One just cooks basmathi rice and, in another pot, brown rice and wild rice. When the rice is cooked, drained and cooled down (I just ran cold water over them through a sieve), you mix it with sliced regular onions, spring onions, chopped cilantro and mint leaves. He calls for shiso leaves, but says rocket can be subbed. I used rocket. I had some almost ready to throw in the towel romanita tomatoes and so chopped them up and put them in as well as some Persian cukes I got today at Berkeley's other temple of produce, Monterey Market. His dressing is lemon juice, sesame oil, fish sauce and olive oil. I got totally sick of fish sauce after making SE Asian food and and overeating it at restaurants, so I put in some cider vinegar and a dash of balsamic. Served it with some wonderful pain epi. We wolfed down a whole big bowl of the stuff. A very nice salad. Oops, it's on page 124.
I also got some pretty good strawberries at Mont. Mkt. today and made some non-fat/low-fat froyo to go with it. Mmmmmm good.
re: oakjoan
Well, I've completed my most complicated Ottolenghi recipe and it was a great success. I made the Caramel and Macadamia Cheesecake for my cousin's birthday on Saturday. This was somewhat of a chore as the measurements in baked goods need to be closer to exact than for, say, quinoa and red rice salad.
The cake base is made of "dry biscuits (HobNobs are good)". I didn't know what HobNobs were, but I went online and found that they seem to be made by one of my favorite cookie makers, i.e., McVittys (sp) I am totally addicted to their Ginger snaps - very hot in the spicy way. I couldn't find HobNobs although Berkeley Bowl had several McV cookies. I ended up buying some Spanish butter cookies. I now know that HobNobs are oatmeal cookies (thank you greedygirl!).
So the base is a basic cheesecake crust - cookies and butter whizzed in the processor and then pressed into the bottom of a springform pan.
The recipe also calls for vanilla seeds to be scraped into the cake batter. Mine have been residing in a big jar of sugar for so long that they've become impossible to slit open - too dry. I used liquid vanilla. You beat sugar, cream cheese, sour cream and eggs and then pour into the prep. pan and bake for about an hour.
They say that the cake can be difficult to get off the cake pan bottom, but that you can use a couple of "fish slices"....gg? I think we need a translation here.
The macadamia nuts are roasted on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes and then set aside.
You make the first caramel by melting and browning sugar in a heavy pan. After it caramelizes, you add the nuts. Then you turn them out onto a large pan lined with parchment to dry and cool down. When it's cool you chop up the nuts very roughly (leaving lots of halves and some whole nuts).
You then make a caramel sauce out of butter, superfine sugar and whipping cream. To finish the cake, you pour the caramel sauce over the top of the cake (a depression will appear during baking, leaving a lip around the edge of the cake....mine did anyway.
The nuts are then scattered over the caramel.
OHMIGOD!!!! This is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten! It's soooo rich and yet refreshing. My cousin and the guests loved it and ate the whole thing.
The richness of the caramel along with the slightly tangy cheesecake go beautifully with each other. I forgot to take a picture, but the finished cake actually looked quite like the photo in the book.
re: oakjoan
Hob Nobs are a classic British biscuit (cookie). Here's a picture from a fab website:
Fish slice = metal spatula thingy that you use to slide a piece of fish or similar out of a pan.
That cake sounds amazing oj, and well done for triumphing over the language barrier!
re: greedygirl
What a great website! I actually found my favorite cookies - McVities Ginger Nuts. They paired them off with a ginger cookie from New Zealand which they also liked, I have to keep myself to a schedule with Ginger Nuts because otherwise I'd be eating 50 or 60 a day.
Who'd a thunk such a bland-looking cookie without chocolate or frosting or nuts could be so delicious!
Thank you to Milan Market on University Avenue in Berkeley, California, for introducing me to these delightful treats.
re: oakjoan
I loaned my copy to a friend. His GF is a veg. because of migraine issues with meat. As soon as i get it back I am going to plan a diner party based on the book. 2 Vegs 1 who won't eat fish and 5 omnivores. I think with the book I can pull off a menu that will satisfy all.
re: Candy
Candy: I am positive you can make a great meal from Ottolenghi given your requirements. I had similar guests a couple of weeks ago when I made a dinner from the book. Everybody was very happy. The pickiest eater ate lentils without knowing they were there. Insert "Ha Ha" here ala the kid in the Simpsons.
re: oakjoan
I'm joining in as I just got the book a couple of days ago, but he now has another one out called PLENTY. I noticed that someone had problems finding rocket-it's arugula. Also, our local Target carrys Camargue Red Rice. You might want to check for it there. To OakJoan--did you use salted macadamias for the cheesecake?
re: Maryld
I dont think Plenty has been released yet - His site says May 5
I have an order into Amazon UK but nothing yet so far.
Looks like its all (or maybe almost all) vegetarian
re: Maryld
MaryId, welcome to the Ottolenghi lovefest! It was a Cookbook of the Month last August, so there is a ton more discussion about it in those threads. Here is the master COTM thread, with links to all the other threads about the different chapters, with everyone's reports: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641730
Those of you who have so far resisted the siren call of this book may be interested to know it (and a number of other interesting books, such as the Nigel Slater on the veg garden) is on sale at Amazon.uk - Ottolenghi for 50% off, GBP 12.50. With shipping about $25.00 with the GBP where it is these days.
re: buttertart
I picked up Plenty when I was just over in the UK. I want to cook every single recipe in it - just wish my kids weren't so veggie-averse. Although all the recipes are quasi-vegetarian, he is happy to recommend "goes with fish" or "great with lamb chops", which apparently attracted lots of criticism in the Guardian, where most of these recipes first appeared.
re: JaneEYB
re: buttertart
re: The Dairy Queen
re: buttertart
You rang, ma'am?
I am indeed a recent purchaser of not only the Ottolenghi book but the Slater one. Although normally an avid fan of Slater (owning all of his previous except "Thirst"), I'd cribbed at buying Tender for some time. There was a related BBC programme which irritated me by his prissie attitude, so I vowed not to buy. I've relented.
Have to say, I have a strict policy about reading books in order of purchase and havnt yet opened either. Ottolenghi is up next (after I've finished a fascinating tome about World War 1 flyers in 1918). It'll be some time before Slater gets a look-in ..... a couple of trashy crime novels and more military history before then
re: buttertart
re: greedygirl
A Slater book would be interesting at some later date. I have his Real Fast Food and Kitchen Diaries but have not cooked from either one. I have a pre-order of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall "River Cottage Every Day" set to arrive in August...should have been sooner but there was a publisher's delay. And not to bend this thread too off the mark, I've been watching Jamie at Home on Create in late afternoon and Love the food he cooks from the garden....I think that book might just be my next acquisition.
re: Gio
re: Gio
My advice about the Jamie at Home book (and with all recent Oliver books - those after the Naked Chef batch) is to thoroughly read the recipe and make sure that you feel it's going to be "right" or can you instinctively feel that something or somethings need adding. We've cooked a few dishes from this and from a couple of other recent books and have found them very underwhelming.
re: Harters
GG.. Glad to know what you think, as usual. I'll be sure to let you know.
Harters, many thanks for your advice. In the past I have not been shy about adjusting any recipe I've cooked to my liking. (Probably some of the few books I don't need to tweak are the 2 Ottolenghi books I have.) Perhaps I ought to seek out a copy of At Home at a local library or bookseller first and have a read. BTW, my husband likes everything we've cooked from Jamie At Home.
Thanks again.
re: Gio
re: Gio
It's possible you may be able to get this on your side of the pond through the second-hand bookshop websites, like AbeBooks - but one you may like is Gennaro Contaldo's "Passione".
Contaldo often appears in Jamie's TV programmes and is usually described as his mentor. Jamie used to work for him at Passione - his restaurant in London (now closed & sadly missed by Mrs Harters & me). A good book of Italian dishes.


text:
News Article
The road to this album has been hella-rough for members of Atlanta's premier mystic-metal quartet Mastodon… from family tragedies to health issues, even an alleged dust-up involving guitarist Brett Hinds and System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian that left Hinds hospitalized, they've literally got the scars to prove it. But as Conan (and Nietzsche, natch) could tell you, that which does not kill us makes us stronger… and their fourth studio release Crack the Skye proves this adage beyond a doubt, because to my ears it represents their most powerful and accomplished work to date. Read on to find out how this CD crumpled up your reviewer's fragile mind like tissue paper!
Mastodon have never shied away from their prog-rock influences, and this wouldn't be the first time they've boldly stomped their way into the grandest of '70s-style concept albums (e.g. the Moby Dick-inspired Leviathan), but this time they've gone all the way – carving progressive, folk, southern-rock and neo-classical elements into the cold steel of old-school melodic metal to create a sprawling, epic tale of mysticism, occult practices and astral projection by way of Russian history and folklore.
Now don't panic… if that concept sounds too massive to absorb in a single take, that's because it is. Seriously, you need to spend some quality sit-down time with Crack the Skye to work this stuff out… and then you might want to factor in some post-listening therapy sessions to repair the damage to your higher-brain functions – not unlike the post-traumatic stress of a Lovecraft protagonist after one fleeting glimpse at the face of the Unnameable. What I'm saying is, this is not just a bunch of artsy noodling here; this is metal that will boil your brain like a pressure-cooker.
The 50-minute album is divided into seven tracks, which should give you some idea of the broad canvas the band has chosen for their concept. According to some (kinda vague) accounts by the band, the songs seem to weave a loose but colorfully told tale of Czarist Russia and a spirit traveler whose soul enters the real-life "mad monk" Rasputin. Rasputin is infamous for his alleged influence on Russia's Czar Nicholas II and family, which may have been – at least according to legend – aided by practices in alchemy and the occult. As history tells it, his attempts to overthrow the monarch ultimately led to his murder.
It's from there that Mastodon's version of the story spirals off to planet wacko, as the monk's spirit flees from the Devil in an attempt to return to the beyond as prophesied by a strange religious sect (of which Rasputin was rumored to be a closet member). Or at least I think that's what's going on here… at some point it really becomes subject to interpretation, and I won't try to influence you one way or the other. But I can address the complex, dense and mind-expanding musical technique through which the band brings these ideas across… or at least I'll try my damnedest.
Oblivion sets the cosmic stage with dark, low atmospheric chords and a sonically searing solo from Hinds, but it's Divinations that really lets rip with a whiplash journey through half a dozen musical eras, from Russian-flavored acoustic instrumentation to an explosion of greasy southern-rock riffage and surreal lead guitar, with the seismic beats of drummer Brann Dailor serving as the thematic linchpin. Quintessence initially puts more emphasis on subtle harmonies and silvery neck-tapping leads, but descends into the depths of hell thanks to demoniacally distorted vocals.
The core of the Rasputin tale comes in the four-part, 10-minute epic The Czar, which creates an authentic Russian feel through traditional-style instruments and playing styles, beginning with the grandiose Usurper, and diving deep into dark, rolling, Pantera-style rhythm guitar for Escape before exploring powerful arena-style harmonies for the breathtaking Martyr, which presumably depicts the monk's violent earthly end... before soaring skyward with the protagonist's fleeing soul in Spiral, which forms a classical coda of haunting beauty.
The gut-shaking sledgehammer groove of Ghost of Karelia pulls you back a bit from the lofty proceedings for a callback to the signature sound they first forged with Remission, but the title track which follows adopts a less typical pattern for the band, taking on a schizophrenic "beauty & beast" nature by alternating between heartbreakingly melodic and coldly evil passages, with an able assist from guest vocalist Scott Kelly of Neurosis. The album closes on another epic note thanks to the sprawling, monolithic The Last Baron, which clocks in at 13 minutes, but never wears out its welcome.
Befitting the grand design of the album itself, the elaborate special-edition CD package features Paul Romano's mind-bending promotional art (think Tool's 10,000 Days meets Russian Orthodox iconography), and there's also a packed making-of DVD with band commentary and other goodies. Sadly, the "super-deluxe" boxed edition, which also featured a Romano lithograph and a cool fold-out "wormhole" CD case, sold out pretty quick. But keep an eye on eBay – I've seen a few floating around.
As unlikely as it may seem after reading this review, Skye may actually be the most accessible of Mastodon's material, with more hooks that you might imagine and a level of production that broadens their sound to the scope of a high-concept blockbuster – but with the same trippy wonder and sense of dark fantasy that they handle so well. Not to mention they freakin' kill it with unsurpassed, genre-hopping technique.
If the dense, morphing sound and impenetrable lyrics of their past releases tend to leave you scratching your head, then sorry, you won't get a break this time around… but if you're already a fan, or a lover of thematically complex metal in general, I'll betcha a donut you'll be pretty damn satisfied. Either way, you should take a gander, 'cuz for my money this one feels like metal history in the making.


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Here at Festival, we have received a number of awards in recognition of our commitment to training and development.
Back in 2010, we were a winner at the Worcestershire Ambassadors Corporate Social Responsibility Awards where Festival won the Workplace & Staff Award. The award recognised Festivals work in training and developing staff.
More recently, we have been recognised as an Investors in Excellence and in March 2012, received recognition at the prestigious Investors in Excellence awards where we were awarded Highly Commended in the Excellence Champions category for our commitment to a programme of Lean projects in 2011/12 which achieved excellent results.
Earlier this year, we were awarded the Investors in People Gold Award. This is the highest level which can be achieved and acknowledges the work which we have put in to improve our business performance.


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State Police have reported that a tractor trailer rolled over on Rotue 495 South at the Route 95 Exit in Mansfield.
State Police have also reported the crash has blocked the two right lanes and a fuel spill has occured.
Update: 3:11 p.m.
State Police are reporting that the fuel spill as a result of the tractor trailer rollover has forced the closure of exit 13 on Route 495 South, which is the onramp to Route 95 North in Mansfield.
The crash was called in at 2:42 p.m. As of 3:11 p.m. there are no known injuries and the cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
The truck was reportedly hauling some sort of syrup and it has also spilled all over the road, but is not considered a hazard at this time. Companies are still cleaning up the fuel spill at this time.
More on this story as it develops.


text:
On View: Pair of Rattles (Likishi Dance Costume Accessory)
This complete dance costume shows how masks are normally one part of a larger ensemble. The mask is sewn directly onto the costume of looped...
Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Hiroshige's 118 woodblock landscape and genre scenes of mid-nineteenth-century Tokyo, is one of the greatest achievements of Japanese art.
On View: The Martyrs of the Union Minière du Haut Katanga at the Stadium Formerly Called 'Albert I', now 'Mobutu', Kenia Township, Lubumbashi
This work depicts the massacre of striking mineworkers in Lubumbashi at the order of the Belgian colonial government on December 9, 1941. Th...
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11238-6052
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
Wednesday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Friday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.


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We have 2 fawn males and 1 fawn female. They were born on July 4th and are 3 weeks and 1 day old. We are asking $1300 for each male and $1100 for our female. Mother and father live in our home and are a part of our family. The puppies will be up to date...More info Email a friend
One year old male English Bulldog. House trained and sweet disposition.More info Email a friend
Bichon Frise CKC Adorable healthy pups, S&W $650 706.799.9243More info Email a friend
BOYKIN PUPS, F's BSS Reg. 13 wks old. 3rd shots F-$500 ea. 803-791-1204 msgMore info Email a friend
Lhatefe Pups, M&F very cute $300 - $375. Yorkies CKC M /F Small $600-$675 803-221-6115 803.979.2744More info Email a friend
AKC YELLOW LABS excellent bloodline, master hunter, great pets. $450. Call 803.319.7071More info Email a friend
Chihuahua's 15wks $150 1 long haired, 2 w/ short coats. 2 males, 1 female. 5 Shih-Tzu 9wks. $350 803-535-4880/803-290-1456More info Email a friend
Yorkies AKC $750. Shih-Tzu CKC $350 Call 843-825-6271 / 843-209-3866More info Email a friend
Bassett Hounds Pups, CKC, Mom & Dad on site, shots & wormed, 6 wks-old 803.939.0100More info Email a friend
Boxer Pups, AKC, Mom & Dad on site, shots & wormed, 12 wks-old Fawn color 803.939.0100More info Email a friend


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Serenity Mountain Cabin Rentals
I-40 to Exit 407. If traveling West, turn left at the end of the ramp. If traveling East, turn right. Travel South on State Hwy 66 and go 9.5 miles to T intersection and turn right. Travel 4.5 miles into Pigeon Forge. Once in Pigeon Forge, traffic lights are numbered. Turn right at Light 3 on Wears Valley Rd, then 1st left on Florence Dr to office 1/2 mile on right.
All of our cabins and chalets are fully equipped with all the amenities you need for a truly memorable vacation, such as wood-burning fireplace, Jacuzzi, hot tub, complete kitchen, privacy, mountain views and more. Convenient to Pigeon Forge.
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