Grains of Paradise

Nature Boy

Howdy!
Just ordered some grains from Cooksware, along with some tarragon, saffron, and a Wusthoff Chef's Knife. Pretty psyched.[p]I just got an order confrimation from Cooksware, but the grains-o-paradise are backordered....2-3 weeks.[p]Anybody gotten a chance to try the GOP yet????[p]My celery salt, cajun seasoning, fennel, chipotle powder, crushed Jalapenos, Rogan Josh. cracked ginger, brown mustard seeds, onion powder, roasted onion powder and big bag of tellicherry peppers should be here from Penzey's soon. Yeeeee ha![p]Waiting for paradise.
NB

Chief

Nature Boy,
I posted that Jack Daniel recipe you wanted....look under Lamp Chop recipe on the forum.[p]I got this recipe for a local here....

char buddy

Nature Boy,[p]I just got my GOPs in the mail today. I'll let you know in a few days how they worked in rib recipe. I bit on one of them three hours ago and I still have a slight burn on my tongue, if that's any indication.

Sundown

Nature Boy,[p]Ordered some about a week ago from Bucks and they said I was back ordered too. Dang!
Ordered 1/2 lb. Too popular this GOP

Gretl

Nature Boy,
I ordered a whole pound (I sure hope I like them!) from The Spice House on Friday. No back order. They haven't arrived yet, but I'll let you know. The person taking my order said they're smaller and tougher than regular peppercorns, and he said I'd be better served to use a mortar and pestle than a pepper grinder. BUT I've been sort of considering one of those brass spice grinders in one of the catalogs that has a heavy-duty mechanism. When the fellow on the phone told me to use a mortar and pestle to grind the G of P, I said, "Oh, yeah. Then they go all over the kitchen, right?" And he replied, "Yep."[p]Cheers,
G.

Nature Boy

Gretl,
Look forward to hearing of your experience.
You should get to know your mortar and pestal. Something about crushing the stuff in there really seems to bring out the flavors. I find myself using it more and more. Like Cat says, it also helps to get your frustrations out!! Gotta be good exercise too. I usually don't have a problem with projectiles.[p]Cheers!!
NB

Cat

Nature Boy,[p]I sometimes have projectile problems with peppercorns, & imagine the GOPs could cause the same. Problem solved by folding the pepper in a waxed-paper pouch, setting it on a chopping board & whacking with a hammer. Cracking them up a bit makes them much easier to crush.[p]Even better at easing tension than a mortar & pestle.[p]Cathy

char buddy

Cat,[p]Ummmm. So pounding GOPs is even better for easing tension than a mortan and pestle? I gotta try this.[p]Char buddy[p]

Gretl

Cat,
One Sunday morning the electricity was out. I could boil the water for coffee on the gas range and pour it through the filter into the pot, but gee...my beans were whole, and my grinder electric. So there I stood, with the beans in a double layer ziplock bag, pounding the hell out of them with a meat mallet and marble rolling pin. I managed to extract a small pot of weak coffee, but I wouldn't recommend it. I was weak, too! Actually, as a result of that little setback, I bought a hand-cranked bean grinder to use as emergency backup. We're talkin' serious caffeine, here!
Cheers,
Gretl