Refried Beans

Pinto beans, prepared Mexican style, are such a staple in our house a week rarely goes by without my mother making up a batch. Although beans have a relatively long shelf life, the older they are the longer you'll have to cook them to get them to soften. Find a source that supplies fresh beans. If you have some that have been sitting around for more than a year, they'll be tough and not as good, you'll need to cook them longer.

"Refried" is actually a misnomer. In this instance, refritos means "well fried", not "refried", though you can certainly reheat the beans as you go through a batch. Before frying them though you'll need to cook them, in water, to soften them. There are basically two ways to initially cook the beans - with a pressure cooker and without. Since we make beans so often, we use a pressure cooker. It greatly cuts down on the cooking time. Here are directions for both methods.

Cook time: 45 minutes

We use bacon fat in this recipe, though you can easily use olive oil or lard. Although the recipe only calls for 2 Tbsp, we find that the flavor is greatly enhanced with the addition of a couple more tablespoons of bacon fat, just for flavor. You can also get some smokey flavor in the beans by adding a bit of chipotle powder, sauce, or chipotle Tabasco.
Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of dry pinto beans (about 1 lb or 450gm)
3 quarts of water
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
2 Tbsp (or more to taste) pork lard, bacon fat, or olive oil (for vegetarian option)
1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
Cheddar cheese (optional)

Method

1 Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.

2 Cook the beans in water.
Regular method Put beans into a pot and cover beans with at least 3 inches of water - about 3 quarts for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open.

Pressure Cooker method Put beans into a 4 quart pressure cooker with a 15 lb weight. Fill up the pressure cooker with water, up to the line that indicates the capacity for the pot. Cook for 30-35 minutes - until the beans are soft and the skins are barely breaking open. Allow the pressure cooker to cool completely before opening. If there is resistance when attempting to open the cooker, do not open it, allow it to cool further. Follow the directions for your brand of pressure cooker. (See safety tips on using pressure cookers.)

Strain the beans from the cooking water.

3 Add the onions and lard/fat/oil to a wide, sturdy (not with a flimsy stick-free lining) frying pan on medium high heat. Cook onions until translucent. (Note the onions are optional, you can skip them if you want.) Add the strained beans and about a 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan, while you are cooking them, until they are a rough purée. Add more water if necessary to keep the fried beans from getting too dried out. Add salt to taste. Add a few slices of cheddar cheese, or some (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese if you want. When beans are heated through (and optional cheese melted) the beans are ready to serve.

Note that many recipes call for soaking the beans overnight and discarding the soaking liquid. We don't. We discard the cooking liquid and just add some water back into the frying pan when we are frying the beans.

Guh! Thanks for the tip, I just looked it up, and am posting in Carnivore!

Yea, those beans aren't necessarily hot, but can be by adjusting the chili powder or adding some serranos etc to the mix. I've only used adobo a bit here and there with mixed results. But in New Mexico and southern Colorado they have a thing called adobada. Red chili with pork. Amazing when done well. Yea, sorry this is the veggie thread isn't it?

dave said:

Wow Mike, that is too smokin'! It's got basically everything I love- beans, garlic, onion, heat, and a freakin' Portobello, can't wait to try it! I love the meatiness of Portobellos, the best burger I've had in Portland was flame-broiled w/ Portobellos. Sa-weet!

Have you ever used smoked chili paste, adobo, that's it!, to sweeten a batch of chili?

That looks friggin great, man I'm getting too many recipes to try here. Not enough time to make them.

dave said:

Roasted Red Beet Hummus

Nothing quite tops the rich red and burgundy of a red beet. Whether it be in raviolis or this hummus recipe, they just add so much to a dish, visually speaking. Enjoy this dish with a chilled glass of Pinot Blanc.

2 medium-sized red beets
1 cup of chickpeas
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
1 meyer lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

1. Wash and trim the red beets and then wrap them in tinfoil. Place them in baking dish with 1/8 inch of water and roast them for about an hour at 375 degrees.

2. In a small sauce pan, add two tablespoons of sesame seeds and just enough olive oil to coat. You don't want to dominate the sesame seed flavor with olive oil.

3. Cook them over a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or as needed. When the mixture looks like the photo below, remove them from the stove.

4. When the red beats are fully cooked (you can tell by poking them with a knife) then remove them from the oven and let cook. Once cooled, peel them and cube them.

5. Add the following ingredients to your food processor: the cup of chickpeas, the two tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds, the roasted beets and a pinch of salt.

6. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice to the mixture and puree it. Add more lemon as needed.

7. Salt to taste and serve. Enjoy!

Potato Gravy

I saw this on an Ethiopian foodcart here in PDX, but didn't get to ask the chef.

So here's something I just worked out on the fly, lemme know what you think...

1 cooked potato, put in a blender w/ a bit of warmed chicken broth (experiment to find the right amount for you), a few twists of fresh black pepper, and you've got something to put on veggies.

Note: Feel free to put in a pat of butter, some soymilk or milk, cheese, cooked garlic...

Look what Mike found for us!

Pork Adobada

Ingredients:

6 new mexico anaheim dried red chilies
4 dried pasilla peppers
½ cup cider vinegar
1 medium onion , chopped
5 garlic cloves , chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 -2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 lbs lean pork , cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

1
Tear chile pods into pieces, removing steam and reserving seeds.
2
Place chile on baking sheet, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3
When oven is hot roast the chile for 10 minutes.
4
Place the chile in blender container.
5
Bring the chicken stock to a boil, add cider vinegar and pour over chile.
6
Allow to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to soften chile.
7
Add orange juice contentrate, tomato paste, brown sugar and cumin.
8
Blend into a smooth paste, add 1 tablespoon of the chile seeds and blend until smooth.
9
Warm olive oil in skillet, add onions and garlic.
10
Saute until onions begin to brown lightly then pour onions into crockpot.
11
Toss the pork with 1 tablespoon of flour.
12
In same skillet add pork cubes and brown stirring frequently.
13
May need to brown the meat in batches to enusre even browning,.
14
As meat is browned, transfer to crockpot.
15
When all the meat has been browned, pour 1/2 cup water into skillet, bring to a boil and scrape up browned bits.
16
Pour into crockpot along with chile sauce, stirring well.
17 Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
18
Please note: This freezes well, freeze in a rigid container; defrost and heat through.

So has anyone seen the second "Ghost Rider" film yet? I'm almost on the fence about going, now that I know that Marvel is inacting legal action against the comic character's original creator. Years ago he sold off the rights to Marvel, and throughout the years, he's made some measly profit money showing up at comic conventions. Well, they want ALL his profits he's made (I think it's in the neighborhood of $17,000.00), and they want him to keep his mouth shut about being the creator. Sheesh, talk about greed, and this guy will never see a dime from any licensed item nor from the film itself. Hell, I may go see it, at least some of the money will go to Nicholas Cage, since after all he had to file for bankruptcy (Ok, bad joke).

I've seen the latest trailer for "The Avengers", and I must say, I was quite impressed. However, I did have a couple of issues with what I have seen. One is the Hulk's look. I don't think he will ever look totally believable in any film, but I still think he looked the best and most authentic in Ang Lee's adaptation. They used Industrial, Light, & Magic, and I don't know why they were never used again. The Hulk just looked way too CG in the second film, so it's hard for me to try and watch that version (still have never watched it the whole way through). Perhaps the second Hulk film had a lower budget? And now, here in his third big screen appearance, he does look better than the second time, but pales in comparison to his first dash on the silver screen.

I know the Black Widow was a major character in "Iron Man 2", but other than setting her up as being in "The Avengers", I'm not that sure she was really all that necessary. I never really read the Avengers comics, but was she ever one of them? So in the trailer, she's shown a lot, but does she add THAT much (other than being eye candy)? There's also the inclusion of Hawkeye, who we all know was an Avenger, but he just doesn't seem like he belongs, neither (perhaps because he just looks bland). He had a small appearance in "Thor", but he just doesn't seem to add much. I know in the '60's Avengers (#1), the superhero line-up was Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor, and I think they should have stuck with that. The movie doesn't come out until May, so I guess I will have to wait and see, and hope the Black Widow and Hawkeye just aren't characters thrown in for the hell of it, getting in the way, and creating too many subplots.

I got a Sony USB turntable about 4 years ago.  I am happy with it.  The only issue that I have ever had with it was sometime if the usb cable is to close to fm cable i pick up some radio signals muffled behind the music but other than that very happy!!

Sounds yummy! Pork anything is okay w/ me!

Greetings, from Yank-land, Dave

Thanks!

 for up to 30 or more dumplings you need : --500 grams of mince porc

                                           --a peice of ginger (fresh) to grate              

                                          -- a bunch of fresh coriander to chop finely

                                         -- a tablespoon of seasam oil

                                        --two bunch of spring onions (fresh) to chop finely

                                        --Dumpling sheets (u find them at any asian store)

--Mix all the above ingredients together and roll into small meat balls ,put each ball on a dumpling sheet .Pour a lil water in a glass and rub with your finger the outline of the dumpling sheet .Then fold in two,like a half moon shape,pinch around the edges five times to seal the dumpling.

Boil 7 to 10 minutes or grill at medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

Serve with soya sauce mixed w/a lil sesam oil and tiny red hot peppers,u can also add them in any soup!enjoy!;)

That's cool.

Pho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) Recipe

This Woman's site has a ton of great tips, check it out!

Ingredients:

THE BROTH
2 onions, halved
4" nub of ginger, halved lengthwise
5-6 lbs of good beef bones, preferably leg and knuckle
1 lb of beef meat - chuck, brisket, rump, cut into large slices [optional]
6 quarts of water
1 package of Pho Spices [1 cinnamon stick, 1 tbl coriander seeds, 1 tbl fennel seeds, 5 whole star anise, 1 cardamom pod, 6 whole cloves - in mesh bag]
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (halve if using regular table salt)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 inch chunk of yellow rock sugar (about 1 oz) - or 1oz of regular sugarTHE BOWLS
2 lbs rice noodles (dried or fresh)
cooked beef from the broth
1/2 lb flank, london broil, sirloin or eye of round, sliced as thin as possible.
big handful of each: mint, cilantro, basil
2 limes, cut into wedges
2-3 chili peppers, sliced
2 big handfuls of bean sprouts
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha hot sauce

Directions:

Char: Turn your broiler on high and move rack to the highest spot. Place ginger and onions on baking sheet. Brush just a bit of cooking oil on the cut side of each. Broil on high until ginger and onions begin to char. Turn over and continue to char. This should take a total of 10-15 minutes.

Parboil the bones: Fill large pot (12-qt capacity) with cool water. Boil water, and then add the bones, keeping the heat on high. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones and rinse out the pot. Refill pot with bones and 6 qts of cool water. Bring to boil over high heat and lower to simmer. Using a ladle or a fine mesh strainer, remove any scum that rises to the top.

Boil broth: Add ginger, onion, spice packet, beef, sugar, fish sauce, salt and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the beef meat and set aside (you'll be eating this meat later in the bowls) Continue simmering for another 1 1/2 hours. Strain broth and return the broth to the pot. Taste broth and adjust seasoning - this is a crucial step. If the broth's flavor doesn't quite shine yet, add 2 teaspoons more of fish sauce, large pinch of salt and a small nugget of rock sugar (or 1 teaspoon of regular sugar). Keep doing this until the broth tastes perfect.

Prepare noodles & meat: Slice your flank/london broil/sirloin as thin as possible - try freezing for 15 minutes prior to slicing to make it easier. Remember the cooked beef meat that was part of your broth? Cut or shred the meat and set aside. Arrange all other ingredients on a platter for the table. Your guests will "assemble" their own bowls. Follow the directions on your package of noodles - there are many different sizes and widths of rice noodles, so make sure you read the directions. For some fresh rice noodles, just a quick 5 second blanch in hot water is all that's needed. The package that I purchased (above) - needed about 45 seconds in boiling water.

Ladling: Bring your broth back to a boil. Line up your soup bowls next to the stove. Fill each bowl with rice noodles, shredded cooked beef and raw meat slices. As soon as the broth comes back to a boil, ladle into each bowl. the hot broth will cook your raw beef slices. Serve immediately. Guests can garnish their own bowls as they wish.

Cold Tofu Salad

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy oil
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 generous tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 green onions, finely sliced
Salt to taste
2 blocks of tofu (about 20 ounces), drained on paper towels

Directions

Combine the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes and arrange on individual plates. Cover with the dressing and serve immediately.

Recipe: Bún Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Noodle Salad)

2009_07_17-bun.jpgEscape the heat, escape from rigid recipes, escape to new flavors ... It's Escapes Month at The Kitchn, and here's one of the most relaxed and refreshing dishes we can imagine.

Vietnamese cuisine excels at contrasts of taste and texture, and bún, or noodle salad, is a shining example. With slender rice noodles, a generous handful of fragrant herbs, crunchy bean sprouts, savory protein, and a salty-sour-sweet sauce, this dish is delightfully complex, yet incredibly simple to make.

Think of this more as inspiration and guide than a recipe. We like serving bún with deep fried tofu, which is quick and easy to cook, and the crispy texture is a nice contrast to the other salad ingredients. However, you could also use marinated tofu to add more flavor, baked tofu for a healthier version, or beef, pork, or shrimp for a non-vegetarian version. Feel free to include more lettuce, omit the cucumber, add a shredded carrot, use the herbs you like and have on hand. Most of all, enjoy your escape!

A note on the sauce: Traditionally, bún is served with a sauce called nuoc cham, which includes nuoc mam, or fish sauce. This is a quick vegetarian version using soy sauce. If you want, substitute real fish sauce or vegetarian fish sauce (available at Asian markets) for the soy sauce.

Bún Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Noodle Salad)
Serves 2

Noodles
4 ounces dried rice sticks or vermicelli

Tofu
1/2 pound extra firm tofu
Vegetable oil

Greens
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup julienned cucumber
Large handful of mixed herbs, coarsely chopped or torn (basil, mint, cilantro; if available: rau răm or Vietnamese coriander, tiá tô or Vietnamese perilla)

Sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, crushed

Garnish
2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped

For the noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add rice sticks. Stir and cook until noodles are white and tender but still firm, about 3-5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water, fluffing the noodles to separate the strands. Drain again completely.

For the tofu
Cut tofu into bite-size pieces and press between clean kitchen towels or paper towels to rid of excess water. Heat oil in a skillet and fry tofu until crispy and golden. Drain excess oil.

For the greens
Prepare the greens and set aside. (May be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.)

For the sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for sauce. Set aside. (May be prepared ahead of time kept in the refrigerator.)

To serve
Divide the noodles between two bowls. Arrange greens and tofu on top and garnish with peanuts. Just before eating, drizzle with sauce to taste and toss.

Vegetarian Mul Naengmyun (Korean Cold Noodles)
Serves 2

Broth
4 cups vegetable broth
1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup white vinegar
5 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Toppings
1 small cucumber
1/4 pound Korean radish or daikon
1 small Asian pear
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vinegar, divided
1 egg
1/2 cup crushed ice

Noodles
1/4 pound Korean buckwheat noodles or Japanese soba noodles

Garnish
Sesame seeds
Korean mustard sauce or other hot mustard

For the broth
Combine broth ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain and cool. Refrigerate until cold, at least an hour.

For the toppings
Cucumber: Thinly slice or julienne. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and toss to combine. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Radish: Peel and thinly slice. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar and toss to combine. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Pear: Peel and thinly slice or julienne. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt to prevent discoloration.

Egg: Hard boil, peel, and slice in half.

For the noodles
Cover noodles with boiling water and let sit for 3 minutes. (If using soba noodles, cook according to package directions.) Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water, using your hands to separate the strands. Drain again completely.

To serve
Divide the noodles between two bowls. Pour about 2 cups of broth into each bowl. Add crushed ice and arrange toppings over noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with mustard on the side, which diners should add to taste.

Korean Spicy Cold Noodles Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Japanese soba (buckwheat) noodles are used for this recipe, which you can usually find in the international section of the grocery store. You can also use somen noodles, Korean wheat noodles (guksu), arrow root noodles, sweet potato starch noodles, or even spaghetti or angel hair pasta. The toppings are flexible as well. Add, subtract, adjust to your taste and availability.

Ingredients

1 lb soba (buckwheat) noodles (can sub practically any favorite noodle)

Choose from assorted toppings:

Lettuce, thinly sliced
Green and/or red cabbage, thinly sliced
Cucumber, julienned
Carrot, julienned
Asian pear, julienned
Green onions, thinly sliced
Sesame (perilla) leaves, thinly sliced (while traditional for this dish, you can skip)
Radish sprouts
Cabbage and/or radish kimchi
2 hard boiled eggs

Sauce:

4 Tbsp Korean red chili paste (gochu jang)*
4 Tbsp rice vinegar (un-seasoned or seasoned will both work)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar (light or dark)
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

* Korean red chile paste is a thick, sweet, and slightly garlicky paste made of fermented red chiles. It is available at some asian food stores and at Korean markets. If it is unavailable in your area feel free to use this substitute with similar results:

1 tablespoon hot paprika (or can use 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika plus 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
5 teaspoons corn syrup (light or dark)
1 teaspoon miso paste (miso is fermented and will help approximate the flavor of the gochu jang, if you don't have it, you can omit)
1 mashed garlic clove
1 tablespoon water
Salt, to taste
Method

1 On the stovetop, fill a medium large pot with water and bring to a boil. While the water is heating, prepare toppings and the sauce. Prepare the lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, carrots, asian pear, sesame leaves and radish sprouts. Set aside. Cut each hard boiled egg in half. Set aside.

2 In a small bowl, combine red pepper paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Stir to combine and set aside.

3 Once the water is boiling, add buckwheat, or other type, of noodle and cook according to package instructions, or about six minutes, until al dente. When noodles are finished cooking, pour into a collander and rinse with cold water and drain. To quickly cool your noodles you may also place a few ice cubes in the collander or place the drained noodles into the freezer for a short time, just don't forget them!

4 To serve, place cooled noodles in a medium sized bowl. Top with dressing and vegetables/fruit of your choice. Place one of the hard-boiled egg halves on top and a few radish sprouts.

Yield: Serves 3-4.

Chai recipe

Ingredients

2 cups water
4 black tea bags
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 cups milk

Directions

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add tea, honey and vanilla. Season with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in milk, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and strain through a fine sieve.

Genmai-cha Tea Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown rice
4 cups water
4 teaspoons green tea leaves

Directions

Put the rice in a small skillet and toast over medium-low heat until it turns dark in spots. Move to a small saucepan. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to steep 3 minutes more. Add the tea and let it steep another 3 minutes. Strain and discard the rice and tea leaves from the liquid. Serve the tea hot.

Honey Milk Tea

Ingredients

2 orange pekoe tea bags
1 cup boiling water
5 ice cubes
4 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk
3 teaspoons honey

Directions

Steep the tea bags in hot water until the color turns dark red, about 3 to 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags and let the tea cool.
Combine the ice cubes, sweetened condensed milk, and honey in a glass or cocktail shaker. Pour in the tea and mix well. (If the tea is still warm, the ice may melt; add more ice if desired.) A strong, flavorful milk tea is ready for you to enjoy.

Cook's Note
A good strong-flavored tea is the key to making good milk tea. Add more honey to taste if you like a sweeter tea. If you have a martini shaker, you may use it to mix the milk tea.

Sour Plum Drink

Ingredients
(makes 1 glass 250ml)
- 6 preserved sour plums
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 small lime (calamansi)
- hot water
- water
- ice cubes

Directions
1. Add sour plums and sugar in a mug. Add just enough hot water to cover the sour plums. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and let it sit for a few minutes until the sour plums are softened.
2. Cut the lime in half, squeeze in the lime juice and discard the seeds.
3. Transfer the sour plum mixture and squeezed lime into a serving glass. Add water and ice cubes. Serve cold.

Thai Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream

You could use regular sticky (glutinous) rice, coconut milk, light brown sugar and table salt for this dish and the result will be fine. However, push yourself a bit to get great coconut cream (which yields a wonderful rich flavor) or even make your own coconut milk. Frozen coconut milk from Thailand would work well too; it’s available at Asian markets. You’ll get spectacular results. This sticky rice with coconut cream recipe below reflects what we enjoyed that evening:

Serves 4

1 cup raw Alter-Eco Purple Jasmine rice
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup coconut cream, preferably the aseptic kind, such as Kara or Aroy-D brands
1 generous tablespoon Thai palm sugar
1 generous pinch sea salt

1. Use the instructions in “How to Cook Perfect Rice” to cook the rice up with the water. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut cream with the palm sugar and sea salt. Over medium heat, stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer, then taste, making any flavor adjustments with extra sugar or salt. Set aside.

3. To serve, reheat the rice, if necessary, and then spoon it into individual small bowls or saucers. Top with the coconut milk and enjoy with spoons.

Note: Aseptic boxed packages of coconut milk is available at some Asian markets but the cream is seems to be more widely available. You can always scoop out the cream from an unshaken can of coconut milk, if you want.

Mardy, I think you just made the ultimate sammich, minus thick slices tomato and fresh leaf lettuce (If yr gonna die, die happy and pick the instrument food of yr death!).

I like Porters in the Winter.  This one is on the smokey side to me but goes well with food especially pretzels, nuts, certain cheeses.  I bet its good with BBQ, too.  Good and a good deal.

DammitDave, I'll take #2, please.