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09/21/2001 Archived Entry: "I Get E-Mail"

Here are some questions sent to me via e-mail at WOR.710.com. Pay attention, you may have the same question.

Q. Arthur, I love your web-site! I love coarsely ground black pepper, but am having a hard time finding a pepper grinder that is coarse enough. I loosened the screws on mine, but it doesn't really get very coarse. Any suggestions?

A. I love my classically shaped Peugeot peppermills from France. (Yes, they are made by the same company that makes the cars.) One I have for more than 30 years and it still works beautifully. I will admit, however, that even these superior peppermills have a will of their own. Some grind finer and coarser than others, although, in theory, you can adjust them with the top screw, as you say. Bridge Kitchenware carries them (and stands behind them). You can go to Bridge (my candy store, I always like to say) at 214 E. 52nd St., in Manhattan, or call at (212) 838-6746 for mail order. They come in various sizes and start at $25. Actually, almost any good cookware store carries Peugeot these days: Chef Central at 2110 North State Route 17 in Paramus, N.J.; Broadway Panhandler at 477 Broome St., between Greene St. and Wooster St. in Soho (Manhattan); Cook’s Companion at 152 Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn. Just to name a few.

Another good peppermill is made by William Bounds, Ltd., in Torrance, California. The Bounds peppermills have a three-tiered adjustment device for coarser or finer grinds. You can find them in many catalogs – such as Crate & Barrel, William-Sonoma, and The Chef’s Catalog. The company manufactures 250 different styles of mills – many of them quite stylish looking -- including cheese, salt, and nutmeg mills. For a retail store that carries them near you, call (800) 473-0504. A warning about the salt mills, however. I have two in my kitchen in Connecticut and, because it is so humid there and salt attracts moisture, both metal grinding mechanisms have rusted and fused. A salt mill should be made of a non-reactive material, such as wood or acrylic.

Another solution: Don’t use a peppermill. It’s possible you are asking for such a coarse grind that none will do the job. Put the peppercorns in a plastic bag and bang them with a mallet or hammer to break them into the large size pieces you want. As a last resort, you could also buy, in a jar at the supermarket, what is called butcher’s grind pepper – peppercorns that are already broken into large pieces. Pepper, as all spices, begins to lose its flavor and fragrance as soon as it is ground, but the coarser the grind the slower this happens. Pre-ground pepper is always a compromise, but butcher’s grind may suit your purpose.

Q. I had an amazing salad at Milos (125 W. 55th St., Manhattan; 212-245-7400) which contained octopus, bell peppers, red onion, capers, and dill. I was wondering if you could find out how the dressing was made?
-Anonymous Salad Dressing Lover

A. I called Milos and they said they use nothing but red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. I thought it might be olive oil, not vegetable, but they said, “No, vegetable oil.” This is a lesson in simplicity. No? It was the freshness and quality of the octopus, no doubt, and the balance of the salad and the dressing that made the salad seem special. I am supposing, too, that Milos, a Greek seafood restaurant, uses Greek oregano, which would have a distinctive flavor. For a great, simply flavored seafood salad, try my recipe for Insalata di Mare (Neopolitan Seafood Salad. The preparation is a little time-consuming, but worth the effort.

Q. Is it O.K. to freeze cheesecake for about a week? Will thawing it out change the texture or flavor of it?
-Anonymous Cheesecake Lover

A.Crustless cheesecakes freeze extremely well. If you freeze a cheesecake with a cake or cookie-type crust, the crust may become unappealingly soggy. The Cheesecake recipe from my book “Cooking in a Small Kitchen” freezes perfectly. Even Howie and Mindy’s Creamy Cheesecake, which has a Graham cracker crust, freezes like a dream.

Q. How do you prepare baked brie? I do not want to put it in a crust. It may seem like a dumb question but I can’t find it in any of my cookbooks.
-Frances C.

A. My fist reaction was don’t. Brie, as all other cheese, should be eaten at room temperature, and it is so delicious when ripened to its ideal creamy consistency. On the other hand, who can resist the ooey-gooey goodness of a grilled cheese sandwich? Or melted cheese in general. Certainly not me. And I know that many people do adore baked brie. Because I have never baked a brie myself, I did some research. Interestingly, I found that usually reliable sources suggest baking times that vary from 10 to 30 minutes.

So I what would I do? I’d put the brie on a lightly greased baking sheet – or, even better, on a heat-proof serving dish, so the cheese doesn’t need to be transferred -- in a 350 degree oven and check it after 10 minutes, continuing to bake until the cheese reaches the melted consistency I desire. Gingerly touch the top if you have doubts about how much it has melted.