Thanks to Bob (for setting me straight on Napa cabbage, via Herb), and thanks to you all (Bob, Herb, Judi, Jeff) for this eloquent and formidable disquisition on Cabbage and Culture, including many receipts for the home cook and histories thereof. 

I must speak to the Napa cabbage then and see about assertiveness training for it (also big in California), and will look elsewhere for now for cabbage adequate to call itself cole slaw material.

Yr. humbled servant,

Dee

—–Original Message—–
From: Bob Morgen
Sent: Oct 11, 2007 7:25 AM
To: JuJu
Cc: Herb Blumstein , Libby Trudell , boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net, Vox <980286c3a15f1c66@moblog.vox.com>, Boogs Sack
Subject: Re: BSMA Kills Devil Hills

So the South rises again with its culinary contribution of cole slaw = cabbage + pineapple + miracle whip.

The Brits would probably like it on their ham sandwiches.

-Bob

On 10/11/07, JuJu <jujuhoodoo@gmail.com> wrote:

I love kimchi! That stuff is so darn good – and it goes with almost everything but dessert. Many years – actually about 30 years – ago, I made some kimchi. That stuff almost ate through the glass bottle in which it fermented. But, it was SOOOO GOOD!

 

I'm not a fan of cole slaw, in general, as it usually has either celery seed or caraway seed, neither of which are on my "edible items" list. And, heaven help us – there are people who think that pineapple and cabbage, plus mynez (that's southern talk for mayo) = cole slaw. At least it's closer to being edible than many I've been served.

 

 

On 10/11/07, Bob Morgen <bob.morgen@intransa.com > wrote:

I may have to reconsider. Herb may actually like English cole slaw.  Mustard and sugar.

Oy.

However, I am impressed by the recommendation to try nuoc mam. But we are moving dangerously close to Kimchi territory here.

-Bob

On 10/11/07, Herb Blumstein <herbblumstein@gmail.com > wrote:

Thank you Bob – that is a new one for me – the almost pureed onion, I mean. Caraway  is ok but I prefer it in schnapps/aquavit.  It doesn't prevent flatulence and it is disruptive in cole slaw.  Just when you are settling down to the spicy, sweet and salty taste of the cabbage, the slightly bitter, acrid taste of caraway distracts your taste buds.  I don't love it in rye bread either.

 I can't begin to think how many times I've eaten cole slaw – especially when we were tight for money. 

My own recipes:

Basic:

1. Head of young and sweet light-green cabbage, quartered with the stem core (the heart!) removed.  None of that giant, fibrous cabbage stuff and no red/blue/purple cabbage -it is too coarse and tough.

2. Carefully slice down across the short dimension of each quarter of the cabbage - widths no greater than 1/4 of an inch, preferably less.  Do not dice or chop cabbage or throw it about impatiently.

At this point, I usually wash the sliced cabbage in a colander and then dry it throughly – but then I'm the only one I know who does that.

3. Use a mandoline to slice one-half (or more!) of an onion very thinly. Or if you are truly skilled, slice it with a knife.  Don't worry if you cry into the onion it – it will improve the flavor.

4.Two or three large sweet carrots – taste them first! – grated.  If you haven't got sweet carrots, leave them out. Consider very finely julienned sweet red or yellow peppers as a possible alternative to carrots – but much more work to do that

5. Toss with dressing and let stand – an hour is ok, more is better. In the fridge, of course.

 

Basic dressings:

1. Mayonnaise – If store bought check for taste and add dijon mustard, some lemon or vinegar (apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, rice vinegar – not wine vinegar) – not too much!

You can add some white wine, very little, maybe a tablespoon.

Some white sugar – a scant teaspoon or less. 

 Fresh ground pepper.  Me, I like a bit of hot sauce as well.

 Salt, only after you have tossed the salad with the mayonnaise and found it lacking in salt!

 

2. Oil (olive, walnut) and vinegar – some dijon mustard,  fresh ground pepper and salt, a teaspoon or less of sugar,  to taste,shaken (not stirred),. Not too much salt!  Add some hot sauce – without garlic!

 

3. Soy sauce, walnut or other light oil, some toasted sesame oil, a little sugar, rice vinegar and hot stuff – no garlic.

 

Enhancers

1. Curry added to the mayonnaise- to taste. Bump up the sugar, mustard and hot stuff a bit.

2. Caraway seeds- for those who must have them.

3. Ground cumin added to the mayonnaise, in small quantities only.

4. Cilantro, leaves only, finely sliced.  Some people like parsley…some don't

5. Golden seedless raisins

6. Finely julienned tart green apples

7. For the truly adventurous, some nuoc mam or other type of fermented fish oil and bump up the vinegar, hot sauce and sugar a bit.  Yes, you do develop a taste for it! Just keep it off your hands…

et cetera

Let's face it, there are tons of possibilities.  The only true prohibition (to my narrow mind) is against the use of garlic – and that's coming from a garlic lover.

Let's hear some more recipes.

Herb

 

On 10/10/07, Bob Morgen <bob.morgen@intransa.com > wrote:

If Herb's theory were right, then we would have even finer cole slaw here in England. Some of our cabbages are the size of pumpkins. And about as tough on the outside.

I will keep my opinion of English cole slaw brief.

Garbage.

Here is my recipe for perfect cole slaw, based on the one I used to make at the Wild Mountain Café in Mill Valley during my misspent youth:

Mince an onion to near pureé status. Mix it into a cup of mayo and add a tsp of caraway seeds. Grate a carrot into it. Add just enough chopped cabbage (color irrelevant) to thin out the mayonnaise to a non-guilt level.  Let it sit a couple of hours in the fridge.  Eat.

The English put cole slaw onto ham sandwiches. Nuff said.

-Bob

On 10/10/07, Libby Trudell <ltrudell@netbox.com > wrote:

That's one impressive lighthouse.  Hope you are bearing up under the heat –
we are actually having a light  autumnal rain here at the moment.

—–Original Message—–
From: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net [mailto: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 4:01 PM
To: Vox; Boogs Sack
Subject: BSMA Kills Devil Hills

9 Oct.
Another scorching day with a spectacular ride up pea island and bodie
island. Thousands of birds. Welcome center had good scopes.

Lunch break in the beach town Nags Head.

New record temp. Lucky us.

Cole Slaw. There must be a thousand variations on three basic sauces. But
why is  it that  the Slaw is always best in the East?

Another fine pound of perfect steamed local shrimp. Sigh.

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