Otoyomegatari - Ch. 108 - Home

[krisdreemurr]

ok i do have to ask if she preferred the staff's/servant's bedroom over the bigger rooms... bc previous chapter henry's friend did suggest to introduce her as a servant 💀

 

[123456dfghjklm]

My great-grandparent was a keeper to one of these colonial manors, built atop a knoll overlooking a creek on one side and a plantation on the other side. The first owner, an Englishmen died and was buried there sometime after the war, his descendants stopped visiting since the late 80's, so the manor is largely abandoned. My great uncle, my grandfather's eldest brother had also little interest in maintaining it since there's no pay. LOL

 

[mondlicht1]

I like they way you reach for happiness, dear Talas. Hold it tight and don’t you ever let go, and hope that it will last forever.

 

[blackLuna]

no. i think you're thinking of risotto.

if you really thinking of paella(usually long grain rice, yellow in color), are you perhaps an asian and the only paella you ever had is in a hotel buffet restaurant or same level?

because if so, i can understand. those do tend to be overwatered and mushy. but a real paella is not mushy. it's not as heavy as fried rice because it use less oil, but good nonetheless.

Correction (since I know a little bit on the topic and it sounds like your exposure is to Valencian-inspired and Italian-inspired rice dishes mislabelled "paella" and "risotto" respectively — unfortunately common in the Americas [saith an American]):

Paella shouldn't have any juices or oils left in the pan, the texture is even described as al dente; to soak up all of the liquids, they actually use specially bred varieties of rice (such as Bomba or Calasparra, which are short-grain varieties — you can't use long-grain varieties to make paella; you'll get other rice dishes instead). (The yellow colour which is common (not required) isn't from the rice itself — such varieties do exist — but from saffron or turmeric, never food colouring.) Additionally, while the dish uses at least as much oil as fried rice, it's olive oil (extra virgin, usually) and not fried — probably the cause of the dish being "lighter."

Although buffets bastardize everything, there is a respectable Asian dish which may better fit the textural description: paelya (sometimes also spelt "paella"), a Filipino derivative of Spanish paella, using glutenous rice and having a sticky, mushy sort of texture. Since the spelling is often the same, may be that's what you're thinking of?

Risotto shouldn't be porridge-like either (it's creamy, with or without dairy, and not liquidy enough) — it you do get such a result, you (or the recipe) did something wrong. Rather, that entire family/families of rice dishes (which includes risotto, paella, pilaff, pilau, and biryani) are less than porridge-like.

The primary cooking stage for risotto and the paella-pilaff group entails cooking rice in broth or stock until there's no excess liquid (or, rarely, draining it off before proceeding). As the name suggests, fried rice is another group of dishes altogether.

 

[blackLuna]

Poor woman, leaves her country and has to endure the food of Britain. A fate worse than death.

During the 80's or 90's, my dad was told by a coworker with a good food palate, that to eat well in the British Isles, eat breakfast for every single meal, so at least there was an escape?

Amusing anecdotes aside, while it wasn't good during the 19th century, Britain still had a stock of decent simple dishes available (and it had its cheeses, preserves, and alcohols to assist, although, being from a Muslim-dominated region, Talas would likely eschew the latter for religious reasons). Food on the British Isles had yet to reach the nadir and infamy it did thanks to war-time rationing during the 20th century. (It's improved since then, especially in restaurants, thanks to more international travel. They still tend to underseason and overcook their food though.)

 

[Mogima]

Correction (since I know a little bit on the topic and it sounds like your exposure is to Valencian-inspired and Italian-inspired rice dishes mislabelled "paella" and "risotto" respectively — unfortunately common in the Americas [saith an American]):

Paella shouldn't have any juices or oils left in the pan, the texture is even described as al dente; to soak up all of the liquids, they actually use specially bred varieties of rice (such as Bomba or Calasparra, which are short-grain varieties — you can't use long-grain varieties to make paella; you'll get other rice dishes instead). (The yellow colour which is common (not required) isn't from the rice itself — such varieties do exist — but from saffron or turmeric, never food colouring.) Additionally, while the dish uses at least as much oil as fried rice, it's olive oil (extra virgin, usually) and not fried — probably the cause of the dish being "lighter."

Although buffets bastardize everything, there is a respectable Asian dish which may better fit the textural description: paelya (sometimes also spelt "paella"), a Filipino derivative of Spanish paella, using glutenous rice and having a sticky, mushy sort of texture. Since the spelling is often the same, may be that's what you're thinking of?

Risotto shouldn't be porridge-like either (it's creamy, with or without dairy, and not liquidy enough) — it you do get such a result, you (or the recipe) did something wrong. Rather, that entire family/families of rice dishes (which includes risotto, paella, pilaff, pilau, and biryani) are less than porridge-like.

The primary cooking stage for risotto and the paella-pilaff group entails cooking rice in broth or stock until there's no excess liquid (or, rarely, draining it off before proceeding). As the name suggests, fried rice is another group of dishes altogether.

sounds about right.

to be fair, i have never tried paella in spain where it's originated. but what i know is, in my country(indonesia) the paella that i've tried is less than good. same thing when i tried it on a cruise ship in which i've worked before(they use long grain rice).

as for risotto, i know it's not supposed to be like a porridge. but visually, it is similar. and unfortunately, in my country, so does the taste. i have to make risotto myself if i want it al dente.

 

[blackLuna]

sounds about right.

to be fair, i have never tried paella in spain where it's originated. but what i know is, in my country(indonesia) the paella that i've tried is less than good. same thing when i tried it on a cruise ship in which i've worked before(they use long grain rice).

as for risotto, i know it's not supposed to be like a porridge. but visually, it is similar. and unfortunately, in my country, so does the taste. i have to make risotto myself if i want it al dente.

To be honest, I've never been to Spain either. But I have eaten recipes from cookbooks whose authors took them from Spain (and helped a bit with the cooking, although my mum mostly wanted me out of the way). If you're really curious, about a decent paella or risotto I'd try some recipes taken from natives of their respective regions (I suggest, Penelope Casas for paella, and Marcella Hazan for risotto).