omnidora's Profile
Agave nectar in baking?
@almara, why not learn to enjoy the distinctive taste of honey? (After you've polished off the bulk supply of nectar, that is.) And honey can be dissolved easily enough if you just take the extra second to do this or that. Can you make choc syrup with honey?
Agave nectar in baking?
Hi Goodhealthgourmet. I tried agave for awhile and I've switched back to honey. I find that it tastes sort of infantile and corn syrupy (!!) and I'm quite suspicious of the whole agave trend. Honey is also a form of sugar, I think, but seems to be less harmful. Also, I just don't care for the taste of the agave syrup and have a limited appetite for refined white sugar.
Tilapia, Tilapia, Tilapia
I love fish, especially an oily fish like the sardine, am often a bit suspicious of bland fishies and have found tilapia to be rubbery. That said, I cooked some the other day because Fresh Direct is doing a special.
Paranoid about rubber texture, so I sauteed it this time in salted butter (with a dab of grape seed oil), chopped leeks, chopped ginger, salt, pepper, then threw some lemon juice over the sizzling fish while it cooked. It was pretty good. Maybe i'll use white wine or vermouth next time. It wasn't rubbery, was quite moist and tender, and now I've gotten over my tilapia phobia. I can't see the point of overseasoning tilapia. I also don't want to cook a piece of fish more than a few minutes. Love to eat breaded fish but too impatient
to prepare it.
Now I'm ready for a nice grass-fed burger!!
OH - and the Fresh Direct tilapia is farmed. Maybe that's bad for you, but whatever. The price was right, and how bad can all these things be if you eat them once a week?
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
Thanks Fourunder. What is a master soy sauce? Do you remove the meat beforehand? I really like cooking the bone... A little obsessed with this cut of beef. Glad to hear more from you on this matter. :-)
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
Hi Soop: I think brisket's fattier than the shin. I haven't cooked with brisket yet, so not sure I can comment intelligently. I've eaten both brisket and shin though. Shin seems to be more muscular. Shin is def for the slow cooking approach. And you get that wonderful bone... The shin is far less expensive than brisket, I'm fairly sure.
Is sea urchin supposed to taste like poison?
OMG that sounds delicious Caroline! Thanks for that reverie.... If sold in a fishmonger in its shell, not yet opened, I think it's great. That is how a raw bar should be dealing with sea urchin as well.
Is sea urchin supposed to taste like poison?
Sea urchin is yummy, but the Grand Central Oyster Bar has a mixed reputation. Not everything is equally good or equally fresh. If you live in NYC, try going to Agata Valentina or Citarellas, and ask the fishmonger if they have fresh sea urchin that day. Ask them to open some for you and they'll put them on ice, etc. Take home a dozen. Have with vodka. I would say take home two dozen but see how you like them. Sitting around in their open shells is not perhaps a good sign.
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
Did anyone already mention the shin of beef? Forgive me if I'm repeating something. It's delicious and inexpensive - about $2 something a pound. It has lots of flavor, so I actually tried to make hamburger out of it. The flavor was excellent but there is a lot of tissue which needs to be moved out of the way. Still I may try it again, combining the shin with something else in the chopper. Normally, I poach the shin at a low low heat in broth.
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
Whole sardines are $5 or $6 a pound near me (NYC) and the best way to cook them is with the head/tail intact in lots of oil... It's simpler than grilling and if you cook them long enough you can eat the bones. I'm in it for the nutrition as well. This is one fish that can tolerate a long cooking time.
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
I'm going to look for beef cheeks - thanks for mentioning this. How do you like to cook them?
Agave nectar in baking?
Ahhhh thanks. I'll take a look HillJ. I am still suspicious of the stuff - so I bought some honey and switched over. But I have the agave as a back up.
Breast of Lamb
Thank you for starting this item! I see that organic breast of lamb is 1.99USD per lb near me and they are selling it with the bone in. I am lazy, so I do not want to debone or roll it up. I just want to focus on flavor! I'm good at seasoning but less good at fussing with the shape of an animal's parts.
I also prefer the flavor of something cooked with a bone. Alas, I'm a slow-witted cook who doesn't do well with metric. Using farenheit and pounds, how long should I cook a 2 or 3 lb roast and at what temp? My plan is to marinate it a bit, roast it, then use the leftovers to make little snacks during the week. I also have a gigantic cast iron pan - shaped like a frying pan but it's huge, so maybe I can roast it in that?
Agave nectar in baking?
I bought some agave syrup and it's not bad, though I may revert to honey when the bottle runs out. I hope this doesn't sound paranoid, but how do we know the stuff is for real? I've been wondering if it is a giant scam! It's been suggested to me that agave nectar may simply be a repackaged corn syrup. How do they make it, has anyone seen it being produced, do I sound like a conspiracy theorist? It's such a trendy product and I'm beginning to wonder... Thing is, it does have a great consistency for cooking. Maybe there's a way to get honey to that consistency?
What is "edge of eye steak" from freshdirect?
Thank you - wow. I shall have to try that. So does this equal a total cooking time of 9-10 minutes? (I just wasn't sure whether laying the steak down means putting it in the pan.) Thanks again, *'sdiana
What do Chowhounds do for a living (besides eat of course)?
I am concerned about libraries too!
About my livelihood, I work in media/publishing and my job involves being a little public. What I like about CH is that I come here and bash away on the keys without being my "public" self. Yet I am still among people and get to be social. Food is what life is all about for me. Speaking of mothers, my mother spent some time working around food - apprenticed in a charcuterie, got a food handler's license. She did this later, after her kids had grown up. Though I am not myself a pro, a certain professional relationship with food runs in the family. Anyway! This is a lovely place. It's also nice to be on a board where the main activity isn't self-promotion. :) I'm enjoying it.
What happened to Gascogne?
Wow., thanks for the warning. I had some lovely meals there in the 90s and one v good meal there in 2002 or 3. I would prefer to keep my memories intact.
Upper East Side -- Recommendations anyone?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661987
For pastries, empanadas and cakes. Take away or table.
Anneliese 1516 First Ave @ 79th Street
Magnoila Bakery
I had a stale, dry cupcake from 2 Little RH two years ago and did not return. I would still consider giving it another try.
Magnoila Bakery
No you're not crazy. I think cupcakes are kind of silly, but okay. I'll appreciate a good piece of cake, no matter how it is framed or defined. And the Magnolia vanilla did not taste good!
Magnoila Bakery
I don't understand the appeal of this establishment. Maybe it was good when it opened. I found my cupcake just totally uninspiring. It's maybe a bit of a tourist trap?
This is more to my liking - but I have not yet tried their Halloween cupcake:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661987
Wu Liang Ye
Thanks, scoopG. Maybe I'll try it. I really am not such a big fan of Szechuan food... When it's good, it's good. But why all these Szechuan restos on the UES. Blech.
Wu Liang Ye
Could someone tell a naive reader where Wa Jeal is? Curious to try. Didn't think Wu Liang was that great, but the hood is not exactly known for its Chinese spots. And I could see the potential in their food for possible greatness.
Upper East Side, unhyped pastries, snacks...
Anneliese Pastries 1516 First Ave, First and 79th - 212 396 9961
I've been ducking in here between errands, maybe twice a week. It's a nice clean local shop that nobody seems aware of - the anti-Magnolia. Three self-serve tables for those who wish to grab a snack or a coffee. Everything is rather homey and it's often empty on weekdays. A big assortment of cookies, cake slices, tarts, and pastries. For light snacking, they offer soups and empanadas. They've been in business since at least 2001. It's a decent place to pick up a box of small cookies when you need a quick house gift.
A few items do not appeal on a visual basis alone. The selection may be uneven if you compare it to the haute offerings at Lady M. Probably not a destination joint. But it's affordable, fresh, local fare that makes me feel good about my neighborhood. Good for takeaway, for coffee with a friend, or a break between chores and deadlines.
I don't eat chocolate, so I can't tell you if the chocolate items are any good. Perhaps someone else can comment on that!
Items I have tried:
Peanut butter cookie - would like it to be saltier and less sweet, but it satisfies a childhood longing.
Oatmeal raisin cookie - not bad. Fresh.
Macadamia cookie - Too sweet for me. Will have to try again to decide though! Good texture.
Strawberry shortcake - They have this whole ($24) or by the slice ($5). Satisfying. Good. Not too sweet for me. Have had this twice. Real cream. Will probably spring for an entire cake at some point.
Mocha butter cream roulade - too rich for me! Maybe I just needed to have a smaller piece.
Wasn't sure if that was really butter cream. Will not try again.
Asparagus soup - what's not to like? Normally, I would want cream in my asparagus soup, but I'm having it as a healthy prelude to cream-filled cake, so this is a wise choice.
Pumpkin tart - Just had it today. Perfect filling - was expecting it to be too sweet and it was just right! Pie crust nice. I will have this again.
Beef empanada - For some reason, I thought it was under salted, Will have to try again and see if that was a temporary thing.
I'd like to know if others have tried Anneleise or other similar spots! I looked around to see if my comment belonged elsewhere and couldn't find an existing topic. Hope this is appropriate!
cheese cloth
Brilliant, Will. I realize it is almost two years later, but your advice is right on time. I have tons of old 100% cotton white t shirt things that I hate to throw out - but they're not pristine enough to wear. I had not thought about using them in place of cheese cloth. And some have the right kind of weave. The only thing I will add is to maybe boil the piece of cloth I intend to use, to get rid of any detergent or whatever. Thanks.
Making Yogurt at Home
Thanks PamelaD! I will try cheesecloth and, like you, I find the whey useful. I use it as a beverage base.
Making Yogurt at Home
I used a sheep milk yogurt (Old Chatham) as my starter. Alas, I only have cow's milk in the house - but it will do for now. I didn't use powdered milk, so the texture was a little unconventional. A thicker mass suspended in white water. I strained it and used the watery part to make a delicious savory lassi. If you have a sweet tooth, make a sweet one!
Maybe I'll opt for powdered milk next time, to make it thicker. Prefer not to add powder, though. And seek other suggestions for getting it nice and thick.
About the need for pilot lights, yogurt makers and the like... I just put my jar in a linen cupboard! I wrapped the jar carefully in various cotton napkins, then put a t shirt over the top. I stuffed it in the warm cupboard and left it for a day. Yum. The cupboard has some contact with the heater in my building. Then I moved it to another warm spot in the kitchen near the radiator for an hour. The flavor is excellent. I hope this will become a life long habit.
Strange Pairings that Taste Uncommonly Good
Hard-boiled egg with pesto sauce. Preferably while the egg is warm.
Also, I make ice cubes out of Ronnybrook lowfat milk. Then I put the ice cubes in Red Jacket Fuji apple juice. For some reason, this really appeals to me when I have a hangover.
What is "edge of eye steak" from freshdirect?
The map is very cool! Thank you for posting. However, Edgeville is not mentioned! I guess it is a secret and special destination for the cow-noisseur. (TM) (ha ha!)
What is "edge of eye steak" from freshdirect?
I have some in the house right now. It 's tasty and thrifty. Sometimes it comes out tender, sometimes chewy. I'd love some pointers on how to get consistent results. It's definitely a nice option for the carnivore because even when it's a little on the tough side, I enjoy it.
Still, I need to perfect my game. Thoughts?
my new hamburger ranking
SLIDERS? I hope it's okay to report on the sliders I've enjoyed recently. In that handsome little bar at Plaza Athenee hotel on East 64th St just off Madison (Park) - very good sliders. Enjoyed them a lot. I think I like them better than burgers because they are easier to handle.
At a place called Wine 30 41 E 30th Street (Park) - I had some 'grass fed beef sliders' with cheese which really hit the spot. http://www.wine30nyc.com/menu.asp
I liked everything I tried at Wine 30 - I will return soon and have the sliders again.
At both, quality of the beef was good and the meat was not overcooked. Had medium rare.
