dulce lover's Profile
Dry large lima beans - going the way of the dodo?
I'm also excited to try the fauxtato salad, but instead of mayo plan to use a tzatziki sauce that I saw, coincidentally, in a recipe this morning for tzatziki potato salad. Don't you love when beautiful things collide?
Dry large lima beans - going the way of the dodo?
I'm not in the Boston area either (but I grew up in Little Rhody!). Here in Mexico they are called 'haba pelada', or 'peeled lima', so if you end up having to scour the ethnic markets you'll know what to ask/look for.
I'm new to them so any favorite recipe share would be very appreciated!
Provecho!
NY hound visiting San Francisco. Must Try Foods?
Humphrey Slocum, yes! If you find you can't squeeze it in, at the very least grab yourself an It's It ice cream sandwich from any convenience store...yes, it is low brow but as an East Coast native I assure you, there's nothing like it back home. http://www.itsiticecream.com/
Blessed with TWO fresh pineapples. Any idea of what to do with them?
It actually will bear fruit again, though it takes around 18 months in an ideal climate so in a pot maybe a few years will be necessary.
Pineapples are one of the few foods I don't bother 'gilding the lily'. Definitely eat some fresh and un-messed with. It's a pretty wonderful fruit.
Grilled pineapple is also super nice, whether it's on a kebab or over ice cream. Amazing how nice grilled pineapple tastes, without any spices, sweeteners, or seasonings (though I'm a huge fan of butter and brown sugar on just about anything else).
Your favorite stuffed green pepper recipe
I steam the pepper first (often using poblanos), then steam up some vegetables like carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, onion. They get stuffed into the pepper mixed with cheese cubes and broiled for 15 or so, depending on your broiler. It sounds bland and pedestrian but is easy, tasty, sort of healthy, and very adaptable for using up leftovers and veggies on the edge. I once used leftover shepherd's pie, which was nice.
Childhood foods you would *totally* eat now...
Ooooh. I was mad for them one very hot east coast summer - my flavors of choice were cinnamon pop tarts with coffee ice cream. It's hard but force yourself to put them back into the freezer after assembly so that they get good and 'married'. I'm drooling a bit just thinking of them! As long as we're back in RI, any Drakes cakes though most especially Funny Bones and Devil Dogs, those cheeseless pizza strips sold at just about every deli/convenience store counter wrapped in cellophane, Carvel cakes, and Table Talk pies. Why Table Talk isn't nationwide or even global is beyond me.
Foods you can't keep in the house because you can't stop yourself eating them
Oh, Nutellla...I once put away a sleeve of saltines slathered with Nutella and coconut butter. The first one was a 'hey, I wonder what this will taste like?' moment and then my eyes rolled back and I gorged. But really, on a spoon is dangerous, too, so I just look away and keep walking at the market.
Just about anything from Trader Joe's is hard for me to show self-restraint around:
mochi ice cream
tofutti cuties
pirate booty
all of their cookies
When I was growing up in New England it was snack cakes of the Drake's variety, like devil dogs and funny bones. I have a hard time meting them out whenever I return with a suitcase full of goodies.
Foods you can't keep in the house because you can't stop yourself eating them
It's not that the shells are hard to crack, it's the caustic liquid that is between the nut and the outer 'peel'. We have a cashew tree in front of our house, which I thought was pretty exciting until I learned just how messy/burn-inducing/time-consuming they are to process. Now I gladly pay the extra money, knowing how much work is involved. By the way, there is a fruit that grows under the nut (yes, it looks strange and exotic) that looks sort of like an apple and has a similar flavor except that it has an alum-like quality that dries your mouth and makes you pucker. People around here either love them or don't.
Foods you always "deconstruct"
Snickers....first the sides, then the bottom, then the nougat, then the rest...chocolate, peanuts, and caramel...yum!
BTW, learned this from watching my mom eat them like this. Thanks, Mom!
Poll: Would you eat a dog
I have a friend who was stationed in Korea for a bunch of years and he gave me the number one reason to never eat dog....they apparently taste better when the muscles are full of adrenaline, unlike venison, so the animals are beaten brutally with a stick before slaughter. Kind of throws all the other reasons for/arguments against right out the window. I know 'meat's meat and ya gotta eat' but that is just too much for me.
Coffee percolator lovers needed:
I love perc coffee. It's been years since I've used it outside of camping (we're cocoa folks these days) but I remember wishing the handle were further away from the pot as knuckle burns suck, and that the handle itself were heatproof. One of the greatest things is being able to see how dark your brew is (some days call for extra strength, doncha know) so I would encourage you to keep and perhaps enhance that little glass knob at the top. The filters were a bit awkward at first, though I eventually got used to folding them just so, but I imagine many would like a reusable basket instead, like the 'gold' filters for drip machines. One of the 'perks' (groan, I know) was that it wasn't electric and therefore, we could take it camping so I hope there's an unplugged version in your mind, as well. Kudos to you for resurrecting the percolator. Best of luck on your endeavor.
First Immersion Blender. What to do?
I make an 'instant' vegan pudding with my blender stick..... avocado, honey, dark cocoa, and coconut milk is my favorite. Sometimes I add some peanut butter and it tastes like a PB cup. I've added bananas, too. You can't taste the avocado at all and it makes it sooooo creamy smooth. Add it all to a mason jar, give it a whirl, cap it, and chill. Delicious.
Christmas Food Traditions
Our Italian family has a traditional soup that is served called Passate. I've found a couple of recipes that were similar but not exact. It consists of a 'dumpling' made from bread crumbs, parmesan and romano cheeses, lemon zest, nutmeg, and black pepper bound with eggs. It's run through the meat grinder so the dumplings are shaped like long, thick squiggles and nuggets. Added to very hot chicken broth and simmered until firm, this stuff might smell like feet but it tastes like ambrosia. I have even been known to eat it cold out of the fridge. The matriarchs of the family take turns making it but my own mother's is the best. When a new boyfriend or girlfriend comes to Christmas dinner everyone holds their breath to see the newbie's reaction. It is, of course, looked upon favorably if they like it.
Vanilla extract
Sadly, in Mexico there is no legal oversight on vanilla extract and therefore much of what you find labeled 'real' is actually alcohol, vanillin, and a coal tar derivative. Your best bet is to buy some vanilla beans and make your own. There are plenty of recipes to be found online. I haven't seen this particular brand yet, so can't comment on it specifically, but am dubious in general.
Exceptional Dark Chocolate Turtles???
I have a Canadian friend who, when I'm very lucky, brings me Sweet Georgia Browns. Heaven. The right proportion of salty pecan, chewy creamy caramel that is equally wonderful room temp. or right from the fridge, and a smooth, lick your fingers dark chocolate. oof. Now I want one!
HELP: how to make popcorn on the stovetop
I like making 'kettle corn' by sprinkling an even layer of sugar and a little bit of salt over the kernels before they're popped. Don't let them pop too long, though....better to have a few old maids in the bowl than burnt sugar.
As an aside, I had some oil leftover from frying plantains once and rather than toss it, I threw it into the kernels I keep in the fridge. It was so easy the next time I made popcorn that I generally keep my kernels in oil, ready to go. Anyone else do this? Does it help keep the moisture or is it bad form?
Point Judith - July 4th
Aunt Carrie's, right at the point, has the most delectable clam cakes you will ever have...and big as softballs, too. I'm thousands of miles from there and feeling mighty envious:)
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Aunt Carrie's Restaurant
1240 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882
Success! Homemade “Fage” Yogurt! Easy! Cheap!
I have had good luck 3 times thus far using a heating pad set on low in a styrofoam cooler that I notched at the corner of the lid to accommodate the cord. It maintained a 110 degree temp. with no fluctuations. The pad is bare so I put a kitchen towel between it and the jars. Thanks for the buttermilk tip.
Your best banana recipes
And you haven't lived until you've had a peanut butter and banana jam sandwich. I like mine toasted;)
Your best banana recipes
Banana Jam!
abstractgourmet.com/2007/06/banana-jam
I have had great success with this recipe specifically. Having tried out a few others (and even a wing at using stevia, which I sadly can't recommend) and this wins out every time. Adding a little ginger powder was nice but tasters agreed that the cinnamon was the thing. It takes more time for me than the 20 minutes called for but you'll recognize when it's done. Keeps for several weeks in the fridge.
