sivyaleah's Profile
Food (not drinks) that help ease a headache?
I only get migraines, almost never any other kind of headache. For me, I crave high protein, high fat, high salt meals during attacks. I'm not sure why that is. Honestly, the best thing for me is a burger. Eating helps me enormously (I don't get the sick stomach a lot of people do, only the aversion to light and blinding pain). That and my meds :)
St Patrick's Day/Looking for best Irish Bar/Resaurant
Flynn's Irish Pub & Steakhouse in Rahway.
Shannon Rose Irish Pub -- Ramsey
Flynn's is great. Good food, run by incredibly friendly people who are very accommodating. They run some special events like trivia nights if that's your kind of thing. A true neighborhood venue but one that is welcoming of anyone that walks in the door. I don't think I've ever walked into a bar where I felt as comfortable as I do here. Love it.
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
I gave her CA, F&W and a couple of others I was done with to look through. I told her if she likes them, to let me know and I'll send her a subscription, along with any magazine she wishes.
She was completely elated to have them :) Again, from a photography standpoint aside from the recipes and tips.
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
It's my niece, not my daughter. But yes, they have a gas stove. So no need for a portable stove. And I don't live near her to cart her around so can't help out with apprenticeships - that will have to be left to her father. However, if I remember correctly I believe she does have a class upcoming in putting together food gift baskets at Wegmans; which was something that she had an interest in. It's not cooking, but it was a start somewhere to do something outside of school to do something creative. She has an interest in composing food, and photography so this was a way for her to try her hand at that.
Her dad, is very food oriented and cooks really well himself, and is wildly supportive of this so I would imagine that if the opportunity arises for her to be able to get into a kitchen at some point, he would be all for it. Just a matter of managing to get her there; as he's a single dad working full time, with 3 kids, who is trying to juggle a lot.
Maybe in the summer when she's off from school. I'm almost thinking, if she could find something near my house, that maybe I might offer to take her for weekends since I have half days on Fridays. I wouldn't mind carting her around for the 3 days (I live in a more urban part of NJ, with more restaurants nearby, easier to get to). Plus, I think she might enjoy getting away from her house periodically. Actually. I think she would love it.
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
When I said "no direction" I could have been more clear. She has been having problems with her schooling in general - not that she should know what she wants to do in life. She isn't exactly the best student, and has had a rough family life which as effected her greatly so everyone was worried she may go off course and get into "trouble" if you get my drift. Her finding this interest in food and cooking has given her a real direction and focus that she has never had in school, and has made her more energetic and goal oriented, and opened her up on ways which I can't go into here. It's a wonderful thing to watch after everything she has suffered thus far in her life.
As for pots and pans, yes, I would consider these tools. However, I can't afford to outfit her on those right now; but I can splurge a bit on necessary starter tools.
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
I'll mention these to her. I know she's been getting into a lot of various cooking shows lately - we were talking about it yesterday. One of her favs is "Chopped" because she enjoys seeing how the chefs manage to put together disparate ingredients.
I'm sure she could benefit from watching a master at work. Making a decent omelette is something which everyone could benefit from :)
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
This, is an excellent idea. I know that the current set of pans which her dad has are utter junk. In fact, last time I was there, she was making pancakes in a non-stick saute pan, not a griddle, over an extremely high heat and I had to instruct her about how to use non-stick so as not to ruin it.
Recs for Basics Tools for A New Cook
My 14 year old niece has discovered a passion for cooking. Her goal, at this point in time, seems to be to eventually find a job working for one of the leading cooking magazines in some capacity. I'm thrilled as she seemed to sort of have no direction for a long time, and wasn't the best student so this is a wonderful turn of events to see her being motivated by something no less, an interest which both of us share.
Anyway, I'd like to be able to help her along in some ways. Her and her mom do not get along; in fact she lives with her dad (my brother) full time and has for many years. Money is tight for them and he can't really afford right now to splurge and get her the types of tools that would help her out. He did get her some nice things for the holidays (her first good knife for instance, and a few other things) but if I could round things out for her, I'd love to do it. I even handed her a ton of magazines I finished off today which she had never read before (Fine Cooking, Cooks Illustrated, Saveur, even Bon Appetit).
The thing is I have a lot of tools but have been cooking for so many years that I'm not really sure which of them are the ones which are necessary for a beginner any more. To me, so many of them are things I use consistently on a weekly basis but I'm sure she may not, for instance, find a corn kernel remover as useful lol. And for that matter, there's a lot I don't have - I'm not big on gadgets because I believe in knife work. I usually can chop something faster than it takes to take out some other specialty tool and then have to clean one more thing!
I do know she wants a Microplane (her dad bought her a small zester, which wasn't exactly what she wanted but still can use) so that's on the list for sure. I'd like to get her a good vegetable peeler (or would a paring knife be a better choice?).
So, real basics, Maybe about the 10 most necessary items that would carry her through. And maybe I'll get her that corn zester. I find it invaluable in the summer when I'm making those fritattas that called for a ton of fresh corn kernels in them :p
Where to Find Pork Belly in Union County
Wow, I never knew about the Union Pork Store and I've been living in this area for over 10 years.
As for Shop-Rite, I typically shop at the one in either Woodbridge or Clark (when not using Wegman's) and I've never seen it at either of them. I'll just go up to the butcher window next time I'm in there and ask for it.
I do know about the Latino market in Rahway, just haven't made it over there yet. I think it's because every time I drive by it seems to be closed; it's not a street I travel on very frequently and would only be on weekends (I work in the City weekdays) so it sort of is one of those "out of sight out of mind" kind of things.
So, thanks for that reminder!
Range Hood vs OTR Microwave
I"m another one suggesting a traditional hood if you can manage it. Even if you don't do a lot of frying, you'd be surprised how you need it for sauteing even in minimal amounts of fat. And don't forget about stove top grilling - which makes quite a bit of smoke. I use my Le Cruiset grill pan quite a bit.
It is also good for catching the condensation which rises up from boiling pots of water. I remember in my last home, I had a micro hood and it just could not handle when I'd be cooking pasta; it would have water dripping from above onto the stove top - and that one was vented to the outside even. The range hood sucks that up and out efficiently.
Where to Find Pork Belly in Union County
I've certainly never seen pork belly sold in a supermarket, I'm assuming I need to go to a butcher for this item?
I live in Rahway. Is there a local trustworthy butcher close to me other than John's in Scotch Plains where i could get this? I'd rather not drive that far. I found a recipe for Warm Lentil and Smoked Pork Belly Salad that's calling my name :
Thanks!
Photographing Food At Home for Blogs
I came here to take it away from that area so that I could discuss it elsewhere. I used that person as an example for something which I was interested in getting other peoples opinions on. It's something which is in the realm of "Not About Cooking". I'm interested what other people do in their kitchens when blogging and doing their photos.
If you want to keep painting me as someone who purposely came in to just flame that person, feel free to do so. I've been on Chowhound for at least 10 years or so (was under a different name and had to change it a few years back) and am certainly not known as being that kind of person. I stand by what I wrote. So, I'm fine with myself.
If nobody wants to discuss this rationally, nothing I can do about it.
My bad.
Photographing Food At Home for Blogs
Which is why I didn't call out the persons name, gender, the name of the blog or anything about what that person is writing about.
Countertop material: granite vs. solid surface (corian) vs. engineered stone (silestone)
I went with Ceasarstone for my renovated kitchen in my Craftsman home. I had granite in my last home, which I loved, but it didn't feel right for this home. I knew marble wouldn't hold up - my BF alone would have killed it. I had originally picked out a quartzite "Madre Perla" but it turned out to be way out of my budget and as it turns out, I think it wouldn't have worn well either.
The Ceasarstone is wonderful. I got it in "Jerusalem Sand", which looks like a limestone. It's easy to clean up, no scratches, has a real stone appearance, and I liked that it didn't have a busy feel to it. It's been in about 1-1/2 years now and still looks brand new.
I'm very happy with it. I did a lot of research before making the final decision, in fact it was the one thing in the kitchen which I probably spent the most time on. Highly recommend it.
Photographing Food At Home for Blogs
Today, I clicked on a link in another thread to someone's blog to see their recipes for a particular type of cooking.
I was rather appalled at the condition of their kitchen in the photos.
Why would anyone take pictures of the food they are proud of, post it to a blog and not realize how filthy their work area is? I'm not talking a spill. I'm talking caked on food everywhere, including the sides of the stove walls surrounding the area. Do they not recognize how unappealing this is to the reader?
I couldn't even get past Page 1 of the blog. Wasn't interested to see anything else. I didn't care if the recipes were good. The condition of the area overrode everything.
Now, I'm not the best housekeeper. I'm by no means obsessive at all. I don't clean up every drip the moment it happens, however, I darn well make sure that my stove and kitchen in general is as clean as possible when I'm going to blog/take photos of my food. In fact, I pull away any item which doesn't belong in the photo (the other night I was taking a picture of a lemon tart and noticed the salt shaker, an onion and the kitchen timer in the way - so out they came).
I'm proud of what I cook (and my kitchen) and if I'm going to show the public what it looks like, I want it shown in the best possible light. I want my food to look appetizing. I want you, the reader, to feel you could make that dish. I'm not a professional photographer so sometimes I succeed, sometimes not so much but it's never because of a dirty kitchen. Taking a few extra minutes to make sure this is done isn't a big deal at all.
I've noticed this elsewhere for other types of blogs. I'm a member of a home site for old homes and recently someone posted a lot of pictures of her 100+ year old home (mine, is 95+). She was SO excited to show everyone how lovely it was - but all I saw was the layers of grime, dust and dirt that was all over all of her furniture, lamps, and such. It looked like she hadn't dusted in a year. And people were fawning over the house. *shakes head*
Thoughts?
Mandoline
I also have the Oxo. Used it once and it languishes in the back of a closet somewhere. Could not get it to cut well at all. It's probably the one product they have made that I feel wasn't well thought out.
I never got another one.
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
Darn I wish I had read this before I went shopping today. That squash sounds really good and would go nicely with something I'm thinking of making for just the two of us this weekend. It's a veggie I don't really make usually, in fact, I think I've only used it once or twice but we recently had it while out to dinner and decided we needed to add it into the home rotation. Thanks for the reminder.
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
This is something I would not have thought of at all and easily could be done way in advance. All I'd need to pick up is a good bread on the way home and he could have a salad made and we'd be set. Nice idea too. Thanks!
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
I'll have groceries at home already - he can throw "something" together, he's not totally helpless lol. But I don't want to order Chinese; none of them nearby are really all that good and the best one is too far away and doesn't deliver.
I don't care about the dishes. I'm not obsessive. They can wait until the next morning or he'll put them up. He's very good about that.
But eating at 8pm is an issue which is why I'll probably try and book out at least an hour early. I think I can manage that. That will put me home around 6pm, and if he can get a prepared dish into the oven earlier to warm up, and the table is already set - I think that will work.
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
No chili. His mom has a gastro disorder :(
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
Oh wow, that looks amazing. I'd consider doing that on Saturday instead of a roast perhaps. All of us would really enjoy that dish!
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
Another good idea. You actually reminded me about a lasagna I made many years ago that had mini meatballs embedded in it. Very time consuming but oh-so-delicious. I wonder if I can dig up the recipe somewhere. Lasagnas freeze really well, that's for sure. I could make that the weekend prior and defrost a day in advance.
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
I like the idea of the short ribs. It's something I don't think they would cook for themselves most likely, and they can be served over either large noodles or with mashed potatoes which are easy to whip up at the last minute. I actually could even throw that into the crock pot the night before. I've done them in that way before, browned on the stove top first and they come out really nicely with that method.
Awesome. Thanks.
In-Laws Visiting For First Time & No Time to Cook!
My BF's parents just shocked us by announcing they would like to come stay with us for a long weekend.
They are elderly, and live a couple of hours away. They have pretty much never visited him at his home like EVER for an overnight stay. Let alone while he was living with someone. We nearly fainted when they said they wanted to spend time here - which is perfectly fine. I really like them a lot and vice versa (in fact, they are the first "in-laws" I've had which I can say that about :D)
Anyway, my problem is they arrive on a Friday but, I'll be at work when they get here. BF is taking the day off from his job. I don't get home until after 7pm - *maybe* I can get out a bit early but it will be my first week back to work after 11 days off (our office shuts down for the holidays) so I can not leave too early.
BF does NOT cook. Well, barely. Surely not enough to be of help here. He can put out a cheese platter :P
I won't have time to cook a proper dinner unless I can prepare something in advance. I'd prefer not to have to take them out that night since they have been hearing about what a good cook I am for several years now (and, his mom is a very good cook too - I've had the pleasure of having a few meals at their home through the years).
I could use some suggestions of dishes which either I can cook very quickly when I get home or; the night before or even freeze in advance that would heat up relatively fast. Nothing fancy - they prefer comfort type foods for sure. I'll probably do some kind of roasted meat on Saturday (turkey, ham or beef) when I have all day to prep. His mom probably is more of an adventurous eater than his dad I think, although I'm sure whatever I made he would eat. All of us are big seafood eaters but the problem with that, is I won't be able to get anything fresh, it would have to have been something purchased in advance, kept frozen and defrosted for that purpose.
Last day I'd be able to stock up for them coming would be Monday, the 2nd if the supermarkets are open that day. Are they? I hope so!
Online Sources for Citrus Fruit?
I'm looking for the best sources for citrus fruit online.
I'd like to send some family members a gift before the holidays roll around, specifically oranges. I remember a friend of mine raving about some extra special sweet oranges which she said were like honey. I don't know if they were honey bells are not. Somewhere, I wrote down the grower but can't seem to lay my hand on it.
Can anyone recommend somewhere to purchase these? I remember in the past being somewhat disappointed by fruit I'd gotten if you didn't really know who the grower was.
Thanks!
Best Supermarket In USA: your nominations
Wegmans in general. I go to the one in Woodbridge, NJ. I had been going to ShopRite in either Colonia or Clark (both the same driving distance from my home) but suddenly it dawned on me that the Wegman's was no further along either or just barely. It's such a more pleasant experience overall; I can get my basic needs met there and specialty products as well. Plus the staff are amazingly wonderful and some even remember me and I'm not even a regular shopper. I also like that they have a good housewares department for those times when you suddenly remember you need a special item to cook with. Oh and their flower department is great as well. Love them!
Chelsea for Breakfast?
I've been to Le Pain Q. Good for a breakfast alone, I enjoy it but I'm looking for something a little more "sit down and relax for a while" since I'll be with a friend too. I haven't seen my friend in a long time and LPQ doesn't quite seem like it fits the bill. Plus, he's from NY originally and I'd rather find someplace that isn't a chain (although again, for a chain, I do enjoy it).
Chelsea for Breakfast?
Question: Which of these places makes decent waffles? My friend has a particular passion for them .
Chelsea for Breakfast?
Thanks for the recs everyone.
Sad to hear The Tomato closed. I liked that place.
