Discoethan's Profile
Where can I get a croquembouche in Sacramento?
Hi Hounds,
My fiancee and I tie the knot next November, most likely in Sacramento. We're looking for a place in the area that makes croquembouches. Any suggestions would be wonderful... we're in Boston now, but are making a trip to Sac in January and would like to do some research then.
Thanks!
Ethan
Chicken livers 3-4 weeks old...edible?
Thanks folks. I had no idea what the shelf life was like on these. You have, perhaps, saved my life. (Or at least my night.)
But why, Julia, am I simmering my bacon?
Thanks for all the info! I already grabbed plain old American bacon, though I almost grabbed packaged salt pork belly instead (my supermarket carries it, probably b/c it caters to a lot of asian and hispanic folk). Sounds like I'll be better off grabbing that next time.
Chicken livers 3-4 weeks old...edible?
I've had a tub of livers in my fridge for 3-4 weeks, and a recipe tonight that calls for them. Should I toss them, or are they okay to eat?
But why, Julia, am I simmering my bacon?
I've been teaching myself to cook for a couple years with Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and I've found several recipes that call for bacon to be simmered for 10 minutes before thrown in the pot or pan. What's the purpose of all this simmering?
Sacramento Croquembouche
Hi Hounds,
My fiancee and I tie the knot next November, most likely in Sacramento. We're looking for a place in the area that makes croquembouches. Any suggestions would be wonderful... we're in Boston now, but are making a trip to Sac in January and would like to do some research then.
Thanks!
Ethan
Thanksgiving turkey -- overrated?!
I'll tack on that white meat, for me, is merely a vessel for gravy. It is hard to beat an open-faced turkey sandwich w/ liberal graviness.
Publick House
I've heard the waterzooi recommended a few times, and my fiancee finally tried it a couple weeks ago. Neither of us were actually impressed, flavors were fair, but overall it seemed like just fish in milk.
I had the duck breast with demi-glace, which was definitely good, but I probably won't order it again in comparison to some of their other dishes.
Faves include: mac and cheese, cubano, cassoulet, and often a good burger (make sure to ask for cheese).
Leeks with roast chicken?
Thanks guys. I used a combination of Brit and Jfood's suggestions and it turned out great!
Leeks with roast chicken?
Hey folks,
I'm roasting a chicken tonight, and have some leftover leeks that need a-usin'... can these be roasted with the rest of my veg (sweet potato, butternut, carrots and onions) or will they overcook. Should I cut them in large chunks rather than slices?
Microwaves in restaurants: discuss
That's maybe too much to ask if you're paying less than $6 for dinner. At the price you paid, you're perfectly in the clear to expect more.
This probably happens a lot more than we realize with fewer tell-tale signs--but if the temperature of the food is not consistent, it's not only that a microwave is being used, it's that your food isn't coming out right.
Just tell everyone you know about the problem. Maybe mention it to the manager.
What's "the" food where you're from?
I suppose someone has to say it--southern/ central California: In-n-Out.
cookbook for beginner cook - help!
Since you want something that will tempt her to cook, think about the food that gets her drooling, and look for a basic cookbook in that style with decent production values. That is, if she loves Italian, get her a Giada cookbook, and so on.
eating other people's cooking - like it or not?
Yes, and the fact that OP called herself a snob shows she has a sense of humor about it.
Actually, though, my musings on snobbery were in response to her attitude, which includes 1) assuming that others cook poorly, and 2) treating eating non-gourmet food as a terrible imposition.
eating other people's cooking - like it or not?
Well, you did ask how to get over it. You got a variety of responses saying 'you just do.' And I doubt many commenters supposed you made gross-faces at bad food at dinner parties. I think they were trying to correct your attitude rather than your behavior.
eating other people's cooking - like it or not?
Snobbery isn't seeking out the good stuff--it's feeling to good to eat, drink, wear, etc, anything else. And (this is not intended to be a barb) this seems like what you're struggling with.
This attitude doesn't have a bad reputation for no reason; after all, being discerning, eating and living well, these are virtues. The bad reputation is for two reasons: first, it's limiting, as it makes one say 'I don't like this,' 'I don't even want to try this.' An easy way to miss some good experiences--this goes even when the food is bad, for the company and the atmosphere may be great. It's the same attitude that keeps some poor souls from ever eating good pho or authentic Mexican, which tend to come from the humblest of locations.
Second, it's a surefire way to make others feel inferior or resentful of one's *assumed* superiority.
Anyway, eating a fishstick now and then is not a big deal. Drinking a crap beer does not make one a crap beer drinker.
Favorite Soup Cookbook??
I've been using Williams-Sonoma's "Soup" for a couple years and have been very happy with my results, esp. Butternut Squash with Roaster Garlic Soup, and Crab and Asparagus Soup.
TC- Hung's Knife Skills - NY Mag
There was a knife skills challenge on season 1 of Next Food Network Star. Chef Morimoto judged and as a demonstration, thinly sliced a cucumber in about 1 second, leaving the skin on the bottom intact. When he held up the cuke, it looked like it was made of rubber.
"I made ____ myself!" - the Thrill of Home Cooking Victory
Ah, the silent gizzard. Who hasn't done this at least once. :)
$100 Hamburger
I've heard tell that Daniel Boulud has sold burgers for upwards of $100. Personally, I'm not enough of a connosseur to think past the $20 burger, and am still refining my ideals.
Cafe Nicholas-Brookline
Fairly standard. I've been a few times, since I live almost next door, and usually don't regret going, nor feel like I hit the jackpot. The burgers are not bad, and I enjoyed the saratoga roast beef sandwich.
Is there anything you just can't make, no matter how hard you try? [Moved from General Topics board]
We did this a few times growing up, and it was great fun, but the taffy always turned out hard. So we ate hard candy.
Compare: Japanese and Vietnamese Cuisine
Vladimir Nabokov was also had synesthesia, as well as Franz Liszt, Nikola Tesla, and handful of other famous folks. For a general overview, it's worth checking out the Wikipedia entry.
Educate me about Vietnamese food
For something new, and also something distinctly Vietnamese, you should definitely try the pho. I know--soup usually sounds boring to me too, at least as a full meal. But good pho is not what we Americans think of when we think of soup.
Think of it as a full meal of meat, noodles, and veggies, just immersed in the most flavorful broth you've ever had.
P.S. - If you don't like extra chewy textures, make sure to ask for no tendon and tripe in the pho, as these are common ingredients (or simply order an option without them).
Everyday luxuries?
Do you have a technique for distinguishing between old clearance meat/poulty and teaser sales? I know Manager's Special is best to avoid, but assume that many of the other sale items are old as well, and am never sure how to get an affordable piece of meat without getting a geriatric piece of meat.
Li Hing Mui - Aspartame?
My understanding is that the powder is what's used to dry the fruit--either that or as a seasoning for the already dried fruit, so wouldn't call it a twist, but maybe a source ingredient that's harder to find. I don't really know, though. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will clarify.
"I made ____ myself!" - the Thrill of Home Cooking Victory
As a grad student in the middle of teaching myself to cook, I gewt the pleasure of many of these moments.
I've made risotto twice now: first a basic parmesan, which was good but too sticky; second, butternut squash that, with SO's help, was DELICIOUS.
My biggest victory however, was the humble dish of roast chicken with stuffing, a la Julia Child. Though it's a classic, I'd never cooked anything whole before, nor eaten it outside of Thanksgiving.
With my neurotic doting (as Julia mandates), we ended up without leftovers. Perfectly moist chicken, and the Best Stuffing Ever!
Compare: Japanese and Vietnamese Cuisine
I have no source on this, so don't take my word, but I've heard that Japanese food and beer were both influenced by German masters who visited Japan. Might be interesting to look into.
Favorite Movies About Food?
Perhaps because it's so recent, or perhaps because it's not live-action, no one has mentioned Ratatouille.
Squash + Microwave = ?
I have a cheap grocery store across from my office and want get more produce into my work diet. Can I take, say, an acorn or a butternut squash, cook it in a microwave and have it come out okay?
If so, what is a good cooking time?
And lastly, I don't have any cutlery here... would the cooking soften the skins enough to cut them with a good old ridged butter knife?
