SiksElement's Profile
Bacon substitutes needed, please
with all do respect, there just simply isn't a substitute for pig
final trip to philadelphia - narrow down 4 dinner options?
check that. its at the rittenhouse hotel
final trip to philadelphia - narrow down 4 dinner options?
one of the best meals i ever had was at le croix in the hotel of the same name. just my two cents.
Help finding foods that have a "cooling sensation" (like mint)
thats because water, which there is plenty of in cucumbers, actually spreads the capsaicin around in your mouth. hence why cucumbers +chili's = more heat.
Has anyone tried diet Dr Pepper chocolate cherry soda?
i have not tried it, however this past week i braised some pork ribs in dr pepper with some fresh cherries and then added that braising liquid into the bbq sauce. it was really good
What is THE dish to judge a cuisine by?
your post reminded me of a quote i once heard, and the author has slipped my mind, but "in italy, if you ask a thousand people to make bolognese, you'll get a thousand different bolognese sauces. if you as a thousand french cooks to make a hollandaise, you'll get one sauce. and i dont think there is anything wrong with either of those statements. i think its a testament to different thought processes.
What is THE dish to judge a cuisine by?
just throwing this out there, but italy isnt the only place with calamari and im starting to get annoyed that a calamari frito misto is now the "must have" on every red sauce slinging italian american restaurant.
What is THE dish to judge a cuisine by?
that stock that you think is a luxury is made mostly from scraps. what that tells me is that whoever runs that kitchen is cost conscious. its about watching their food cost. they get a product from something which otherwise would have been thrown out.
What is THE dish to judge a cuisine by?
it shows that someone can clean out the walk-in and use the stuff thats about to go bad.
Help finding foods that have a "cooling sensation" (like mint)
i think a lot of you missed the point on this one. its not about cooling your mouth after a spicy meal. its about items that give you a sensation of cool without it necessarily being cold. its items that give you that viks vapor rub feeling in your nose. hence my notation further up on the page about eucalyptus
Help finding foods that have a "cooling sensation" (like mint)
p.s. linalool if i remember correctly is the main phenolic compound in lemons. hence lemonade being so cooling/refreshing.
eucalyptus is also cooling in my minds eye. matter of fact, i just infused some vodka with it. most delicious
what foods does your city have that mine doesn't?
as a resident of sw pa, i am also aware of shoe fly pie. sometimes i forget that it exists, then i go home to moms house and there it is. may be one of the ultimate comfort foods in my book!
we also have primanti brothers in pgh. best sandwich ever. they have multiple options, but the big thing is every sandwich has the french fries and cole slaw ON it. vinegar based dressing on the slaw, not mayo.
Sun Penang for Dim Sum? Pittsburgh
chicken feet and crispy intestines has definately sparked my interest in this place. im not sure if i feel ashamed to call myself a pittsburgher and not know where this place is. i got the part about forbs ave, but thats a long road. can someone please be more specific. thanks
Lunch-Rittenhouse Square
honestly. i see that you dont want "le bec fin" pricing, but one of the best meals i have ever eaten was at le croix in the rittenhouse. just throwing that out there. if the food is great and the company better, price shouldnt be a deciding factor.
Week in Pittsburgh, No Car
42 s. there is also a 42 L, so make sure to take the S. otherwise you wont end up where you want
What ingredients make your heart go pitter pat?
definitely a tempura batter on the squash blossoms. stuff it with tartuffi cheese first. and a follow up to the hollandaise, any butter emulsified sauce i have a week spot in my heart for...and consequently there probably is a week spot in my heart.
What ingredients make your heart go pitter pat?
amen on the bordelaise call. id like to give a shout out to chef e. the godfather of food for the bordelaise
Surimi and Crab Rangoon [moved from Boston board]
does the word "emulsion" sound any better?
Introduce me to Oysters
ok heres the skinny on oysters. personally, i cant stand raw oysters but i feel i know a good bit about them. it seems obvious, but the saltier the water they grow in the salty/more savory they are. this is due to an enzyme in them that they use for personal osmosis so that the sea water doesnt "cure" them. the fattier looking oysters are about to spawn so they are filled with roe and usually tastier (so im told). flabby looking ones just spawned and therefore just used up the majority of their energy for reproduction (less tasty...from what ive been told). just a little crash course
Chocolate and Wine
braquetto di aqui (spelling?). good pairing for a desert. i also like the zin idea!!!
Moldy Parmigiano Reggiano
ever heard of dry aged? mold does gro on the meat, it is safe, but it is cut off before eating. have no worries
Moldy Parmigiano Reggiano
foil= bad. cheeses are alive too and need to breath. that will actually cause it to go bad quicker. parchment paper is the way to go. if its a soft ripened cheese rather than the parm, bruch the parchment with olive oil to prevent it from sticking
Bones in Sushi
why would you be shocked to find a bone in your fish. fish have bones. get pissed off when you find a bone in your vegetables or something!
Menu Help Please!
blow your friends mind with a bottle of legrein from the alto adige region. legrein is the grape and it is red. you have enough hearty herbaceous flavors that a red would work and thats something they probably wont expect. the tannins might also help cut through the richness of the proscutto.
also, it might be better to use either a really chunky pesto or mix in your foccacia crumbs in with it to give your stuffing the body. your menu seems very americanized italian. pasta is its own course. marinating of the mozzarella and tomatoes is definately an anti pasta dish. maybe just roast your tomatoes with the rosemary rather than serving them raw. although an american cross breed, some broccolini might add bitterness to the dish. as for a starch, a large dice on potatoes boiled until almost finished and deep fried. add that to a pan that you infuse sliced garlic and hers of your choice. definitely a roman style dish. hope this helps and take no offense to the suggestions.
Most disgusting taste (of normal foodstuffs)
raw oysters. less of a taste thing, more of a texture thing
Strange Pairings that Taste Uncommonly Good
i've never had the combination, but science has proven that chemically speaking, chocolate and caviar make a great combo
Sweetener alternatives
try xylitol.
heres some more information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol
Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream?
homemade creme fraiche
1 cup heavy cream
1 oz buttermilk
mix, set aside at room temp for 24 hrs
(we make it at the restaurant i work at in quantities of 2 quarts heavy cream to 1 cup buttermilk. without using, it has a shelf life of about 2 weeks)
hope this helps.
p.s. my vote is creme fraiche
Cal. vs Minn. Wild Rice: Is there a taste difference?
what do you consider the "real thing." yes, there will be differences in taste, maybe to minute to notice, but there will be one. as for cooking, the time and ratios probibly wont differ much if any. the french have a word "terroir" which refers to where a product is grown. thats the great thing about food and wine. a pinot noir from napa is going to be different to a pinot noir grown in new york, and anywhere else. the fun part of cooking is finding these differences and exploiting them to your liking.
