linengirl's Profile
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
baby corn. whose idea was that? let the little buggers at least grow to adolescent-hood!
okra. But I admit to woeful ignorance re: good Louisiana cooking.
zucchini flower. Again, I may not have tasted good examples of what they CAN be like.
spaghetti squash. Which can NOT substitute, whatever my mother says, for spaghetti.
Cauliflower if masquerading as mashed potato. Sorry. No dice.
Green smoothies?
Thank you all! Pantz, I did live in NYC... a couple of years ago. I don't any more, so I wasn't aware of either Organic Avenue or Miss Lily's. Happily, though, I get back fairly often. So I'll go try these places out! Thank you for the heads up!
WEIGHT WATCHER FOODIES - WHAT ARE YOU COOKING? PART 6
Farmer's market had the first local asparagus in this Saturday. So yesterday I made Dorie Greenspan's bacon, egg and asparagus salad. Gosh, it was good. I calculate about 9 points/serving. Ish. Entirely worth it.
Friend coming for a few days from London, England. What can't she get across the pond that we do well here?
I'd consider 2 places: Jacob & Co (for the dry aged Alberta ribeye -- though I've heard great things about the quality of some of the beef now available in the UK); Soma in the distillery (for the chocolate - not that she can't get great chocolate at home, but many Brits have a thing for chocolate, and Soma's really is special)
Green smoothies?
Hi all,
I'm not on any special diet other than a weight loss diet (ahem. What can I say? I love food and don't so much love sweat...).
Have started to drink protein smoothies for breakfast, and found it quite a helpful habit to have. Not really missing out on good stuff, because breakfast is my least interesting meal of the day anyway. And I can pack in a LOT of good stuff: besides my protein powder, typically a couple of cups of spinach or kale or other leafy green, and a banana or some frozen fruit.
I am quite happy to stick with this, but if any of you have green smoothie ideas that you really like, I'd love to hear about them!
Note that because I am rather weight-reduction focused right now, I will tend (only tend - not so strict) to prefer the smoothies that are full of water and ice cubes, rather than, for example, peach nectar or mango puree.
smiles and thanks!
Breast cancer diet recommendations?
If she likes the idea, juicing might also be a nice thing to explore. Especially if you are trying to get her to feel happy about cutting down on the diet sodas, processed foods and whatnot. Juices (even juices made mostly with vegetables) can be quite sweet and delicious. And if she has to have chemo (I didn't, so I'm speculating here), a little ginger in her juice might help her to feel less ill, as well? And if getting a juicer, using it and keeping it clean is more than you think she's ready to sign up for right now, there are lots of pretty-good alternatives: odwalla? bolthouse (the carrot people)? your neighbourhood juice bar, if you are lucky enough to have one nearby?
Recs for LONDON, Ontario
I second The Only and Church Key. Church Key is particularly good on the subject of Sunday brunch, if you can get a table. And they have a patio -- right opposite The Tasting Room.
If you are willing to drive and want a good bakery (excellent source of pasteis nata, toasted sandwiches, lattes...), there is a branch of Toronto's Nova Era (a traditional Portuguese bakery) near the Western Fair grounds -- 460 Egerton, says their website. Bet ya can't eat just one pastel de nata... It's rare that anyone can...
Where should an aspiring cook begin?
I'm a visual learner, so if it were me (and it was), I'd start out with videos. The French Chef DVD collection (Julia Child) from PBS, and the Good Eats (Alton Brown) collection from Food Network are both wonderful. And neither assumes you know much at all. Cook along with them: when you find an episode with food you like (whether it's braised, microwaved, frozen or just sliced into bits and served)... watch it a few times, consult the recipe, and try making it yourself. Then watch it again, and make it again. And then make it AGAIN!
If you get through those two, another series I like (though it is too fussy for some, and assumes, I think, a broader knowledge of cooking than you might be ready for right now) is America's Test Kitchen. And that will keep you going for a GOOD long time. They are into their 12th season, now!
What's in your freezer
Too much stuff that will end up in the garbage, sadly. Like coll and Crockett67, I now keep a list. But there is just NOT a good reason for some of the stuff in there. Store bought frozen lasagna: what was I thinking? Bad leftovers: why bother? Gotta go do a freezer clean now... ;->
Airplane Food
I'm afraid I'm one of the folks you disapprove of. But I DO try to consider your quality of life too. My usual go-to goodies: bottle of water, bag of cashews or almonds, bag of crudités with a bit of Maldon salt to dip them in, bar of good chocolate. All things that dont smell, wont get on anyone's clothes or leave debris. I wonder, now, though, reading your post? Does the crunching interfere with your enjoyment of your flight? Maybe I should stick to a couple of protein bars after all?
Do you like it when your server recognizes you?
Wait until you get sick and need an overnight at her hospital, Bill. Then you'll be REALLY grateful. All that caring and interest she has tried to give to them... Your nurses and caregivers will probably try to return the favour. You are VERY lucky. I know. Off topic. ON topic, I find it embarrassing. Which is quite ridiculous of me. Particularly because in the small places I love the most, I try to overtip a bit on a regular basis. Just to say, in another way, "thank you, I value your help".
Martin Picard's new book
It's out, and I looked at it in Indigo. And while I have great respect for this man's creative ability, it's a bit frightening. I write this referencing pictures of a) squirrel sushi; b) club sandwich. It's not a cookbook I'd feel ok about leaving around for my young nieces to look at. Am I too squeamish?
What were your FIRST three cookbooks?
Fannie Farmer Junior Cookbook
Julia Child's Mastering (vol 1)
My mother's collection of Gourmet magazines
Feeding a new diabetic?
You don't need a completely vegetarian diet. It's ok to eat a modest amount of meat as part of your meals (no larger than the palm of your hand). You might like to (as you are) cut out potatoes, but may find you only need to limit bread and rolls. Ep if you veer toward whole grains. Lots of veg in your daily diet is a very good thing. Don't cut out desserts: you are more likely to "cheat" if you do that -- and in a not-good way. Instead, go for low or no sugar desserts like jello and fruit. I am writing this as dictated by my SO, who is also a diabetic, and managed to get his blood sugar under control. He believes that exercise is also very important, and bikes and walks with me all the time.
Impromptu Meals - how do I plan for them?
Alternatively, you can do what I did (quite by accident). Move. Move to an apartment above a great grocery store. It's like having an enormous refrigerator in your basement! Otherwise, I think grey is right. If you want the luxury of not having to plan, you must expect to pay for it. Most often by overbuying (= a certain amount of spoiled / wasted food) or by giving more money and stomach space than you might like to restaurants or packaged/canned/frozen food manufacturers. Sorry, but there ain't no other way that I can see...
Recipe Organizer
I've been using both pepper plate (the app and website) for a couple of months now, and www.eatyourbooks.com (website only: I dream of the day they give me an app...) for the last year. Pepper plate is free. And useful. But eatyourbooks has changed the extent to which I use my cookbooks, helped me to cook more and cook better, and been just tremendous fun. It's probably one of the best purchases I've made in the last 12 months.
Need help with meal planning to pair with Marcella Hazan Bolognese
That sounds heavenly!
Tricks you figured out in the kitchen and thought 'good one'!!!
Keep a pantry.
Stock your pantry with things you USE. Not with what you THINK you might use. Or, painful though it is, things that well-meaning friends and relations give you that you know you wont use. Those treats, if store bought rather than home made, can go elsewhere to live. Neighbourhood food pantry?
Unless you shop for a family of 8, no, that gallon jug of Hellman's is NOT a good use of your refrigerator real estate. Share it out with your friends or buy smaller.
Go through your pantry with a garbage bag, checking for expiry dates, regularly. Once a year. Be ruthless.
Keep a list of what's currently in the freezer, to minimize freezer-burn-means-I-have-to-toss-it evenings.
Label anything you put into the freezer. Unless you want to freeze it preliminary to wondering what it once was and having to toss.
When you buy a jar of spice, write the date on the label. So you don't have to wonder if it really should be replaced. (gosh... I can't smell anything any more AND I dated it June 2002? Might be time to replace it...)
PS: can anyone guess what I've been doing today? Instead of cooking? :-(
Need help with meal planning to pair with Marcella Hazan Bolognese
I agree. Having made that particular bolognese many times, it is rich. And heavy. So balancing it out with something vegetably would be my choice, too. It's spring: maybe baby artichokes? Or pan roasted asparagus with a little olive oil, parm and lemon? But oh... That bolognese.... SUCH a treat. Your guests are lucky!
piment d'espelette [moved from Home Cooking]
I'm having the same problem in Toronto. VERY tough to find. :-(
In Paris Apr. 21-26, need foodie options near the 8th?
Dude, you are going to have an absolutely LOVELY time. Don't worry too much about being "just a few feet away from not being in Paris at all". The bus and subway systems in Paris are superb (cheap, clean, efficient, wonderfully fast), and thoroughly Anglo-friendly. Ratp even has a website that helps you plan your trips, so if you bring your iPad, you will make out great using a combination of the iPad, the Ratp site, and your yelp app. Fwiw, though, it's also pretty handy to have a little book of maps in your pocket or bag when you go out. I like the Michelin map book: 1 page (ish) per arrondissement, and available from, I think, most major book sellers in Paris.
And no, crossing the Seine is NOT a big PITA. Quite the contrary, incredibly pretty, if you choose to walk! Paris is a walker's paradise at this time of year. SO beautiful!
Finally, if you do bring your iPad/iPhone, you can buy the Michelin Paris restaurant app for it. I know, I know... Very old fashioned in their approach to what is good food. But very reliable if you are looking, for example, for delicious, less expensive bistros.
Angel food cake
Well. I made angel food cake today. From a box. Having read recently (where? NYT? Here? Other?) that angel food cake is actually very good from a box. It was disGUSTing. And even worse when tried just now, a few hours after initially served. Gummy. Icky. Bleh. Bleh. Bleh.
So.
First, from now on I trust my mother on the subject of boxed cake mix.
Second, does anyone have a favorite twitch on the standard recipe (I'll likely use my grandmother's)? You know... Orange juice drizzle and such?
ISO: farro
Pasta Mia, basement level of St Lawrence market carries the real stuff (from Italy). And yes, it is common for vendors to refer to farro and spelt interchangeably. They are very similar but, I find, texturally, farro (which is pearled) is more delicate than spelt.
Need menu ideas for an easy make ahead French bistro meal
I have two suggestions: first, take a look at the soups in Dorie Greenspan's latest (French) cookbook. She has a lot of wonderful soups, any of which could be made a day or two before, reheated and served with a bit of crusty bread for a starter. Soup, like braises, is often BETTER the second or third day. So ideal for what you are thinking of. Second suggestion, if you don't want a soup, is a simple tossed salad to start, followed by a classic braise. I do love a braise for entertaining! Then cheese plate for dessert, and there you are.
Things you want to try making
Ropa vielja (sp?). The Cuban version, which I used to love to get from a Cuban diner when I lived in Hoboken. Not so easy to find in Toronto, and the latest issue of Saveur reminds me how much I miss it. There's the Saveur recipe to try, of course. But do any of you all have recipes for it you love and can steer me toward?
8" Lodge Cast Iron - recipe ideas?
I think you can google for Yotam Ottolenghi's shakshuka recipe. That is a very good one. When it is done, you spoon individual portions into something similar to the 8" frypan and bake (375 or so) in the oven, until done. Or you can fry separately and slide over, or you can fry on the stovetop (you might want to put some kind of a lid on the pan in that case, to keep the heat circulating a bit). Toast or warm up some pita and either rip up or cut into wedges, and there you go!
Melissa Clark's Cook This Now - Cookbook report
Tuscan kale with garlic, anchovies and pecorino. My naturopath has been droning on about the glories of kale for months now (kale chips, anyone? YECH!!!). I've tried. Really I have. Just could NOT get to like the stuff. Until I tried this recipe. This recipe... this recipe is delicious. And fast. And healthy. And easy. What's not to love?
8" Lodge Cast Iron - recipe ideas?
I love my 8" too! It is marvellous for a 2 person crumble. Great for something like shakshuka (individual dish of, with an egg on top, pita bread on the side). Handy for chucking into the toaster oven with whatever you need to bake/reheat/broil... A good and useful little beast!
