scubadoo97's Recent Activity
Chowhound Post
Room for One More at Thanksgiving Dinner?
I would never turn someone away. I always cook enough that there are leftovers for any dinner party and if you can't squeeze one more at the big table then in my house we would either set up a small card table or even if a couple sat in the kitchen or den it would be fine. When having a larger party of guests I like to serve buffet anyway.
Chowhound Post
Gift suggestion for a Middle East/Indian cook?
How about a grape leave roller
http://www.tulumba.com/storeitem.asp?...
I do a lot of Middle Eastern cooking and there are not a lot of gadgets that are needed. A coffee grinder for spices will work fine. Pretty inexpensive but some thing to hollow out squash or other vegetables to be stuffed.
http://www.alhannah.com/cgi-bin/guide...
Chowhound Post
world's sexiest chef -- now for your viewing pleasure on bravo. debut 11/16/09
I found the comment by one female contestant that the non stick pan was sticking, or something to that effect. Duh, it's was not teflon honey. Looked to be black steel. A good knob of butter would have made all the difference.
Chowhound Post
world's sexiest chef -- now for your viewing pleasure on bravo. debut 11/16/09
The only thing that really bugged me was that it's a competition. Why does everything need to be a competition. It would have been more interesting to me to follow students through a culinary academy. Watching their triumphs and failures but without the game show mentality that seems to be mandatory for TV these days
Chowhound Post
would you buy a panini press
I don't have a panini grill but do have a large GF that get's little use. I would be hesitant to ever buy a panini grill for the same reason. If I want to do paninis the GF will sub niecly.
Chowhound Post
Favourite way to make short ribs?
I recently did short ribs in a braise of red wine and root beer. Reduced sauce was very good.
Chowhound Post
Optimal fat content for beef?
Sounds like you're set. Use your butcher.
Chowhound Post
Optimal fat content for beef?
If the "butcher" at your market is using a cleaned small commercial grinder I see no problem. If they are taking it to the big commercial grinder then you may get the last grind in your package and your roast may stay in the grinder.
Chowhound Post
Optimal fat content for beef?
"Why do we want our juicy burgers 10% fat or less"
It seems when given the choice people as usual think with their emotions. Cutting the fat in the diet is the new mantra so they pick up the 90/10 ground meat but juicy burger @10% fat, not likely.
The dichotomy is these same people go out to places like Five Guys or other burger establishments for a "good" burger. Something so easily done at home if they would just buy the right meat.
Chowhound Post
turnip v. rutabaga - what do you call it?
1. Florida
2. Yes
3. Turnip and Rutabaga respectively
Chowhound Post
Homemade chicken stock - now what?
You did good if you got a gelatinous stock. When warmed this gelatinous stock will give a nice mouth feel to your soups. Way better than the canned variety.
I freeze my stocks in bags or containers. I also like to fill ice cube trays or muffin tins with stock and then put the stock ice cubes in a bag. These are great for making pan sauces when you only need a little stock.
Chowhound Post
Guacamole -- What's in yours??
I sometimes use garlic sparingly but most often leave it out as it can overwhelm and opt for only a little bit of raw onion finely diced in addition to jalepeno salt, pepper, cilantro and lime juice.
Chowhound Post
Semantically speaking of a substance on salmon
Not sure but were you cleaning corn while preping your salmon?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10...
Chowhound Post
Waiter wants a bigger tip?
Very good. I've had the opposite experience. Didn't notice a service charge had already been added and tipped 20% on top of it. Only as I was nearly walking out and looked at my bill did I see the service charge. I had to hunt down the server and get an adjustment.
Chowhound Post
Waiter wants a bigger tip?
I agree but would the serve return to the table with the same question if they left a 30% tip?
Chowhound Post
Chopped-the one with Malik (and nori...)
A shinning example of How Not To Win. Was there for entertainment value. Hey it's TV.
Chowhound Post
Meat Fork -- Why so expensive?
Can't remember when I last used a fork while "carving". I use tongs as well or fingers (I wash them).
Chowhound Post
Besides soup, what to do with butternut squash?
Could even mix it with cauliflower. I've been doing a cauliflower puree that just knocks my socks off. Better than mashed potatoes imo.
Chowhound Post
Chopped-What's with the ageist comments?
OMG, my wife and I watched this show tonight. We both were laughing non stop. Most entertaining episode I've ever seen. I took one look at Grandma and knew she would be the winner. Grandma; "chorizo-Portuguese, cod-Portuguese. Grandma was cool, very cool. I loved the last challenge. Dessert. Grandma's comment,"my first job was pastry chef". Dude you are going down.
Chowhound Post
Where to buy inexpensive whole vanilla beans?
I last purchased grade A Madagascar Bourbon beans from Vanilla Products USA http://stores.ebay.com/Vanilla-Produc...
When I bought mine they were $35 shipped for 1 lb of beans which is around 100-120 beans. Currently you can get 1/2 lb for $31 shipped. So that's about $0.55 per bean. They are super long and soft. Great flavor.
Chowhound Post
Tip calculator at the bottom of the bill...?
You ever try to get change from someone who had to do it in their head? Bill is 13.78 and you give them 20.03. Screws with their head like nothing else. Math skills are pretty pathetic these days.
Chowhound Post
Recommendations for immersion blenders?
Agreed Bamix is the best for home and light commercial use.
Chowhound Post
Need advice on my new meat grinder
Bob, go the extra mile and clean your meat. Chuck is made of several muscles. In between each one is a thin connective tissue and often there is some silverskin connective tissue that should come off. This should not clog your plate but does wrap around the auger. It's pretty easy to seperate some of the muscles. They just pull apart and with the aid of a sharp knive it's a chinch to clean it up well. Remove anything you woudn't want to eat. Hard fat is fine and there is enough intramuscular fat in chuck that if you want to go a litle leaner you could leave some of that out too.
If you have freezer space, put your grinding tube and parts in the freezer or you can grind a couple of ice cubes to get it cold. Just drain out the water before grinding the meat. The meat shoudl be cold. It doesn't have to be frozen. With a Waring Pro you should be able to grind a big roast before there is any significant heat to melt the fat. I use to have an occasinal probelm with my KA but not with my Tasin grinder. When I had a probelm wiht my KA and fat smearing it would bog the whole grinding process down.
Chowhound Post
Why is frying food unhealthy?
A lot of people would not eat the skin on a raw bird : >)) or on a bird that was baked. More likely to peel it off compared with fried chicken where you are eating it because of the skin.
I have often taken notice of the amount of fat used in frying say potatoes or coating them with oil and oven roasting. Assuming some of the oil is atomized in the frying process, evident from the hood clean up after, I'm pretty sure I use less oil in deep frying than in oven roasting. But oven roasting has the appearance of being healthier.
Chowhound Post
Single-Malt Suggestion for a Present?
The double wood is quite nice. I was able to pick up a few bottles a few years ago at $30. I can still find Highland 12 @ $29. For awhile I was buy it at $25.
Macallan 12 is a fine scotch that is well accepted by most. In your price point without breaking the bank
Chowhound Post
Keeping Feta Fresh
I can assure you that is not true. It does have a long shelf life but it does start to change in flavor the older it is.
Chowhound Post
Homemade Stock Not "Gellied" and ?'s
Stock made in a PC is so gelatinous if a fair amount of bones are used. It can certainly be reduced further but after being chilled in the fridge it will look like Jello
Chowhound Post
Tilapia misery
wouldn't the acidic nature of buttermilk alter the texture of the flesh?
