What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[Evo]

He's not?! How did you find out?

It's common knowledge. He was a video producer and had an idea for a show about a science nerd that cooked and pitched the idea to Food Network. He's just acting, although for the show he did go through a culinary course.

I have to say his show Good Eats is one of my favorites although some of the shows have been horribly wrong. One show where he mistakenly confused grits and cornmeal received so much negative feedback from viewers explaining his mistake that they actually filmed a correction to the original episode.

Recently he hosted "America's Best restaurants" and because he was reading from a script he mis-identified milled French iron pans for cast iron. If he had even seen the video before reading the narration, he would have noticed (hopefully). Food Network posted the same incorrect narration on their website, so it was obvious that the mistake was in the script. It was really pathetic, the chef even says that the secret to the dish is the French Iron pans, so Alton didn't listen to the audio either. I wonder if he even knows about the goof up? So, he narrated a show that he didn't even watch. Come on, can you care enough to at least watch it?

Of course my favorite food show of all time is the original Iron Chef from Japan and that show was based on an imaginary multi-millionaire food enthusiast Chairman Kaga who created Kitchen Stadium and his Iron Chefs. That show was a hoot, but also had extremely skilled chefs and was so much better than the American version that Alton currently hosts.

 

[HeLiXe]

Well at least he's a pretty good actor :)

 

[Evo]

Well at least he's a pretty good actor :)

He is. I wish he'd get back up to a reasonable weight, he looks terrible, he really does look like he's had cancer. I'm really shocked that he actually did this to himself, on purpose. Hopefully his weight will go back to normal.

He needs to gain some weight, and go back to his original, funny, imformative science/food premise. That was his best.

 

[Evo]

Nismar, you seem to have a lot of cooking knowledge, I now expect you to share your cooking knowledge.

Maybe we can plan a meal and each commit to one dish and report back how it went.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Does anyone have a killer recipe for orange-flavored beef?

Also, I had a Chinese friend in college who always brought these delicious and sweet dim sum treats, for study sessions. How many kinds of dim sum are there; is it possible to figure out what I probably had, and does anyone have a good recipe?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Also, in the spirit of the season, here is a recipe for one of my favorite holiday cookies made by mom every year. We called them no-peek cookies.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1610,158171-237196,00.html

 

[HeLiXe]

He is. I wish he'd get back up to a reasonable weight, he looks terrible, he really does look like he's had cancer. I'm really shocked that he actually did this to himself, on purpose. Hopefully his weight will go back to normal.

He needs to gain some weight, and go back to his original, funny, imformative science/food premise. That was his best.

The last time I saw him was a few years ago...I haven't watched television in a while -_- I googled him to see how thin he's gotten, and I found a picture that has convinced me he's been lurking on PF and is trying to mimic Dave's doom factor

I think he needs a lot more practice

 

[nismaratwork]

Nismar, you seem to have a lot of cooking knowledge, I now expect you to share your cooking knowledge.

Maybe we can plan a meal and each commit to one dish and report back how it went.

First, I admit to feeling dissapointed when I first discovered that Mr. Brown wasn't what he appeared, so I can understand the reaction. At least he does a fantastic Scottish accent... right?

As for me, I've been cooking since I was a kid... just a family passion. I'm always happy to share what I know... and I'll say this for starters...

ALWAYS pre-heat your pan when you're making popovers, and add a bit of honey to keep them from drying out while adding a subtle flavor. Personally I like them with Bonne Maman wild-blueberry preserves.

edit here... I love using orange-blossom honey in my popovers, but I've used sage honey for savory applications... I even add sage honey to Yorkshire Pudding (which I LOOOOOVE)

 

[nismaratwork]

Does anyone have a killer recipe for orange-flavored beef?

Also, I had a Chinese friend in college who always brought these delicious and sweet dim sum treats, for study sessions. How many kinds of dim sum are there; is it possible to figure out what I probably had, and does anyone have a good recipe?

There are generally 2 ways to achieve the orange beef experience... the first is this:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/crispy-orange-beef/Detail.aspx
"Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat."

THAT IS KEY. I will add: make very sure that your beef is just tacky to the touch, or as dry as can be. That little tiny dusting of starch is the different between limp beef, and something orangy-delicious.

I would add, that you can ratchet up the spice factor by adding chilis, but a little Sriracha will straighten you right out. just add sparingly and about in the middle of the final cooking process.

edit: Right.. I forgot the second! The second is a version I had which I can only guess at... a kind of orange DUSTED sauteed beef. I THINK that orange juice and zest are mixed lecithin or one of those "molecular cooking" bits, along with some vinegar and sugar. You use the powder as the coating INSTEAD of the starch, and then sautee or lightly brown in the pan, cook the veggies in the sauce seperately, then you bring them together and cook the beef through.

 

[Evo]

This is Alton Brown today, way too thin. The weight loss has aged him about 20 years.

[PLAIN]http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9411/altonbrowntoothin.jpg

 

[turbo]

I have to say his show Good Eats is one of my favorites although some of the shows have been horribly wrong. One show where he mistakenly confused grits and cornmeal received so much negative feedback from viewers explaining his mistake that they actually filmed a correction to the original episode.

Recently he hosted "America's Best restaurants" and because he was reading from a script he mis-identified milled French iron pans for cast iron. If he had even seen the video before reading the narration, he would have noticed (hopefully). Food Network posted the same incorrect narration on their website, so it was obvious that the mistake was in the script. It was really pathetic, the chef even says that the secret to the dish is the French Iron pans, so Alton didn't listen to the audio either. I wonder if he even knows about the goof up? So, he narrated a show that he didn't even watch. Come on, can you care enough to at least watch it?

Yep! He is just reading a script, and his producer and research staff are woefully inept. He needs a better research team and a better writer to keep him out of trouble.

The worst episode IMO is the one in which he explains that professionals in food-prep industry don't know how to sharpen their own cutlery apart from using a steel to touch up the edge. Instead, he claimed they had to hire some guy with a belt-grinder to sharpen their knives periodically. I wanted to call him on the phone and holler at him. I actually DID holler at the TV. What a moron! Would a chef pay $75 and up (each) for Thiers-Issard knives and let some itinerant "knife-sharpener" ruin the temper of those hand-forged blades with a belt grinder? I sharpen regularly with a steel, and if a blade's edge has been drawn out by the steel enough so that it dulls quickly (after maybe a year or so) the edge can be re-formed quickly and safely on a water-cooled diamond hone. It's not rocket science. It's similar to someone claiming that cabinet-makers don't know how to properly sharpen their planes and chisels. Ludicrous.

 

[trautlein]

I'm a vegetarian, have been so for a year now, but every single one of my top ten dishes has had meat in it. It's torture...

 

[Borek]

It's torture...

Being vegetarian is a torture you inflict on yourself

 

[HeLiXe]

All I have to say Evo is wow

 

[HeLiXe]

I'm a vegetarian, have been so for a year now, but every single one of my top ten dishes has had meat in it. It's torture...

I was vegetarian for a long time and then vegan. When I was a vegetarian I think one of my favorite things in the world was a veggie quesedilla with sauteed onions, mushrooms and green peppers <3 And roti with channa is soooo good :)

 

[Borek]

I was vegetarian for a long time and then vegan. When I was a vegetarian I think one of my favorite things in the world was a veggie quesedilla with sauteed onions, mushrooms and green peppers <3 And roti with channa is soooo good :)

Trick is, when you are not vegetarian you are still allowed to eat these things.

 

[turbo]

Trick is, when you are not vegetarian you are still allowed to eat these things.

I am a humitarian, but not a strict humanitarian.

 

[HeLiXe]

Trick is, when you are not vegetarian you are still allowed to eat these things.

Yeah I know, when the office used to order Pizza on Fridays all the non-vegetarians would eat all the cheese pizza, I had to rush to the table and knock a few coworkers over just to avoid being left with things I could not eat, like meatlovers and super pepperoni deluxe or something

 

[HeLiXe]

I am a humitarian, but not a strict humanitarian.

*hides*

I went to this Japanese restaurant down the road today. I only got take out, but man was it good. I like it there, it's like a low cost Benihana :) I wasn't adventurous this time, only dynamite rolls, california rolls, and shrimp rolls (with some orange roe looking things), but I'm looking forward to my next visit

 

[Evo]

Yeah I know, when the office used to order Pizza on Fridays all the non-vegetarians would eat all the cheese pizza, I had to rush to the table and knock a few coworkers over just to avoid being left with things I could not eat, like meatlovers and super pepperoni deluxe or something

In my office no one ordered cheese pizza. I always voted for the eggplant & zucchini pizza, knowing I'd have it all to myself. My office was full of meat eaters.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

There are generally 2 ways to achieve the orange beef experience... the first is this:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/crispy-orange-beef/Detail.aspx
"Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat."

THAT IS KEY. I will add: make very sure that your beef is just tacky to the touch, or as dry as can be. That little tiny dusting of starch is the different between limp beef, and something orangy-delicious.

I would add, that you can ratchet up the spice factor by adding chilis, but a little Sriracha will straighten you right out. just add sparingly and about in the middle of the final cooking process.

edit: Right.. I forgot the second! The second is a version I had which I can only guess at... a kind of orange DUSTED sauteed beef. I THINK that orange juice and zest are mixed lecithin or one of those "molecular cooking" bits, along with some vinegar and sugar. You use the powder as the coating INSTEAD of the starch, and then sautee or lightly brown in the pan, cook the veggies in the sauce seperately, then you bring them together and cook the beef through.

thanks! I will try and report back with the results. Tsu and I both absolutely love orange beef. There is one place in town that makes a somewhat okay orange beef - great flavor but too much fat and low-quality meat - but there is lots of room for improvement. I've been threatening to try this for years.

 

[HeLiXe]

In my office no one ordered cheese pizza. I always voted for the eggplant & zucchini pizza, knowing I'd have it all to myself. My office was full of meat eaters.

OMG that sounds good :) They ordered veggie pizza a few times, and that went faster than the cheese pizza.

 

[Office_Shredder]

Every time we have to grade exams we get 20 or 30 pizzas for dinner for everybody. For some reason they always order 2 or 3 ham pizzas, and they're the only leftovers at the end

 

[Evo]

Every time we have to grade exams we get 20 or 30 pizzas for dinner for everybody. For some reason they always order 2 or 3 ham pizzas, and they're the only leftovers at the end

Do they have pineapple on them?

 

[Evo]

My jar of yeast is expiring so I'm making a bunch of bread. My favorite is a basic pizza dough rolled into a ball and soaked in olive oil and baked. OMG, it's so good.

 

[nismaratwork]

My jar of yeast is expiring so I'm making a bunch of bread. My favorite is a basic pizza dough rolled into a ball and soaked in olive oil and baked. OMG, it's so good.

Sounds good to me! I might set aside a bit to make thin-crusts with some lightly sweated garlic and shallots, and a lot of Parmesan to make a crust...

Bread... in whatever form, is the one of the greatest things next to a truly good steak, or a glass of ice cold (for me) water.

 

[nismaratwork]

thanks! I will try and report back with the results. Tsu and I both absolutely love orange beef. There is one place in town that makes a somewhat okay orange beef - great flavor but too much fat and low-quality meat - but there is lots of room for improvement. I've been threatening to try this for years.

Good luck, and I waive liability for fires or accidental demon summonings! Bon Appetite!

 

[OmCheeto]

I was going to ask for a recipe for gravy yesterday, (I'm so insecure in my abilities), but I just discovered something that is a triumvirate of culinary nirvana:

a. mom's gravy (sorry if your mom couldn't cook)
b. that gravy they used to put on the mashed potatoes at KFC (why else would we eat that stuff?)
c. hollandaise sauce

An actual vortex of gustatory sensual delight.

(Not some of that 'VR' 3D tasteless crap they try and feed us nowadays...)

Oh my god. I am so glad there is a La Niña going on right now. I'm going to need a whole lotta cold weather to burn off the 20lbs of fat I'm about to put on.

 

[nismaratwork]

I was going to ask for a recipe for gravy yesterday, (I'm so insecure in my abilities), but I just discovered something that is a triumvirate of culinary nirvana:

a. mom's gravy (sorry if your mom couldn't cook)
b. that gravy they used to put on the mashed potatoes at KFC (why else would we eat that stuff?)
c. hollandaise sauce

An actual vortex of gustatory sensual delight.

(Not some of that 'VR' 3D tasteless crap they try and feed us nowadays...)

Oh my god. I am so glad there is a La Niña going on right now. I'm going to need a whole lotta cold weather to burn off the 20lbs of fat I'm about to put on.

Master the roux spectrum and no gravy or mother sauce will foil you, except perhaps a sabayon.

 

[Evo]

I can't eat filet mignon without bearnaise.

In a pinch, heat some Hellman's mayonaise in a tiny pan with some white wine and tarragon. My ex actually liked my makeshift bearnaise so much, it became the only bearnaise.