What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[turbo]

Oh, crap, I should have bookmarked the various recipes I liked in this thread as I saw them to get back to the right page! I'm now thinking I'd like to go back and find some of the finger food recipes for my Mad Hatter Tea Party, and am realizing the thread is now 55 pages long! I'll never find them!

If your preference is for hot stuff, I may be able to be able to help with basics.

 

[Moonbear]

Unfortunately, with the crowd I'll be having, I don't think hot stuff is the way to go (as much as that's what I'd love to have). But I know there were some snack type recipes in here somewhere. Oh well, I guess I'll have to find my own recipes.

 

[wolram]

My Yorkshire puddings are not working any more, this is one of the things i can cook with no problem up to now, my puddings use to triple in height, but now they hardly reach the rim of the tin, i am using the same tin, have tried three different makes of plain flour and ues the same weights, mom has tried with the same results, so what is going wrong?

 

[NateTG]

My Yorkshire puddings are not working any more, this is one of the things i can cook with no problem up to now, my puddings use to triple in height, but now they hardly reach the rim of the tin, i am using the same tin, have tried three different makes of plain flour and ues the same weights, mom has tried with the same results, so what is going wrong?

You've talked about the flour. What about the eggs? Smaller eggs (and maybe less fresh eggs) could easily cause the sort of problem you're describing.

Yorkshire pudding is leavened by eggs, which means that it's important to trap air in the batter to get a good rise. I don't know what-all you're doing when you make the yorkshire pudding, but there are couple of things you can do that will create (or preserve) air in the batter:

Sift the dry ingredients.
Beat the wet ingredients, especially the eggs, before mixing with the dry ingredients.
Don't over-beat when mixing the wet and dry ingredients together.
Since the steam is important, don't open the oven while the pudding is baking.

If you really want to push it, you can probably make a 'yorkshire souffle' by reducing the flour, increasing the eggs, whipping the egg-whites and making a thick gravy with the other ingredients, and folding the two together just before baking. This should produce something with a noticeably different texture though.

 

[wolram]

The eggs, that could be it Nate, i and mom have been making yorkshires for years and
never had this problem before, some do turn out better than others but never flat.

 

[wolram]

If a muntjac accidentaly died and wound up in my possetion, how would i clean it and cook it?

 

[Evo]

If a muntjac accidentaly died and wound up in my possetion, how would i clean it and cook it?

What's a muntjac?

 

[turbo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntjac

 

[Evo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntjac

WOLRAM! A cute little barking deer? Accidental death by what, a stray bullet?

 

[turbo]

WOLRAM! A cute little barking deer? Accidental death by what, a stray bullet?

Maybe something quieter, like a snare, and a hatchet. Guns are all but banned in England.

 

[wolram]

WOLRAM! A cute little barking deer? Accidental death by what, a stray bullet?

They are considered to be pests by local farmers, and some times they fall and slit their throats.

 

[Evo]

They are considered to be pests by local farmers, and some times they fall and slit their throats.

THAT'S TERRIBLE!

 

[turbo]

THAT'S TERRIBLE!

What if they taste good? Is it less terrible? I'm a little flexible on this issue.

 

[Evo]

What if they taste good? Is it less terrible? I'm a little flexible on this issue.

Well, it's got to be eaten now, you can't let it die in vain.

 

[wolram]

What if they taste good? Is it less terrible? I'm a little flexible on this issue.

I am told if a certain butcher could get some he would pay top dollar, but he can not get any, but accidents happen and i could be around when they do.
So how would i cook one ? hypotheticaly.

 

[turbo]

I am told if a certain butcher could get some he would pay top dollar, but he can not get any, but accidents happen and i could be around when they do.
So how would i cook one ? hypotheticaly.

Hypothetically, you should slice the steaks across the grain of any major muscles, rub them in pepper and salt and fry them very fast in butter in a cast iron pan (hot enough so that the butter starts to smoke). If one of these critters should happen to die in your garden, once you gut it out, you should locate the muscles paralleling the spine, chill them and ship them to me immediately so that I can study them for deformities.

 

[wolram]

Hypothetically, you should slice the steaks across the grain of any major muscles, rub them in pepper and salt and fry them very fast in butter in a cast iron pan (hot enough so that the butter starts to smoke). If one of these critters should happen to die in your garden, once you gut it out, you should locate the muscles paralleling the spine, chill them and ship them to me immediately so that I can study them for deformities.

How do i clean one Turbo? you are welcome to some spine chops.

 

[Evo]

I am told if a certain butcher could get some he would pay top dollar, but he can not get any, but accidents happen and i could be around when they do.
So how would i cook one ? hypotheticaly.

You mean it hasn't had an accident yet?

If one of these critters should happen to die in your garden, once you gut it out, you should locate the muscles paralleling the spine, chill them and ship them to me immediately so that I can study them for deformities.

SHAMEFUL!

 

[Moonbear]

If a muntjac accidentaly died and wound up in my possetion, how would i clean it and cook it?

If it hasn't been properly gutted soon after death, don't bother, it'll be too filled with bacteria to be edible. But, if you just happen to stumble across it very soon after it suddenly commits suicide by running into a hatchet, or something like that , first thing is to open up the belly and get out all the guts (make a little hole first, and then just poke the knife in and pull it outward, so you just cut open the abdominal wall, not the intestines inside). To get the last bit out, cut nice and wide around the butt end so you don't get any fecal contamination in your meat. Then you can worry about the rest. Skinning is pretty easy, really. You can always just use the legs and not worry about all the other cuts...look for the nice rounded psoas muscle that runs from the back to the hip...that's the tenderloin and you REALLY want to enjoy that one if you get nothing out of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoas_major_muscle

Here's a diagram of what cuts you find where on cattle, very generally.
http://heifercreek.com/BEEF.h20.jpg You can adapt that for a muntjac or deer.

 

[Moonbear]

If one of these critters should happen to die in your garden, once you gut it out, you should locate the muscles paralleling the spine, chill them and ship them to me immediately so that I can study them for deformities.

Sorry, I didn't see your post before I spoiled it for you. Darn! Had I seen this first, I could have arranged to split it with you in return for keeping my mouth shut.

 

[wolram]

You mean it hasn't had an accident yet?

SHAMEFUL!

It takes time to plan where an accident might happen.

 

[turbo]

How do i clean one Turbo? you are welcome to some spine chops.

First off, you slice the belly from ribcage to privates, being certain to avoid the bladder and other bad parts (though from the British proclivity toward kidneys, you may not have as much trouble with that as I do). Once the abdominal cavity is cleaned out, you use a sharp knife to remove the diaphragm, you slash the throat to free the lungs and you reach up and haul out the lungs and heart. At this time, you should salvage the heart and the liver (from the abdominal procedure) and set those aside, and hose out the interior of the carcass. If the weather is cool enough (40-45 deg F), you should hang the venison for at least a few days, before butchering. I've done this since I was a kid, and it's pretty much paint-by-numbers once you've had a run-through. Or as you would say "and Bob's your uncle".

 

[wolram]

Thanks Turbo, all i have to do now is bide my time.

 

[turbo]

Sorry, I didn't see your post before I spoiled it for you. Darn! Had I seen this first, I could have arranged to split it with you in return for keeping my mouth shut.

As you and I both know, the physical deformities of the animals and the attendant medical problems and chances for human infections from meats of this type are best assessed by a thorough examination of these muscles. Lax procedures in cases like this (especially when the general health of an introduced species is concerned) may risk lives. We have to be vigilant. OK, Moonbear gets half the sample. The roughly cylindrical muscles paralleling the spine must be overnighted to us so that we can ensure that the remaining meat is safe to eat. I'm not intimating that scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or any other nasty stuff could have gotten a foot-hold in this introduced species, but we need to be sure.

 

[Moonbear]

As you and I both know, the physical deformities of the animals and the attendant medical problems and chances for human infections from meats of this type are best assessed by a thorough examination of these muscles. Lax procedures in cases like this (especially when the general health of an introduced species is concerned) may risk lives. We have to be vigilant. OK, Moonbear gets half the sample.

Yep, definitely important enough to require independent verification by a second study group. Wouldn't want to risk something so important on a single study in the event of a false negative. Of course, since there's one of those muscles on each side, we could each get one. It's the easiest way to divide it for shipping.

 

[wolram]

Yep, definitely important enough to require independent verification by a second study group. Wouldn't want to risk something so important on a single study in the event of a false negative. Of course, since there's one of those muscles on each side, we could each get one. It's the easiest way to divide it for shipping.

And what bit am i left with, i am not eating innards.

 

[turbo]

Yep, definitely important enough to require independent verification by a second study group. Wouldn't want to risk something so important on a single study in the event of a false negative. Of course, since there's one of those muscles on each side, we could each get one. It's the easiest way to divide it for shipping.

That's the way medical research is done. I won't disclose my testing methodology to you and you must not disclose yours to me. This blind comparison should serve to quell all the negative talk about the diseases borne by the barking deer, if we both come up negative. If not, we'll need more tissue samples to ferret out the truth.

Yours in medical research,
turbo-1

 

[Moonbear]

So, I can't remember which thread we were talking about sarasparilla in, but I decided I had to try it. I found a place that sells it and ships it, and I'm sitting here with a glass of it right now. Yummy! This is what I remember root beer tasting like as a kid! It's completely changed since then, and I hadn't realized how much until I started sipping this glass of soda and the memories just came wooshing back! While ordering, I also got some birch beer, white birch beer (never tried that...not sure if it'll be any different from the regular stuff), neither of which I can find in the local stores but really like, and ginger beer, since the same place sold that too and I've always wondered how that tasted too. If anyone else is just dying to try it, or misses it, here's where I got it from. http://www.kutztownbottlingworks.com/ (Turn the volume down on your speakers...their home page has some really cheesy music that's kind of loud and annoying.) The downside is shipping costs almost as much as the soda. But, now that I know it's good, I might just make sure it's on my route when I drive back to NJ to visit family (though, I need to verify they have an actual storefront somewhere too). This was definitely worth the splurge though (the poor UPS guy might disagree...that was one heavy box with all that soda in it).

 

[Evo]

So, I can't remember which thread we were talking about sarasparilla in, but I decided I had to try it. I found a place that sells it and ships it, and I'm sitting here with a glass of it right now. Yummy! This is what I remember root beer tasting like as a kid! It's completely changed since then, and I hadn't realized how much until I started sipping this glass of soda and the memories just came wooshing back! While ordering, I also got some birch beer, white birch beer (never tried that...not sure if it'll be any different from the regular stuff), neither of which I can find in the local stores but really like, and ginger beer, since the same place sold that too and I've always wondered how that tasted too. If anyone else is just dying to try it, or misses it, here's where I got it from. http://www.kutztownbottlingworks.com/ (Turn the volume down on your speakers...their home page has some really cheesy music that's kind of loud and annoying.) The downside is shipping costs almost as much as the soda. But, now that I know it's good, I might just make sure it's on my route when I drive back to NJ to visit family (though, I need to verify they have an actual storefront somewhere too). This was definitely worth the splurge though (the poor UPS guy might disagree...that was one heavy box with all that soda in it).

And it's a <cough> aphrodisiac.

 

[Moonbear]

And it's a <cough> aphrodisiac.

Well, nobody told me that before. Hmmm...not that there are any good candidates around at the moment. Guess I'll have to save some.

 

[turbo]

Mmmm, birch beer. That was my favorite when I was a kid. It was red in color with a tinge of brown. I don't know that I would like it today if they've gone to corn syrup for sweetening, though. None of today's sodas taste like the old ones that used real cane sugar.

 

[Moonbear]

Mmmm, birch beer. That was my favorite when I was a kid. It was red in color with a tinge of brown. I don't know that I would like it today if they've gone to corn syrup for sweetening, though. None of today's sodas taste like the old ones that used real cane sugar.

The ones I got DO use can sugar instead of corn syrup. Maybe that's the huge difference I notice in how the soda tastes...it doesn't have that really heavy, overly sweet taste that the sodas with corn syrup have.

 

[turbo]

Sounds good. I remember doing some consulting work in Kentucky and the nearest town with decent lodging was Paducah. I met a musician there and went back to his place to jam with his band one Saturday. He had RC Cola in the fridge and offered me one. I took it though I hadn't drunk soda for a long time, and it tasted great. He explained that the mother of the owner of the bottling plant liked RC, but corn syrup disagreed with her, so her son kept using the old cane sugar recipe. Huge difference.

 

[Evo]

Great picture turbo!

Last night my older daughter spawn of Evo was going to come by and make dinner, but she'd had a fever all day, so she stopped at the noodle restaurant around the corner from my house and bought the "pasta fresca". This was penne pasta, roma tomatoes, baby spinach and onions sauteed in a sauce of balsamic vinegar, white wine, roasted garlic and fresh herbs, topped with feta cheese.

If was very yummy, but WAY too stingy with the spinach, onions and feta. I'd like to make a version of it using the right amounts of ingredients. I swear I only found 2 baby spinach leaves smaller than my thumb in a half pound of pasta. And that tiny measuring teaspoon of feta disappeared in the pile. The sauce was excellent though.

 

[turbo]

Great picture turbo!

Last night my older daughter spawn of Evo was going to come by and make dinner, but she'd had a fever all day, so she stopped at the noodle restaurant around the corner from my house and bought the "pasta fresca". This was penne pasta, roma tomatoes, baby spinach and onions sauteed in a sauce of balsamic vinegar, white wine, roasted garlic and fresh herbs, topped with feta cheese.

If was very yummy, but WAY too stingy with the spinach, onions and feta. I'd like to make a version of it using the right amounts of ingredients. I swear I only found 2 baby spinach leaves smaller than my thumb in a half pound of pasta. And that tiny measuring teaspoon of feta disappeared in the pile. The sauce was excellent though.

So typical! Noodles are cheap, and fresh vegetables and cheeses are relatively expensive. That recipe sounds very similar to stuff that my wife and I throw together. It's great to get fresh vegetables out of the garden and roast or saute them, then combine them with a sauce of cheap wine (but not the salted cooking "wines"!) herbs, seasonings, and serve over pasta with a shredded cheese - feta is OK, but I prefer Romano in most instances.

I love summer and early fall. Just wander out into the garden, see what's at its peak for flavor and ripeness, and the supper menu is underway. I harvested our acorn squash yesterday, and got about 30 nice ones. They are sitting in our nice warm kitchen to dry and cure for a couple of weeks, then I'll take them to the cellar where it is cool and dry. They could easily last until at least February, if we don't eat them all first. Acorn squash is the best!

 

[Evo]

I bought a whole smoked turkey today. A couple of weeks ago all I could find were legs.

We will be eating high on the hog, or rather the turkey for the next couple of weeks, there are so many recipes that you can throw smoked turkey into. I'm thinking perhaps a smoked turkey chili.

 

[turbo]

Smoked turkey also goes very well in New England style baked beans. Lately, we've been making baked beans using Black Turtle Beans, instead of the tradition Soldier or Yellow-Eye varieties. It is killer with black beans. We used to make baked beans with salt pork years back, but have been making them with chicken thighs, smoked turkey, left-over pork spare ribs, etc. As long as you use dark meat from the birds, and good cuts of pork, there is enough fat and flavor to perk up the beans nicely.

 

[Evo]

There is no way I could even inhale the fumes from something that hot.

I've been living off of potato chips for 2 days now. They were on sale.

I need someone in my life that enjoys good food. The fruit bat is perfectly happy eating chips for dinner, so I have no reason to cook. I need someone to cook for, oooh, maybe I can find homeless people...

 

[turbo]

There is no way I could even inhale the fumes from something that hot.

I've been living off of potato chips for 2 days now. They were on sale.

I need someone in my life that enjoys good food. The fruit bat is perfectly happy eating chips for dinner, so I have no reason to cook. I need someone to cook for, oooh, maybe I can find homeless people...

Start thinking "potato, carrot, cabbage, onion, garlic, meat" and start thinking of a meal that SOMEONE might have suggested a few times, not that I know a damned bit more than your favorite Alton/Raye/XXX advisors. Make real meals, and save and savor the left-overs. Take control.

 

[wolram]

I bought super fine bread flour instead of self raising, apart from bread, is there any thing i can make with it?
Thankee.

I have a recipe, cut a potatoes into 1/4inch thick scallops, mix a half teaspoon of Daves insanity hot sauce with two table spoons of oil, line a baking tin with foil and spread the potatoes evenly, sprinkle with sea salt and the oil mix, bake folded
in the foil for 30mins, uncover and bake for 15mins, sprinkle with strong cheese and bake for 5mins, makes a lovely snack.

 

[turbo]

Wow! that does sound good, and I might try more than just potatoes in that. Sounds like a great place for sliced yellow onions and carrots, too!

 

[wolram]

How difficult is it to make spicy sausages, the ones that keep for a long time, i like the taste of some of them only they are like chewing leather, can they be made with a softer texture?

 

[wolram]

Wow! that does sound good, and I might try more than just potatoes in that. Sounds like a great place for sliced yellow onions and carrots, too!

9 out of 10 of my efforts end in the bin, my treacle sponge turned out like molten glass.

 

[wolram]

I love hot food 99% of the time, but some times i crave sweet, the only sweet thing i like is treacle, it is that sort of toffee taste, i think the once a month sweet binge revives my taste buds and the craving for hot food.

 

[Evo]

Smoked oysters and mussels. :!)

 

[turbo]

I will pay £500 for one weeks board and food.

Sounds like a good deal, but first tell me if you can practically inhale food when you taste something that you like. I'd have to charge you double if you can eat like Astronuc and/or his son. Those fellas can pack it away.

 

[turbo]

Smoked oysters and mussels. :!)

Oh, yeah! Smoked oysters or smoked baby clams with sharp Vermont cheddar, mustard, and/or cream cheese and chili jelly on wheat crackers. When we have BBQ's or family get-togethers, hors d'oeuvres like this are standard. My nieces and nephews learned young that the green jelly was jalapeno, and the pretty pink jelly was habanero. Every one of them got the chance to explore. My sister and her daughters visited with their spouses last summer after one of the nieces got married and one had her first child. They and their husbands lugged off jellies and salsas, and one (precious) jar of habanero relish when they went home.

 

[wolram]

Sounds like a good deal, but first tell me if you can practically inhale food when you taste something that you like. I'd have to charge you double if you can eat like Astronuc and/or his son. Those fellas can pack it away.

To me quality is everything, i eat little and often, some times my metabolism is dormant.

 

[turbo]

Come over when your metabolism is on low and when the weather is temperate. I'll set up a cot in the garage and you can work in the vegetable garden or pick wild berries for entertainment. We may "rough it" with cheeseburgers, stir-fries, etc, but I promise you at least one New England boiled dinner - the left-overs are often better than the original meal because the flavors have a chance to set in. Have you tried making this meal, Woolie? If not, and if you'd like to give it a shot, I'll re-post the instructions. It's a killer meal for people who live alone or who have small families because it is cheap and very easy to make and results in the best left-overs you've ever had.

 

[wolram]

Boiled dinner? i guess if you say it is good it must be, i like beef stew with dumplings,
just so long as the dumplings are light and do not stick to yer teeth.

I am an ace berry picker, but need picture cards to identify weed from food.