What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[dlgoff]

I love mushrooms, and it would be fun to learn up on them and pick some, but I suspect this is not a good hobby to get into only halfway.

You'd be better off just learning to tell the difference between this one (morel)
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/morel%283%29.jpg
from this one (false morel)
[PLAIN]http://www.fungaljungal.org/guide/images/ptychoverpa_bohemica2_jpg.jpg

 

[Evo]

Lat night I was shopping and found this amazing sampler pack of Pad Thai shrimp, dim sum, and other exotic asian treats all on sticks in a bag. I was in heaven, finally I could have a little smorgasbord of these treats.

Before I got to the cashier, someone pointed out that they were cloth and plastic cat toys, saying how cute it was.

I slunk off and put them back on the display and left.

It was a dream.

 

[turbo]

Lat night I was shopping and found this amazing sampler pack of Pad Thai shrimp, dim sum, and other exotic asian treats all on sticks in a bag. I was in heaven, finally I could have a little smorgasbord of these treats.

Before I got to the cashier, someone pointed out that they were cloth and plastic cat toys, saying how cute it was.

I slunk off and put them back on the display and left.

It was a dream.

Too bad! Could have saved some serious bucks! Paying for idealogical preferences on-line could have saved some bux!

 

[Evo]

You'd be better off just learning to tell the difference between this one (morel)
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/morel%283%29.jpg
from this one (false morel)
[PLAIN]http://www.fungaljungal.org/guide/images/ptychoverpa_bohemica2_jpg.jpg[/QUOTE]Are those bottom ones bad?

 

[dlgoff]

Are those bottom ones bad?

Yes. I was just trying to let Dave know that morels are the easiest one to identify with just the "false morel" being the only similar looking one. The morel is the only one I would be comfortable with eating.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Yes. I was just trying to let Dave know that morels are the easiest one to identify with just the "false morel" being the only similar looking one.

Spotting false morals, OTOH, is often quite difficult.

 

[Borek]

Some mushrooms can closely resemble others at various stages of their lives. The father of a friend of mine was an old and experienced mushroom-gatherer, but he got fooled by a very poisonous mushroom. I forget the name, now (this was years ago) but the initial effects can be fatal, though they generally subside, only to roar back after a few days to cause the bulk of the fatalities. His father survived it, but was touch-and-go for a while.

Judging from the effects description here that would be Amanita phalloides, wiki states it is also present on the western coast.

We just have here a widely reported case of 6 y.o. boy who ate the mushroom, it completely destroyed his liver, he was lucky to get a transplant, he is still in ICU, docs say so far so good.

 

[turbo]

Judging from the effects description here that would be Amanita phalloides, wiki states it is also present on the western coast.

Probably the right one. We have Death-caps in this area. It's easy enough to avoid fly amanitas, but the death caps can look like edible mushrooms, which is how he probably got tripped up. He was in the hospital for a very long time.

 

[turbo]

Spotting false morals, OTOH, is often quite difficult.

Evo would eat notamorels.

 

[Borek]

Spotting false morals, OTOH, is often quite difficult.

If you wait long enough, they start to stink.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Hello, my name is Ivan, and I am a pot-sticker head.

I had my first pot sticker about fifteen years ago. I really liked them and would buy them from time to time, but always in moderation. However, over the last few years I have slowly succumb to total addiction. Worst of all, I compound this addiction by drenching the pot stickers in hot chili oil - another addiction! Mmmmmmm. I can't go Eastern anymore without getting pot stickers.

Today, I had Japanese gyoza for the first time - pretty much the same thing but a saltier sauce than the Chinese use. It was very tasty.

Jiǎozi 餃子 or 饺子 (Chinese transliteration), gyōza (Japanese transliteration), Mo:Mo: or Momocha म:म: or ममचा (Nepali transliteration), or pot sticker is a Chinese dumpling widely spread to Japan, Eastern and Western Asia.

Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. Jiaozi should not be confused with wonton: jiaozi have a thicker, chewier skin and a flatter, more oblate, double-saucer like shape (similar in shape to ravioli), and are usually eaten with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce (and/or hot chili sauce); while wontons have thinner skin, are sphere-shaped, and are usually served in broth. The dough for the jiaozi and wonton wrapper also consist of different ingredients.

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

 

[ThomasEdison]

One of my alltime favorites is Pho noodle although I have gotten very strict about how I enjoy them. There are many Pho Noodle places where I live and I can be picky about which ones I patron.

I prefer the superbowl minus tendon and fat brisket (too much fat in those). I also won't go to any Pho Noodle place which will not let me have double or triple the amount of lime and Jalapenos and sprouts. Sometimes I get an entire bowl of Jalapenos to drop in (not for the hot but because they add a good crispy/crunchy texture and they have vitamin C.)


I only eat about 1/4th the noodles they give me. I dump in about 1/2 to a full cup of that red hot pepper sauce and I double the amount of beansprouts and thai basil. I drink all the broth, eat all the veggies and meat, but leave most of the noodle. The broth actually turns red from all the chili.

I eat the soup with tears running down my face and the Vietnamese working there are no doubt laughing at me but I don't care. The effect is like an anti-depressant for me, analgesic, and cure-all for everything. Anytime I am sick or depressed I get spicy Pho Noodles for a pick me up.

 

[lisab]

One of my alltime favorites is Pho noodle although I have gotten very strict about how I enjoy them. There are many Pho Noodle places where I live and I can be picky about which ones I patron.

I prefer the superbowl minus tendon and fat brisket (too much fat in those). I also won't go to any Pho Noodle place which will not let me have double or triple the amount of lime and Jalapenos and sprouts. Sometimes I get an entire bowl of Jalapenos to drop in (not for the hot but because they add a good crispy/crunchy texture and they have vitamin C.)


I only eat about 1/4th the noodles they give me. I dump in about 1/2 to a full cup of that red hot pepper sauce and I double the amount of beansprouts and thai basil. I drink all the broth, eat all the veggies and meat, but leave most of the noodle. The broth actually turns red from all the chili.

I eat the soup with tears running down my face and the Vietnamese working there are no doubt laughing at me but I don't care. The effect is like an anti-depressant for me, analgesic, and cure-all for everything. Anytime I am sick or depressed I get spicy Pho Noodles for a pick me up.

I won't eat faux noodles, I only eat the real ones.

 

[rootX]

Hello, my name is Ivan, and I am a pot-sticker head.

I had my first pot sticker about fifteen years ago. I really liked them and would buy them from time to time, but always in moderation. However, over the last few years I have slowly succumb to total addiction. Worst of all, I compound this addiction by drenching the pot stickers in hot chili oil - another addiction! Mmmmmmm. I can't go Eastern anymore without getting pot stickers.

Today, I had Japanese gyoza for the first time - pretty much the same thing but a saltier sauce than the Chinese use. It was very tasty.


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

It is amazing how light they are.

 

[rootX]

I like udon noodles with curry.

 

[lisab]

Hello, my name is Ivan, and I am a pot-sticker head.

I had my first pot sticker about fifteen years ago. I really liked them and would buy them from time to time, but always in moderation. However, over the last few years I have slowly succumb to total addiction. Worst of all, I compound this addiction by drenching the pot stickers in hot chili oil - another addiction! Mmmmmmm. I can't go Eastern anymore without getting pot stickers.

Today, I had Japanese gyoza for the first time - pretty much the same thing but a saltier sauce than the Chinese use. It was very tasty.


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

I know the story...it started out just for fun, and before long you were spending your lunch money on pot stickers.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I like the Pho with the meatballs in it. I make a little mix of Hoisin and Rooster hot sauce to dip them in. So good.

 

[Evo]

One of my alltime favorites is Pho noodle although I have gotten very strict about how I enjoy them. There are many Pho Noodle places where I live and I can be picky about which ones I patron.

I prefer the superbowl minus tendon and fat brisket (too much fat in those). I also won't go to any Pho Noodle place which will not let me have double or triple the amount of lime and Jalapenos and sprouts. Sometimes I get an entire bowl of Jalapenos to drop in (not for the hot but because they add a good crispy/crunchy texture and they have vitamin C.)


I only eat about 1/4th the noodles they give me. I dump in about 1/2 to a full cup of that red hot pepper sauce and I double the amount of beansprouts and thai basil. I drink all the broth, eat all the veggies and meat, but leave most of the noodle. The broth actually turns red from all the chili.

I eat the soup with tears running down my face and the Vietnamese working there are no doubt laughing at me but I don't care. The effect is like an anti-depressant for me, analgesic, and cure-all for everything. Anytime I am sick or depressed I get spicy Pho Noodles for a pick me up.

That kind of attack on your esophagus and stomach is crazy.

Take it from someone who's esophagus is so scarred that I can barely swallow anything without extreme pain now. Be careful of what you eat.

 

[FrancisZ]

I find a lot of foods now, somehow more palatable, than when I was younger.


Soups, and teas, and soft boiled eggs with plain white, butter less toast even. The sorts of things I know my grandparents would have enjoyed. Depression Era foods. Things with barely any flavor, I now thoroughly enjoy.


Boy, you really know that you're on your way to senioritis, while at the supermarket, you start salivating over the likes of these...

And then when you reeeally want to spice up your afternoon...

[PLAIN]http://www.americansweets.co.uk/ekmps/shops/statesidecandy/images/american-nabisco-nilla-wafers-340g-box-706-p.jpg

...you succumb to "the nillas."

 

[turbo]

That kind of attack on your esophagus and stomach is crazy.

My light supper last night was home-made salsa and corn chips. Except for the yellow onions, all the ingredients for the salsa were grown right here. Tomatoes, cukes, jalapeno chilies, Hungarian wax chilies, bell peppers, garlic, cilantro. Too spicy for most folks, but I love it, especially with cold beer to cleanse the palate and renew the burn. Yum!

Need to let the salsa sit in the 'fridge overnight to get the flavors blended well - that's the trick.

 

[Evo]

Ooooh, Sonic is advertising a new huge chili hot dog. I need to get some extreme tots and one of those new ten pound chili coneys. YUM!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

...you succumb to "the nillas."

My mother used to make a Nilla wafer dessert with bananas and vanilla pudding. Mmmmm, I haven't had that since I was a kid.

 

[turbo]

Had a "family lunch" on the back deck. My wife and I made traditional French bread (very porous with nice crust), beer-barrel rye, and a meaty buttermilk bread. Everybody got to pick the bread(s) they wanted and all the fixin's for sandwiches - roast beef, turkey breast, ham, bacon, several types of cheeses, and all the condiments you could shake a stick at. My home-made dill pickles, fresh sliced tomatoes from the garden, lettuce, onions, etc rounded things out.

I spilled fresh salsa down the front of myself, getting tomato-ey juice on my new PF Thwak! T-shirt, so that sartorial statement had to hit the laundry sink for a good soaking. Great lunch! Everybody just left, and I am stuffed!

 

[dlgoff]

I spilled fresh salsa down the front of myself, getting tomato-ey juice on my new PF Thwak!

So the shirt saved you from getting serious pepper burns to your chest?

 

[turbo]

So the shirt saved you from getting serious pepper burns to your chest?

I think I'm immune to hot chili juices. I don't want pepper spray in my eyes, but skin contact with pepper juices...no problem.

 

[turbo]

Wow! If you can get Raye's stone-ground mustard where you are, buy a jar of Dundicott Hott. It has a nice flavor of garlic, and a bit of non-mustard heat in the form of chili. I just opened that jar and am having it on a roast beef sandwich with rye bread and sharp cheese. This combination would be a winner in any pub or sandwich shop.

 

[Evo]

Speaking of Raye. Rachel Ray coined the term EVOO for extra virgin live oil. We know the best is Cold Pressed Olive Oil, so I hearby replace the term EVOO with CPOO (pronounced "see poo").

Whaddya think? Am I on to something here? Will CPOO go viral?

 

[turbo]

Virgin olive oil is cold-pressed - manual extraction only. Extra virgin olive oil is a subset of virgin in that the oil must be naturally low in acids (no chemical neutralization allowed). Neither grade can have any refined oil in them. Olive pulp left from cold pressing is generally treated with heat and/or chemicals to make cheaper refined oils. There is a tightening of olive-oil grading in the works currently, and that move is championed by CA growers who say that adulterated oils are degrading the Extra-Virgin sector and ruining their profits.

 

[Evo]

Virgin olive oil is cold-pressed - manual extraction only. Extra virgin olive oil is a subset of virgin in that the oil must be naturally low in acids (no chemical neutralization allowed). Neither grade can have any refined oil in them. Olive pulp left from cold pressing is generally treated with heat and/or chemicals to make cheaper refined oils. There is a tightening of olive-oil grading in the works currently, and that move is championed by CA growers who say that adulterated oils are degrading the Extra-Virgin sector and ruining their profits.

It can't be EVOO unless it is cold pressed, first cold pressed to be exact. So, first CPOO!

 

[turbo]

It can't be EVOO unless it is cold pressed, first cold pressed to be exact. So, first CPOO!

The reason that I typed all that is because not all cold-pressed olive oil is extra-virgin. All cold-pressed oil qualifies for the virgin grade, but only cold pressed oil with low acidity qualifies as extra-virgin. That's the grade that the CA growers are trying to win back from the crooks. If you find a pint bottle of extra-virgin in a store, and it only costs you $4-5, that is NOT real. The real stuff is a bit cloudy and green with a very smooth flavor.

If the USDA gets serious about enforcing the new grading regulations, look for some serious sales on "Extra-Virgin" oils as importers try to clear out misbranded inventory.

 

[hypatia]

Yummy...fresh creamed corn!

Slice the kernels off of 6 ears of corn, then take the side of the knife and drag it down the bare cobs, letting the juice run into the pan.

Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Bring it to a slow simmer, stir often. Cook for about 15 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. It is so so sooooo good!

 

[Evo]

The reason that I typed all that is because not all cold-pressed olive oil is extra-virgin. All cold-pressed oil qualifies for the virgin grade, but only cold pressed oil with low acidity qualifies as extra-virgin. That's the grade that the CA growers are trying to win back from the crooks. If you find a pint bottle of extra-virgin in a store, and it only costs you $4-5, that is NOT real. The real stuff is a bit cloudy and green with a very smooth flavor.

If the USDA gets serious about enforcing the new grading regulations, look for some serious sales on "Extra-Virgin" oils as importers try to clear out misbranded inventory.

Oh fer crissakes turbo, I was making a joke.

You ruined it. Go away. Yer banned!

 

[turbo]

Oh fer crissakes turbo, I was making a joke.

You ruined it. Go away. Yer banned!

Use smilies when joking about food, please. I take food pretty seriously.

 

[Evo]

Use smilies when joking about food, please. I take food pretty seriously.

I said "Rachel Ray", what more of a joke do you want?

 

[turbo]

I said "Rachel Ray", what more of a joke do you want?

I guess that should have been a tip. Has she ever even bothered to educate her viewers about the various grades (and rampant mis-grading) of olive oil? I can't stand to watch her show, so I wouldn't know. Most food shows are a bit light on the facts, though.

 

[Evo]

I guess that should have been a tip. Has she ever even bothered to educate her viewers about the various grades (and rampant mis-grading) of olive oil? I can't stand to watch her show, so I wouldn't know. Most food shows are a bit light on the facts, though.

She's so bad that even the other Food Network Stars make a point of telling viewers it's nuts to use Extra Virgin olive oil for anything but a finishing oil. Rachel does high heat frying and rubs her grill with it and is always amazed when the oil turns black and smoke pours off the grill. I'm beginning to wonder if her show is actually meant to be slapstick comedy.

 

[turbo]

I'm a bit of a nut about cooking knives, but $600/inch for Kramer's damascus knives is way over the top.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/find-eat-drink/kramer-knives-chefs_b_698877.html

I have to confess that I fell prey to Jerry Rados' spectacular patterned damascus, though. Here is an ivory-scaled trout-and-bird knife.

And here is a closer shot of the blade and bolster. His work is incredible.

If I ever have the rare good fate to find a nickel/iron meteorite, I'll ship it to Jerry and have him make me MY dream-knife. If the meteorite is large enough, I won't even have to pay him for the knife - he can have the remaining material in trade for his labor.

 

[Borek]

You both ruined my evening. Now I will be thinking about possible meanings of Cold Pressed Virgin.

 

[turbo]

She's so bad that even the other Food Network Stars make a point of telling viewers it's nuts to use Extra Virgin olive oil for anything but a finishing oil. Rachel does high heat frying and rubs her grill with it and is always amazed when the oil turns black and smoke pours off the grill. I'm beginning to wonder if her show is actually meant to be slapstick comedy.

That's BAD! I always use peanut oil for high-heat cooking, standard grades of olive oil for some other applications, and save the REAL extra-virgin oil for drizzling on bread, salads, vegetables, etc. You'd have to be nuts to cook with oil that costs more than good scotch.

 

[Evo]

I'm a bit of a nut about cooking knives, but $600/inch for Kramer's damascus knives is way over the top.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/find-eat-drink/kramer-knives-chefs_b_698877.html

I have to confess that I fell prey to Jerry Rados' spectacular patterned damascus, though. Here is an ivory-scaled trout-and-bird knife.

And here is a closer shot of the blade and bolster. His work is incredible.

If I ever have the rare good fate to find a nickel/iron meteorite, I'll ship it to Jerry and have him make me MY dream-knife. If the meteorite is large enough, I won't even have to pay him for the knife - he can have the remaining material in trade for his labor.

Did you buy those?

You both ruined my evening. Now I will be thinking about possible meanings of Cold Pressed Virgin.

 

[DaveC426913]

:drool:

Now I want olive oil and balsamic for dipping tonight...

We buy these awesome balsamics with 75-year-old mothers. They have ruined me for anything less than $25/bottle.

 

[turbo]

Did you buy those?

Those are two shots of one knife, and yes, I bought it. It's a small knife, and I willingly ponied up $250 for it a couple of decades ago. Jerry is a master bladesmith, and his work is incredible. In return for teaching another knifemaker how to grind knives his way, he was taught an incredible technique for incorporating shapes into the layers of steels so that when you grind the blade and etch it, his name is in the pattern. He had a beautiful dagger on his table with Rados, Rados, Rados repeating all down the blade. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much money in my checking account.

I want him to forge and grind my dream knife - still waiting for a nickel-iron meteorite to fall on my house.

 

[nismaratwork]

:drool:

Now I want olive oil and balsamic for dipping tonight...

We buy these awesome balsamics with 75-year-old mothers. They have ruined me for anything less than $25/bottle.

Ahhhh, good man. You can take some of that rich and syrupy balsamic (better than wine in my view), and use it for savory and seet apps. One of my favorites (other than drizzled on strawberries or peaches) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/no-pan-pear-pie-recipe/index.html

You can modify this a million ways with plums, peaches, apples, and more, and use it as a side dish, or a companion with ice cream or whipped cream.

Personally, my favorite savory is a medium sliced roma tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh and flash-fried basil, salt, pepper, a really nutty Olive Oil, and a generous drizzle of Balsamic, on the aged side. It's an oldie, but a goodie.

 

[nismaratwork]

Those are two shots of one knife, and yes, I bought it. It's a small knife, and I willingly ponied up $250 for it a couple of decades ago. Jerry is a master bladesmith, and his work is incredible. In return for teaching another knifemaker how to grind knives his way, he was taught an incredible technique for incorporating shapes into the layers of steels so that when you grind the blade and etch it, his name is in the pattern. He had a beautiful dagger on his table with Rados, Rados, Rados repeating all down the blade. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much money in my checking account.

I want him to forge and grind my dream knife - still waiting for a nickel-iron meteorite to fall on my house.

I have a blade such as that, but it's design is for combat, not cuisine! That is absolutely GORGEOUS! Do you think he could make a standard 8" chef's knife and a santoku?

 

[turbo]

I have a blade such as that, but it's design is for combat, not cuisine! That is absolutely GORGEOUS! Do you think he could make a standard 8" chef's knife and a santoku?

He can make anything! At the show that I bought this little knife at, he had a 6" patterned-damascus switchblade with matching fittings, button, etc. I wanted it REALLY bad, but I did the financially-responsible thing and passed. Should have bought it!

 

[Evo]

:drool:

Now I want olive oil and balsamic for dipping tonight...

We buy these awesome balsamics with 75-year-old mothers. They have ruined me for anything less than $25/bottle.

According to a food show hostess, adding sugar to rice wine vinegar is like Balsamic.

 

[nismaratwork]

He can make anything! At the show that I bought this little knife at, he had a 6" patterned-damascus switchblade with matching fittings, button, etc. I wanted it REALLY bad, but I did the financially-responsible thing and passed. Should have bought it!

Oh man, I know what you mean, but that is absolutely stunning work.

Evo: That food show hostess should be shot in the kneecaps and forced to eat only her own food. Clearly, she's made of pure evil, with a cream cheese frosting.

 

[DaveC426913]

Ahhhh, good man. You can take some of that rich and syrupy balsamic (better than wine in my view), and use it for savory and seet apps. One of my favorites (other than drizzled on strawberries or peaches) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/no-pan-pear-pie-recipe/index.html

Over barbequed peaches with ice cream!

You can modify this a million ways with plums, peaches, apples, and more, and use it as a side dish, or a companion with ice cream or whipped cream.

Or straight vanilla ice cream! One of our favorite 'sserts.

Personally, my favorite savory is a medium sliced roma tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh and flash-fried basil, salt, pepper, a really nutty Olive Oil, and a generous drizzle of Balsamic, on the aged side. It's an oldie, but a goodie.

My wife makes an awesome Caprese salad. She uses grape tomatoes, and Bocconcini balls instead of Mozzarella.
She has gone a loooooong way toward me rediscovering the joys of salads.

 

[Evo]

Yummy...fresh creamed corn!

Slice the kernels off of 6 ears of corn, then take the side of the knife and drag it down the bare cobs, letting the juice run into the pan.

Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup of milk. Bring it to a slow simmer, stir often. Cook for about 15 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. It is so so sooooo good!

Yummy hypatia! I love fresh corn.

 

[turbo]

For those who would like to see more of Jerry Rados' knives, here is a link. The guy is scary-good. If I were wealthy, I'd hire him to make me a set of chef's knives and USE them. The small trout and bird knife that I have is razor-sharp, and will make the hairs jump off your arm if that's how you evaluate sharpness.

http://radosknives.com/rad1/knives.htm