What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

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The discussion revolves around a vibrant exchange of food-related topics, with participants sharing favorite recipes, culinary experiences, and kitchen mishaps. A notable focus is on lentil recipes, with suggestions for dishes like chocolate lentil cake and lentil lasagna, as well as creative uses of lentils in various cuisines. Participants also share recipes for pasta with pesto, grilled shrimp marinades, and Indian dishes like dahl and gulab jamun. There’s a strong emphasis on improvisation in cooking, with many contributors discussing how they cook "by feel" rather than following strict measurements. The conversation also touches on cultural influences, such as the appreciation for Lebanese and South Indian cuisine, and the importance of traditional meals like the Indian sadya. Additionally, humorous anecdotes about kitchen disasters and the challenges of cooking techniques, like frying mozzarella sticks, add a lighthearted tone to the thread. Overall, the thread celebrates the joy of cooking and the communal sharing of food experiences.
  • #3,401
Oh dear, The Neeley's, turbo's favorite cooking couple. Gina just explained that MARS Capone (mascarpone) is unique because it's made from special cows that are fed a diet of only herbs and flowers. She said she learned that from some place she visited in Utah. BUWAHAHA

You just can't make this stuff up.

Like Rachel Ray telling people that you need to cook the pork chops on high heat to draw out all of those natural sugars in the meat. <snork>

Hmmm, pork chops - sugars 0

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/pork-products/2155/2

Of course she also said that scallops are full of sugar, uhm no, scallops - sugars 0

Perhaps someone should e-mail Ms Ray about the maillard reaction.

A nonenzymatic chemical reaction involving condensation of an amino group and a reducing group, resulting in the formation of intermediates which ultimately polymerize to form brown pigments (melanoidins). The reaction was named for the French biochemist Louis-Camille Maillard. It is of extreme importance to food chemistry, especially because of its ramifications in terms of food quality. See also Amine; Reactive intermediates.

There are three major stages of the reaction. The first comprises glycosylamine formation and rearrangement N-substituted-1-amino-l-deoxy-2-ketose (Amadori compound). The second phase involves loss of the amine to form carbonyl intermediates, which upon dehydration or fission form highly reactive carbonyl compounds through several pathways. The third phase occurring upon subsequent heating involves the interaction of the carbonyl flavor compounds with other constituents to form brown nitrogen-containing pigments (melanoidins). These are highly desirous compounds in certain foods browned by heating in the presence of oxygen.
I want to hear her explain this to her viewers. :-p

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/maillard-reaction#ixzz1BJNVQOmc
 
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  • #3,402
Evo said:
I like dark and bittersweet chocolate, but I hardly ever eat it. Again, if someone gives me some, I'll eat it, but I never have candy in the house, I never think about buying it, but gifts are always welcome!

I admit that once in a blue moon I'll get a craving, and then I might make my super cocoa fudge with pecans. A very dark, not very sweet fudge. you can't buy fudge with that much dark cocoa in it, the fudge at stores is too sweet and not chocolatey enough.

Wow... that's pretty unique. Do you ever have issues with hypoglycemia? I have a friend who has the same kind of lack of sweet tooth, and she's not a huge fan of starches... disaster ensues sometimes. I'm sure if that did happen to you, you've solved it by now, and if so... any insight? It would help her.
 
  • #3,403
nismaratwork said:
Wow... that's pretty unique. Do you ever have issues with hypoglycemia? I have a friend who has the same kind of lack of sweet tooth, and she's not a huge fan of starches... disaster ensues sometimes. I'm sure if that did happen to you, you've solved it by now, and if so... any insight? It would help her.
I haven't been tested since I was in my early teens, I was diagnosed hypoglycemic, but I've never paid attention to it.
 
  • #3,404
Evo do you subject yourself to such food-ignorance as the Neelys and RR? Can't you get movies or reruns of Law and Order or some such? I'd rather have a root canal than subject myself to those fools.

I don't see how they can draw enough of an audience to keep their shows, except cooking shows are ridiculously cheap to produce.
 
  • #3,405
Evo said:
I haven't been tested since I was in my early teens, I was diagnosed hypoglycemic, but I've never paid attention to it.

Hmmm... well you'd notice the symptoms if they were present; syncope (fainting), ataxia, loss of fine motor control, irritability, depression, loss of motivation during an acute episode, and in extreme cases death. I just know that last one would be like, a total wake-up call... you know dude? :wink:

turbo-1: That last bit isn't a little thing; you can churn out cooking shows for very little, and there's a predictable targeted advertising involved too.
 
  • #3,406
nismaratwork said:
Hmmm... well you'd notice the symptoms if they were present; syncope (fainting), ataxia, loss of fine motor control, irritability, depression, loss of motivation during an acute episode, and in extreme cases death. I just know that last one would be like, a total wake-up call... you know dude? :wink:
I definitely have the symptoms, although I haven't fainted for a year. The year before I fainted several times and did some injury.
 
  • #3,407
Evo said:
I definitely have the symptoms, although I haven't fainted for a year. The year before I fainted several times and did some injury.

Hmmm... well, I can't say anything other than, if I had those symptoms, I'd consider some alterations to diet to account for it, and maybe see a doctor.
 
  • #3,408
  • #3,409
Evo said:
I want to make arepas. I need to find arepa flour, all I have is masa harina. Arepa flour is special and pre-cooked.

This recipe calls for plain masas harina, but I've been told they cannot be made with it. Anyone familiar with arepas?

http://www.grouprecipes.com/74224/venezuelan-cheese-arepas.html

I am, and there's no problem. You won't be able to make as thick an arepa, or quite as "fluffy" as is the Venezuelan intent, but it will still be good. Just go a little heavy on the grilling at first to get some crust and seal the filling: DO NOT PRESS HARD... I did this once.

btw, one word to add to your arepas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicharrón
very traditional, and DELICIOUS. Beans, chicharron, and queso. BIEN!

edit: as you can see, even in the world of Venezuelan arepas (the only ones I'm familiar with) are like pancakes: very regional and personalized.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arepa
 
  • #3,410
Found a great website on how to boil eggs.

Got to love the geek factor, the guy graduated from MIT.
It may seem obvious to state this, but it's such an important point in cooking that I'm going to say it anyway: when a mass is exposed to heat for a given period of time, a temperature gradient will form within that mass, with the area closest to the heat source being hottest, and the area furthest from the heat source being coolest. With very few exceptions, the temperature of a given spot in the food is proportional to the inverse square of its distance from the surface exposed to the heat source.
:biggrin:

Anyway, it's a great tutorial about boiling eggs.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/10/the-food-lab-science-of-how-to-cook-perfect-boiled-eggs.html
 
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  • #3,411
  • #3,412
Nice link. My wife and I use the "bring to a simmer and wait for 10 minutes" method using a heavy 1-1/2 quart saucepan. In fact we had hard-boiled eggs last night, chopped and used as a topping (along with walnut pieces) on our baby-spinach salad. With a pan-seared rib-eye, that was a wonderful supper.
 
  • #3,413
nismaratwork said:
Great frisbees in a pinch if you let them dry.

edit: That center slice is IDEAL

:smile: ha ha lolol how did I miss this? So true and no mold!
 
  • #3,414
HeLiXe said:
:smile: ha ha lolol how did I miss this? So true and no mold!

UNFORTUNATELY... it seems the same is true of the "meat" patty!
 
  • #3,415
Wow, I've been on a feta streak for a while now...love it :!)!
 
  • #3,416
lisab said:
Wow, I've been on a feta streak for a while now...love it :!)!
I love feta. The salad bar at the grocery store sells it plain and with sundried tomatoes. I like the plain best. I can eat it on anything.
 
  • #3,417
Evo said:
I love feta. The salad bar at the grocery store sells it plain and with sundried tomatoes. I like the plain best. I can eat it on anything.
I'm not a fan, but my wife buys a tub of it every week. Scrambled eggs, baked potato, salad? Out comes the feta.
 
  • #3,419
lisab said:
Wow, I've been on a feta streak for a while now...love it :!)!

Evo said:
I love feta. The salad bar at the grocery store sells it plain and with sundried tomatoes. I like the plain best. I can eat it on anything.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! :!) :!) :!)

500px-Meze.jpg


Greece + USA = http://mideastfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/fetaburger.htm"

[PLAIN]http://thumbs.ifood.tv/files/images/food/greek-feta-burger-05.jpg
... pssst ... HeLiXe ain't here right? ... :rolleyes:

Guacamole Burger ain't bad either...

2508400423_38cee14b95.jpg
 
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  • #3,420
Evo said:
I definitely have the symptoms, although I haven't fainted for a year. The year before I fainted several times and did some injury.

:bugeye: ... there are $64 "http://www.glucosemeters4u.com/" " on the net ...

onetouchultraeasysmallpic.JPG
 
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  • #3,421
DevilsAvocado said:
:bugeye: ... there are $64 "http://www.glucosemeters4u.com/" " on the net ...

onetouchultraeasysmallpic.JPG

Not a bad idea actually. Not as good as a guacamole or feta burger, but what is? :wink:
 
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  • #3,423
Food thread?! So do I just post what I recently ate? Here goes!

The gf wasn't around last night, so I had a bowl of beef Ramen, two microwaved hotdogs with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (no ketchup or mustard in the house), four Slim Jims (appropriately snapped into), and 2 cans of Rolling Rock.
 
  • #3,424
FlexGunship said:
a bowl of beef Ramen, two microwaved hotdogs with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (no ketchup or mustard in the house), four Slim Jims (appropriately snapped into), and 2 cans of Rolling Rock.

Blended, or eaten separately?
 
  • #3,425
Borek said:
Blended, or eaten separately?

Given the speed at which I eat, the difference is purely academic.
 
  • #3,426
turbo-1 said:
I should have, but didn't because it is not a live link, but a download. I don't download files from unsecured sites.
You watch it with a viewer like realplayer, you don't have realplayer?
 
  • #3,428
nismaratwork said:
Not a bad idea actually. Not as good as a guacamole or feta burger, but what is? :wink:

Nope, not much! :-p

Maybe one of those rare mouse pointers could compete ... but I strongly doubt it.
... must be something wrong with my coffee today ...
 
  • #3,429
FlexGunship said:
Food thread?! So do I just post what I recently ate? Here goes!

The gf wasn't around last night, so I had a bowl of beef Ramen, two microwaved hotdogs with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (no ketchup or mustard in the house), four Slim Jims (appropriately snapped into), and 2 cans of Rolling Rock.

I like your comments WAY to much to let that fly. You ate.. two bowls of food, two pieces of food with sauce, and four...


PIECES Of terrible Alchemical ****! "Mechanically separated chicken."
http://www.google.com/images?q=Mech...t=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBIQ_AUoAQ&biw=2074&bih=1384

Read: The stuff that gets scraped off the bone.

Slim Jims are not food... stop eating them, they will shellac your arteries and rot your d***! You'll go blind, and finally... rats eat your balls.

SO please man, even Spam is better than Slim Jims!
(I live and die for the Hot, and the BBQ)
http://www.houseofjerky.net/beefjerky.html
http://www.bestbeefjerky.org/

Go on man... that's mecca for dried meat. There's so much good jerky a click away...
You can get really terrific ramen from Korea and Japan as well, also cheap. I LOVE the "Nong Shin(m?)" bowl from Korea which is Kimchi.

Anyway, jokes aside: I guess you could say that this thread is ultimately about

Slim Jim -> Make or Acquire Better
 
  • #3,430
turbo-1 said:
The Food Network is not doing well, losing 10% of their prime demographic last month alone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/food-network-ratings-down_n_811548.html
Last month all they had was reruns. I hate the "Best thing I ever ate". I love Diners, Drive Inns, and Dives though, that show is so funny. Also, The Food network also started a competing channel with better programming, but you have to get the prime cable package to watch it and I'm not going to pay an extra $40 a month.
 
  • #3,431
DevilsAvocado said:
Nope, not much! :-p

Maybe one of those rare mouse pointers could compete ... but I strongly doubt it.



... must be something wrong with my coffee today ...

One of the greek dishes I LOVE, but it really has to be fresh: Saganaki. Basically a very soft cheese is fried, flambeed (sometimes), and roughly seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper. Usually a rough cheese like Kaseri, (or in Arab/Turkic regions: Halumi) or Feta is fried, so you get some melting, but it takes time and forms a great crust. It goes well with a "peasant salad" 'Horiatiki', which is basically olives, chunks of feta cheese, and rough-chopped veggies.

Basically, the ancient Greek version of fondue, deconstructed. :smile:

YUM.

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

Oh, and fondue, oil to cook in, cheese for dipping, or chocolate... YUM.
 
  • #3,432
Evo said:
Last month all they had was reruns. I hate the "Best thing I ever ate". I love Diners, Drive Inns, and Dives though, that show is so funny. Also, The Food network also started a competing channel with better programming, but you have to get the prime cable package to watch it and I'm not going to pay an extra $40 a month.

Seriously, the pricing these days on those packages is just insulting. I can afford it, but I haven't been able to make myself pay for so LITTLE...

Then Netflix saved me. Have you seen the Netflix Evo? I think it's mentioned in, 'The Watchtower'. :biggrin:
 
  • #3,433
FlexGunship said:
Given the speed at which I eat, the difference is purely academic.

Is it just me, or is Flex awesome??
 
  • #3,434
Xom said:
Is it just me, or is Flex awesome??

He's awesome, but damn he has absolutely no capacity to feed himself in a responsible manner! :smile:
 
  • #3,435
Evo said:
You watch it with a viewer like realplayer, you don't have realplayer?
I downloaded RealPlayer and am watching it now.
 
  • #3,436
turbo-1 said:
I downloaded RealPlayer and am watching it now.
Yay, the first part is boring, but gets interesting, but you may already know all of it, I learned a few new things. I didn't know about less yeast, and using water to knead instead of flour. I always kept flouring my hands.
 
  • #3,437
Evo said:
Yay, the first part is boring, but gets interesting, but you may already know all of it, I learned a few new things. I didn't know about less yeast, and using water to knead instead of flour. I always kept flouring my hands.

Yeah, that's just a vicious circle of club-hand and glutenous doughs. It really is a great vid.
 
  • #3,438
Evo said:
Yay, the first part is boring, but gets interesting, but you may already know all of it, I learned a few new things. I didn't know about less yeast, and using water to knead instead of flour. I always kept flouring my hands.
All those things are featured in the King Arthur DVD, and that's how my wife makes her traditional French bread. She mixes the starter on the evening before making the bread and let's it sit in a covered bowl on the counter overnight. She doesn't water her hands when doing the kneading (stretching and folding, essentially), so when she's done there will be some dough on her hands. She scrapes that off and saves it, and adds it to the starter when she's ready to make a new batch.
 
  • #3,439
Did you guys also think that the audience was zombies in the first half of the video?
 
  • #3,440
Drinking some hibiscus-blossom tea right now. It has an interesting flavor. It's supposed to be effective in reducing blood pressure, so we've been making it regularly for about a month or so.
 
  • #3,441
Evo said:
Did you guys also think that the audience was zombies in the first half of the video?
Let's just say that they probably found the show as stimulating as I did.
 
  • #3,442
Evo said:
Did you guys also think that the audience was zombies in the first half of the video?

Now that would add some spice to the mix: Try to finish your hollandaise while the waling dead try to feast on YOU!

I think a culinary-themed zombie flick is FAR overdue.
 
  • #3,443
nismaratwork said:
One of the greek dishes I LOVE, but it really has to be fresh: Saganaki.

yummyyummyyummy

I love all Greek cuisine, except maybe when you (very late at night by 'accident') end up at one of those "special-price-for-you-my-friend" places, where they used the old donkey in the backyard, as the 'main ingredient' in their http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvlaki" . :smile:
 
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  • #3,444
turbo-1 said:
Let's just say that they probably found the show as stimulating as I did.
The food anthropologist was interesting. I want to be a food anthropologist.
 
  • #3,445
Evo said:
The food anthropologist was interesting. I want to be a food anthropologist.
I have made beer and I have made bread. I never thought of doing them together.
 
  • #3,446
nismaratwork said:
I like your comments WAY to much to let that fly. You ate.. two bowls of food, two pieces of food with sauce, and four...

It was only one bowl of Ramen. I'm not a glutton, Nismar.
nismaratwork said:
and four... PIECES Of terrible Alchemical ****! "Mechanically separated chicken."

Wait... so they mechanically separate the chickens? From each other? Or into little pieces?

Xom said:
Is it just me, or is Flex awesome??

I know, right?
 
  • #3,447
Evo said:
Did you guys also think that the audience was zombies in the first half of the video?

...yup, but my VLC media player breaks down when the guy with the СССР tracksuit gets in focus...

A communist bread experiment?? :rolleyes:
 
  • #3,448
DevilsAvocado said:
yummyyummyyummy

I love all Greek cuisine, except maybe when you (very late at night by 'accident') end up at one of those "special-price-for-you-my-friend" places, where they used the old donkey in the backyard, as the 'main ingredient' in their http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvlaki" . :smile:

Oh god... I did that once in my youth, in Greece... on Ouzo and Retsina. I have vague memories of what I pray was the meat of some mammal, wrapped in grape leaves... then hangover.

FlexGunship: Not a glutton... a culinary barbarian yes, but moderate in your habits. :biggrin:
The chicken... think of that last bit of gristly meat left on the carcass... now think of that being scraped and mixed with other scrapings... and being extruded! Basically, it's a flavorless protein-sponge that forms the Slim-Jim-Matrix... for that orange OIL-****.

So... little pieces... then a smooth paste.
 
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  • #3,449
nismaratwork said:
The chicken... think of that last bit of gristly meat left on the carcass... now think of that being scraped and mixed with other scrapings... and being extruded! Basically, it's a flavorless protein-sponge that forms the Slim-Jim-Matrix... for that orange OIL-****.

So... little pieces... then a smooth paste.

Meh. At least it's not being wasted... and if I don't eat it, some 8 year old kid will. So, you know, I'm kind of like a super hero.
 
  • #3,450
FlexGunship said:
Meh. At least it's not being wasted... and if I don't eat it, some 8 year old kid will. So, you know, I'm kind of like a super hero.

Uh-huh... I think your colon is the hero int his piece... you're just another villain! EAT REAL FOOD!

MREs can't have damaged you that badly man... did you see that jerky I linked you to? You'll LOVE it, and never want a slim-crap again. :smile:

Let the 8 year old eat it... they're resilient...
 

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