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Look Who's Talkin': Recent Comments We Have Known and Loved

Posted by Adam Kuban, February 20, 2009 at 3:15 PM

There's so much to keep up with in Talk that we almost can't keep up. If you're in the same boat, here's a small selection of topics and responses that have piqued our interest this week.

How do you put a price on your time/experience cooking?
"Compare the costs of personal chefs in your area- you can sometimes find ads on Craigslist. Remember that their prices include earning a profit, and they are professionals. If, for example, you find that chefs in your area charge $40 an hour + the costs of food, I think it would be fair to say your services are worth $25 an hour and barter from there. That said, bartering is really about the percieved value of a good or service- if someone values your cooking as worth $100 an hour of their service, by all means, take the trade!" —Embackus

Really missing the point
"Oh, and out of curiosity, what is 'the point' anyway? Clearly I've missed it as well." —DCraver

New York Times on Dirty Food
"Cochineal extract, which is used as a red coloring in food and cosmetics is widely used and made from crushed up bugs. Eating bugs and other nasties is just a fact of life - nothing to get grossed out about!" —GoodEaterKenji

What's So Weird About That?
"For a couple of years, I went to a small private school where the students bought their lunches from nearby restaurants. I'd show up at the end of lunch hour with an ice cream cone and everyone would demand a bite. (It was a very small school.) I complained to my mother, and she said, 'Next time, snack on something that no one likes but you.' So the next day I went back to school munching a raw bell pepper. Everyone ... well, more than one person ... demanded a bite. It was Berkeley; it was the sixties; I should have known, I guess." —gentlyferal

Anyone cooking up Mardi Gras?
"So glad to hear that some of you will be traveling down here! Mardi Gras is in full swing already (there are people parking in my neighborhood for a parade right now) and I've already had my share of king cake. Last year I tried to make one, but homemade ones don't compare to bakery-made magic. Besides king cake, not much Mardi Gras-themed food going on here. Still too early for crawfish, and the early-season ones are apparently very small this year, so we nixed our Lundi Gras crawfish boil plans." —pearl

As spring approaches, what do you crave?
"Asparagus, tomatoes and fresh herbs from the garden...It's time to start planning the garden and get some seeds germinating. With the thaw we had last week, I fired up the grill for the first time in 6 weeks. Now that temperatures will pretty much be above 25, I'll be a grilling fool and eating a bit healthier too." —dhorst

Be Serious: Isn't "Upscale" Food Just a Load of Bulls$%t?
"I think the lesson is that you can find absolutely superb food at any price anywhere in the world. What makes it good is the passion and love that the cooks put into it. I find portion sizes largely irrelevant, because if the flavors are bold, you don't need a lot to be satisfied. I've also found that my most memorable meals have been made of a simple array of ingredients. I think that bringing out a few strong flavors pure and unadulterated is a real test of the chef, and is simply more enjoyable. Dressing up a dish is just an extension of creativity and that passion, but it can also be soulless, an afterthought, and overdone." —codeblue

[And, last but not least. Indeed, below is my favorite thread of the week—but then again, I'm clearly biased. ;) We're happy to play host and to make everyone feel at home. —Adam]

How has Serious Eats improved the quality of your life?
"It's like consulting the food oracle.

What's for dinner? Oh, thanks, Serious Eats! How do I render chicken feet into delicious broth? Ask Serious Eats! Where do I go to yap about food when My SO... is over it? My pals at Serious Eats!

Y'all are effin great." —bisbee

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