What is your favorite cook's treat?
In case you don't know the term, a cook's treat is any little odds and ends or "waste" materials that you snack on while cooking. A couple of my favorites:
- little crispy bits of anything in the saute pan if I'm not going to deglaze
- weirdly, I like to drink any liquid left in the pot after wilting greens, even strong ones like mustard greens
I mentioned another one over in this post about a grapefruit crudo I made recently.
So what do you secretly snack on? C'mon, tell!
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41 Comments:
The liver of the turkey on T-Giving which I saute and share with my dog.
The neck from chicken stock.
The veggies from chicken stock.
The cartilage from chicken stock.
The connective tissue from short ribs or beef stock which I cut off so as not to use it in the finished soup or stew.
Rarely if ever do I do this anymore but the remnants of something yummy and sweet left on the mixing bowl. Raw egg warnings be damned!
therealchiffonade at 2:21PM on 12/02/08
I'm a fan of making litte cinnamon sugar treats out of leftover pie dough while the pie is baking.
I am also known for picking at the cooked pasta while waiting for the sauce to thicken up. If I saute shrimp, chicken, steak first then set aside to make sauce, I enjoy a few early bites--shhh.
And of course, bacon bits I've crisped up for whatever--if the dogs don't beg for them first!
But I believe I come by it naturally, I made the majority of Thanksgiving dinner, but my mom was putting everything into platters, fancy bowls, etc. and she was sneaking so much food I didn't think she'd want any dinner! hahaha!
bobcatsteph3 at 2:25PM on 12/02/08
@chiff: mmm...I think we're on the same page regarding chicken stock! I love, love, LOVE picking over the strainings from my stocks, especially the cartilage at the leg/thigh joint!
So, there's THAT...and
giblets, which get roasted/braised/stewed along with the bird.
The "oyster" from the chicken or turkey thigh.
Bones from any kind of roasted meat.
hungryinhouston at 2:35PM on 12/02/08
When my husband grills he sops up the juices on top of the steaks with bread then snacks on the bread. More than once I've had to stop him from doing that on MY steak. I think it dries it out.
@bobcat...I'm with you on the cinnamon sugar pie doughs. My mom taught me how to make them and I taught my children. Scrumptious!
SaraGarrigan at 2:48PM on 12/02/08
As a baker, I feel that it is my privalege to be able to lick the beaters and bowl clean every time! :)
Traveller at 2:48PM on 12/02/08
I have no ability to worry about the raw egg warnings either; it does give me a good excuse so that *I* get to eat the cookie dough instead of the kids.
MichaelNatkin at 2:57PM on 12/02/08
@bobcatsteph3 - I do the same thing, only I also add a sprinkle of sea salt.
And I'm with Traveller on licking the beaters and the bowls (who cares about raw eggs?). Also, "cleaning" the saucier after I transfer the gravy I just made elsewhere. This time, I've made two batches of gravy and felt somewhat guilty "cleaning" the saucier both times, so I called my OH for "help", to his utter delight.
Dipping bread in roast chicken drippings. Also something I often share with my OH though - damn guilt feelings!
Whenever I cook something with wine (quite often, I reckon), I pour myself half a glass - after all, I have to make sure the wine I cook with is good enough for cooking, no?
Bacon - the first crispy slice always belongs to the cook, as far as I'm concerned.
brooke29 at 3:12PM on 12/02/08
I'm another beater and bowl licker- especially love brownie batter, choc chip and white choc chip and oatmeal raisin cookie dough and butter cream frosting.
I also love to eat the sliced peeled apples doused in cinnamon sugar and lemon juice while making pie.
My fave non dessert is to sample verything while preparing the antipasto platter- fresh mozzarella, eggplant caponata, black and green olives, artichoke hearts. These things make me happy!
KtMc24 at 3:18PM on 12/02/08
A big blob of creamed sugar and butter in the first step of making brownies or cookies:)
Embackus at 3:21PM on 12/02/08
I can't grate cheese with out breaking off a bit for myself. If I'm chopping nuts, I must sample. Rolls come out of the oven and for some reason there's one that never makes it to the table. Deglaze pan with wine? Me too please. Let's face it I graze my way through whatever I'm making and try to save some room for a small meal.
dhorst at 3:28PM on 12/02/08
Bowl licker here.
Also, drippings and bits that are used for gravy, before the gravy period starts. I sneaked up to my boyfriend and shoved some in his mouth and his expressions of joy were obscene.
I'll snack on raw green bean while waiting for the water to heat.
I love chewing dry angel hair or thin spaghetti.
Bits of cheese that are supposed to go into what I'm making.
And other than dessert stuff my all time favorite is stewed diced tomatoes, straight from the can. I could eat those ALL DAY.
nightowl at 3:33PM on 12/02/08
THe chicken tail from a roast bird
THe charred fat from a ribeye (I make sure the fat gets plenty of salt before grilling, just for this)
Recipe calls for 8 oz cheese? Better get out at least 10, or there won't be enough
Ditto for sauteed mushrooms and I have double carmelized leeks for any recipe
Cary at 3:56PM on 12/02/08
"...drippings and bits that are used for gravy, before the gravy period starts. I sneaked up to my boyfriend and shoved some in his mouth and his expressions of joy were obscene."
I'm not alone! Awesome.
The juices on the bottom of the plate after meat has rested? Yeah, those are getting drunk. Shameless carnivore.
TruckBoatTruck at 4:15PM on 12/02/08
Where I'm from, we call the liquid left after wilting greens "pot likker", and it isn't weird to drink at all.
Something odd that I sometimes do is eat large portions of unseasoned raw vegetables before they can make it into the recipe that I'm prepping them for. Like cabbage, carrots, or celery. I like the crunchy, slightly sweet flavor so much I sometimes have to go back and get more just to have enough for the dish that I'm making.
Also, any time I make any kind of spread or puree in the food processor or blender I end up licking the blade and scraping out the last little bits from the nooks and crannies of the work bowl. I've actually cut myself doing this.
Nicholas H at 4:31PM on 12/02/08
Oooh, another one - cooked chickpeas before they become hummus or falafel or a chickpea, spinach & sausage dish. I always sneak a couple (although it's really hard for me to stop after just "a couple").
brooke29 at 4:39PM on 12/02/08
@chiff-I'm right with you on the stock stuff--you should have seen me on Friday when I stewed the turkey carcass. I kept telling my husband, "all the good stuff is right here" as I pulled off a wobbly ribbon of meat from the back bone. OH! and the "oysters" from the backs of roasted poultry...man! And last but not least, I keep asking for 5 minutes alone with the turkey or the chicken or the duck after it's done resting because I just want to eat all the crisp, golden skin! (My mom actually let us do that one Thanksgiving.)
wookie at 4:48PM on 12/02/08
A glass of champagne for the cook is my favorite cooks treat.
also, and this might be weird....bits of the browned cheese that have melted out of empanadas or anything with cheese stuck to the pan must be peeled off and snacked on.
Croutons, home made, hot out of the oven.....mmmmmmm........
StripeyChef at 5:30PM on 12/02/08
Although I'm a little worried about chiff and houston, everything else everybody said. Love to lick the bowl. Doesn't matter what was in it. I LOOOOVE sweet cornbread batter. And why, why wait for cookies to bake when the batter tastes so much better? There is never enough fresh mozzarella for the recipe because I'm eating it the whole time. And minutes ago I told my son, I could be a vegetarian so easily but this is soo good, as I ate a cube of the raw meat that I was cooking. Conflict? maybe
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 5:41PM on 12/02/08
@Embackus
I believe very strongly that this is better than the end product. Gooey nectar of the gods!
Alyrmc at 5:44PM on 12/02/08
Yes! The overflow charred cheese is the best!
PeanutButter at 5:55PM on 12/02/08
Amen to the charred cheese!
nightowl at 6:25PM on 12/02/08
Poultry oysters--absolutely. Also, the crunchy bits that fall off of the fried chicken when you put it on the rack to drain. And the last meatball in the pot of sauce.
maered at 6:42PM on 12/02/08
I just remembered something else - those brown bits that stick to my bamboo spoons when I stir-fry chicken pieces for my chicken & aubergines in garlicky sauce or chicken & soba salad. For both dishes, I marinate chicken pieces in a mixture of cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and garlic - the brown bits created when I stir-fry them are heavenly!
brooke29 at 7:03PM on 12/02/08
Yes, yes, I too bow to the charred cheese.
@Brooke29~1/2 a glass??!!! puleeeze
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 7:52PM on 12/02/08
raw hamburg after its been mixed with onions and garlic to make balls or a meat loaf
dearrie at 8:02PM on 12/02/08
@Carol - all right, so I forgot to mention that I usually pour my wine in half-glass increments... So yeah, I pour myself half a glass...and when I'm done with it, I just may pour another 1/2 :-).
brooke29 at 8:05PM on 12/02/08
Savoring my glass of wine all alone while I am enjoying great music and the fragrances in my kitchen.
Nibbling on the crispy wings from the grill roasted chicken.
A spoonful of creamy mashed potatoes while the butter is melting on top.
A couple of lettuce leaves and a crouton from the caesar salad bowl before I put it on the table.
izatryt at 8:10PM on 12/02/08
Oh man, the fond. Especially with chicken. Oh my gosh, I think I like it better than the actual chicken.
My absolute favorite though, are the onions from Marcella Hazan's Tomato and Butter sauce (You're supposed to toss the tomatoes when the sauce is done) They are so ridiculously delicious.
chisai at 8:49PM on 12/02/08
What are poultry oysters? Aaahh yes... the melty burny cheese. And the charred ribeye fat. I'm with you on that. Slurp!
floridagirl at 8:51PM on 12/02/08
This is pretty embarrassing, but when I make bundt cakes (which is pretty frequently), I tend to pick off and eat a considerable portion of the crusty top of the cake while it's still in the pan. I swear it's not because I can't control myself! I have two very logical reasons: 1. It's the absolute best part of a cake. Still warm, and the perfect ratio of crisp to soft. 2. NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW, BECAUSE THE CAKE WILL BE UPSIDE DOWN! Mwahahaha!
ChristineB at 9:00PM on 12/02/08
For me, the whole point of making a sauce or chili is to "sample" - i.e. eat about half a cup of the stuff via individual tastings - while the food cooks. And the whole point of making any meat product is to snack on the fond while the meat rests. Mmmmmm.... fond...
Which is why I can't cook for myself. I'm stuffed by the time the food is done!
TheCheapChick at 10:40PM on 12/02/08
@izzy~I think we may be the same person-Have you seen Fight Club? You're the bad one though. haha.
@Brooksie~OK, I feel better now. I feel cheated if I don't have to slurp from the edge so as not to spill it when I pick it up.
@chisai~I have to agree with you on those onions. Marcella ROCKS!
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 12:06AM on 12/03/08
After making a cheese sauce or bechamel, I always go back to the "dirty" pot with a piece of bread and scoop out all the wonderful sauce that wouldn't go when I was pouring it out.
My all time favorite is when I roast an entire head (or two) of garlic and I know that some of the cloves are going to look a bit too dark or weird to whoever is eating over. I pop those into my mouth and they're just like savory candy.
PumpkinBear at 3:10AM on 12/03/08
I like to eat the leftover veggies that used to make stock, skin from a roasted bird, I love the back flap of the turkey with some of the dressing still intact on it and dipping it in the leftover juices OMG that is so good. The serious charred bits of bacon leftover in the pan, actually I love to dip croutons into the bacon fat. I like to chew not swallow the crisp grissle of fat from steaks or pork and yes I always love to wipe the pot clean with bread from any sort of sauce or gravy that is made, I rule that mine, it just tastes so good
pjracz10 at 4:58AM on 12/03/08
my favorite cooks treat is not having to do dishes LOL Actually my favorite part of cooking a meal is when SO pours us some wine and "helps me cook" . As far as tidb
huneybumper at 8:01AM on 12/03/08
@TEXIE ~ Have not seen Fight Club. But I am okay with the bad one!
izatryt at 8:07AM on 12/03/08
any crispy brown bits that are left over in the pan after frying anything...
the first bite of anything, before it gets to the table...
a few semi-sweet chocolate morsels from the bag, before pouring them into the cookie dough...
the middle brownie...
juliebugsmama at 10:18AM on 12/03/08
I would happily roast a whole chicken just for access to the drippings, some skin, the whole carcass and the oysters. Good lord. I even love the wee parson's nose, or tail bit that's all fatty and plump.
THe movie 'Amelie' had the most luscious description of poultry oysters. I come from a third world family of bone crunchers, marrow suckers and carcass pickers. It's the best part of a chicken, hands down. YOu cna keep your boring breast meat.
BananaMonkey at 11:59AM on 12/05/08
Poultry skin.
Leftover sauce/gravy, preferably a little congealed so I can eat it with a finger.
Cheese bits.
Bread dough.
Testing while cooking, particularly fondue. Once the fondue was perfect as I was melting it over low heat on the stove but I had a can of Sterno that was too big so the fondue that actually got eaten from the pot was burned. Still good (umami?!) but while I was testing I got the best part. =)
akk328 at 1:01PM on 12/05/08
Chicken skins - when I cook for my health conscious friends and make chicken breasts (usually poached), I poach the meat with the skin, then take off the skin before serving...
...and I fry that skin up till it's crisp. Then I sprinkle with some delicious salt, a pinch of pepper and eat with a thick dipping sauce made of lime juice, more salt and chopped up chili. HOLY CRAP.
I am not ashamed to admit that I invite the health conscious friends over a whole lot just so I can have a pile o'skins to snack on.
lorelei76 at 6:41PM on 12/05/08
@lorelei that sounds good, will try that when do poached chicken.
pjracz10 at 4:02PM on 12/06/08