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The Ten Most Recent Posts By AuntJone

From Talk

Waiter, could I get some veggies in my vegetable soup?

Posted by AuntJone, May 3, 2008 at 11:29 AM

Last night we gathered with a group of friends to bid farewell to my husband's best friend. I wasn't particularly hungry so I ordered a bowl of sirloin vegetable soup. We'd been to this bar several times and the food has always been good so I had no reservations. I was very much disappointed to see that my bowl of "vegetable soup" consisted mainly of diced tomatoes with about 2 kernals of corn, a couple slivered green beans and some chunks of potato and carrot. I DON'T LIKE TOMATOES so I was deflated from the start. The broth was flavorful. The sirloin was tender and not chewy or gristly. But where were the vegetables!?!? I ate what I could before it was down to basically nothing but tomatoes. To top it all off, we had a crabby server so I didn't think I'd get too much sympathy if I had asked for another serving.

If you were faced with something like this would you have asked for another bowl/plate of whatever you ordered? I didn't, but I'm wondering if I would have been out of line if I had. It wasn't just that I don't like tomatoes , but the fact that I ordered VEGETABLE soup, not "diced tomato soup and whatever scraps of vegetables we can find". Tell me if I'm being petty. I can take it!

8 Comments

From Talk

The first time I tasted ____ it was so vile I spit it out

Posted by AuntJone, April 14, 2008 at 4:09 PM

I have two and both of them originated from the same animal: goat. I tried goat cheese at a trade show a few years ago and couldn't wait for a sample of something - anything - that would get that horrid taste out of my mouth. Fast forward to this past weekend. I went to my local dollar store hoping they'd have some caramel ice cream topping for my son's birthday cheesecake. They didn't, but they had Mexican caramel sauce made with goat milk. Long story short, I tasted a tiny bit and wanted to die. I rinsed my mouth out with hot water and brushed my teeth as soon as I was sure I wasn't going to vomit. Then I made the 10 minute drive to the nearest grocery (which I REALLY should have done in the first place) and bought what I needed.

So what your worst taste scenarios? Are you willing to try it again to see if your tastes have changed? I've sworn off anything goat-related!

62 Comments | Tagged: dislikes

From Talk

A surprise hit

Posted by AuntJone, March 18, 2008 at 12:21 PM

My husband hates round steak. HATES IT. I wanted to get a frozen, cubed round steak used up so I decided to make it last night. His biggest gripe is that round steak is tough so I was bound and determined to change his mind. And I did.

Long story short, he loved it. "Remember this recipe!" He declared. I laughed at him. It was lightly floured, pan fried, then baked for about 30 minutes. No recipe needed. Served with mashed potatoes, peas and a respectable gravy (I SUCK at gravy, but this was actually edible.), it made for a great meal.

Have you converted anyone from "Yuck! I won't eat that!" to "Could you make that again?" Did you switch it up in a major way or just prepare it in a manner that made it more palatable?

5 Comments

From Talk

_________ gives me heartburn

Posted by AuntJone, March 18, 2008 at 11:52 AM

What gets your digestive juices flowing the wrong way? I have several, tho in a few months I'm sure plain tap water will be reflux-inducing as junior starts pushing my internal organs sideways and upwards. Sigh...my thighs and my esophagus will never be the same....

Here are my offenders::
Legumes (I REALLY don't know why, but beans give me the burn bad)
Some tomato sauces
Some spicy foods
Cheap coffee
Cinnamon on occasion

Is there anything you love but avoid because of the after effects, or do you self-medicate before or after so you can continue to enjoy your favorites? I'm curious to see how many of us plow through that plate of nachos topped with jalapenos and habenaro salsa with a devil-may-care attitude only to curse ourselves at bedtime!

33 Comments

From Talk

Pizza cheese

Posted by AuntJone, March 6, 2008 at 9:44 AM

I'm bored with just mozzarella. What else can I combine with the standard mozz to make a knock out pizza? I'll be shopping at a CRAPPY little Kroger store in my hometown so I don't know what kind of variety will be available, but let me know your faves and hopefully I can track them down.

I can't get too wild and crazy because the husband LOVES pizza and prefers it unadulterated. I'm game for anything except for pungent varieties (i.e. bleu cheese) and I need it to be either pastuerized or a cheese that can be heated/melted to lessen my risk of ingesting bacteria and other nasties. Being pregnant is SO much fun....

And because said husband is such a pizza purist, the other toppings will include the usual sausage, pepperoni and possibly some vegetable matter if I'm ambitious. No pineapple or other exotic items on our pie. :(

15 Comments | Tagged: cheese, pizza, pizza making, pizza toppings

From Talk

Frozen or shelf stable meals. Do good ones exist?

Posted by AuntJone, March 4, 2008 at 1:59 PM

What are your go-to freezer or shelf stable meals when life catches you off guard?

I didn't want leftovers for lunch today so I stopped at the store on my way to work and bought a Lean Cuisine meal- here's the description for the "Salmon Mediterranean": wild salmon with zucchini, peppers and whole grain pasta in a garlic tomato sauce. I'm sure none of you will be surprised to know that is wasn't very good.

I brown-bag it 95% of the time so I only buy pre-packaged meals out of desperation, but I'd sure like to avoid a catastrophe like this again. Suggestions would be most appreciated!

23 Comments | Tagged: frozen meals, suggestions

From Talk

Salad Master cookware

Posted by AuntJone, February 5, 2008 at 1:36 PM

I'm totally piggy-backing off the post of dsd1000. By the time I thought of posting about Salad Master the All Clad query was already up!

Does anyone currently use Salad Master cookware, or have you in the past? What are your thoughts? My co-worker SWEARS by it. I think he'd give up an appendage before he'd ever surrender his set. I'm curious to know what more serious cooks (he's single and doesn't cook a whole lot- he's had the set for 20+ years) think of it. Is it worth the investment?

4 Comments

From Talk

Mail order food: yay or nay?

Posted by AuntJone, February 5, 2008 at 1:06 PM

A co-worker swears by Omaha Steaks but I can't bring myself to try them. I just flipped through a food catalog from Pfaelzer Bros. and have a Chesapeake Bay catalog to look at next. I've never order food from catalogs (except for cookies that I sent as a gift one year) so I'm curious if any Serious Eaters do so on a regular basis. If so, what do you buy? What was your worst experience? Let's exclude specialty ingredients- spices, flours, chocolate, etc. this time- that can be a topic for another post!

17 Comments

From Talk

Morning sickness!

Posted by AuntJone, January 30, 2008 at 10:32 AM

I'm expecting my second child in September and started experiencing serious nausea last week.- yippee! Anything sweet or seasoned makes me want to hurl. I can't even bring myself to eat chocolate! My appetite is nearly non-existent (totally, completely unlike me!) so finding something to eat has been difficult.

So what foods did you, or your significant other, run from while pregnant? What could you or your sig. o. eat without trouble?

16 Comments | Tagged: pregnancy

From Talk

Holiday failures

Posted by AuntJone, December 17, 2007 at 11:11 AM

So what have you screwed up so far this year? I have made 4 batches of fudge that will probably go in the trash, a batch of sugar cookies that are edible but won't be given away, and Danish kringle which turned out ok except most of the almond filling oozed out during the baking process. I'm giving one of the kringles to a friend, the other will probably be gone by the time I get home.

Anyone else having a tough time in the kitchen this year? Please tell me I'm not alone. The only treat I've made and deemed gift-worthy was pretzel bark, and that barely counts as 'baking'!

I'm on the verge of giving out Hickory Farms baskets instead of attempting anything else so please share your disasters with me so I feel better. And maybe, just maybe, I'll try to make those damn buttermilk cookies for my husband.

10 Comments | Tagged: disasters, holiday

The Ten Most Recent Comments By AuntJone

From Talk

Speaking of manners!

I 2nd PerkyMac- personal grooming at a restaurant is just gross. A quick file to a jagged nail? Ok, as long as it isn't over the table or in plain view of other diners. But removing an article of clothing to do something? That's just wrong.

I think demanding or unappreciative patrons are the worst. I work banquets and the largest part of our clientele happens to be religious groups of varying beliefs. They are always appreciative of our efforts and say "please and thank you" to drink refills, plate clearing, and any thing else we do. Last Christmas we had a group from a local doctor's office who had to be the rudest group I've ever served. I don't think I got a single thank you and felt like I was in their way more than anything. I'm not in a high-class area where doctors are the social elite- this is a rural area and you're more than likely to be sitting next to your doctor at the ballgame or seeing his wife at the grocery store. I have a feeling they felt our facility (a camp with amazing food but a rustic atmosphere) was beneath them and they would have preferred fancier digs. Have at it. I'd rather not serve people like that. Send me the Gideons or a church group any day.

AuntJone at 12:19PM on 05/16/08

From Required Eating

McDonald's Says Eat More Chicken For Breakfast

I'm with Paris. I can't do chicken for breakfast. Eggs? Hell yeah, but not their mother.

AuntJone at 11:20AM on 05/16/08

From Required Eating

Indiana Jones Eats Chocolate Cereal Before Raiding Temples

OMG! There is an Indiana Jones Potato Head?!?! I must have one! The husband is a huge fan!

Harrison Ford can whip me any time, don't care how old he is.

AuntJone at 1:47PM on 05/14/08

From Required Eating

The Most Awesome Ice Cube Tray Ever

dammit! my sci-fi geek of a husband would have loved the Han mold. he would have passed on the R2 ice bucket but Han would be encased in our freezer for sure. "He'll be quite safe...if he survived the freezing process". 3PO was such a buzzkill.

AuntJone at 1:43PM on 05/14/08

From Talk

Wedding Eats

Oh, and here's my most memorable wedding food story. Unfortunately it isn't a good one. So much went wrong I'll just give the condensed version in bullet points:

- guests on two different levels of the venue. Neither the couple nor their parents made any attempt to go upstairs to visit any guests. AND WE WERE FAMILY. The bride is my husband's 2nd cousin.

- tables set for 9 people. Dinner rolls, at least at our table, for 6 people. And served cold, in a plastic bag. A plastic bag. I'm still shaking my head over that one.

- we arrived at the reception around 5:30. We were still in line waiting to get food at 7:30. There were no appetizers, see above comment about dinner rolls.

- plates were placed on the tables instead of at the buffet line, so while we waited in line we also got to hold our plates

- drinks were inaccessible and damn near non-existent once you found them. except for the keg, of course. that was right inside the front door.

- by the time we finally got to the buffet line most of the food was gone. There was plenty of gravy, however. An older Amish gentleman refilled the gravy while we were in line. I nearly said "Why the f**k are you putting out more gravy, there's nothing to put it on!" but I refrained. I work in foodservice part time. We don't run out of food where I work. It just doesn't happen.

- people were cutting into the sheet cakes before the bride and groom had even cut the main cake. I don't think there was nearly enough cake.

- we left and went out to eat. No apologies from anyone in the wedding party or the family. My husband saw the bride's mother the following week and she said "Did you know that some people didn't get to eat? We ran out of food." and my darling husband said "Yes, I was one of them!"

I wanted to take over the "kitchen" and kick some ass but my husband wouldn't let me.

AuntJone at 3:35PM on 05/12/08

From Talk

Wedding Eats

We had a very small wedding with just immediate family and our attendants. The wedding was in a small chapel at a resort nearby. After the 90 second ceremony (oh I'm so not kidding) and pictures were done, we gathered in the private dining room of the hotel restaurant and had a fabulous buffet of roast beef, salmon, green beans, potatoes and a killer turtle cheese cake. It was wonderful to get to chat with everyone right after the excitement of the wedding instead of being rushed to a reception and bombarded with people.

The wedding was Friday night, so on Saturday we had an open-house style reception at the local community center. No DJ, no ceremonial crap aside from us cutting the cake, which I made. Our families kicked in to make the other desserts- gooey butter cakes, frosted chocolate chunk brownies, red velvet cupcakes, a veggie tray, mixed fruit and a killer n/a punch. Everyone visited, we made the rounds to as many people as we could and they were all free to come and go whenever. We also rented the gym so the kids could run amok without bothering the adults who were trying to talk in the main room.

The only thing I would have done different is to have had everything at the camp where I work part time. By the time I started working there we'd already put down deposits and made tons of plans and I didn't feel like making changes. Now I wish I'd bit the bullet and just done it!

AuntJone at 2:29PM on 05/12/08

From Talk

Mother's Day and the Restaurant Experience...

I'm with you. I can't stand dining in crowded restaurants and quite frankly, I think taking her out to eat is a cop out. She (most likely) busts her hump to do things for the family and the only effort the family puts out to thank her is to make reservations? I don't think we ever took my mom out. We've always gotten together at someone's home even if it wasn't on Mother's Day.

I realize that not every one likes to cook or CAN cook, but how hard is it to throw something on the grill and pick up a few deli salads? And I'm sure there are some moms that don't care what they do, just as long as they can be with their family. But fewer things say "I love you, thanks for everything" than a home cooked meal.

AuntJone at 1:59PM on 05/09/08

From Talk

Freezing Cakes, Cookies, & Frosting--Need Advice

Slightly off topic but along the same line: muffin batter freezes surprisingly well. Works best if you can portion it into tins, then freeze. If you freeze it in the bowl it will still work, but you have to wait until it thaws to scoop it. We did this in culinary school and I think the muffins turned out even more moist than if we had used freshly made batter.

I've frozen buttercream icing with success but never cream cheese. I would think the cream cheese would break down once it thawed.

AuntJone at 1:44PM on 05/09/08

From Talk

Favorite Food Network Show and Chef

ROFLMAO @ chiff, as usual!

I like Ina and Alton first and foremost. I'll watch them every time they're on unless it is a repeat.

I'm liking Jamie Oliver more than I did when he was first on TV. I love his passion for food- caught a snippet of the ep where he went wild 'shroom hunting with his 'mate'. Loved it!

I've started watching Molto Mario on Fine Living and I'm liking him more and more, too. I love how he says 'season agressively'!

I like Tyler Florence but can't stand his incessant use of "Ok" and "all right" as he's explaining something. He sort of mutters it so it probably doesn't bother anyone else and I'm just an over-observant weirdo....

I also watch SLop for entertainment value. She truly causes my head to want to burst. "Quasi-homemade meals for people who like to pretend that they've cooked". That's what her show should be called.

AuntJone at 1:32PM on 05/09/08

From Required Eating

Photo of the Day: Canine Prewash Cycle

I need a dishwasher to keep my rat/jack russell terrier mix at bay. She will take the food right out of my hand if I'm not vigilant.

AuntJone at 1:07PM on 05/09/08

Responses to Comments by AuntJone

From Talk

Speaking of manners!

good for you Chiff!

bisbee at 1:56PM on 05/16/08

From Talk

Speaking of manners!

I have one.

I was at Panera Bread and had just gotten my salad. I was about to enjoy it when two other diners sat to my immediate right. They cracked open a couple of textbooks.

They began quizzing one another on the subject matter of the course: Venereal Disease; complete with symptoms, descriptions of bodily discharge, you name it. I listened to this for about 90 seconds and could not ignore the knot in my stomach any longer.

"Are you going to be here long?" I asked.
"We just sat down," answered one of the "students."
"I really do not want to listen to your current choice of discussion so could you please talk about something else? I'm trying to eat."

They changed the subject.

chiff0nade at 1:33PM on 05/16/08

From Talk

Speaking of manners!

I worked my way through college as a server at a casual dining steakhouse chain. I saw some pretty outrageous stuff...here are two of the most notable.

1. A couple who brought their toddler's porta-potty in and set it down next to the table for him to use because "he wouldn't be able to make it all the way to the back where the restroom is." Needless to say we did not allow this.

2. I walked up to a table mid-way through their meal to check in. As I walked up, the mom held out a wad of damp napkins, which I took, figuring their 3-ish year old daughter had spilled her juice or something. Big mistake - the daughter had puked in the booth and they used to napkins to wipe it up and just handed them to me without any warning. Disgusting.

misskris15 at 12:22PM on 05/16/08

From Talk

Mother's Day and the Restaurant Experience...

My wife and I went out Mother's Day evening with another childless midde-aged couple (we would never go out for brunch on such a day, unless we were getting tacos or Chinese food). We went to Goldberg's Deli at Factoria mall on the Eastside of Lake Washington from Seattle, since our friends had given us a gift card. I'd been reading David Sax Savethedeli.com blog and just jonesing for some good Jewish soul food.

Nice space, little delicatessen shop in the front. My wife got a brunch special: bagels, omelet, hashbrowns, and an enormous piece of very nice smoked whitefish. She was very happy. My friend Suzanne had the stuffed cabbage, which looked very nice and she enjoyed it. My friend Jerry had the beef brisket dinner, which was a generous portion but the only DRY Jewish-style brisket that I have ever seen. I went very traditional -- potato knish, pastrami on rye with coleslaw on the side, and a generous piece of noodle kugel to follow. The knish was nice (the accompaniment of gravy was unfamiliar) but I think that it may have been zapped rather than oven reheated. The pastrami sandwich was very good, not oversized, tasty but a little dry but the Gulden's helped that (just French's yellow mustard and Gulden's -- no regular deli mustard). Heck, I like Gulden's. The noodle kugel was great, although obviously not as good as my mothers and mine.

So, a mostly positive experience. We got rugalach and Joyva halvah for the counter on the way out.

Stushi at 1:38PM on 05/15/08

From Talk

Mother's Day and the Restaurant Experience...

Several years ago I said "no more restaurants on Mothers' Day." Since then, I entertain the familiy at our house. We have a small house with no formal dining room so holidays are a challenge but I worked out a system for Mothers' Day that turns out pretty well. I do a buffet table in the living room and everyone just sits and samples a variety of hearty appetizers and an easy to eat main course. Sometimes I do a soup in the crockpot which is on the buffet table. I have my husband act as server and we do about 3 "shifts" of food, ending with a couple of desserts. He brings dirty plates back to me in the kitchen and I wash them and send them back out if we run low.

Often I make a punch or sangria which everyone can help themselves to.

I do not have children of my own and my Mom works on Sundays so this is really done as a show of respect for my husband's mom and his sisters. It's work, but it was my choice to start the tradition and I will carry it on as long as I am able.

robincat at 12:43PM on 05/15/08

From Talk

"Drop It Like It's Hot"

Hmmm spectacular drops in my past include a tortiere that was baked in one of the infamous dollar store foil pans mentioned above. Ex hubby took it out of the oven, the pan folded and efficiently dumped the entire thing on the oven door, which of course, was hot so the contents COOKED onto the door. Then there were the hamburger condiments that were sprayed onto the living room wall when I tripped on my boyfriend at the time's cast. My mom once dropped an entire roast chicken on the floor with company sitting in the next room. I once flung a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce clear across the kitchen (I kept a hold of the plate but the contents went flying) when someone scared me as I was serving myself from the stove. Peppercorns are a nemesis. Oh and then the time I had raw cookies sitting on top of the stove waiting to go into the oven. Opened the door above the stove - my mom had not wrapped up the bag of rice correctly and it poured directly onto my cookies.

As a general rule, we salvage all we can! The cookies were, however, a tad crunchy!

Maureen at 12:34PM on 05/15/08

From Talk

"Drop It Like It's Hot"

Drop stuff on the floor on a regular basis. I reckon eating it gives me fantastic immunity from almost everything. Obviously not fond of basset hound hairs on stuff, so they get washed off if I can get to the dropped goods before the basset. Meat is definitely washed. We worry a little too much about bacteria. Food safety is necessary. But too much sanitizing leaves you open to food sickness when you travel to other countries. Why does the US think it can't eat raw milk cheeses under 60 days' old? Are the French and Italians dying like flies? Why do cured meats from Europe have to be pasteurized? Do you think if an Asian, a Latino or an African in their own countries tosses food when they've dropped it? It's a privilege of the wealthy.

eatWashington at 10:38AM on 05/15/08

From Talk

Mother's Day and the Restaurant Experience...

As a former server/cook/bartender/manager of restaurants let me say there is some truth to the difference in service/menu/etc on MD, VD, NYE, etc...we don't call it "Amateur Hour" for nothing! But a well-managed restaurant that typically has great service and standards will be able to adjust enough for the volume without sacrificing quality and service. As a server, if I "sucked it up" and had a positive attitude about providing a special once-a-year treat to otherwise infrequent diner-outers, I invariably had an acceptable day money-wise and a great day karma-wise.
That being said, you wouldn't catch me in a restaurant on these days....no matter what!

Cary at 7:31PM on 05/14/08

From Talk

Mother's Day and the Restaurant Experience...

There was a restaurant reviewer who wrote a book called "Never Eat Out On Mothers' Day", and whether as a daughter or mother I have managed to avoid it until this year, when we were traveling. (Kudos to Lucques and Zuni in San Francisco, BTW; both went smoothly.) If other people want to, that's fine, but like drinking on St. Patrick's Day, I avoid it. Restaurants are hurting in this economy, and I see a number of spots did brunch that never did before. I hope they did well, but I'll give 'em my business other days.

lemons at 4:53PM on 05/14/08

From Talk

Wedding Eats

Although this memorable story isn't all about food, I feel like I just HAVE to share:

Last summer I attended the wedding of my little sister's high school friend, who had just graduated college and was marrying the "man of her dreams."
*To start things out, the rehearsal dinner was held at the local BOWLING ALLEY and hot dogs were the day's special.
*The groom spent the ENTIRE time during the ceremony "stretching it out." He was literally up there cracking his neck, shaking out his arms and looking like he was preparing for a 100 yd dash.
*We got to the reception, and it was pretty normal, aside from the absence of anything edible and nothing to drink if you're not a keg-stand fan.
*The bride went to cut her cake and, alas, her husband was nowhere to be found. That is, until an announcement over the PA system called attention to the fact he was out behind a decorative bush "relieving" himself.
*Finally, it was time for this wedding from hell to end----the bride and groom left the reception, were about to jump in the Extended 4x4 Truck limo when all of a sudden the groom ran back inside. He reappeared moments later ROLLING THE KEG behind him and stuffed it in his wife's lap before he jumped in the limo.
I still shake my head and can't believe it happened.

nichole at 7:59PM on 05/13/08