Oh boy am I ever happy with my decision to bring hot dogs (OK, OK, they're veggie dogs) to the tailgating event I'm going to tonight. After reading this I'm going to have to clean the drool from my keyboard.
And FWIW, Venezuelans have the greatest hot dogs in the world: mayo, ketchup, mustard, onion, cabbage, and crushed potato chips on a steamed potato roll. Pure win.
Ditto on the Pampered Chef model. The julienne blade doesn't work for crap and the only one that really did anything was the V-shaped one... until it got dull after slicing up a bag of potatoes. I got it as a shower gift and I'm glad I didn't pay for it.
Use a potato masher to mash avocados for guacamole.
This year I'm asking for a food mill and a good mandolin slicer. I want to start experimenting with velvety soups and smooth mashed potatoes, and my expensive cheap Pampered Chef slicer (a gift) has foiled me for the last time.
I've also had that lovely orange KitchenAid stand mixer has been taunting me for years. If I ever get one I'm going to get it custom airbrushed a la Alton Brown.
What about the original Nathan's in Coney Island? My favorite since I was 5. I lived 1/4 of a mile on the Bensonhurst side and went there every weekend in the summer.
Being from Coney Island (that is what it was considered at the time), everyone thinks that I have eaten Coney Dogs. Those are completely different and not something you find at Nathan's. Only toppings I ever knew were mustard, saurkraut, green relish or onions. That is it. Before I left Brooklyn, I never had a chili dog, a cheese dog, or a chili-cheese slaw dog.
Also, Varsity in Atlanta makes the best Chili-Cheese Slaw Dog in the world. I had 2 in 2005. Their onion rings and Frozen Orange also rock.
Big Chicago style fan here, but I seriously cannot believe you talked about Southern hot dogs without mentioning the Varsity in Atlanta. It has only been there since 1928 and has been serving up terrific stomach destroying coneys the entire time. You can get slaw dogs there, but the real thing to get is a chili dog with onions and mustard, some fries and an FO (Frozen Orange). The FO banks the fires that are to come. I've had both Varsity and Nu-way and it's Varsity all the way. I'm stuck in Florida so we don't have any regional hot dog specialty, but thank god for Vienna Hot Dogs farming out their stuff! Also we used to have Skyline Chili and I sure do miss skyliners!
I have a beautiful stainless steel Bron mandoline which I love. I didn't buy it. An XMIL gave it to me because it butchered her manicures. She always did have a skewed sense of priorities...
Instead of my Christmas list, I'm working on my wedding registry. Some items we're definitely going to register for:
Kitchenaid stand mixer
(with pasta and meat grinding attachments)
Mandoline
All-Clad cookware
Large LeCrouset
The typical glassware, flatware, plates, etc.
Waffle Maker
I'm sure there will be more...
I keep a giant ziploc bag in my freezer and whenever I make a roasted chicken I throw the carcass into it. When I cut up veggies I add the scraps to the bag as well. Once it is full I just dump the whole thing in my stock pot and cover with water and cook until I have stock. I also freeze the cooked stock in ice cube trays then empty them into another bag so if I need to deglaze a pan or something, I just throw a stock cube into the pan.
Before I make omelets or scrambled eggs I warm the eggs in a bowl of warm water for about five minutes. It makes for creamier curds for some reason.
A pastry-chef pal taught me this one: If you need to cut chilled butter into a dry mix for a crumble or pie crust, freeze the butter, then use your cheese grater to "grate" the butter in (keep the paper around the stick of butter to keep it from softening in your hand). You get little shreds of butter that are then really easy to mix in or cut further if you need smaller pieces.
I do the springform-bottom tip too...I also use non-stick foil (LOVE IT) and after the cake is cooled you can remove it from the cardboard, peel off the foil, and the cake is ready to put on your cakestand/plate for decorating. No slipping and sliding bottom between the cake and the plate!
@ chiff0nade- excellent tips! I will definitely use both of them!
I bought one of these about 20 years ago through a tv infomercial. It still works as good as the day it arrived. Highly recommended!
http://www.amazon.com/Borner-V-1001-Swissmar-V-Slicer-Plus/dp/B0000632QE
This tip my mother taught me many years ago......when making a mayonaisse dressed salad....i.e....macaroni, potato, seafood salad.....mix all of your seasoning ingredients into the mayonaisse and then dress the salad, this way your dry seasonings get evenly mixed into the salad.
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Favorite foods: Everything except bird, mammal, shrimp, and lobster.
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