Cook, definitely. I proved that yesterday when my attempt at a country french loaf didn't rise, but instead became an amorphous mass that spread across the baking sheet. Cooking you can wing, baking you can't.
Mon petit choux = my little cabbage. Always liked that one.
My wife and I both enjoy food. From the perspective of simply eating, it makes dining and traveling a pleasure; we can really share in the experiences of local cuisine. On the cooking side of things, it's wonderful to cook for someone that truly enjoys the food. My wife makes excellent Indian fare, so I reap the benefits in that regards. Food is really important in our lives and it's a wonderful thing to have in common.
I've been a fan of Cook's Illustrated for years, not necessarily for the recipes but for the techniques. I also love the touching editorials by Mr. Kimball. I've been a long-time subscriber of Bon Appetit, as I find their recipes to be the most consistent (plus they're more about the food and less about lifestyle). Gastronomica is great, but after a year I couldn't justify being a subscriber. I simply never had time to read a full issue.
A flaky croissant, some cheese and a strong cup of coffee.
Puffy: Good for you! I still have some scrapple in the freezer, made last year by our neighbor. There are a *few* benefits to living on an old farm in the middle of nowhere!
ThatGirl: Scrapple is just good, and a PA Dutch standard. It's pork scraps, cornmeal, and spices formed into a loaf, which is then sliced and fried. But don't let that scare you -- it's worth a try.
Ditto on La Boqueria. We spent several hours wandering through there. We grabbed a fantastic lunch of sauteed clams and octopus at a stand indoors, and on another occasion bought a load of food and took it up to Park Guell, north of the city.
Yeah, I definitely enjoy Steingarden's books -- his writing is fantastic. Ruhlman, too, of course. But the one that comes first to mind is The Passionate Epicure by Marcel Rouff. It's a brilliant read, and lots of fun.
I use it several times before trashing it. If you cross the 400 degree mark or get it good and smoking, it's pretty much shot. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with reusing the oil. I filter it through a fine mesh strainer into an old, clean bottle. As fatbuddy sez, you might not want to reuse oil that's seen fish, but for general purpose frying -- fries, chicken, tempura, etc. -- you can get three or four uses out of it. Once it darkens considerably, dump it in an old milk container or can and toss it.
I personally can't stand people unwilling to try new foods. "Eww! Sushi! I've never had it, but EWWWW, no way!" It makes me want to poke a fork in their eye.
Rachael, Guy and SLoP should be BANNED. Every Rachael recipe I've tried has come out like s**t.
I love just about everyone else on the FN.
boyfriend and I are examples of "polar opposites". last week, he adorably puppy-happy dragged me into his kitchen and said "you're going to be so proud of me, I spend almost 200 bucks on groceries today!". I think I counted a good 10 boxes of totino's pizza rolls... those are what, 3.99 a pop?
Follow up on that Wild Boar Pernil. It came out great - really tender and yummy. I pretty much let it cook all day on low heat - covered. Thanks for the input.
Wow.....the animosity towards Sandra Lee in some of the comments is quite interesting. I’ve worked with and have hired professional chefs over the years and the short cuts they use in their cooking isn’t much different from Sandra Lee’s. She’s just honest about it. I know of one 5-star restaurant that opens a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, adds some garnish, gives it a fancy name and charges a ridiculous price. Anyone who utilizes a can of San Marino for a tomato dish cannot possibly sit in judgement of others.
I’ve tried some of the recipes of the highly rated “chefs” mentioned here and found them to be quite disappointing. The end result is what it’s all about....not how much one slaved in the kitchen.
Sandra Lee makes cooking fun....especially for those just starting out. And nowadays, with so many young folks working many hours in serious careers, I’m sure it’s nice to have a quick, fun recipe when one finally gets home at 7:00 pm and the kids are famished. I can’t wait to try some of her recipes with my grandson when he gets old enough.
I liked Alton Brown better before he went gimmicky and goofy.
Thanks, will do that! I wondered if covering would help - since most Pernil recipes call for uncovered but Boar is ...well, tough would be an understatement, wouldn't it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
My 2 cents' worth on the wild boar: I'd leave it in the marinade longer, and cook it long and slow, mostly with a cover on it - a braise, really. I've marinated venison 5 days, and it was worth it.
Nelson, I came across your recipe for Pernil which you posted last year and am in the process of making one right now. The difference is I am using a Wild Boar Shoulder, that was given to me by a hunter friend. Since you seem very knowledgeable about it - I was wondering if you think I need to add some fat - a lot of wild game recipes call for bacon - or if you think that the slow cooking will tenderize the meat enough with what little fat is there.
Thanks, LeeBee
I watch Food Network much more for technique and principles than recipes. Travel shows and food competitions are time-wasting. How about healthful cooking, vegetarian recipes, dairy substitutes, ethnic cooking other than Italian, bread baking? I can't eat pork or shellfish, or mix dairy and meat. How about cooking with those limitations.
FAVORITES: Alton Brown. More time and less clowning, please.
Giada. Reasonable recipes; fewer distractions (2), please. Maybe her body is too small.
Robin Miller. I respect her as a wife and mother. Realistic recipes. A nice lady.
WORST
Paula Dean, Ina Garten are toxic. Rachael Ray has too much TV and commercial exposure. Why does every one of her recipes have to contain cheese and pork? Emeril is generally boring, but occasionally he shows an excellent technique. His "Live" show is dreadful. Sandra Lee: I just turn off the sound and watch. I don't care what she's doing.
I think Food Network made the gradual decision to make the channel more about food and life and less about cooking technique... what with the average American's non-stop hectic life. Cue: 30 Minute Meals and the like.
I supremely enjoyed Batali's program with the three guests observing, asking questions and sampling his dishes - it was a beautiful and simple concept for a cooking show. It was what cooking should be, about learning and sharing with people. To whoever said he moves too fast and undercooks everything, I am going to fight you.
I don't like Rachael Ray or Sandra Lee either. A lot of people go bananas over Ray though. I've never watched an entire Sandra Lee.
Wow...who spelunked the archives to find this gem of a thread!!!
There are very few shows remaining on TVFN worth watching if you are amongst those with tastebuds. TVFN has switched its target to the Cool Whip Contingent instead of sticking with hardcore foodies (such as us).
Ina Garten, Michael Chiarello, Alton Brown and Giada DeLaurentis are the last holdouts doing valuable cooking instruction at TVFN. The rest is fluff and nonsense - i.e. Unwrapped and The Secret Life Of... One exception might be the "challenge" shows which, depending on your interests can be intriguing.
The absolute worst hack on TVFN is without a doubt Sandra Lee. Her show is nothing about cooking. She assembles boxes of this with cans of that, pours in a little envelope of "soup" powder and calls it cooking. After attending one of Shamdra's Junkfests, I imagine her guests go out for dinner. If they can drive.
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