GinaPet’s Profile
Recent Comments
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
@Gweels, Legends of the North Shore is a great suggestion! They have great reasonable Italian and amazing homemade desserts
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
Sorry, Primanti's is awful, don't go there. It is way overrated and I think it is pretty unfortunate THAT is what Pittsburgh is known for. I second Lidia's and Giralsole. Girasole is in Shadyside and a lot closer than the strip district for where you are staying. Also, for lunch, I would highly recommend Church Brew Works which is in Lawrencville. It is an old church which has been renovated into a spectacular place. They have pierogies on the menu every night, wood fired pizzas, sandwiches and other entrees. If you are in Pittsburgh you have to go here!
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
I would love to give you some great suggestions but first...Where are you staying? Will you have transportation to get around?
See more comments by GinaPet »
Recent Posts
See more posts by GinaPet »
Recent Favorites
GinaPet hasn't favorited a post yet.
Recent Polls
GinaPet hasn't answered any polls yet.
Recent Quizzes
GinaPet hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
@Gweels, Legends of the North Shore is a great suggestion! They have great reasonable Italian and amazing homemade desserts
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
Sorry, Primanti's is awful, don't go there. It is way overrated and I think it is pretty unfortunate THAT is what Pittsburgh is known for. I second Lidia's and Giralsole. Girasole is in Shadyside and a lot closer than the strip district for where you are staying. Also, for lunch, I would highly recommend Church Brew Works which is in Lawrencville. It is an old church which has been renovated into a spectacular place. They have pierogies on the menu every night, wood fired pizzas, sandwiches and other entrees. If you are in Pittsburgh you have to go here!
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
I would love to give you some great suggestions but first...Where are you staying? Will you have transportation to get around?
jazzing up white rice
@sugartoast, Its called Tahdig and you get the crusty rice at the bottom by adding oil before the cooked rice, then heating it slowly and very carefully so it doesn't burn.
Best Espresso Machine?
Bialetti makes an amazingly simple stove top espresso maker for less than $20. I've used the regular machines and I think this little guy makes better espresso than a fancy machine. It is simple, takes up no counter space and is super practical. If you are looking for lattes I have a small handheld milk frother that I bought for $10.
Awkward Eating
I know this last comment is coming a bit to late, but just to be clear. I was never worried nor did I care. I posted the question out of true curiosity. Just wondering what everyone else thought. I finished my sandwich and it was delicious.
Sneaking food into movies
I put soup in a soda cup once and sipped on it during the movie. Other than that I always go armed with lots of water.
SE College Division...
I'm a third year student at the University of Pittsburgh. Count me in!
I could eat ______ every day and not get sick of it.
Pasta and bread... I love carbs
Molecular Gastronomy
Where are you going to college? Just curious - I once studied Food Science too! But for your search, try here... http://www.foodvacation.com/instituteofgastronomy/
Sumac
My boyfriends family is from Iran and his mom uses it on everything. She sprinkles it on rice, mixes it into their ground meet for kebabs, poaches chicken in broth with it. It is on their table for meals just like salt and pepper.
Master Cookbooks
On Food and Cooking, the Science and Lore of the Kitchen... its the greatest food reference book ever, no formal recipes but a wealth of information.
Anyone know how much a "speck" is?
Why would a recipe ever even call for a speck of something? Does it really make a difference if your using LESS than a pinch of baking soda?
Money Saving Tips On Food
I just discovered this great idea tonight...I wanted good chinese food so I went down the street to my local chinese take out place, asked for a container of the sauce they put on sesame chicken. One cup only cost me $1! I steamed up rice, chicken and broccoli and added the sauce on top. Super cheap and tasted better than any sauce I could make!
The Honor System
Yup, I live by a farm stand on a small country road outside of Pittsburgh that operates on the honor system. In Deep Creek Lake, Maryland there is a hut that sells firewood and worms on an honor system.
Encyclopedic Cookbooks of the World
I love the all encompassing, On food and cooking, the science and lore of the kitchen. It is the ultimate encyclopedia of food.
college
I am in college as well, I have zero time to cook. So when I do get a chance it is pasta, quesadillas, sandwiches, or some sort of vegetable with rice. I always have frozen veggies, pierogies, ravioli, and chicken in my freezer. Cheddar cheese, tortillas, bagels, canned beans, and eggs in my fridge/pantry. Keep things simple, almost any dish can really be made for one person. I don't know about you..but i am with emily taylor, I don't know what college student has time to make stock or anything adventurous. And also, crock pots seem like a great idea but I can't schedule my life far in advance enough to know that I will be home in 6-8 hours to eat it. Between, class exams, library time, activities, and attempting a social life...I can't be certain I will be back at my apartment at any given time. But maybe you are more organized than I am! Good luck!
Potato Chip HELP!
What is the benefit of re-frying exactly? Scientifically speaking, what does it do? I am frying at 350 degrees and I soaked them in cold water but not for very long, how long should i soak them for?
'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
Pasta, random veggie dishes, or salumi cheese and bread with olive oil.
Green Beans
SO many great ideas, I ended up tossing them with roasted potatoes, bacon, and red onion in a mustard and olive oil dressing with some champagne vinegar...they went along side some grilled pork ribs...its was delicious!
Onions
Don't get me wrong, I love them and use onions often. But my boyfriend hates them and questions me about why I always use them. Which got me thinking... why do I?
Onions
I know they sweeten that was about the only thing that I could come up with. But what is the dimension exactly?
Baltimore yummies?
Kali's Court in Fells point, It is within walking distance from the inner harbor. It was by far one of the best meals I have ever eaten.
Anyone know how much a "speck" is?
fiftycenthotdog,
You misread the Jordan Pond recipe. Preheat oven to 425°; bake for 15 minutes then turn down to 350°. Try them again.
What's your spice aversion?
CUMIN... after 3 weeks in India a few years ago, i developed an aversion to cumin after a whole week straight of eating food seasoned with cumin. Everything tasted the same.
Now, I can't even smell it at the supermarket.
What's your spice aversion?
I really like the flavor of all spice, but it always causes me to get nauseous. I don't like anise, but I do like fennel.
What's your spice aversion?
I almost thought I had nothing to add, but then @vegetarianka mentioned white pepper. While I don't detest it, I never cook with it as I think it has a musty aroma. I've never liked whole caraway in rye or pumperknickel bread but then I made Bobby Flay's red cabbage sauerkraut, and Jacques Pepin's stuffed cabbage, both of which have caraway as an ingredient and have made me appreciate caraway as more than just an annoying seed in an otherwise tasty slice of bread.
What's your spice aversion?
I have several:
White pepper-smells/tastes like rotting flesh to me
Saffron- overpowers everything, and I prefer my food to have it's own natural color.
Turmeric-see "saffron"
What's your spice aversion?
Dill and cilantro. Cilantro, to me, tastes like licking the inside of a tuna can. I absolutely hate it!
What's your spice aversion?
Fenugreek is gross. I can tolerate rosemary, but only in small quantities. My roommates sometimes take the liberty of sprinkling white pepper on my food when we eat together. No thank you.
What's your spice aversion?
Tarragon - most people who use it overuse it.
Anise - never did like it.
What's your spice aversion?
anything overwhelmingly licorice flavored (i can't do star anise, but i can do anise in biscotti), and anything with too much cumin...i'm not a huge fan of cumin
What's your spice aversion?
I don't care for celery salt, especially if it's around the rim of my bloody mary.
What's your spice aversion?
"Cookie spices" when uses in savory foods can be offputting to me. I use them sparingly and taste as I go. Nutmeg in particular. That one I will always leave out.
Licorice flavored herbs and spices can be really cloying to me (tarragon, anise, fennel), so that's another group I use sparingly or not at all.
What's your spice aversion?
Dill, sichuan peppercorns, horseradish
What's your spice aversion?
not huge on anise, but i'll eat it. also marjoram seems to give me that soapy feeling that other people say they get from cilantro.
What's your spice aversion?
I detest star anise but like fennel, especially roasted. Guess the anise is just too strong. Used to hate tarragon, but have discovered I like fresh tarragon - a little goes a long way. I sympathize with your clove aversion. It's very strong and I can only stand a little of this, too.
Middle eastern desserts use a lot of rose and it's NASTY! Tastes like my grandma is making me wash my mouth out with soap! Gack!!!
What's your spice aversion?
Regular old black pepper. I use just the teeniest pinch of it while cooking, and rarely do I use any on anything I am about to eat. Just can't stand the taste, including fresh cracked pepper. Ugh.
What's your spice aversion?
The dentist stuff is called eugenol, and it's a derivative of clove. I don't know why it's used, but then again, I'm not a dentist.
What's your spice aversion?
@GinaPet - Cloves always remind me of a dentist's office because years ago, dentists used a lot of clove-scented things in the office.
What's your spice aversion?
cumin, though I tolerate it in some things, especially chili powder.
Have come to tolerate the taste of cilantro, but can not abide the smell. This is a genetic thing, I understand. With so many people not liking anise I wonder if that is too. I roll the dough for springerle in whole anise and love the flavor.
5 Ingredient Fix? Really?
I watched this show for the first time today (5 ingredient fix), it will definetly be the last. First of all, she made a pork roast and said to cook it for 30 minutes, are you kidding me??? Well when she cut into it, it was RAW, who in their right mind eats RAW pork??!! The rest of the show, including her and the recipes were just plain strange! She even said at one point, this next recipe is so good I almost didn't share it with you. (Huh?). And, it was an odd recipe. She forces trying to be perky and humorous, and just falls flat. She's lousy and I hope gets pulled.
Now about the comments about Sandra and her new show, about saving money. I have never been a fan of hers and don't watch her, but I did happen catch her new show last week, and have to tell you it is not "a train wreck". It was actually surprisingly good. She told about how much you would pay per person at a restaurant if you were to order the dishes she prepared, and broke down how much it costs per person, when you buy and prepare it yourself. So give her new show a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised yourself.
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
Thanks so much, everyone! I've been looking at menus for the past hour now. And yes, Susquehanna, it's the Spirit of Pittsburgh Half!
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
As if I were in the know . . . I just heard it's the inaugural year for the Spirit of Pittsburgh HM on November 1st. Good luck and have fun! :D
Maybe I'll run it next fall . . . when I'm not pregnant!
Pittsburgh restaurant suggestions
Also see: http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2008/03/yeah-pittsburgh.html
@cycorider: There's a half-marathon in Pittsburgh coming up!? Which one?
Recent Posts
Recent Favorites
GinaPet hasn't favorited a post yet.
Polls
GinaPet hasn't answered any polls yet.
Quizzes
GinaPet hasn't taken any quizzes yet.

Clove, smells like a funeral.