Get to Know a Serious Eater.

SayWhat's Profile

Website:

Location: Southwest Ohio

About: Retired Professional Cook (never quite hit chef staus) Graduate of Johnson & Wales College (now University)

Favorite foods: SEAFOOD! (hard to get in the Midwest where I currently reside)

Last bite on earth: Fried Whole Clams? Freshly caught Maine Lobster? Grilled Scallops? Thai Shrimp? Awe heck, give me the Fisherman's Platter!

The Ten Most Recent Posts By SayWhat

From Talk

What food smells can make you hungry?

you have just finished eating and are full. But all of the sudden you smell_________ and you are hungry again.

For me:
Bacon cooking
Popcorn popping
Sesame Oil

If I smell any of these, even if I have just eaten an ox, I get that "man, I'm hungry" feeling.

From Talk

Undercooked food - would your first thought be to sue?

Went out last night for dinner. Kid (10 or 11 years old) at next table had ordered a "smokehouse grill plate" that had ribs, chicken, and steak. Said to his mom the chicken was raw. Didn't look raw to me - it looked smoked. Mom calls over the waitress, demands to see a manager (doesn't even tell the waitress what the problem is) and while they are waiting she says to the kid "Don't eat the chicken! If you get sick I am suing this place!" The other 2 kids (same age range) start chanting "sue, sue, sue" (charming, huh?) And the three equal charming adults just smiled at them.

I mean, is this what the world has come to? The first thing we think of is suing a restaurant for allegedly undercooking food?

From Talk

When you over-indulge...

what is your "go to" remedy for a queasy, bloated, nauseous feeling stomach?

When I was working in kitchens, I kept a bottle of Angostura Bitters behind the line. A couple of shakes and some club soda and things improved tremendously!

What works for you? The old stand-bys: ginger ale, baking soda and water or peppermint? Or something totally off the wall?

From Talk

Pre-mixed spice blends -

Do you utilize things like garlic salt, lemon pepper, seasoned salt, even purchased rubs or do you "pooh pooh" them and those that use them and do everything from scratch? (which could include purchasing all the spices to make your own rib rub or batch of cajun spice) Or are you a strictly "I grow, roast/dry/harvest/find, and grind my own ___________ (fill in the blank) to make my spice blends and rest of you are neanderthals and should not consider yourself worthy of the term foodie." (said tongue in cheek as I look for that remaining flavor of shrimp and crab chowder)

I tend to do a mixture. I make my own rubs by always keeping things like chili powder, cayenne, paprika, oregano etc. on hand but I do use seasoned salt (especially on buttered popcorn), lemon pepper, and bunch of others.

What about you?

From Talk

Overheard at Goodwill...

"Spices don't go bad. They last for years!"

Talk about making my stomach cringe! The people in question were looking at a couple of those spice jar sets that you can pick up at your local big box discount store that are already filled with dried spices.

Now, the spice gods only know how long those spices had been in those jars and these ladies did not appreciate me saying "well, yeah, in fact spices do have a shelf life. You really don't want to use spices that you don't know how long they have been sitting around." One of them looked at me and said "Well, I have some that I have been using for years and years (shudder) so you have no idea what you are talking about!"

Well, yeah, I do, I have studied about them, but still. How long have you kept a spice around?

From Talk

Bone-in Chicken Breasts - are they the anti-chicken?

I was looking for something new to do with chicken, and I almost always buy bone in breasts. They look better, taste better and are not as processed as their naked sisters. I went to a popular recipe site and every recipe that came up when I did the search specifying "bone-in chicken breasts" had someone in the comments saying "Oh I did this with boneless skinless..."

Ok, are they the anti-chicken? I really do not like boneless skinless chicken breasts from the supermarket. The texture and non-existent flavor drive me crazy when the price of them can be almost $5 a pound (as was the case today). Meanwhile I got the bone-in for $1.29 a pound.

Yes, I know about health concerns, but if you remove the skin after cooking, you have removed a good portion of the calories, but have retained the flavor, and bones don't contribute to calories but contribute to the flavor IMMENSELY!

What gives?

The Ten Most Recent Comments By SayWhat

From Talk

Does Where You Live Affect What You Like To Eat?

@huneybumper - I think we are neighbors before and now. I grew up in New England and now live in a culinary wasteland.

@wellred - I am in Cincinnati and I hear ya! It's like the only spices that get used are put into what I call "that gawd awful Cincinnati Style chili" which has no resemblance to any chili I have ever met before!

I like my New England food: seafood, boiled dinners, clam chowdah etc.

From Talk

Do you send local treats to homesick family and friends?

@wellred: I feel your pain. I moved from MA to Cincinnati so I am the one asking for things like linguica, ah-so sauce, portuguese muffins, Polar Seltzer and Cranberry Lime Soda, fresh seafood etc. And I miss the Harvard/Porter square area something fierce! (I had a rent controlled apartment for 4 years that was a 10 min. walk to Harvard Square)

No one that I know wants anything from Cincinnati, except maybe buckeyes and I can make those.

From Talk

Mason Jar Butter

One suggestion: add a marble to the jar before shaking - it helps with the agitation of the cream.

We have also done it with kids at pre-school and kindergarten by having them roll a plastic jar (mayonnaise or peanut butter ones work well) with a marble in it to each other. Then no one's arm gets tired and we make a game out of it.

From Talk

Earth Day Cheesecake with Candied Ginger Crust of Unrest

That looks amazing! And great job in teaching your daughter how to make tools multi task (yes a hammer can be used for nails, but look what it does for graham crackers!)

Oh, and I agree on the bookclubs. :-)

From Talk

What food smells can make you hungry?

Oh yeah, grilling smells, yummy! and I thought of butter too, but I figured I would get a what are you thinking??

Then there is fresh seafood...grilled, broiled, sauteed, fried....(I sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump!)

From Talk

What prepared food is "as good as it gets"?

@LunaPierCook - are you my husband?? Oatmeal Creme Pies are possibly his favorite thing in the world - I think he is having an affair with Little Debbie.

Reese's Cups (plain - not crazy about the jacked up flavored ones)
Moose Track's Ice Cream
Canada Dry Cranberry Gingerale
Polar Cranberry Lime Soda
Cape Cod Robust Russet Potato Chips - so dark brown and extra crunchy
Friendly Ice Cream's Swiss Chocolate Sundae Sauce

From Talk

Grocery shopping at Target!?

I went to the store today to pick up milk etc. went to the deli counter, and yes, I asked if they had "free range" olive loaf.

I got the look I was expecting, and the comment "Free range? We don't sell stoves here in the grocery store."

I just shook my head, bought the bologna my daughter wanted and left. But not before doing a double take because as I was waiting to be served I was perusing the selection of "loaves": Olive, pickle & pimento, Dutch, Luncheon, Old Fashioned, and one other that made me stop and stare for a second: I thought it said "Pork and BEAN Loaf." It actually said "Pork and BEEF Loaf" but still, I don't think I would have been surprised to see Pork and Bean Loaf. How about you?

From Eating Out

The Best Fried Chicken Is Back, and I Almost Missed It

I am not kidding when I say I just saw a story about this place on either the travel channel or FN YESTERDAY!!

From Talk

Grocery shopping at Target!?

@PerkyMac: I do hope you are feeling better from your attack of the vapors. Yes, those poor little olives and pimentos. They are better served in Martinis anyway.

From Required Eating

What's Your Take on Cake Ice Cream?

Not a cake batter or cookie dough ice cream person. BUT Ben and Jerry are my "go to guys" when the rest of the world is giving me crap! I love those boys!!

Karmal Sutra - yummmmmmmmm

Responses to Comments by SayWhat

From Talk

Mason Jar Butter

Just remember that this buttermilk is not the stuff that comes in cartons at the store. I always found it more like regular nonfat milk. I did this as my only source of butter for about 5 months years ago when I was a young wife. (Life has changed since then....)

From Talk

Mason Jar Butter

I did it last night while watching Top Chef....what a cool thing....it was so neat to see the butter go from whipped cream to a glob of butter w/the buttermilk separate. I don't know how cost effective it would be to make your own butter all the time unless you had a good source of inexpensive cream....but it's definitely fun to try! And yes...it does taste yummy!
thanks for the tips everyone!

From Talk

Does Where You Live Affect What You Like To Eat?

Charm City Cupcake: Food is sorta like yard sales; what is junk to some are treasures to others. In Maryland, we caught our own crabs and steamed with Old Bay is one of the things I miss most. Okra rules. Mayo seems to be a despised condiment to many but I cannot imagine living without it.

In Florida, I cannot get fresh blue crabs but I do pig out on fried mullet and grits. In the upper Gulf, we catch our own tiny scallops and freshly shucked, they are so tasty. Oysters from Apalachicola are soooo good.

Yes, I do think where you live matters. The only things I have never been able to like are turtle steaks and calamari.

To each her/his own. Aren't you glad we don't cook for one another?

From Talk

Does Where You Live Affect What You Like To Eat?

omg! Autocrat coffee syrup and milk! I think you have to grow up with it to appreciate it ;) they even sell it mail order by boxes of 6 I still have 5 bottles unopened that I bought 3 yrs ago :S guess you really can't go back ;)

From Talk

Does Where You Live Affect What You Like To Eat?

I live in RI now after years and years of living in CA and AZ. Things I thought were heinous when I first moved here? Hot Weiners and Coffee Milk. I still hate that Coffee Milk, but I've grown to like (and maybe even crave at 2 am) the hot weinahs.

The fish is "fresher" here, so the sushi tastes completely different than what I used to eat in AZ.

I really, really miss Mexican food though.

From Talk

Does Where You Live Affect What You Like To Eat?

Say What I feel your pain! but make my chowder Rhode Island style(clear) ;)

From Required Eating

What's Your Take on Cake Ice Cream?

I hate the cake batter flavor...too sweet and artificial, as everyone else seems to think. And I'm mad at B&J's...my favorite flavor (Coconut Almond Fudge Chip) can only be had at the scoop shops now, not in the grocery store. I hope it's not going the way of the dinosaur...

From Talk

Do you send local treats to homesick family and friends?

@wookie- I'm pretty sure that by now I have the smells of kimchi and garlic radiating out of my pores. My fellow American co-workers spend tons of money buying Western food but I say forget that, if I wanted to eat hamburgers and drink Budweiser, I would've stayed home and paid a lot less. I'm sure I've eaten both our shares of dukbukki and dolsot bibimbap by now. The little lady that owns the restaurant I always go to has started giving me a mandu appetizer for free I guess.
I saw that pizza in a cone thing! I'm going to go back and grab one sometime, but I think that there should be a SE post (or series of them!) on all the street/fast food here. From the dukbukki, to the fishcake on a stick, the chicken/pork/beef on a stick, watermelon/pineapple/honeydew/cantelope, corn on a stick, the roasted chesnuts, the sweet potatoes (I love seeing the wood oven carts!), the rotisserie chicken trucks, the dumpling bars, I could keep going...
Oh and I think there was something about bulgogi burgers. I wonder if they come with cheese....

From Talk

Do you send local treats to homesick family and friends?

Every fall I send out many pounds of hand-harvested and parched Minnesota WIld RIce to old friends because the stuff generally available in stores bears no resemblence to the genuine article.

From Talk

Do you send local treats to homesick family and friends?

My mom and I would send Tastycake products to our friends and family in Florida. Some friends also wanted certain kind of Gingersnaps from our way.

But for me, I have a good friend that's from England-can't wait to go there someday-and I make her bring me back a few items when she visits there. Of utmost importance is Chocolate. My god the Chocolate from there is so good. I will kill someone if they come near my English Chocolate. Another thing I want her to bring me is tea.:) Love the tea there as well. Sooo delish.