Serious Eats: Takat's Profile

Goodness--who is eating all those pies?? I would bake a lot more than I do, but in my small lacking-a-sweet-tooth household, the goods would just sit there!

Takat at 9:31PM on 07/24/09

From Recipes

A Tofu Throwdown: Lions Head Meatballs vs. Tofu and Orzo

Tofu should never be hidden! It should not be seen as the "wimpy version of meat." Let it shine in its own tofu-y glory, says I! : )

The meatballs look great!

Takat at 9:27PM on 07/24/09

From Serious Eats: New York

Nose-to-Tail Eating with Chef Ryan Skeen

Despite getting close several times, I've never actually eaten pig's ear....My father swears on its divinity though!

Takat at 3:11PM on 07/22/09

From Slice

Learning How to Make Neapolitan Pizza from Keste's Roberto Caporuscio

How much dry yeast should you use?

Takat at 8:19AM on 07/22/09

From Serious Eats: New York

Pig Roast Tuesdays at Hearth Start Tonight

Is there pig in the pie, too? ; )

Oh, and I think you left out a word after "homemade" in the description of course number one.

Takat at 8:03AM on 07/22/09

From Talk

Truffles

I've never had truffles...can someone explain to me why the foodie world is obsessed? Are they really SO good?

Takat at 7:38AM on 07/22/09

From Serious Eats: New York

First Look at Mantao Chinese Sandwiches

Those sandwiches look so..un-Chinese. So..cold. And definitely overpriced!

If you really want a mantou sandwich, make one at home! Mantou is easier to make than bread in many cases and super cheap, of course. $4 for that tiny thing??

In China, they were less than $0.50 each ; ) Ahh...Chinese street food

Takat at 7:37AM on 07/22/09

From Serious Eats: New York

Eggs Travaganza in Midtown: The First Power Breakfast Cart Ever?

Is it bad that I didn't notice any spelling mistakes haha?

Tat's a lot of (great-looking) food for two people though. I always wondered--when serious eats people go to a restaurant and order ten different dishes or whatever, where do the extras go? Do they just take like one bite of each dish?

Takat at 7:31AM on 07/22/09

From Talk

What's the quickest snack from home instead of junk food?

Nature Valley granola bars are great. I see you're already bringing bananas--try other fruits! Apples will tide me over for a while, too.

I second the Kashi TLC bars. Most kinds are full of nuts, so you won't be hungry again for a little while. They also taste great, of course.

Takat at 7:03AM on 07/22/09

From Talk

Proofing bread

Proofing in the oven is a good idea. Just preheat it until it feels warm (careful not to get it too hot and "bake" your bread before you're ready!) and stick the dough in. If you're baking in a loaf pan, you don't even really need to slash. Then just bake from a cool oven. Some people even recommend not preheating before they bake, so I'm sure it'll turn out fine.

If anything in the house is impossible...well, I suppose you could get a big, insulated cooler, put some sort of heating device inside (or just a big pot of very, very hot water), stick your dough in, shut the cooler up tight, and stick it outside!

Takat at 7:00AM on 07/22/09

From Recipes

The Nasty Bits: Gizzards Galore

My mother's favorite snack as a kid was preserved duck gizzards. I received some as a gift during my last trip to China (they were packaged so cutely and brightly for pieces of...well, dried, preserved duck gizzard, haha).

When my mother tried one though, she said it wasn't as good as she remembered from her childhood...maybe her tastes have changed--or maybe they just don't make them like they used to! : )

Takat at 6:56AM on 07/22/09

From Talk

I love _____ but I'm allergic to it!

Can you develop an allergy to a food? During adult life, I mean? Because there is this kind of fruit called "Yangmei" (or the Chinese strawberry) that I don't remember ever having issues with before, but now whenever I eat it my mouth (or more accurately the roof of my mouth between the rough and soft palate areas) feels like I've rubbed sand paper over it...

Which sucks, since I love yangmei.

Takat at 10:24AM on 07/21/09

From Talk

What is appealing about beer?

But in the end, no matter how fancy the beer/ale/etc, isn't it still incredibly bitter? Or do beer aficionados simply enjoy that bitterness the way some people enjoy bitter melon?

Takat at 10:18AM on 07/21/09

From Serious Eats

Is Ham the New Bacon?

I've never heard of Yunnan ham, Michele Humes! In fact, it's kind of ironic because I was just about to say that most of the pork I saw during my trip to China wasn't nearly so dainty as the prosciutto and such pictured here. Maybe I was simply looking in the wrong places!

Or maybe the enormous ham hocks and pigs feet (sold in sizes that rivaled a baby's head!) were simply too imposing to ignore! : )

On the other hand, what does "letting ham breathe" do for it?

Takat at 10:15AM on 07/21/09

From Serious Eats