What do you my fellow Serious Eaters think are the most underrated and overrated ingredients?

The most underrated ingredients I would say are water and flat leaf parsley. I find water is such a key ingredient, great for thinning sauces or poaching etc. Don't get my wrong I love stock and wine, but sometimes water does the trick, especially starchy pasta water when thinning pasta sauces. Flat leaf parsley I find also adds a great freshness to long cooked dishes.

The most overrated ingredients I would have to say are chocolate and bacon (please don't hate me). Don't get me wrong I love chocolate and bacon! I just think they've become a crutch for a lot of cooks. A lot of mediocre dishes seem to use chocolate and bacon to hide less than stellar ingredients or technique.

I'm constantly keeping my eye out for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. I've made the recipe on the bag of chips, the Ad hoc recipe, The New York Times chocolate chip cookie, a recipe with vanilla pudding, etc. Lately my favourite has been the Canyon Ranch Chocolate Chip cookie. I initially made it because it was "healthy" and then discovered I really like the flavour and texture!

What are your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipes my fellow Serious Eaters? Is it one of the recipes I mentioned? Or maybe it's the kind you unwrap, slice and bake (I won't judge). Does anyone have a super secret recipe passed down from generation to generation?

While I was making beef stroganoff with leftover roast beef, I started thinking about other ways to re-purpose leftovers. I've already heard of roast beef turning into shepherds pie, and leftover spaghetti being turned into a pasta cake.

What's your favourite hack for leftovers or one you've been meaning to try?

Are there any so good that you'll cook a dish just so you'll have leftovers to re-purpose.

Since it appears that Chinese food is the second most popular food this time of year (after Turkey or some other large piece of roasted meat), it got me thinking about wines that go with Chinese food.

Growing up in a family of Chinese teetotalers, our drink of choice at dinners out was cold water, hot tea or if it was a really special occasion Coke (never Pepsi). At weddings people seemed to mostly drink beer or whiskey,

Of course we know champagne goes with everything, but are there other wines that go especially well with Chinese? What's your favourite?

I read an article on Mental Floss called "What Killed the Dinner Party" (http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/155495) and it occurred to me I can't remember the last time I went to a true dinner party. I've been to people's houses for dinner yes, but only a very small group or a potluck. Dinner was never the "main event".

Does anyone else still have old school dinner parties?

I've found my favourite Fried Chicken recipe (America's Test Kitchen recipe in case you were wondering). Now I'm looking for a good waffle recipe to serve with chicken. I'm looking for either traditional waffle recipes but also interested in seeing unique waffles, cornbread waffles, sour dough, etc.

Thanks!

I know everyone here already loves to hate on Sandra Lee, Rachael Ray, and Guy Fieri. I was talking to a friend and found out we both can't stand Roger Mooking! He had this cooking show in Canada and he had a show with Aaron Sanchez. He also has restaurants with ridiculous names like Nyood.

Also, for some reason Anthony Bourdain annoys me. I used to be a huge fan and I still like his travel shows, but there's something about him that bothers me. I don't know what it is! Maybe it's the fact that he was in a terrible R&B group in the early 90s.

Is there anyone else that annoys you on tv/newspapers/magazines/etc?

This may have been discussed already but I thought it would be fun to discuss regional foods/recipes.

My sister lives in Ottawa and over there they have a fried dough pastry called "Beaver Tails". Closer to my neck of the woods fairs and festivals boast "Elephant Ears" which to me taste like sweet fried pizza dough.

I feel like I should also mention Toronto's St Lawrence Market and their peameal bacon sandwich.

Does anyone else have a favourite regional dish? The more obscure/"Only in ---" the better!

My sister bought me a black truffle in a jar from Spain. It's in a clear glass jar with some kind of brine (not oil). How should I use it? Are there jarred truffle specific recipes? I don't want to ruin this edible souvenir.

A few members of my family are really obsessed with cleanliness. I care about hygiene as much as the next person, but I'm constantly being scolded for not washing certain things before cooking them.

Some examples:
-Not rewashing salad in a bag
-Not washing onions
-Not washing eggs before I crack them into recipes
-Not washing meat and poultry before cooking it

Are these foods that are commonly washed? Does everyone here wash these foods before cooking them?

I tried to use fresh pasta sheets from the refrigerator case at the grocery store to make pumpkin ravioli and that was an epic failure. I'm now thinking of resorting to wonton wrappers before I dust off the pasta roller and make my own fresh pasta dough.

Has anyone done ravioli with wonton wrappers? How did it turn out? My concern is that wonton wrappers are too thin and will tear!

Thanks.

My sister and I are going shopping in the States in a few weeks. Being the Serious Eaters we are, we'll of course have to hit up a grocery store or two. What should we buy? Is there any really unique or interesting products that are sold in the States that aren't sold in Canada? What are your favourites?

What do my fellow Canucks buy in the States?

I just saw this amusing video from China about how to separate an egg using a water bottle. I thought my fellow Serious Eaters would enjoy it too.

http://boingboing.net/2012/08/23/howto-separate-eggs-with-a-pla.html

I usually just use my (clean) hand to separate eggs but I may try this just for kicks.

I bought a pork belly and am thinking of either serving it sliced up and over rice or in Korean style tacos.

What's your favourite method for cooking pork belly? I've seen it roasted in the oven and I've also seen it braised. What's the best method?

Thanks!

I was eating a Frosty at home today with a metal spoon and I realized that ice cream tastes better with a plastic spoon. My neighbour insists Tim Hortons coffee tastes better out of a paper cup than a ceramic mug. My mom says everything tastes better in a martini glass but that's another story. We all agree sushi tastes better with wooden chopsticks.

Does any else have a similar eccentricity? I heard a rumour caviar tastes best with a mother of pearl spoon but nobody is willing to sponsor such research for me.

I was at a Latino grocery store buying some hominy and I noticed next to it was bags of dried potatoes. How are you supposed to cook dried potatoes? What's the benefit of dried potatoes over fresh?

Thanks!

Alton Brown is my favourite tv cook/chef. He's always suggesting you order ingredients online. Does anyone order ingredients or food online? What do you order and where do you order it from?

After searching for it in stores unsuccessfully, I ordered freeze dried corn online once to make the Corn Cookies from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. The shipping cost almost as much as the actual corn unfortunately, but the corn should last a long time.

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1111485--may-the-bun-be-with-you-special-darth-vader-burger-goes-on-sale?bn=1

Would you eat Quick's Star Wars themed burger with a black bun?

I'll get things started: no.

The other day while popping some popcorn, I said as I always say when eating popcorn "This smells better than it tastes". It got me thinking about other foods that smell better than they actually taste:

popcorn
bacon (I still love bacon, but wish it tasted as good as it smelled)
roast turkey
frying onions

Mind you I still like these foods, but find the smells are better than the food itself.

Anyone care to add to this list?

My cousin just came back from the Philippines and she said they have chicken wings at McDonald's. It got me thinking about other countries and their McD menus. I remember a childhood trip to Thailand, and they had banana and corn pies.

Anyone live in or visited countries with interesting menu items at McDonald's?

I love gin and tonics, it's my go to drink of choice. At the liquor store today I saw a giant bottle of Tanqueray and it got me thinking of other uses for gin. Does anyone cook with gin? What do you use it for? I'm also open to other drink ideas.

Thanks!

I'm planning on cooking duck breast for my dad's birthday and am not sure what kind of side dishes to serve. I'm planning to serve the duck breast sliced rare and with a sweet sauce. Right now I'm planning on serving sauteed greens (spinach or swiss chard) cooked in a little duck fat and garlic. I'd like other suggestions particularly a starch.

I know everyone has their Super Bowl Party foods, but what about Stanley Cup party food? What's everyone planning to eat while watching Game 6 (and Game 7 if there is one).

I'm thinking Boston Baked Beans, clam chowder, and BC Smoked Salmon.

Last year @dbcurrie gave us day by day instructions on making our own Sourdough Starter. I'm wondering how everyone's starter is doing. Is it still going strong? Dormant?

Sadly, I neglected mine and Franny was sent to a farm in the country where she plays all day with other starters. I assigned my starter a gender.

My friend is getting married and I want to get her a cookbook for a shower gift. Her and her fiance both are what I call "eating foodies", people who love food but can't cook. They want to learn so I figured a cookbook would be a good gift.

What are your recommendations? I think they need something with lots of pictures and solid recipes that aren't too difficult to follow.