barbigirl8’s Profile
Recent Comments
Let's Talk Knives,,,
2 for 13 bucks at Sams Club. Best chef's knife's I've ever used. and If they break I don't have to cry because they were so cheap (haven't had one break yet)
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
I have to ask... Why would you make salt cod just to hydrate it again?
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
I agree... Mexican Coke is usually comes in Glass bottles and can be found at most mexican stores. It's extremely good...
However, the label will say sugar or hfcs. Just ignore it. If it was bottled in Mexico, then it has cane sugar.
You can also look for Coke with a yellow cap on it right around passover in the jewish grocery stores. Since corn is not kosher for passover, Coke makes a version with cane sugar a few months prior to passover. However everywhere i've seen it sold, it sells out fast.
See more comments by barbigirl8 »
Recent Posts
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer - Ideas for first dish to make
Posted by barbigirl8, December 9, 2007 at 11:05 PM
See more posts by barbigirl8 »
Recent Favorites
barbigirl8 hasn't favorited a post yet.
Recent Polls
barbigirl8 hasn't answered any polls yet.
Recent Quizzes
barbigirl8 hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Almost immediate gratification artisan bread
I've recently started playing around with the no knead breads. I've tried both the ny times and cooks illustrated versions. I have to say that I liked the cooks illustrated version a little better. the ny times bread didn't have a lot of flavor to it but the ci had a lot more. I've been wanting to try the artesian bread one but have been looking for the basic recipie online before i dish out hard cash for the book. thanks for the link
Let's Talk Knives,,,
2 for 13 bucks at Sams Club. Best chef's knife's I've ever used. and If they break I don't have to cry because they were so cheap (haven't had one break yet)
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
I have to ask... Why would you make salt cod just to hydrate it again?
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
I agree... Mexican Coke is usually comes in Glass bottles and can be found at most mexican stores. It's extremely good...
However, the label will say sugar or hfcs. Just ignore it. If it was bottled in Mexico, then it has cane sugar.
You can also look for Coke with a yellow cap on it right around passover in the jewish grocery stores. Since corn is not kosher for passover, Coke makes a version with cane sugar a few months prior to passover. However everywhere i've seen it sold, it sells out fast.
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Ideas
I also got one for christmas this year. We'll I got the 4.5 qt classic, and ended up returning it to the store and upgradng to the 5qt Artesian for only 50 bucks.
The first thing I made were chocolate chip cookies (the back of the bag ones) but I was in 7th heaven.
Thanks for the link to the forums and go the decals... My baby is in classic black and I soooo want to flame it up.
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer - Ideas for first dish to make
All of these ideas sound amazing... I think I might start with bread and then move on from there...
I had no idea you could get so many different attachments... *rubs hands greedily*
What do you give a chef for his birthday?
I second the cert to penzey's.
Disappearing yogurt
I tried the trader joe's strained greek style yougurt and I couldn't tell the difference. Plus it's half the price.
Hops...How much is too much?
I think IPA's are completely over rated. It seems like the recent trend in beer is to try and shove as many hops in as possible. If I wanted bitter, I would eat an orange rind.
For me... My favorite beers are more malty than hoppy. I am definitely a Lager kinda girl. I work with a lot of beer "aficionado's" and I tell them time and time again. Keep your IPA!
My 3 essential herbs & 3 essential spices are_____
Rosemary
Thyme
Cilantro
Garlic
Cumin
and did i mention Garlic
____ smells better than it tastes
Flavored Coffee's smell absolutely amazing, but you taste them and they are the nastiest things on earth.
Roast Duck
mmmmmm. duck.... i've never prepared it before but the more i think about it the more i want to try it.
I need new knives - any recommendations?
I know this is going to sound odd... but the knife i currently use and absolutely love is a 7" chefs knife that I picked up at my local Sam's Club. They were in the restaurant supply area and they were 2 for 13 bucks. It's been over 2 years and I still have the 2nd one in my drawer that I haven't even used yet.
Description From Sams Club's Website....
Constructed of stain-free, high-carbon German steel, Tramontina's professional 2 pk. 7" Santoku Knives are perfect for your commercial and home kitchens.
Of all Doughnuts...May favorite is....
Simple Glazed Cake. nothing finer.
Walking into the Grocery..wanting a cheap bottle of wine...
I know this is gonna sound odd... But the best drinking wine for under 10 bucks in my book is Ernest and Gallo Cafe Zinfindale.
It's a blush zin, not too dry, not to sweet so it appeals to everyone's pallet. Every time we take this to a party its a hit.
You can usually find it at any grocery store. A standard bottle is about 5.99 and the larger bottle is about 7.99
http://wines.com/faq.html says this....
You might like Ernest & Julio Gallo's "Cafe Zinfandel", a sweetish red wine with a nice combination of fruit and almost a cinnamony undertone, very guzzle-able when cold.
What is your favorite potato salad mix-in?
Miracle whip instead of mayo, a little vinegar, mustard, sugar and pepper.... not to mention pickles, peppers, onions and eggs.
We have to make it the day before... and for some reason when we make it, there has to be ham involved. And I always boil extra eggs for egg salad after i'm done b/c making it always makes me hungry....
How do you gauge a reduction?
Get a wooden spoon and place the handle of it into your liquid once it's in your pan. Then when you take it out, place a small rubber band at the location where the handle is wet.
Then you can use this to gauge how much your sauce has reduced by dunking it in to check on your progress.
Mind you, this won't help with the "4 cups to 1.5 cups" but if you can convert that to a ratio, then this method will work just fine.
Son Cubano
Roast Pork with White Rice and Black Beans.... Standard Cuban Fare and you can never go wrong.
I add _____ to macaroni & cheese
A1 Steak Sauce. OR BBQ Sauce if A1 isn't avaliable. It's the only way I would eat it as a child.
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
We recently found Mexican coke at Wegman's. Snagged a few bottles, because we refuse to drink the HFCS stuff. The coke with real cane sugar tastes much better :)
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
My local HEB in Texas stocks imported Coke from Mexico. It really does taste better. I don't know why, I will not pretent to know if it is healthier. But, when I'm at the grocery and I see someone about to buy Coke, I point them at the import Coke. Yep, I'm a Coke sniper :) I can't tell you it tastes fresh and spicy and have you beleive me on my word. You must try. It costs more, but it tastes better. I'd rather pay extra for something I enjoy than anything for something sub-par. I have extra seats on the bandwagon :) Aside: Poster from Canada, skip the Coke, just send REAL maple syrup. Canada seems to be the only place selling something other than that chemical crud on almost every shelf.
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
I forgot to add that Boylan's makes a great line of sodas all sweetened with cane sugar.
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
"Canadian Coke is also made with sugar."
Not really. It may or may not be made with cane sugar. The ingredients list says "sugar/glucose-fructose". That means it could be made with either. Glucose/fructose is the Canadian designation for HFCS. I'm pretty sure it depends on where your Coke is bottled and the availability/price of either sweetener. Most if not all of the sugar sold in Quebec is made from Cuban sugar cane (I can see the factory from my house), but I wouldn't put my hand to the fire saying that Coke bottled here contains only cane sugar.
One other note, if you want to eliminate HFCS for health reasons, you should know that liquid invert sugar like they use in Jones Soda is chemically the same as HFCS.
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
Yes, Mexican coke (along with a lot of other bottled Mexican sodas) is made with cane sugar. Tastes much much better. Find it at any Latino grocery!
I need new knives - any recommendations?
TOO EXPENSIVE KNIVES....
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
I'm not sure if you're referring to Inka Kola, but if so, you will probably not want to replace your regular coke with it, as it has the flavor of bubble gum rather than what we think of as cola.
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
It has be be cured in the sun... In these parts the cod is laid on the wharf and dried that way. If you really want to learn more try to contact somebody in Weymouth NS where it's done locally...probably the local fish market could give you some clues as to where to start.
I add _____ to macaroni & cheese
@kristyandjamey...wow...thanks for posting a comment on my post from over a year ago :) Gorgonzola is one of my favorite cheeses.
SE's....any other new additions to you mac & cheese since talked about it last year?
I add _____ to macaroni & cheese
I like Gorgonzola cheese and diced granny smith apples. I got this idea when a friend took me to a restaurant in San Francisco called Solstice. They do it there and let me tell you...Oh My Gosh! It's the best ever!!!
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
P.S. It really shouldn't smell if it was properly cured and it was uber fresh to start with! Even after a week. Looks like the thick bits didn't get cured properly if they are "squishy" and smelly.
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
Wanderingx: firstly, don’t give up if the first lot doesn’t go to plan – home curing is addictive, rewarding, money saving and very, very tasty. Despite what some people might say, most cured stuff that you make will be superior in every way to commercial products. Do not be surprised if it takes a few goes to get each product right (I currently have a pig’s leg hanging from my kitchen window and until I cut into it I am not certain if it is three hundred quid’s worth of Parma ham or a rotten chunk of meat :)) , but you will perfect your own system for each foodstuff that you make and then feel very smug and happy when eating it and serving it to guests. So good luck and keep at it!
Now. Salt cod. Ruhlman recommends 24 hours initial cure per inch, so yes you should try and cure similar thickness of fillets separately (or make some fishcakes with the thinner off-cuts and just use the meaty bits). You really don't need to air dry it outside - if the temperature is right then it is preferable, but not essential by any means. And yes, I know from experience of curing my own salt cod in the fridge…
As for all the naysayers who say 'buy it', you could say that about any cured product. Why cure your own food? Because it is (usually) cheaper, better (or at least to your individual taste) and you (should!) know its provenance. It also gives you a better understanding of the product and so makes you a better cook. Anyway, for those unfortunates amongst us who live in the food-hating UK, just try and find decent salt cod outside of London.
And those who ask why you make salt cod "just" to hydrate it again really know nothing about food. Sorry to be that blunt, but there it is - rehydrated/soaked salt cod is a completely different product to fresh cod to the extent that they are not interchangeable in recipes. You may as well question why people make Parma ham when a leg of pork would do.
Almost immediate gratification artisan bread
The Cook's Illustrated tweak is excellent! It's the first one I have ever made where I could actually hear the crust crackling as it cooled. I even have an extra-large dutch oven, so I can fit two loaves in there (this is good, as my family usually scarfs (sp?) the first one hot out of the oven)
Almost immediate gratification artisan bread
Thanks, Dominic - the information and conversation on Zen Kitchen's site were rather eye-opening. Always on the search for perfection.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
Elizabeth - you're very lucky to have seen that truck. If you go to the thread called "Knife Sharpeners" you'll see my comment waxing nostalgic about this very service-on-wheels!
I have only one Cutco knife - a parer - and that's because I stopped myself from buying knives I didn't need. I found the Cutco knives to be well balanced with nice sculpted handles and frippin' sharp to boot. If I wasn't so well stocked in knives at the time, I definitely would have purchased more.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I generally have my knives sharpened at the Broadway Panhandler in NYC. Yesterday, as I was dashing out to meet a friend, I saw a green truck (kind of like an ice cream truck) that had a sign on the side that said, "knife sharpening." Does anyone know about this? Recommend this? I didn't have time to investigate. I saw the truck in Chelsea.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
Here is one of the many heated debates.
http://www.vegsource.com/talk/pressure/messages/58097.html
They are pretty good knives...just not worth how much they cost. A huge percentage of the cost goes to commissions of the sales rep, their manager, their manager's manager, etc. That's why they are so expensive. Also, their marketing methods are kind of sketchy. On the otherhand, they have a forever guarantee...so, technically, you can gift them to your kids or whoever and they can continue to get it replaced to the end of time.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I'm so glad this came up, I just got a full set of Cutco for Christmas from my future mother-in-law and they are amazing!
I had never really heard about them so I'm curious:
What what is the anti-Cutco argument?
Let's Talk Knives,,,
I have a pretty good selection of good knives, chef's, paring, serrated, utility, boning, etc. from Wustof and they're very good. That said, when it comes to every day chopping, slicing, etc. I almost invariably use (hands head in shame) one of the 20 or so Smith & Wollensky steak knives I've gotten over the years. They fit my hands perfectly and they're always sharp. After years of honing the Wustof's every time I used them, the thrill was gone. Anyhow, it would never have dawned on me to do so, but one year I "regifted" yet another set I'd received, to my then boyfriend's Italian from Italy mom. And that's what she ended up using. After getting over my initial semi-condescending reaction to it, I tried it, and hey, the woman was on to something.
Let's Talk Knives,,,
The best knife I own cost me less than ten bucks. I sharpen every day regardless of which knife I use ( I have about 20), but my favorite is the cheap one that seems to fit my hand. So, who cares if it does this that or the other; each person has to find the knife that fits their hand. The problem arises when someone doesn't know how to sharpen...
Drying Salt Cod. Have I done this correctly?
@barbigirl8 Exactamundo!
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
How do you know it's Mexican Coke (at Costco)? Does it say clearly say "bottled in Mexico?" Has anyone seen this stuff in the MD/ D.C. area (I've searched for kosher Coke, in vain, for years).
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
Do you need to read the fine print to know it's Mexican or Canadian with pure cane sugar, or is the packaging obvious?
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
If Whole Foods is in your area their store brand 365 sodas are made with real sugar - that is the only soda I drink now, so much better!
Inca Coke or Mexican Coke: Have you seen it?
I have been to Costco (3 of them) no luck here. I am trying to find it in near where we live but wanted to know if anyone had drank it and was it good. Apparently it is.
Recent Posts
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer - Ideas for first dish to make
Posted by barbigirl8, December 9, 2007 at 11:05 PM
Recent Favorites
barbigirl8 hasn't favorited a post yet.
Polls
barbigirl8 hasn't answered any polls yet.
Quizzes
barbigirl8 hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
I've recently started playing around with the no knead breads. I've tried both the ny times and cooks illustrated versions. I have to say that I liked the cooks illustrated version a little better. the ny times bread didn't have a lot of flavor to it but the ci had a lot more. I've been wanting to try the artesian bread one but have been looking for the basic recipie online before i dish out hard cash for the book. thanks for the link