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Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
If you have a griddle accessory for your gas grill, I heartily recommend using it for Sunday breakfasts. Fry up some bacon, leaving the fat on the griddle to cook the 'cakes. Heart-stoppingly good, folks. I've tried from scratch and using *gasp!* the shortcut dry mixes, other than a subtle taste difference (obviously from scratch has a little more zing) they always turn out melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.
One caution though, regular cut bacon is sometimes too thin to work with easily. I suggest using a good thick cut, non-peppered bacon (unless you like bits 'o pepper in your pancakes).
Ever since I tried this method, nothing else comes close.
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Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
I heartily agree with Mr. Batali, regarding method and 'correctness', however... I don't think he was really assaulting American adaptation of Italian traditions, rather, he was making an educated observation.
Just like opinions, people have a right to develop their own palates.
Unfortunately, we Americans generally accept mutilated or butchered culinary concepts we have little knowledge of and blindly accept marketing malarkey found in advertisements. It's okay with me because I know that most people do not know any better and that there is no use in trying to enlighten the great unwashed masses. Then again, some could say traditions like Ragu and Chef Boyardee are just 'Americanized' tributes to their classical forbears. Who knows? Who is really right?
All I can say is that to my palate, 'Tuscany' potatoes = exotic name for 'ranch' potatoes and Ragu = Ketchup for overcooked pasta.
I love sauce too, but it's a bit overwhelming (and occasionally insulting) sometimes when I order ravioli or gnocci and I have to probe to find the pasta drowning in the sauce.
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
If you have a griddle accessory for your gas grill, I heartily recommend using it for Sunday breakfasts. Fry up some bacon, leaving the fat on the griddle to cook the 'cakes. Heart-stoppingly good, folks. I've tried from scratch and using *gasp!* the shortcut dry mixes, other than a subtle taste difference (obviously from scratch has a little more zing) they always turn out melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.
One caution though, regular cut bacon is sometimes too thin to work with easily. I suggest using a good thick cut, non-peppered bacon (unless you like bits 'o pepper in your pancakes).
Ever since I tried this method, nothing else comes close.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
@Tommasino: if American pasta can't be called pasta because we put too much sauce on it, then our pizza can't be called pizza, either. Our pizza in no way looks like what is served in Italy. Much different than how our pasta compares.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
Sigh.....Am I the only human in the world who thinks Mario is nothing but a completely self absorbed buffoon overcompensating for something in his life? He is absolutely my least favorite chef. He's a boring pompous, yes I'll say it again...BORE. And your little orange clogs complete the picture. In honor of you Mario tonight I think I'll make a spaghetti CASSEROLE! Mario, Mario, why are you clutching your chest? Are you okay? You've lost a clog!....
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
I also found it to be KEY that these get served with maple syrup. Kind of a "duh" statement, but when eating them plain (I taste everything as I go), they really do lack sweetness compared to regular diner pancakes.
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
I made this recipe for he first time - actually the first time I've made pancakes period. I made the following changes:
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 tsp almond extract
blueberries (almond and blueberries is classic)
1/3 zest of a lemon (no white)
half the juice of a lemon (instead of the water)
Due to the tartness of the blueberries, and due to the "just a touch runny" consistency of the batter, I'd leave the lemon juice out next time. I'd also back the almond down to 3/4 tsp. Can't wait to do this again, this recipe definitely has big time potential.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
Yes, my nonna always sauced pasta to prevent its stickiness and bring out the flavors, but we never lacked for sauce, or cheese. Also, there's a difference between using a lot of sauce on pasta (totally justifiable if it's great, thick, homemade sauce, I say,) and drowning it into soup. And I have never had CRUNCHY pasta, in America or anywhere in Italy, whether in a restaurant in Firenze or my family's house in Messina.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
This video is a perfect example of over-exaggeration by an over-zealous, tempermental chef that has obviously been out of the American culinary habits loop. Perhaps, he feels the 0.1% who don't over sauce their pastas are the ones who visit his establishments? Nevertheless, the pompous critique of Italians on the use of "condiments" is and always will be considered arrogant. Wasn't it the Chinese that invented pasta? And, ironically, have never read or heard similar commentary. I love his shows but leave the attitude at home.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
Mmm. That looks so delicious!! I completely agree with Mario, but Krit has it right ^^ To each, his own! ...or till they realize that he's right haha
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
My guess is that American addiction to so much sauce is based on the relative abundance of food that Italian immigrants found when they arrived here. Throughout most of history, Italy has been very poor so they natural favored the cheap and prevalent ingredients. When they arrived in America, with exponentially more food available, they indulged on the foods they couldn't get back home. This also is a factor in why American Italian food uses herbs and spices in greater quantities than traditional old world recipes.
A ciascuno, suo proprio.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
Mario for president!
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
The baking soda counteracts the acid in the buttermilk. The ingredient list for this recipe (less the vanilla) is the one from Best Recipes. I makes that recipe a couple times a week for my three teen/tween boys. I double it, of course. :-) I usually throw blueberries on top.
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
After testing many pancake recipes, I found the one from Best Recipes (America's Test Kitchen) to be the best. It calls for baking soda and powder. The recipe is very similar to the one featured here.
Mario Unclogged: How to Sauce Pasta
It's going to take a long time to re-train the American palate to accept a scantily clad bowl of top shelf pasta as the norm. You've got to remember, for most of us (in the NYC area anyway), Ronzoni was the staple "pasta." With flavorful imported brands and more fresh pasta becoming available, the sauce may eventually take its place as the condiment.
I have been guilty of eating "soupy" pasta all my life. My mother used to say, "I can't even yell at you for taking all that sauce because you finish it!" I remember when we started buying imported pasta, my initial reaction was that it was too sweet. I eventually realized how tasteless brands like Ronzoni and Mueller's were and began to embrace the different flavors of pasta.
My mother told me I'd outgrow my need to douse all that sauce on my pasta and, as usual, she was right.
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
Do you really need both baking soda and powder? I've used the simple recipe of ones for years to much success.
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix, then add:
1 large egg
1 cup dairy (either buttermilk or half milk and half whole milk yogurt)
Bring together with whisk.
Heat pan, and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Pour excess butter into batter and start cooking.
I think I got this from Mark Bittmann - keeping it simple.
Sunday Brunch: Great, Great, Pancakes
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup yogurt (any kind you want to flavour your pancakes)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 tbsp melted butter
i like to mix all of the wet ingredients except the butter in the bowl of my kitchenaid stand mixer. then i add the flour/salt/bs/bp/sugar. mix til combined. then i add the butter. they are light and fluffy and delicious. i often add a tsp of cinnamon as well, just because i love it. so far i have tried quite a few variations. a favourite was toasted walnut and pear with cinnamon.
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I heartily agree with Mr. Batali, regarding method and 'correctness', however... I don't think he was really assaulting American adaptation of Italian traditions, rather, he was making an educated observation.
Just like opinions, people have a right to develop their own palates.
Unfortunately, we Americans generally accept mutilated or butchered culinary concepts we have little knowledge of and blindly accept marketing malarkey found in advertisements. It's okay with me because I know that most people do not know any better and that there is no use in trying to enlighten the great unwashed masses. Then again, some could say traditions like Ragu and Chef Boyardee are just 'Americanized' tributes to their classical forbears. Who knows? Who is really right?
All I can say is that to my palate, 'Tuscany' potatoes = exotic name for 'ranch' potatoes and Ragu = Ketchup for overcooked pasta.
I love sauce too, but it's a bit overwhelming (and occasionally insulting) sometimes when I order ravioli or gnocci and I have to probe to find the pasta drowning in the sauce.