Serious Eats: gala2's Profile

Alton I think is at bottom responsible for me preferring to eat at home rather than eating out.
My favorites were smoking salmon in a cardboard box and using dry ice to deep freeze strawberries. Though I still haven't done either. And I have only seen maybe about 20 percent of the episodes. I'd willingly pay a SMALL fee to have an internet subscription to his shows. 249 episodes is a lot to learn from.

gala2 at 7:48PM on 08/06/11

From Talk

Foods You'll Only Eat at a Restaurant

sushi.
Even if I had the cutting skills, the restaurants have access to fish fresher than I can get. Especially here in Washington state.
Japanese food. I've tried and I just don't have whatever it takes. And i love it.

I can't believe that post about pancakes. There can't possibly be any thing easier to make. and more satisfying to cook.

And eating poultry out is really a scary gamble. Especially in cheaper restaurants. You have no idea where they source those chickens from and how safe the kitchen they cook it in really is. Just keep a very well washed and rubbed with salt and vinegar plastic dishwasher safe cutting board devoted only to poultry. And my trick is to use a flaming red dollar store shears that cut nothing but chicken and then gets hot, hot water and lot soap.
One thing all us foodies should be doing is mounting an intensive campaign against the food industry that is getting away with selling poultry that can harm its eaters. Think about how destructively crazy that really is and what it says about food safety in this country.

gala2 at 7:40PM on 08/06/11

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Amsterdam: The Best Street Food

Hollandse Nieuwe --or New Herring-- was always called Green Herring when I was in Amsterdam. Green as in uncured or lightly brined. You hold it up like the girl in the picture to eat it and it was so good.
Also I can't imagine being in Amsterdam and not having a smoked eel broodje. Puts sushi in the shade. Also the smoked mackrel with a side of potatoes.

And I have to say Dutch potatoes fixed in any way at all were beyond superb. I can't believe you didn't have a rijstaffel. Guess you'll have to go back and not waste your time on student stodge like cheap pizza.
I also loved the flavored gins. Besengenever -- not sure of the spelling -- a berry gin --was sublime.

gala2 at 12:38AM on 08/04/11

From Serious Eats

Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Roadfood'

La Mexicana between Centralia and Chehalis in Washington.

Just opened a little while back and has probably the best home-made Mexican food in Washington State. Be sure to try the chicken tamales, teh salsa bar, and really wonderful jamaica (not sure of the spelling-- its a drink that tastes like the best cranberry juice ever and is made from steeping dried hibiscus flowers. Family run with really nice people. it's one of those places where the kids are in the corner doing their homework. Always a sign of good home-made food about to come out of the kitchen.

gala2 at 3:34AM on 05/29/11

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Asparagus and Bacon on Buttered Toast

Do your body a favor and NEVER cook anything in plastic wrap, plastic bags, plastic containers including the serving containers for frozen food.. Unless you really want to find out what losing your taste buds to chemo for the better part of a year might be like somewhere down the road.
Seriously. You do not want to have this happen . I so wish I had known.

Just use a glass lid and a shallow dish or pan and you'll be fine in the microwave. Corningware was destined just for this.
Goodwill and Salvation Army have tons of glass lids for pennies.
And way more green for the planet too.

gala2 at 2:24AM on 04/23/11

From Recipes

Sunday Brunch: Deviled Kidneys on Toast

This is your basic stripped down kidneys with mustard recipe and very nice.
I'd add some quartered button mushrooms, a hit of creme fraiche or greek yogurt and definitely some fresh tarragon.if you ever can get your hands on a really fresh veal kidney, this is some truly fine eating. I cannot for love or money find lamb kidneys, but you in the city might.
I'd stay away from beef kidney and beef liver unless it was organic. Think about it.
Regardless, i always soak split kidneys and liver (even chicken liver) in milk for about an hour. It really does add to the taste and texture .
I like to finish off with a fresh green hit of chopped chives, but I tend to like that on most things these end of winter days.
I like it on an oven baked risotto-- no stirring.
Everyday Foods from 2003 has a very easy, very good recipe.

gala2 at 2:26PM on 04/02/11

From Talk

So what's the deal with MSG?

MSG does not cause allergies. It causes a reaction to the one in six people who are highly sensitive to it. But likely everyone is depending on how much you eat . And most of all how long you've been eating it. It is a cumulative sensitivity. Growing up when I ate it in Chinese food , I got a funny tight feeling in my jaw. So what?
The so what turns out so that when I hit my forties and my metabolism started to change, a lifetime of ramen noodles and Chinese takeout and frozen and deli foods and canned soups, and flavored chips, etc. crept up to take its toll. It took me over a very,very sick and pain-filled year to get diagnosed correctly.
For all morons who think it just is in our head, well wait till you hit your sensitivity point. Which may be eye damage in old age, or worse. Or asthma or irregular heart beat. It can in minutes bring on the most agonizing three and four day long headaches imaginable .

Feel not so great a while after lunch? Guess what. Your time may have come.
And courtesy of the Bush administration it does not have to be listed among the ingredients when you shop. No MSG now often merely means: We've changed the name of the MSG in our product instead of taking this useless ands deleterious toxin out of our product.

The most insidious thing about this is that it causes respiratory, brain and developmental problems in children. There is a theory that this sensitivity crosses the placenta and children are now sensitized to it much sooner than their parents. It has been banned in school lunches in Thailand. Just think the Thais are now outpacing us when it comes to the health and futures of our own kids.

Hey, all you who aren't sick YET. Knock yourself out. Stuff yourself with a neurotoxin that doesn't even need to be in your food.. Just remember it's cumulative. And one out of six people have been shown to be sensitive to it. Which one of your friends and family at your table are you going to choose to sicken? With people living longer that statistic is bound to go higher.

gala2 at 4:13AM on 03/18/11

From Serious Eats