Serious Eats: gmm31313's Profile

Last meal of 2011?

Roasted pork tenderloin with onions, garlic and apples; macaroni and cheese; fried corn with jalapenos; roasted cherry tomatoes; and sharp cheddar and black pepper biscuits.

gmm31313 at 5:15PM on 01/05/12

From Talk

Who Would You Ask A Culinary Question To?

Alton Brown, food scientist, of course

gmm31313 at 12:35PM on 12/27/11

From Talk

Just wondering, do you feel okay eating alone at a restaurant?

Sure, why not? I usually bring a book, magazine or mail order catalog to occupy myself in case people watching is not productive. Sometimes I will bring a small notebook to make lists or organize my thoughts. I usually pick small, out-of-the-way places for dinner and try to avoid prime time mostly because I do not like mobs. I do not rush unless I am not enjoying the food and am perfectly comfortable being alone and having a leisurely meal whether I am traveling or in my own town. I do not feel that I should feel badly about taking a table for two any more than a threesome should feel badly about taking a table for four.

gmm31313 at 11:59AM on 11/30/11

From Talk

Glaze suggestions for spiral ham?

orange marmalade

gmm31313 at 9:40AM on 11/23/11

From Serious Eats

SE Staff Picks: What's Your Favorite Food Smell?

bacon and onions cooking together

gmm31313 at 12:01PM on 11/04/11

From Serious Eats

Thanksgiving: What's Your Stuffing Approach?

Always from scratch: 2-3 types of bread (sourdough, wheat, something seeded), celery, onion, sage, salt, pepper, butter, and milk. Always dressing with crispy edges and soft, moist interior.

gmm31313 at 1:44PM on 11/02/11

From Talk

How many do you have, and what spices can you not be without?

I have all of the basic herbs and spices plus a good supply of more exotic things. My must haves are: paprika, dried mustard and cumin.

gmm31313 at 9:17AM on 10/28/11

From Talk

Are you a serial sampler?

a perfect meal for me would be a buffet of samples of lots of different things

gmm31313 at 6:13PM on 10/03/11

From Slice

Poll: Do You Eat Pizza for Breakfast?

Every chance I get.

gmm31313 at 2:32PM on 08/01/11

From Talk

Garlic Powder vs. Fresh Garlic

Fresh!! I do keep garlic powder and granulated garlic on hand for some applications, but always prefer fresh.

gmm31313 at 8:53AM on 01/27/11

From Serious Eats

Can You Do Anything with Nut Shells?

I add them to my compost so I can grow luscious tomatoes in the summer.

gmm31313 at 8:51AM on 01/27/11

From Talk

Healthy Vegetarian Lasagna?

I dice zucchini and yellow squash, eggplant, carrots, onions, garlic, and mushrooms and saute them in olive oil until just tender. I use this in place of meat and layer with noodles, red sauce and cheese.

gmm31313 at 11:05AM on 10/18/10

From Talk

"I only have 1 item. Can I sneak ahead of you?"

I offer to let them go ahead. It is a small act of kindness that harms no one.

gmm31313 at 4:06PM on 10/11/10

From Talk

My first cookbook...

My first cookbook as a new bride was American Home from an old magazine of the same name. It is still my go-to cookbook for basics. One corner has been gnawed off by a frisky puppy, and it is held together with tape. I will not part with it.

gmm31313 at 3:48PM on 07/08/10

From Serious Eats

Poll: Hash Browns or Home Fries?

As long as they are made with potatoes, who cares if they are home fries or hash browns. Both are delicious.

gmm31313 at 3:12PM on 07/06/10

From Talk

MacGyver cooking tips?

Clean the seeds out of pumpkins and large squash with a heavy ice cream scoop. I prefer the type with no moving parts.

gmm31313 at 4:52PM on 07/01/10

From Serious Eats: New York

Poll: What's Your Stance on Sidewalk Seating?

Hate sidewalk dining!!!! It is noisy, stinky and dirty. Will eat outside only if there is a patio with a view or a garden setting.

gmm31313 at 11:56AM on 06/22/10

From Talk

Anthony Bourdain, love him or hate him?

Love him! His is the only one of the food/travel hosts that exposes viewers to something more than just food...I eagerly await my vicarious journey at the beginning of each show.

gmm31313 at 10:28AM on 05/24/10

From Talk

Comforting Pizza Toppings

sliced green olives on a plain cheese pie do it for me!

gmm31313 at 4:37PM on 04/29/10

From Talk

Food you thought you hated?

I did not care for cilantro the first time I tried it. I can't remember what changed my mind, but now I can't get enough. A veggie burrito with lots of cilantro is heavenly.

gmm31313 at 4:16PM on 04/08/10

From Talk

Which is your Favorite/Least Favorite Culinary Herb?

I love rosemary. It smells divine, goes with just about everything, grows easily in my garden and is available fresh just about all year long in the midsouth.

I am not a big fan of basil unless it is a bit player in a mixture of other herbs. Not sure why, but it does not please my pallete when I bite into a big piece of basil. I especially do not want big pieces of it sprinkled on the top of my pizza.

gmm31313 at 1:35PM on 03/09/10

From Serious Eats

Reservations and Deposits: Necessary, or Harmful to Restaurants?

My expereince is that reservations do no necessarily ensure prompt seating except in the most exclusive and well-run restaurants. I think taking reservations (with or without a credit card deposit - I don't mind) should be restricted to these establishments.

I prefer first come/first served seating in most restaurants. I have the expectation that I may have to wait if a restaturant does not take reservations, but I also have confidence that diners will be seated in the order in which they arrive, which is fair. I can wait if I choose or go elsewhere.

One pet peeve with some restaurants that take reservations: promptly seating diners who are late for a reservation as though they had arrived on time while those who arrive on time must be seated later to accommodate the late arrivals. Why have reservations?

gmm31313 at 6:01PM on 01/10/10

From Talk

Mom vs. MIL: Whose Cuisine Reigns Supreme?

My MIL's spaghetti recipe consisted of tomato sauce, salt, pepper and ground beef. If it needed to be thickened, she made a paste with flour and water -- you could not really call it a roux. She boiled the Sunday roast. Nuff said.

Mom wins without ever entering the kitchen!

gmm31313 at 1:17AM on 01/06/10

From Talk