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jerseygirlinSC

Father's side from West Indies and New York; Mom is from Missippi. Grew up in middle of NJ, but lived in Boston, Orlando, St. Louis, and Atlanta. Now living in Columbia, SC.

  • Location: Columbia, SC

New Years' food superstitions

Everyone is seeing black eye peas nationwide is due to the Great Migration. Black Eye peas (or Hoppin' John) is a southern tradition, it might be originally a southern black tradition. But from the start of the 20th century to around 1970 black migrated up north. They brought thier traditions with them. Now with diversity, the foods are being seen everywhere.

New Years Day Cuisine

I'm making Hoppin John (Black eye peas cooked with pork chiles, tomatoes, onions), Greens (actuall bok choy this year) and cornbread. Everything represent something: Cornbread for gold, greens for greenbacks, the peas are coins. Plus some spice and sugar to have spice and sweetness in your year.

Holiday Giveaway: The Amazing Thermapen Thermometer

Last item I stuck a thermometer in? It was the Turkey breast for Thanksgiving using Kenji's technique. I had given my mother a digital thermometer 5 years so she wouldn't strain reading it, but she never used it. I did and it help. Mom kept saying I should use the time x pound formula, but I trusted getting to the right tempature. MY bird came out juicy and cooked. Thanks Kenji and science!

Serious Reads: Consider the Fork, by Bee Wilson

Does the author mention M.F.K. Fisher ('Consider the Oyster')?

Many thanks to Kenji

I want to thank Kenji for his recipes for a small crowd Thanksgiving. Because I followed your instructions and did not listen to my mother, the turkey breast came out juicy, the stuffing was browned and not soggy. Even the brussel sprouts came out good! Everyone, including my mom loved the dinner.

Soda: Have You Tried Irn-Bru from Scotland?

Ok, now you have to describe Cheerwine to the others. Closest I can come up is like Dr. Pepper but with more cherry.

Served: A Day at the Grocery Store

I love Drunken Goat Cheese! It's a good nibbling cheese but also doesn't overpower other foods.

Serious Chocolate: 3 New 3 Musketeers Bars

I have been eating the truffle crisp for about six months and I do like it. I think I like it better than the classic. The crisp does feel like it is meringue but is much sturdier and since there is not much fluff it 'feels' lighter.

Video: 'A Slice of Life,' a PB&J Love Story

1) I loved that his house is the shape of House

2) The Mary Poppins was an english muffin

3) Did the video imply the two bagels were on the batting for thesame team (you know, butter or cream cheese)?

Meet and Eat: Paige Brocious, Serious Eats Intern

Go Huskies! Nice to hear another from Northeasterner (class or '92). It's been awhile since I been back on campus. What is good to eat on (or more probably) off campus? Since this is your co-op what is it being applied to?

Video: Happy Hot Dog Man Infomercial

I was with it till the Ketchup critter and mustart monster. I don't need something vomitting condiments or having it go thru the nose.

Did anyone just feel the Earthquake on the East Coast?

I'm in Columbia, SC and I was on the phone with a client concentrating getting their equest done to notice anything else. But as soon as I got off the phone that everybody in my office was talking about. Since we are an IT and software company, we were checking all the web sites. We had this and now we have to worry about Irene. Maybe I keep that watermelon I bought at the farmers market for the weekend.

In Food Policy This Week: 5 News Bites

Forget the canned salmon: I want to know what canned squid taste like.

Cook the Book: 'The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook'

I'm seeing a lot of comments for the 'Little House' books. There is a Little House Cookbook, with all the recipes from maple candy to 'long winter' bread. I got it for Christmas one year and I still love it. That's how I know I have a great book in my hands: when I'm so imersed in the story that I'm sitting at the table with the characters eating the food with them ('Pie for breakfast? Thanks Ma Wilder!' 'Mr. Wonka? Can I have a ladleful from the choclate river too?' 'MUST FIND HONEYDUES')

What to do with Ghost Chili Peppers?

When people are telling that ghost peppers are extremly hot, they mean it . Habeneros are 100,00 on the scowlville test, ghost peppers are 900,000.

Serious Reads: Tomatoland, by Barry Estabrook

I listened to the author on NPR's Fresh AIr. I knew the industrial tomato was 'a tastelss orb' but I didn't realized how bad things have gotten. Like how tomatoes shold not be grown in Florida: It's too humid, with too many insects and are liteally grown in sand, so water is wasted.

He also gave how he got the idea to investiage tomato growing practices: he was behind a truck filled with green tomatoes down a road when the truck hit a bump or pothole. Tomatoes came flying out and the author swerved from being hit. He got out of the care and looked at the dicth by by the road. Not only the green tomatoes survived the pavement to bounce into the ditch, but none had split or even bruise.

Sauce-Injected McNuggets

The Mcnuggets part is reason is easy: you are trying the new sauces. I'm glad they brought back the sweet chili.

Foodie gifts (or gift cards) for Canadian & soon-to-be Canadian

It is Winnepeg. The groom worked for a while in Alberta, that was how I got confused. I'll check these out. Thanks.

Foodie gifts (or gift cards) for Canadian & soon-to-be Canadian

The problem I have is that I know more about the bride, since we are related by marriage, then the groom. I'll see if I can google him.

This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters

As much as I like seeing what happened at HQ, it still stings that there are no Dumpling pictures this week nor anymore weeks :(

Do You Remember Hojo's?

When I was living in St. Louis in the late 90s, I use to eat at the HoJo that was close to work. It was nostalgia to eat there, since it the place looked it hadn't been change since the place I went to as a kid (70s). When it closed, I found it was the last HoJo west of the Missippi. :(

@studyzone: like the one in St. Louis, the HoJo resturant was attached to the HoJo hotel. When Howard Johnson started his chain of hotels, they where safe family places with good (for then) food. Then they allow anyone, not just those staying at the hotels, eat at the resturant. The resturant got so famous for what they served (see the above comments) that resturant only places showed up. Sadly, like the one I eat in St. Louis, they didn't change with the times

Soft shell crabs

Just want to thank you for your suggestions. I took scarletini and annient's advice and pan fried them (in a combo of butter and butter flavored olive oil). I did dredged them in flour that had a pinch of papirika in it. I served with rice, a lemon pan sauce and microgreens that I also picked up at the market. At first it felt wierd eating a shell, but you get taste that sweet meat and before I knew it the two crabs were gone.

Cross-Border Shopping Guide: Canada

I've seen half of those Candy bars (and had the coffee crisp and Cadbury's) at the World Market chain.

Serious Reads: 'Ravenous,' by Dayna Macy

@MandyEats "Poor little upper-middle-class (possibly rich) girl with no real problems". An abusive father and indifferent mother sound like real problems to me.

The Cider Press: Foggy Ridge Cider in Dugspur, Virginia

Being an enthusiastice cider drinker, I'll be looking for Foggy Ridge when it comes to SC.

Beef Heart Article including Beef Heart baby food

Normally I wouldn't link an article about beef hearts from NPR on Serious eats when we have the great Nasty Bits column. But there are two things about the from The Salt blog: 1) I think the subject of the book they mentioned is interesting and 2) at the bottom there is a recipe for Poached Beef Heart Baby Food. So, is Baby Slice ready to give her first review?

"Do we have to go there?...sigh... Hey this is not bad!"

Recently I went to a wedding weekend and my parents were invited too. I knew I would be picking them up at the airport so I asked where they want to eat when they land. I already looking up recommended local places on the way from the airport to the hotel. But they only wanted chain resturants. "*Sigh*, it will be only for the weekend", I thought. They selected Sweet Tomatoes, and to my surprise I enjoyed my meal there. I picked the Chicken wonton salad and piled on the veggies, so the bread and pasta wasn't so tempting. My father surprise me by not doing his 2 to 1 dressing/salad ratio he usually does.

So I'm asking if any of you had the same experience of going with the crowd to keep the peace (or not to get the 'why are you being difficult/snobby' talk) and find yourself enjoying the meal? Did you have to backtrack earlier comments?

Foodie gifts (or gift cards) for Canadian & soon-to-be Canadian

I'll be going to a wedding for a couple that is joining two households. Instead of a registry, they are having a wishing well for money or gift cards. I thought of giving to a charity in thier name, but I want them to start thier life together well, so how about some great food? The bride is from St. Lucia and has been living in Atlanta for years, but will be moving with her groom to Canada (I want to say Alberta, but maybe Winnepeg?) SO is there great places in Canada that the citizens would love a gift card for? How about a monthly subscription site? Any ideas would be great (except liquor; they are very religous).

'The Cocktail Hour' on NPR

The morning show this morning had this piece about an exhibit about Coctail parties and culture. It is at the Rhode Island's School of Art. (yes when I head that I wondered if SE's Leah Douglas would cover it!). It is not only about the fashion (though I liked the clothes), but also the history, prohibition, barware, gender mixing and 'The Thin Man'. Enjoy.

Soft shell crabs

Found out in my local alternate paper that it is soft shell crab season in SC. The seafood seller at the farmer's market hopefully will have some this saturday. My question is how to cook them? I keep seeing entries here and other sites that, other than crab cakes (no), is to boil or steam them. But I don't see any of the specifics. How much water? How long? Can I add herbs to the water? And how do you serve them? Just lemon juice? Thanks for the help.

Ready to start drinking Beer again

I of course drank beer during college (...and ah-hem, pre-college). The beer was what you would expect, cheap /on sale /in a keg. As I moved beyond just trying to be buzzed, I realized I didn't like the taste of any of the beers. I went on to wine, cocktails, hard cider, finding better and better options as time went on. But during my recent visit to my brother's I saw him enjoying a craft IPA and thought maybe I should try beers again. But my question is where should I start? The IPA was too hoppy for me, but I don't know what to try next. Suggestions?

Boudain - at the start

Did anyone watch 'No Reservations' last night? It seems that in 2000 that a documentary maker followed Tony that first year when Kitchen Confidential came out. It was interesting to see how much he has changed and NOT changed in the past decade. Also the people you read about (Grill B*tch! She's real!). The best was Tony's lunch with Eric Ripert and his organismic glow afterwards. What did my fellow SE'ers think?

Lunchtime Poll on EW.COM: Gross lunch club

The Popwathch blog has been running these lunch time polls to breakup the viewers day. This one is comparing Friendly's new cheesburger that uses grilled cheese sandwhiches as bread versus the pixie-stix one Ally Sheedy made in the Breakfast Club. Would you try either? Poll.

Bourdain interviewed by EW.com

I hope SE can grab a few minutes with Tony! I have been thinking if I should buy his latest book.
http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/06/10/anthony-bourdain-talks-about-his-new-book-no-longer-being-a-chef-and-the-pain-of-watching-the-food-network/

If SE could interview Bourdain, what do you want them to ask?

Japanese Kit-Kat flavors

NPR did a taste test of several Kit Kats:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126515207

I really want to try the Green Tea and Cafe au Lait. Funniest comment: for Banana - "That's some good use of yellow No. 5"

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