Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

http://freefarmstand.org/

The Urban Farming Debate

Here is an organization in San Francisco that does "Urban Farming" and GAVE AWAY 12,500 pounds of fresh local produce to the underserved poor neighbors. That's 12500 pounds of vegetables and fruit that wouldn't have been available to aid the health of the local residents.

Like the starfish story "It made a diffence to that one."

jtminnesota at 5:11PM on 12/22/10

Harold McGee's Top 10 Thanksgiving Tips

Watched Jacque and Julia program once that seemed to solve the stuffing/dressing dilemma:
Remove backbone
Seperate breast from leg/thighs
Debone legs/thighs (they may have just deboned the thigh)
Stuff leg/thighs with stuffing, wrap in foil until cooked to maintain shape
Place stuffed legs/thighs on baking sheet
Place the rest of the stuffing on baking sheet and place breast on top
Remove pieces as they come to temperature

jtminnesota at 1:34PM on 11/15/10

From Chicago

The Best Italian Beef Sandwiches in Chicago

@Le Master - there are quite a few ginko trees in that neighborhood, I can't eat for hours after walking by one of those.

jtminnesota at 1:18PM on 10/29/10

Delicious in Five Minutes or Less: Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Caviar

Used to use this as my "your still here?" dish with my female overnight guests that I hoped would return.

Bellini, scambled eggs with caviar and sour cream on the patio make for a pleasant morning.

jtminnesota at 11:52AM on 10/20/10

Gadgets: Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator

Without performing multi-bottle experiments on my young but expensive Cabs - how long generally (rule of thumb) does one decant for? 1 hour? How long is generally too long, could a really young, tannic wine use several hours?

jtminnesota at 6:14PM on 08/19/10

Chicago - help!

Google: LTH Forum
and use the search function on that site.
It is a Chicago specific foodie forum.
So if you really want crepes search "crepes" but I would check out their printable .pdf file called the GNR Awards (or great neighborhood restaurant) they are sorted by both types of food and neighborhood and have been vetted by some of chicagos most well know and respected foodies. Also the dinner tonight guys Nick and Blake live in Chicag and have a blog called The Paupered Chef, you can probably reach them there.

jtminnesota at 4:47PM on 08/12/10

From Drinks

Does the New Bourbon from Maker's Mark Live Up to All the Hype?

I had some of this at Whiskeyfest in Chicago in May, the Maker's rep explained it was their attempt to capitalize on the increased popularity in (the flavor profile of) rye

jtminnesota at 1:21PM on 07/08/10

From Drinks

Having It Your Way: Is Too Much Choice Ruining Coffee?

@Lobelia von Mauvaise I think maybe some of those people you are eyerolling at may actaully be lactose intolerant. % wise most people are.

Ethnicity / Geographic Region % With Lactose Intolerance
1. East Asian 90-100%
2. Indigenous (North America) 80-100%
3. Central Asian 80%
4. African American (North America) 75%
5. African (Africa) 70-90%
6. Indian (Southern India) 70%
7. French (Southern France) 65%
8. Ashkenazi Jew (North America) 60-80%
9. Balkans Region 55%
10. Latino/Hispanic (North America) 51%
11. Indian (Northern India) 30%
12. Anglo (North America) 21%
13. Italian (Italy) 20-70%
14. French (Northern France) 17%
15. Finnish (Finland) 17%
16. Austrian (Austria) 15-20%
17. German (Germany) 15%
18. British (U.K.) 5-15%

jtminnesota at 1:18PM on 07/08/10

From Sweets

Target's Exclusive Ben & Jerry's Flavors: Berry Voluntary & Brownie Chew Gooder

Kenji, sounds like we need an ice cream article from you.

Also, I just got the ATK complete cookbook with "all the recipies from the last 10 years."

Is that you with the still on the grill making your own liquid smoke? Maybe the best picture in the whole book.

jtminnesota at 11:03AM on 06/29/10

smoking on a weber charcoal grill

I smoke everything on my Weber. No you don't need any additional equipment. Adjust the vents to keep the temp around 200, but realisticly it gets hotter than that. Put the charcoal on one side and the meat on the other, with the vents above the meat. after an hour put on more coals (the older coals will light them) after 2 hours I usually throw it ina 200 degree oven because your not realisticly going to get much more smoke flavor in there (nor would you want to) and why keep adding coals if all you need i low heat.

jtminnesota at 11:09AM on 06/15/10

Has anyone tried going raw?

Easy if you lived or worked in downtown Chicago (and have a lot of $) as you can 1. Eat your normal raw ruits and veggies, 2. buy from this vendor for takeout meals http://www.frenchmarketchicago.com/vendor/raw 3. eat at this restaurant when going out .http://www.karynraw.com/Raw-Cafe/

I am a huge meat eater but I still frequent these places because their food is delicious.

jtminnesota at 11:00AM on 06/15/10

Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 123: Why Does Making a Salad Seem So Hard Sometimes?

I was in the exact same situation. My solution to getting those vegatables onto my dinner plate. Frozen single serving steam in the bag microwave vegatables when I grocery shop. I'll buy like 10, so I always have some around, they take 2 minutes to nuke. Better than replacing a salad with a slice. Also I buy the ones in a "light rosemary olive oil sauce" or somehing, because they are still under 100 calories, and I figure the best vegetables for you are the ones you are actualy eating.

jtminnesota at 1:05PM on 06/11/10

No-Knead Pizza Dough

I understand you want as many people making this as possible so volume measures work for most people, but one of the best things I found in becoming a bread baker is to move to weight measures. Take it for what its worth.

jtminnesota at 11:44AM on 06/10/10

Weekend Cook and Tell: Handmade and Homemade Local Favorites

Available at Chicago Green City Market and other local retailers. I love the goat cheeses coming out of Prairie Fruit Farms, and the fresh pasta from Pasta Puttana.

jtminnesota at 1:10PM on 06/04/10

Time for a Drink: the Michelada

Perfect recipe for a hangover, sitting in the sun out front of Big Star in Chicago drinking a Michelada!

jtminnesota at 4:27PM on 06/01/10

Your All-time Favorite Beers and Why?

Favorites and Why:
Three Floyd's Gumballhead - Dry hopped to hell, wheat - pint glass or tall weiss style glass
Unibrau La Fin Du Monde - Strong and Spicy, would put it up against any beer in the world - tulip shaped glass

As a generalization I would say Belgian monks make the best beer in the world (or did, and now outsource it)

Best (non-beach) place in the world to drink a beer - Grand Place Brussels

jtminnesota at 10:52AM on 05/18/10

What's the Weirdest Sandwich You Make?

My 2 go to have been mentioned, Tomatoe and PB on English Muffin.
or a PBand Sriraccha wrap.

In grades school not having tons of money, my favorite was steak sauce on toast.

jtminnesota at 1:17PM on 05/17/10

Serious Heat: Homemade Harissa

Just an observation, I saw a bottle of harissa at Crate and Barrel over the weekend. Can't get much more mainstream than that. Thanks for the recipe, now I don't have to get my condiments at a furniture store.

jtminnesota at 10:55AM on 05/12/10

Peanut Butter Sushi

This sounds like the appropriate presentation for sandwhiches I've been making for myself lately: Peanut Butter and Srirracha. I think this presentation will just resonate with people a little more than my traditional sandwhich presentation.

jtminnesota at 5:59PM on 05/06/10

Knife Skills: How to Break Down a Chicken

A friend and I were speaking of the merits of whole chickens just the other day, they present such bounty. Sure, the big 4 pieces (which from the birds I buy can be enough for 8) breasts, thighs and legs. But you also get 4 "wings" (cut buffalo wing style with drummettes and tip pieces) the extra skin to render fat from. The organs to confit in the fat (with garlic and herbs de provence)and turn into a chicken sausage, a buch of bones to first roast (I can usually pick an additional meals worth of cooked meat off after that) and then make into stock. Its like magic!

jtminnesota at 5:48PM on 05/06/10

From A Hamburger Today

Steak 'n Shake: The Quintessential American Cheeseburger

Grew up in Normal IL, so this was a go to spot in high school late at night after everything was closed. Used to be one of those places I "had to" go back to every time I returned to town to visit my parents. The burgers are great if you like that style, I'm more of a pub burger man myself. The chili/chili mac/chili 5 ways is phenominal (especially with the pepper sauce.) Not a huge fan of the fries myself but I've found if you do decide to get them, get a side of cheese sauce and eat'em with a fork, they are just too small to eat with your hands. Finally, the milkshakes are fantastic.

jtminnesota at 11:06AM on 05/05/10

Steak Preferences

Used to do blue, but after reading Kenji's most recent article I switched to medium rare (130) last night and I think it's my new temp.

jtminnesota at 5:50PM on 03/09/10

Meet Your Farmers: David Falkowski, a Mushroom Farmer in Bridgehampton, NY

"The growing of mushrooms kind of freaks me out. What happens when they band together, and take over?"

Ever played Super Mario Bros.?

jtminnesota at 11:47AM on 03/09/10