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Eating Bugs: Hard to Argue With?
I think its a really interesting topic. I wonder if there's an article on a "serious eat's asia" somewhere that's saying the same thing about McDonald's food. I remember when I was traveling through Thailand there were plenty of carts rolling around with deep fried (in peanut oil i think) crickets, scorpions, all kinds of bugs. To be honest when they're fried they taste like oily doritos. I think the biggest thing is what Chefhorn said, people can't get past eating the entirety of an animal. The same goes for beef, pork, chicken, etc. A prime example is the great distaste for offal. Unless you grew up eating it, chances are you aren't going to like it simply because you know what and where it comes from. The majority of the time your gonna get a lobster tail but no head, same goes for shrimp, most people don't even get them with the shell on these days.
Have Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Gone Too Far (Or Big)?
I think it's pretty irresponsible for the people in exec positions to allow such burgers on a fast food chain's menu. I mean it's no secret that a nice sloppy burger at a sit down restaurant will run you 1000 calories (give or take) but to promote such a clearly unhealthy burger to a fast food chain is bordering manslaughter in my books. If people can sue McD's for making them fat, then people should be all over Carl's Jr.'s. The way I see it, the customer is still the one in charge of what they eat and their own health, however, it's not to say that the accountability of the exec's at fast food chains should be diminished because of that. There needs to be a middle ground reached before the game gets too lop-sided; fast food is going to get out of hand or people are going to wise up and cities will have to put a moratorium on the construction of new "restaurants" serving fast food like they have in some areas.
Can't-miss restaurants in D.C.?
I second Rosa Mexicana, some real classy Mexican food there. I think Jaleo is getting a bit too overrated, the service is getting worse as the hype increases. If your willing to get out to Rockville, Joe's Noodle House is probably the best Chinese/Taiwanese food this side of the Pacific. If your down with the Jose Andres I would suggest his other restaurant down the street from Jaleo, the name escapes me (Oyamel i believe), a little pricey but the ceviche was very good last time I was there and they have some nice authentic chocolate mole's and other non-taco-quesadilla-burrito fare.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Have Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Gone Too Far (Or Big)?
well after reading pollan's omnivore's dilemma I would say that statistically speaking the people that are regularly consuming these types of foods are of a lower SES. Therefore, I believe that it is the responsibility of a higher power to at least put up some regulations because these people are eating this stuff as a regular meal replacement because they can't afford healthier foods that contain the same # of calories needed to survive. It sounds a lot like exploitation to me.
Eating Bugs: Hard to Argue With?
I think its a really interesting topic. I wonder if there's an article on a "serious eat's asia" somewhere that's saying the same thing about McDonald's food. I remember when I was traveling through Thailand there were plenty of carts rolling around with deep fried (in peanut oil i think) crickets, scorpions, all kinds of bugs. To be honest when they're fried they taste like oily doritos. I think the biggest thing is what Chefhorn said, people can't get past eating the entirety of an animal. The same goes for beef, pork, chicken, etc. A prime example is the great distaste for offal. Unless you grew up eating it, chances are you aren't going to like it simply because you know what and where it comes from. The majority of the time your gonna get a lobster tail but no head, same goes for shrimp, most people don't even get them with the shell on these days.
Have Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Gone Too Far (Or Big)?
I think it's pretty irresponsible for the people in exec positions to allow such burgers on a fast food chain's menu. I mean it's no secret that a nice sloppy burger at a sit down restaurant will run you 1000 calories (give or take) but to promote such a clearly unhealthy burger to a fast food chain is bordering manslaughter in my books. If people can sue McD's for making them fat, then people should be all over Carl's Jr.'s. The way I see it, the customer is still the one in charge of what they eat and their own health, however, it's not to say that the accountability of the exec's at fast food chains should be diminished because of that. There needs to be a middle ground reached before the game gets too lop-sided; fast food is going to get out of hand or people are going to wise up and cities will have to put a moratorium on the construction of new "restaurants" serving fast food like they have in some areas.
Can't-miss restaurants in D.C.?
I second Rosa Mexicana, some real classy Mexican food there. I think Jaleo is getting a bit too overrated, the service is getting worse as the hype increases. If your willing to get out to Rockville, Joe's Noodle House is probably the best Chinese/Taiwanese food this side of the Pacific. If your down with the Jose Andres I would suggest his other restaurant down the street from Jaleo, the name escapes me (Oyamel i believe), a little pricey but the ceviche was very good last time I was there and they have some nice authentic chocolate mole's and other non-taco-quesadilla-burrito fare.
What's your favorite way to use Thanksgiving leftovers?
I like to take the leftover stuffing, turkey, green bean casserole, etc. and mincing it up and mixing it with the leftover mashed potatoes and forming thick pancakes and pan frying them then smothering them in gravy.... mmmm.... tasty!
12 Egg Yolks, 0 Ideas
creme anglaise is my vote also, tasty over anything!
The holidays are coming...what is your favorite beverage?
Thanksgiving = Bourbon and eggnog, maker's mark to be exact
Christmas = Mocha or more eggnog
New Year's = champagne and momosas
Shrimp Veins
Yup, its the digestive tract. Not like its going to kill you or anything, I mean you are eating the shrimp so in essence your eating what it was eating. I've seen a few farm raised shrimp being sold as being purged, meaning the farmer starved them for lets say a day or so before killing them so that the tract is empty and there is no need to take it out.
What is a nice cup of tea?
Gotta go with the stuff i've been drinkin since I was a wee child, Jasmine tea that comes in the gold tin in asian markets. No sugar milk or anything, so refreshing and even good for you too!
What comes to mind when you hear the term "food politics"?
PETA, 'nuff said.
I would like to win a life-time supply of _____
i am going to have to say banh mi, i could eat those every single day of my life, maybe even twice a day.
What are your leftover habits?
I detest most leftovers, I'm a big fan of leftover pizza and any meats that can be made into sandwiches otherwise the food will just rot in my fridge. I occasionally will make large batches of things like chili or stew to freeze but I don't even like doing that often.
Weekday vs weekend cooking, does it differ?
I tend to cook less on the weekends but if I do end up cooking it seems to be more sophisticated food and more of it because I'm usually feeding friends or family and you know you gotta show off the knife skills and food knowledge! haha.
Meatloaf Mania: Awesome Combos?
I don't much care what's in the meatloaf but as long as there's leftovers for some sandwiches then I'll be a happy camper! My dad is a meatloaf fiend, he must have it with gravy though otherwise it just goes to waste.
Special garlic butter recipe wanted!
I don't think that its actually butter, I think its more of an oil mixture with pureed garlic and maybe a hint of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Try this out: Garlic Sauce maybe that will help
Thanksgiving! (In Canada, It's This Weekend)
I always forget its thanksgiving in Canada, I've been away from home for so long it took my American girlfriend to remind me that its thanksgiving at home.
Top Chef finale tonight! Casey, Dale or Hung?
I thought the purpose of this was to find the best chef not the best personality so if the title of the show holds true I would suspect Hung is the most qualified regardless of how much of an asshole he is. I think if it were not a competition Hung would be a whole different character.
Greek Eats
My college roommate was about as Greek as they come, his family was almost a spitting image of My Big Fat Greek Wedding so i've come to love Greek food. His mom makes this greek lasagna (the name eludes me right now) but it's probably the best home cooked meal you could have!
Why the hostility toward restricted diets?
I agree with pictsie, food is a shared experience, people come over to your house for dinner because you want to share a fun and enjoyable evening not one that is strenuous and stressful because one or a few people need to have their own set of rules, food, etc. It's like having to cook for kids separately at every meal, at some point the parents are going to say enough and make them eat what everyone else is eating. I don't have a problem with vegetarians as I find most of them eat something that falls under my food umbrella but vegan's who do it by choice rather than for health issues i have problems with.
Would you rather give up chocolate or cheese?
I don't know what life would be like without cheese, even though I am mildly lactose intolerant I don't think I could do without it for a year or even a couple days for that matter. Chocolate on the other hand has never really tickled my fancy, so ciao chocolate!
Grocery Ninja: Mooncakes and the Mid-Autumn Festival
yup, the two yolk were a childhood favorite, I used to love this time of year, especially the little red envelopes that would accompany my mooncakes filled with a few extra dollars from grandma!
'Top Chef': Made in Manhattan
I'm not sure how you can speculate as to which dish tasted better by watching it on tv but I guess thats the same type of thinking that makes you think that there was something unfair about what happened in the episode. I think Maccioni was in many words complimenting Casey by having her in the top two as well as saying she was very attractive, c'mon the guy's ancient and italian he's just a smooth talker, plus it was pretty funny!
Chopsticks vs Fork
Me too, being Chinese I am just so used to using them that I pretty much use them to eat everything, my utensil drawer is overrun with them!
Feeling cheesy?
lets just say that I bare the pain and suffering of being lactose intolerant to enjoy cheeses on a daily basis, they need to find a cure for that other than those icky powdery pills that are never around when you need them!
Wasted Food
I think this is an issue I really struggle with, I am normally only cooking for 2 at the most and more often just for myself so i'm always left with at least a container full of leftovers from the night before. But call me crazy, I really don't much care for leftovers unless they are of the cold pizza type so they usually fester in the fridge until either my roommate or girlfriend devour them as a late night snack or lunch at work the next day. I am constantly trying to figure out ways to deal with leftovers, but I just can't bring myself to eating the same thing more than once a week, it just never tastes the same the next day (except for chili and stews in which i prefer the reheated version)
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
I used to watch a lot of FN back in the early days. I enjoyed Jack McDavid, Mario Batali, Sara Moulton. Now, I never watch FN. The turning point, for me, was when Rachel Ray became a "star" (gag).
Now if I want to learn something about cooking, I tune in PBS, and watch Jacques Pepin, Lidia, or the two ladies on America's Test Kitchen.
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
Least: Ina Garten; from her voice to her food, personality, friends, etc. . .she drives me insane.
Most: Giada Di Laurentiis, I have a girl crush on her.
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
I have to agree with many comments here.I have studied culinary arts for years and these housewife cook wannabees do not know the difference between a good Veloute and a bowl of gravy.
Where does the food netwok find these people?
Sandra Lee gets so excited over her booze,you would think she was an alcoholic! Rachael Ray acts like the host of Sesame Street with her ignorant, goofy, childish sayings. Paula Dean serves so much fat in her food, it is more rich than her fake,overpronounced accent which is comparable to fingernails on a chalkboard.Giada dresses like a street walker and tries to sound italian with her fancy pronouncing og food.What happened to credible culinarians? are all we are left with are women's day readers like these four women who think they are teaching cooking? please!!!
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
My faves: Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, Ina Garten
Likes: Jaime O., Tyler F. Micheal Chirello (sp?)
My not so faves: Ray Ray, Sunny Anderson and the Neeleys...I started out liking Ray but her overexposure did me in...I haven't seen a thing on Sunny's show that I would make, and I can't stand her delivery, and the Neeleys...I like things they make but that lovey dovey crap really turns me off...and of course Sandra goes without saying...
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
My favorite is Ina and my very least favorite is Giada. Can Giada's tops get any lower without this show being rated as porn? I have nothing at all against showing some cleavage, but please...this is a cooking show, and if her cooking isn't good enough to stand on its own, they should take her off the air. Actually, I tried several of her recipes and thought they we just "okay". Her books are loaded with photos of her rather than of the food, and she is way too full of herself. She should stop the annoying Italian accent when she pronounces Italian food items. She was born and raised in California for goodness sakes!
I would like to win a life-time supply of _____
Parmigiano reggiano.
I would like to win a life-time supply of _____
scallops. or serrano ham.
I would like to win a life-time supply of _____
a lifetime supply of filet mignon would be the greatest. perfect for BBQ's. cooked medium rare. best cut of meat there is, no question.
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
I used to watch a lot of FN but honestly it's so overproduced these days I just can't get into it. I understand that they get the best ratings with these lame reality shows and camera-friendly cooks, but can't they appease everyone by having a few shows with hosts passionate about a particular part of cooking? Go ahead, play them at some weird-ass time of day, I'll tape it, but to me it's such a waste of a perfect medium to march out these clowns preparing the same bland recipe over and over and over again.
Favorites (none of these exist anymore): Jamie , Mario, Alton
Least favorites: Aida Whatever, Sunni Whatever
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
I used to watch this channel frequently for info on cooking techniques, and good recipes; not on much anymore. Weekend getaways at $40 and such rot are a waste of time. I have no problem with the dumbed-down shows for the chef-boyardee crowd, but I have the travel channel, with Bourdain, for the other stuff.
Faves: Alton, Mario, Sara
Middling: Sandra, Giada [OK....just eye candy....no turtlenecks needed]. Flay....I like the genre, so I follow his recipes. Emeril....shelf life date gone by......he's now a shill on the "green network".....and, not convincingly so. Paula.....on the fast track to Emeril status.
Least: Ray Ray. Well, Sandra too...although S doesn't annoy me me nearly as much as does RR.
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
Favorite: Ina Garten and Bobby Flay
Least Fave: Sandra Lee (worst), Sunny Anderson, Ellie Krieger, Ann Burell
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
FAVE: jamie oliver -- i LOVE jamie at home. also nigella -- apparently i love brits.
LEAST FAVES: sandra lee, hands down. not even a competition!
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
Favs: Ina Garten, Giada, Alton Brown. Duff Goldman & Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes - do they count?
also sort of Flay because, hey, a good looking guy who can cook? im all for it.
least favs - Paula Deen. something about her annoys the CRAP out of me. Sandra Lee - im in college and even i wouldnt eat some of the disgusting look things she makes
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
Favorites: Paula Dean, her recipes I can make and have. Sandra Lee because her recipes are very doable. Why do so many dislike her? I love to watch her. I also like the fact that with Sandra Lee, you can take common packaged stuff and make something great. Alton Brown, definitely a fav of mine. I can't stand Emeril. His recipes are so complicated, why bother? Ina Garten's recipes are too complicated as well.
Least Favorite: Obviously Rachel Ray is an amature when it comes to cooking. Come on folks, I mean, my teenage son can concoct what she comes up with. Also, she is extremely irritating with all of her hand gestures and her EEVO and her rolling eyes. I deliberately turn off the FN when she is scheduled. I just don't get it. She's awful. BEST: Alton Brown WORST: Rachel Ray
I need new knives - any recommendations?
TOO EXPENSIVE KNIVES....
Chopsticks vs Fork
I am Chinese and have been using chopsticks for as long as I can remember. However, I only use them for Chinese-style food. In contrast, my father uses chopsticks for everything, claiming that they are the perfect utensil. He even uses them to eat potato chips and cake!
Who's your most/least favorite food personality on Food Channel?
Most: Paula Deen, Alton Brown, and Ina Garten
Least: The Neelys and Sunny Anderson
Kitchen hacks?
Alton would be So proud of all of you!
Kitchen hacks?
Easy proof box for bread dough--nuke a cup of hot water in a glass for a minute/minute and a half in the microwave. Then place your dough in bowl in the microwave to enjoy that warm steamy environment. It really helps when I get sidetracked and need to speed up the rising process. Also, Corelle ware medium sized plates happen to be a perfect cover for my 5 qt. Kitchen Aid mixer bowl.
Minced garlic or onion--microplane, please!
Kitchen hacks?
if i'm making pasta with brocolli or primavera or whatever, i'll cook the pasta half way through and then throw the veggies in, and then drain both together -- then toss with the olive oil and garlic....
Kitchen hacks?
I was just making biscuits and the recipe called for working the chilled butter into the dry ingredients. In the past I've never been able to get the butter to crumble up enough, so I tried freezing it and then shredding it with my microplane grater. Worked like a charm!
Shrimp Veins
I pull out the top and bottom. I figured the dark thing was poop, but never confirmed. I pull out the bottom as well so I can straighten the shrimp out so it's not as curled. All I use is a fork tine to dig in and pull them out.
Shrimp Veins
I see that orange stuff all the time in my shrimp. I devein because it looks gross otherwise, but I don't get too fussy about it. I slit the backs with a sharp nice and pull out the vein. It makes them much more receptive to brining and or rubs or seasonings, and also much easier to peel.
Shrimp Veins
The "vein" running down the back of the shrimp is the digestive track; the one running underneath is their nervous system.
@LoveTheHollandaise - it's likely the orange stuff in the veins is actually shrimp eggs. Nothing wrong with them other than a good case of reproduction.
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well after reading pollan's omnivore's dilemma I would say that statistically speaking the people that are regularly consuming these types of foods are of a lower SES. Therefore, I believe that it is the responsibility of a higher power to at least put up some regulations because these people are eating this stuff as a regular meal replacement because they can't afford healthier foods that contain the same # of calories needed to survive. It sounds a lot like exploitation to me.