mcwolfe’s Profile
Recent Comments
Settling for less...?
@jo_wang, I know the market you're talking about and you are right on. Well worth the trip and the $$$.
I drive about 40 miles from my house to get the best Parmesan because where I live I can only get cheese dust or those weird greasy triangles. I also go to an Asian market about 50 miles away to get the best stuff even though my local supermarket has what is laughingly referred to as an Asian food section (it has improved greatly but still doesn't have a lot of selection).
Question about my First Try at Home Frying
My best tip for deep frying is to use a tall stock pot but only put in about 3-4 inches of oil. This saves your stove from the splatter. You will thank me for this when you're done.
kefir vs buttermilk
Its fine to use them interchangeably. The taste is slightly different but not in a bad way. I've only done this with baked goods but Smitten Kitchen just posted a recipe for buttermilk chicken that might be a good test case.
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Recent Posts
How would you make Mountain Dew flavored powder?
Posted by mcwolfe, January 12, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Cocktail goodies from the sixties - does anyone remember Snappie
Posted by mcwolfe, October 10, 2011 at 4:32 PM
Any great hole in the wall joints in Dallas Park Central area?
Posted by mcwolfe, September 13, 2011 at 4:25 PM
Tomato "syrup" - need some brilliant ideas on what to do with it
Posted by mcwolfe, September 8, 2011 at 12:25 PM
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Recent Favorites
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Recent Polls
mcwolfe answered "At someone else's house" to Where Are You Eating Thanksgiving?
Poll posted by The Serious Eats Team, November 2, 2010 at 12:00 PM
mcwolfe answered "Ming Tsai" to Which Celebrity Chef Would You Most Like To Meet?
Poll posted by The Serious Eats Team, October 5, 2010 at 11:30 AM
mcwolfe answered "I've grilled it and eaten it!" to What's your experience with grilled pizza?
Poll posted by Adam Kuban, May 31, 2010 at 8:30 AM
mcwolfe answered "Ham" to Do You Make Ham or Lamb on Easter?
Poll posted by Erin Zimmer, March 31, 2010 at 8:00 AM
Recent Quizzes
mcwolfe got 75% correct on How Much Do You Know About Food Preservation?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, March 1, 2010 at 4:30 PM
mcwolfe got 44% correct on How Much Do You Know About Condiments?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, February 15, 2010 at 6:30 PM
mcwolfe got 75% correct on How Much Do You Know About Vegan Substitutes?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, January 25, 2010 at 7:30 AM
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Recent Comments
Cook the Book: 'Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food'
My favorite market is about 40 miles from my house so trips there have to be planned but their produce is gorgeous, their cheese selection is amazing, and everyone who works there seems genuinely nice. The store where I'm forced to shop the rest of the time is the exact opposite - lackluster produce, packaged cheese, and surly checkers. I truly hate shopping there but proximity wins when all you need is bread and milk.
Settling for less...?
@jo_wang, I know the market you're talking about and you are right on. Well worth the trip and the $$$.
I drive about 40 miles from my house to get the best Parmesan because where I live I can only get cheese dust or those weird greasy triangles. I also go to an Asian market about 50 miles away to get the best stuff even though my local supermarket has what is laughingly referred to as an Asian food section (it has improved greatly but still doesn't have a lot of selection).
Question about my First Try at Home Frying
My best tip for deep frying is to use a tall stock pot but only put in about 3-4 inches of oil. This saves your stove from the splatter. You will thank me for this when you're done.
kefir vs buttermilk
Its fine to use them interchangeably. The taste is slightly different but not in a bad way. I've only done this with baked goods but Smitten Kitchen just posted a recipe for buttermilk chicken that might be a good test case.
Challenge: Post Your Best Wing Recipe.
Thai Wings
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic chile paste
8 whole chicken wings, trimmed to 16 pieces
Mix all everything but the wings together in a zip top bag then add wings. Marinate at least overnight or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator then grill. If you can't grill, they can be baked at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes but they're way better grilled,
The Year of the Dragon!
Happy Year of the Dragon to you! We're going out tomorrow night to a restaurant owned by friends of ours (the date just worked better than going out on Monday) then we'll cook at home on the 23rd.
When we go out we'll have dumplings and noodles for prosperity and long life. The rest of the menu is up to our mood when we're there. Our kids and the restaurant owners' kids play together while the adults have drinks and enjoy life. It is always quite fun.
At home we'll probably make soup, dumplings and Ma Po Tofu plus whatever else looks good at the market over the weekend.
Give us Feedback about Soda Stream/Good?/Bad?
I love my SodaStream with a passion that knows no bounds. Honestly, for me, it was, and continues to be, money well spent. I drink seltzer water constantly and was spending a ridiculous amount of money plus recycling a ton of bottles so for me getting one was a no brainer.
My only caveat is that the flavorings they sell have Splenda in them unless you buy the (much more expensive) "natural" syrups. I was a little pissed about that because it isn't clear from the labeling.
How would you make Mountain Dew flavored powder?
@CandiRisk, you're the bomb. That is a much simpler way and will fill the bill without me blowing up my kitchen. Thanks!
How would you make Mountain Dew flavored powder?
Thanks guys. I'm off to buy some MD flavored oil and maltodextrin. Hopefully, it'll work but if not, it will be an adventure, I'm sure.
hot and sour soup
It might get me shot to say so but the best hot and sour soup recipe I've tried was Tyler Florence's from the Food Network website. I did double both the garlic chile paste and the vinegar after I made it the first time but we LOVE the flavor. Definitely use homemade chicken stock, as canned doesn't really have the richness you want. I also usually use left over pork tenderloin or even roast chicken (heresy!) instead of red cooked pork.
Okay, so maybe I'm not following the recipe exactly but it really is good. I've made it a ton of times.
How do we feel about turkey bacon?
Turkey bacon is evil. It isn't even real food in my eyes. Stick to the real thing and if you're worried about your arteries, just eat less. I know it may be difficult but you'd be surprised how much flavor just a teaspoon of bacon fat can add to a whole dish.
Sour Milk - Best Way to Achieve It
Add about a teaspoon of vinegar per cup of milk. Stir and watch it curdle.
We Try the Whole Menu at Bryan Voltaggio's New Lunchbox in Frederick, MD
My sisters and I went to Lunchbox a week or so ago and had a very good lunch. In fact, my younger sister (a grilled cheese fanatic) said her grilled cheese was the best she'd ever had. I had the Cuban, which I enjoyed very much since the pork was quite juicy and the roll was really crisp. The butternut squash soup could have been a little hotter but the flavor was delicious, not too sweet as so many other places make it.
All in all, a good lunch but it didn't hurt that Chef Voltaggio was working the sandwich press that day. He's awfully darn cute...
The dish from the black lagoon.
My SIL's "Watergate Salad" which is not an actual salad but a hideous concoction comprised in part of pistachio pudding and Cool Whip. I don't know what else is in it but I tried it once and it was almost a round trip bite. Every year she says, "Oh come on, its a family tradition!" but I just can't.
What do you serve with ham?
Spoonbread, roasted Brussels sprouts, and pepper jelly. Yum!
Bread Baking: Not Your Abuelita's Tortillas
@dbcurrie, I cannot wait to try these. I haven't been terribly successful at making corn tortillas in the past so I think I'll do better with a hybrid. Unfortunately, I'm in Texas (!) on travel right now so I can't make them until I get home Thursday. Wah!
Seeking Pretty Packaging for Supervisor's Cookies
Another possibility is to stack the cookies in cellophane treat bags from Michael's or AC Moore then tie the tops with pretty ribbon. I do this then put the cello bags into a gift bag, generally lined with tissue. Has the advantage of being reusable for the recipient.
Without a car you might have a challenge since most of the stores selling that kind of stuff are in the suburbs but there may be a Michael's near a Metro stop. There's always the web if you have time.
Just wondering, do you feel okay eating alone at a restaurant?
I used to travel full time so I got used to eating alone. I don't travel as much now but still don't have a problem eating alone wherever I am. For a while I took a book with me but now I usually don't. You see some pretty interesting stuff when you don't have a dining companion to take your attention from the goings on around you.
Vessel for no-knead bread? Christmas list
I have a plain old Lodge cast iron dutch oven that cost about $25. Very plain vanilla but works great. It has a cast iron handle on the lid so I don't have to worry about the knob incinerating. I have friends who use Le Creuset but have experienced a little bit of discoloration of the lining due to the high heat requirements.
Great luck on the no knead bread. Once you've tried it, you'll never go back.
What was on your Thanksgiving plate?
Started with a nice spread of goat cheese and proscuitto rolls, burratta (sp?) and a bunch of other cheeses, candied jalapenos, pickled pumpkin, roasted chickpeas, and what not. Went on to turkey, traditional stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, rolls, and cranberry sauce. Everyone else had pie while I cleaned up then I had a nice slice of pumpkin pie all alone, surveying my clean kitchen. Oh, and lots of wine, of course.
Not a green thing in sight but I'm willing to let that go for one day a year.
In a Pickle: Pickled Cranberries
This caught my eye, particularly since I just finished a batch of spicy pickled pumpkin and the canner is still on the stove. I think I have to make some of these this afternoon. Work? Who's doing any work when there are cranberries to pickle? Thank heavens my boss doesn't read SE...
McDonald's around the world
In Guangzhou (China) and Casablanca the McDonald's had really delicious fried chicken. My favorite was New Orleans, though, because we could get beer with our Big Macs.
Brie en croute with cranberries?
Make a compote or conserve with the cranberries because they are WAY too tart to just chop and pat onto the brie. As @Erin points out, you want that combination of tart/sweet flavors as a counterpoint to the butteriness of the brie. Or you could make a cranberry pepper jelly, which I can attest is awesome with baked brie.
Next Iron Chef - Favorites??
@Ro B, sorry to disagree but I'm from DC too and I think Spike is a douche. Was not sorry to see him go at all. And sorry for all the Hughes love, he's gone too as of Sunday.
I'd be good with Marcus winning. He's an awesome chef but might not be quite telegenic enough. Chiarello is kind of hot and has the TV chops but might be over the hill for the show. Zakarian may be a great chef but can't see him go all the way. I guess my real, dark horse choice would be Elizabeth Falkner, especially since I'd like to see another female IC.
And you know, cheesy as the show is, it was worth it to watch the other night just to hear Micheal Symon say, "Nothing says rustic Italian like gummy candies." I don't know why but that just cracked me up.
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Recent Posts
How would you make Mountain Dew flavored powder?
Posted by mcwolfe, January 12, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Cocktail goodies from the sixties - does anyone remember Snappie
Posted by mcwolfe, October 10, 2011 at 4:32 PM
Any great hole in the wall joints in Dallas Park Central area?
Posted by mcwolfe, September 13, 2011 at 4:25 PM
Tomato "syrup" - need some brilliant ideas on what to do with it
Posted by mcwolfe, September 8, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Has the whole chef-advertising thing finally gone too far?
Posted by mcwolfe, June 19, 2011 at 12:58 PM
You MUST try this recipe from SE - Chicken Karaange
Posted by mcwolfe, May 13, 2011 at 6:58 PM
Need suggestions for learning to cool real Italian food
Posted by mcwolfe, March 25, 2011 at 10:49 AM
A little Saturday fun - are there subgenres of foodies?
Posted by mcwolfe, February 26, 2011 at 11:22 AM
How to make a deep fried hotdog that isn't a corn dog?
Posted by mcwolfe, February 7, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Is it bad form to mess with someone's family recipe?
Posted by mcwolfe, January 17, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Anyone have a seriously great truffle flavor/recipe?
Posted by mcwolfe, December 23, 2010 at 1:07 PM
Am I being too sensitive or do women still get the crappy tables?
Posted by mcwolfe, November 15, 2010 at 3:20 PM
Do anyone have experience with culinary business incubators?
Posted by mcwolfe, May 7, 2010 at 10:16 AM
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Recent Favorites
mcwolfe hasn't favorited a post yet.
Polls
mcwolfe answered "At someone else's house" to Where Are You Eating Thanksgiving?
Poll posted by The Serious Eats Team, November 2, 2010 at 12:00 PM
mcwolfe answered "Ming Tsai" to Which Celebrity Chef Would You Most Like To Meet?
Poll posted by The Serious Eats Team, October 5, 2010 at 11:30 AM
mcwolfe answered "I've grilled it and eaten it!" to What's your experience with grilled pizza?
Poll posted by Adam Kuban, May 31, 2010 at 8:30 AM
mcwolfe answered "Ham" to Do You Make Ham or Lamb on Easter?
Poll posted by Erin Zimmer, March 31, 2010 at 8:00 AM
mcwolfe answered "Yes! " to Do you make pizza at home?
Poll posted by Adam Kuban, March 22, 2010 at 8:00 AM
mcwolfe answered "Way" to Grocery store self-checkout lanes: way or no way?
Poll posted by Adam Kuban, March 9, 2010 at 8:50 PM
mcwolfe answered "Soda" to What Do You Call Cola Drinks
Poll posted by Erin Zimmer, January 27, 2010 at 7:30 PM
mcwolfe answered "Never" to Ever drink milk from the carton when no one's looking?
Poll posted by Adam Kuban, January 11, 2010 at 7:00 AM
mcwolfe answered "Sammy/Sammie/Sammich" to Which Food Term Bugs You the Most?
Poll posted by Erin Zimmer, January 6, 2010 at 7:30 AM
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Quizzes
mcwolfe got 75% correct on How Much Do You Know About Food Preservation?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, March 1, 2010 at 4:30 PM
mcwolfe got 44% correct on How Much Do You Know About Condiments?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, February 15, 2010 at 6:30 PM
mcwolfe got 75% correct on How Much Do You Know About Vegan Substitutes?
Quiz posted by Katie Quinn, January 25, 2010 at 7:30 AM

My favorite market is about 40 miles from my house so trips there have to be planned but their produce is gorgeous, their cheese selection is amazing, and everyone who works there seems genuinely nice. The store where I'm forced to shop the rest of the time is the exact opposite - lackluster produce, packaged cheese, and surly checkers. I truly hate shopping there but proximity wins when all you need is bread and milk.