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From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Thanksgiving wouldn't feel right without a chunky, moist dressing (or stuffing, though I'm taking Alton's advice to heart and keeping it out of my turkey this year). But I've also a particular fondness for all the orange Thanksgiving sides -- caramelized yam, pumpkin purees, fleshy marrows. Those Squash Half Moons with Butter, Sesame, and Salt sound like heaven.

From Serious Eats

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

Planned out my Thanksgiving menu today and Perfect Mashed Potatoes are goin' on it.

From Serious Eats

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding - sorely jonesing for it now.

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From A Hamburger Today

Burgers in Taiwan: A Comedy of Errors

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Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Thanksgiving wouldn't feel right without a chunky, moist dressing (or stuffing, though I'm taking Alton's advice to heart and keeping it out of my turkey this year). But I've also a particular fondness for all the orange Thanksgiving sides -- caramelized yam, pumpkin purees, fleshy marrows. Those Squash Half Moons with Butter, Sesame, and Salt sound like heaven.

From Serious Eats

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

Planned out my Thanksgiving menu today and Perfect Mashed Potatoes are goin' on it.

From Serious Eats

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding - sorely jonesing for it now.

From A Hamburger Today

Burgers in Taiwan: A Comedy of Errors

@RossS: Thanks! While writing this article I mused over the same question... and then realized that popular Americanized interpretations of foreign cuisine are often so off the mark that blogging about them - giving them any additional thought, really - would just be depressing. I know a good number of Chinese graduate students who don't ever eat out in the US; they prefer to cook traditional meals for themselves at home.

@JimInHolland: It's dumb, but sometimes those inane cravings hit one uninvited and with bizarre force. In my experience, it takes at least a couple months of living in a foreign country. Awhile ago I spent a year studying in China and although I love Chinese food and have a fairly adventurous palate, by the second semester I was desperate, seriously desperate, for American supermarket-style white sheet cake. You know, those two humdrum layers of yellow sponge, sandwiching bland vanilla custard and sagging under an inch of the kind of sickeningly sweet buttercream icing that crusts over slightly after sitting on the bakery counter for a day. I would've killed for a slice.

Anyway, your assessment of the MOS burger beef patty is spot on. Their Asian fillings are probably tastier - teriyaki chicken, yakiniku, unagi and the like.

From A Hamburger Today

Burgers in Taiwan: A Comedy of Errors

@Eating The Road: I did end up trying a MOS shogayaki rice burger; China Airlines served them for breakfast during my flight back to the U.S. (see photo above) I decided against commenting on the burger itself, though, since after having been refrigerated and reheated as airplane food it was clearly not up to normal MOS standards. Like you, I've also heard many great things about MOS burgers - the next time I find myself in Asia, I'd be happy to write off my two experiences as unusual and give MOS another try.

@haappyhed: Thanks! My relationship with Taiwan is similar to yours - my mother was born in Taiwan and I spent many a childhood summer, as well as part of elementary school, in Taipei. As a rule, whenever I return for a visit, every square micrometer of stomach space is reserved for my grandparents' home cooking, tropical fruit, and Taiwanese street food... so this tour was a marked departure from my norm, instigated primarily by my encounter with those absurd mini-burgers.

I wish I'd known better than to try MOS' regular hamburger - from the sound of it, almost anything else on the menu would have been more satisfying - but at the time I intentionally ordered what an uninformed, displaced American might when searching for a hamburger that tastes like home. Given my preference for traditional Taiwanese food, my recent two-week visit was far too brief to accommodate a truly exhaustive burger roundup (I'm not a food writer and this trip was personal in nature), but in the future it might be interesting to seek out distinctively Asian re-conceptions of the burger.

@kkyoung: You're right, it's often foolish to expect familiar food to be prepared authentically in a foreign country. I was raised on homestyle Chinese cooking and if I went into a Panda Express here in the U.S. expecting similar, my soul would probably die a little.

Reasonable or no, for the purposes of this review I deliberately assumed the mindset of a homesick American looking for a regular burger. People who order Asian-style burgers expect to taste something interesting and unfamiliar, but a customer who orders a hamburger probably just wants a hamburger. Whereas the 3-inch mini-burgers don't pretend to be traditional and MOS rice burgers are a deliberate and successful departure from the norm, I'm pretty sure Mary's does attempt to make an "American" style burger, and when MOS offers an apparently standard "Hamburger" alongside its more imaginative entrées, I think it's fair to examine it according to Western standards.

I'll know better next time, though. ;)

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'

Traditional erbsensuppe -- that is, split pea soup with ham hock. Generous dash of pepper, faint scent of cookies wafting from oven, loved ones lounging in sweaters: utter contentment.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'

My first was one that I picked up on whim off a library resale bookshelf during high school: Alfred Portale's Twelve Seasons Cookbook. Before then I found recipes to be overcomplex and generally inscrutable; my culinary experimentation was limited to popcorn and cinnamon toast. Somehow, though, as I flipped through recipes in this book something seemed to click and the instructions suddenly made sense - they were persuasive, encouraging, even enticing. Why, I could do that to a chicken, YES I COULD. Halibut with capers? Shallots? White wine reduction? Simple.

Anyway, as they say, the rest is history.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Serious Barbecue' by Adam Perry Lang

Greatest grilling success story? Sea bass Italian-style, so fresh it continued twitching once touched by the heat (despite being wholly gutted and smothered in sea salt, olive oil, herbs). Unfortunately, this wasn't "serious" barbecue - I technically broiled it in the oven. I've been itching to try recipes on an open grill, though. Hardcore grill lines and everything.

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Artisan Gelato at Bologna's Cremeria Funivia

I loved Gelateria Gianni and La Sorbetteria Castiglione, but if this one's even better..... MUST RETURN TO BOLOGNA, STAT.

From Serious Eats

Shanghai's Wujiang Snack Street to Be Demolished at Year's End

That's absolutely terrible. I know there's much to be said for progress, but it's a shame to raze yet another a historic neighborhood when these are becoming few and far between in modern Chinese cities.

From Serious Eats

Is Artisanal, Handmade Food Always Better?

Good cooking (id est, processing raw food in any way) is partially skill, partially art. Anyone can pick up a paintbrush, smother a canvas with gunk, and try to pass it off as art - but serious art enthusiasts would instantly be able to distinguish between genius and garbage. And the serious art enthusiast, if asked to do something with that same paintbrush and canvas, would probably approach the task mindful of the way it might be received by other enthusiasts.

Which is why it's probably safer to buy fresh produce from serious growers but artisanal food from fellow serious eaters. Or to ask for a taste before purchase, if at all possible, unless it really is art you're buying.

From Slice

Frying Pizza (and Other Things) in Duck Fat

As one who has never used the stuff, what ARE the usual things one would fry in duck fat? I immediately thought of gnocchi, but that's only because Kathy recently mentioned doing so.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Kneadlessly Simple'

I like making pumpkin bread and banana bread because I haven't yet gotten the guts to touch yeast, but all these comments are inspiring...

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'On the Line'

Most of us seem to have the right idea - good seafood shouldn't be overly fussed with. Depending on what we're talking about, I generally like my seafood steamed, grilled, baked, lightly sautéed, or raw. I am admittedly very fond, though, of my Chinese grandfather's "hong shao yu," or "Red Braised Fish," which is first marinated, then fried, and finally simmered in soy sauce and spices.

From Serious Eats

Weekend Book Giveaway: 'American Cheeses'

Gotta give my props to Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam as well - but I'll definitely have to check out some of those listed above. We're gradually getting access to these down in Arizona, but not quickly enough!

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Into the Vietnamese Kitchen'

To cook more. I've been baking quite a bit recently, but still need to experiment at regular mealtimes.

From Serious Eats

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Edible Chocolate Box from Charles Chocolates

I just made Dorie Greenspan/Pierre Herme's World Peace/Korova cookies - those are definitely in my top tier.

From Serious Eats

This Baby Loves Butter

A whole stick seems horribly unhealthy, but I readily admit to habitually cutting small chunks of pure butter to savor if it's already out for some socially legitimate purpose. And sometimes if I'm just craving a little bit of salty, cold richness that melts sweetly on the tongue.

From Serious Eats

Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway: Russ & Daughters

Still craving that lightly toasted bagel with lox and cream cheese. I'm going to have to find some substitute here in Phoenix...

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Has to be the stuffing! It's the only time of the year I make it. And ooooh so good the nest day- IF it makes it!

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

My favorite Thanksgiving side is cornbread-sausage stuffing. So rich, so good!

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

I love the fresh and fresh tasting cranberry and orange relish. Yum.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Green bean casserole, it's not really special but we only have it twice a year. I guess that's what makes it special.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

My favorite Thanksgiving side is stuffing with gravy.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Fried Turkey, stuffing and gingersnap gravy in one bite. By far my favorite holiday as it is truly THE holiday for food lovers! I can't wait!!

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Oyster stuffing. Tough part, finding enough people who aren't oyster-phobic...

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

Gotta go with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I could eat it all.

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

My moms - potatoes, summer savory and crushed crackers, also includes tons of butter and a few onions - I miss stuffing since it started killing people :(

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

I love homemade warm applesauce!! That and the apple pie are my favorite part of Thanksgiving. I don't like most of the other food including the turkeY!

Thanks for the giveaway!

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Simple Fresh Southern'

This year it will be pumpkin ravioli with sage brown butter sauce.

From Serious Eats

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

Still a fan of sautéed brussels sprouts with bacon.

Recent Posts

From A Hamburger Today

Burgers in Taiwan: A Comedy of Errors

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About Lee Anne Shaffer

Website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/misoponia/

Location: Currently: NYC

About:

Favorite foods: Dark, leafy greens and mangosteens. Bacon. Caramelized fig.

Last bite on earth: Stick me in a vat of crisp, blood-red duroni cherries and I'll be carried off in bliss.