Serious Eats: missbhavens's Profile

The Food Lab Thanksgiving Special: Why You Should Make Your Own Gravy

For those not wanting to buy a whole jar of Marmite, I'd suggest a bottle of Maggi seasoning. Two drops make a world of difference! It's like Marmite and soy sauce mixed together!

missbhavens at 5:08PM on 11/18/10

From Serious Eats: New York

Video: Spring Lake Farm Inspires Grass-Fed Movement in Upstate New York

Potential! Goodness, yes. I lived in Delaware County and it is indeed a spectacular countryside. Excellent farmland for as far as the eyes can see. So much food could be grown, so much livestock could be raised, and raised well. I pains me that there aren't as many working farms like this one. There truly should be. All would benefit. This was lovely to watch.

missbhavens at 1:00PM on 09/16/10

From Serious Eats

Seriously Asian: Cooking with Kimchi

Put some kimchi in a Shin Ramyun bowl and you've got yourself a meal! Huh. I'm not likely going to find kimchi at my local grocery in new Orleans like I did in Queens. I guess I'm going to have to learn to make my own!

missbhavens at 3:48PM on 09/10/10

From Serious Eats

Equipment: The New Shape of Paring Knives

Oh how I miss my wee dimpled Henckles paring knife, the only decent knife I've ever purchased (I inherited my Mom's great knives when she moved, thank God). My damn husband took it on a road trip (To slice banana, he says! Who slices a banana? It's a BANANA! Grrrrrr!) and it never found its way home.

He actually knows better than to enter the kitchen when I'm on paring duty using my POS walmart special. I'm still furious about it, a year later.

I should start saving now. Or suggest it as a birthday present.

missbhavens at 12:00PM on 09/09/10

From Drinks

Cocktails and Spirits with Paul Clarke: Infused Booze

A couple of years ago I started making my own vanilla extract, so flavored booze wasn't far behind. I didn't care for the watermelon. Just not tasty enough. Terrific success with tangerine-basil and also strawberry. Straight-up pineapple is the most flavorful in the least amount of time.

Coffee beans! Oh my. That sounds like a terrific -- I mean terrible -- I mean dangerously fantastic idea.

I've held off infusing this year. I really just did not need that much tasty boozejiuce lying around.

missbhavens at 11:49AM on 09/09/10

From Serious Eats

Poll: Do You Buy Store Brands More Often Than Name Brands?

I clicked "more often" although it's probably really 50/50. Some things I simply will not budge on. Hellman's is a lock as are Jif, Doritos and King Arthur flour, nevernevernever generic coffee beans, and always Heinz catsup. We barely ever use catsup, but I won't settle. I do tend to buy "lower end" brands. Polar or White Rock sodas, Malt-o-meal cereals for example. But I'd NEVER buy generc pop tarts! Blecch! Why? Because they are a rare treat, and should not disappoint. Anything else that isn't meat is Generic City. Love the TJ and LOVE WF365. In fact, when at WF I only buy 365 because it's the only stuff in that damn store I can afford.

missbhavens at 11:43AM on 09/09/10

From Serious Eats

Breakfast Cereal Marshmallows: Yea or Nay?

Oh BIG yay for sure! But big NAY to buying them form this guy, who also deals in used luxury sedans and something that sounds suspiciously like Colon Blow...

missbhavens at 11:33AM on 09/09/10

From A Hamburger Today

Video: McDonald's Recent Gay-Themed Ad in France

I think perhaps Miz Lee didn't so much mean "understandably" but rather meant "unsurprisingly."

missbhavens at 5:10PM on 06/10/10

From Sweets

Fish-and-Chip-Flavored Ice Cream

I had a foie gras ice cream at Commander's Palace once and totally loved it, although it was hard to take that first bite because of the "weird" factor.

I had durian ice cream in Vietnam and while not actually weird, it sure was effing nasty.

missbhavens at 3:43PM on 06/10/10

From Serious Eats

What's On Your Memorial Day Menu?

Oh, these all sound SO good! It's the end of the day and I ended up stuffing my guests with

-carrot-jicama-dried cherry salad with honey dijon dressing
-string bean-fingerling potato salad with creamy herb dressing (aka:"ranch")
-stuffed mushrooms
-baked baby back ribs with my special rhubarb BBQ sauce
-grilled marinaded London broil
-cold sesame noodles with sliced roasted pork belly
-grilled honeyed eggplant
-corn on the cob

and people brought gazpacho, pate and strawberry crisp. Unreal.

(oh, and also rhubarb-ginger cocktails. Whoa.)

missbhavens at 10:58PM on 05/31/10

From Slice

Pineapple Pizza. I Love It. Get Over It.

I'm with GirlSlice on both pineapple pizza and McD's fish sandwiches. She's obviously my sister from another mother. :)

Anyone who speaks out so violently against another person's choice of pizza topping is likely a closet pineapple pizza lover: A de facto George Rekers of pizza.

missbhavens at 2:33PM on 05/11/10

From Serious Eats

Video: Betty White's Muffin Skit on SNL

Well, that seals the deal. I'll be watching that WHOLE show online tonight. MAN, that was awesome! Love those three!!

missbhavens at 2:05PM on 05/11/10

From Serious Eats: New York

Poll: Kids In High-End Restaurants: Way or No Way?

I'm with carriebwc (a few comments up). It's the parents, really, and parents these days seem to have a terrible time understanding that their lives will be IRREVOCABLY changed when they have kids. One of those lifestyle changes? Fancy dinners out! The biggest parenting lie being purported today? That you can (and totally deserve) to have it all.

You can't, and you likely don't. I'm sorry, I really am. No whining please; no "but we're just dying for a night out! It's been ages! You can't imagine!"

I CAN imagine. It's one of the reasons I don't have kids.

Hire a sitter. Heck, I'll do it! I'll watch my friend's kids so they can go enjoy a fancy night out, no problem! I love kids! Just not in expensive high-end restaurants. Not when I'm spending $100 on my meal. No.

I don't want kids banned form restaurants, I want parents to exhibit some common sense. Dinner at 5:30, perhaps, instead of 8pm? Fair. Kid is screaming? Take them outside till things calm down. If they can't handle the experience, the they aren't ready and you'll have to wait until they can stay in their seat, not throw stuff and not scream bloody murder.

Simple as that.

missbhavens at 1:54PM on 05/11/10

From Serious Eats

The Life and Death of a Gobstopper

Wow. That takes chutzpah. Tongue must be exhausted. Reminds me of a giant gobstopper-type candy I nursed for months as a kid: it was called a Dinosaur Egg and was unfortunately blue on the outside. My hands and mouth were tinted for ages.

missbhavens at 9:38PM on 04/03/10

From Drinks

Wine for $9: The Best Boxed Whites

We have the same problem as NWCajun. We were very enthusiastic about boxed wine at first, but then realized that having the boxes around "made" us drink twice as much. Literally. It took us awhile to figure this out; about two delightfully hazy, tipsy years. Now we're back to bottles. We're spending the same money and drinking less wine, which is a bummer for my wallet, but better for my liver.

missbhavens at 2:30PM on 03/30/10

From Recipes

Irish Soda Bread with Nuts: Is That Allowed?

I am pro-nuts and anti-caraway seeds so this totally works for me.

missbhavens at 5:03PM on 03/17/10

From A Hamburger Today

Astoria NYC: BareBurger

Because it's nearby and there are few burgers in this neighborhood worth a damn (actually, I can't even think of one) I was SO hoping Bare Burger was the answer to my meaty prayers.

It wasn't.

It was okay, but I thought wildly overpriced. $11 for three sliders with no fries it bats for this neighborhood. Seriously.

I will give them a second chance, though, because I want to Believe.

missbhavens at 2:49PM on 03/17/10

From Serious Eats

What Spring Foods Are You Looking Forward To?

Rhubarb!!

(and I second the vote for Cadbury Creme Eggs!)

missbhavens at 3:48AM on 03/15/10

From Serious Eats

Hot Dog of the Week: Mini Dogs from Troy, New York

A neat upstate tread I've never heard of! These look delightful! So delightful, in fact, that I wouldn't be bothered by the yellow mustard (which, as a NYC gal, I NEVER touch.).

I'll take twelve.

missbhavens at 1:18PM on 03/09/10

From Talk

Do you have a favourite mug?

I admit to having three favorites that I rotate through (i certainly DON'T do the dishes daily!)

1. My incredible handmade crazily-glazed, wildly-textured, lumpy-bumpy earthenware mug I purchased three years ago on Etsy. It was made & sold by "melabo". NO ONE is allowed to use it but me. I have been known to remove it from my hubby's hand.

2. My clear glass Liberace mug from the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas.

3. An old mug advertising the PBS program "Mystery!". It is an Edward Gorey montage, with people/pets/objects that appear and disappear when hot liquid is added to the mug. It is awesome.

missbhavens at 9:16PM on 03/08/10

From Serious Eats

Do You Hate Popcorn?

Oh. Em. Gee. This is a travesty. A mockery. I am horrified. I might cry.

I don't understand.

Popcorn is the fifth food group. I eat popcorn every day. Granted, it's kettle popped with melted Danish butter and seasoned salt, but still.

I had no idea there were popcorn haters. No idea.

You poor, lost souls.

missbhavens at 1:04AM on 03/05/10

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'My New Orleans'

In upstate New York? Summer Corn! Corn, corn, corny corn corn!

missbhavens at 3:57PM on 03/03/10

From Recipes

Rich and Gooey Hot Fudge Sauce

Ixnay on the ornsyrupcay (although I'm totally with you on the malted powder)!

In the wayback I worked at Steve's Ice Cream for years (way longer than I should have) and our hot fudge killed! Corn syrup? Ick! No! Cream, chocolate, sugar, butter, salt. Done.

The corn syrup offends me BUT I'm totally psyched that you've reminded me how easy it is to whip up hot fudge at home home and that I should TOTALLY be doing it more often!

missbhavens at 3:53PM on 03/03/10

From Serious Eats