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The Ten Most Recent Posts By nalega

From Talk

Pizza Toppings

I just posted in "cooking and baking" regarding grilled pizza technique - now I'm making my list of toppings to provide for my "make your own grilled pizza" meal - some are untraditional, but I want to have fun with it. I also don't want to go completely overboard. What else needs to be on the list?

tomato sauce
pesto
BBQ sauce

mozzerella
cheddar
goat cheese

carmelized onion
regular onions
peppers
mushrooms
pine nuts?
pineapple?

From Talk

Who has grilled pizza?

I'm working on my menu for 4th of July, and have decided on "make your own grilled pizzas" as the main course. We have about 20 people coming, and I want to have as much ready in advance as possible. I'll buy the dough (I'm making everything else from scratch, have to draw the line somewhere!), and I'll have all the toppings in individual bowls in advance.

The question is - how do I prepare the dough to allow people to top them themselves before grilling? Can I grill it on one side in advance, take them off the grill to be topped by each person, and then return them to the grill later to finish (how far in advance?) How do I make this work for a crowd? Thanks!

The Ten Most Recent Comments By nalega

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Mayo is fine, but it's gotta be mayo AND ketchup - dunked first in the mayo then the ketchup (not mixed together... that would just be gross :) )

Or dunk it into a chocolate milkshake at a diner (a favorite of mine in high school)

Or make 'em cheese fries and coat them in marinara sauce..... ( i switched to this one college...)

From Talk

weird sandwich making rituals

I also can't use the same utensil for more than one condiment. I also go through several spoons or knives when i make anything.

The mayo on the sandwich HAS to be between the lettuce and the tomato.

Ketchup (if it's a veggie burger or something) can't touch the lettuce or tomato or cheese. But it can touch the burger, bun, pickles or onions. So a veggie burger from bottom to top is: bun, onions, ketchup, pickles, burger, cheese, tomato, mayo, lettuce, bun.

From Talk

Have you used recipes on food packages?

i like the potato salad recipe on the back of the hellmans jar!

From Serious Eats

Is it Rude to Eat on Mass Transit?

I take the subway every day, and have no problem with a cup of coffee or a bag of chips around me. I do on RARE occation when in a rush (though never when the train is crowded) eat a sandwich. The foods that annoy me when other people eat them are hot foods (they smell more than cold), anything the requires a fork and knife (more chance of leaving a mess), and thingd like sunflower seeds (for some reason people think they can fling the shells and leftover bits on the floor.


When it comes to air travel, there's one airline that insists, for their vegetarian breakfast meal, to serve curry. I'm a vegetarian, and can't stand most curry. I feel awful when everyone turns to look at me to figure out who brought the stinky food. I don't know too many people who would want to be around curry at 8am, and hate to be the source of it!

From Talk

Who has grilled pizza?


Thanks folks! Turns out we had 25 people, not 20... but it went beautifully!

I used prepackaged dough this time, and defrosted it that morning. Before company arrived i rolled out the dough into individual oval shaped pies (about 4 ounces per person) and grilled it on both sides just till slightly browned. I set them aside, and when we were ready to serve dinner everyone topped their own pie, and i grilled them on a tin tray, with the grill cover closed (when i tried it without the tin it ended up burning). It did take longer than expected for the cheese to melt, but still fast enough where people werent waiting too long.

They all heated and crisped up perfectly. No one there had ever even heard of grilled pizza before, and were all blown away by it. Completely sucessful! Next time I'll do it only with a smaller group, but it wasn't at all as scary as I thought it would be.

From Talk

Who has grilled pizza?

Ok, now I'm scared - I thought this would be a fun and easy way to impress! (and the guest list is up to 25). I think right before people get there, I'll grill the dough on both sides, and when we're ready to eat, and the coals are cooler we'll do toppings. Do you think it would be helpful if when we finished the toppings, that we do them on foil or in a pan, leaving the heat to melt it all without charring the dough any further?

Thanks for all the tips!

From Talk

Pizza Toppings

I know that most of my guests won't eat the meat, but maybe I'll add one just in case. I'll definetely have olive oil and herbs on hand, as well as a few more of the veggies. Thanks!

From Talk

Cookout Dessert

@chiff0nade - yes! i've grilled fruit skewers WITH chunks of angel food cake (pound cake works too). i usually brush that with some raspberry jam thinned with some OJ. Love what that does to the cake, and adds a nice touch to the fruit.

( I think i got the from the book "a vegetarian grill" - but doing it so long now I'm not sure)

From Serious Eats: New York

On Banning Photography from Restaurants

Don't quote me on this, but I think that photography is banned at starbucks...I vaguely remember someone telling me that she was kicked out of a starbucks for taking pictures. (she was working on a project for a photoagrphy class, and apparently saw some great lighting that would work well for her assignment)

From Serious Eats: New York

On Banning Photography from Restaurants

I take food pictures ALL the time when I'm traveling, and never once has it occurred to me that I might be annoying or offending anyone. I usually turn off the flash, because I prefer the way the pictures come out. I'm seriously in shock that this has even become a matter of discussion!

Food to me is as important a part in my travels as the sites are - eiffel tower or crepe, acropolis or spanikopita, there's no way I'm going to stop documenting the amazing things that I've eaten around the world. I look at the food pictures, and they bring me back to that moment more than the other pictures do - I remember the smell, the taste, the texture... I can't imagine not being able to hold onto those memories.

I consider myself a very respectful person, especially while traveling as I know that other places has different customs, but I don't understand how my discreet taking of photos will affect anyone around me, and I would be upset if anyone asked me to stop.

Responses to Comments by nalega

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Thin, crispy and salted.

From Talk

weird sandwich making rituals

Mayo on the meat, mustard on the bread!

From Talk

weird sandwich making rituals

Mayo on the meat, mustard on the bread!

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Karl in Sling Blade liked "taters and mustard".

Mustard is pretty good but I seldom eat them that way. I'm a ketchup man.
I prefer French Fries cut thicker than McDonald's and fried twice is best. I am pretty sick of french fries automatically coming with a hamburger.

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Thrashers french fries are the perfect fry in every way.

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

I like any size, but the must be smothered in something! Chili and cheese is the best! (I am such a food snob I cant believe I posted my secret vice!)

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Oh yeah it's been years since i ate Red Robin's fries. I liked them w/their seasoning salt as well. To me if fries are made well and has the right seasoning, ect., I want to taste the potato not anything else, WITH the exception of Dick's fries, It is a must that I dip them in their tartar.

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

I always order them unsalted. :)

Arby's curly fries are the anomaly for me. Those are awesome, but only when they're fresh. They're god awful when they're 10 minutes old. I can eat other fries after 10 minutes, even fries that have been in the fridge, but not the curly fries...

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

regular potatoes, McD's dimensions, steak fries only if they're done properly (I'm a sucker for Red Robin's - I actually like the season salt!) or shoestring sweet potato fries with sea salt. I'll dip anything but the sweet potatoes in whatever's handy if the salt and frying aren't perfect.

Oh, and the soggy garlic fries at Qwest Field or Safeco Field in Seattle!

From Talk

French Fries.... Does Size Really Matter?

Oh, I forgot to add, the sweet potato fries have roast beef debris as well.