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Serious Green: Planting a Container Garden
I am in Michigan so we have a short growing season with possibilities of frost right up unti June, so I love my container garden that sits on a large table in my back yard, 'cause it is easy to cover when there is a frost forecast. I have half dozen planter boxes for my sweet basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, chives and Thai Basil(awesome). Then I graduate to deeper, wider containers for eggplant, okra, and yes, even some corn. I have half dozen five gallon paint buckets for different tomatoes. I plant zucchini, summer squash and greens along the fence to climb. I have lived in this house for 65 years and it has huge lawns and lots of space for a garden, but also have a back problem so it's wonderful to have a garden that one doesn't have to bend over to keep cultivated. It is at least 8-9 hours in bright sunshine and it is perfect just for myself. Container gardening is a zen thing and no one hears you talking or singing to your plants. They really respond to you, (and a little Miracle-gro helps too.)
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
Here in Michigan of course you wear a coat, usually nine months out of the year, but I guess I don't go to the kind of restaurants who have coatchecks or have $14.00 soup/sandwiches. But, if I were to ever go to the restaurant that has these things, of course I would tip the coatcheck girl if I used that service. A tip for your table service is expected so I have to assume that the coatcheck girl, and, the lady in the restroom who hands out the towels would also be tipped. If you don't want to tip these people, then don't go to this kind of restaurant. You'll save a lot more money buying the $7.98 bowl of soup and sandwich at a lesser restaurant, which is probably just as good as the expensive one. Do you buy a $14.00 bowl of soup and a sandwich just to impress someone? Certainly laying your coat on a chair just to save a couple bucks would sure impress me. NOT!
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Microwave went on the fritz and I never replaced it. I can pop corn on my stove. I always felt that food cooled down faster when cooked or heated up in a MW. I would like to have one of those avocado scooper/mashers i've seen on CreateTV.com, and i'd like to have one of those potato peelers that were hawked on the streets of NYC by Joe Ades. But I get by with a hand mixer, or a whisk. I would like to have a pasta maker tho. But, I am seventy four years old and I can make do without any of these things. I still have an egg beater that I use, and an old potato masher that I use every week, and an old potato ricer. If the companies depended on me to buy all the new gadgets, they'd go broke in a quick hurry.
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jazzing up white rice
I like to cook rice in chicken broth with slivers of onions, a can of drained mushroom pieces and some caraway seed. I have done this for years and it has always gone over well with my family. Some folks might not like the taste of caraway, but it is well liked here in my house in recipes featuring sauerkraut and apples, rye bread and in white rice. Try it, you'll like it.
Serious Green: Planting a Container Garden
I am in Michigan so we have a short growing season with possibilities of frost right up unti June, so I love my container garden that sits on a large table in my back yard, 'cause it is easy to cover when there is a frost forecast. I have half dozen planter boxes for my sweet basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, chives and Thai Basil(awesome). Then I graduate to deeper, wider containers for eggplant, okra, and yes, even some corn. I have half dozen five gallon paint buckets for different tomatoes. I plant zucchini, summer squash and greens along the fence to climb. I have lived in this house for 65 years and it has huge lawns and lots of space for a garden, but also have a back problem so it's wonderful to have a garden that one doesn't have to bend over to keep cultivated. It is at least 8-9 hours in bright sunshine and it is perfect just for myself. Container gardening is a zen thing and no one hears you talking or singing to your plants. They really respond to you, (and a little Miracle-gro helps too.)
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
Here in Michigan of course you wear a coat, usually nine months out of the year, but I guess I don't go to the kind of restaurants who have coatchecks or have $14.00 soup/sandwiches. But, if I were to ever go to the restaurant that has these things, of course I would tip the coatcheck girl if I used that service. A tip for your table service is expected so I have to assume that the coatcheck girl, and, the lady in the restroom who hands out the towels would also be tipped. If you don't want to tip these people, then don't go to this kind of restaurant. You'll save a lot more money buying the $7.98 bowl of soup and sandwich at a lesser restaurant, which is probably just as good as the expensive one. Do you buy a $14.00 bowl of soup and a sandwich just to impress someone? Certainly laying your coat on a chair just to save a couple bucks would sure impress me. NOT!
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Microwave went on the fritz and I never replaced it. I can pop corn on my stove. I always felt that food cooled down faster when cooked or heated up in a MW. I would like to have one of those avocado scooper/mashers i've seen on CreateTV.com, and i'd like to have one of those potato peelers that were hawked on the streets of NYC by Joe Ades. But I get by with a hand mixer, or a whisk. I would like to have a pasta maker tho. But, I am seventy four years old and I can make do without any of these things. I still have an egg beater that I use, and an old potato masher that I use every week, and an old potato ricer. If the companies depended on me to buy all the new gadgets, they'd go broke in a quick hurry.
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
I feel like somehow i've been living on another planet, one without a Wegman's. I've never even heard of it. Here in Michigan, we have Meijers and I love it!! The one in my neighborhood has the most wonderful produce department of any store in the county. I am a fresh fruit and veggie addict, and when I go to Meijers, everyone working in the produce knows me by name and they never fail to wave and say hi. I have been a faithful shopper there since they opened about twenty years ago. I buy very little at deli's but it's a nice one. For the best deal on canned goods tho, I go to Aldi and save at least half of what I would spend at any other store. Clean store with wide aisles and a good selection at 39¢ to 89¢ a can, and a GREAT frozen section. I do buy some veggies there too because it is quality and quantity all at a low price. But Meijers? I would cry big tears if they closed up.
susi
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
A knife, a knife!! but only for a few garlic cloves. a mini food chopper is great if there is a need for more than a few, but, for really ground and spicier garlic, use a mortar and pestle. I used to be a medication nurse and used this tool often to grind up pills to put into applesauce for my elderly patients. Nothing, in my experience, can beat this tool for making something finely ground. I use mine exclusively for garlic, but if you wish to use if for something else, just wipe it out with some lemon juice or soapy hot water. I always have a problem smashing garlic with my knife to make it spreadable on garlic bread. So, if I have a unitasker, it won't be a garlic press, it must be my morter and pestle.
susi
Flavor: What We Thought We Knew Is Wrong
JerseyWarren, you are SO right! I live in Flint, Michigan and if I want a hamburger I still go to Halo Burger where they make them the same as they did back when I was a kid in the forties. When I want Italian food, I make it here at home. If I want Mexican food, I make it here at home. Having lived a few years in Queens, NY, my Neopolitan landlady taught me how to cook Italian, and having lived many years in Texas, I know how to cook mexican food. I have pretty much given up eating in restaurants that can be found in any city in the US and just stick to the same little places where I ate in the different places I have lived that have been carried on by the families who started them so many years ago. Nothing can compare!! And, I love beets AND goat cheese!
susi
Dinner Tonight: Dan Barber's Brussels Sprouts
I have to agree with KashaKnish and I too never use a cast iron skillet. But, what i do is, mix baby carrots with the brussel sprouts in a big bowl, with olive oil, coarse ground salt and fresh ground pepper, lay them on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish and roast them at 400° for 30-35 minutes. The carrot turn out so sweet and the brussel sprouts are just yummy!!!
Grilled Cheese Throwdown
Being a cardiac bypass survivor times 2, I really watch my fat intake. Well, I really like grilled cheese sandwiches to accompany my tomato soup, so I have modified a few things and have still come up with an acceptable version. Kraft Fat-Free singles are the closest i've been able to find to the real fat-laden thing so I take two slices and put them in between whole wheat bread that I've brushed with olive oil. The cheese melts nicely and isn't rubbery. If you've got a cholesterol problem, try a grilled cheese sammich this way and change your way of eating. Since i've changed my eating style to lo fat and I go for daily walks, I have dropped from 191 down to 137 lbs and have not felt deprived at all.
What to do with Swiss Chard?
I make a first dish with chard or kale or escarole by cutting it into bitesized pcs, sauteeing it in with some hot italian turkey sausage (bulk), half dozen cloves of chopped garlic, a can of drained, rinsed Great Northern beans, a TBsp of italian seasonings, s/p and two cans of chicken broth and just let it simmer for 30-40 minutes. In place of the sausage, I make meatballs or sometimes even braccioli. Make it your own way and I'm sure it will be delicious.
Corn tortillas - what's the secret?
Making enchiladas is very simple without breaking the tortilla. I always lay mine in a skillet with hot oil for just a couple seconds on each side, remove and lay them on paper towels to soak out the oil, then I dip them into either red or green enchilada sauce( which has been warmed up) before filling and rolling up. I fill, roll, and place in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, cover with the remaining enchilada sauce, chili, shredded cheese and diced onions, cover and put in the oven. These enchiladas are delicious and you fill them with whatever you want.
Look Who's Talkin' About Pies
I have a family dinner twice a year, and I like to keep things simple. I do not make pies from scratch. Some of the family likes cherry pie, some like apple. Because my budget is somewhat tight, I compromise and make one large pie, half apple, half cherry. Works for me. Pillsbury Ready-made Pie Crusts and Comstock Pie Fillings are the best for piemaking (except for homemade, of course). Paint the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar, and just bake and enjoy! From start to oven, maybe fifteen minutes. How easy is that, and they are delicious!!!!!!!
susitee
Would you rather give up coffee or pasta?
Well, being as how I only drink coffee every other am, alternating days with strong tea, I could give up coffee. I only drink one cup anyway. But, pasta???, are you crazy?? I could no more give up my pasta than I could fly! I probably have at least a dozen boxes of various pasta in my pantry right now.
Dinner Tonight: Dan Barber's Brussels Sprouts
We grow our own sprouts, and he's picking the first of 2009 today. I will definitely try this recipe tonight. I usually just steam then, squeeze fresh lemon juice over, season with butter and S&P.
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
I took a "coat check girl" job last night in New York at one of the steak houses because I am in need of some extra cash. Going from an office job to behind the scenes at a restaurant was a complete eye-opener. I am a very thrifty person and I never check my coat, always hanging it on the chair behind me, unless I am attending an event where everyone checks their coat - and even then I can't recall even tipping one dollar, although I probably have, because I never paid any attention to the coat check people. I can tell you that it is a tough job. I worked very hard to keep the coat room organized and took special care of people's things. I tried to return their belongings as quickly as I could when they returned with their tags. It was pouring rain last night, so people had a lot of bags and wet umbrellas that they wanted to store. It was amazing to me how many people checked two umbrellas and a heavy attache in one bunch, and tipped $1. One group checked 10 huge umbrellas together in one group, then tipped $5, which was at least better than nothing. I am sad to say that most of the women, if they were alone or with other women, did not even tip me $1. The men were by far the most generous tippers, some tipping $5 and one fellow $10. Even thinking about the $10 tip makes me appreciate this guy even more, because he must have a better understanding of what it means to be a coat check person than I did before I took this job. I can tell you that every dollar is greatly appreciated. I worked solely for tips, and the restaurant took 20%.
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
I have worked coat check for five seasons and it does upset me when a number of people do not check their coats but what is worst is checking your coat and not tipping. The coat check staff hustles for those tips and we deserve to be treated as generously as the wait staff. I work coat check because I need that extra money to survive. Giving up my evenings to hustle for a job is upseting when the night is not lucrative. I get home about 1 or 2 in the morning and must wake up at 6:30 to go to my full time job. So for those who tip I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Perhaps someday I will get out of my own economic crisis that I have been dealing with for the past 13 years. Coat check staff get paid a very small hourly wage, just like a server.
Serious Green: Planting a Container Garden
I started my first vegatable garden this year in pots outside my townhome as well. I live in South Florida (soon to be Hartford CT), I have a tomato plant, a jalepeno plant, and a banana pepper plant. I also have tyme, basil, sage, and parsely as well, all doing vey well. The jalepenos are just now starting to blossom like crazy, so I am looking forward to being in pepper paridise! I made corn bread last night with cheddar cheese and fresh jalepeno from the plant!
Serious Green: Planting a Container Garden
I built Square Foot Gardens this year. just 1/3 vermiculite 1/3 compost 1/3 peet moss, no fertilizer, no nothing. its working great!
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
I have to agree, I hate the coercive nature of the coat check. In fact, I went to a conference yesterday where I was forced to check my coat, against my will. I was (a) wearing short sleeves and afraid the conference room would be cold and (b) knew I had no cash on me (I was at a conference, not a restaurant!) and didn't want to feel guilty when I retrieved my coat. But left with no choice, even after explaining my reasoning in (a) to the coat check guy, I was forced to check without tipping AND shiver through the conference in front of a drafty window! Next time I'm just going to insist my coat--which is perfectly nice-looking and not bulky in any way--is part of my indoor attire.
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Random thoughts on what is already here-
Microwave for kids- when you have a 9 yr old and a 14 yr old who want to heat something up and you don't necessarily want to supervise (my son is going through a --shudder-- canned ravioli phase), the microwave is great. We also use it as our rice cooker.
The other thing I wouldn't give up would be my KitchenAid. Each week I use it to make pizza dough, shred the cheese for the pizza, shred carrots and make pasta (granted most of those are with the attachments).
Microplane- for grating a bit of parmesan for pasta, you can't beat it, but otherwise, eh.
I am laughing at the 'cherry pitter'- the year I processed about 5 kilos of cherries for jam, I was DARN glad to have that thing! (no, I haven't used it since, but in its day...)
I think panini irons are a bit silly (not the grill things that COOK them-- not as much anyway!)- if you have a flat pan and a cast iron skillet and pot, you use that as your press! :-)
I miss my pizza stone, we used to just leave it in the oven all the time, never had a problem with it (didn't need a place to store it either!).
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
It's interesting to see how many people become oddly intolerant of appliances and gadgets they don't own. It makes me wonder why - it's not like appliances or gadgets attack people or actively do something else to deserve such acute hatred. I don't own a garlic press or a KitchenAid (and I don't need or want either one) and I could easily live without a dishwasher, but it would never occur to me to call these or other appliances "a total waste of space and money" if somebody else uses and enjoys them. If I don't have it - I haven't wasted either space or money, if somebody else has it and uses it - it's not a waste.
Yes, there are plenty of funny, silly and outright ridiculous appliances and gadgets out there (doughnut factory comes to mind), and I may not care for any of them, but you know what, if somebody bought it, likes it and uses it - good for them.
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
cherry pitter its a waste of money and an appliance
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Heeey now...I love my rice cooker! I brought one to college, and its the first thing my sister bought for her new apartment!
We eat rice nearly every day, and while rice in a pot isn't that hard to make, rice in a rice cooker is perfect every time, you can set it and go about your life.
You can also make rice casseroles in it, you can make bread and porridge, oatmeal, etc.
It is the epitome of the quick, cheap, but warm and homey meal.
On the other hand, I wouldn't know what to do with a garlic press or a potato ricer. A fancy pants mandoline with the rubber safety grips and what not has no place in my house, but a cheapo Japanese Benriner does.
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Wow, this is the 140th post to this thread and the smart-alec response I expected when I was writing it up has yet to appear. Annien came the closest, but still no cigar.
It's interesting how many people dislike things that others absolutely love, but there are some that I'd bet we'd all agree are indispensible. Like sharp knives. Well, I know one person who refuses to have sharp knives in her kitchen but she wouldn't be posting here.
I've been completely amused at the responses.
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Some interesting and some funny responses. It just shows there are a lot of cooking style out there and cooking is a very personal experience - thus the tools should fit the person (not just the kitchen). As for me, I am sure how you survive without convection/microwave, rice maker (which is also a convenient steamer), immersion blender and a few other items. Convenient but not necessary are panini grill (not necessarily George Foreman), freezer ice cream maker, deep fat fryer. Totally needed are good chef knives, basic cookware and bakeware (silpat vs parchment goes on) including spring form. And don't forget measuring, mixing, and prep bowls.
yogiwan
Your Smart Kitchen
http://tinyurl.com/8du8d8
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
I love you guys! Especially regarding the bread machine...what a total wast of space and money! Takes all the joy out of making bread.
My favorite gadgets are my blender, hand-crank popcorn maker (pops every kernal, never burns a single one and is so easy!), my "air-bake" cookie sheets (the ones with the hollow center layer...nothing sticks or burns...they're amazing!), my my immersion blender (blend soups right in the pot), and finally, my All Clad Dutch oven. I use it for soups, everything!
As for gadgets that I think are a waste of time, besides the breadmaker, the rice cooker (what...it's too tough to cook rice in a pot???), electric can opener (too much counter space...and how lazy can you get?), garlic peeler (give me a break!), and finally, those new collapsing bowls, measuring cups and colanders. All those ridges must be a nightmare to clean!
Dinner Tonight: Dan Barber's Brussels Sprouts
I never loved brussel sprouts...now I do. I made this recipe for Sunday brunch and it is absolutely delicious! I added some green onion slivers to the finished dish. Rave reviews! The sprouts are now in season, so I will definitely buy more. Thanks!
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
@edoc918: Late posters always welcome! I liked Publix when my parents lived in FL and I visited. Reminded me a bit of Wegmans.
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
I guess I"m a late poster - but when we lived in MN, Kowalski's is the absolute bomb. Unbelievable selection, best produce, meat & cheese, great service, their deli was awesome - and they were open 24 hours.
I'm back in FL now, so Publix is #1, with Sweetbay running a close second. The butcher at Publix deboned our duck, chicken and goose for Thanksgiving for FREE.
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
I heart Shop-rite - from Jersey, Shop-rite every Saturday from earliest memory. Good times : ) When the one nearby shut down, my dad elected to drive to the nearest one, which is about 5 miles further, instead of go to other supermarkets.
At school in upstate NY - Wegmans rocks - can't get McVittles anywhere else, or kumquats...
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
While Wegman's is a great grocery store, I find my local Super Fresh to be No 1 for customer service, bar none.
When they were recently out of whole fryers at 69 cents, (can't beat that), the meat cutter went back to the deli counter and pull out a fryer from the refrigerator and wrapped and priced it for me. That was the best tasting fryer I have ever eaten.
It's the little things like store prepared gourmet apple pies, fresh from The Farm produce, (their potatoes are the best tasting ever), seafood, and my all time favorite tasting beef, Premium Gold Angus.
For a supermarket that has been business now for 150 years, its all about the quality, value and customer service.
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
To me, it's a much larger issue than cleaning, number of uses, etc. but it definitely affects the final taste result, which is very important to me, personally. (I'm bummed I missed this until now, because I've had this discussion many times with good cooks, who are every bit as good a cook as a professional chef--and like to use garlic presses--as opposed to trained chefs (like myself) who have explored many different ways to prepare garlic and find we don't prefer the result.) Using a garlic press does not give you chopped, minced, mashed garlic or garlic paste (which are generally what are used in gourmet cooking), but gives you some of the clove with a lot of the garlic oil which tastes more pungent than if one had the whole clove together. I think this dramatically affects a dish, and is only good for certain purposes, like certain garlicky pasta sauces or mild red salsas (when that type of garlic aftertaste combined with tomatoes and some sugar is very pleasing). To me, each way to prepare garlic, whether slicing, chopping garlic into brunoise or mince or making it into a paste (mince the garlic and then sprinkle some kosher salt onto it, then rub it back and forth with the back of a knife until it's a pulpy mass) all give a different taste to a dish.
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
I'm surprised that no one from the San Franscisco area has mentioned Andronico's. When visiting our daughter in Walnut Creek, we we visited one and thought it a wonderland of food of every kind.
Does Your Grocery Store Have You Crying Tears of Joy?
LOVE my WHOLE FOODS!
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
Garlic presses are good for one thing. For running playdoh through. It looks really cool and you can use the resulting squirmy looking mass for Barbie hair. She needs it since your brother gave her the butch haircut right?
Thanks for the childhood memory.
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
wait...what's wrong with the "stink" of garlic on your hands? and AB is the man. Strive to understand the physics of the kitchen, and it will set you free.
Love & Light,
~cj
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
Ok, I admit it! I do own a garlic press which I use when my husband the sous chef isn't available at home. I am not the most graceful user of knives so I try to leave the chopping and mincing to him, but sometimes that is not an option. Yes, knives are better but safety is also a factor when I cook. :-)
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
I am FAR from a professional chef and even I don't like to use a garlic press. I don't feel like the little machine gets truly clean (which grosses me out!) and it feel awkward in my hands. Would rather just use a good knife and chop away.
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About susitee
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About: 73 year old female, retired nurse,
Favorite foods: Fresh fruits and vegetables, grilled, baked or poached fish, pasta with oil sauces, salads, homemade angel food cake
Last bite on earth: Would have to be grilled tilapia, fresh asparagus, roasted red new potatoes, caesar salad and a bowl of fresh picked red raspberries. Yummy!
I like to cook rice in chicken broth with slivers of onions, a can of drained mushroom pieces and some caraway seed. I have done this for years and it has always gone over well with my family. Some folks might not like the taste of caraway, but it is well liked here in my house in recipes featuring sauerkraut and apples, rye bread and in white rice. Try it, you'll like it.