142 replies to this topic

[Peter the eater]

I do not remove the seeds from tomatoes.

well at least I hope you peel them...

I'd rather eat tomato seeds than tomato skin. The food processor makes short work of both.

Last week I watched Jamie Oliver make a festive green salad. With a knife he chopped a bunch of apples then threw them in claiming all the best flavour's in the seeds and core. Count me out.

[annabelle]

That's kind of dumb since apple seeds contain toxins. Granted, you'd have to eat a LOT of them, but still. You aren't supposed to feed apple cores to dogs because of that.

[Nyleve Baar]

There is a video currently circulating on Facebook where someone in one of Saveur's test kitchens "peels" a head of garlc in 10 seconds.

No, that is not a typo.

Place a head of garlic between two metal bowls, shake vigorously for 10 seconds and voila. Instant peeled cloves.

My son taught me that one a few weeks ago and it's hilarious fun. I sometimes use my cocktail shaker to peel the garlic - it's like a magic trick! Just throw them in there and shake for a while. Remove the lid and pour out peeled garlic cloves. Oh come on - you can't resist!

[liuzhou]

For those who haven't seen it, the 10 second garlic peeling video is on YouTube here.

[Fantastic Mr Fox]

After making dinner tonight..."spag and balls"...I acknowledge the following:

- I have no issues with using bottled pasta sauce
- I put the raw meat balls directly in to the simmering sauce rather than cooking them first
- I always make the whole box of pasta
- I use the same spoon to stir the sauce as I do to stir the pasta
Addition...I use powered "spices" to flavor the meat, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.

Edited by Fantastic Mr Fox, 03 January 2012 - 07:55 PM.

[liuzhou]

I put the raw meat balls directly in to the simmering sauce rather than cooking them first

Me too. Always.

[annachan]

I put the raw meat balls directly in to the simmering sauce rather than cooking them first

Me too. Always.

I like it better that way. Meat can flavor sauce and vice versa.

[LindaK]

Much as I appreciate good coffee, I'm more than grateful for decent pre-ground stuff first thing in the morning when trying to morph from zombie to human being.

[Fantastic Mr Fox]

Much as I appreciate good coffee, I'm more than grateful for decent pre-ground stuff first thing in the morning when trying to morph from zombie to human being.

The ultimate in this vein is the K-Cup. I love them...but not on the weekend.

[lindag]

The ultimate in this vein is the K-Cup. I love them...but not on the weekend.

I'm not a coffee snob but the K-cups, to me, always taste a little too much like instant coffee.
I'll stick with my Mochamaster, great coffee in under 5 minutes.

Edited by heidih, 04 January 2012 - 10:14 AM.
Fix quote tags

[ambra]

Regarding peeling garlic, a lot of recipes and or chefs on TV in Italy are throwing unpeeled garlic into recipes (to be later removed). I can't wrap my head around that.

[gfweb]

The affection for K-cups is a mystery to me. They are expensive. You can not pour a little coffee or a lot of coffee or top off a half drunk cup.

[Fantastic Mr Fox]

The affection for K-cups is a mystery to me. They are expensive. You can not pour a little coffee or a lot of coffee or top off a half drunk cup.

They are good in a pinch...like at work when that's what your employer pays for now. It's their corporate "short cut". :-)
They aren't all that bad especially now that they have Dunkin Donuts coffee in K-cup form. The only problem I have with them is that they mostly seem to be formulated for the ubiquitous 6oz cup of coffee. I don't know anyone who drinks that little at once.
At home, I don't see how they either practical or economical (or environmentally sound...I can at least compost my used coffee grounds and filters).

[HungryC]

I use canned beans (esp black beans, cannellini, chickpeas, and Blue Runner creole cream style red beans). So there, take away my eGullet membership.

[Aloha Steve]

I've drank Blue Mountain Jamaica and 100% Kona, freshly ground in a machine that grinds then brews for many years. I am the only one in my home that did, so that when I make a pot it lasted days.
It became stale and had to be thrown away frequently.
And cleaning became a chore.

Now I use a Keurig k-cup and am delighted. No fuss, no clean-up and I've found a few flavors that are very nice. One of these days I will purchase a reusable filter in which I can use any ground beans.
But for now, I'm enjoying the ease of using pre-packaged pods.

Edited by Aloha Steve, 04 January 2012 - 08:27 AM.

[annabelle]

I use canned beans (esp black beans, cannellini, chickpeas, and Blue Runner creole cream style red beans). So there, take away my eGullet membership.

Same here. I'll come sit by you.

[Fantastic Mr Fox]

I've drank Blue Mountain Jamaica and 100% Kona, freshly ground in a machine that grinds then brews for many years. I am the only one in my home that did, so that when I make a pot it lasted days.
It became stale and had to be thrown away frequently.
And cleaning became a chore.

Now I use a Keurig k-cup and am delighted. No fuss, no clean-up and I've found a few flavors that are very nice. One of these days I will purchase a reusable filter in which I can use any ground beans.
But for now, I'm enjoying the ease of using pre-packaged pods.

I saw the reusable K-Cups in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day (they were in the "Beyond" section"). I got excited for a minute and considered buying a K-Cup machine for home. Then I realized I'm probably too lazy to keep refilling it with water since the one at work that I am used to is connected directly to the plumbing.
Yeah, I know it is the same as filling a "regular" coffee maker...but that is just how my brain works. :-)

[Toliver]

I came away from it that fresh garlic (however you prepare it) tastes different. Does it not?

I've posted about this before...Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen experimented with garlic, comparing pre-peeled versus fresh peeled. They found that in cooked dishes, they couldn't distinguish the difference between pre-peeled and fresh peeled. They use pre-peeled garlic in all of their cooked recipes to save on prep time.

[Aloha Steve]

I came away from it that fresh garlic (however you prepare it) tastes different. Does it not?

I've posted about this before...Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen experimented with garlic, comparing pre-peeled versus fresh peeled. They found that in cooked dishes, they couldn't distinguish the difference between pre-peeled and fresh peeled. They use pre-peeled garlic in all of their cooked recipes to save on prep time.

Thanks for the info next time at Costco it will be bought.

[judiu]

I've drank Blue Mountain Jamaica and 100% Kona, freshly ground in a machine that grinds then brews for many years. I am the only one in my home that did, so that when I make a pot it lasted days.
It became stale and had to be thrown away frequently.
And cleaning became a chore.

Now I use a Keurig k-cup and am delighted. No fuss, no clean-up and I've found a few flavors that are very nice. One of these days I will purchase a reusable filter in which I can use any ground beans.
But for now, I'm enjoying the ease of using pre-packaged pods.

Steve, I used to discard my leftover coffee, but now I freeze it for iced coffee. Makes great slushies, too!

[rarerollingobject]

Um, I'm vaguely ashamed to say that one thing I almost never bother to do is make risotto properly.. I have patience for any number of other kitchen tasks, but for some reason, standing at a hot stove stirring stock gradually in continuously for 30+ minutes or whatever is beyond the pale IMO.

So I either tend to make it paella-style (all the stock in at once), or wrangle my boyfriend to stand there and stir mindlessly while I go and take a nap.

True, you don't get as much of that lovely, oozy creaminess with paella-style risotto, but you DO get a nap!

Edited by rarerollingobject, 04 January 2012 - 05:20 PM.

[rarerollingobject]

Oh, and er...I only sometimes and not all that often rinse plain white rice before cooking it..

Edited by rarerollingobject, 04 January 2012 - 05:33 PM.

[pyrguy]

I use canned beans (esp black beans, cannellini, chickpeas, and Blue Runner creole cream style red beans). So there, take away my eGullet membership.

Same here. I'll come sit by you.

Me too. Blue Runner canned beans are the BOMB! as the kids say. I grew up in south Louisiana. If you didn't make them from scratch your self Blue Runner and VanCamps Red Beans made the meal.

[Susie Q]

Canned bean girl here, especially when making hummus. I'll sit with the rest of them as long as nobody toots.

Tomato seeds means homemade right?

In a pinch... a pound of bulk Italian sausage browned with some extra fennel seed, a couple jars of Ralph's grocery store Arribata Sauce poured in. Simmer a bit. Quick, flavorful and easy.

Edited by Susie Q, 04 January 2012 - 10:11 PM.

[Shalmanese]

I've never bought cheesecloth before. It's either filtered through a fine mesh strainer and I live with a bit of sediment or I use paper towels instead.

[Mjx]

Oh, and er...I only sometimes and not all that often rinse plain white rice before cooking it..

I can top that: Up until this moment, I'd managed to completely forget that you're even supposed to rinse rice before cooking it.

I also often drink instant coffee.

[rarerollingobject]

Oh, and er...I only sometimes and not all that often rinse plain white rice before cooking it..

I can top that: Up until this moment, I'd managed to completely forget that you're even supposed to rinse rice before cooking it.

I also often drink instant coffee.

Well, if you blanked that you were supposed to be doing it, you can't be accused of taking the shortcut! I win in the slackness stakes here, because I KNOW I'm supposed to but still can't be bothered.

Instant coffee..OK, you can have that one.

[tmjst]

I use canned beans (esp black beans, cannellini, chickpeas, and Blue Runner creole cream style red beans). So there, take away my eGullet membership.

Same here. I'll come sit by you.

Me too. Blue Runner canned beans are the BOMB! as the kids say. I grew up in south Louisiana. If you didn't make them from scratch your self Blue Runner and VanCamps Red Beans made the meal.

OMG, this is hilarious. Up until I read this thread I thought that "Blue Runner Beans" was a variant of "Scarlet Runner Beans." Now I realize why I never saw a bag of them in the dried bean section of the grocery store. They've been on my "Buy them if you ever see them" list for an embarassingly long time! Is "Blue Runner" a regional brand?

[Shel_B]

I use prepeeled garlic....used to use a garlic press, now i use a microplane.

Oh, wow! I likke the idea of using a microplane for preparing garlic for certain sauces. I've been slicing the cloves super thin with a razor blade or very sharp, thin-bladed knife, but this microiplane thing sounds perfect. Thanks.

[Shel_B]

I like to make brown rice and then freeze it in large zip lock bags. I flatten the bag so the rice is no more than 1/2-inch thick - often a little thinner - and lay it flat on a shelf. Then when I want brown rice for a meal, I just break off a chunk and warm it in the microwave or add it to whatever else I may be preparing, such as a soup or stew. It takes little space in the freezer and is very convenient.