FistFullaRoux

little ms foodie: Looks nummy. The Panko was a nice touch. Though I prefer Oysters Casino myself. If I bother with cooking them.

Have one of the crawfish sacks for me, wouldya? And I haven't been able to find out if Cowboy Mouth is playing this year, with Paul leaving the band and all. Fred and the gang are always the highlight of the festivities.

I've just watched most of the current one where he makes a tour of the gulf coast, spending quality time at Six Flags over Pork (Hebert's Specialty Meats in Maurice LA). He treated the Cajun stuff with respect, at least. Regarding the issue with "Bizzare", I think there is a bit of Fear Factor in it, but it is bizzare to Ma and Pa Kettle. Considering that Americans have becomes fast food afficianados, the idea of the icky parts of any animal, or vegetables that don't come from a can becomes "bizzare." Sad, but at least it stirs an interest in other foods that many people may not be exposed to.

My top 5, which I always have around: Original Tabasco Jalapeno Tabasco Sriracha Grace Habanero (Carribean habanero sauce - good stuff) Scorned Woman (Good black pepper flavor with the rest of the heat) These are all pretty basic sauces, and they don't overflavor whatever they are added to. More ingredients do not make it better. These formulations play well with most food. This is pure pepper flavor with a bit of acidity, but it's controllable. And no, Texas Pete and the like are not a substitute for Tabasco. There is a difference, though I prefer the Tabasco flavor over the cayenne. Besides, ground cayenne is easy to find. Though not technically hot sauces, I would also include Chinese mustard, wasabi, and prepared horseradish. I usually also have some Dave's Insanity for my friends who think they know what they are talking about. The Grace Habanero is much better IMO. ETA - I also don't include the whole pickled peppers in vinegar, as I think that's more of a flavored vinegar than a hot sauce. Still might handy to have around. Try that with some sauteed mushrooms.

I think that approaching someone specifically about a tip is bad form. It is, however completely acceptable for someone who gets a small tip to ask about the customer's satisfaction with the experience. Note I did not say ask about the tip itself. I have at least once taken a tip back when asked about a purposely small tip. I think that my tip speaks for itself. I may be in the minority here. But I am pretty forgiving, especially when the restaurant is busy, or shorthanded staff, or any number of other reasons. I think 25-30% is minimum, and have tipped as much as 40% when things have gone exceedingly well. I've gone as far as not tipping and asking for a manager when things have gone really bad. All that to say, use this situation as an opportunity to find out if the customer is upset by something. Hopefully, that is enough of a hint to the customer that they may have made a misstep. Mentioning it directly is crass.

How many bars have kitchens? How many bars would pass health inspections with something made at home in a mason jar?

Along the lines of toast, don't forget the premade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with the crust already cut off. Waffles. Pizza is easier for me to order or buy, simply for the convenience. Though if I could find a good quality frozen pizza dough, that would probably change. And iced tea in a jug I think is bought more for the fact that it is already in a jug, just put it in the fridge and you are good to go. I often buy a local brand here just to bring to bring to pot lucks and such. I can make gallons of the stuff no sweat, but the lack of transportable containers, and the lack of space to store those empty containers for re-use means that the premium for the convenience is worth it.

Hey, there's a Ranch House in Birmingham. I think it's one of the last bits of the chain. Burger Chef (and Jeff!) - Hadn't thought about that in years. Annoying website about the greatest place ever. Of course, it was the only chain place in my hometown (besides Pizza Hut). Even McDonald's wasn't there until the early 80's.

Kinda. Johnny Depp was paying homage to Charlie Chaplin in Gold Rush. A brilliant bit of filmmaking. Search YouTube for "Charlie Chaplin Table Ballet" for the original and best.

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/food_an...icle2255670.ece From Nero's "ultimate orgy" to today's (2/10/007) Epicurean Masters of the World banquet in Bangkok, simply reading the list made my cholesterol spike 20 points. Lovely delicacies like a 4 foot tall marzipan mosque, extra helpings of ortolans, escalloped elephant, and boiled veal in a helmet - two of these incredible meals resulting in prosecution by a king and condemnation from a Pope. The kicker? A 31 course meal by Claude Mornay that was given an indifferent review by the NYT. Pardon me while I go fix a salad...

Try this one - Two entertaining rolls... and a shoe.

8. "Say was that a Big Kahuna Burger? That's one tasty MF'er." Pulp Fiction - Many other food references in that one as well

http://blog.ruhlman.com/2007/02/guest_blogging_.html Yes, we've gotten bits and pieces of his invective being hurled at Food Network bobbleheads, but here it is, all in one easy to digest mouthful. I taste vinegar and curry, what say you?

How about a black eyed pea hummous?

Why make life more difficult on a stressful night? This sounds weird, but it is good, I promise. Mix 3/4 cup of mayo with 1 pkg of onion soup mix. Cover the entire loin in this mixture. No need for salt, you may want to add a bit of pepper. Bake at 350 until a thermometer reads the doneness of your choice. Slice and serve. Makes great sandwiches the next day. As easy as a recipe gets, and it really is good. I was a little skittish at the whole mayo used in baking thing until I realized, it's just eggs and oil. Or use the mayo base and your own spice mix. A word of advice, you do get quite a lot of free oil during cooking. Don't be alarmed. edited for typos. flippin laptop keyboard.

The $1.99 price tag didn't clue you in?

garlic sauteed sunchoke with a wasabi sorbet Actually doesn't sound that bad. The wasabi sorbet just might be interesting. ETA: And the vodka mashed lentils are killing me. Also the heirloom brioche (I've actually had that - not recommended)

Yeah the stainless should work, but a disposable aluminum loaf pan would work. But they would also work if you just put them on the oven floor. You oven is either stainless or enamel coated, so no problems.

After some thought, I have come to the conclusion that TV and the interstates are to blame for the blurring of the lines. There has been much cross-cultural pollenation in the last 50-75 years, plus migration of native southerners north and west, with a larger amount of outside influence coming in. Florida is a perfect example, where even many Floridians no longer consider Miami to be a southern city. It's more of a Cuban/Carribean city, with a lot of snowbirds. It's odd that noone would consider Key West a southern city. So it's not just geography. It can't be a list of cities or states. Good examples of "southern foods" or "southern traditions" can be found all over the continent, as pointed out above. It can't be just grits, or okra, or BBQ. It's not a single ingredient, or group of ingredients. Just because you can find good Mexican food in Birmingham or good BBQ in NYC does not make NYC southern, or Birmingham southwest. You have to go back 50 years or so to see what the area's traditions are. Today's cuisine and culture are a mix of a lot of influences. There are things in grocery stores all over "the south" that would not have been there 50 years ago. But if they were, they would have been used, at least sparingly. In the past, I think southern cooks (really any cooks from anywhere) did not cook the way they did to uphold any culinary tradition. It was what the family liked, traditional or not. Ask a native of Egypt (just to pick a country) who lives in Atlanta what his favorite food is, and it probably would not be cornbread.

How about using it as the liquid component in a casserole? If it would work with potatoes, it would work with pasta as well. Put some in a squeeze bottle for plate decoration. I would also try making it into a dip with some pureed chickpeas or melted cheese. I like the curry idea best myself. Failing that, there's always the first cauliflower stucco patching material.

IIRC, On Hell's Kitchen, someone used raw carrot greens as a garnish and was told by Ramsey that the greens were too bitter to be edible. Is that only in the raw state? Once cooked, what do they taste like? I've never had the chance to try them, and they have pretty much stayed under my radar until this thread.

emmalish: I think what K8 was trying to say regarding plopping the canned stuff down was to add it to in a bowl in the hole left after removing the cake from the pan after baking, as sort of a dipping sauce or something you could choose to put on the side. The filled cake is done by adding the tunnel of whatever by adding half of the batter to the pan, adding the filling without touching the edges, then the remaining batter. The end result when sliced reveals a chocolate cake with a cherry center in each serving.

As far as the reason for storing it, sometimes, I frankly do not have time to make it from scratch. Not that it is a difficult thing to do, but the smell can be kind of intense, and it's quicker to use frozen if it is on hand. It's like stock. If you have frozen available, why make it from the beginning, especially if it is from your own kitchen anyway? Roux is one of those things that keep well, so it makes sense to make larger batches less frequently. Creates more options come dinnertime, and less opportunity for pizza delivery in a moment of weakness.

Any heavy pot will work best, regardless of the coating. Many swear by cast iron, but it's pretty much whatever you have on hand and what you are comfortable using. Gumbos in South Louisiana are made in everything from thin aluminum stock pots to cast iron dutch ovens. Though the roux is usually made in a smaller heavier pot then transferred to the lighter one once the trinity has been incorporated. Time wise, I don't see how LC would contribute anything. Heavy pots do transfer heat more evenly, and that is the only difference. My guess is that psychologically, the light enamel does show color changes more readily than a well seasoned cast iron pan does.

Sorry about the delay in responding... What Paul Stanley saw in his pot is to be expected. The texture will change as the protiens and starches in the flour and the fats in the oil interact with each other going through temperature changes. 20 minutes for a medium to dark roux sounds pretty normal. With practice, there are techniques that go much faster, but require lots of knowlege. Ask Mayhaw Man about his Cajun Napalm techniques. In the end, if it did not have black flecks and a burnt taste, all is well. One note on the oil. I saw that you used nut oils, and I would be a little leery of that, the lone exception being peanut oil. Peanut, vegetable, or canola oils are your best bets because of high smoke points, though lard or rendered beef fat work great as well. Also a neutral flavored oil is preferred. eta: All purpose flour or it's equivalent is what you should use. If I remember correctly, plain French flour is slightly different from American all-purpose somehow. Julia Child mentioned in one book that American all-purpose is bleached and chemically treated and has an much longer shelf life than equivalent French flour. That may account for some differences in France. Other areas may have other differences.