NulloModo

M. Lucia - For reheating things, it is much easier to do it in single serve increments in a microwave than in the original container. If I cook a big pot of something I will eat some of it for dinner that night, then have most of the pot left for future dinners/lunches/breakfasts the rest of the week, with a microwave it is only a matter of scooping out what I want, sticking it in a bowl, and heating it. For most things, reheating in the microwave doesn't effect the taste at all. Any soup, stew, casserole, or other dish where the flavors have already mingled works very well, not difference in taste vs. reheating on the stove or in the oven. Obviously for things that could easily change texture in the microwave, like big chunks of meat or leftover pizza, the oven or a skillet is the way to go. As for the steaming argument - I've never noticed a difference between microwaved steamed and traditionally steamed vegetables, but then again, steaming is by far my least favorite way to prepare anything, as it seems to be the least flavorful overall.

I don't actually cook anything in my microwave, but it is good for various things: It is great for getting a mug of water boiling quickly for a cup of tea in the morning. It is great for proofing dough by boiling a cup of water in it, then jamming the dough into it and shutting the door, the steam from the water will keep it nice and warm while it rises. It is pretty much the only way I defrost meat, because I never think to put out what I will be cooking the next day an entire day in advance. It is handy for warming up fillings for things, such as a pile of pastrami, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese to be stuffed into a reuben. It is handy to soften butter or cream cheese for baking purposes. Obviously boxed foods such as flax-meal cereal or frozen dinners (heh, don't scoff, the frozen spinach and paneer dinner from the local Indian market is actually really good) are much easier in the microwave, and don't taste any worse for it. Reheating leftovers such as collard greens, casseroles, eggplant lasagna, or mashed cauliflour works very well, anything with a pretty basic texture. Also, it is handy to quick steam vegetables, especially frozen ones, like the TJs broccoli one can pick up for $1.50 a bag. What I DON'T do with it is: Cook any meat: Meat needs to have a char to really taste good (well, other than steamed stuff and all that), and the microwave won't do that, it also makes lean proteins way too rubbery. Actually, even though fatty meats fare far better, they still aren't perfect. I know a lot of people who like to microwave bacon, but it just doesn't work for me. Toast spices: someone once told me this would be a good idea, it isn't, the seeds explode and your microwave, and anything that comes out of it, smells like cumin for the next month. Cook eggs: Again, they just turn to weird lumps of egg-rubber.

I am not sure how it compared ot Kimchi in Korea, but the Kimchi I get at Korean grocers in the US isn't anymore wet than sauerkraut, chili, a ripe tomato, relish, or plenty of other accepted burger toppings.

Salt Bagels are alive and well in DE. They aren't bad, but I find Everything bagels much more tasty.

Today - Breakfast was a great reuban made on some fresh baked low-carb pumpernickel I made this morning.

Heh, not my best food day: A bag of pork cracklings from a gas station.

Heh, not my best food day: A bag of pork cracklings from a gas station.

A Jibarito is a Cuban plantain based sandwhich. My favorite is the Jibarito con Pernil. Basically, do the following: Slice the plantains into medium thickness slices, overlap as to form something similar to the width of a sub roll unless they are huge, and fry them until they are lightly browned and hold together. Take the makeshift plaintain 'bread' slather with mayo, then top with roasted pork (carnitas is best), cheese (I usually see processed cheese used, but any cheese would work), romaine lettuce, tomato, onion, a little hot sauce, and serve.

Actually, too much hygiene (constant chemical disinfection) weakens the immune system. Medical studies showed that kids playing in "dirty" surroundings (farms with animals, for example) have a siginifictantly stronger immune system and are less prone to allergies than others. The immune system needs sufficient exchange with unfriendly microrganims to become adapted. A question of balance, it seems. ← I completely agree. I am a band director at a middle/elementary school, so I am constantly exposed to lots of germs. I remember getting very sick while I was doing my student teaching, but since then, nothing. It is one of those cases of 'what doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger'.

Make some jibaritos, the greatest contribution Cuba has ever made to world cuisine.

Well, 23, but I don't think it was an age-related comment. Obviously if you have known immune system problems you have to take more care, but for most people, our immune systems are a hell of a lot stronger than we seem to think they are. Of course it comes down to a matter of your own priorities as well. The risk of getting sick from food is pretty darn low, and even if you do, the chances of it being fatal are so small that they can almost be completely dismissed. I'm willing to risk an occasional case of something nasty so as to not have to be paranoid in my own kitchen. If it makes you feel better to constantly clean and wipe down every surface you see with a disinfectant, then go for it, after all, it is your kitchen. For me, breaking out a bucket of bleach or having to wash the cutting board and countertops after every meal I prepare totally kills the mood, and if I did that, I would end up just living off of take-out to avoid the hassle.

When I did a semester abroad in London I was lucky enough to have dinner at a place called Alfred's with served a Burn's night dinner. The haggis was wonderful, although it lacked any casing, which dissapointed me.

I suppose this was directed at me, so I will respond. I advocate it, if only for one reason: the potential rewards far outweigh the risks. What is the point of living one's life in fear? If I die before I reach 30, then so be it, at least I enjoyed some good rare burgers in my day.

Tonight and last night were the same: Turkey club, on flax bread, with ham, bacon, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayo and mustard, still very tasty. I am on a West Wing inspired food kick.

today: All day rehearsals for county honors band. I managed to work in a position with the other slackers from my distrcit which involved watching the rehsearsal room while everyone else 'enjoyed' a school cafeteria lunch, then going out for lunch ourselves in town afterwards. Anyway, they had a place in mind, someplace called the 'Steamed Bean' or 'Hot Bean' or something along those lines, this coffee shop which serves minimal fare on top of coffee. Upon discovering they served sandwhiches, soups, and salads, but had no kitchen, I decided a Turkey Club salad was the safest bet. In actuality, it was pretty good, the turkey was cold cuts, the bacon not quite warm, but the veggies were fresh and the blue cheese dressing (although there was not enough of it it fully coat the salad) was tasty. It hit the spot at the time while they enjoyed their cold cut sandwhiches and likely reconstituted canned soups.

If you want a marinade to penetrate, salt is key, it essentially becomes a brine. And really, for the vast majorit of people, there is no reason to monitor or reduce salt intakein our daily diets, there are far more effective means of aiding blood pressure and other supposedly salt related ailments.

Forget about science for a while. If you are anything like me, thinking and calculating takes all of the fun out of cooking. Just play around with ingredients, make up stuff you _think_ will work, and see how it goes. If it bombs, well, it bombs, but maybe the result will be something else cool anyway. If it works, awesome, and the success is even greater because it wasn't calculated.

I try to cook on a budget as well, as a teacher, I just don't make enough to splurge very often. I don't buy organic anything unless it is as cheap as the regular variety, I have never noticed a change in taste, but maybe that is just me. I recommend checking out supermarkets for marked down beef. I love Safeway for one reason: they stick $2 off coupons on lots of meat very often, so I can pick up lots of it and stick it in the freezer without spending a fortune. Marked down meat is nothign to be afraid of, and if I end up getting ultra-sick I figure I can always sue Safeway and get a nice settlement (hey, it is the American way ;) ). Also, canned veggies are your friend. Lots of vegetables stand up very well to canning, they are cheaper than fresh, and last forever.

I wouldn't say it was luck, I would say it was you braking through the veil of paranoia. We are far too concerned with 'kitchen saftety' in this country. It is a hell of a lot harder to get sick from something we cook than most people let on. Just enjoy the cooking, clean when you get the chance or when something starts smelling bad, and don't worry about it.

Poutine is truly a gift from the gods. Picture a mountain of french fries, nice and greasy, covered in rich gravey (I've seen it as pork, beef, and chicken, depends where you get it), and either loads of cheese curds, goat cheese, or any cheese that melts well. Truly one of the best ways to enjoy fries.

oh yes, Golden Corral, one of my true guilty pleasures. I love buffets, any buffet really, well, other than Hometown which feels theneed to add breadcrumbs, sugar, or cornstarch to every frickin dish. When I drove down to NC this past summer with a friend we hit up several GCs and Western Sizzlin's on the drive down. FWIW, the GC buffet absolutely destroyed the one at the WS. Actually, perhaps this speaks poorly of my choice of BBQ joints, or of by BBQ palette, but some of the best pulled pork I had in NC was at the GC in Wilmington, NC.

An awesome turkey club sandwhich (a craving I got from watching an episdoe of The West Wing of all things...) Two toasted slices of flax bread, turkey, ham, crispy bacon, red juicey tomato, romaine lettuce, vidalia onion, mayo, spicey brown mustard, dill pickle spears, wow oh wow, totally hit the spot.

You can't buy alcohol in Quebec? I always thought it was the most European of the Canadian provinces... I'll second (or third) how wonderful Poutine is. Thing is, I have never, ever, had bad poutine in Canada. Heck, I even got some from a KFC in Gannanoque a couple years ago and it was hellaciously good.

Well, the storm drain leads to the sewers, right, and then the sewers lead to a waste treatment plant somewhere I'd imagine, so, I can't see how that is any worse than putting it into a can and tossing it (also, I don't have any old coffee cans laying around, and deep fryers make for quite a bit of waste oil when it is time to change. I have played around with the idea of picking up an old MB 300D or some other diesel vehicle and playing with making my own bio-diesel, but as for yet I haven't gotten around to it. And as for Seattle mandatory recycling and waste guidelines: ick. The more I hear about how intrusive the govt. is in your daily life in many west coast communities, the more I realize I could never happily live there.

By carmelize I meant that PolyD will melt like sugar, and then re-harden into a shell like sugar, not sure if that is how you would use the term. I have no idea what fondant or sorbet stabilizers are, so, unfortunately I can't help there. With regard to Stevia - I use NOW! Brand liquid Stevia extract. A couple drops provides a very nice sweetness, but it is best not to be used on its own. I don't detect a licorice or a burning taste, but there is a certain emptyness to it that is best filled out with other sweeteners.