Smithy

Yes. The qualitative summation is here: Somewhere back then we had a discussion about what temperatures would correlate to that activity, but it depends on the liquid involved as well as altitude. (At the time, we were discussing the temperatures for simmering vs. boiling at something like 5,000' MSL.) If I find an authoritative source on the activation temperatures for the starches in question I'll post it here, unless someone else gets to it first.

Welcome! You'll find a lot of friendly and helpful people here. If you have any questions about using the forums, feel free to contact a staff member (I'm one) by the PM (Personal Messaging) system. Tell us a little more about yourself. Do you cook only for yourself, or for a family? What sort of baking have you started? My own baking odyssey began with cakes and cookies and is now more about bread...but compared to the most active bakers on these forums, I don't know much. 😀

I'd leave it out on the counter for the afternoon, or overnight if necessary, to thaw. Then I'd put it in the refrigerator. In my household, at least, it will thaw but still be cool if left out overnight. If bacterial growth is a concern for you then the sink trick would work, or rotuts' suggestion for the microwave thawing.

Yes, this is an old topic. I remember thinking I had to try salt cod, and specifically salt cod brandade, back when the topic was new. I still haven't. Thanks to this article I'm thinking again that I should, sometime in the next year. Whether you want to try salt cod or not, read the article: Les Marseillaises (or, you're soaking in it) by Michael Procopio. It's given me a lot of laughs today!

I agree on all your points. Right now I'm excessively well stocked on those sorts of items, but eventually the Amazon 3rd party price gouging may be my only option. That's a while off, but it's nice to think I may have options when the time comes.

This sent me looking to see whether TJ's had developed an online presence. Nope. Gotta be in certain areas where there's a third-party delivery service, although I see some things are available through Amazon now. Ah well, I'd still rather live out in the sticks! Actually, I've just seen that Amazon carries at least two of the items I like to stock up on: their redundantly-named Garlic Aioli Mustard Sauce (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) and these julienned Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). Yay!

Thanks for that recipe link! The Mojo Marinated Pork (integral to it, but separate recipe) looks like something I'll have to try.

Have you ever seen "Julie & Julia"? I don't remember it as being deliberately comical (although it's listed as a Romance and Comedy) but I thought it was quite entertaining. (We discussed the movie here when it came out.) By the way, I just spent some time finding and then re-reading our topic about The Julie/Julia Project when it was underway, and then in the aftermath. Most of the links are broken -- for example, Julie's original blog is gone -- but there's still some interesting discussion. It's hard to remember that food blogging was a new thing back then, isn't it? But she did that project over 20 years ago. And there are a couple of still-living links, one to a fine article by @russ parsons, about the movie and even more about Julia Child. This isn't at all what you're asking about, but I'm putting it in because it's well worth reading. https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-calcook12-2009aug12-story.html Okay, back to the comedic food/cooking oriented movies or shows...does someone else have recommendations? (What about Pixar's "Ratatouille"?)

Shove some my way while you're at it! More to the point...do you have a link to the bun recipe you used? I'm not on low-carb but occasionally need something that would fit that requirement.

I'm not a regular Trader Joe's shopper because I rarely have the opportunity. That said, I can promise you that the Double Chocolate Croissants are wonderful. Little else of what they reviewed appeals to me either, although I like getting their cheeses. Can't remember whether I've tried any of those mentioned, though.

OK, I caved. The Kindle version is just short of 6 bucks, and I can carry it with me and dream when I'm not in a position to cook. The idea of having doughs tucked away in the fridge or freezer for pizza on a whim is powerful...and as @Maison Rustique notes, what you're doing with the recipes is truly inspiring!

Not yet... but it looks very tempting! Thanks for the review, and I look forward to what you produce from it!

I believe they were Blenheims, as @Margaret Pilgrim notes above. I agree they were "just apricots" but my sister and I have commented on the change and loss many times. The backyard trees that still survived when we were visiting (12 years ago now) were Blenheims, and they had the quality and flavor we remembered.

This brought me up short in the grocery store today.

Big ol' dinner salad. I'm leaving town for most of the week and had hoped, in vain, to use up my fresh baby spring greens and other vegetables because they won't survive until I get back. Can't do it. I still have another salad's worth of the greens as well as a bunch of broccoli, shredded cabbage, and cauliflower. So it goes. It's my fault for noshing on a rotisserie chicken this week and neglecting those vegetables. But... this is a pretty good salad. The baby greens, a bunch of tomatoes, several spoonsful of Mild Giardiniera (that's gone well past its best-by date) and chunks of gruyere laid the base. I unearthed some smoked pancetta from my freezer, (purchased at a favorite local store last winter), cooked it until it was crisp and the fat was rendered. Added the crisp pancetta to the salad base, then went to work on browning the pork tenderloin I'd sous-vided back here. (Thanks for the advice on browning, all you who weighed in. It did make a difference.) After I did that I added the jus from the bag -- which promptly curdled -- so I added a bunch of red wine vinegar to whisk it up and clean the cast-iron skillet. That became the basis of the salad dressing, aside from the olive oil from the giardiniera. Oh, and a few chunks of the pork tenderloin went onto the salad. That's how I know the browning helped. But. It's really good, and it's really too much. Maybe the rest will be breakfast tomorrow, before I head out!

Your looks quite nice -- oozy, almost like a runny cheese. I'd be impressed to see that at any gathering. That said, I'll also say its moment has already passed for me. I made it once. It didn't look as good as yours, but it came out well enough for me to realize that the burnt caramel top is the point. I'm not fond of caramel (burnt or otherwise). But I'm glad I tried it! Once. 🙂

I've never heard of Steak-ums. But I've never lived near, much less in, Philly. The griddle does look like a lot of fun. I've seen them in various campgrounds and rather lusted after them. As it happens, my camping setup wouldn't allow me to carry one around, and I have a fine multi-fuel grill / smoker on the deck here at home. The Blackstone doesn't have a place in my current lifestyle, but I can ogle. Keep the posts coming, for our vicarious enjoyment! And maybe to help someone else decide to buy!

Truly, it's been a labor of love and a glimpse into a country and its regions that many of us on this forum are unlikely to experience firsthand. And if I, personally, am ever offered "dragon and phoenix" I'll jump at the chance! Thank you.

Do you peel them after roasting?

Mega-kudos to you! I like the photos, but I'm just a piker. This "like" and comment, given its source? Major!

I cut a couple of slices from that sous-vided corned beef last night, something around 3/8" thick (not that I was measuring) and wedged them between a couple of slices of bread, along with cheese and condiments, for a Reuben sandwich. I didn't bother taking a picture last night -- everyone's seen my grilled sandwiches already -- but it was pretty good. I learned a couple of things, though. 1. A proper Reuben needs thinner slices. These were single slices, laid next to each other to cover the bread. Thinner slices, piled atop each other, would have had a nicer mouth-feel. 2. Before I tried this corned beef, I tried the one I'd written about here, that had been sitting in its original package for a couple of months past its best-by date. I really don't like it. As a matter of fact, even the dog didn't like it! So...these things do have a shelf life more or less in line with the label. (I also think for my tastes the brand isn't the best, but now I know that timing matters.)

Let's revive this topic about culinary growth and learning! @Duvel's recent adventures in Austria, and specifically Tyrol (or Tirol, to him), reminds me of a "my first" treat. My best friend and I backpacked around Europe in the summer of 1980, and made friends with a woman about our age during a stay at a youth hostel. She invited us to her family's inn for a few days. Schlickeralm, well up into the Alps, was at that time of year a green and pastoral delight. I don't remember where-all Angelika took us during our stay; I don't even remember much about what we ate. Except breakfast. They had their own cows, which produced their own milk and no doubt cheese. I had never had fresh, unpasteurized, unseparated milk before. What a revelation! I'm not usually a milk-drinker, but this stuff was delicious. Creamy. Warm. Flavorful. Wonderful on müsli. Wonderful on its own. Whenever I think of fresh milk, I think of those green, green meadows, lovely mountains, and that rich sunshine and even richer milk. What a happy memory. 🙂

Today, David made me laugh aloud. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you his essay: The Mohel of Mollusks I wish I could write like that. I'll have to check his blog more often!

Hello and welcome! That's a lovely photo you've put up there. We have Help articles, and at the bottom of this post you'll find a link to the answer to your question. That said, you can always ask a host (I am one) by Personal Messenger when you have a question about how to do things or where to post. While I was writing this, @pastrygirl beat me to the punch (thanks, pastrygirl!) but I'm still going to point out the existence of the Help articles. You can reach them at the top of any pages, where there's a tab that reads "Help".

Very cleverly written, @liuzhou. Thanks for the giggles!