heidih

Angostura bitters in some baked goods, Just a few drops. People always ask why my chocolate chip cookies are deliciously different - the "je ne sais quoi".

Aguachile shrimp is something I dearly miss from my big Mexican mart deli. With fresh corn chips! Summer for sure.

Fish sauce is part of cooking life at least where I live in Los Angeles. Euro stepmom objects when I leave open jar of nuoc mam on counter or cook with fish sauce and then asks why something tastes so good.

@Franci Your husband always sounds like a really good shopper. Not my male experience. Give the man a hug

It may have been the variety as they were pretty big. More along the lines of a small parsnip - great flavor. We only used them in soups. I stole them and let the others fight over the carrots. There is a firm core that is often not edible. Nothing I have grown from US commercial seed packets was worthy. But as those who enjoy SE Asian cuisine use cilantro roots pounded in curry pastes I think even the wimpy ones would add interest at times. Trial and error.

I'll echo @weinoo 's smoked paprika. A little can add interest or a lot can be the main flavor of a dish. And I'll add a little shot of vinegar to sauces/salads that wouldn't necessarily have it. And a bit of tomato paste in sauces too. I only recently discovered how much Balsamic Vinegar can add to foods. Keep it as a table condiment - a little drop will do ya. Also the mentioned tomato paste. When tomatoes are not great frying it a bit adds remarkable tomato depth. And generic works!

We all come up differently. The bed of flat leaf at grandma's house was essential. A flat leaf variety from seed brought by the early charter flight travelers (cheap) from Europe. The roots essential in chicken soup. The first time I smelled it on offer at a mainstream grocery I got tears in my eyes.

Curious if you are referring to curly or flat leaf? Curly to me is tasteless. If I had to pick 2 ordinary guys I'd say: 1. Cracked black pepper "bloomed"with the fat rather than plunked on at the end 2. Dijon mustard - just a smidge does something more than one expects. Esp in stews and soups. Not the grainy stuff

I have mentioned before that many years later the neighborhood kids I run into still refer to me as "Mrs. K who made those great fried flowers for us".

I thought the basket was a table service add on

And in the "no waste" era you tempura batter and fry the flowers

I find it acts like cilantro. A pain. I usually buy it for super cheap at Mexican or Middle Eastern market

I am not rule oriented about anything (says the lawyer). I've done plain tofu or crisped up under the broiler for textural variation.

Oh my - Saudi fig newtons sort of

I am on that page. I prefer the rice "non gloppy" Are you playing with sticky rice? Then ya gotta buy one of the attractive baskets

@KennethT On the curry - have you considered the ambient humidity? New apartment sounds great. Oh I know you are mor than capable of googling - but ijn case - I found this a nice summary with visuals. https://pinchofseeds.com/buying-a-curry-leaf-plant/

Just the 2 of you right? Just pick up the pieces and then lick your fingers thus wasting none of the tasty sauce

@weinoo that seems incredibly cheap for nice produce. Yes me in Los Angeles and kale is a cultural joke but caldo verde, used like collards in Southern preps. Dial down the hate - the love may kick in.

I think liuzhou often uses the basil as a vegetable in quantity in a stir fry. Great "family portrait"

didn't you like the duck or chicken liver with pepper jelly at Cochon in NOLA ? Maybe someone else.

Interesting as covering is not in my experience. Do let us know how it goes. I always visualize paella in the field over an open fire - were I lucky enough Rabbit and snails maybe.

the ones I used to get did not have enough collagen oomph to merit braise. It = to me tightens them up. They are cheap - experiment and let us know.

OK so low and slow or fast but in between sucks. Like calamari. I am being serious for a change.

@Toliver In my experience what I get in Los Angeles as "country ribs" are pretty lean things. When I ended up with them - on a pan, with sauce., foil covered, low and slow in oven. But still never the lip smacky goodness of the "real" ones. In my opinion pre boiling just toughens them. They don't have the wonderful collagen.

Ha! I find vegemite more an umami boost like mushrooms on toast. Your pesto, veggie, pasta breakfast reminds me of my mother who preferred leftovers for breakfast though she had quite a sweet tooth' more for the midmorning or afternoon coffee break.