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MikeHartnett

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Everything posted by MikeHartnett

  1. Bacon brownies are good, but not out-of-this-world.
  2. Also, basic stir-fries with tofu can be fantastic. Throw some tofu into a wok with green vegetables, fish sauce (or soy, etc.), chiles... Whatever you want. Tofu provides textural variation and protein, and the dish will be incredibly healthy, and filling, with some rice.
  3. I made a tomato egg drop soup from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen the other day. It was both easy and delicious. 1 white or yellow onion 1 or 2 clove garlic About 1/3 lb tofu (probably more, to taste) 2-3 Tbls fish sauce 3/4 lb tomatoes (fresh or canned) 5 1/2 c water 2 eggs Cook onions, adding garlic midway through, to soften. Once softened, add the tofu and fish sauce, stir, then add tomatoes (crushed), and water. Cook for 15-20 minutes adding fish sauce to taste. Just before serving, beat eggs and swirl over the top, stirring to break them up. I just realized that if she's strictly vegetarian, no fish sauce. And that's too bad...
  4. I meant that I cooked it just a bit too long. It was a touch bitter.
  5. Thanks, Celeste and Chris. That's exactly what I was referring to.
  6. Recently, in both pictures and Asian markets (specifically one that specializes in Viet/ Thai foods), I've seen a piece of kitchen equipment that has baffled me. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what it is. Unfortunately, I'm now unable to find a picture of one. It's made of wood, a flat top with a "leg" at the front and back made from wide board. At one end is a jagged-toothed blade. I know this isn't a great description, but if anyone has an idea of what I'm talking about, I'd appreciate it.
  7. Andouille and chicken. Turned out very well, but I went a bit too far on the roux.
  8. MikeHartnett

    Making Bacon

    Has anyone cured pork in miso? I just saw a tub of miso in the fridge and it occurred to me that it's appropriately salty, and quite tasty, and would probably make an interesting "bacon." Edited to remove a fantastic joke about mathematical theory, among other things...
  9. MikeHartnett

    Kimchi tacos

    I'm also fascinated by Kogi BBQ and kimchi tacos. I'm currently having a friend who lives in LA investigate it for me. I'll see what he says.
  10. But those goes against all convention which says that you shouldn't rinse pasta - not rinsing allows the sauce to adhere to the pasta, as well as helps to thicken the sauce, as does adding a ladleful or more of the cooking water to the sauce. ← I think he's referring to rinsing prior to cooking, not afterwards. McGee says it prevents sticking in the pot.
  11. You think under the circumstances you would attack Carla's cooking credibility and education, (re-) blame everything on her, and generally come off as a whiny and tactless... person? I get where you're coming from, in that I wouldn't be happy if I felt I was poorly portrayed in that situation, but I can assure I would not react like that. At least not publicly.
  12. ← Wow. As many of the commenters to that noted, that was tactless and classless. Carla took the blame on the show, and instead of being grateful for that, Casey made sure to rub it in one more time. While she attempted to save face, she ended up making herself look like a totally mannerless person. In addition to that, Carla's bio on the TC website and Carla herself say that she has classical French training. SO either they're lying, or Casey is just plain wrong.
  13. My favorite MG memory: sitting at home and writing an appellate brief while everyone I know stakes out a spot for Endymion with massive amounts of liquor and small amounts of food. Does it count as a memory if it's happening as I write it? Serious good memory, though: jambalaya, red beans, and chili-cheese dogs on St. Charles last night. Good friends, good food. Good night.
  14. MikeHartnett

    Making Vinegar

    A question: in the Russ Parsons article above, it mentions that white vinegars are difficult to sustain because of oxidation. Could somebody verify that this is the case (and it is actually difficult to do), and if so, how it is prevented in commercial settings?
  15. But does being a server mean a person already making minimum wage should make 15+% in addition to their base wage while those in similar positions (retail sales) don't get tips? I don't think so. For those working in states paying less than minimum wage, then sure. ← Those in retail sales must make at least minimum wage, though. Servers are the exception, because they get tips. I think the point that many are missing is that, while servers may not get more than minimum wage from the restaurant itself, they often end up making much more as a result of tips. Waiting tables is often a very lucrative alternative to working at McDonald's or pushing carts at the grocery store. I can understand the argument that the pay lacks stability, and for the people concerned about this, it's valid to fight for more stability. However, unlike many other countries, waiting tables here is not treated with the level of respect afforded other professions. Waiting is generally regarded as a low-skill position, and while that may or may not be true, depending on the venue, it is nonetheless an obstacle to overcome in the fight for more stable pay. All that said, I think it is ridiculous to tip poorly unless a waiter failed to perform basic duties, such as bringing your food in a reasonable period of time, checking at least once to see if everything's ok, or possessing a basic level of courtesy. I feel very strongly that a tip is an expected compensation, which is only to be denied when the waiter hasn't performed the job they're to be compensated for. Having never been on the flip side, I think it's unacceptable to chase someone down for a tip, and morally reprehensible to allow a customer to leave what is obviously a mistakenly large tip. However, I can say that I'm sure it would throw me into a rage if a customer left a tiny tip after perfectly good service.
  16. Actually, one review on Amazon does say that there are some relatives of New Orleans-style bananas foster and beignets in the book. Like I said above, this is the roots of New Orleans cuisine. More on topic, though, if anyone has this, I would love to hear about it also. It sounds quite interesting.
  17. I'm not sure what you're looking for, exactly, but this book is West Indies Creole, as in the roots of New Orleans Creole. It seems to have little to do with Creole as it is done in modern New Orleans. This may very well be what you're looking for, but I just thought I'd confirm.
  18. Ooooooo... I vote either of these, minus the cheap vodka. Switch that out for moderate gin in my version, and scratch what I said earlier.
  19. I'm not entirely sure I understand what you're looking for. LA food to celebrate? If so, why not gumbo? If you can get tasso, you should be able to get andouille, right? Everything else should be no problem.
  20. I'm a bit nervous for Iris. I know that I personally haven't been much since they moved, mostly because of the location. I'm not sure why, because it really isn't much further from home, and parking is right across the street. It just seems more difficult, I guess.
  21. Same food, two schools of thought. The biggest difference I know is that creole uses butter in the roux and cooks it darker. Maque Choux is a cajun dish that the Acadians got from the local indians. ← Maybe too succinctly, Creole is an amalgamation of European and African influences that formed in New Orleans. Much more refined, with more subdued flavors. Cajun is country cookin'. There is almost zero of this in New Orleans, even though it is commonly mistaken for NO's cuisine. Cajun is boudin, etoufee, and things that rarely show up in restaurants, and almost never in fancy restaurants. Spicier (in the sense that more spices are used), bolder food.
  22. Was that 2 kids who like milk and an adult addicted to morning cappuccino, or all 3 family member addicted to morning cappuccino? ETA: I can't possibly do this. As a student with enough free time to shop more than an average person, I can't bring myself to decide what's for dinner earlier than the morning of... Maybe the day before at the outside.
  23. MikeHartnett

    Tongs

    ChefJohnny, what exactly do you use the flat spatula for?
  24. Can someone explain to me the appeal of instant coffee? Is it really much faster than standard coffee? You've got to heat the water, which already takes longer than my Bunn does to brew. In fact, I'd be willing to bet I can grind my beans and brew the coffee in less time than it takes to heat the water for the instant. ETA: Also, that's really expensive, considering I can get the real thing for less per cup, and if I'm making it anyway, what exactly am I paying for?
  25. Starbucks already has a number of branded products in grocery stores (coffee beans, ice cream), so perhaps that's the market for it? My mother will happy. *wry* ← Right.. They do. But based on what I read, this will be sold in their actual coffee shops. I suppose it may be sold in other outlets as well, but if it's sold in the coffee shops, is the intent for the customer to actually walk out of the store with a hot cup of coffee made with this instant stuff?? ← What I gather from the article is that customers will walk out with hot coffee. It seems as though it's being pitched at those who are in a rush. Can't wait the whole 2 minutes for your $4 coffee? Wait 30 seconds for $4 instant coffee!
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