Shel_B

I see that the menu for Spenger's Fish Grotto in Berkeley, CA is available. Spenger's was, for many, many years, a Berkeley institution, and had a wide-ranging reputation as one of the better Bay Area fish places. It was certainly quite popular, and I enjoyed many meals there. @Smithy The hothouse chicken probably refers to a southern chicken dish. It's basically a brined fried chicken with a bunch of heat, often from cayenne.

This afternoon my building is having a Holiday Potluck. The management is providing a ham and the residents are bringing what they will. Many will buy some items at the local Safeway or Trader Joe’s, but some of us will prepare our own dishes, and I’m among that group. I made roasted Garnet Yams with Lavender-infused Brown Butter and a bit of fresh-ground nutmeg. I got those yams pretty well caramelized, and that worked well with the brown butter. The yams were topped with rough chopped, pan-toasted pecans, and shaken/mixed/topped with just a little sugar and single-origin Korintje Cinnamon. The mixture that didn’t stick to the nuts was sprinkled over the top of the dish. Sadly, the sprinkling wasn’t very even, and there were a couple of spots where my heavy hand was obvious, so aesthetically the dish could have been a little nicer looking. Of course, that means for those who want a somewhat sweeter taste, the option is there. The yams will be served in a vintage CorningWare dish. I love the old CorningWare.

I've settled on a slightly modified recipe (found on the packages of Bob's Red Mill cornmeal) for my everyday cornbread. It calls for 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1⅓ cups milk. One of my changes is that I use buttermilk, should that matter. I also soak the cornmeal in the buttermilk for 30 minutes to an hour at room temp. I would like to play around with this recipe to see what possibilities it offers. The first thing I want to do is change the cornmeal/flour ratio, primarily to see if it increases the corn taste and perhaps provide a more rustic texture. I thought I'd use ½ cup of flour and 1½ cups of cornmeal. Will doing this dictate a change in the amount of buttermilk used?

This morning, while grinding the coffee beans, I wondered about the relative popularity of coffee and tea. I drink both. So, I did a search and came across this list. Maybe you'll enjoy the information .... The 30 Tea Drinkers vs. Coffee Drinkers Statistics Tea is considered the second most popular drink of choice worldwide. Black tea is the most consumed tea around the world. 297 billion liters of tea were consumed worldwide in 2021. In 2020, China dominated the tea market with 78.7 billion US dollars of revenue. In 2018, bubble tea made a 3,000% jump in orders throughout the Southeast Asia region. Worldwide, the wholesale price of tea rose 50% in 2020 due to the pandemic. 75%-80% of tea drank in the United States is iced tea. Americans consumed 89 billion servings of tea in 2021. In 2019, 48% of tea consumed by Americans took place at food service locations. Worldwide, more than 50 countries contribute to coffee production. In 2019, Brazil accounted for 44% of worldwide coffee exportation. In 2020, worldwide coffee sales decreased by 3.8% in comparison to 2019’s reported numbers. Coffee sales in 2023 are expected to reach over $100 million. The Netherlands was responsible for the highest coffee consumption in 2020, reaching 8.3 kilograms per capita. In 2019, the world reported the lowest coffee prices per pound in more than a decade. The United States ranks 25th in countries with the most coffee consumed per capita. In 2020, there were over 37,000 coffee shops or cafes in the United States. On average, US coffee drinkers consume two to three cups of coffee each day. 59% of Americans consume coffee every day. Finland is the top coffee drinker in the world. Seniors drink more coffee than young adults. Young people are more likely to visit coffee shops. 29% of people drink coffee to relax. There are almost 20,000 people producing coffee in the United States. Starbucks is currently the most popular coffee shop. Tea is one of the oldest beverages in the world. China and Japan drink more than 40% of the tea produced each year. 33% of people in the United Kingdom drink four to five cups of tea per day during the week. Researchers expect the tea market in the United States to grow by more than 5% each year. Seattle, Washington, consumes the most caffeine in the United States.

8 months ... 80 was a typo that I corrected, but not before you saw the error. Does 8 months change your assessment? Strange. I just checked my post and it still says 80 months <shrug>

Thanks for your congrats. Actually, the exam was a bit of fun as I got to see and experience the new, high-tech devices and techniques used for such exams. And everyone I encountered - doctors, receptionist, and billing folks - were friendly, pleasant, professional, and punctual. The waiting or reception area was light, airy, and comfortable, and had a great view of the city and the hills. And plenty of free parking right by the entrance door. 👍

An unopened pkg of King Arthur Unbleached AP Flour has been in the freezer for at least 8 months. What's the best way to thaw or defrost it? I'll need it in two-three days.

It didn't happen tonight. I had a major eye exam earlier, lots of drops, lasers, scanning, dilating, electrodes, shining lights, and a team of young ophthalmologists high-fiving one another upon getting the test results. I spent the evening in a darkened apartment, computer screen at half power, and no desire to cook, eat, or turn on a light.

@haresfur That's a great idea ... there are numerous videos showing a variety of styles and techniques to break down and debone a bird. Since you posted the idea, why don't you start the topic. I can add a few videos to get things rolling.

Why is that? Have you found issues with the product or is it the manner in which you use them? Would you not recommend them, in general, or have there been specific issues with particular brands or designs?

Sounds real good. Thanks for the information. @gulfporterDoes it work if you run a sponge under it rather than just a hand?

I've not seen this before today. I grabbed one and may try it for dinner tonight. My favorite buzz words: spicy, Calabrian, smoked, sausage, grilled, peppers ... be still, my fibrillating heart.

Can you post a link or provide the name or other details?

I'd run out of one of my favorite breakfast hot sauces, and it arrived yesterday, so this morning I had a healthy dose on my potatoes. Ahhh ... Ingredients: Carrots, Onions, Vinegar, Red Habanero Peppers, Garlic, Salt and Lime Juice. It's not too hot, and I don't know the Scoville rating.

I thought you might enjoy this pic. Yan was playing around in the kitchen at a very early age. I dug this out of my image collection, but it was a screen grab from a show he did on KQED in San Francisco in, I believe, 1983-84.

I often make something like that. Onions, potatoes, chilies, veggies ... now I can give it a proper name and serve it to guests <LOL>. Thanks for the information and the link.

Thanks for your suggestion. I have vague standards, and can enjoy all quality-levels of food. There has always been ramen and frozen veggies in my home, with the veggies in the freezer next to the beef cheeks. Your point is well taken.

I used to do that, go out for a meal by myself at a place that was comfortable. Since Sweetie passed, I've not done that once, although I have thought about it. I'm unsure about why the change has taken place. I've only gone out to eat with friends. I have, however, gone to a couple of drive-thrus as there's a good Mexican place that opened a take-out place that's near me, and there's the coupon-centric Burger King, but for the most part I cook and eat at home. There used to be an Olive Garden near me, and I went there a couple-three times before it closed. I never quite understood the bad rap that the place got. Sure, it wasn't a high end place, but I liked it, and I'll say this, it was a comfortable place to eat. And when dining alone, that comfortable feeling is important. Here's to Olive Garden (hoisting a glass of mediocre Chardonnay)

You Go, Girl!

I added some fresh ground Pasilla de Oaxaca, a splash of good quality balsamic vinegar, and a handful of baby spinach leaves ... a simple, quick, and easy to prepare dinner. Plus a 3 - 4 inch sized piece of the local bakery's sourdough baguette, as well.

I love many fermented foods, especially sauerkraut. I always warm the kraut before eating, and most often give it a quick rinse to reduce the salt content. Does warming the kraut destroy the health effects? I usually just put the kraut into a pan and bring the water up to a bit below boiling, about 180º - 190º or so maximum.

I've a confession to make: Sometimes I like bad food. For example, I'll sometimes get a Whopper or Double Cheeseburger at Burger King. The food is not good, but I like it. It's more of a textural thing than a tastes great thing. Gotta have a coupon, though. Sometimes I'll make "bad" food, like my Not-World-Famous-Potato-Vegetable-Smush which I find almost swoon-worthy. Yukon Gold potatoes cooked in broth of some kind, add an assortment of frozen and/or fresh veggies, get everything softish, mash together with seasoning, EVOO, and grated Reggiano or Pecorino, and I'm happy. No visual appeal to speak of, but flavorful and a great mushy-smushy texture, plus what could be wrong with a bowl of veggies.

FWIW, I received a phone call from Costco earlier this morning following up on the email they sent. Nice touch.

I've been going through the same thing. After Sweetie died, my enthusiasm for most everything flagged, and my enthusiasm for cooking has dropped precipitously. Sweetie was a motivator for me. We'd have guests for dinner regularly, I'd cook for her, she'd challenge me (There's a can of beans and angel hair pasta in the cupboard, make us some dinner). I've not cooked for anyone in a long time ... my social network has been shattered. I'm tying to get more involved here at my apartment, but it is a Sisyphean task. We've a Thanksgiving pot luck coming up and I have all the needed ingredients for my contribution, but my enthusiasm is low.

If you care to see him in action, here are some videos from his shows, including one with Jacques Pepin. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=martin+yan+videos&t=h_&ia=web