Shel_B

This is my Everyday Cornbread, based on a back-of-the-box recipe from Bob's Redmill and modified for my preferences. This is the cornbread I can make in my sleep using the countertop oven. It is made with Bob's organic medium grind cornmeal soaked in buttermilk. The batter was made with lightly browned butter and a hint of black pepper was added. Also added was a small can of not-too-hot, well-drained, Trader Joe's Hatch chilies. It's been a while since I made this, and I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I'm enjoying it right now with a cup of Ethiopian coffee.

No. I was surprised by how well it held up. However, the outer stainless shell was grossly discolored and the bottom of the pot became quite rough. The pan no longer moved smoothly over the hob. The bottom of the interior was partially covered with what looked like carbon, but it seemed like it was embedded or mixed with the stainless. It couldn't be removed with the techniques I knew. The area not damaged by this carbon-like element was grossly discolored and looked like a light bronze color, quite similar to the exterior bronzing on the side of the pot. It broke my heart to see such a nice pan meet such a sad demise.

I finally got around to trying the pizza for lunch today, and in general, I liked it. I have to get the baking time adjusted as it came out a bit over baked, but the topping and the spiciness were pretty good. I blended some fresh grated Reggiano and Pecorino, mixed in some fresh ground Kashmiri and Calabrian peppers along with some finely flaked Turkish Aleppo, and generously sprinkled it over the pie after removing it from the Breville. Overall, a nice enhancement to a pretty decent topping. I'll definitely buy another one and continue playing with the baking time/temp.

I like your poitive attitude. 😃

I long ago switched from "table salt" to Diamond Crystal as my standard salt. I sometimes use other salts, such as Redmond (https://redmond.life/collections/real-salt) or Malden. But they are not for general cooking. I could always taste something odd about table salt, and when I tried DC many years ago I never looked back. There's no need for iodized salt for most people as there's so much of it in the prepared, frozen, and canned foods that most folks eat that adding it to your cooking and meals is not needed.

Goodbye to an old friend: I wouldn't necessarily call this "fun stuff," but the pot I purchased over the weekend is one I love to use. One of my favorite pots is the All-Clad D5 1.5 quart saucepan. I've had it for years and use it almost every day, sometimes more than once a day. It practically lives on my stovetop. A few days ago I ruined it. Left it on a high burner with some water in it, got distracted, and when I discovered the pot, it was toast. Sadness and depression ensued followed by a visit to Amazon to get a replacement. Amazon said it was unavailable and didn't know when it would return to stock. No big deal, off to All-Clad, where it was also unavailable. Uh Oh, this was getting serious. Further checking led me to Williams-Sonoma where I found it at a very good price. W-S has saved me $$ on All-Clad before. Pot should be here in a couple of days. Resting forlorn in the trash is the old D5. So, is this a fun stuff posting, or just a shopping post, or a sad kitchen tale post?

I want to 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 (liquid) used? I am not looking for any other recipes or additions or changes. I have numerous corn muffin and cornbread recipes in my files, but the one on the back of Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal, and referenced above, is the one I'm interested in modifying here. All I want to know is if by changing the percentages of cornmeal and flour if it's advisable to change the amount of liquid.

Bingo! Made a simple Three Sisters Stew for lunch today. I was introduced to succotash in grade school, when I was about 10 yo. Mary, the woman who ran the small lunchroom, would sometimes make a succotash, and I got hooked on it at an early age. I don't make it, or the stews, often enough, as they are fairly simple to make and quite nutritious. In all the time I've frequented cooking sites and forums, your reference to the Three Sisters is one of the very few I've come across unless specifically looking for it.

Here's somewhat of a behind the scenes look at how food is prepared for commercials and print ads,

@Smithy Thanks for that. I have a friend who, if she's not already familiar with the strip, would love it. The link is on its way ...

Watercolor by Vera Lis

Peaches is located in Brooklyn, NY and opened around 2010-2011, IIRC. They are known for the Nashville-style Hothouse chicken.

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?